I've been staying at my ex-wife's this week sitting her dogs while she's away for a conference. My son and his roommate have been staying with mine(we can't mix my dogs with hers. They don't get along with each other). I came back to my house this morning to find Rosie, who is my 80 lb spazz dog, not even lifting her head to look at me when I entered the door. She didn't want to come to me, didn't want a treat, and had to be pushed out the door for her morning walk.
My son's roomie said she was acting like this last night, too. This is highly irregular for her and I'm a bit worried.
I'm taking her to the vet at 2 pm. That seems an age away.
Yikes! I hope your finger is ok. My ex broke her finger 2 weeks ago and she said it never seems to stop hurting.
Squeezing stuff that doesn't need to be squeezed it bad.
Also Cal I hope your dog is okay.
Squeezing stuff that doesn't need to be squeezed it bad.
Id call this pretty necessary. A quick test if the bone is broken or not means all the difference when the alternative is a large bill from the doctor.
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Also, if you can bend it all the way, that's a pretty good indicator it isn't broken.
Get well quick, John.
Squeezing stuff that doesn't need to be squeezed it bad.
Also Cal I hope your dog is okay.
She's fine. She was just acting odd for her, so much so that we thought she might have been getting sick. Today she's back to her normal PItA self.
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Okay cool! I'm very glad to hear that. Galway had a similar incident yesterday in terms of spazzing out more than usual. But he's now calmer. Even with the guy power washing our house.
She's fine. She was just acting odd for her, so much so that we thought she might have been getting sick. Today she's back to her normal PItA self.Squeezing stuff that doesn't need to be squeezed it bad.
Also Cal I hope your dog is okay.
WHEW!
Dog stuff is the worst. Glad to hear she was just being weird.
WHEW!
Dog stuff is the worst. Glad to hear she was just being weird.
Thanks! She's acting just fine today. Begging for food and sleeping. Yesterday it was all sleep and no begging or eating at all. I did notice she hadn't eaten her kibble from yesterday, though, so she might still be a little off. But overall she's great!
Welp, it's our off weekend for gaming and I'm not going to be able to attend the Judas Priest concert tonight (I had to give away my ticket because my knee would prevent me from traveling from the parking lot to the seating area) so it's good I found this on Curiosity Stream:
Going Nuts. Man, whoever says I'm too old to par-tay is barking up the wrong tree.
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You know you're living the hardcore life when the highlight of your day is buying the first wireless mouse you've ever owned. And then, hold on to your drawers, I bought another that is red and black to go with my laptop! Hear me roar!
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Fearful Fisher, a fisherman NPC...
I'm thinking of having bariatric surgery. Has anyone on here (or know of anyone) who has had it? Opinions?
Cal,
I myself have not had it...but I know a couple of my friends' friends that had it...and while the weight loss was good...it did result in some significant interpersonal trauma (IE two of them got divorced)
So while I can't speak to its efficacy in terms of "Should I take it to lose weight versus doing more exercise?" I can say I'd rather keep doing what I do to stay in shape and walk my dogs like every 3 hours for 20 minutes and 30 minutes once a day.
Also of note today: Always send a dire wolf to fight a frost giant graveknight as they can crit twice and tear the head off the frost giant.
Also, never have a puppy sleep in your bed if said puppy has never truly had a reason to sleep in the same room as you...
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Also of note today: Always send a dire wolf to fight a frost giant graveknight as they can crit twice and tear the head off the frost giant.
Also, never have a puppy sleep in your bed if said puppy has never truly had a reason to sleep in the same room as you...
Both are sage advice I will take to heart.
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Cal,
I myself have not had it...but I know a couple of my friends' friends that had it...and while the weight loss was good...it did result in some significant interpersonal trauma (IE two of them got divorced)
So while I can't speak to its efficacy in terms of "Should I take it to lose weight versus doing more exercise?" I can say I'd rather keep doing what I do to stay in shape and walk my dogs like every 3 hours for 20 minutes and 30 minutes once a day.
Exercise is very difficult for me with the knee, which had the cause removed but not the symptom. I'm in as much pain or more than I was before the surgery so walking anywhere is very unpleasant to sometimes very difficult. My orthopedist has run out of ideas as to what might be causing it and the steroid shot he gave me, which worked well for my right knee three years ago, has had absolutely no effect on the left. So bariatrics might be my only option. That, and getting off some of the meds I'm taking, such as Abilify, which causes weight gain and no matter how much I walked before I either maintained the weight or gained more. On the days when my son his roommate's work schedules interfere with their being able to walk the dingoes, I have to pay for a walker. But at least I found a good one; my dogs love Miss Mary.
I found out Thursday my new shrink does pre-surgery counseling for prospective bariatric patients, which was a pleasant surprise. I finally admitted (to myself, really) that I am a food addict. I can't turn down food no matter how full I might be. I even get mad if my GF tells me to ease up during a meal and save some for later. That's not a good thing.
I would like a treadmill, but can't afford one. I think I'd be more prone to exercise with it because one of the things I fret about is falling while walking outside, either while walking the dogs or by myself. Between the knee and my weight, I'd not be able to get back up and would likely have to call EMS to come help me. The treadmill would have side rails to help me maintain some balance and stability.
That ran a lot longer than I meant for it to.
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Cal,
That's okay to admit you have a problem and want help. I'm just pointing out what my VERY limited experience has been due to the stories people have shared with me about such measures.
Also I'm glad your dogs love their walker. I don't always walk dogs for my clients, but the ones I do, they enjoy it.
Finally, post as much as you want to about whatever. It's your place man.
Finally, post as much as you want to about whatever. It's your place man.
I just sent you a PM rather than fill a page with my ravings...lol
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Either works Cal. I'm good with what ever. Today is like "pause" on my brain.
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LOL I had a day like that over the past week while dog sitting my ex's perps. I just sort of coasted through the day.
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I'm in as much pain or more than I was before the surgery so walking anywhere is very unpleasant to sometimes very difficult. That, and getting off some of the meds I'm taking, such as Abilify, which causes weight gain and no matter how much I walked before I either maintained the weight or gained more.
I would like a treadmill, but can't afford one. I think I'd be more prone to exercise with it because one of the things I fret about is falling while walking outside, either while walking the dogs or by myself. Between the knee and my weight, I'd not be able to get back up and would likely have to call EMS to come help me. The...
Well your not fielding your brothers' comments about looking like an elephant seal climbing a rock to survey his harem.
Where is everybody? Where is everybody?
[crickets chirp in distance.]
It's been pretty quiet the last couple of days.
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It's been pretty quiet the last couple of days.
Awkward quiet, or companionable quiet? Well, now I’m here, so it’s awkward loud. ‘Poligies.
So, it is a perfect time to take over and force these swabbies to tell about their favorite pie or if they have a pie story to tell it, aargh.
is it not obvious.
It's been pretty quiet the last couple of days.Awkward quiet, or companionable quiet? Well, now I’m here, so it’s awkward loud. ‘Poligies.
Woo! Loud!
I built a fifteenth level wizardy lich, as one is wont to do. I couldn't find a properly divination-oriented lich anywhere, and that struck me as deeply wrong. Is not divination of the most stereotypical lichic pursuits? I'm putting the statblock up here because where else would I put it. It'd be cool if someone benefited from my bizarre compulsion to build high level NPCs who'll never see the light of a game table.
She's using Automatic Bonus Progression, from Pathfinder Unchained, as a character of her level -1 (since she's an NPC, and that's what Master Seifter recommends), and then I went and doubled her NPC wealth on account of all the crafting feats she took.
Dewrien Dreamseeker
Middle aged dreamspeaker elf lich diviner (foresight) 15 (CR 16)
NE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
Init +9; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility; Perception +28 (+32)
Aura fear (60-ft. radius, DC 23)
Defense
AC 26, touch 16, flat-footed 22 (+3 armor, +2 deflection, +4 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 190 (14d6 wizard, +6 maxed first hitdie, +90 Cha, +30 desecrate, +15 toughness)
temporary 15 (false life)
Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +18
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; contingency ("Upon making the Sakvroth hand sign for 'vegepygmy' [a free action requiring a free hand], teleport me to the room with my backup spellbook."); DR 15/bludgeoning and magic; elven magic, forewarned*; Immune cold, electricity; undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee touch +7 (1d8+7 plus paralyzing touch)
Ranged touch +11
Special Attacks foretell 15/day*, paralyzing touch (DC 23), prescience 9/day*
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th)
1/day—dream
Spells Prepared (CL 16th)
8th—moment of prescience (already cast), prediction of failure (DC 26)
7th—greater scrying (DC 25), maximized enervation, waves of exaustion
6th—greater dispel magic, mass suggestion (DC 22), quickened glitterdust (DC 18), quickened mirror image, true seeing
5th—persistent image (DC 23, 2), quickened true strike, teleport (2), wall of stone
4th—arcane eye, black tentacles, enervation (2), greater invisibility (2)
3rd—aqueous orb (DC 19, 2), clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic (2), nondetection (already cast)
2nd—detect thoughts (DC 19), mirror image (2), false life (2, cast on self and familiar), web (DC 18, 2)
1st—alarm (2), silent image (DC 19, 3), sheild (2)
0—arcane mark, mage hand, prestidigitation, read magic
Opposition Schools evocation, transmutation
Tactics
Attrition is the name of the game, and at this game Dewrien excels. She executes a fighting retreat throughout whatever dungeon she's in, ambushing them via mundane stealth while they're in the middle of a different encounter and then retreating with dimension door from her staff, forcing the PCs' collective hands and baiting them into using rare daily resources and high level spells, and then retreating to heal whatever damage they did to her with her at-will ability. She tries to save her spells above fourth level for when she finally commits to a fight.
Dewrien uses prescience on rounds she plans to cast a spell requiring an attack roll (such as black tentacles, enervation, or battering blast). Should she roll a 20, instead of whatever spell she would have cast Dewrien instead casts quickened true strike (to negate miss chance and guarantee the confirmation roll) and maximized enervation to suck eight levels right out of whoever looks like they'd like that least (likely a frontliner).
If ever her deathwatch eyes reveal someone on the cusp of death, or if ever she's captured a PC within an aqueous orb, she casts freezing sphere on them from her staff. As she and her familiar are immune to cold, and any other minions are in her eyes expendable, she doesn't care who's caught in the effect.
When it comes time to commit to a fight, Dewrien casts Beastshape on her familiar from her staff, likely turning Nyx into an allosaurus, uses her scrolls of fly, and casts greater invisibility on both herself and Nyx. During this final battle Dewrien uses Spell Perfection to spontaneously cast quickened shadow evocation (DC 25, CL 20) every round. Her favorite spells to imitate in this way are battering blast, deeper darkness, resilient sphere, and telekinetic charge. She might also cast maximized shadow evocation to imitate battering blast, if she thinks that someone is particularly likely to fail the save and take 120 damage. She often opens the battle with waves of exhaustion, targeting as many of the PCs as she can hit before her allies close to melee (she likes to team with constructs or undead to sidestep this issue altogether), after which she likes to cast greater dispel magic (using arcane sight to know which effects to target) and then prediction of failure. If someone is making a nuisance of themself via teleportation, she uses her scroll of dimensional anchor (and then likely locks them behind a wall of stone).
Statistics
Str 11, Dex 18, Con —, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 22
Base Atk +7; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Craft Construct, Craft Staff, Craft Wondrous Item, Forge Ring, Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Greater Spell Specialization (shadow evocation), Improved Familiar, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (illusion), Spell Perfection (shadow evocation), Spell Specialization (shadow evocation), Toughness
Skills Craft Clockwork +24, Craft Sculpture +19, Disguise +21, Diplomacy +21, Knowledge (arcana) +24, Knowledge (engineering) +10, Knowledge (geography) +10, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +24, Perception +28, Sense Motive +26, Spellcraft +24, Stealth +27; Racial Modifiers +10 Perception, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth; alertness (when Nyx is within arm's reach, +4 perception and sense motive); elven magic; favored class skillpoints
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Cyclops, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Iblydan, Ignan, Infernal, Kelish, Necril, Orc, Osririani, Sylvan, Tien, Undercommon
SQ Automatic Bonus Progression (armor attunement +3, deflection +2, mental prowess +4/+2, physical prowess +4/+2, toughening +2, resistance +5)
Combat Gear hand of glory, ring of counterspells (3; disintegrate, greater dispel magic, heal), scroll of antimagic field, scroll of dimensional anchor, scroll of gaseous form, scroll of fly (2), scroll of teleport, staff of games long and short (10 charges [charm monster 2 charges, beastshape III 2 charges, detect thoughts 2 charges, freezing sphere 2 charges, dimension door 1 charge, glitterdust 1 charge]), wand of scorching ray (50 charges)
Other Gear deathwatch eyes, orange prism ioun stone, 1200 gp of assorted knick knacks, spell components, and coinage
Fear Aura (Su)
Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at a lich must succeed on a Will save or become frightened. Creatures with 5 HD or more must succeed at a Will save or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the lich’s Hit Dice. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s fear aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Foretell (Su)
Dewrien can utter a prediction of the immediate future. While her foretelling is in effect, she emits a 30-foot aura of fortune that aids her allies or hinders her enemies, as chosen by you at the time of prediction. If she chooses to aid, she and her allies gain a +2 luck bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, caster level checks, saving throws, and skill checks. If she choose to hinder, her enemies take a –2 penalty on those rolls instead. She can use this ability for fifteen rounds each day. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Paralyzing Touch (Su)
Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (with a DC equal to the lich’s save DC). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Perception check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Prescience (Su): At the beginning of her turn, Dewrien may, as a free action, roll a single d20. At any point before her next turn, she may use the result of this roll as the result of any d20 roll she is required to make. If she does not use the d20 result before her next turn, it is lost. She can use this ability nine times per day.
Rejuvenation (Su)
When a lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
Nyx
Shadow drake familiar (CR -)
CE Tiny dragon (cold)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7
Defense
AC 26, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+5 Dex, +9 natural, +2 size)
hp 95
temporary 15 (false life)
Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +10
Defensive Abilities shadow blend; SR 20; Immune cold, paralysis, and sleep
Weaknesses light sensitivity, vulnerable to fire
Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Melee bite +14 (1d3–1), tail slap +9 (1d3–1)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. (5 ft. with tail)
Special Attacks stygian breath
Statistics
Str 9, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 15
Feats Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +8 (+4 when jumping), Craft Clockwork +19, Craft Sculpture +14, Diplomacy +18, Disable Device +8, Disguise +15, Fly +23, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (engineering) +5, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (history) 5, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linnguistics +19, Perception +19, Sense Motive +19, Sleight of Hand +8, Spellcraft +19, Stealth +31; Racial Modifiers –4 Acrobatics when jumping
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Cyclops, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Iblydan, Ignan, Infernal, Kelish, Necril, Orc, Osririani, Sylvan, Tien, Undercommon
SQ empathic link*, alertness*, scry on familiar*, share spells*, speed surge
*familiar power
Special Abilities
Shadow Blend (Su)
In conditions of illumination other than bright light, a shadow drake disappears into the shadows, giving it concealment (20% miss chance). It can resume or suspend this ability as a free action.
Speed Surge (Ex)
Three times per day as a swift action, a shadow drake may draw on its draconic heritage for a boost of strength and speed to take an additional move action in that round.
Stygian Breath (Su)
As a standard action, a shadow drake can exhale a ball of black liquid that explodes into a cloud of frigid black mist. This attack has a range of 60 feet and deals 2d6 points of cold damage (Reflex DC 12 half) to all creatures within a 5-foot-radius spread. The mist snuffs out light sources in the area effect, extinguishing non-magical light sources and dispelling light spells of 1st level or lower. Once a shadow drake has used its stygian breath, it cannot do so again for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Take a gander at that horrific formatting. But the alternative is going through that and adding [b]'s by hand.
EDIT
And here's the staff of games long and short. I'm rather proud of that name, by the way - it sounds suitably ostentatious, but doesn't mean anything at all. Perfect for a utility stick with no coherent theme.
Beast Shape 5 (LV 5) Price: 150x5x11= 8,250
Dimension Door (LV 4) Price: 200x4x11= 8,800
Charm Monster (LV 4) Price: 100x4x11= 4,400
Glitterdust (LV 2) Price: 200x2x11= 4,400
Detect Thoughts (LV 2) Price: 100x2x11= 2,200
Total: 41,250
So, it is a perfect time to take over and force these swabbies to tell about their favorite pie or if they have a pie story to tell it, aargh.
I've never made a pie on pi day.
There's not enough pie in my life at any given moment.
I'm still concentrating most of my effort on healing.
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I'm still concentrating most of my effort on healing.
More pie will help.
How is the healing progressing?
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I'm still concentrating most of my effort on healing.More pie will help.
Yeah, except I'm the one making it and I'm not paying someone else to make a pie half as good as I can for three times the cost.
How is the healing progressing?
I'll find out tomorrow.
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Pie isn't helpful. Cake is better.
Also today starts off my day of caring for my favorite dog that isn't my first dog but has the same coloration as he did...
That and thinking about the fact I'll be VERY busy this weekend as I'll have ANOTHER neighbor I said yes to about taking care of their dog while they're off for a weekend.
I'm back at the office. Oh yay. Just what I want to be doing.
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Pie isn't helpful. Cake is better.
Pie and cake are at their best when they're chauffeuring Irish coffees, Kahlua coffees, and desert cordials into your mouth.
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Lord Of The Rings new questpack is released today? I expected it to come in a few weeks... Ah, well, I'll just need to grind a few hundred store points more to get it.
Tomorrow, the new bed arrives. In a few weeks we'll see if those were well spent 900 zloty, or a waste.
Wow, lots to catch up on,... ;)
Glad to see (most?) everyone is doing alright this NOT monday?
Cal, I have known a couple of people who did that 'lap-belt' surgery, One did have serious complications (he got an infection) but after that did well, and one of my best friends got it (semi) recently. He is now half the man he once was, and loving it. (It has helped him get off of some of his meds, which is always a plus)
And as you said, he never met a food that he didn't like. :) According to him, it does take some adjustment. But literally not being able to eat more than a certain amount has helped him.
Hmmm,... Pie, cake, it's ALL good.
But unless its both sugar-free and CARB-free (Far more difficult) I cant have either, so THPPPPPPT!!!!! to all of you! ;P
(KETO for the win bay-bay!) :)
For myself, I had to work on our wedding anniversary this last Sat, but not TOO late (for a change) so we went out for dinner, and had Indian food. (First time for her) It was good.
And then I got to take me wife to see a Broadway touring show at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans on Sunday!
We saw 'Come from Away', and it was awesome.
Sadly the weekend is over, and I am also now back at the office.
Oh yay, just what I want to be doing too Van.
;P
After a normal 7:30ish to 16:00ish yesterday, as I mentioned, I was back in around 22:00ish last night. I got back home around 2:00 this morning. And back in by 7:30 again.
This is the stuff they never tell people who say they want to go into IT.
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Of COURSE not Van!
Then how they sucker people into those jobs?!?
;P
My mother learned to program computers on punch cards (the IBM computer in the movie 'Hidden Figures'? Yeah, THAT one.) and for many years she was on call and had to go in at night to figure out what someone else had messed up. ;P
So,... nothing has really changed much then, has it? :)
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Pie isn't helpful. Cake is better.Pie and cake are at their best when they're chauffeuring Irish coffees, Kahlua coffees, and desert cordials into your mouth.
What is a desert cordial?
Does it have a miniature cactus in it, or does it merely shimmer invitingly on the horizon without ever actually materialising?
Now I want Irish coffee and Kahlua coffee. I've never had a dessert cordial. I'm a savage.
I'm familiar with a cordial. Not a fan but then again I don't do much drinking sweet liquors.
Also not a fan of coffee, Irish or otherwise.
My mom had a rough day today. She's been suffering from a toothache since two Saturdays ago. (So back towards the last full week of May). She finally called the dentist, who saw her and said "Yeah...you cracked that crown and now the tooth/jaw is infected."
So they had me bring her back (Because I'm not that big a dick to make my Mom drive herself) and while she's in a great deal of pain (on top of having clavicle repair surgery)... she at least was able to eat something solid. Admittedly it was pasta, but hey.
Also can't wait until my brother gets back because his puppy, while cute and very friendly, still has trouble settling down, especially at night and that makes Galway go nuts.
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Yikes! Dental trouble is the worst. I hope she feels better soon! I used to be completely horrified by the thought of going to the dentist but when I had my first abscessed tooth I had no choice. The dentist gave me two Valium to take the morning of the appointment. I stayed awake 36 hours, took the Valium, and drank two beers before going in. While there, they had to block my jaws open so I wouldn't keep talking and singing along to the music on the headphones. But I got through it and today I actually don't mind, maybe even like, going to the dentist.