Dreamer's page

Thanks, all, for a good game and for being such a fun to write with and play off of. But now I think it's time to say good-bye.

I offer you all my thanks and best wishes.

Arctaris:

Due to the nature of my work, I want to keep my personal life out of the Googlesphere as much as possible, so I won't leave my email address or name here. If you wish to contact me in the future, you may do so through JSL or leave a message here; I'll still take a look from time to time. I am not going to troll for new games to join on Paizo, but I may accept a direct invitation sometime; I'll keep that possibility open.

Thanks again for your storytelling and camaraderie. I count you all as my friends.
*takes a bow*
-- Dreamer

I probably shouldn't even comment and just let the whole thing go...so feel free to disregard this as well...

I feel like I invested a lot into this character (and, I'll admit, the other characters as well) and game and was denied the promised payoff. I understand that everyone has eggs in other baskets, but as far as RPGing goes, this was/is my only basket. The game went on at a time when I really needed friends, but didn't have a lot of time for socializing (wrapping up my internship at four different sites, plus two weekly rape crisis hotline shifts, plus grief camp for kids, plus being pregnant, plus being a full-time mom, plus all my other rl projects and obligations).

To have it all end so abruptly and in mid-sent...

...well, that was a little hard.

I'm glad JSL is DMing live at his game nights, and I am 110% supportive of him and all he does. If he chooses not to resume (as it appears he has), that really is OK with me. We've talked about this.

At the same time, I don't see being able to participate in a regular game again in the next 18 years, what with kids and all. And while we have tried running a couple of one-player (and even a 2-pc/player) games, it's hard when it's just two people at the table at 11pm. Under the conditions I've observed and been in games (or more accurately segments of games), it's really hard for me to see the appeal of it -- lots of work, time and effort and *poof* it's gone without even getting to the end.

At least with my clients, there's termination paperwork involved, and often some form of "good-bye."

And the fruit plate was good. Atonement good, I don't know. :) But we're still on good terms socially. And that counts for all of you guys. This would be totally different if I didn't care.

This made me think of Rags:

Wizard of Id 5/20/09

Maybe I'll talk with JSL about it when we meet in Seattle next month?

If you'd like, but not on my behalf. I'm not going to pressure JSL to return to Paizo or to DMing a 3e game. He has enough on his plate with regular life stuff and other projects and activities requiring his attention. He knows I'm still checking out the discussion and that I'd be up for playing again sometime.

If he wants to resume at some point, that's great, and I'm sure the core group would be here to play, but whether he chooses to resume is totally up to him, as far as I'm concerned.

BTW, I left a little something on the ol' game thread.

Yeah, that whole Vesh's-sudden-dissappearance-twist is still kind of a sore spot for me. The campaign survived a lot of comings and goings and rl delays, but I think the combination of DM burnout and Vesh's departure finally broke it.

It's fun keeping in touch with you guys and lurking occasionally, but unless JSL surprises me (which has occasionally been known to happen), I seriously doubt that this adventure will ever be resolved. And even if it did, what are the chances of a party of four being successful?

It's kind of a bummer; I've never completed an adventure before.

Well, y'know, got engaged. ;D

Sweet!

I highly recommend getting married. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary Friday and are still living very happily ever after.

Off-topic: Exploring our new town I found what must surely be the fomer site of the Rusty Dragon -- the huge beast is currently guarding storage units across the street from ye olde graveyard. Maybe I can get JSL to post a picture of it one of these days.

There are programs for people at the bottom of the socioeconomic scale - and the people at the top don't need them - but it's quite a struggle for those in the middle trying to hoist themselves up by their own bootstraps.

For something to cause so much pain for so long and without improvement sounds like it could be a significant medical issue. I don't know if any of this might apply to you, but here are some things to consider.

Some large communities have a 211 service -- free information and referrals for social services. Some organizations/programs are gatekeepers. For example, in California, having Medi-Cal (CA's Medicare/Medicaid entity) is a prerequisite for receiving lots of services. But once you jump through the Medi-Cal hoop, doors suddenly open. On the other hand, I know of an organization that at no cost provides all kinds of wonderful services for families: counseling, nutrition, health care, parenting classes, child care, etc., etc. Unfortunately, the prerequisite is to be investigated for child abuse! Find out what the gatekeepers are in your community. A good question to ask is, "If you can't help me, do you know who could?"

Some non-profit organizations have case managers who can help you coordinate services and can hook you up to experts/programs you might not be aware of. Catholic Charities (and you don't have to be Catholic to receive services) is one well-known example.

Is there a walk-in or low-cost medical clinic where you are? Once I needed a physical and TB test to get a job and I didn't have medical coverage yet. I went to the walk-in clinic, paid $90 out-of-pocket, and got what I needed with no insurance hassle. Check out your county medical center; they routinely provide health services to low- and no-income individuals. They may also have case managers as well.

Finally, and this is a little out-of-the-box, if there's a medical school or university nearby, you may be eligible to take part in a health study which could address your condition or another condition that affects you (e.g., chronic pain, insomnia), and they may take physicals and blood tests as a baseline and give you no-cost care related to the study.

It can be difficult and discouraging to get into the system and to have to work it, but there are people within it who can and will help if you can find them.

It can also be difficult for formerly self-sufficient people to have to rely on these kinds of programs. However, this is what the taxes you paid in good times go to. When times are good again, you can donate, volunteer, and/or pay it forward.

I hope this helps, and I hope you get the care you need.

...so we can live like civilized people again.

When did we ever live like civilized people? :)

I'm still unpacking and I think we've run out of bookcases again.

Now that we have internet access again, I'd better get studying for my exams. Thanks all for your well-wishes (and help, where applicable)! 'Tis much appreciated.

And speaking of adventures...

Our moving adventure gets underway tomorrow. I don't know how long we'll be off-line, but I'll let y'all know when we're back.

P.S. I completed my 3000 licensing hours, they've been approved, and I am now eligible to take my exams, which I can do in Oregon. Just have to do some studying first.

You know, I might be off-line for a while...

Neil, it looks like you've found your bliss. Well done. You're so blessed to have such a supportive family (sweet note from your mom!). I hope you enjoy the next phase of your pesonal adventure.

Now, instead of dressing up as a silver dragon, you just need a star-studded red cape, and you can go as a Superstar! :)

Clock's ticking...We load the truck Thursday and take off Friday.

Santinj@ -- the Messageboards/Paizo Publishing/PAIZOCON/How far will you go? thread has responses from a guy from Eugene and another from Klamath falls. Potential EAGL recruits?

I can see how, judging based on quality of ideas and the potential of a proposal, this can be a difficult contest. There are some great ideas, striking imagery, and exciting adventures. All the participants have shown great creativity and have certainly given it their all.

Several people have talked about how they would edit their favorite submissions for length, clarity, and consistency and how, with editing or even a change of format, they would be make great adventures. And they would.

But based on body of work, well-roundedness, and readiness for publication (i.e., without need for extensive editing), Neil Spicer is the clear winner, hands down.

Good luck to all, and good work throughout a high-caliber competition.

Judge his entry based on the quality of his prose--the highest this round. Judge his entry on the clarity of presentation--again the highest. Judge his entry on his professionalism; Neil, throughout this contest and in this round, has shown himself to be dedicated, considerate, and responsible. Judge his entry on whether it makes you go, "I wanna DM that" and "I wanna play that". For me, this was the adventure I wanted to play. Finally, judge his entry on whether or not you think he can deliver.

I have to agree here. All the entrants clearly have good ideas and a passion for their adventures and, with a few passes through committee and good editing, could all become publishable adventures. But Neil's is ready for the real thing.

I'll let others discuss the entries from the perspectives of a player, DM, rules maven, or setting expert. But from the perspective of a writer and storyteller, Neil's work really stands out. He has consistently delivered engaging and professional work within the given constraints. He has never reached for the low-hanging fruit; rather he challenges himself -- and often, the readers -- to go beyond the expected and see what's possible.

Neil's writing is confident, literary, technically excellent, and engaging. Of the entries this round, I believe his is the most "ready for prime-time." He kept his adventure appropriate in scope, yet connected to the greater literary tradition (Shakespeare, CS Lewis, Stephen Kings "Mist," Grimms' Fairy Tales were all mentioned; I'd add "The King of Elfland's Daughter" to the list). He uses writing conventions naturally and has avoided careless errors, typos, and grammatical mistakes. Everything "fits" and is enjoyable to read. His body of work shows not only good ideas, but good implementation and competence at every point in the process. If the judges want someone they can count on to jump in right away and deliver high-quality work regardless of the assignment, Neil is their man.

Are you sure you didn't type in...

That wasn't your proposal, was it?!? ;)

On the other hand, you don't want to give them any ideas...

Good luck on the voting round!

My parents moved to the Oregon Coast when I was in high school. The kid who showed me around the school assured me it only rains twice a year in Oregon: Once from January to June, and once from July to December!

JSL's our moving coordinator; I'll let him answer the many questions when he gets the chance.

P.S. We'll have other hands helping too; maybe you could roll for a +2 aid another. :)

Hopefully the grass is greener up there.

It really is. Literally. :)

Thanks, all, for your well-wishes. I think we're in pretty good shape; there's just a lot to do in the next 2 weeks. It's hard to both be moving and having to continue doing our routine stuff (kids to school, homework, work-work, grocery shopping, sick baby, etc.). And with a toddler who can unpack boxes faster than I can pack them, well...

...Let's just say we've got our work cut out for us! But it's all well and good, and this move will be good for our family. As for me, I'm looking forward to a little bit slower pace of life and being about 500 miles closer to family.

And, Neil, once again, good luck with the Final Round!

JSL or Dreamer: are you guys going to be in town (Eugene) on the 21st?

Our current timeline has us loading our moving van on the 26th, taking off on the 27th or 28th, and closing on the house on the 31st. Then we get to move all our stuff in. (Wanna help?)

Two weeks to go -- yea! and ack!

I propose a "dress like your avatar" contest.

Neil, I'd wish you good luck and offer my congratulations, but you shouldn't be reading this right now. Get back to work! :)

The following would probably be a semester-long or year-long project.

Build a World (or continent)

At the beginning of the year, students draw a continent shape on gridded paper. The teacher makes several copies of each student's map for use throughout the year, as they add different layers of information on the map.

1) Reading maps. What do maps tell us? What are the elements of a map? Discuss scale, distance, direction, map keys, physical features, different kinds of maps. Add a legend and compass to the map.

2) Landforms. Discuss and identify various landforms. What landforms do their maps include? What landforms would they like to add? How do landforms affect the kind of life found on the land and in the water?

3) Climate and weather. How are climate and weather created? Why are some places hot/cold/dry/wet/etc.? What climates are represented on your maps? Color-code. (I'm thinking about three major regions per map -- keep it simple.)

4) Biomes. What kinds of plants/animals live in these different kinds of climates and environments? Populate your regions with plants/animals appropriate to the environment.

5) Cultures. What do seafaring cultures have in common? Desert cultures? Cold-weather/hot-weather regions? What challenges to do they face? How can they meet those challenges? Create three unique cultures in each of those environments.

6) Commerce. How would these cultures come into contact with each other? What do they need from each other? How do they interact? What would they trade? How would they interact?

Similar projects for government, history, mythology, etc. all based on their maps. Through the course of the year, students make a book about their imagined world, using principles of real-world civilization development.

What would happen if the people from one student's continent met another student's continent. Or if a single adventurer traveled to a new land? Or what if several adventurers wanted to tell each other about their worlds? Presentations galore... :)

...she "recommended" that we not do anything that involved weaponry...

...because weaponry has no place in the history of civilization. It's unfortunate that we've given up nuance and judgment in favor of Zero Tolerance policies.

For those who are concerned about or advocates of children's play, I highly recommend Taking Back Childhood by Nancy Carlsson-Paige, Ed. D. In one chapter, she puts children's war games (as opposed to first-person shooter-type games) into the context of learning teamwork, good vs. evil, resolving aggression, etc.

Where I live, the educational pendulum has swung so far to an emphasis on academics and teaching to the tests that they don't even let kindergarteners play -- completely ignoring the maxim that play is a child's work: it's the route by which they learn academic, social, and emotional skills.

Of course, in school, playing RPGs should be the means to an end, not the end itself (i.e., recruiting the next generation of gamers), although I imagine that a teacher could easily sponsor an after-school or lunchtime Sci-Fi/Fantasy or RPG club -- student-initiated, not teacher imposed. At the same time, there are a number of RPG elements and skills taught through RPGing that can be used to introduce, demonstrate, or reinforce the curriculum. Another off-the-top-of-my-head idea below.

I remember a (summer camp) presentation by a fantasy writer who brought her sword collection and demonstrated how Shakespeare's characters could carry on a dialogue during a fight because it took so much time to lug and drop a big sword on somebody.

Not a teacher (became a therapist instead; hope to get a PhD eventually and teach college-level), but quite educationally-minded. Just some quick off-the-top-of-my-head ideas:

- Collaborative writing: Group students into teams of about four and have each student create an element of the story (design a protagonist/hero; design an antagonist/villain; create a setting; design a "wondrous item," etc.). Team members edit/critique each other's work, which is then revised. Either individually or as a group, team members write a short story combining those elements. The team submits its best work and class votes on favorite story produced by each team.

- Talk about the elements and progression of the "hero's journey" (call to adventure, helpful figure, wondrous item, challenges in new environment, final battle, return home, etc.). Ask students for examples of stories, films, etc. that follow the hero's journey (e.g., Star Wars, Wizard of Oz, Dark Crystal, etc.). Then have them design a hero (with whatever rules/constraints you find appropriate -- I like the stregths points) and write a story about him/her following that arc.

- Research paper proposal/historical biography: again, divide the process into periods with due dates. You can conceptualize it as an ecology: physical description; where does he/she/it live; what does it do; what makes him/her/it unique; etc.

- Turn the life cycle of (your favorite animal here) into a role-playing game, complete with probabilities (dice rolls optional). For example, a set of rules/rolls around the life cycle of salmon and the number of survivors at each stage of development.

- The freshman honors English/world history teachers at my high school collaborated so that in English class we were reading a novel about the period in history we were studying ("Animal Farm" with the Russian Revolution; "The Kitchen God's Wife" and Maoist China, etc.). But on top of that, they created a role-play that existed in both classes every day of school for two weeks or so. While studying Colonial India (and "Nectar in a Sieve") we also created a mock-caste system with different rules/tasks/expectations for students depending on their randomly-assigned caste. It was interesting to see how students worked the system and reacted to their experiences. (Under communism, it turned out that the most prolific propagandist and the most vocal -- though annonymous -- detractor of the Fearless Leader were the same person! How's that for clever RPGing by students?)

- On the other hand, studying probability in a high school math class, the only die introduced had six sides.

- Lots of teachers start the day with a writing prompt of some sort. I use a lot of these same questions with my counseling clients to see what they're thinking about or what they're like. Espcially working with boys, I like to ask, "Who is your favorite superhero, and why?" It's a wonderful projective question. And I've found with groups, a discussion of what a hero is, what makes a person a hero, and who their heroes are to be very fruitful. Eventually we turn it into "How are you a hero? Who are you a hero to?"

Kids get so many negative messages about who they are, who they should be, or what the future holds for them. Kids need real-life heroes (like good parents, teachers, and coaches), and they need to see that they can be a force for good in the world themselves. When you can tap in to a kid's "inner hero," it can make a big difference in the kinds of adventures they create and the challenges they are willing to meet.

HBD!

Are there any other couples/spouses that both post on Paizo?

So you're going to be living in the Free City of Greyhawk?!

NIIIICE!

Not entirely free; they do charge an annual HOA fee. ;)

Hey, good luck in Round 4, Neil!

I have offered on house in Eugene. Offer accepted. Waiting for bank, inspection, etc...

Airline ticket to Eugene to look for a house: $350

...being able to say you belong to the Greyhawk HOA (seriously!): Priceless.

I'm venturing beyond my usual realms here to wish you good luck in this contest. This could be a very cool thing for you. A couple of thoughts:

1) I don't read stat blocks if I can help it.

2) I agree with these guys:

Jason Nelson wrote:

If you're good as a DM, you can roll with it, but when you read a stat block like this you start to see the appeal of the 4th Ed. style of monster design, where each monster has like 3-5 things it can do.

I've got to agree with Jason on this one. I like 4E monster design for this very reason: at high levels every 3.5 stat block starts to look like a wall o'stats.

3) A designer should not be penalized for the requirements/deficiencies/complexities of the system for which he must design. It looks like you have successfully designed this guy within the constraints given. I also think it's interesting that the bad guy has to be created for upper-level play, where a lot of statistical and design stuff does seem to break down.

4) You have clearly proven your writing skill and gaming expertise elsewhere. Writer to writer, I think we share a penchant for verbosity. You write well enough that most of the time you can get away with it. But if you can find that best-friend editor you mentioned to help you be concise and let you know when to say when and when to take it up a notch, it will only benefit you in the long run.

Good luck!

I haven't seen any posting from JSL in quite sometime. So I assume the game is fully done? :-(

Even I can't say for sure, and I don't want to speak for the DM. Latest developments: JSL's still busy with work; I finished my hours and am getting ready to take my licensing exams (yes, that's plural); and we're moving to Oregon in about 6 weeks. We just have to find a house first.

If anyone is aware of a game store/gaming group/RPGA tourney/etc. in the Eugene area, I know someone who's looking for one. ;)

My hope is that after the move and life has quieted down in the Pacific Northwest (as opposed to the over-scheduled busy Bay Area), we'll be able to either finish the game or at least get some kind of closure. I might even peek around Paizo a little more after that, too. You know, with all my free time (what's that?)!

P.S. Congrats, Neil! (Vote early and vote often?)

Gone, but not forgotten.

I kinda miss this.

Wishing all a joyous holiday season and a prosperous and happy new year.

Peace.

-- Dreamer

One possibility people might like to investigate are indie rpgs or story games in which the player/GM dynamic and narrative are more fluid.

How does that work? Would it apply to something like this PbP?

Entertaining, and fun! :D

Agreed.

I mainly use Paizo for entertainment, information on upcoming things, and for PbP. INother words I sort do drive by's on threads, I don't really stay and get involved. SO I seem to have missed entirely what is turning off several people in other threads. So I currently have no plans for leaving.

I have no particular emotional connection with Paizo myself. I've bookmarked these two threads and go directly to them (though I won't divulge how frequently I check) and bypass the rest. However, it does sound like there are many people who feel passionately about their sites, systems, and styles. I think the problem is when people decide that their viewpoint is the only one allowed.

When discussing self-care and priorities with clients, I've found a simple litmus to help people know when to say "no" to activities and requests. The question is, "Does this energize me, or does it use up what energy I have?" (Is it an energizer or an ennervator?) Finally! A use for a 7th grade vocabulary word!

I think that's what this is coming down to for JSL. This takes a lot of energy for a DM (in addition to real-life unavoidable energy-suckers), and there are other things to fill precious down-time with. So I don't know what his timetable is, and I certainly don't want to speak for him. I, for one, would like to continue this "fellowship" to its end, and continue, as Rags noted, some kind of contact or connection with the RotRL group, even after the story is done. (And however it ends, I still think some kind of epilogue/bookend/debriefing would be in order.)

HOWever, I am not married to it, and it is not the only site I visit.

Well, I am married to JSL, and prefer to be wherever he is. :)

SO,... IF JSL and all wanted to get together on another thread,... (Hint, Hint) ;)

I wouldn't rule it out. How's that for a Magic 8 Ball answer?

In short, I'm not ready to give up on this thread, and I'll keep checking up on things here. Even if it's just for tangents like these.

You guys are story-centric...

And having a good grasp of spelling, writing conventions, and literary structure doesn't hurt, either. :)

That probably makes me sound pretentious, but language and how it is used are very important to me. And bad spelling, grammar, etc. can be very distracting and confusing to me. (Hmm. Another reason why I might not enthusiastically jump into a stranger's game.) One thing that has made this group enjoyable has been the storytelling and the mutual striving for excellence in writing that story.

I can now announce that my wife and I are expecting again as well.

Congratulations! I hope she has an easy time of it. Be nice to her. It's a lot of work to grow a person! :)

We're doing well with our almost-one-month-old. Right now, the biggest challenges are primarily logistical or cleaning-related. The baby is a delight, and her sibs are delighted. Usually.

I don't want to speak for JSL, but I do know he's very busy right now with a lot of projects and things that are taking energy from this project. I know I'll be disappointed if we don't make it to the "final battle," but I have no idea if/when that's going to actually happen. (To paraphrase, "Dude, where's my payoff?")

I'm also considering whether to continue RPGing on Paizo. When this game ends, will I continue? I'm not sure. I primarily joined this thread because I enjoyed following the story JSL was DMing and the opportunity came up for me to get an "insider's view" of one of my husband's interests and do something fun with him. With the end of JSL's involvement in Paizo, and knowing I could never recreate the terrific experience I've had with this group, there isn't a lot keeping me here beyond this. I would certainly consider a direct invitation from any of you guys to join a group, but I doubt I'm going to be trolling around for another group to join once this one ends. [/ramble]

"Who are you?" asks Tigger, stuck up in the tree.

"Why, I'm the Narrator," answers the disembodied voice.

Thanks for helping us get un-stuck, JSL. :)

A day-brightener: When charging against the bad guys, don't wear a red uniform!

Another thought after reading Slidell's dream--

Since we all know we're headed to the end (and probably won't have time to finish all that stuff we were saving about our characters) I hope we can, either IC or OOC, have a little epilogue for our characters after the adventure is done, or have a chance to reveal some of the background info that played into who our characters were and why.

Just a thought.

I hope I'm right, because it will free up our limited money resources to help you out even more, but if not,... Meh,

well,...

We could always mug somebody for the money. Blackmail Peacock... I'm not above extortion. :)

What if we donate to the "let's tankify Zieke fund"?

I haven't had the time or energy to look up costs and all... I'll OOC my purchases, etc. after the interaction with Hannah is done.

I'm spending Halloween day as usual: listening to Danny Elfman while frantically trying to finish kids' costumes, sugar cookies, and the rest of the Halloween trappings.

For those of you who watched the "Dungeons and Dragons" cartoon in the '80s (or if you just have bad luck with costumes), you may enjoy this.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I guess when we figure out what the financial distribution is and how many craft points will be required for the wand and kukri transfer, I'll spend the remaining on scrolls. (By then, it should be pretty easy to figure out how many scrolls I can make.)

I don't know that Salome will need to purify another shrine, but I think some holy water would also be useful. (I don't know about the silver powder, though.)

I apologize for the length of the post. My dream idea (this was actually idea #3) was very visual and didn't lend itself well to brevity, though I tried to keep it as short as I could. I decided not to post the Hannah visit too (I wrote that weeks ago) -- it needed to be broken up. So I'll post that tomorrow.

I think Salome's 4th level stats are up to date (though I wouldn't mind a proofread from someone more expert than me).

My priorities for upgrades are Wand of CLW and transfer the kukri heat power to Salome's scimitar. A loom for a new prayer rug is just for flavor. :)

Also, since we know we're only playing through the end of "Burnt Offerings" it's a lot less likely we'll have another chance to upgrade our equipment from here on out. So now's the time to power up the warriors if we can. Just my two-cents...but I'd like to hear what the rest of you think?

I will go along with you guys on whatever else you choose to do with loot and/or GP. I simply do not have the base knowledge of items and game economics that you do, and I don't have the time or energy at this point to acquire the knowledge necessary to have an opinion or a plan.

Forgive me for not posting in the game thread yet. Serious lack of brain cells from being on duty 24/7.

Hey @JSL, Dreamer, et all,...

Just checking in.

How is everything going on the new improved home front J&D? I know that a newborn is a handful, and you already HAD a handful! ;) Any ideas yet on when you want to/can start up again?

I don't know what JSL's plans are; he's still busy, I know, and will be out all day tomorrow at a Minis pre-release. Meanwhile, we've had family visiting in & out for the past 3 weeks and everything that goes with that. The last wave will pass this weekend.

The soonest I'll be able to post will be Sunday evening. I'm still planning on that dream and a visit to Hannah's; maybe on the way to or from, Salome can give Sli her shopping list (I think he'd enjoy perusing magical items and picking out wands more than she would -- I'm also open to suggestions). It just occured to me that a side-effect of lost manpower is greater per-person $$$ resources. How can we best take advantage of that? An armor/weapon upgrade would be useful, no?

Finally, life with baby is good. The hardest part is actually keeping up with the energeic and opinionated 2-year-old. The sibs like their baby sister, but I think we will be relieved to get back to a routine without visitors. And I have to go back to work in a week (clients await!).

Ah yes! When all else fails, you can never go wrong with a good dream sequence!

A friend of mine used to say, "I talk to myself 'cause there's no one else to talk to." :)

I'm hoping to post a dream sequence either later tonight or tomorrow, then Salome will try one last time to get information from Hannah.

Wow. It seems our numbers are rapidly shrinking.

Arctaris -- It was nice to play with you. Your presence will be missed.

Fabes -- I'm glad to see you're still around.

It seems like PsiFox's last post was about the same time Elsir Vale ended.

NSpicer -- My intention wasn't to escalate intraparty conflict too high; I hope it's clear in the end that Salome won't go running off by herself, but will fulfill her duty to the town and the group. After she re-centers herself, Salome is still going to talk to Hannah.

Rags -- Can Slidell wave a magic wand or something and help get us on track? Or maybe JSL? For me, this is starting to feel a little like the part in "Noises Off!" when the director steps in as [yet another] understudy for the drunk burglar.

"Oh, it's our social worker!" improvises one of the cast members. "You know. THE NICE MAN WHO TELLS US WHAT TO DO."

*sigh* Good luck to us.

Arctaris:

Thanks; I like to make people think. And I appreciate you taking time for a thoughtful response. I probably won't have a chance to post until after kids go to bed at the soonest, but I'm (mentally) working on it.

Thanks for the well-wishes and good thoughts. One nice thing about having a baby: I have an excuse to put my feet up and get some rest!

I'll see if I can put something together later today or this evening then. Nothing that moves the action along, though. This will be intraparty roleplay only until JSL says he's ready to continue.

Sounds good to me. Ready whenever you are. I need to get back into the swing of writing, and it would nice to get some closure on this adventure rather than just abandoning it or letting it fizzle.

Question: How often do groups actually finish adventures, either in RL or PbP? I imagine even at a convention, a group might get through a little vignette, but certainly not a whole chapter, let alone the complete AP. A couple of months ago, I would have thought that this group could sustain its storytelling almost indefinitely. What's your experience? I'd like to be able to set some realistic expectations here.

You let me know when you're ready to post regularly and I'll serve something up for Salome to respond to...

I'm going to be home a lot for the next few weeks, and I'm very good at typing one-handed (had a lot of practice in grad school), so I think I should be able to post at least once a day now. (I don't know what JSL's availability is.)

Has anyone seen or heard from PsiFox or Arctaris recently? They haven't checked in for a while...

Baby?

She kept us waiting an extra week, but our fouth addition arrived at 9:30 Saturday morning, just 3 1/2 hours after we arrived at the hospital. (Thanks to all those who wished us a speedy delivery!) Weighing in at 8 lbs. even and 20 inches long, she's my smallest so far. Smiles when falling asleep. Welcomed by proud big brothers (6 1/2 and 4 1/2) and excited big sister (age 2) who likes giving "kitheth."

We got home yesterday evening. I'm sore as to be expected and tired, but fine.

JSL will have to decide when to get game things moving. I'm waiting for Zieke to inform Salome of the news; a Slidell-worthy post may be brewing!

Still still waiting...

Random fact: fewer than 20% of babies are actually born on their due date.