Calatin ab'Halla's page

Well, life as a law enforcement officer really didn't suit me, so I packed up and left. Much prefer the academic life :)

Calatin's snores echo down the stairs... but Tylluan is in the kitchen, attempting to steal some breakfast.

Nope - but I am preparing a lesson for a teaching job interview Monday. Carry on, I'll catch up in a bit.

Better make Calatin's roll: 1d4 ⇒ 2

I am more familiar with rules for parenthesis in mathematics!

Very busy this week with job interviews, will try & level over the weekend.

Anything anyone wants Calatin to develop?

"I think so, but if not it will soon become apparent," said Calatin.

Back at the MSI house he peeked into the kitchen to see if there was anything upon which he could snack before heading upstairs.

"I'm for my own bed..." said Calatin, yawning enormously. Tylluan sits on his shoulder, blinking, as he waddles off in the direction of the MSI house.

Calatin screws up his face and scratches his head, disarraying his thinning hair.

"Yes... sounds like a spell component. Um. Not so good on divine castings, obviously, but I did read that such is required for a resurrection... and, I believe, some of the restorations as well..."

He visibly shakes himself out of musing about spells and bustles about leading the Tarrigans to the Cathedral.

"What is it the law-arguers say? 'Acting under duress'... may well apply here."

Tylluan swoops down out of the darkness once Calatin is outside, a mouse-tail hanging from his beak.

"All right," says Calatin, who looks very relieved now the fight is over.

"What?" says a rather distracted Calatin, who is concentrating on staying out of the way.

Nope, sorry... got confused.

DM's ruling is final, no arguments from me :)

Calatin looks round rather wildly. If the vargouille is within range, he'll (finally) get round to using his burning hands... otherwise he'll try to keep out of the way.

Calatin's wishing he'd found something else to do, involving books or pastries or perhaps both, instead of coming vargouille-hunting!

Heh! Calatin hates combat and wants nothing to do with it... hadn't you guessed. Not a tactical bone in his body.

Thank you, Nazard...

Calatin picks up the javelin, looks rather dubiously at it then aims it at the vargouille...

Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Sorry I have been a bit distracted. You see, I had been on a temporary contract. I was invited to interview again to be made permanent... and the [word no lady would use even in her mind let alone in public] decided to hire someone else. So, blat! Goodbye, and not even a thank you for the work done, just a bald e-mail... Oh well, more time for gaming!

If Calatin's turn comes up before I'm back....

Calatin will dig out a hanky and attempt to staunch the bleeding.

Not from a certain chubby mage...

Calatin squeals as he is bitten.

Fort save: 1d20 ⇒ 17 (Phew!)

He's about to take another step before he feels tentacles slapping him in the forehead. It would seem he nearly walked right into the creature.

Tee-hee... reminds me of a LARP game. It was a dark and stormy night (literally) and we were supposed to be looking for a dimensional gate in a forest... and I stood on it! Booby trapped of course, and a load of flares went off - gave everyone quite a shock :)

When it is his turn, Calatin moves forward looking around for the vargouille still thinking about burning hands when he gets in range (provided nobody else is in the way, that is!).

Thank you, Nazard...

Calatin, who likes such things, does his trig regarding range of a burning hands spell, then beckons the vargouille... a couple of feet lower will do nicely... his grin widens as he makes a 'come on' gesture with one hand, the other close enough to form the correct gesture for the spell (thumbs together and fingers outspread towards the target) instantaneously.

Held action, loose the spell as soon as the vargouille is in range...

"Huh?" says Calatin, completely confused by the racket.

Calatin waddles over to the distraught woman.

"Never you mind, now. We will help sort everything out. Did it kiss both of you? As for the diamonds, where did you get them from? They'll have to go back, of course, but I see no reason why you should get into trouble, you were acting under duress, and clearly out of character."

Sense Motive check: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (12) - 2 = 10

Action (when it's my turn): Stay back out of the way, and call out "Put the weapon down and keep your hands where I can see them!"

Hope you feel refreshed, Nazard.

In other news, I got elected as an ENnies Judge for 2013 :)

"Sir, we need you to open the door now!" says Calatin, who has apparently been practising his 'official' voice. He raises his fist to knock, but thinks better of it when Awgin winds up with the flail.

"We are the Watch!" calls Calatin, in an authoritative tone you haven't heard him use before. "Open up!"

Likewise I am enjoying both the game itself and playing the current incarnation of Calatin. I would be happy to continue, recruiting as needed.

It's always difficult running a game that involves organisational structure - be it a starship or a bunch of soldiers or whatever. It's why most such games involve a group operating as 'special forces' whether in the classic form as presented to such good effect as Mongoose's Wraith Recon or the bunch of spies that you get when running Spycraft; and if you are doing a police procedural, which this is, you need a special unit structure of some kind to make it work.

But you still get orders and it is likely that someone in the group will have to give them to the rest.

Character choice for the game is hence very important. It's usually a good idea when putting a party together to have some cohesion, however unrealistic, as you're going to have to work together down that dungeon or exploring the galaxy or whatever you are going to do. When the purpose of a game is to play out the life and times of a specific organisation or group, you do need an eye to what that group is when you invent your character.

If you watch police procedural TV shows, who do you think your character maps to?

Calatin was devised as a spell-casting version of a mix of Ducky and Abby from NCIS, built around a former character who was a tubby, scholarly wizard that I've played for a long time and who makes an appearance (as an historian) in Way of the Witch, a 2002 D20 book I co-authored. He's deliberately a bit-part character, not a star of our show; and I'm happy playing him that way... but the important thing is, that he was built intentionally thus to fit in with the constraints of what the game is all about.

Perhaps those who are less than satisfied with their game experience did not put the same sort of consideration into making a character suited to the role he was to occupy? It's like a DM advertising a game of assassins for hire and all the players promptly rolling up paladins!

"Don't waste one on me," said Calatin, well-knowing his own incompetence in combat situations.

Calatin too stays in the background. He's not much of a one for deity-worship and cannot recall when he last went into anyone's temple.

The ENnies website is here, I'll let you know when voting starts...

I was a judge a couple of years ago, and found that it was possible to maintain normal life, it was more that all that I read for the year was the entries... but seeing as most of my reading is RPGs (for reviewing purposes) it made little difference! Your pudgy mage will still be waddling around, never fear.

As information: the college has now made me full-time as of right now. So I am now eating my lunch as I type...

I am going to use one of my websites to hold a core of PDFs for role-playing purposes, to get around the 'at work, books at home' syndrome, and so maintain a reasonable presence here.

Also, I am running for ENnies Judge this year. Voting starts at the end of the week. Your support would be appreciated :)

"Do you want me to tag along?" asks Calatin, clearly hoping that they don't. Sounds like far too much effort, he'd rather go look for food of a more edible nature...

"Not a great deal, I'm afraid," says Calatin, absent-mindedly stroking the owl. "Just that a scant few of the Council of Ushers are there for the right reasons, public service, and they approve of what MSI is intended to do. They want us to 'prove' ourselves, and while they do not wish to reveal who they all are at this point of time, have given us a way to contact them in case of need."

[b]"Um... hello, folks,"[/b[ says Calatin, who is still looking a bit baffled by the encounter.

Tylluan swoops down from wherever owls go when their masters are doing something boring and lands heavily on Calatin's left shoulder.

{I'm hungry... are there any mice here?} the bird enquires.

"Not everyone sees a position in government as a responsibility, with obligations and a duty of care towards those whom they govern," said Calatin. "It is to your credit that you do understand that it is a challenge to step up to, not an honour or an opportunity to serve your own interests... So, what do you need us to do to support you in fulfilling your role properly in the service of the citizens of Magnimar?"

The note disappears into Calatin's robes.

Calatin smiles in that lazy way.

"Politics... can be an amusing spectator sport. Almost as entertaining as the Great Game itself. Just never take it for something of import."

He lent forwards.

"But I am always ready to learn from those who play it seriously... what do you reckon we need to know?"

I'm sorry but that quote says to me what Nazard just said about the Princess of the Market... obviously your interpretation differs.

Anyhow, I'm NG and get along with most folks as long as there's a ready supply of pastries & I can bury my nose in a book :)

By the way, my working pattern seems to have settled on very long days Monday & Tuesday and lighter the rest of the week, hence it's unlikely I shall bob in on those days... just so you know & don't think I've disappeared or anything.

"Busy about other cases... policework is one of those relentless tasks that never end. So, what did you wish to see us about?" said Calatin, for once in his life not feeling in the slightest bit hungry.

Calatin waddles after Awgin and sits down at the table as well.

"What do you recommend?" he asks mildly.

Perception roll requested, 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

I am obviously distracted by speculation about how it's possible to make food look and smell so unappetising!

"Appointment? With whom?" said Calatin, mind already working on his concoctions. "Oh, yes..." he remembers.

"Thank you for your watchfulness," he says to their 'escort' "But we are leaving the Bazaar now, so you may go about your other duties."

"Best be on with it then, Awgin. As I doubt you'd let me wander off back home on my own to start work in the laboratory."

"I prefer the direct approach. And do not enjoy running around!"

Calatin waddles towards the fellows, calling out "Hoy! What are you following us for? Is there something you want, or have to say to us?"

Perception check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

"Yes, it's excellent," mumbles Calatin, words muffled by the muffin he's eating. Hey, it's only the third!

Then he grabs Awgin by the sleeve and pulls him over to a shop display. Since when did Calatin have an interest in hunting equipment?

"Don't look round now, Awgin," he murmurs, "But I think someone is following us..."

I am quite content to be the 'technical wizard who rarely leaves his desk' - provided pastries arrive at regular intervals! Calatin isn't built for combat, either physically or game mechanically.

On another note, I've just been hired and start next week. Posting may be erratic until I get the hang of things!