Hey everyone. Thanks for playing. Please check in with your character avatar. Feel free to use the next couple of days to finalize your character details. If you want to coordinate spells/powers or skills or develop a history with the other characters, I strongly support that. But obviously not mandatory.
I’ll be posting some details about mentors/people in town tomorrow along with the start of the gameplay.
Any questions, let me know!
Dippity Dot
Thank you so much for the selection GM! I'll get Somonti polished up.
Ultimately this game is about collaboration for me. Wrould you feel comfortable letting us know what aspects you liked and don't like about our characters? That way we can 'play up' good aspects and make sure they are not lost in the action.
Munchkin mode activated, performing analysis:
Aeric:
ACs: 17/15/12
Rage ACs 15/13/10
Saves: F/R/W 3/2/0
Expected DPR vs AC (rage) 14:
9,8
Somonti
AC 14/13/11
Saves: 0/3/2
expected DPR vs AC 14: (total average damage is 16,5 iirc, hitting ac 14 on 11 so 8,25?)
Mizuchi:
AC 19/15/13 (I think after he picks up some hide or scale armor)
Saves:2/3/3
Expected DPR mostly irrelevant, not a physical attacker
Jubu:
AC=15/13/12
Saves:0/3/2
Expected DPR vs 10 touch 3,6
Seffie:
I think character not finalized
Sumak wildheart:
Currently level 4
2 Oracles, 1 kineticist, 1 boodrager, 1 inqusitor, 1 dread
Likely face skills galore (3 cha casters), perhaps a bit deficient in dex skills (stealth, disable device), probably reasonable wilderness and lore skills, once Aeric picks up his fractured mind dip. I am all for Aeric being surprisingly intelligent once her figures out more of his past :).
Aeric has one skill point to burn.
Once character are semi finalized, Ill go through and look what we have and have not covered.
I'm afraid Somonti is not so useful...
Though she has high CHA she is no diplomat, when it comes to bluffing and intimidating people she's your girl though!
Her bite is a secondary attack so her DPR numbers are a bit lower. Beer mat maths tells me it's 6.05 (6.875 with her current buff, though I might swap this out not sure yet, waiting to see what other buffs we have flying about)
Still looking through the characters to work out nice characterful interactions
My idea is to go into the Stargazer prestige class if it gets that far, focusing in on spell casting and what heavens oracle does best otherwise. skills wise ei can shapeshift into a fox and have some stealthing ability so scouting with a side of diplomacy and survival. i'll have the color spray awesome display combo for next level.
I've tried to put together an Oracle a few times, I love the concept. But I've never never managed to make it stick. I'm looking forward to watching our Oracle's grow!
Hello friends! Sorry I'm slightly late. Draft one of my character sheet will be going up shortly.
I don't really have any specific build plans. I'll have a smidge of healing and a smidge of buffing/debuffing, I think. If there's anything really important that should be covered, let me know.
Looking forward to playing with you all!
I see myself as more or less an oracle expert. I'm in the process of making an oracle for each mystery.
The key is to know what role you want to play because the oracle specializes hard.
Heavens for example makes an amazing controller spellcaster.
Fire can blast
Life heals
Pick your curse well, because not all are created equal. Wrecker for instance is difficult to work around .
That aside i have an in issue where i like to experiment and build around like with multiclassing and prestige classes
Oracle wise, I have played Shadow (pretty decent scout, surprisingly good magical damage if you lean a bit into shadow evocation, ranged is feat intensive, so it takes longer to be able to justify the cha instead of wis for all will saves thing), battle (quasi pounce is pretty desireable midgame).
I had possessed for both because trashtalking an outsider possessing you is fun.
Thanks for the tips :)
I have a pretty good core for the character build already, driven by the backstory and personality. Her thing is having power over the undead and a lot of necromancy. Mostly, I'm just looking for small things to shuffle like skill ranks and chosen spells to help adjust to the party. But honestly, I'm more worried about having an interesting personality and backstory, and playing a fun and interesting character than I am about optimizing.
I'm also quite experienced with oracles myself haha. It's one of my favourite classes easily.
will be fun when Aerics Phantom (he will dip into fractured mind) shows up.
Oh boy, my Pharasma Oracle is going to get to have Opinions about that
(I'm kidding, it'll probably be fine. She believes in coaxing sentient ghosts to the grave gently and helping them with final business if necessary)
It will be even funnier because a fractured mind phantom technically isnt undead at all, and essentially a manifestation of his split conciousness, but he doesnt know that :).
I don't think Somonti is going to initially like Seffie very much, sorry in advance. We would certainly know each other and there's going to be a lot of resentment there.
Our backstories are very similar but where Seffie was celebrated and has become an integral part of the village, Somonti believes she is somewhat shunned. To be fair, that's 'cos she's a bit of a menace! There's a bit of a Ying-Yang thing going on in the contrast.
That might evolve into a lovely friendship, or a lasting enmity. I guess we'll have to see...
Edit: Just noticed our shared love of birds, that should be fun!
@Aeric and Mizuchi. Sononti's interactions with you will be pretty organic, I don't think we would necessarily know each other in advance.
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Aeric may well have a decent if haunted singing voice.
Just as his phantom likely will.
Aeric is a stranger, if a very very strong and useful one, employed as a Lumberjack and as a "OK, Bandit, be elsewhere or ELSE" who keeps to himself.
Possible scene at the cementary.
You bury your dead Mrs. Seffie? The huge man asks inqusitivly
In Sarkoris, we once did as well. It is mostly fire funerals now, to great a risk to have cementaries fall into the claws of the worldwound, especially given that the abyssal-trash-compactor-who-thinks-he-is-a- demonlord has all but joined the invasion.
He pauses
we can no longer afford to bury people with their arms either, it is too important to keep the living armed.
Kellids, for relatively good reasons, dislike openly speaking the names of Demon Lords, prefering insulting monikers such as "Goatface-son-of-Dogtits-Demonlord-of-real-estate-fraud" for Baphomet or to above mentioned term for Kabriri, Demon Lord of Ghouls.
I imagine Mizuchi as the kind of person everybody "knows", but nobody knows anyway. His whole deal is being generic pretty boy on the outside and other things on the in.
Aeric may know Somontis deal kind of, assuming that Somonti's mentor asked him what the deal with his growing of claws (Abyssal bloodline) is and if he can assist in some way in educating Somonti.
Aeric believes that his Abyssal bloodline just comes from 3 or so generations of fighting the worldwound, rather then from having fiendish ancestry (he may or may not be right about that), but other then some breathing techniques to calm down, he would unlikely to be of much use.
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Hey all! Thanks for the invite. My character should be up shortly in my profile.
Are alternate Racial abilities ok? If not I will switch back to the base abilities.
I am debating between which Surge power to take. One gives the option for allies to increase caster levels for Psionic abilities at the cost of potentially enervating. Since you are doing Psionic Transparency would the normal casters in the group be able to benefit from this ability?
We are certainly a motley crew.
By my reckoning we have:
Somonti, Mizuchi, Seffie, Jobu(?) - Young first timers looking for that 'coming of age' adventure.
Aeric - Old grizzled seen it all merc, but can't remember any of it!
You're going to look like you're taking your kids for a walk Aeric! Or we're taking our senile granddad for a stroll in the woods :P
(@Sumak, sorry, don't mean to exclude you, just don't know where you're at yet :))
@Mizuchi I guess Somonti might be aware of you more as that fox that she sometimes sees about town (with multiple tails?) than as a boy? She's not much interested in 'pretty boys'
Aeric is 29, given Sarkoris being Sarkoris, thats about 14 years of continuous warfare. So yeah, grizzled veteran.
@GM I replaced a trait for Aeric, I really want him to be capable of singing (not that I get much out of it mechanically but it would really fit his background) so he is now a "savant" rather then "carefully hidden". I hope alterations that reduce optimization are fine?
assuming Seffie occassionally visits the graveyard, there is a tombstone Aeric put there with no names.
You have seen him twice there, singing quietly but with considerable skill.
Chernij Voron
The second time, he performs incredibly well.
Zhuravli
You would not understand the language.
Ack! I don't know how I didn't see this, I'm so sorry!
Jobu's got a healer's kit and pretty good Heal skill, aside from that he's mostly a ranged combatant with a 30' ranged touch attack that he can push to 120' with a point of burn.
Personality wise, he's from a small fishing village, and got sent out to see the wider world when his psychic powers developed, so almost everything outside of the lake and the forest is brand new to him.
Notably, he is also known as Mr. "I can do something to swarms!":)
I think we have pretty reasonable healing (2 oracles and some heal skill) a fairly high DPR frontline, and may lack control at the early levels.
We are certainly a motley crew.
By my reckoning we have:
Somonti, Mizuchi, Seffie, Jobu(?) - Young first timers looking for that 'coming of age' adventure.
Aeric - Old grizzled seen it all merc, but can't remember any of it!You're going to look like you're taking your kids for a walk Aeric! Or we're taking our senile granddad for a stroll in the woods :P
(@Sumak, sorry, don't mean to exclude you, just don't know where you're at yet :))
@Mizuchi I guess Somonti might be aware of you more as that fox that she sometimes sees about town (with multiple tails?) than as a boy? She's not much interested in 'pretty boys'
Oh for sure, I think I made Jobu be about 19, 20 years old. Sort of guy who gets to a small town and goes, "Golly, the big city! Lookit all the people!"
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I don't think Somonti is going to initially like Seffie very much, sorry in advance. We would certainly know each other and there's going to be a lot of resentment there.
That's totally fair. Seffie would definitely hope for friendship, but either way I'm curious to see where it goes. I really gotta properly catch up on everyone's backstories. Hoping to read through them all tonight.
You're going to look like you're taking your kids for a walk Aeric! Or we're taking our senile granddad for a stroll in the woods :P
I love this mental image so much. Grumpy warrior granddad!
@Aeric - I like the idea of Seffie and Aeric being kinda friends! I currently have her working as an apprentice gravekeeper, so she's responsible for cleaning graves, showing visitors around, and helping with funerals. She would very happily and respectfully show you around the graveyard, listen to your stories and songs, and talk about the merits of various grave procedures (she's horrified at the tragedy of the Worldwound, and acknowledges that while it isn't a perfect way to bury the dead, burning the corpses could be reasonable in those circumstances).
It may be kind of creepy, but Mizuchi has probably been watching everyone from town... He's a people watcher.
Creepy almost evil smile, mysterious and looks like he knows things when he doesn't really lol. Not that he'd have interacted unless interacted with.
Notably, he is also known as Mr. "I can do something to swarms!":)
I think we have pretty reasonable healing (2 oracles and some heal skill) a fairly high DPR frontline, and may lack control at the early levels.
Yeah, given the pair of oracles, I may go into more ice and cold shaping; talents like slick and kinetic cover, cloud infusions, stuff like that.
Personality wise, Jobu is...probably pretty quiet and self-effacing. He did spear and net fishing, which tends discourage loud chatter. But away from the water, he's probably curious and gregarious, happy to lend a hand (the Supportive trait), and surprisingly tolerant of bad smells.
The big man chuckles
Hmmm Seffie, guess what the language was in which I was singing?
Kellid? Nope.
Abyssal. You see, BugfaceMcBugfarts in particular is all about eating everything and turning it into more disgusting bugs, with a particular relish in eating beautifull and precious things. So, by signing in Abyssal, I take something belonging to him, his language, and turn it into something beautifull, essentially the antithesis of what bugface wants. Wasnt my idea, an Irreseni bard named Olga, in our company because she pissed off some Jadwigas, came up with it, it caught on quickly in my company though. He reminiscenes.
Probably saved us from a tough fight when she challenged the leader of a warband loyal to the Big-boned-bat-barbie. We were retuning from a mission and were low on resoruces, to a singing duel and won. Not an easy feat to outdo a Succubus in anything Charisma related.
The bat-appreciators let us pass and actually ambushed the warband of bug-buggerers pursueing us. The big man smiles, a relatively rare sight.
Problem is that the Mendevian inquisition got a bit buthurt about the whole affair. Humorless pricks.
His smile leaves.
To you, my unknown fallen comrades. He speaks, as he pours what smells like rather strong alcohol over the nameless grave.
Sumak spent most of his time out of town as he grew up on a farm. He is around 17 since I thought this was a coming of age thing.
He is ready to go.
He's still level 4 - we're starting at level 1.
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@GM you still with us? Would it be OK to take a dull grey Ioun Stone in place of a potion at startup? They can be used up to grant 1PP.
Somonti is 15/16 I think, younger than those normally selected for the quest. Where others are selected or coached ready for it Somonti has put herself forward last minute. I picture her stomping out into the town square to join the others on the day of the quest, boots slightly too big for her, with a "just you try and stop me" look on her face and a big ol' rucksack on.
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Hey. Sorry for being MIA. It’s been a rough week. Sick kids. I hope everyone is still here and ready to get started. It’s great to see some interaction already!
Below I’ve given each of you an NPC in town to have a connection to. I’ll let you develop these as much or as little as you like. The module as written has mentors for the core classes, so I’ve tried to head in a similar vein. They may not be mentors or even of the same class, but they should be able to connect in ways many other townsfolk would not be able to.
Let me know if you have any issues with these, and we’ll work it out.
Also, gameplay post will be up soon.
As you included in her backstory, Holgast is helping Somanti as best he can. He find her powers both fascinating and frustrating.
Holgast (N male human wizard 6): On the eastern edge of town is a single tower, leaning slightly to the south, made of bricks and timber. This is the home of Holgast, the town’s local sage and mystic. Although Holgast is very knowledgeable, he is old and quite forgetful, meaning that the townsfolk (the mayor in particular) only consult him if the need is truly great. Holgast spends most of his days wandering about his tower, reading books, smoking his pipe, and taking naps. Once a week, he wanders into town to purchase supplies and provisions with his seemingly inexhaustible reserve of perfect golden coins, which he claims came from an immense hoard some years ago. Holgast makes for a frustrating mentor. His lessons are erratic and old fashioned. His apprentices are required to do all manner
of chores for the privilege of learning from him, while he sleeps the day away and teaches very little. Those who have learned anything from him have done so by sneaking
into the wizard’s spellbooks while he is napping.
While searching for peace in Kassen, many townsfolk from the tavern suggested meeting with Ilimara who may hold the path to peace, if Aeric could stand the tireless hours of training. (I thought this would blend in well to when you dip into fractured mind.)
Ilimara Oniri (LN female human spiritualist 2): While most of the people in Kassen were born and raised within 10 miles of town, Ilimara was born in Qadira in a town with a name most of the humble folk of Kassen could not even pronounce. Not surprisingly, this beautiful and exotic woman keeps to herself. She has lived on the outskirts of town for almost 8 years now, claiming that she is trying to find peace in her heart. Ilimara has had a number of acolytes over the years, each hoping to learn the secrets of Irori that Ilimara claims to practice, but so far, all have abandoned her tutelage for a simpler road. Anyone who learns from her, however, quickly uncovers that there is a darkness hiding in Ilimara, and only those with an iron will can bear to be around it.
Father Rantal Prasst is the one cleric in town, so she would know him. He has welcomed Seffie as a fellow faith leader. There is a small shrine to Pharasmas, and he encourages those worshiping/seeking favor from Pharasmas to seek her out. How Seffie views Father Prasst is up to you.
Father Rantal Prasst (NG male human cleric 2 of Erastil): The small town of Kassen has only one temple and it is devoted primarily to Erastil, but Father Prasst allows those who worship other friendly gods to pray at the temple as well. While Father Prasst does not offer services in the names of these deities, there are small shrines to other gods set up in some of the alcoves, including Gozreh, Gorum, Shelyn, and Torag. Father Prasst is a kind and understanding man, but he is hard when it comes to the defense of the community. He is quite young, only 24, and many in the community do not put too much faith in his council, except in spiritual matters. He was trained as a soldier in Tamran, but he left after his first battle to become a priest, and refuses to say why.
Living out in the forest, Mizuchi and his family have had frequent visits from Olmira Treesong. Though a little odd, she has always been kind and helpful to the family.
Olmira Treesong (N female human druid 2): Druids are not an uncommon sight in Nirmathas, but Olmira draws stares even in the streets of Kassen. This middle-aged woman only wears clothing made from natural materials (such as bark, leaves, and grass) and is always accompanied by a host of small woodland creatures. She talks to herself and her retinue constantly, having full conversations despite the fact that no one seems to answer her. Over the years, Olmira has had a number of apprentices. Those who learn from her are sent on all manner of esoteric missions, such as listening to the wind for a week, planting new seeds throughout town, mimicking local animals, and counting the night’s stars.
Paphros Vargidan, son of Moltus Vargidan, works as an errand boy for the Silvers. One of his errands is to collect turnips from Sumak’s family farm. He soft-spoken and a bit awkward, but he’s also friendly. Sumak has seen the boy use his powers, which remind the half-orc of his own.
Paphros Vargidan: If you ask a dozen folk in Kassen who the strangest family in town is, you would get the same answer 12 times: the Vargidans. This old family has a touch of magic (or something) in its blood, with each one of the children showing some wild talent. Where this “magic” comes from is a mystery, and the family refuses to speak of such things in mixed company. Lording over the family is the wealthy and eccentric patriarch, Moltus Vargidan, Paphros’s father. This aging man has white hair that trails down to his knees, and he can often be found wandering the halls of the estate, muttering to himself. Living with him are almost a dozen children (each from a different wife) and a pair of lifelong servants. Those who come from this house have been forced to learn things for themselves, because the old man shares few of his secrets, and many of the children are starting to believe that his grip on reality is slowly slipping.
When gossip around town spoke at Jobu’s kinetic talent, another growing kineticist, Arnama reached out to him. Though their elemental manipulations are vastly different, she still know some helpful tricks.
Arnama Lastrid (NG female human ranger 2, kineticist 2): Nirmathas is known for its rangers, valiant woodsmen who have spent years carving out a nation and protecting it from foreign and domestic threats. Arnama is one such ranger. She is tough, quiet, and more than willing to risk her life to protect the people of Kassen and the country she has grown to love. Arnama was orphaned during the early wars with Molthune, growing up in a band of adopted parents. These rangers taught her everything she knows about hunting, tracking, and guiding. When Arnama came of age, she left the band to find out where her parents came from. That trek led her to Kassen, where she has remained ever since, living in their old house just outside town. Here she began developing latent psychic powers that allow her to manipulate wood.
Arnama is a skilled ranger and kineticist but not the best teacher. Those who have tried to learn from her find her impatient and without discipline. She does, however, excel at teaching by example, leading her charges on far-ranging patrols and hunts.
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Seffie listens rapturously and applauds the performance afterwards. "Hmmm. Is it Elvish?" she guesses. "It's strangely pretty. Like how people talk about elves"
"Oh! Wow" She's stunned by the actual language in question. "I never thought that demons could be responsible for something so beautiful. Olga is very clever" Seffie opens her mouth as though to ask a question, but closes it after a moment and stays silent. If you know her well, you would be able to guess this is her clamping down on her curiosity to respect your mourning process. On the street or in an inn, she would demand more and more details, asking about what the demons look like and what other songs Olga had come up with and so on. But in the graveyard, she almost intuitively understands that this story isn't really for her and she treats it like a sacred charge. She listens to the rest of the story rapturously, laughing and gasping at appropriate moments, but never interrupting.
Seffie solemnly watches Aeric pour his drink, and then lays a single flower on the grave from her bag while whispering a traditional Pharasman prayer. "May your respite be peaceful and your judgement fair."
Would it be OK to take a dull grey Ioun Stone in place of a potion at startup? They can be used up to grant 1PP.
Do you have a reference? I’d just like to look at it before deciding. I’ve made the mistake before of allowing something overpowered in my game. So, now I’m extra cautious about things I’m not readily familiar with.
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The big man smiles, later, he speaks with Seffie not on the graveyeard, wearing the same type of flower she put on the grave to show he noticed and appreciated her actions.
Olga pretty much translated most of the Kellid and Irriseni Canon of Songs into Abyssal. As well as being really good in translating our taunts and insults as well.
He pauses
As for the demons. If you see a non-ugly demon run. If they are not ugly, they would be an Incubus, a Succubus or something worse, and even "just" an incubus or Succubus would trivially kill you, or worse. If you dont have cold Iron weapons, you have no business fighting demons in general.
Succubi or Lilitu, the latter are terrifyingly bad news, I saw one once, several 100 feet away when we were operating agains Raliscrad, saw her got charged by 6 Paladins and make mincemeat out of them, really happy our company was just fighting cultist trash,
can actually create beauty, but in an always subtly twisted way designed to lure, corrupt and ensnare you. You see a Demon, you run Seffie.
Irori? Hmm, could be useful, I have always been reasonably good at keeping my bloodrage controlled, but well, another stranger could perhaps relate more
Aeric brings some cut wood over to her, looking for a chat.
Heard you were searching for peace as well, how willing are you to compare notes? So far, I felt most at peace singing or cutting wood, trying to do both at the same time resulting in a thankfully not too bad injury. He gives a slight chuckle.
Do you have a reference? I’d just like to look at it before deciding. I’ve made the mistake before of allowing something overpowered in my game. So, now I’m extra cautious about things I’m not readily familiar with.Would it be OK to take a dull grey Ioun Stone in place of a potion at startup? They can be used up to grant 1PP.
Sorry you've been having a rough week GM, sick kids are no fun at all. Hope things are easier now and everyone is on the mend.
Reference is here for their cost of 25gc and Ultimate Psionics (p390, second note on the table, top left) for the fact they can be used for 1 power point. It would be less powerful than a potion.
Basically its a grey trinket of crystal that I can set to orbit my head if I like. It has no mechanical benefit other than as a single use item to provide 1 power point for immediate use. to be honest I'll probably never use it but I like the idea that she was holding this when she returned to the village. It's just more 'Somonti' than a potion to be honest.
In case peeps miss it, Gameplay is open!
Jobu will mostly just follow his erstwhile mentor around. He's used to folks being taciturn and the "learn by doing" methodology, so he's actually weirdly comfortable just silently following her around.
In case peeps miss it, Gameplay is open!
Oh jeeze, I just missed it last night. You guys work fast!
@GM that background contact sounds perfect actually. That's exactly the kind of person Seffie would look up to.
Reference is here for their cost of 25gc and Ultimate Psionics (p390, second note on the table, top left) for the fact they can be used for 1 power point. It would be less powerful than a potion.
Fabulous! I didn’t think it would be gamebreaking, just an unfortunate rule I always follow now. Yep, you can have one if those instead of taking a potion. Anyone can if they would prefer that.
Hello Aeric, Ilimara says with a soft smile. I wondered how long it would be before you found your way here. I’m happy to discuss finding peace with you.
Those sound like wonderful diversions, but I think you’ll find that true peace is much more elusive. I have found that one must face what haunts oneself from one’s past. Then, one must bind those phantoms and use them to one’s benefit. It is in this understanding that peace begins to appear. She pauses for a response, but will continue on.
I can help with such a thing, if you are interested. Though I must admit, many find they are not yet ready for such a task, Ilmara says with disappointment. If you wish, you must first start with a new beginning, as if entering the world for the first time. Join the Quest for the Everflame this year. I will make a special request of the mayor. As it is a rite of passage to adulthood for others, so it will be a rite into your journey to peace.
Hmm, I can actually see this working, regain my lost memories by gaining somewhat related, but more pleseant new ones? Yeap, count me in He pauses. In a way I am hiding here, that has never really been what I am, I am relatively sure about that.
If I may ask, what is your story though, what disturbs your peace?
Love that Aeric, I think this is going to be fun! I love the idea that Somonti thinks she's this badass and just isn't :)
Guily as charged :).
If you stay dedicated to this path, Ilimara says to Aeric, you will find out soon enough. You must take this task for what you can achieve for yourself, not for what I already have. Suffice it to say for now, I, too, have a past that I do not fully understand and must deal with. She wishes Aeric well, pleased to see he has taken to first steps on his journey.
we all carry our burdens, perhaps, in due time, I can assist you in yours. The big man says, respectfully.
Sorry, don't know where I got the idea there was a crowd there.
Sorry, don't know where I got the idea there was a crowd there.
No problem. I hadn’t described the scene yet, and since it is a big ritual, that’s an obvious assumption to make.
Sorry, don't know where I got the idea there was a crowd there.
If it makes you feel better, I had assumed the same, it was just less obvious that I did from my post.