Arjen's page

Name: Anso
Race/Class: Human cleric 3rd of Wee-jas
Adventure: 3FoE
Catalyst: see below

This thread is started for those characters that left the campaign for other (and happier) causes than character death. The last session she played she helped the rest of the party fighting the grimlock chieftain, healing partymembers and even getting a good hit and providing flanking opportunities.

We all knew that she wouldn't be able to play through the whole campaign almost from the start. It wasn't that noticable from the start but gradually everone noticed that she took more space on the couch, ate more than her share of M&M's (leaving us with the pickles we bough for her), wasn't able to be there each week and/or left early.

We did appreciate every time she did come (especially the last few times), driving herself to the session even though some of the players asking her whether she wanted to be picked up and brought home. She bashed baddies as before even though some sessions were stopped by the message:"he's kicking", or when (a Vampire session this time) she would grap your hand put it on her belly and whispered:"do you feel him kicking?"

Well she did, 2 weeks ago she delivered a healthy baby boy and all are doing fine. We're debating if he will take up roleplaying (as his mother) or computer gaming (as his dad) but we think he will take up sports (as eh neither).

My players are currently working their way through WC in the Greyhawk setting. When the campaign started I thought to use the greyhawk calender (http://www.modeemi.cs.tut.fi/~fey/DD3/calendar_GH.html) to highten the atmosphere. This had some nice roleplaying concequences for especially the religious characters. The players chose a date to start (25th of readying) and are using the calendar to keep a log.

The fortunate coincidence was that they found the empty graves of the Lands family on the 10th of Coldeven. Looking at the calender at the start of the session they asked what the Bloodmoon festival was (11th of coldeven), I told them:

11th= Festival of the Blood-Moon. Sacred to worshippers of Nerull and most lawful evil cults as well, this grim festival technically begins on the 10th and ends on the evening of the 12th. It commemorates the blood-red moon which appeared all over the Flanaess on this day in 294 CY. (Some sages postulated common volcanism as the source, but proponents dwindled quickly after several sages disappeared under mysterious circumstances.) Elaborate ceremonies are held in fell and shadowy places, many of which are grisly and unpleasant in the extreme. This festival is now honoured in Iuz' lands as well since the Wars, in mocking celebration of the surprise attacks which decimated the Heirarchs of Molag in 583 CY.

The players immediately linked the graverobbing to the festival and were even more determined to find the bodies of the Land family than before.

The unfortunate part of the coincidence was that they tried to tackle Filge the same day they fought the owlbear (luckily they were able to bribe the Cullen's gang rather than fight them). Needless to say they were a bit unprepared and almost without (healing!!)spells. This and some bad luck and bad tactical moves almost caused a TPK, luckily they only lost one (see obituary thread) but had to leave his body.

The good thing is that the rest of the party is now very motivated to defeat Filge. The bad thing is that Filge is now ready and will sick the Cullen's gang on them (with a very small chance that they can be bribed again).

I'm going to start AoW in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to it but I was wondering how you all handle PC deaths. Of course when PC's die in the first adventure it isn't difficult, the player will start with a new 1st level character, but what about when most characters are 4th level or higher?

I intent to use Hero Points so that there might be less deaths, however deaths might still happen (the Hero Points will result in less fudging in the players advantage).

On one hand a 1st level character in a mean 4th level party is very vulnerable but on the other hand the character will advance in level very quick due to the large amount of XP it get's if it survives.

Thanks, Arjen