The Crucible of Freya (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

Wow guys sorry about that! Tried to do an update during my break wednesday but only managed a very random question before I passed out. Ha.

Catching up now. Worked myself into the ground last couple days, surprise gigs with short notice, overnight in a motel, etc etc.

Trying to get back in the swing here now, please bare with me!

Bare? Not into that sort of behaviour wot!

In do concur with Le Loup Français! They'll be no such shenanigans whot! whot!

lol!

bare shennanigans!

What cooking show is that?

It was called "Chopped". Not the greatest show but somehow it was just nice to sit in front of and get engrossed in it with the rest of the house full of these crazy fans and dehumidifiers and gaping holes in the roof.

Wed-Thurs were a disaster though. I took on too much work and travel time and got in an accident traveling in an ice storm. That's why I couldn't get online, I had to stay in motels between shifts.

So hang in there guys, I'm having a really, really tough week.

No hurry, take care of what you need to , especially yourself. WE'll be waiting a the bottom of a tower .... :)

Well no need to delay though, I am only letting you know why I'm not posting as much. But that is not to say you shouldn't go on and climb up.

I am in transition to night shift

Posting will be spotty for a day or so

We'll keep trucking but you just take car of yourself DMG. It sounds like you've really been working yourself into the ground this past while.

Yeah, I really do not seem to be able to handle stress very well these days!

Little car trouble, couple tough gigs, and my grandmothers roof leaking was all it took to make me a basket case this week. Sure enough I ended up overbooked and didn't allow for enough sleep and travel time in between commitments I made, and I ended up having a car accident in an ice storm :/

I hardly think the problem is you being soft mate :P That's enough to throw anyone for a loop.

Yeah, that's alot all at once.

Is the layout making sense with all these different sections on the map at once?

The section labeled "1st Floor" is where you are now. I probably would have called it the 2nd floor, since it's not at the ground level, but I guess the map maker decided to call it "1st Floor". Take a look at the map you'll see what I mean.

Map is slightly baffling me - but I is dense!

I can figure the map, just unsure where everyone is located

We seem to have moved a bit. Before we were at the top of the stairs on what you labeled the 1st floor. If I'm reading things correctly, heading down the stairs should land us in the large room the ogre is just entering from below, yes?

On another note, I know going off book is a character trait for some of us, but if we're taking the time to sit down and come up with a plan, could we at least try to follow it?

Or alternatively, should we mostly skip the planning phase in future if people just want to wing it?

I think Damien does a masterful job of herding this pack of cats!

Cheers

Lol - he does indeed.. Its what made him such a great officer in the 33rd.

Speaking of cats have I mentioned the time the Glorious 33rd encountered the fabled Battle Felines of the Glade of Eternia?

Is it a short story...bit busy...in a fight...you know?

Well, seeing all the slaughters in where the 33rd was involved that is not a good presentation card :)

On another note, I know going off book is a character trait for some of us, but if we're taking the time to sit down and come up with a plan, could we at least try to follow it?

Or alternatively, should we mostly skip the planning phase in future if people just want to wing it?

Well from Grimmy'a last post I thought that the bandits had achieved their mission ....to distract attention away from our approach from above...

Is it a short story...bit busy...in a fight...you know?

Alas no my good man. Tis rather epic... We saved Prince Adam from the fell lich Skele-Tor! Quite the tale whot! :P

Why thank you Jerrid!

And Leo, the 33rd didn't suffer it's casualties out of incompetence. High command ran those us lads through the worst hells the lost lands have to offer...if we're being honest, it's a damn miracle we stuck it out as long as we did without a proper defeat...

As to the plan. Firean's men were supposed to split the enemy forces. Something that's not going to happen if we go charging in as soon as the opposition starts stomping around. Ideally the bandits would have fallen back, drawing the ogre out of the donjon. Leaving us time to deal with the orcs and possibly even lock it out of the donjon, allowing us to bring the damn thing down with missile fire from both sides.

That said, beating on the ugly bastard here and now does have a certain appeal. It's just considerably more dangerous and renders the time we spent planning somewhat moot.

Alas no my good man. Tis rather epic... We saved Prince Adam from the fell lich Skele-Tor! Quite the tale whot! :P

It certainly is! Prince Adam...never met more of a pompous ass than that one. Hardly surprising he and Sergeant got on so damn well...

Ok check out the map now. You can see the original map from the pdf had labeled the different floors of the donjon "ground floor", "1st floor", "roof" counting up from the ground.

I crossed out "1st floor" and scribbled in "2nd floor" to make it consistent with the way the watchtower levels are labeled. "ground floor", "2nd floor", "3rd floor" etc.

I hope this helps and makes sense. So basically "ground floor" is synonymous with "1st floor" now. I guess the way they had it is consistent with some elevators and so forth, i.e. "lobby", "1st floor", but for me it was confusing to have a "1st floor" which is actually the second story.

Please let me know if you follow lol.

The big map in the middle is the overhead view of the whole keep. In the right margin, are the individual levels of the watchtower. In the left margin are the individual levels of the donjon.

Also, check it out, I put a little purple square to represent the donjon roof hatch, so if you look carefully you can see how the donjon level "cutaways" in the left margin align with the donjon section in the main overview map.

LOL at Skele-Tor.

We seem to have moved a bit. Before we were at the top of the stairs on what you labeled the 1st floor. If I'm reading things correctly, heading down the stairs should land us in the large room the ogre is just entering from below, yes?

You guys would be coming down from the spiral stair, landing in D10. But the ogre is squeezing up the straight stair labeled D4. Which means he would meet the bandits in D1 before he meets you.

This also means it is not too late to stick to your plan of letting the bandits draw the ogre out into the courtyard before you probe deeper into the donjon.

I will hold off on my gameplay post tonight so you lot can decide if you engage the ogre, or let the bandits draw it out to the courtyard.

RL game then work. Will post when I can but no map access

Sam probably wouldn't mind if I delay him but there's no rush I guess.

Block initiative is kind of a drag this way compared to the simple "us, them, us, them" but I want to give it a go and see how smooth it goes.

THere is no rush, and block initiative is still way better than individual innnitiative.

Btw DMG, do you know the dungeon crawl classics? they may be your styles of adventures.

And not sure if you can use immediate actions in surprise round where you didn't acted.

Immediate actions are allowed during a surprise round. Being flat-footed doesn't affect them.

And block initiative is great. So long as it's just the spiders we'll essentially be on "us, them" initiative after this first round.

And yeah, let's give Sam too the morning. 24 hours is a good rule for pbp :)

Yeah I didn't mean that Sam was being slow, I just meant that nothing would probably be effected if he were delayed til after the spiders, so he probably wouldn't mind. But as you guys say, no rush.

Leo, one of the young kids I game with has bought the DCC hardcover rule book and is always telling me about it.

The truth is though, I can never go back to something that rules-light.

As for the setting and adventures they may be great. But system wise I am a full-fledged convert to PF now.

Leo, one of the young kids I game with has bought the DCC hardcover rule book and is always telling me about it.

The truth is though, I can never go back to something that rules-light.

As for the setting and adventures they may be great. But system wise I am a full-fledged convert to PF now.

BOO!!! HISSSSS!

I'll give you a chance to recant before I send the Grognard squad (of which I am a member...3rd level) over to your house to stone you to death with a bunch of Moldvay Basic Rule Books or Little Brown Books (your choice).

Hey DMG, I'm a little uncertain of how high these spiders are? Being able to reach 3 squares (15ft) up, is Damien able to simply attack them with his hammer? If they're just out of reach, would I be able to make a jump check to reach them? (DC?)

Hey Damien the rafters are 12 feet up. Let's call it a -2 penalty to hit with your reach weapon.

Guys I'm at my grandmothers house again, the saga of the moldy sagging roof continues.

Wifi is crumby. Lot's of iPhones around but also lot's of kids and dogs and dishes in ovens.

I'll get a good post in the next few hours.

Ok, sorry that took so long to open up round two.

I have been trying to figure out if the orcs would catch a glimpse of the scouts as they come up the stairs.

It's really hard to say so I decided to err in your favor and have them waste an action arguing.

You got a holiday planned DMG?

Me, I'm back to Blighty this summer, probably to see my wife get her degree and hopefully take the younglings to Legoland.

Cheers

DM Grimmy wrote:

Leo, one of the young kids I game with has bought the DCC hardcover rule book and is always telling me about it.

The truth is though, I can never go back to something that rules-light.

As for the setting and adventures they may be great. But system wise I am a full-fledged convert to PF now.

BOO!!! HISSSSS!

I'll give you a chance to recant before I send the Grognard squad (of which I am a member...3rd level) over to your house to stone you to death with a bunch of Moldvay Basic Rule Books or Little Brown Books (your choice).

I really like PF logan. We're playing 5e at home and it definitely does cinematic better, and scratches all the itches PF can't, but then it's a trade off as well. The thing i'm noticing as a player in 5e, is I don't feel very specialized. Things seem to come down to the dice roll no matter what. No matter what you specialize in, anyone can do it with a high dice roll.

You got a holiday planned DMG?

Me, I'm back to Blighty this summer, probably to see my wife get her degree and hopefully take the younglings to Legoland.

Cheers

Here in Murica we don't seem to have ever figured out the importance of a proper holiday.

I get long spells without work lol but I am still on call so I can't go far :)

Vhillish! Chop chop!

I get older and supposedly wiser on Monday so this weekend will be at reduced posting as its a long family time.

Cheers

Long shift today, arena show. May not make an update until the am, because I am super tired.

Ok let's see here, catching up.

Happy b-day FW.

Indeed, congratulations on your impending wisdom FW!

I chose to make the token pink for the terrifying orc.

Happy Birthday French Wolf... I'll raise a wee dram for ye :)