OOC - Out Of Character

that....thing isn't a creature, is it? like a summoned monster? or just some other spell...? a....hand? i'm so confused

hikaritenchi wrote:

Attack: Pirate A (B if Squin attacks A): 1d20 + 2 = 12+2 = 14
Damage: 1d8 = 6

I actually think pirate A is dead. Jerry can correct this if I'm wrong, but according to his first post with the map (thanks again for the map!) the following people are dead or incapacitated:

Pirates: A (@ locG4), C (@ locE9), and I (@loc O8)

Allies: F (@loc T2) and the beach ally who was originally labeled G and is now labeled H but regardless is at location Q12

Party: Ben (orange circle) @ locU10

Additionally I think ally G @ location O7 should be alive, but that's my only point of confusion based on the DM posts.

I will probably be posting sometime this afternoon and then hopefully once more this weekend if there is another DM post inbetween. After that I will be MIA until September 13/14 as I'll be in Italy.

MeNotHolgar wrote:

I actually think pirate A is dead.

d'oh. also, have fun in italy!

hikaritenchi wrote:

that....thing isn't a creature, is it? like a summoned monster? or just some other spell...? a....hand? i'm so confused

No, it's not a summoned creature. I apologize for the lack of clarity in my fluff, but fluff is all it was. No, I sort of envisioned it as a "aesthetic spellcasting effect". You might imagine, say, a ghostly figure with huge muscles outlining a wizard who was casting a strength spell on himself. Similar case here - there's no ghostly figure summoned, it's purely aesthetic.

Yes, Mystia would recognize the creatures in the aesthetic effect of the spell. I can PM you more details at your request, but you all understand the spellcasting effect to be purely aesthetic. The only notable effect (departing from the typical spell effects found in D&D canon) is the sickly blue-green glow that now surrounds the Pirate Captain.

Alex, I believe you are right. I'll correct the map later. Thank you.

Okay, that's what I thought it was...just making sure. Putting in that bit about the creatures kinda confused me a little. I guess that if it were in fact a summoned creature or something similar, it'd be painfully obvious, no?

Heh, nice pun.

Just a heads up, I'm going to be MIA for a few days as I rearrange some furniture (including moving the computer desk). When I'm back, I'll add a post as well as update the map to correct the Pirate A issue. Thanks and see you soon!

Don't hurt your back! Wait, if you hurt your back, do you get to sit in front of a computer all day? If so, does that equate to more updates for us?

it will mean luscious 3d maps for our viewing pleasure!

Jerry, your maps are awesome and very helpful. However, I need to clarify if the Ally A near Krytox next to Ally H is a clone, a previously hidden ally, an ally that recently ran in to join the battle, or an illusion. It will suck to be counting on someone to do something when all of a sudden it disappears.

Personally I like the idea of either a previously hidden ally or one that just ran in to join the battle (presumably after hearing Krytox's battle cry).

Thanks for the catch, Zadok! I've just updated the map. It should be accurate now.

By the way, I will be committing to posting regularly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. At the same time, Rasa may be making a comeback. I've told Andrew that he can post after I introduce him back into the game via ooc/flavor text.

We're now moving onto Round 3 of the boss battle!

Map looks good... unfortunately. Hahaha, just kidding, though it would've been nice to have the extra ally (Andrew? Bueller?). I am excited about getting two DM posts per week though. I'll be posting this evening when I get home. I might have to break out the spiked chain and see if I can wreak some havoc... c'mon AoO, don't fail me now!

Dear Squin and Mystia,

Get in the action or I will die a horrible, horrible death. (As will Ben).

Love,
Your big scaly buddy - Krytox

PS. Rasa this applies to you too.



Though, on a side note. It probably didn't make a difference but the throwing axe was aimed at the pirate command group #4. Was the bit about the pirate command group #1 dodging just flavor text? Either way, I realized that it should have been at a -2 penalty for a second range increment so the attack roll would have been 17, not 19... but I'm guessing that wouldn't hit the lieutenant (pirate #4) anyway. Also - send me any of the updated material when you get a chance so I can get started on Plan Procure More Casters :-P

True that.

Guys, I want to emphasize that in order to honor my commitment to post consistently for the group's benefit, I will not delay my postings for players who are unable to post by the given day. I understand real life happens, and trust me, you have no beef from me. But I want to be perfectly clear that it is impossible to expect me to post consistently if I have to delay my posts to wait for players to post, and therefore if a player does not post by the time I do, their character forfeits actions for that round (because my DM's philosophy is that I leave the character roleplaying up to you - I will not be intruding on that).

Again, I personally don't mind, but I'm just giving everyone some precautions.

Missing a post does not make your character immune from the current battle - he is just as likely a target as any of the other participants. If you started a battle, you will finish it... one way or the other...


I'm not angry/upset/frustrated/etc., but if I sound stern it's only because I want to be clear on this. As long as we are, I'm happy and hope you will continue to enjoy my game too. Thanks. :)

maybe a suggestion, is if a player misses an action because he can't post, maybe you can just assume he went full defensive that round? tis up to you :)

That's a good suggestion, Andrew. I think what I ended up intuiting to do would be just to go with what the absent player says. Basically, some of us don't have a problem with being controlled (and it's not like I'm going to auto-suicide or something equivalently stupid anyways), but some people would (understandably) not want to be significantly damaged, or killed, in which case I think your suggestion would be great. On the other hand, there are those people (probably not in our group, though) who are anal about character control (actually I am one of them) and don't want anyone (DM included) to touch their character. I guess my statement would apply mostly to them. But again, I don't necessarily think we have any such players in this group. :)

I guess the conclusion is: You can count on me never intentionally getting your character killed if I ever have to sub in for you. But at the same time, I'll never guarantee that your character won't be killed on my watch.

well, the main reason I made the suggestion, is while many of our characters have combat experience, we're not professionals yet. if we don't post, you could just make the assumption that our characters were too scared of getting hit or not trained enough to get an opportunity to attack. As I see it, a round is 6 seconds. If Rasa is fighting another rogue from his shell, they're both very dexterous fighters. It would be assumed that they aren't each taking one swing at eachother during the 6 seconds in length, but multiple swings, twists, parries, and jabs, with only one of them having a real chance of drawing blood. Therefore, if someone doesn't post, their character is just focusing on defending so much that he/she misses the one opportunity in that 6 seconds to attack.

That's my argument, take it how you will.

MeNotHolgar wrote:

Dear Squin and Mystia,

Get in the action or I will die a horrible, horrible death. (As will Ben).

Love,
Your big scaly buddy - Krytox

Sorry, froze in horror at the messy bloody battlefield scene. Wait, maybe that's what Mystia is doing. Maybe Squin was just over analyzing and not doing enough action.

Full defensive action sounds like a reasonable option if the DM can't/won't think of anything. I usually don't mind DM control if I'm not around as long as it is not something stupid (i.e. suicide for no real reason, giving away all my equipment and inventory for nothing). Unless my character's intelligence is low and doing something stupid is in character, then I'm fine with that.

I need a digital version of of the 3.5 PHB if someone has. Just in case, it is for referencing purposes only. I do have a 3.5PHB, but I do not have access to it all the time (i.e. when I'm not at home). Thanks.

I don't have an actual digital version, but i have a stripped down version. It essentially has all the things you need, without the flavor text. If you want it, just explain to me how i can get it to you, and we'll work something out.

i've got a full pdf version of it... but it's also like 70 megs. a little too big for email i think. andrew's version may be easier (good to see you back, btw) but if you want the full version i can probably get it to you somehow.

hrm ... email would work, but we would be limited by space; so send multiple? If someone can put one somewhere for me to download, that would work too. I recall download before off Jerry's UM account or something like that, but I can't find it at all. I remember getting the pdf version, but all I can find right now is a jpeg of 3.0. (Each page is one jpeg file)

Good points, guys. As for the file... yeah, we'll figure something out. I'm toying with the idea of trying to upload it on one of my free servers (it's just a random internet service that stores files for you for free and constantly asks you to pay to upgrade ). I might actually still have access to my UMich space even after graduation. I'll let you know what I find.

Hey Alex, just a note, the Pirate Captain is #2, not #4. I interpreted your statement of "Pirate Command" at the time to have meant the "Pirate command group," but now I realize you had probably been referring to the "pirate commander," who would in fact be the female captain. But she is marked as #2 on the map. Sorry for any confusion, dude. Just wanted for let you know.

yeah, i wasn't sure how to discern between them so i just called them 'pirate command group' with an attached number as labeled on the map. how should we refer to each of them for future reference? just by number? (ie. pirate 4, pirate J, etc.)

Thanks for asking, Alex. That'd be fine. Or their "technical names" are:

#1 - "Left Lieutenant"
#2 - "Pirate Captain"
#3 - "Captain's Assistant"
#4 - "Right Lieutenant"

Something that always helps me as a poster is that whenever you guys want to use flavor text to describe your targets (eg. "that scrawny-looking wimp"), you can always follow up with ooc to clarify who you're actually attacking (i.e. "ooc: the 'wimp' is Pirate X").

By the way, Alex, since it looks like you'll be able to check the game at least one more time before I post later tonight, you can amend your post to add pre-emptive AoO rolls. In fact, I was going to roll for you as I created my post, but rolled badly, so in this case you should try to offer at least a couple (even in the future) AoO attack rolls, additional (Str) checks, and damage rolls, so that I can take them on the fly when creating my post.

In fact, it'd be generally better for all of you guys to adopt this extra rolling - that way, I can post what happens to the enemies more quickly. One suggestion is just to add a line in your green rolls labeled "AoO (if applicable)", and if applicable... well, then I'll use it. :) Thanks!

Ben, if Alterith does pass away, hold off on recreating until I've had a chance to correspond with you by PM (or email, if you prefer). Thanks.