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I have another character I made for the campaign Bodacious started and then stopped. It is an elf druid 5th level. She doesn't have some of the perks you allowed like the extra feats and the extra archetype, but I can either forego those to have something ready quickly or take the time to adjust her. She is a decent fighter with the ability to take a grizzly bear beast form or a tiger. She has combat spells and buff spells and a decent AC.
Is this campaign dead or just on hold? I hope it can continue.
I was checking other aliases of the players who haven't posted recently. Xulgug: This is his/her/their first PBP alias, so no telling. May have just decided to quit without telling us. Kana: a different alias post last Thursday explained the player was getting over a bout of flu. So Kana may be back.
Luanna acknowledges the information with a nod and a look of contemplation before she offers. "We will confer and make a plan. We will need to rest and recover this night; but in the morning, I will prepare a set of spells that can serve a reconnaissance mission into the Witchwood to locate enemies and appraise their command structure, if they have one. As a druid, I have the ability to take the form of a bloodhawk. I will fly over the wood closest to the city. If no enemies are found, we can delve deeper, looking for other signs of their movements." She makes eye contact with each of the others and continues if she senses no one wishes to object to what she has said so far. "If we locate any small groups, we can engage them. If they send a group too large for us, we can use guerilla tactics, taking out any that stray from the group. We can report when we have news. I'll prepare a spell that can get a message to the city."
Luanna stands after Sten speaks. "I am Luanna Raumolossë, druid and friend of this community and the Witchwood. Hold your reward until the threat is passed. There will likely be rebuilding. Each hobgoblin killed is like gold in my pouch. Pay me by killing the enemy. We can discuss strategy when the meal is finished. I can fight, but I'm also a good spy when I change into various beasts that are natural to these woods. If anyone needs healing or herbs, I may be able to help that way as well."
The next three days are going to busy with a variety of tasks that will interrupt my usual posting times. I'm getting a new computer and remodeling the room where I keep the computer. In addition to my school duties, I have a dentists appointment Thursday. I'll try to post sometime in the next few days, but it will not likely be every day.
Luanna embraces Jilyian with heartfelt sympathy and offers any healing aid the survivors might need. Once her grandson departs, Luanna checks with a local druid acquaintance and returns to the inn for supper. When the guard captain and her companion approach the table and asked if the group was sent from Brindol, Luanna stands and answers, "We are. We had an uneventful journey until we got near Drellin's Ferry. We were attacked by several squads of hobgoblins, some hellhounds, and some kind of priest. We dispatched them but there were some casualties. How can we help deal with this dreadful incursion."
Stensan and Luanna: Luanna watches Stensan's emotional reunion and his fiancé's grief at the loss of family members. She remembers her feelings at such situations were much different when she first arrived in this plane. The affairs of the short-lived humans, even when they involved pain and suffering, were hard for her to understand. Their lives would be over so soon. What point investing any of her emotions in their lives?
Now, however, her years spent sharing the joys and sorrows of her family and neighbors had given her a keen appreciation of the value of each life, the value of each moment, particularly when human life was so short. It fueled her commitment to fight this incursion. She imagined the scorn of her eldarin family, having pity for humans. They often made sport of tormenting humans with pranks, often with deadly outcomes. They laughed at the foolish humans who let their passions draw them into these traps. They deserved what they got. Luanna never participated in their games. Elves suffer and die when monsters invade their realm. They die in petty wars. How were they any different than the humans? It drove Luanna to visit the plane where lived the humans, curious to better understand them. That led to her marriage and family, which she now was seeing as an extension of the man she loved. Her eyes did not tear up, but they manifested the elven equivalent of tears: shades of red and violet around the edges of her opaque eye sockets.
Luanna remains at the edge of the room to allow her grandson his time of reunion with Jilyian. She reviews what she learned from her time with her husband the expected etiquette for such situations so she will not put anyone off. She takes a seat, to better blend in with the crowd, awaiting Stensan's introduction. She gets a naughty impulse to change into one of her wild shapes just before Stensan introduces her, but only contemplates the reactions before dismissing the idea out of mind. She does however use her Druidcraft cantrip to conjure the scent of wildflowers into the area where she is sitting. She needs it after a few days journey without proper opportunities to bath.
When Avarthel mentions the fox's tale, it is a good segue for Luanna to narrate the fight on the road. After her heart-pounding experience during her trance, Luanna regards the mushroom but does not rush to harvest it. She needs to finish her rest and so continues to meditate on the visions of her trance and Avarthel's unexpected visit. Once her rest is complete, she takes out her herbalism kit and a magnifying glass to study it more closely before harvesting it. "Welcome to the world, little friend," she says to it in Druidic. "What has brought you here? What have we to offer each other?" Only after contemplating the reply, if any, does she carefully harvest the fungus, keeping its roots intact and placing it one of her herbalism kit's containers. She next prepares her spells. First, she speaks an Eldarin invocation to grant her the magic of the storm, knowing that there will be storms to come. She prepares a combination of spells useful in combat and spells that can restore health to injured individuals. In addition, she prepares a spell that can help crops grow more abundant.
She casts the Druidcraft cantrip to learn what to expect for weather the next 24 hours. Then she goes purchases a simple breakfast of bread, cheese, and fruit, before heading down to the river. There she turns into her otter wild shape and goes for a swim. The swim is more for information gathering than recreation although she loves playing with other otters if any are about. She communicates with any river creatures she can find to learn what may be going on along the river in either direction. Returning to shore, she changes back to her elven form and goes shopping. She visits the crafters of vessels, such as cups and goblets. She spends 20 gp on the finest looking cup she can find as a engagement/wedding present for Stensan and his fiancé. She spends another 5 gp on a fine looking scarf to act as wrapping and which can be worn by Jilyian after its wrapping function is completed.
I have found what I assume is a typo or misprint in the spell Venomous Succor. I checked the Adventurer's Guide text and it reads the same. It is listed as a 3rd level spell, but in the section on effects from casting at higher levels, it says for each level above 2nd, it adds to the healing. Either this was supposed to be a 2nd level spell or the higher level should be for each level above 3rd. What do you think is correct? Or am I missing something.
Sounds good. Thanks.
I am reminded of a bit of shtick from when I was first playing D&D with Jeff Grubb. He liked to tell of a halfling character he named Highroll. The first time several PCs wanted a bit of loot, Jeff's PC said, "High roll gets it?" When the players agreed, he picked up the item, saying, "All right, Highroll gets it." It only worked once, but it was funny. Most groups I've played in have been mature enough that useful items go to the PC that can make best use of it or needs it the most. Everything else gets sold and the proceeds divided evenly. A more formal system is to figure out the worth of everything if sold and each PC gets an even share of it. If someone wants to claim a particular item, ze subtracts the worth of the item from zir share. It's a little more complicated, but as fair as possible. I think the loot we got here were just weapons and armor. Luanna doesn't need any weapons or armor and she's morally inclined to donate her share of the goods to the town. Regarding foraging for medicinal plants or poisons, I'm wondering if her Treespeaker ability Treespeak would give her advantage when foraging for medicinal herbs or poisons? It allows her to communicate with plants (and another druid ability allows her to communicate with beasts) so I'm thinking that might help her locate herbs and poisons. Also, she has a feature from her Druid "Secrets of Nature," Master Forager, which gives her advantage when foraging for edibles in nature. Would that same knowledge help when foraging for herbs or poisons?
Luanna accompanies Stensen as he locates his fiancé. Once situated, she excuses herself to do a few other things before day's end. Luanna looks up Avarthel, an old druid she knows from past visits. "Greetings of earth and sky, Avarthel. Peace be with you. I'm Luanna Raumolossë. We've met before although perhaps you don't remember." She shares what she just experienced and asks if he has any news from the Keepers of Eth, any information from the woods themselves. After getting caught up, she visits the Old Ones, the circle of menhirs Avarthel keeps up. She meditates a bit there and then spends an hour before sunset looking for medicinal herbs.
She returns with some bark that can stimulate mental processes for a time. As night falls, Luanna explains to her friends she does not need to sleep and prefers to spend her trance time in nature rather than indoors. So long as the weather is not stormy, she will seek out a bit of forested land, settle under the oldest wisest tree she can find and goes into a trance for part of the night and spends the rest harmonizing her mind with the forest. If any animals stroll by, she greets the and asks them to share something of what they've learned about what is going on in the area. She does the same with the trees, using her ability to converse with plants. She does not expect any significant intel, but it is her way.
To the other PCs, I'm hoping the next segment of the game will provide a good opportunity to learn more about each PC's nature and background. I have a good idea about Sten, but know little of Xulgug, Valen, or Kana. I'm particularly mystified about Kana. As a player I have no knowledge of the Dreamer heritage, and what I've been able to find and read in the source material suggests there is a wide range of ways the Dreaming manifests. I'm not really even sure of the basics, like what is the character's relationship to dreams. Did the character originate as someone else's dream and then attain a kind of independent existence and enter the material realm? Or is the character one who has visited the dreaming realm and come away changed by the experience? At the very least, I'd like to know what the average inhabitant of the area would know and think of people like Kana. Would she be instantly identifiable, like people can instantly tell elves and dwarves when they see them? Or is it more subtle and difficult to recognize? How common are such people? What kind of reputation do they have? I'm not even sure what Kana looks like. The recent reference to halflings makes me think she would look something like a halfling, except for the height indication of 5'6". Not sure of hair color, apparel, or other physical features. I have similar questions for Valen and Xulgug. Valen has no profile information, and Xulgug gives nothing about background or appearance. Please try to work answers to these questions into posts, particularly when we are not in battle and have time to talk. Like Kana, I'd like to know what the peopole of the area would think of an orc in their midst. Are orcs normally aggressive and dangerous, assumed to be up to no good? Or have enough orcs joined the more human societies that they are treated as individuals who may be good or evil? When the opportunity arises, Luanna will ask questions of the PCs, although for now she is focused on her grandson and finding the family of his fiancé.
I am curious how often the benefits of destiny will manifest. Luanna's relates to slaying hobgoblins. The text says, "You gain Inspiration whenever you strike a blow against an especially powerful creature related to your destiny (but not necessarily your specific destined foe). Force the powerful enemy’s retreat, obtain an item important to their defeat, gain a significant insight into their location or intentions, defeat one of their trusted lieutenants." Did the fight we just fought count as giving her inspiration? It sounds like the inspiration feature is a one-shot and will only return when the character again fulfills the requirement to gain inspiration. The other aspect of destiny seems more long term and up to the GM to determine. "You fulfill your destiny as a Slayer when you defeat a specific and powerful creature connected to your fate." Assuming Luanna eventually fulfils her destiny in this manner, how long does the Fulfillment feature last?
"I am Luanna Raumolossë. I am a druid and so my business, first and foremost, is protecting the natural places of the area. As I have relatives and friends in this area, I also seek to protect the from these hobgoblin incursions and if possible to repel them." As she mentions hobgoblins, a dark aura of menace enters her eyes, as if contemplating their destruction brought to her mind a grim pleasure. Once inside, Luanna says to her companions, "Sten, let us locate your fiancé and her family. Then we can locate a place to stay." To Kana, Valen, and Xulgag, she adds, "Fate has thrown us together, perhaps for a reason. I think we should remain together, at least until we have a good reason to separate. Once settled, I would like to learn more about the attacks, see if there is a pattern. I can fly above the city to spot trouble while it is still far away. Perhaps then we can take the fight to them." Again, the dark gleam returns as she speaks of attacking the enemy.
Luanna lets Sten do the talking. It's been a while since she last visited the town and she doesn't recognize anyone. If there is time and an appropriate place in or near town, she'll spend some time locating healing herbs.
Luanna will fly down to the group as they get within sight of the town and no enemies can be perceived. She transforms back to her elf form before getting to within hailing distance of the town.
I'm still learning the system. So far, other than a few early concerns about battlefield details, no issues with narration. I think D&D (lke similar systems) is primarily a combat system. Non-combat RP is vital as well, but I'm in another game now where it seems there is a lot of conversation, and I'm finding myself getting impatient for something to fight or at least explore. I think it's kind of like a good action/adventure movie where exposition typically gets peppered into the more interesting combat and hazard challenges. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a good example. It starts out with action, then some exposition where Indy learns the Nazis are looking for the Ark and a transition to Nepal. Conversation is interrupted with a fight. Off to Egypt where they locate the ark. That recovery effort is interrupted by the many snakes and capture by the Nazis. Some more exposition, then a chase scene. So it goes.
Luanna shifts her form back to that of a slender Eladrin elf, her pack and weapons returning to their places on her back and attached to her belt. Once the group decides to move on toward the town down the road, Luanna casts a spell and studies the skies for a short time.
Spell visual effect:
You create a minor, harmless sensory effect that lasts for 1 round and predicts the next 24 hours of weather in your current location. For example, the effect might create a miniature thunderhead if storms are predicted. Then she says, "We need some eyes in the sky. I'll fly above and ahead on the road, watching for trouble." If others wonder how she can fly, they don't have to puzzle long, as Luanna begins to shrink and ends up with the body of a bloodhawk. Her feathers contained blood red feathers mixed in with brown and grey feathers. Her beak was sharp and could be used as a dangerous attack. Aerial Surveyor: You are at home soaring at dizzying heights and peering towards the horizon. You can familiarize yourself with a 5-mile radius area around you by spending a minute studying your surroundings while flying or at great heights. Once you familiarize yourself with an area in this way, you gain an expertise die on any Perception or Survival checks you make while outdoors in that area for the next 24 hours, and you cannot familiarize yourself with another area until you finish a long rest.
Seeing the extent of Xulgug's wounds, Luanna delivers healing magic to him as well.
Having used up her most potent spell energies, she takes a break from healing. When introductions are done, she begins dragging some dry brush and larger branches into a pile in an open area away from any trees. Then she drags the enemy bodies and adds them to the pile, asking others to remove their weapons and other valuables. If there are no interruptions, she starts using her massive claws to dig into some soft earth near the house as a burial plot for the fallen guards and slain occupants of the house. Only after the heavy work is done does she return to her normal form to hold services for the fallen and to tend to burning the bodies of the enemy, making sure the fire does not spread.
Luanna, still in her grizzly form, surveys the battlefield, visiting the fallen guards hoping they had not yet expired. She speaks consolingly to Miha, saying "We will bury them properly soon." Next she checks on her grandson, sniffing his wounds and immediately speaking a druidic word that activates a healing spell, which she delivers by touching her nose to a wounded area.
She inspects his wounds, gives a disappointed grunt, and repeats the process.
"I can do more, but see if you can use your own skill at medicine on yourself and our well-met friend," referring to Kana.
Luanna approaches Kana and speaks from her bear form, "Thank you for your timely aid. I am Luanna, a druid who sometimes patrols these woods. Forgive me for remaining in this form, but we may encounter more enemies, and I fight better in this form. This fine looking fellow," referring to Stensan, "is my grandson Stensan. That large one over there is Xulgag, one of our companions. We were sent this way to see if rumors of attacks by goblinoid creatures were true. We now have a lot to report. What brings you to this neck of the Witchwood?"
"Jumax uka jaqinakarux jisk’acharaktawa. Ukajj jumanakan tʼunjatäpjjätawa." The words come from the bear form, spoken in Goblin. Goblin: "You underestimate these people. It will be your doom."
Luanna will make the vine whip attack the priest again.
My posting time got eaten up spending time with unexpected visitors from out of town this morning. My next chance to post will be this evening or the next morning. 'Bot me if necessary.
My posting this week will generally be limited to what I can get in while drinking coffee in the morning. I'm a teacher and this is my last week with my current class. This means grading is a priority. Since this term I have a class double the usual size, that will take more time. If it is my turn and I don't post in the AM, go ahead and 'bot Luanna. Near future, Luanna is considering using her Whirlwind Kick spell to do damage to as many in the area of the webbed squads and the priest. To properly appreciate the moment, try to imagine a grizzly bear jumping in the air, spinning with her legs kicking everyone as she flies overhead. Bruce Lee eat your heart out! If the situation is not right for that spell, she will probably move to attack the priest with her claws, hoping to grapple her and put an end to her spells. See the Brown Bear stats for the grapple option with a claw attack. She has a spell she can cast as a reaction to melee damage against her. If the damage is substantial, she will cast Force of Will to reduce the amount of damage taken. She can also use her bonus action to direct the vine to do various things. See the section in her profile under her Treespeaker archetype entries.
I'm fine with 'botting. It is common practice for players to specify in their profiles 'botting instructions, if they have a preference to what happens in general. Spellcasters sometimes specify situations in which they will cast certain spells. I'm fine with the practice, so long as at least 24 hours is given. It is also recommended that any player who knows he/she/they may not be able to post for a day to give the narrator a heads up in the discussion section so the game is not delayed waiting for a post that the player is not going to be able to make, such as when people are on vacation or dealing with a surge of work.
I'm thinking that since a melee attack can be made to a squad, if Luanna uses this spell and a squad is in the AOE, she rolls the attack against the squad and the damage applies to the squad, as it would (I think) when a melee attack is made on the squad. I'll go with your ruling, in any case.
Regarding the spell Whilrwind Kick. As part of the casting of this spell, make a melee spell attack against any number of creatures in the area. On a hit, you deal your unarmed strike damage plus 2d6 thunder damage. In addition, creatures in the area make a Dexterity saving throw or are either pulled 10 feet closer to you or pushed 10 feet away (your choice). Is this one attack roll that is applied to the AC of all the targets? Or does each target get an individual attack roll? If Kana is in the area, can she be excluded or does the kick apply to everyone in the spell area? Are there any modifications to the spell effects due to applying the attack to a squad? Is the effect pulling targets toward the caster or away from the caster apply the same to all targets or could the caster pull some toward, push some away, or not push or pull some targets in the area?
After discarding the distasteful hound, Luanna shambles down the slope to a point due north of the web-ensnared group on the road and the priest beyond, but out of melee reach of the nearest enemies. She then draws on her connection to the plants to create a vine that springs out of the ground near the priest and attacks the priest.
Luanna growls again, showing her impressive line of sharp teeth. Then she tries to bring those teeth together around the throat of the hell hound.
In the event that maintenance is required, Luanna can gain the Mending cantrip, which adds an expertise die on maintenance checks. Does she have to be doing the maintenance check to apply that bonus or can she cast the spell while someone else does the check? In Pathfinder, there is a feat that allows the same general effect, sacrificing a shield to negate the extra crit damage.
Speaker: when you get time, give Luanna's prepared spells a once over and consider any clarification which may be needed in applying the spell to a squad. I'm thinking particularly of Whirlwind Kick, Thunderwave, and Entangle. There are also some actions in Luanna's tiger or bear form that involve knocking a foe prone or grappling a foe on certain successful attacks. How would that work against a squad?
Luanna is a bit slow to react to the attacks and has a moment of hesitation as she looks frantically at the groups of enemies besetting them. She grimaces as she sees Smitty fall and Stenson is hit by arrows. She wants to cast a spell but fears the enemy will be upon them all before she can be ready to fight. She closes her eyes for a moment. Her form shifts and blurs and gets bigger as her weapons and gear seem to be absorbed into her. A moment later, where a petite elf stood now stands an eight foot grizzly bear rearing on its hind legs. She snarls loudly moves toward the hell hound.
I just noticed Luanna has a Druid ability that gives her advantage when harvesting herbs and such, and she finds twice as many as normal. I'll roll a second roll for those rolls I made on the road. I'm fine with rolling random from the list of herbs discovered. This can wait until after the battle, however.
Luanna listens with genuine interest as Sten describes how he came to meet his fiancé. "She sounds capable and well off," is all she says in response. Then she adds, "I look forward to meeting her." All the way along the Dawn Way, Luanna had debated whether or not to describe her premonitions of trouble. Her voice had urged her learn to speak goblin, had recommended traveling well armed, and to stock up on herbs useful for healing. She had shared her forebodings with Adranna the Young, the leader of the druids at Witchcross, who listened but gods only knew whether she put any stock in what she said. In the end, all Luanna said to her traveling companions was, "Look sharp. All has been peaceful in these parts for a long time, but something tells me that may change. It's just a feeling, but I trust it enough to have purchased these," gesturing to the scythe on her back, and the other weapons on her belt, a sling, sickle, longsword, and club. She also carried a quarterstaff as she walked. After a bit, she adds, "Best you know this in advance, if there is trouble: I may take on one of my wild shapes in a fight. I may turn into a tiger or a grizzly, depending on the enemy. I can also take the form of a hawk or an otter, which I sometimes do to scout from above or to explore underwater areas. Do not be alarmed." As she travels, she keeps an eye on the plants by the road, watching for healing herbs for her herbalism kit. Herbalism checks:
When the trio is met on the road, Luanna regards them with caution and judges them to be no threat. When Sten introduces them, she says, "Well met. We have heard reports of raids on the western marches of the Spiderwood. Can you confirm these rumors?"
The rules state that one gets 2 specialties at first level, but I missed that this was linked to the number of the proficiency bonus. So, I will add one more when I get a chance.
Luanna walked in silence with her grandson and an orc who behaved not at all like the orcs Emersohn, her late husband, had described fighting. He had weapons as she expected, but he seemed to be more like the other humans of the Vale than she would ever expect an orc to be. She forced herself to make small talk with all of her companions. Emersohn had taught her that when she first started spending time in the physical plane of the Vale, so different from her native plane populated by her kin, the Eladrin. "If you become uncomfortable with anyone, just ask them to talk about themselves," he had instructed. "Most people like talking about themselves and their families, and they assume you are interested in the same things and take an interest in you as well." She had never mastered the talent, but she had tried to fit in, at least while her husband and children had lived with her. She had done less and less of that as she retreated into the wood. If the voice spoke true, she might have to relearn her skills with people. Her destiny seemed to be entwined with theirs. Her grandson had mentioned he was engaged. So she asked, "Tell me about your fiancé, Jilly-Ann." She considered that she might have met this person, for she occasionally visited the town when she was in the southwest Witchwood and in need of supplies or seeking to share some of her medicines with those she sometimes learned were ill. She tended not to remember names and details of who was related to whom, however. Then she asked, "Do you intend to settle in Drellin's Ferry or return to Assardoth?" To Xulgag, she said, "Do you have a wife and family in the Vale?" As she said it, she sensed it may have been a foolish question. Knowing from personal experience how the locals tended to distrust people of different races, she thought Xulgug may be a loner like herself.
When you get a chance, can you post the region map on the Campaign tab or in the header of the narrator profile, so it is easy to access. Thanks.
BG: When you get a chance, I'm curious to know how organized the druids are in the area and how prevalent they are. It is my sense that Luanna largely picked up her knowledge through her inner voice (see origin features), but I imagine they are also in the area and at least aware of Luanna's activities.
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