SHP Forums

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:23 am

Tawmis wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 5:15 pm Is it evil stripping away people's free will?

I don't know, is it? Some societies don't even believe that free will exists -- they believe that it all comes from a god of some kind, and that to believe in free will is to deny the god's power. BLASPHEMER!
I suppose it depends on what you intend to do with the people whose free will you take away. If you want to make them into slaves, that's definitely evil. But if all you want is company, because you're lonely ... I don't know. Is that evil?
A Gold Dragon is very Lawful Good. If it did something like this, would that break his alignment?

That's where you look at the region/world. For example, in my current campaign - the adventurers have come from a continent of free will, freedom, to a new land, where so far it's been the same. They're about to go to a much older, founded, area, where slavery is the norm (especially in terms of paying of debts). So where slavery is outlawed everywhere else - the party is now going to have to make a dramatic shift in understanding how slavery is permitted in the region they're headed for. Steal something? Cut off your hand. Very "Middle East" (it's even a vast desert).

Hmm. I haven't thought about the region/world yet ... but I did think about another story, where the main character (and backing characters) are criminals in the ancient Roman world, sentenced to become gladiators.

What makes this different from other "gladiator"-stories? Well, one of them is an old hand at being a criminal, but the others aren't. They're scared shi--- um, scared so much they could brown their loincloths. So ... the old hand is a grumpy old fellow/felon, but over the course of the story, he becomes a kind of "father figure" to the others -- introduces them to the prison, keeps them on the straight and narrow etc. He's no great shakes at the "straight and narrow" business, being a criminal himself, but he keeps them from going off the rails. His advice, basically? Don't make waves; don't give the wardens an excuse to make your life harder. If you can steal something to make your life a little easier without getting caught, do it; otherwise, learn to be quick and dexterous. Don't start fights or get involved in them, but do try to ingratiate yourself with the guards so they have a reason to help you. If you can help them, they'll help you, that kind of thing. Good advice for anyone!

The other criminals will have their own "specialties" (e.g. an illiterate pickpocket who wants my Main Character to write his letters home; a thick-as-two-short-planks bruiser who knows some interesting anecdotes; a slimy conman who nobody likes; an innocent first-timer who's keen to reform), etc.

So ... maybe ... maybe they can feel the dragon "calling" to them. Maybe they can somehow escape and "come" to him, being drawn by his "call". (Think of the Archdemon in the "Dragon Age" games, except this dragon is very Lawful Good, and the "darkspawn" are just reforming criminals, not "darkspawn").

How does that sound?

So far behind on my D&D notes - life's been hectic.

This is from 11/14/2020. Two sessions ago.

The party has found the Alchemist Doomsilk - but why is he so calmly smiling at them?

http://tawmis.com/kneurth/adventure-not ... nturers-33

Boggle the Boggle? OK ... hmm. Could he be named "Goggle"? Just wondering.

Yikes, a large-scale battle! But, huzzah -- all the PCs survived. (Adrian barely did)

So what does Doomsilk do during all this? He doesn't seem to have done anything at all.

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:39 pm So what does Doomsilk do during all this? He doesn't seem to have done anything at all.

He doesn't do anything in that session. (There's been 2 sessions since; but I am behind in putting up the notes)

No worries.

Since there one Boggle, could there be more of him (er, her -- er, it?) If so, are they all named "Boggle"? *thinks*

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 6:49 pm No worries.

Since there one Boggle, could there be more of him (er, her -- er, it?) If so, are they all named "Boggle"? *thinks*

Hah - in the NPC section, it's a typo. The name is "Boogle" and the race is Boggle. And yes, there's many Boggles. None of whom have pink fleshed tone. He is unique due to experiments done to him by the mini boss of this leg of the adventure - Doomsilk, the Alchemy Drow.

Tawmis wrote: ↑Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:37 pm The other adventurers who have been stuck on the island helping goblins against the Kuo-Toa, enter their third session and finally encounter the "Blue Holder"...

http://tawmis.com/kneurth/adventure-not ... scovery-03

Session 4 for the game I DM, that had been stranded on the island...

http://tawmis.com/kneurth/adventure-not ... scovery-04

OK, some things I noticed ...

- There's only one "g" in "agitated", not two (as in "aggitated")

- This:

Gem also manages to find a gem of much lesser value

How can a gem look for anything, much less find something? A gem is not alive.

- Poor old Hartmut. Everyone gets a special something. He only gets gold.

- Also, this:

The party leaps in the boat and ... notices the boat is taking in water, due to the weight in the boat

... not to mention the weight of all that gold ...

- Who is playing "Aequilibrium"? (I think the lowest note (which starts, and persists throughout) is played on a cello. Am I right?)

- The winged serpent is named both "Slyver" and "Slyven" (under the picture of it). What's its name?

-

Just then, Gem chirps, “Rawrk! Treasure on island!”

Who or what is this Gem? Is it the name of the Boogle?

- Oh dear. At the bar, they all drink Dragon's Breath ... and die

- Why is it OK with the bartender that his furniture gets destroyed? Isn't it his stuff? And why does he give them Dragon's Breath? So they can break his furniture and have weird dreams featuring that Illithid?

*sing-song, to the tune of all those "Neener neener" songs* Barman's in league with Beholder!

- Oh dear (again). Niela Stormblade's "clothes are ripped and torn, cuts and bruises on her face and arms"? She looks perfectly fine in the picture. What's going on?

- Eat their brains, eh? Illithids!

Nice going, Tawm. Way to pause at the most dramatic moment!

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:56 am - This:

Gem also manages to find a gem of much lesser value

How can a gem look for anything, much less find something? A gem is not alive.

Gem is Twilight's parrots name. Gem once belonged to a female Captain Minotaur named Krella, who eventually went legit and began using her ship to sail people to the "new continent."
Gem has since, bonded with Twilight, and believes she (the bird) has the most incredible voice.

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:56 am - Who is playing "Aequilibrium"? (I think the lowest note (which starts, and persists throughout) is played on a cello. Am I right?)

It's all being played on a Hurdy-Gurdy (Twilight, as a bard, picked that as her instrument). There's a link to see the actual video of the person playing it beneath the mp3.

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:56 am - The winged serpent is named both "Slyver" and "Slyven" (under the picture of it). What's its name?

Damn, need to check!

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:56 am -

Just then, Gem chirps, “Rawrk! Treasure on island!”

Who or what is this Gem? Is it the name of the Boogle?

Hah, no. See above. Boogle is in the other campaign I run (the one where they're stuck in the Shadow Realm/Underdark)

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:56 am - Why is it OK with the bartender that his furniture gets destroyed? Isn't it his stuff? And why does he give them Dragon's Breath? So they can break his furniture and have weird dreams featuring that Illithid?

He's rich. He serves the drink, to determine who is new and here "to prove something."

Hmm. I'm not sure why, but whenever (in any kind of fantasy) people walk into a tavern, they always get served by harassed tavern "wenches", there is always a tavern brawl in which stuff gets smashed, and the next morning everything is as good as new again.

Have you noticed this too? What kind of weird magic is this? Maybe -- just maybe -- all the bartenders claim it with the same insurance company, who are very quick to replace furniture overnight.

What do you think?

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:09 pm Hmm. I'm not sure why, but whenever (in any kind of fantasy) people walk into a tavern, they always get served by harassed tavern "wenches", there is always a tavern brawl in which stuff gets smashed, and the next morning everything is as good as new again.
Have you noticed this too? What kind of weird magic is this? Maybe -- just maybe -- all the bartenders claim it with the same insurance company, who are very quick to replace furniture overnight.
What do you think?

Mending - Cantrip in 5e!

https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Mending#content

Mending
cantrip transmutation
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V S M (Two lodestones)
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch, such as a broken chain link, two halves of a broken key, a torn cloak, or a leaking wineskin. As long as the break or tear is no larger than 1 foot in any dimension, you mend it, leaving no trace of the former damage.
This spell can physically repair a magic item or construct, but the spell can’t restore magic to such an object.

Um ... that's all well and good, but we're talking about bartenders, here. Not every bartender is a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer or Wizard.

Also, not every bartender will have two lodestones (which are expended when you repair a single break or tear -- so if you have an entire tavern of broken furniture, that's A LOT of lodestones!)

Finally, the spell repairs things like a broken key, a torn cloak etc. Can it repair bigger things, like broken chairs or broken tables? Just imagine the aftermath of a tavern brawl: bits of furniture everywhere, and that's if you're lucky! If you're not, they've broken all your bottles too. Spilled booze all over the place! Maybe broken windows, too. Or broken doors -- the front door, maybe?

I think this is more than one cantrip can fix, no?

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:45 am Um ... that's all well and good, but we're talking about bartenders, here. Not every bartender is a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer or Wizard.

Also, not every bartender will have two lodestones (which are expended when you repair a single break or tear -- so if you have an entire tavern of broken furniture, that's A LOT of lodestones!)

Finally, the spell repairs things like a broken key, a torn cloak etc. Can it repair bigger things, like broken chairs or broken tables? Just imagine the aftermath of a tavern brawl: bits of furniture everywhere, and that's if you're lucky! If you're not, they've broken all your bottles too. Spilled booze all over the place! Maybe broken windows, too. Or broken doors -- the front door, maybe?

I think this is more than one cantrip can fix, no?

Find a DM who cares about components for a Cantrip. DMs won't care until it's like Resurrection (expensive gems, etc)

And mending can fix chairs - fixes two broken slots - take each broken part of a chair - and cantrips don't have spell slots - so you can cast them until you pass out.

Yes, but how many bartenders are Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers or Wizards (and can therefore cast cantrips)? If they're none of the above, they can't do it

I can just picture a bartender approaching a spell-caster for help. "Excuse me, Gandalf sir..." Right?