I grew up in Detroit and work just outside of it. Needless to say, an urban environment can be lacking on the natural part of life and we can get pretty excited when it comes visiting.
On top of our 10-story office building a couple of peregrine falcons have decided to nest. With 3 eggs! We've had visits from falcons for over 9 years now, so we built a nest to encourage them to stay. The DNR helped us with how to do it, and the supply of pigeons in the area did the rest.
We set up a camera in the chance that they would, and we're happy to share that. And have some fun as we do so!
In honor of our wayward Master Zombie, I offer the following adaptation of a song to sing 'round the campfire -
She'll be sucking out the marrow from his bones, (from his bones).
She'll be sucking out the marrow from his bones, (from his bones).
She'll be sucking out the marrow, she'll be sucking out the marrow,
She'll be sucking out the marrow from his bones, (from his bones).
She'll be scoopin' out a brainpain as she moans, (as she moans).
She'll be scoopin' out a brainpain as she moans, (as she moans).
She'll be scoopin' out a brainpain, She'll be scoopin' out a brainpain,
She'll be scoopin' out a brainpain as she moans, (as she moans).
You better run if you all see her when she comes, (when she comes).
You better run if you all see her when she comes, (when she comes).
You better run if you all see her, if you don't you'll only feed her,
You better run if you all see her when she comes, (when she comes).
So, do zombies simply congregate outside of shopping malls because they seek the flesh of the living holed up inside? Are their senses that keen? Is it the result of the stoopid living making their presence known? Or this a commentary on mankinds' mindless consumerism?
If they simply wander around aimlessly, mimicking their actions in life, why not show up to work and go through the motions? Or, school? Many movies show corporations pursuing cheap labor via zombies, but would the zombies themselves migrate in this direction?
Would Zombie Sports dominate, or does that require too much coordination?
I've been tasked with coming up with a modestly priced pool table for our company's office, but it still has to be good quality. And look good. And hold up to use. But not 'too' expensive. (I'm guessing this to be about a grand.) High exposure if I make the wrong choice.
Does anyone know of an unbiased website that compares them?
*bumbles off to check consumerreports.com and JD Powers*
My wife and I will celebrate our silver anniversary in 27 days and I need some help.
We're likely doing a trip in the summer but I'm hoping for some economical ideas for the BIG DAY. We're having a party for friends and family the night before, and I might steal her away for a day or two away from work and the grown kids afterwards. Still, I want to do something special for her.
Sing a love ballad? - Nope. Unless I want a divorce, and lawsuits from all the people with bleeding ears.
Buy her a Paizo item? - Nope. Alas she gave up gaming years ago.
His and her massages? - Maybe.
Anniversary ring - Maybe, but the one she likes is beaucoup dollars.
Give her nekkid pics of the Paizo staff? - Everyone has those.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help a loaf like me make his wife feel super special.
Warning - She's shy, not much of a drinker, and difficult to buy gifts for on the best of days.
Agartha. It is a name shrouded in mystery. At least by outsiders. For them, it fades from the mind before the thought can direct a pen to scribe it. The whisper of it fades on the winds before the sound reaches the ear of the listener. It is a place of legend, where dead empires breathe yet again. From the earliest days of this world, when the Ice Gods first traced their fingers upon the scorched landscape of the Fire Gods to the present, and at every point in between, this realm grows. The Elder Gods set down the law to the Younger; Keep the knowledge of this place secret. With few exceptions, so has it been.
Still, legends whisper of two worlds; one known to the inhabitants of the outer world and the other as the hidden world, Agartha. Some even speculate that Argatha is home to the Azlanti that left Golarion so long ago. Only the Agarthans know for certain. Their hidden world lies deep within the earth, deeper than even the caverns of the Underdark, safe from the mining of the dwarves and the turmoils of the outer world. It stays hidden because it has the power to do so, a reflection in a mirror unable to be touched. A power its inhabitants protect as jealously as a dwarf protects his mines. It lies in ancient magic and in technology too complex to be understood by most. Shut off from the outer world, Agartha is only accessible through a limited number of portals, warded from magic and indestructible to physical assault. These barriers are mirrored on the various planes, so even beings strong enough to travel in those realms find themselves unable to cross.
Shangri-La is the capital city of this world, the nexus of a series of connected cities, connected empires, each self sustained and varying in their appearance. Shangri-La is home to the intellectuals; mages of immense power, clerics of alien gods, mystics and and psionics of no compare. The Council of Five meet to discuss matters of state, but rarely intrude on the sovereignty of the satellite empires. Each of the council members would rather spend their time in contemplation than in matters mundane. Unlike the drow these people, the Agarthans have risen above gathering or using their power for selfish reasons. Well, most of them have. Even in a paradise there are those that stand apart from their brothers. Acknowledging this fact there are whispers of a Sixth Member of the Council.
As on the surface the world a mirror of a sun lights Agartha, motionless but waxing and waning in its brightness. It is a crystal of immense size, placed in the mile high roof of this underground world, and its light is not diminished over distance. Though a mere shadow of its partner above, it radiates enough heat to destroy anyone foolish enough to get too close.
In some ways Agartha is a land of the lost, providing sanctuary to beings and creatures long extinct on the surface. In other ways, the Hidden World far surpasses its cousins. It is here that the Antlanteans might mingle with the Titans, while gazing upon the construction prowess of the Mayans or Egyptians and sipping tea from the First Empire of the East. It is here that the Children of the Ice Gods might swim in waters warmed by the breath of the elemental races. Magic and Technology co-exist and overlap. All is possible in a world such as this. While the dwarves and men of the outer world may occasionally dream of this place as a paradise, and the rare drow priestess may dream of conquering it, this is not a world of innocents. It is a world of power and danger, held in check by a careful balancing of power. Here anything is possible. Here anything becomes probable.
Help needed to make sure I'm understanding this feat correctly. Prereqs - Dodge and Mobility.
1. Full round action.
2. Move at least 10', attempt single attack, move remaining movement distance.
3. No AOO for movement, (from that opponent or all?)
4. No impact on 5' step, before or after. (???)
5. It doesn't mention straight-line movement, so any pattern is acceptable. (???, also see #3.)
6. No special move abilities, so terrain still rules.
3.5 had this as 5' move req'd beforehand, PF requires 10'. Eg. player uses free 5' step to get 10' away from opponent, moves the 10', hits, then retreats 20' Seems legal. Am I correct?
I'm picturing this as running up while dodging, then backflipping, etc. out of the way. Hence, I'm not so sure that you could avoid AOO from others.
I have a player using this to great effect, so I may need to throw in a few situational elements to keep it challenging; terrain, opponents with reach, etc. I just want to be sure I'm understanding its powers and limitations fully.
Soul Eater. Hearing that name always brings a smile to her lips. Through the centuries no other has managed to do so. Shadow...Death...Warden...Executioner...Corrupter...that one comes close..and so many more. So many names. Soul Eater is the one that strikes fear into the hearts of lesser beings. They don't even need to know her history to know their own future should they cross paths. Yes, Soul Eater.
Not exactly accurate, but still it is a name of power.
The ranks of her followers have thinned over the...centuries? Perhaps it is time to recruit more? The trapped souls under her dominion still give her pleasure, but more is always better.
Yes, it is time. Time to make her presence known in the world. Time to taste fear once again.
Gathering a cloak of darkness she slips out of her realm.
This pretty basic concept just got our group scratching their heads.
Invisibility - attack, and the spell ends. Detectable thru spells. See Invisibility, True Seeing, etc.
Greater Invisibility - attack, but the spell doesn't end. Does the attacker become visible at all during their attack? Detectable thru spells.
DoD - as Greater, but undetectable thru spells. Luckily, limited to 2d6 rounds.
So the head scratcher comes from 'does the attacker become visible at any point of their attack, and if so for how long?' As written, it appears the answer is no. Too powerful? Am thinking of house ruling where the attacker becomes visible on their initiative, but regaining invisibility at the end of their attack. Therefore, able to be targeted if someone has a held action and is able to spot them.
Mirathan is led to the his chambers to begin the healing process. Guards are stationed both within and outside of his rooms. His mother and brother visit him as soon as he is settled in, his mother staying for hours at a time leaving the Regent to take care of the preparations.
The body of Mirathan's father is prepared for burial, all signs of his partial transformation erased with his passing.
Proclamations are passed throughout the sea realms, announcing the passing of Mirathan the Second and the pending coronation of Mirathan the Third.
Sadness and eagerness both flow within the waters of the city. Uncertainty of the change from a warrior king to a poet and artist is the cause for concern, but the sea eleves are long-lived beings and even their warriors have an artistic side.
OK, I'm mulling over selling my old books but have no idea on how to get the best price. Whatever that might be. I can let My kids handle it on e-bay or Craig's list, and try to compare it to other offerings, but...?
I have a set of seven AD&D books, and eight Rolemaster books.
It may be too late for the Paizo files, but I got this e-mail last night. IT ONLY PERTAINS TO FILES ALREADY PURCHASED FROM DRIVETHRU OR RPGNOW.
WOTC DOWNLOAD RECOVERY DAY, APRIL 15TH
By now, you have probably learned that Wizards of the Coast recently decided to cease the sale of digital download versions of their books. This means that RPGNow and DriveThruRPG will no longer be able to offer you future downloads of Wizards titles you have purchased.
We are offering you a final 24-hour period in which to re-download copies of any Wizards of the Coast files you have purchased from us in the past. If there are any titles you purchased, and you need a new copy of the file for your personal archive, this is your last chance to get it.
This 24-hour period will begin at 10:00 AM EST (U.S.A. Eastern Time Zone), Wednesday, April 15th and will conclude at 10:00 AM EST on Tuesday, April 16th.
During this time you may visit DriveThruRPG or RPGNow, log in, and click the My Account link found in the upper right corner of the site. Or just visit one of these links:
DriveThruRPG http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/account.php
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For the “My Account” page you will find your order history and download links, including a handy option to view all products updated since your last download of that title (for example a file that was updated with errata since you last downloaded it). During your visit, we certainly invite you to take a look around and see all the titles we have to offer for rpg PDF fans.
As always, thank you for your continuing support of all that we do, and we welcome your feedback and any questions you may have.
Can't get to the PaizoCon but am going to make my 1st trip to Origins this year. I've seen mention that there will be some Pathfinder sessions. What else should I expect/not miss?
Any advice from you seasoned vets for this old rookie?
Or maybe I should call this 'Some days it just doesn't pay to DM'.
Running Crown of the Kobold King -
'The crown of the kobold king will be anointed in blood.'
'Five children from the town of Falcon’s Hollow have gone missing, dragged off into ruins underneath a cursed dwarven monastery. Soon they will be sacrificed to the crown, all to the glory of the twisted King of the Kobolds. If they are to be saved from this gruesome fate, brave heroes must follow their trail to the monastery and plumb the depths of its trap-laden and monster-infested halls.'
Now I have to preface this with my group has been in roll-playing mode for a while. I'm a 'new' DM in the rotation. In addition to the normal NPC interaction issues and long-term implications, alignment issues seem to have risen to the top.
Minor Spoiler -
Spoiler:
The party has just rescued two of the children in the Mess Hall. After healing, they weren't moving fast enough (there are 3 others still out there, one nearby) for Kimi Eavewalker, the leader/protector of the group of kids. She began to push forward. The NG Cleric of Torag grabbed her, and tried to reason. She pulled away, becoming agitated. He decked her, knocking her cold. The bard she escaped with whacks the cleric with the butt of a short spear saying 'That wasn't necessary', and stoops to help Kimi. The cleric threatens death to the bard for whacking him. Meanwhile her slow-witted charge Mikra freaks and tries to run away, into the darkness. He is restrained by another cleric; a NG worshipper of Desna. He fights and claws, especially after being threatened with death, but can't break free.
After the Paladin of Sarenrae aids Kimi, she tries to reason with the kids. They weren't exactly in a listening mode at this point. Kimi approaches the cleric holding Mikra, grabbing a short spear on the way. The bard tries to stop her. She threatens the cleric to release her friend. He threatens back. Death threats, nothing short.
Kinda makes it more difficult to run this, as the kids refuse to leave the others behind.
The situation got diffused but my head is reeling at the implications. The cleric of Torag apologized for his over-reaction, so fine. The cleric of Desna is totally unrepentant.
In time for the season here's a funny story circulating on the web. I think the snowplow driver is a yeti. -
December 8 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and
the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by
the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down
from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So
romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!
December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow
covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic
sight! Can there be a more lovely place in
the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've
ever had!
Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a
boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.
This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered
up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got
to shovel again. What a perfect life!
December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a
disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry-
we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on
Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much
snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see
snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such
a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.
December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The
temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything
sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed
up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is
the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and
buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to
do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back
in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.
December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4
Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2
extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants
a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think
that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.
December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in
the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The
wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very
cruel.
December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go
anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to
pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but
stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I
should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to
her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe
I'm freezing to death in my own living room.
December 20
Electricity is back on, but had another 14 inches of
the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all
day. The damn snowplow came by twice.
Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said
they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're
lying.
Called the only hardware store around to see about
buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have
another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob
says I have to shovel or the city will have it done
and bill me. I think he's lying.
December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more
inches of the white s&~+ fell today, and it's so cold,
it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes
to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I
had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and
dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to
hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of
the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the
a!@%*%$ is lying.
December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0.
The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house
this morning. What is she, nuts?!!
Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She
says she did but I think she's lying.
December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke
the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I
ever catch the son of a b!~@+ who drives that snow
plow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and
beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he
hides around the corner and waits for me to finish
shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100
miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just
been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas
carols with her and open our presents, but I was too
busy watching for the damn snowplow.
December 25
Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn
slop tonight - Snowed in.
The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate
the snow!
Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation
and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife
says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking
idiot. If I have to watch 'It's A Wonderful Life' one
more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.
December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It
was all HER idea.
She's really getting on my nerves.
December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze;
plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he
only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.
December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The B~+*! is
driving me crazy!!!
December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or
it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever
heard. How dumb does he think I am?
December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now
he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the
beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the
broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to
her mother.
Nine more inches predicted.
December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more
shoveling.
January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills
they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?
I am a consumer who believes it is important to have an American car industry in this country. I am asking for your help.
Some critics call helping America’s automobile industry a bailout. I strongly believe this is an investment to rebuild our nation’s economic engine. If we do nothing, the future our country faces during this downturn is clear. We will see even more economic upheaval, communities will lose substantial businesses and revenue, and thousands of jobs will disappear. The negative impact will be worse than anything we’ve seen in our lifetime.
We are at a crossroads, where given the opportunity, our nation’s auto manufacturers can lead once again. In 2010, we will see labor and health care reforms kick in. We will also see new electric vehicles introduced that will help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. And if it weren’t for the recent credit crunch, these companies would be on the road to succeed.
If Congress does not act, it will be the shortest and fastest road from recession to depression. Our economy is suffering enough. Please help prevent further job losses and devastation to our communities. I am asking that you give our nation’s car companies the opportunity to complete this turnaround.
We cannot afford to lose this cornerstone of our economy. We should not depend on other nations for our manufacturing capabilities or new technologies. And we do not want to contribute to an even deeper collapse that will leave too many people facing further economic uncertainty.
I hesitate to offer this up, but I certainly hope we can discuss this without it turning into a flame war.
Yep, the holidays approach. In the spirit of the same can't we find common ground - atheist and believer? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays? Secular and religious?
I posted this under product discussion but it's for an older item and might be ignored.
Question - In your view how would a Paladin (of Sarenrae) react to an item such as the Soulspeaker from Hollow's Last Hope? The one in our group is having a moral dilemma.
Spoiler:
Description - This grotesque, amulet-like shrunken head is said to contain the enslaved soul of its former owner. (assuming former owner of the head) Forced to obey whomever carries it, once per day a soulspeaker can repeat a message...
As DM I'm enjoying the group roleplaying this out. However I'm not sure if this will ever expand into other magic items (Hand of Glory, Hand of the Mage) though I see a distinct difference.
Came across an eye opening statement this morning on the global POV on the US election - According to a Reader's Digest survey 'Anti-American attitudes were highest among those surveyed in Indonesia, the Netherlands, Spain and Canada.'
Since a few of our international friends chime in on the election threads maybe they can weigh in.
Inflammatory section - Since I live in MI I also wonder if the Canadian perspective differs from Windsor to Vancouver, since Canadians seem to love shopping here, working here, and dumping a lot of their trash in MI landfills. Or is it because the US is viewed as a 3rd world country/redneck cousin?
We've had a lot of debate since the release of the Beta on rules and examining them. While this all well and good perhaps we should look at more than just the rules system. Yes, I'm talking about the role of the DM, the judge/jury/executioner and holder of the keys to Rule 0.
When assuming the mantle of DM, one becomes responsible for creating and maintaining a fun, balanced, and challenging fantasy environment. Using the rules book as a guide the DM creates an entire world/universe in which the players face scenarios to test their ability and creativity. Working together the players pit their skills against the DM's world, not the DM himself nor against the rules in play in the world the DM has created. Together the players and DM explore dungeons and the wilderness, or navigate the paths of civilized societies.
To better define/assist the DM in this labor I offer the beginnings of DM Dos and Don'ts -
1. DO understand the rules as written (RAW), and their common interpretation (RAI). Your players will look to you for this knowledge.
2. DO understand that the rules system is a GUIDE. As such it forms the background of your world. It cannot answer all possible questions, nor provide the mechanics to resolve every scenario. That responsibility falls to you.
3. DO try to create interesting, challenging, and fun scenarios. Your players will appreciate it.
4. DO learn what motivates your players. If your campaign touches on these points your players will enjoy it all the more.
5. DO try to maintain balance both amongst your players and their group within your world. Loss of balance can erode the enjoyment of role playing and turn your world upside-down.
6. DO understand that you will sometimes have to say 'no' to player requests, and that often those players are your close friends.
7. DO make your players earn the rewards they seek. Opening up the treasure vault and handing out goodies leads to a boring, short-lived game. It's OK to assist the group if they are struggling.
8. DON'T forget what it's like to be a player.
9. DON'T be to quick on implementing Rule 0, your ultimate control/decision making tool.
Please add to this list, or offer revisions. I believe rehashing this a bit will assist us in our quest to provide better playtest feedback on Pathfinder Beta.
OK, unless my time zones are backwards Gen Con UK is well under way. I didn't see anything on the blogs yet, so can anyone chime in on how thing are going?
Have riot police been called in to control the crowds storming the Paizo booth to get a copy of the Beta?
To prove that gamers do have senses of humor, does anyone have any good ones?
Finish this one - The two barbarians walk into a tavern and one says to the other...
Or, try this - I'm not happy to see you, and that IS a dagger in my pocket!
Funny/abeit strange gaming story - Playing runequest years ago and one of our snarky members tells me to 'take out your teeth and gum me baby'. I immediately flipped out a retainer with a fake tooth. He was totally at a loss for words. Priceless! We still laugh about it.
If you can't tell by now I prefer the funny side to FRPG.
