Loren uth Brasel's page

Hi all and, particularly, Samnell.

I realize I've been AWOL the last couple of weeks and wanted to briefly explain why. Last year, I started a new job and it initially had a lot of downtime. However, this year I've been getting progressively more responsibility. Since a lot of my posting was happening during downtime at work, it's slowed down lately because that downtime has become ever more rare and fleeting. Then, when I get home, it's time to take care of my son, fix dinner, visit with the hubby, and get to bed.

I'm coming to the conclusion that this is my new normal and I'm just not going to have as much free time during the day. I'm having to set some priorities and I've come to the conclusion I don't have time for all the campaigns I'm currently in.

So, with regret, I have to withdraw from this campaign. I'm sorry. Samnell, you've been a great GM and I was thrilled to get to dip my toes back into Dragonlance for a little while. Thank you for the opportunity.

Snow/Loren

We cam also shove Jakun towards anything we can't fight and then quietly judge and condemn him for flirting with an evil entity.

Loren's mustache twitches as he considers the group's options. To Mittens, he replies, "If it's a golem, then it's not undead. I'd imagine neither good or evil, only doing what it is commanded to do." He casts a glance towards the Red Robe or, more accurately, towards whatever spirit is sharing his body and seems to have sway over the things in this place. "Still..."

He takes out a piece of chalk and writes in Abanasian and Solamnic, "Danger Ahead. Golem." Finished, he shrugs at the slight effort and says for anyone who is observing, "Gods help anyone else who happens to be down here."

My mother in law is in town for Mothers' Day and is staying with us, so I may not be able to post this weekend. I will try, though.

Nevermind about the loot question. I keep forgetting.

Finding nothing else of interest on the skeletal warriors, Loren stands up and waits for the kender and others to scout ahead.

Not that Loren is thinking of it this way, but his player is:
Anything loot-worthy on the skellies?

"Hmm," the knight half-grumbles. "Good thing they weren't death knights."

He briefly considers kicking at the remains of one of the warriors to turn it over, but dismisses the idea as too disrespectful. Whatever they had become, the skeletons had once belonged to the living. He prays to Kiri-Jolith for the ability to detect magical auras, then kneels next to one of the fallen warriors to see if he can learn any more of its story.

Feel better!

Hmm. Should have popped my Holy Strike ability before combat... oh well. Next time.

Sword in one hand, shield in another, Loren batters aside the skeletal warrior's attacks before striking back with a pair of his own. "Come at me, fallen ones. The Bison willing, I'll release you of this torment."

He is swinging at the one to the left, that could slip around him and attack the revered daughter.

Making attacks with Power Attack, Haste (untyped), Bull's Strength (enhancement), Divine Favor (luck), and Holy Light (morale)
Longsword: 1d20 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 6 = 32 damage: 1d8 + 12 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 5 = 20
Longsword (bonus attack from Haste): 1d20 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 6 = 19 damage: 1d8 + 12 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 5 = 23

AC is now 24 with +1 dodge from haste and +1 morale from Mittens.

GM and fellow players: I had an emergency project on Friday which is why there was no post then and it has come back today, likely through tomorrow. I’ll try to keep posting as best I’m able but right now work is kicking me in the nads. Just want to apologize for not posting as often as I’d like.

LOL. Don't fret. We haven't gotten far. ;-)

Short version: We've decided to descend back to the skeletal warriors and smash them.

Loren clasps his medallion of faith and prays to Kiri-Jolith for strength and, once the others are near enough that combat seems imminent, His divine favor.

Bull's Strength and Divine Favor

Loren continues climbing down.

I keep forgetting about Take 10. Provided the descent looks appropriate, he will Take 10 for a total of 12. If he does fall and can't catch himself, he's got a magic item that works once per day. Before they make it all the way to the bottom and the undead, he'll probably prep some spells and abilities. Let me know when we're at that point.

Are you a Crown or Sword knight? Sword I thought

(Moving here just to reduce clutter in Gameplay.)

Sword. Why?

Release the dragon, he says. Jump, he says. ;-)

== If Jakun is flying folks ==
Loren looks positively unsettled at the prospect of being carried on the red robe's magic. "I... appreciate the efficiency of the approach but I think I will do this myself."

== Either way...
Loren sighs as he makes ready to start heading back down the pit once again. Having already slipped and fallen once down just this pit, and also earlier when coming into the dead wizard's fortress, he is not looking forward to the prospect. But, with the rope and a little new wisdom... Corij, guide my hand so I don't wind up a red, pulpy flatcake at the bottom of this unholy pit.

Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12[/spoiler]

Not trying to be difficult, but I can't imagine Loren quite being willing to trust a red robe's magic (or its morality) when it comes to his own person if it's something he can do on his own.

A case of strep throat has been tearing through my house (first my toddler, then husband) and now me. Will try to keep up but just to explain why things may be slowing down this week.

I think the dragon wanted a favor in return for anything...like eating a KenderPop.

"This is not a place of happiness. It is of dread and death. Let us not allow the former to take us to the latter. I say we destroy these skeletons. Even with the circlets to control them, they would still be blasphemies needing destruction."

"Chitterlings? As in, bugs?" Lauren can't quite keep the look of disgust off his face. "I'm inclined to dispose of these undead. Such creatures are abominations and irredeemably wicked. Would that we could have fought that shadow dragon without putting our mission in jeopardy."

Lorena teeth are ground to nubs at this point. ;-)

Loren can't quite help himself any longer and, through clenched teeth, grumbles, "Master, if it pleases, we have a pressing engagement elsewhere." It takes every ounce of discipline to keep his muscles from locking up from the tension and anxiety.

Hey, Samnell. Take care of yourself, first and foremost. Totally understand. Sometimes these little diversions are helpful to take our minds off things and provide an emotional respite, other times we need to give it our all, or just don't have the energy.

Take care!

Loren listens to the back and forth, unsure of whether to feel relief this isn't immediately escalating into a fight or anxious about the prospect of a barter between Jakun and this undead monstrosity.

Loren immediately drops into a guard position, sword at the ready, and interposes himself between the shadow and Mariel. "Indeed... and Jakun's possessing spirit is its master." Let the Red Robe talk, Loren. Wait...

Loren will ready an action for a standard charge at the 'dragon' if it takes an action that would harm anyone other than Jakun, not because he doesn't want to protect Jakun, but because this is magic, he doesn't understand it, and figures Jakun might need to sacrifice something of himself to control the dragon and I don't want a devious GM going "oops, triggered!" ;-)

I have detect magic but not a lick of Spellcraft. If Jakun can still fly, maybe he can buzz around the totally not trapped and completely legit island of treasure (without touching anything) to see if any circlets are radiating an appropriate aura? Alternatively, we can all just walk into the space and have readied actions to prep for a fight as soon as the totally non-existent trap is sprung.

Loren nods grimly. "Alright. The three of you saw what is down there. If you think the right path is that pile of 'treasure', so be it. You're looking for circlets to control some skeletons? Can we try to look for those particular magical auras?"

The knight starts going through his options as he prepares for whatever fel trap they're about to spring.

When Caitlyn, Jakun and Thistle come back up the shaft, Loren sighs slightly, turns around, and heads back up. Once he's with the others, he asks, "Sorry, I think this place is getting to me. What exactly is the situation? Warriors? Circlets?"

Out of character, I'm thinking we just need to make a decision and do it. I feel a bit like we've analyzed ourselves into paralysis.

I think Caitlyn was asking Thistle.

LOL! Loren really seems to be vertically challenged. Can't keep his feet under him to save his life. Literally.

After Mittens... Loren pulls himself up then continues his descent. I need to put some glue on these boots or something. At least I have my talisman if the worst happens...

If the worst does happen, Loren has a greater talisman of beneficial winds. Once per day, if he falls more than 5 feet, it activates feather fall.

Lol. 300' feet. Just a small step.

Loren will be moving down the shaft, using the stairs where they appear safe and relying on the pitons and otherwise using the ropes and climbing tackle deployed by Caitlyn and the others.

Have him arrive whenever you feel is appropriate.

Loren looks incredulous at the kender's suggestion, then just shakes his head with a wan smile. "Even if it isn't a trap, it leads us no closer to finding safety for the refugees. At best, it would only weigh us down." He gestures towards the shaft, "Descent. What I can see of the stairs so far, I think it's safe enough."

Loren watched Caitlyn begin her descent with a jaw clenched with anxiety. Quietly, he said to no one in particular, "Not sure that it's necessary, though... after my entrance into this place, I'd likely find a way to slip on the rug of a Palanthian noble." When no crash or scream is forthcoming, his anxiety eases, only to begin to increase as the silence stretches on ever longer. "Something is wrong, we should... Wait, is that her?"

Loren cautiously approaches the shaft with the metal staircase, eyeing it warily and trying to see if he can get a sense of how to traverse it safely.

Knowledge (Engineering): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Yes, Happy New Year!

Loren observed the exchange between Jakun and the spirits with a mix of anxiety and displeasure. Flirting with such abominations... dangerous to the soul. He risks much. But, he remained silent. The ruined fortress was a death trap, as close to Chemosh's realm on Krynn as he could imagine. Once away from the spirits, he would draw his sword once more and watch for threats.

"I cannot believe I am saying this, Corij forgive me, but... perhaps Master Jakun, you should have asked the spirits from where the dwarves had come?" He gestures with his sword towards the shaft, "I'm increasingly coming to believe that is the direction we need to go, but any wrong move in this place could be the end of us and the refugees."

Many apologies for my absence. Work has been absolutely insane since late November but I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, family has left from the holiday visit, and things are returning to "normal".

Sorry for being AWOL. Work has been crazy and I've been focusing on keeping current with the games I'm GMing. Many apologies.

Loren cautiously follows the others into the room. To avoid provoking the spirits, he takes the additional step of sheathing his sword.

I think we’re pretty certain they are spirits, not an illusion. Pretty sure answer is yes but that will definitely make us not their friends. Since we seem stuck, let me just toss out a suggestion. Let’s try talking to them. Pretty passive activity. If they attack, fine. If not but they don’t respond, we try walking around the perimeter to one of the doors.

No bo, I know they’re not literally the same door, but I’m speculating they lead to the same space. Did we check that other door yet?

Hey, dude. I'm sure it feels like absolute s+#!. I'm sure it's no consolation right now, but for what it's worth, everyone I know who has been through it says, at the other side, things wind up being better. It takes time and healing, but it does get better. I also say that as a "child of divorce", who is happier that his parents got divorced when he was 11 and, at the time, hated them for it. Eventually, I was truly glad that they did and realized it was better for everyone (even my father, who didn't want the divorce).

No matter what eventually happens, I'm sure it's an awful time to be going through and I'm definitely sad to hear that. Hang in there.

The knight taps the hilt of his sword with a finger while holding it as his side. Choices and indecision... Damn.

I just looked at the map. It looks like the door to the north of this "ballroom" likely matches up with a hallway also connected to a south-facing door from the main passage (I just drew a red box around it). Have we inspected that door already? Maybe we should just go around this.

Loren shares his impressions, including, ”I believe they are aware of our presence. Whether that means they wait for us to come further in, or truly mean us no harm, I do not know... but I’m this place, I think the stone would kill us if it could, much less restless spirits.”

Despite the impression of revelry, Loren eyes the ghosts with deep suspicion. Magic and death, restless spirits... nothing good. As Caitlyn starts to head into the room, he quickly reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder, "Wait... This doesn't make sense. A wizard's fortress infested with death, destroyed in a battle and we have... this? No. Something isn't right."

He casts Detect Magic then tries to survey the room for any hint of what may be going on.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Know Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Sense Motive??: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Those spells are not in my bailiwick, so it'll be up to Mariel.

Loren considers next step, then seems struck by inspiration. He begins patting his belt pouches and other places to store goods, and pulls out a platinum ring, matched by one on his right hand. He says to Mariel, "Revered Daughter, with the way those spirits went after you last time, if and when we come across something else down here, I worry you will be their primary target once more. That being so, if you would wear this, I can cast a spell that will grant you some modest wards but also relieve you of some of the burden of any injuries." He offers her the ring, then prepares himself for the next room.

Ooooh. I like that last one. Just the right combination of divinity and sin.

GM, would it be okay for me to purchase a pair of platinum rings worth 50 gp? They are a component for the shield other spell. Loren has the gold on hand, but in fairness he'd have no notion to have purchased them prior to his epiphany and becoming able to cast spells. (Maybe he could have bought them off someone in the refugee train?)

I think that sounds like the type of thing an evil, diabolical GM would suggest in the hopes it would lead the poor heroes to their untimely doom...

Loren says, "Well, we're definitely not going into the chamber with all the treasure, so... Door number one," he points his sword towards the singing, "Or door number two? He gestures towards the crying. "You know my preference... We've already found one creature in need, it's not beyond reason there is another."

So, we have one door with someone crying on the other side, and another with music on the other side.

Hope that means the surgery went well! Sorry for the brace!

Loren shrugs somewhat helplessly in response to Jakun. "I'm afraid deciphering the magic of things is beyond me."

Is there any design or inscription on the sword that might give a clue as to its nature? Such as with knowledge nobility, religion or profession soldier?

Loren tenses as the kender approaches the altar but he doesn't try to stop him. As Jakun arrives, the knight says (still watching the kender and the altar with one hand on his sword), "I am honestly a bit surprised, wizard. This seems to be an altar to the Black Moon. I didn't think your orders typically engaged in such traditional forms of worship."

Hmm. I can't seem to move Loren's token. I thought I used to be able to. :-/