GM Sappy's Rise of the Runelords - Little Heroes Table 1 (Inactive)

Game Master Sapiens

Ileyna's eyes unfocus, mouth hanging open for a moment as she loses sight of everything except a vaguely goblin-shaped blob.

Casting Daze (DC 12 Will or lose next action) on the Red goblin.

Tallow leaves Ileyna's side, rushing forward and crashing into a different goblin, small, pinkish fists swinging wildly.

Slam (green goblin): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage?: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

The sudden ambush was a shock to Almos, but he forced himself to go through the fear and rush a goblin(red), swinging the pumpkin game mallet wildly. It is unfortunatel that goblins are far less stationary than pumpkins...

Mallet: 1d20 ⇒ 1 -4 if it's not treated simple bludgeoning weapon.
damage, if light mace or club statistics: 1d6 ⇒ 5
damage, if warhammer statistics: 1d8 ⇒ 8

@Almos: It can work as a light mace.

Isaac and Tallow find their marks as Ileyna's spell fails to make the goblin even dumber than it already is.
As for your foes, the one hit by Isaac throws its flask against the boy, and the incendiary paste reacts violently with air, singing his flesh (6 damage to Isaac, 1 to James and Quinn. Isaac can extinguish the flames with a full-round action or take an extra 1d6).
The goblin on the other side tries a throw of its own, but falls dramatically short. Caught in both the explosions, the pest in front of James is too busy setting out his own ears to properly attack, and Tallow's foe is busy watching the show and egging his companions on.

Catching fire is something I'd like to avoid. Still Berserking

Seemingly stunned by the sudden flames, it takes a moment for Isaac to start swatting at them. The baggy clothes he habitually favored were not doing him any favors and instead fed the fire. In desperation, he pulled his oversized tunic up over his head, knocking loose his hat and scarf as well, before flinging the burning cloth aside.

There was something very wrong with this boy. Instead of the red welts one would expect, his skin smoldered and flaked off easily to reveal blue-grey flesh and some kind of oozing silver fluid.

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 dam: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
James swings wildly at the inferno goblin in front of him, but distracted by the stinging pain of a few spattered alchemical drops his swing goes wild.

Ileyna scoops up a cobblestone and throws it in the direction of a nearby goblin. As it flops through the air, she realizes it's going to miss and wishes it wouldn't. It changes direction midair, moving toward the goblin at a much higher speed than a little girl should be able to throw it.

Telekinetic Projectile (green): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage?: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Tallow keeps working on her goblin, smashing her fists into it over and over, though she's not very good at hitting the important bits.

Slam (green goblin): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage?: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Slam (green goblin): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage?: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

"Just run off or something!" Almos yells at the goblin as he continues swinging the hammer in futility. "Or pretend to be a pumpkin!"

Attack on Red Goblin: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Apologies for the absence, have been a touch overwhelmed here.

Startled by the burst of flame, Quiin stabs at closest (Yellow) goblin.

Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Stay away from my friends!" he shouts.

It's been Easter, so I understand.

Tallow's left fist connects an instant before Ileyna's cobblestone crashes against the goblin's head, knocking it out. Its (red) companion squeals in glee and crouches to take the fallen weapon. The phantom manages to get a weak blow against it, but it's attacked by the nearby (yellow) pest, leaving a gash in her ectoplasm. 2 damage to Tallow.
The other goblin tries to attack Isaac, but the dogslicer falls short, raising a cloud of dust when it strikes the ground.

Now looking worse for wear and trickling silvery fluid from his strange looking burns, the shirtless Isaac stubbornly slashed at the nearest goblin with his dagger.

Berserking and targeting blue with my dagger
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Crit confirmation: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Quiin pushes forward again to get opposite to Tallow, surrounding the (Yellow) goblin, and slashes again.

Attack (Flanking): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage?: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage?: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

James runs forward, past the weird ghost-girl. Spinning to a halt he flails around with his makeshift weapon at the red goblin.
attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

When my turn comes around I'm using my Life Sphere Cure ability on Isaac. With my Slow Recovery drawback it's only Fast Healing 1 for one minute, and with my Unnatural Rememedy drawback he needs to make a Will Save, DC 12. Success means he shrugs it off.

Stepping back and look around, Almos' eyes go wide as he sees Issac seems to have been set fire and is now bleeding.. strangely. Well, strange or not, he had to try something. So he began chanting the words Chakacoatl had taught him and pointed at his injured battle companion.

"Sphaera vitae remedium..." He murmured as a soft hissing filled his ears. "Constituitur sanationis... lento convaluisset...." Several serpents of a ghostly appearance slid out of Almos' sleeves to fly over and bite Isaac, injecting a burning liquid into arm.

Following the idea that his magic comes from snakes, the Fast Healing is flavored as medicinal venom instead of destructive. Snake venom is used in different medicines, so I thought this was fitting. Also Google Translate to Latin is fun. :)

Crit Confirm 2.0: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Damage?: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Fortune favors you this time: James and Isaac's attacks are successful in sending their targets bowling on the ground, knocked out. And behind you, Hemlock kicks the last goblin attacking him in the face, knocking it against a low stone wall.
The flanked goblin, meanwhile, leaps at Quiin just as the boy is tracing an arc, and a spray of something warm and iron-smelling hits his face. As Quinn opens his eyes, which closed reflexively, his face, clothes and blade are stained by dark blood, while the goblin is on the ground, bleeding from its neck and twitching. There is no mistaking it for unconsciousness or trickery, the creature is dying.

Combat end on a somewhat ghastly note!

Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Isaac watches with interest as the damaged portions of his skin slowly knit back together. Then realizing what a sight he must be, retrieves his smoldering clothing and pulls it back on despite the sizable holes burned in them. The hat goes on and is pulled low so he does not have to see the looks, only people's shoes. Between seeing him injured and seeing him shirtless, he might have gone from just an odd boy to obviously weird 'thing'. Granted the second issue was marginally less serious as noting his lack of nipples and bellybutton might have been hard to do in the midst of combat.

James blanches as he looks over to Quiin. Pale, he forces himself to suck in a breath and look around for more hidden goblins.

"I am starting to hate this festival..." He replies as he sits down and starts to murmur sibilant words under his breath. More snakes begin to appear around him, showing up and disappearing just as fast until finally several slide to the ground and form a two-headed, slightly feathered serpent.

"I ssscent blood... and the small waste-takers..."

"Yeah, goblins are attacking and ruined the festival and I need your help, Chakacoatl, sir."

"I will assisst you. You should tend the other small one first though." The serpent says as he it looks over to Quiin.

"Oh... yeah, h-he looks pretty bad." He says as his sees the state Quiin is in as well. He began chanting again and a snake came out of his sleeve to slither through the air and bite Quiin in the shoulder.

Same as before. Will Save DC 12 to try and fight off the healing venom. Failure results in Fast Healing 1.

Quiin rocks back, stumbling as the dripping dagger slips from his fingertips.

I could feel it... his terror... it's horrible...

Quiin slumps to a crouch and looks extremely shaken. He shudders as Almos's snakey magic wriggles over him -

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

- seemingly to no effect, but otherwise doesn't react at all, his eyes gazing off into the distance.

Ileyna moves closer to the bleeding goblin, tentatively touching it with her foot. When that doesn't get a response, she looks a bit closer, then coughs a few times before looking away. "I think I'm gonna be..."

While she empties out her stomach of all the festival food, Tallow walks over and pats her on the back to make sure she's okay.

Not much I can do to contribute at the moment.

Hemlock arrives a few seconds later, sporting a broken nose and holding his sword in the right hand. It's hard not to notice that there's blood on the blade.
"Merciful Starsong, you took'em by yourselves? Bloody well done, kids, I should recruit you all in the militia! Now come to the garrison, quickly, I'll lead the militia to free the rest of the city."

---If you want to follow---
The garrison is not much more than a court surrounded by a palisade, mostly used for training exercises. Inside you see several of the Sandpointers who were at the party, including Koya Mvashti, who is holding a weeping Shayliss Vinder. "You are safe, tiny ones!" she gasps as soon as she sees you. "Thank the gods. Are you hurt?"

"I think it's safe now." Ileyna holds out her arms and embraces her sister, who returns the embrace, quickly fading away and disappearing. Without Tallow nearby, Ileyna looks around at the shadows and then follows the sheriff closely, peering cautiously at the shadows.

"I seem to be mostly restored," Isaac said, with a glance to Álmos. Despite everything, Isaac's voice was as calm and considered as it had been before everything fell apart. "Please take charge of the others, Mrs. Mvashti, I fear their injuries are not physical. I must find the Professor. Have you seen her?"

As the shock and adrenaline wore off during the walk with Sheriff Hemlock to the garrison, and once there he gave a weak smile to Koya and Shayliss before sitting on the ground and resting a hand on Chakacoatl. All this reminded him of... something. It was too blurry in his head. He was just glad everyone seemed okay. He was just as upset that he'd barely been any help at all.

Quiin seems to come back to the present, but still looks quite shellshocked.

"Yes, please, some healing would be great." He says as he looks down at the still bleeding cut on his chest.

"Actually, this really hurts."

"Just... just a bit bruised." James says, quietly. Suddenly he turns to his sister "Sammy? Are you alright?"

"Starsong's mercy, watch over these brave children."
Koya reaches out to Quiin, brushing her hand on his cheek. Warmth spreads like wildfire from the touch, mending his body.

CLW: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"I don't believe I've seen the Professor today at all, actually. Was she even at the festival, or did she stay home?"

As his wound closes, Quiin looks up at Koya.

[b]"Thank you, I feel much better. That was all so... horrible. I'm glad it's over."

As his eyes focus on Koya, his powers, dormant in the heat of battle and it's traumatic aftermath, activate again.

Read Mind (lesser) on Koya

"She stayed at home, she expected her services would be needed by the end of the day and wished to be prepared," Koya's question led in a very obvious direction of reasoning. Isaac, already stiff at the best of times, went absolutely rigid.

"I must go, the Professor needs me."

James put a hand on Isaac's surprisingly strong shoulder "You can't go out in this by yourself."

Sammy falls against a wall and slides down into a sitting position, hugging her knees. The fear is gone from her eyes, replaced only with exhaustion and a severe headache.

"You are all far more delicate than I am," Isaac said simply and pointed to Sammy by way of an object example. His voice was entirely free of judgement he was simply stating the facts as he saw them.

"Risking your wellbeing for me is ill-advised."

"I don't have a well to worry about, so it's being isn't-"

"That is not what he meant." Chakacoatl interrupts.

"I was..." He sighs, shaking his head. "Thank you, He Who Sheds Death. I wasn't aware. Still, I will help him. The goblins attacked our home after all. Everyone's home."

"Look, we're all worried about our homes. It makes more sense to go as a group, though. Goblins are scared of large groups; if we all grab a weapon or something and go together we'll be safer." James looks over "Maybe we can get an adult to go with us. Might want to stop us though. Maybe we can just 'borrow' some weapons and shields and stuff. Would be good to know who has made it though. Anyone good at tricking adults?"
totally making that "scared of large groups" things up.

I had missed Quinn's Read Mind on Koya.

There is currently a guard stationed at the garrison's exit, looking quite jittery. Perhaps talking your way out won't be hard. Otherwise, you could try climbing the walls to sneak out.
As for the armor, you don't know where it is, likely inside the garrison building proper (now you are in the courtyard).

Later James would be unable to explain why he made the decision. Perhaps it was fear for his aunt. Perhaps it was that he was still jittery from the fight. Perhaps it was to impress Shayliss. Whatever the reason, he did make the decision.

"Okay. Here's the plan. Those of us who can fight, go with Isaac. We sneak over to our places, one by one, and check on everyone. We don't look for trouble, but we see if anyone needs rescuing." he hesitated, and added a line stolen straight from overhearing the sherrif. "Anyone gets lost or separated, they come back here, and we'll come straight back to get them."

"I'm not much of a fighter, but Chakacoatl here is better at it than I am and he can't be too far from me or he isn't able to stay. Plus I have magic that can heal, if um... it works." He mumbles the last bit, his confidence a bit shot at the moment.

"I cannot stop you if this is what you have decided to do," Isaac said, managing to sound dubious about the proposition despite his typically flat affect. "But we should get moving if this is the plan, every moment's delay means more casualties."

"Sounds like a plan to me, I'm happy to help and want to check on my Uncle."

Sammy slowly pushes herself off the ground, sniffling a bit. "I'll... I'll come too..." she says quietly. "We need to... to check on Auntie too..."

The guard at the garrison entry is Marcul Nibresci, decidedly not the brightest of the militia members, but tall and burly.
"Where are you going, kids? I can't let you leave unless the Sheriff says it's safe out there."

"We want to check on our families Sir. We can look after ourselves, just ask... those goblins..." Quiin trails off as he remembers what happened again.

"Yeah." James adds "We'll stay as a group. Be careful."

diplomacy or bluff: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15

Should probably roll too, my bad.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Gonna let everyone else try their luck and if they fail, go sprinting past. Isaac has a 40ft move speed and can probably lead our erstwhile guard off long enough to let the others escape.

"Look, mister, I have a two-headed snake as a best friend." He points at Chakacoatl standing nearby. "I think a few more goblins won't be as much trouble for us."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Once again, sorry for the delay.

"I- uhm- I guess if my family was in danger I'd want to... But take care, yes? Don't go looking for trouble or the Sheriff will skin me alive!"

The way towards the orphanage has emptied. Smoke rises from piles of cinders that once were carts and stands, filling the air with an acrid smell, and you can hear the malicious laughter of goblins, although it's unclear whether they are in your mind. Then, all at once, you hear an unfamiliar, adult voice scream something, a dog bark and some goblins yell. The sounds are coming from Bent Street, just around the corner, near Cracktooth's Tavern.

But if you look, be sneaky or risk a fight!

Quiin pokes his head around the corner, ready to run if required.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
James comes around the corner with all the stealth he's learned sneaking out past his aunt at night. His eyes narrow as he sees what lies beyond, and he tries to do the math in his head; but James has always been bad at math.
A second later he ducks back and whispers "Some guy and his dog. There's four goblins threatening it. I think they're going to kill it! How many of you've got a sling?"

It doesn't look like they have spotted you. The growling of the dog is interrupted by a canine yelp.

Welcome everyone, congrats for getting in! You can dot and delete in the gameplay thread, to get notifications up and running, and you can meet and greet here. If you want to braid backgrounds further, go ahead. Also I'll take a closer look at your sheets for crunch.

I did fumble my Wisdom check and started this game while things are pretty intense at my university, so I apologise in advance: I'll start the game in a couple of days and there may be times where I disappear for a day or two. But I'll come back (and a poke in the Discussion thread will likely bring me back faster).

Now, as I mentioned, we won't start RotRL right away. I'll start with the nice Cat and Mouse 3PP module, unless you are somewhat opposed to it (you can have played it, as long as you keep player and character knowledge separated).

One last important thing: would you rather have this game start before or after the Late Unpleasantness?
Before would mean that you would be just a bit younger than Ameiko Kajitsu, Leandro Mvashti and several other well-known Sandpointers. And the Unpleasantness will be playable (which may also change things further in the story...).
After would mean that Ameiko and company will be noticeably older than you. It will also require me to tweak a few dates so that things remain consistent.

Hi, all. Thanks for having me!

First of all, I'm fine with a more flexible posting schedule. I totally get work, school, etc. being a priority.

Second, that module sounds fine with me. I know nothing about it.

Third, I'd prefer Ameiko and company to be older. I think that those characters fit into the older role model position really well.

Hello everyone!

Actually that works well for me. I have a bunch of things on this weekend, but plan to take Tuesday off.
As I'm in Australia, my times are going to line up crazy. It's 10:30 here when I post this. Usually works out, though.

Happy with the third party module - will it be set in Sandpoint?

I don't know enough about RotR to really have an opinion on timing.

@GM Sappy: Are you okay if we forge more links?
@All: who wants to forge more links?

Is anyone interested in playing Whistleball?

Woohoo, congrats to us for getting in. So I'm totally fine with the module, and I agree with Ileyna on Ameiko and co. being older.

Oh, and I definitely want to create more links. But not through Whistleball. Whistleball is stupid. :P

I'm not at all familiar with RotR, so I'm ambivalent about the relative ages of the NPCs. I'm also quite happy to establish some connections. Who would want to be friends with The Wild Child of the Woods?

hello

Depending on how much older. I don't mind

Happy to work with the wild child

And Sammy. Especially if she likes tricks and jokes =^^=

Okay, let me summarise what I've worked out first;
Sammy is 8. (small)
James is 13 (medium)
Taraketh is ?? (medium)
Ilyena is 10 (small)
Lucy is 13 (medium)
Ruuki is 8 (small)

Sammy and James are siblings
Ilyena and Taraketh get on okay. T has met tallow.
Sammy is Teasy to Ilyena?
Sammy likes Ruuki's jokes. They are friends.

James will overlook a lot in order to get a good Whistleball player, and he's a decent guy. He is in absolute denial about most supernatural stuff, and trying to convince him is likely to make him angry because he'll think you're trying to prank him. On the other hand that means he's not going to be freaked out by rumours of someone being cursed or possessed etc. He accepts people are suggestible.
@GM Sappy: How obvious is spellcasting (especially psychic spellcasting) in your game? By default it has glowing lights and stuff, but that makes kid spellcasters really obvious, and probably impossible for James to rationalise away.

Lucy: Lucy seems to have a lot about being 'proper', but does slip away to play? What does she play? Does she live in town, or out on a country estate? If the latter, then potentially Sammy and James could have the farm next door. Alternatively, I could (with permission) move a skill point around so he's taking a class with you? Possibly fencing, or riding, or somesuch?

Taraketh: if you're on a farm near James, and around his age, you may have ended up as friends by default. James has some wilderness skills, so maybe they head out hunting together at times?

Ilyena: Jams won't mind Tallow, but he'll argue whether she exists. On the other hand he might well rationalise it to himself as an invisible friend and 'play along'.

Ruuki: If you're friends with Sammy, we may be sort of step-friends?

Ruuki is small and he's 8

Step-friends :P

@sappy, thanks for having me! Excited to play. I'm going in totally blind on story stuff, so I have no opinion on ages and such for other characters.

@James, Lucy is SUPER about being proper, but kids will be kids, and being cooped up in a manor to study things all the time would drive any kid with a innate sense of adventure insane. So, she slips away to play and makes 101 excuses about WHY she's doing so, even though it's usually about being rebellious. She's proper, not obedient. Most of Lucy's study involves languages and contracts, so they probably wouldn't take a class together, but I could absolutely see Lucy being a pretty darn good Whistleball player, considering she's got a hell of an arm with that 14 strength. Assuming James at any point could figure out that getting Lucy to do something mostly involves telling her she's not good enough or not able to handle playing with the other kids.

It's just some stupid bumpkin game... yes, I did throw that rock really far, what does that have to do with... I'll have you know I'm a Galonnica! I can do anything a stupid common boy like you can! I'll show you! Give me that stupid ball!

My str is dropped to 12 due to size. But Dex is up 2 =^^=

-Posted with Wayfinder

All in all, I think that I may have you start before the Late Unpleasantness, but keep Ameiko and company older, since you like them to be role models. They'll likely be in their late teens at the start of the game, which means their twenties at the start of RotRL proper. Would you like that?

Totally OK if you make connections, I enjoy the intertwisting of characters you are making :)

For spellcasting, in my games usually arcane magic is flashy, divine magic less so, and psychics are pretty subtle. I'd have to reread the rules for power displays.

Flashy suits me fine.

Except for his shifting abilities. those would be as subtle as he can possibly make them

I think Tark (I'm going to shorten his name to Tarketh, rather than Taraketh) is happy to go hunting with James. He's friends with Il, and probably sort of friendly with Sammy - especially if she's James' sister. He has little patience for whistleball, but Orvis (the familiar) loves it, so he plays anyway.

Oh, and Tark is 12, and can stay medium.

I'm not at all opposed to more ties between the characters. I'll be honest, though, I went with teasy from Sammy because of something in her questions. I think it was the "frogs in people's drinks" thing. Ileyna wouldn't be so into whistleball. She'd have played a few times, but it's not really her thing.

Sammy is definitely the mischievous sort and would absolutely tease the other children, but not in a mean spirited way. More in a playful, not realizing you don't like it way, because she is 8.

Think Sammy might have put a frog in uppity Lucy's drink? Getting the goat of the snooty rich girl seems like a pranksters dream.

Sammy and Ruuki would get into all kinds of trouble when they were together

Sammy would absolutely be besties with Ruuki, and would absolutely have played some kind of trick or another on Lucy. Probably several.

So
* Sammy and Ruuki are the young kids who prank all the time?
* Tark and James are the older boys, neighbours who've known each other for years, and head out into the woods to hunt on occasion (slings, I assume, though we might have been allowed to hold a bow every now and then). Potentially they drag others along with them? Additional food might be welcome in a farming family come winter.
* James' whistleball obsession is not shared by his friends

Ilyena: As she is midway between Sammy & Ruuki (8), and Tark, James and Lucy (12-13), how do you see her interacting? Does she hang out with the older kids, or the young uns? See also below for a potential link...

Lucy: Lucy seems pretty unlikable to a bunch of 'country bumpkins'. Is that what you're headed for? I'd like to make sure we've got some good reasons to stick together for the first few years (at which point the shared experience will hopefully be enough to keep us together). Could we set up a situation where she'd be happy to hang out, even if just through loneliness?
Tricking her into playing might work, but it'd need to work repeatedly - like she's determined to 'win the cup' or something.
If necessary I can petition to change something in James to make then connection easier. He lives with his paternal aunt, and his mother is (at the moment) a blank slate. Potentially she could have had noble blood, or even be related to Lucy. With Sammy's permission their father could have been an officer or something somewhere, and moved away when his wife died. I could even trade away Godless Healing for a nobility-related trait. I'm keen to have him be 'common' now - and definitely don't want to take a 'noble' roll - but assuming male primogeniture then inheritance through the mother gives him nothing - but might give him a claim Lucy recognises? Potentially he is expected (by his Varisian aunt) to 'pay calls' on family?
Scarnetti is the obvious family to choose - even if indirectly - because it'll also give a link to Ilyena 'for free'.
Alternatively, do they share tutors or teachers in anything? A snooty hyper-intelligent classmate who helps with homework is much more tolerable...

@James, yup, she's suppose to be that annoying friend you hang out with because your a kid and when your a kid you end up hanging out with people cause of proximity and not because you actually like them. My hope is that the adventure will kick some sense into her and teach her that the other kids she's looking down upon are valuable and important to.

As for the nobility thing, that might work, but the teachers might be better. Maybe as a punishment she originally had to help James and Sammy with homework and such and since it's become just sort of a "Thing" that she sticks around and helps (Ostensibly cause she "is suppose to" but in reality cause she doesn't want to be lonely again).

I imagine Ileyna being pretty immature. She spends a lot of time with her sister, and quite a bit with Tark, but overall, she probably relates to the younger kids more. She's old enough now to know that 8-year-olds make stupid jokes and pull dumb pranks. Besides, James has probably made it clear that he doesn't understand about Tallow, and Lucy seems like she's the kind of thirteen-year-old who might act older than she is.

Tark loves the pranks that Sammy and Ruuki play, but has no desire to join them in pranking. Instead, he actually sort of enjoys being the butt of the joke - he's good natured about the whole thing, and understands that kids will be kids, and they should be encouraged to play to their strengths, rather than quashing their impulses.

James and Ilyena are his only real friends. He would do anything to get along with them, including that damnable whistleball game, though he's much happier when James wants to go into the woods, and so is Orvis. The little mongoose delights in rooting through the underbrush for vermin and leading the boys toward tasty plants and little creeks.

As for Ilyena, Tarketh only really feels comfortable talking with her. He's not very chatty with most people, especially grown-ups, since they all get so *weird* around him for some reason.

Tark's older sisters are much older - 20 and 24, respectively, so they have little time for the boy or his gang of misfit friends.

Hmm - was thinking about it this morning.
If Daddy Vestrana is Varisian, then James' mom can be Scarnetti. That gives the link to Ilyena - who can be a cousin - and a reason to hang out with Lucy. Ideally he'd be set to 'own' the farm they're on through inheritable grant, which means he's technically landed nobility - even if the land is one acre.
There are going to be educational situations for a noblewoman that require her to learn how to interact with her peers. Cheliax might look down on Magnimar (and Sandpoint), but her tutors are not exactly spoiled for choice.
James has NO INTEREST in noble education, so if Lucy can do his work for him (which means he doesn't have to learn it) then so much the better! Gives a good reason for him to hang out with her, and put up with her prissy manners.
The one exception might be if they're being taught swordsmanship or something. I can see James being interested in fencing because it is a sport.

Ruuki studies a lot. But it's mostly home schooling from his family who travelled a lot. Hence the broad knowledge of languages. Plus they are too poor to actually afford school anyway. Due to their race, magic is kind of important

So he really enjoys his time with his friends.

-Posted with Wayfinder

I'm going to be away for the next 3 days or so on a rafting trip. I'll be around after that, though.

Have fun! I'm quite ready to start the game but we can wait for Ileyna to be back.

@Sappy Does the change sound okay?
@Ilyena Are you okay with being step-cousins?
@Lucy Are you okay with (A) very, very minor nobility and (B) occasional shared lessons?

Sure, the change is alright.
I'll try and have the first post ready in a few hours, one day tops.

@james, Totally okay with either or both. :)

Aaaand first post is up! Hoping that the site doesn't have any more catastrophical crashes.

So, post on hold.
@Sammy: I need a name to threaten Sammy with. What's the aunt's name?
I'm thinking this, if you're okay

I actually named her Anya and established her as a fortune teller, but otherwise that works.

I couldn't see a name. Anya is fine. Travelling fortune teller works - suggests she's Sczarni. I'd like her to have a reason why she wants to leave.
I figure she's sticking around so James can get his 'inheritance' and have a connection to his mum's family.

Hey @Sappy: Did you have a preferred status line formatting?

I didn't think we could cast Detect Magic, since we have CL 0, and the duration is 1 min/level?

Uhm, good point. I was thinking caster level 0 for CLO checks and magic items or somesuch, and I totally forgot about X/level spells.
How about having 1 round/level and 1 minute/level spells brought to 1 round, 10 minutes/level and 1 hour/level spells brought to 1 minute?
(you may change your spells accordingly, of course, if you picked only fixed-duration ones for this).

I will unashamedly admit that this is why I took Harrow Chosen.

RE CL0
Oh, I thought that was the cleverest thing about it!
Perhaps treat it as caster level half?

Uhm, good point. I was thinking caster level 0 for CLO checks and magic items or somesuch, and I totally forgot about X/level spells.

How about having 1 round/level and 1 minute/level spells brought to 1 round, 10 minutes/level and 1 hour/level spells brought to 1 minute?
(you may change your spells accordingly, of course, if you picked only fixed-duration ones for this).

Sounds fair to me, I didn't even think of it!

I actually agree with James! I'll keep things as-is.

*looks at notes*
And so it was that everyone ran away from the questgiver... Oh well, RP and be merry, children. I'll set up some minigames in a bit.

We're kids, are you shocked?

-Posted with Wayfinder

We can steer it back... Make Sammy apologise to her or something.
;)

I mean, these things happen even in super-focused adult games.

Side note: I'll be very spotty for the next week. I'm helping move my grandparents into assisted living, so I'll be busy. Thanks for the patience.

had a horrible week. Couldn't even get to any of my games till now. Will post again in the morning

-Posted with Wayfinder

So here's the deal :
Today GMT+2, 3:25 am we welcomed my first born into the world. 16 July 2017

Welcome to my partner in geeky crime. Aldrèa

-Posted with Wayfinder

Mazel tov!

Congratulations!