Tizoc the Olman Scribe's page

What I struggle with is justifying how the organized (and technically superior to humans) hobgoblins and stronger, sneakier bugbears don't rule the world.

One way to justify human dominance over hobgoblins is the role of demi-humans (mostly elves, dwarves, and gnomes). Another is to imagine goblins as relative failures in animal domestication, especially regarding war horses.

For the online community of Greyhawk fans, I wrote a relevant article a few years ago. Here is a link to its print-easy form:
http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=News&file=print&si d=91

Hope you enjoy it.

I picked up the boook and enjoyed reviewing it but have yet to use it in play. Do you think the new rules could represent an "elven bladesinger"? How would you build one?

Hi. I don't have the book and haven't been tempted by it (or Complete Mage) although the skill trick concept sounds interesting. See http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a and click the correct link.

Regarding the original post, the Daring Warrior feat sounds too powerful but would be slightly balanced better by benefiting only one class, i.e., either Fighter or Swashbuckler.

E.g., a Fighter 4 / Swashbuckler 1 takes another level of Swashbuckler; becoming character level 6, he takes this feat, choosing to benefit the Fighter class, and automatically gains one more Fighter bonus feat. As he gains more Swashbuckler levels, the character can look forward to an additional Fighter feat every couple of levels.

If he chose Swashbuckler to benefit from the feat, he would immediately gain the +1 Dodge bonus (a level 5 Swashbuckler class feature) and seemingly a less powerful choice than creating a future feat-generator.

We really need stats for Galeena's bear -- Meatshield #6 or somesuch. That cartoon made me laugh so hard! I immediately started imagining an entire backstory regarding all the other bears. Whatever happened to them?

Can we get some flashbacks? Maybe one can show up in Zogonia?

Hi Elora, nice thread.

I especially enjoyed your reference to novels. Although I never read them, they reminded me of novels like _Bard_, the Chronicles of Prydain, and other Celtic-inspired fantasy.

As for imagining the bardic music special ability in the game, in a now lapsed campaign, one of my players, playing a grey olven bard from the court of Celene, referenced an Elric of Melnibone quote, "Blood and souls for my lord, Arioch!" which always sounded like a sufficiently fearsome battle cry to inspire his fellow PCs in combat. Your bard might cry "For those who fell Caldew!" or "Death to the infidels!" or any number of other calls to arms.

While "Downer" knocked the bard with the guitar, in its first or second issue, that image poked fun at some players' lack of imagination or insufficient grounding in the historical inspirations from which the bard class derives.

Finally, remember that the round is short. A bard PC who declares using bardic music has six seconds in which to inspire her/his allies but need not take up all that time. "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" might be represented in the game as a use of the inspire courage bardic music class ability.

PS - Thanks to the poster who shared the WW I story. Translating those Scottish bagpipes into D&D, I opine that they constitute a multi-round ritual that combines fear effects to the enemy with the bardic music effects of inspire courage, greatness, and/or heroism--something the game is not ideally suited toward (without using obscure feats) but which our fantasy gaming *should* be able to represent.

Just a brief thank you note.

I've recently started to frequent the Paizo Publishing message boards, and your customer service greatly impresses me.

I've been enjoying Paizo's publications since its take-over of Dungeon and Dragon. It's wonderful to know that other aspects of Paizo Publishing also demonstrate great professionalism.

Much respect, and happy holidays.

Gotta love croutons...

Thanks for the response Greg. I've neither owned, nor read Monte's connection of Tharizdun and the EEG. It sounds like tracking the RtToEE will be worthwhile.

PS - It's been fun starting to visit these fora, especially with events such as "Prince of Redhand vs. The Hateful Legacy --Dungeon 131 Steel Cage Death Match." ;)

I found Downer's art style intriguing initially and have enjoyed the story development with every issue of the comic. I've been surprised to read that some folks dislike it. Downer, Zogonia and Mt. Zogon inherit well SnarfQuest and Wormy. The only thing I'd like is more--a two page spread is great but one more page every issue would be better!

Hi. I received an issue 338 yesterday. It contained an "Only 2 Issues Left" notice with an address sticker on it. Is that enough information to confirm whether it was the original issue or the replacement?

Thanks again.

Hey folks. I've started a new campaign and plan to incorporate (center) the Istivin: City of Shadows campaign arc. I'm interested in DMs' and the designer's ideas on the following questions. Note they include spoilers, so if you may play this series, please stop reading. Also, if you've recently started a campaign set in Sterich in Oakland, CA, you're ethically obligated to stop reading now. :)

Okay. I'm interested in folks' thoughts about the relationships between the Elder Elemental Eye, a.k.a., the Elder Elemental God, and the Malgoth. Also, probably because of space limitations, the subplot of the drow interlopers in Istivin wasn't developed beyond offscreen conflicts between Derakshan's agents and the Malgoth.

For my purposes, however, I want the PCs to reside in Istitin long enough to encounter at least one of the drow interlopers. Therefore, I've been imagining that the Malgoth and the EEG are related in the following way.

The Malgoth, primeval and forgotten Abyssal entity that it is, may be a splinter, aspect, or avatar of the Elder Elemental God that developed its own ego and forgot (denied?) its deific origin. This origin can help explain the Malgoth's forgotten rise to power in the Abyss and how it survived its ruin at the hands of obscure(d) demon princes. Instead of dying a Final Death, the Malgoth became an extraplanar incorporeal undead--the tattered remnant of the Abyssal entity it once was.

In turn, when the opportunity arrived, the Malgoth was drawn to Lolth's direction of the Demonweb to assault Oerth because even its undead tatters resonated with that Prime Material Plane. Also, this chain of facts could help explain why the Malgoth stayed on Oerth instead of being banished to the Abyss.

Now, Derakshan's Eilservs refugees have been drawn to Istivin. The deranged drow cleric believes that he knows why--to secure enough power to return to the Vault in triumph--but his Elder Elemental God "knows" the real reason: to recover its long lost aspect / avatar.

What do you think?

Hi. I've not received Dragon 338 either. I expected it after returning home from Thanksgiving but found nada. My subscription webpage indicates it shipped on 11/01/05. Please advise.