Monday, September 28, 2015

One Character, Nine Systems: Part 10

Last week, I proposed an experiment of generating the same character in nine different editions/variations of the D&D game. In the first post we introduced Junco Eliade, now it's time to give him some crunch. In this iteration we'll use:

Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition

The 5th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons, sometimes referred to as D&D Next, is the latest offering in the D&D line. It draws heavily on its predecessors (backgrounds similar to 2nd-edition Kits, multi-classing like 3rd edition, class-independent attack and skill advancement similar to 4th) while also introducing some new mechanics (most especially the idea of rolling with Advantage). In all cases, the focus of 5th edition appears to be simplicity and eliminating the number-bloat seen in previous versions. The focus on simplicity means that, among other things, there are only three books of rules for 5th edition: the Players Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual, of which, only the PHB has rules relevant to building a character. 


Race: Dwarf, Hill
5th edition allows two subraces for player character dwarves: Hill dwarves and Mountain dwarves. Both subraces use the same base statistics with only a few minor variations between the two. In deference to earlier iterations of Junco, this incarnation will also be a Hill Dwarf.
Class: Cleric 3rd
5th edition allows multi-classing in a manner similar to 3rd edition, with the character being allowed to select at each "character level" which level to take in any class. However, 5th edition introduces ability requirements for multi-classing. In order to multi-class in 5th edition, you must have a score of 13 in the primary ability score of both your current and desired classes. In this case, in order to multiclass as a Cleric/Fighter, Junco would need a score of 13 in both Strength and Wisdom, of which he meets neither. Since Cleric has been his dominant focus in previous versions, the 5th-edition incarnation of Junco will be a single-classed Cleric.
Character Level: 3rd
Minimum XP: 900
5th edition has the lowest experience requirements to reach 3rd level of any edition of D&D yet published (a full order of maginitude lower than most).
Alignment:  Lawful Neutral
Hit Dice: 3d8 (+12)
In addition to being rolled to determine hit points at each level, Hit Dice fill a much larger role in 5th edition. Each character has a number of Hit Dice (equal to those gained from his class levels) which he can use as a pool of healing each day, similar to the Healing Surges in 4th edition. Any time the character takes a "short rest" (1 hour break from adventuring) he can choose to roll 1 or more Hit Dice and heal that amount of hit points. Junco, as a 3rd-level Cleric, has 3 8-sided hit dice, which he can choose to use all at once, or split up among up to 3 short rests. Once Hit Dice have been used, the character must get a full night's sleep ("Long Rest") before he can heal in this way again.
Average Hit Points:  30
Stats:
  • Str: 9 -- -1 modifier
  • Dex: 16  -- +3 modifier
  • Con: 17 -- +3 modifier
  • Int: 16 -- +3 modifier
  • Wis: 12 -- +1 modifier
  • Cha: 8 -- -1 modifier
Hill Dwarves in 5th edition gain a +2 bonus to Constitution and a +1 bonus to Wisdom. While his abilitt scores may have hampered his effectiveness in the past, 5th edition is the first edition where Junco's scores specifically prevent him from obtaining the desired classes (because of the limitations/requirements placed on multi-classing).
 Dwarf Abilities:  
  1. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feel. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor.
  2. Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
  3. Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance (half damage) against poison damage.
  4. Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, throwing hammer, and warhammer.
  5. Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a leveI.
  6. Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan's tools of your choice: smith's tooIs, brewer's supplies, or mason's tools.
  7. Stone cunning. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
  8. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. 

                                                                      Cleric Abilities:
                                                                          1. Proficiencies:
                                                                            • Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
                                                                            • Weapons: All simple weapons
                                                                            • Tools: None
                                                                            • Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
                                                                            • Skills: Choose two from History, lnsight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
                                                                          2. Cleric Spells:  Save DC 11, Spell attack modifier +3, Prepare 4 spells.
                                                                            • Know 3 Cantrips
                                                                            • Cast 4 1st-level spells per day
                                                                            • Cast 2 2nd-level spells per day
                                                                          3. Divine Domain: At 1st level, the cleric must select a Domain -- area of specialization. Since Junco's has historically been a scholar, he will use the Knowledge domain.
                                                                            • Domain Spells: These spells are always treated as being prepared, in addition to the 4 he can prepare freely.
                                                                              • 1st level: Command, Identify
                                                                              • 2nd level: Augury, Suggestion
                                                                            • Blessings of Knowledge: At 1st leveI, you learn two languages of your choice. You also become proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those skills.
                                                                          4. Channel Divinity:  At 2nd level, clerics gain the ability to channel divine energy directly from their deity, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with two such effects: Turn Undead and an effect determined by your domain. When you use your Channel Divinity. you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your c1eric spell save DC.
                                                                            • Turn Undead: As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
                                                                            • Knowledge of the Ages: Starting at 2nd leveI, you can use your Channel Divinity to tap into a divine well of knowledge. As an action, you choose one skill or tool. For 10 minutes, you have proficiency with the chosen skill or too1.
                                                                          5th edition focuses heavily on the idea of Proficiencies. Every character has a "Proficiency Bonus" based on their level (+2 at 1st level, +3 at 5th, +4 at 9th, +5 at 13th, and +6 at 17th or higher). All rolls (attacks, saves, skills, etc.) basically boil down to an ability check on a d20, with or without this proficiency bonus--generally with no other modifiers. Thus a large number of abilities can be easily summed up by simply identifying whether the character is proficient or not.

                                                                          Spellcasting in 5th edition is a little more flexible than previous editions. First, the character has a number of cantrips (0th-level spells) which he knows and can cast at will. In addition, he gains a number of spell slots of various levels determined by his class level. These slots can be used to cast any spells he has prepared of that level or lower (using a 2nd-level slot to cast a 1st-level spell will typically increase the power of that spell beyond its basic parameters), without needing to assign prepared spells to specific slots ahead of time. Clerics are able to prepare a number of spells equal to their cleric level plus their Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), of any level(s) they have access to. As a Cleric, Junco's Save DCs and attack bonus for his spells are based on his Wisdom as well, meaning that while his low Wisdom does not prevent him from using his Clerical spells, it does somewhat hamper him. Also, some spells are defined as "rituals". These spells can be cast at will, without expending a spell slot, so long as the character has them prepared and spends an extra 10 minutes casting them.

                                                                          Background Abilities:  Sage
                                                                          Backgrounds are a new feature in 5th edition, but very similar to the Kits in AD&D 2nd edition. Each character selects a Background (in addition to his Race and Class) which gives him a small number of additional proficiencies (in skills, tools, or languages) plus one additional special ability or feature which can aid the character in role-playing encounters. In keeping with his role as a scholar, Junco has selected the "Sage" background.

                                                                          • Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, History
                                                                          • Languages: Two of your choice.
                                                                          • Researcher: When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you often know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a library, scriptorium, university, or a sage or other learned person or creature. Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an almost inaccessible place, or that it simply cannot be found. Unearthing the deepest secrets of the multiverse can require an adventure or even a whole campaign.
                                                                          Note that, with the 2 bonus languages from his Background, Junco will know 6 total languages (2 from his race, 2 from his "Blessings of Knowledge" ability, and 2 from his background.


                                                                          Attack Rolls:  varies

                                                                          Attack rolls in 5th edition, like everything else, are ability checks (with or without proficiency). Most melee weapon attacks are Strength-based checks, with the proficiency bonus applied if the character is proficient with the weapon in question. Missile weapons are Dexterity-based. Many spells also call for attack rolls, these will use the "Spell attack modifier" listed above (Wisdom + Proficiency in Junco's case).

                                                                          Saving Throws:
                                                                          • Strength: -1
                                                                          • Dexterity: +3
                                                                          • Constitution: +3
                                                                          • Intelligence: +3
                                                                          • Wisdom: +3
                                                                          • Charisma: +1
                                                                          Saving throws in 5th edition, like everything else, are ability checks (with or without proficiency) and thus map directly to the six ability scores. Each class is proficient with 2 of the six types of saving throws. Non-proficient saving throws will generally never improve except by increasing the ability score in question.

                                                                          Skills: 
                                                                          Skills in 5th edition are based on Proficiency (see above). All skills can be used by any character, either as an ability check, or ability + proficiency check. In addition, some "skills" (especially crafting) are represented by proficiency with the tools (rather than a "skill"), so a character attempting to craft a potion would make a check against his "Alchemists' tools" proficiency.

                                                                          • Acrobatics (Dex): +3
                                                                          • Animal Handling (Wis): +1
                                                                          • Arcana (Int†): +5
                                                                          • Athletics (Str): -1
                                                                          • Deception (Cha): -1
                                                                          • History (Int†): +5
                                                                          • Insight (Wis†): +3
                                                                          • Intimidation (Cha): -1
                                                                          • Investigation (Int): +3
                                                                          • Medicine (Wis†): +3
                                                                          • Nature (Int†): +7
                                                                          • Perception (Wis): +1
                                                                          • Performance (Cha): -1
                                                                          • Persuasion (Cha): -1
                                                                          • Religion (Int†): +7
                                                                          • Sleight of Hand (Dex): +3
                                                                          • Stealth (Dex): +3
                                                                          • Survival (Wis): +1
                                                                          † Skills with which Junco is proficient. 


                                                                          Junco gets double his proficiency bonus to Nature and Religion checks from his Blessings of Knowledge ability.

                                                                          Feats:
                                                                          Feats in 5th edition are optional and work very similarly to those in 3rd or 4th edition, but are gained at a much slower rate. Non-human characters do not get a proficiency at 1st level, and will typically not gain access to such until 4th level or later (this is variable depending on their class). As a 3rd-level Dwarven Cleric, Junco has no feats.

                                                                          Sunday, September 27, 2015

                                                                          The Exodus: Session 14

                                                                          My Dinner with Ghengis...

                                                                          We're in Xanadu
                                                                              Ja'Lin's malik seneschal explains that Ja'lin's dad is trying to decide
                                                                                  which of his four sons should bear the banners of empire
                                                                                      Ja'lin is (of course) the youngest, least experienced, most academic one
                                                                                  He wants our help to let Ja'Linget the one-up on his older brothers

                                                                              We head to the baths to get ready...except Khut (who hides)...
                                                                                      because why would anyone want to be wet all over on purpose?
                                                                                  Giant roman-style baths
                                                                                      Fire and Ice spirits bound to make the caldarium and frigidarium
                                                                                  Six evil mer-monsters with big harpoons burst out of the pools
                                                                                      Just as everyone is getting naked...
                                                                                      Ado stuns them all with some pretty feathers floating in the air...
                                                                                          We kick their asses...
                                                                                              Mostly by lots of Khut, Khad, Ithunn, and Barruk...
                                                                                                  knocking, throwing, kicking, bull-rushing them into the hot/cold
                                                                                              and Squee driving them insane...
                                                                                              and Ithunn grabbing one by the head and holding it under...
                                                                                                  in the pool closest to the Ice spirit...
                                                                                                      freezing it solid...
                                                                                              and Vadim and Khad playing tug of war to tear one in half...
                                                                                          AND free Updon Telegon (the spirit mother of fire)...
                                                                                              and accidently drop her into a pool of freezing water...
                                                                                                  banishing her...
                                                                                  And then we get all gussied up to go hob-nobbing...
                                                                                      While everyone else is dressing, Khut has some mer-monster sushi...

                                                                          We are led off to dinner by some steppefolk women
                                                                                  strange women with dark-dark skin and red-tinged tusks...
                                                                              We see the three princes...
                                                                                  Prince Jamushka is attended by lots of big heavy-set brutal killer types...
                                                                                      no intelligence, no imagination...
                                                                                  Prince Baijou, emaciated with a big scary staff...
                                                                                      attended by paper-pushers and number-crunchers behind him...
                                                                                  Prince Subotai, old, fat, carried in an ornately-carved wheelbarrow,
                                                                                      with strangely nondescript attendants...

                                                                          We bust in and make a big entrance...
                                                                              Barruk (big malik champion that he is) definitely gets their attention...
                                                                              Khadagan walks in also looking big and bad...
                                                                                  with a big-teeted malik serving-lady on his arm...
                                                                                      Prince Subotai is very pleased (by the threat?!)...
                                                                                          and clearly not as drunk or incompetent as he looks.
                                                                              Squee rocks in, wearing a big feather headdress,
                                                                                  and makes friends with Ghengis Khan...
                                                                                     Who reaches down, draws Squee up into his lap...
                                                                                          and proceeds to hold court...
                                                                                      And she starts braiding his beard...
                                                                              Ado fluffs up and wheedles over to General Baijou...and invites him to tea...
                                                                                  And makes suggestions that they should band together against Subotai...
                                                                                  And Baijou calls for some very weak, almost clear, tea...
                                                                              Breaks Like Wind slides in obsequiously and starts collecting people's shoes
                                                                                  and passing out silk slippers...heading to Subotai first...
                                                                                      Subotai's are certainly not in need of changing
                                                                                          but Breaks is there right as some wine is spilled on the shoes...
                                                                                      And he reads the lines on the bottom of Subotai's foot-palm...
                                                                                          his lifeline is extraordinarily long, continuous, and strong...
                                                                              Khut skitters in hiding under Ja'Lin's trailing robes...
                                                                                  then rolls under Jamushka's table...
                                                                                      his men are wasted, distracted by ladies, and stink of fresh blood...
                                                                              As Ja'lin walks in, there is not a place set for him...
                                                                                  Vadim controls Ja'Lin's plants...
                                                                                      causes a table and mushroom-cushions to appear...
                                                                                     
                                                                          Then...there is food...
                                                                              Whole roast warbler with all feathers replaced...
                                                                              Whole roast hellpig braised only in sea-grass...
                                                                              A thunderbird crafted out of ice, each feather dyed, infused with sugar...
                                                                              Landshark egg-drop soup...which Breaks and Barruk get the recipe for...
                                                                              Whole roast thunderbird, each scale and feather replaced in place...
                                                                                  Baijou appears to eat...but doesn't touch anything...
                                                                                  And several people start looking severly ill...
                                                                              Haunch of gorgon...whole roast gorgon legs...
                                                                                  AND Khut laces Jamushka's food with badberry...
                                                                                  AND Vadim (legit poisoned) projectile vomits on Baijou...
                                                                                  AND Jamushka ends up on hands and knees emptying his guts...
                                                                                     
                                                                          Then the Storytelling...
                                                                              Vadim tells the story of battling the sorcerer atop the Thunderbird nest...
                                                                                  While brandishing the horns of the Malik sorcerer...
                                                                                      and the thunderbird scale shield...
                                                                                  One of Jamushka's goons starts to heckle...
                                                                                      then REALLY needs to go to the restroom (thanks to Khut)...
                                                                              Ithunn tells the story of the burning of the Remembrance of Yaguth...
                                                                                  with a performer's flair...
                                                                                  Everyone laughs at the ridiculousness...except Genghis...
                                                                              Barruk stands up, taking the Malik sorcerer's horns...
                                                                                      and laying down a Zone of Truth...
                                                                                  And tells the tale of the assault on the Malik sorcerer's camp...
                                                                                      And his acting as the bait to draw the Gorgon stampede...
                                                                              Breaks Like Wind...appears out of no where...
                                                                                  and tells them that he's looked THROUGH the mirror...
                                                                                      AND the whole room is silenced...
                                                                              Khadagan laces a brazier with mad-cackle weed...
                                                                                  "Let me tell you about how I met my wife..."
                                                                                      AND even the worst hecklers are spell-bound...
                                                                              Squee, still in the Khan's lap...speaks up saying "I'm fun-sized"...
                                                                                  and tells the story of coming from a pink castle on a purple moon...
                                                                                      and how the queen sent her on a mission to "collect shiny things"...
                                                                                          IN A ZONE OF TRUTH...
                                                                                              And the party is completely baffled, amazed, dumbfounded...
                                                                                          Quothe Khadagan: "This is madness!"
                                                                                          Quothe Squee: "This is squee!"
                                                                              AND Ado is up...
                                                                                  he thanks Baijou for the tea...
                                                                                  warns Ja'Lin that he may need to render Ado unconscious at the end...
                                                                                      And tells the story of his encounter with the undead warblers...
                                                                                          and his trip to the fade...
                                                                                              Baijou looks horrified/guilty...
                                                                                              Subotai looks cool...
                                                                                              The Khagan looks shaken...
                                                                                      AND stabs himself in the left-eye with a cursed arrow...
                                                                                      AND hands the cursed arrow to Ja'Lin's second-ranked Malik seneschal...
                                                                                      AND the room goes deathly quiet...
                                                                                              then erupts into booing and hissing, except the Khagan...
                                                                              AND Sorqutani tells the story of the spirit, the Mother of Fire...
                                                                                  with lots of special effects...
                                                                                  AND turns into a potted plant?!
                                                                                      Quothe Khadagan:
                                                                                              "Next time [she] turns into a plant, I am going to deflower her."
                                                                              AND a voice echos out from under the tables...
                                                                                  "Once, I walked into the feast of the great khan himself...
                                                                                          and poisoned his sons, and stood before him...and was gone"
                                                                                      AND KHUT stands up, unwashed, right in front of Ghengis...
                                                                                          and meeps away and is swiftly hidden again...
                                                                              THEN
                                                                                  Subotai tells the story of "The Cattle-Raid of Oolan Baatar"...
                                                                                      to a whole lot of heckling from the professional cattle rustlers...
                                                                                          But he carries it on with his expert oratory...
                                                                                  Baijou tells of the taking of Val-Ashem,
                                                                                      riding on the backs of thunderbirds, burning the city with lightning...
                                                                                         Which is actually kindof cool...

                                                                          Squee realizes that Ghengis is going to pit the two "winners" in a death-match...
                                                                             

                                                                          Next Time:  The final story of Jhamoushka Khan...

                                                                          Life, Death, and What Comes After

                                                                          An idea from a nascent but now defunct older campaign that has found a new, and more proper, home in the Pathfinder campaign I started last week...

                                                                          A concept that works itself into many of my games is that the Undead are not somehow inherently evil, nor abominations out to destroy the living by default, but rather, an acceptable and socially useful extension of life. As the church of Yevon says in Final Fantasy X, "Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living." Sure, there are the occasional vampires or liches out to conquer the world, but these are the remains of beings who were evil to begin with. Non-intelligent undead often appear as free labor and less-harmful forms of intelligent undead may be integrated into society.

                                                                          This campaign takes it one step further. Undeath is so common as to be considered a natural part of life, and the transition to undeath is preferable to the loss of a loved one. Everyone who dies in the water comes back as undead with full memory of their lives among the living, and, knowing this, most people seek out such a death...

                                                                          Waters of (Un)Life...

                                                                          All beings die, and, when they die their are only two options: Rot or Drown (or so people say). Any sentient being that perishes while submerged in the strange waters of the world will return as one of the Drowned. The only intelligent beings that do not become one of these undead are those poor souls who breath their last breath on land. Thus it is common practice for those that are near death—those with critical diseases, mortal wounds, or suffering from advanced age—to be thrown into the nearest body of water. Most religions in the world recognize the existence of the Drowned as the only afterlife.

                                                                          While even the Drowned do not exist forever (their bodies continue to decay and their minds degrade over the centuries), this second existence allows most individuals to complete any unfinished business, allows parents to continue to protect their young, and ensures that wars are almost never won by attrition.

                                                                          Death and Dying works exactly as described for "Injury and Death" in the Pathfinder core rules. However, any creature that dies while submerged in a body of water immediately comes back as one of The Drowned, 1 minute after death occurs, so long as enough of their body still exists to animate. Raise Dead, Reincarnate, Resurrection, and similar spells with a casting time of 1 minute or longer do not function in the world of Beyond the Shore. Spells such as Breath of Life still function if they can be applied before the minute it takes for the character to become undead lapses.

                                                                          If you chuck a sentient creature at negative hit points into a body of water and let them bleed out there, they will come back as one of The Drowned. Otherwise, if you die you are dead and have to hope someone is willing to sell their soul to Dormin to get you back. If Drowned creature dies, it cannot be brought back by any means short of a Wish or Miracle spell.

                                                                          Pirates find this metaphysical trait of the world particularly troubling. Battles at sea can often last for hours as those knocked overboard and slain soon crawl their way back on deck to resume the conflict. Likewise, drowned victims have a high probability of reporting to authorities. For this reason, they will often chum the waters to attract sharks before an engagement (to dispose of the bodies), coup-de-grace downed enemies before they can be shoved overboard by a friend, and almost never employ drowning as a method of execution or intimidation (no sane person really fears walking a plank).

                                                                          ____________________________________________________________________

                                                                          The Drowned

                                                                          The Drowned are a diverse lot, being drawn from the deceased of all of the many intelligent races that have walked the world. The one consistent feature of the Drowned is that they are dead. They may appear as skeletal humans, rotting elves, salt-mummified dwarves, or any other form of sentient corpse the player wishes.

                                                                          It is considered polite for a being that becomes one of the Drowned to remain in their watery graves until their flesh has dissolved, so that they do not offend the living with their smell. Unless they have some extremely pressing unfinished business (such as those that die mid-conflict) it is considered good form for them to pay their immediate respects to the Kraken King in the underwater city of Venit and remain their in his service for 3 to 5 years. Thus, most Drowned encountered will be their race's equivalent of a walking skeleton. Truly vain individuals may return to land immediately and seek out someone to embalm their remains, so as to preserve their flesh for as long as possible.

                                                                          Society & Relations: The Drowned are the one constant in the ever-changing politics of the world. Raised with the knowledge of their former lives and professions, the Drowned are what keep society running. They may be smiths, sailors, bakers, soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, or anything else. Regardless of their former race or profession though, they perform their tasks tirelessly.

                                                                          The Drowned are most numerous in sub-aquatic polities, but can be found in all land-locked cities as well. Regardless of their former lives and current station or nation, all Drowned recognize The Kraken King as their nominal lord and pay their respects to him in his sunken capital of Venit, alongside any living leaders of their current homeland.

                                                                          Despite their undead nature, most people in the world treat the Drowned just as any other beings. The Drowned have existed for time immemorial. Everyone grows up around these walking corpses, and many children have Drowned caretakers: a deceased grandparent or sleepless nanny. In fact, the only dead truly pitied are those that do not make it to water before they perish, and therefore never pass into the afterlife as one of the Drowned.

                                                                          Racial Traits
                                                                          The Drowned are Undead (with all that implies). They have the same ability scores they had in life, save that they have no Constitution score. They lose any race-specific abilities of their former selves (infravision, finding secret doors, etc.) and replace them with the following traits.

                                                                          • Slow Speed:  The Drowned have a base speed of 20 feet. Regardless of their original form, the loss of fins, wing membranes, and connective tissue limits them to walking with a slow shuffling gate. A Drowned's speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
                                                                          • Water Sense: The Drowned are so attuned to their watery graves that they can sense vibrations in water, granting them blindsense 30 feet against creatures that are touching the same body of water.
                                                                          • Focused Study: The Drowned have ages in which to perfect their craft. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, members of the Drowned gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat.
                                                                          • Shards of the Past: The Drowned retain the memories of their mortal lives. Each Drowned picks two Knowledge skills. The Drowned gains a +2 racial bonus on both of these skills, and those skills are treated as class skills regardless of what class the Drowned actually takes.
                                                                          • Claws: Members of the Drowned can make two attacks per round with their bony claws (or caratinous equivalent). Each attack deals 1d4 points of damage.
                                                                          • Resurrection Vulnerability: A Raise Dead  or equivalent spell cast on one of the Drowned can destroy it (Will negates). Using the spell in this way does not require a material component. Luckily such spells are extremely rare.
                                                                          The Drowned retain full memory of their former lives among the living. They retain their former alignment, all class levels, and can speak any languages they knew in life.


                                                                          The Drowned are the same height they were in life, but, due to loss of body mass (either from injury or decay), weigh only half what a living member of their species would. Despite their undead nature's their continue to decay over time. The Drowned lose 1 point from Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma for every 100 years that they exist as their bodies and minds continue to degrade. A Drowned who reaches 0 in any stat (save Constitution) falls apart and ceases to function. Only the most truly remarkable individuals can extend their existence by more than a millenia by becoming one of the Drowned.

                                                                          Saturday, September 26, 2015

                                                                          It Wasn't My Idea: Magic Seeds

                                                                          One great thing about having young children is being able to mine the gestalt of their imaginations for game ideas. Here is one, strange, magic item taken from the "seed" of an idea laid down by my son. More may follow...

                                                                          Silas Says: "If you eat a watermelon grown from one of these magical seeds you will turn to gold."



                                                                          The Seeds of Midas:

                                                                          The Seeds of Midas are small, unremarkable, black seeds, like those of a watermelon plant. The seeds do not radiate magic, but any divination spell cast within 10 feet of the seeds causes them to glow with a faint golden light (each equivalent to a candle) for 1 round.

                                                                          If planted and given sufficient water, each seed sprouts into a melon plant in just six hours (no sunlight needed). Each plant sprouts 1d3 fruit, which are identical to normal watermelons. Unlike the seeds, the melons radiate a strong aura of transmutation magic.

                                                                          Anyone eating a melon grown from one of these seeds must make a Fortitude save or be slowly transformed into a golden statue the next time they sleep (it takes roughly 4 hours for the transformation to complete), gaining the petrified condition. The save DC depends on the amount eaten: DC 8 for a single slice, DC 10 for one-quarter of the fruit, DC 14 for half the fruit, and DC 18 for eating the entire fruit. Creatures of larger than medium size must eat a commensurately larger portion (2 whole melons for a large creature to save at DC 18). The effects of eating the fruit can be reversed by Stone to Flesh or similar spells.

                                                                          In statue form, the target has an effective weight of 20 times their base weight (thus a 200 lb human would weigh 2 tons as a gold statue) and a value of 1 Guinnea (or 20gp or 20sp depending on your currency system of choice) per pound of their original weight (so a 200 lb human would be worth 210£ or 4000gp). If cut up or melted down, the bones and connective tissue of the original creature will be found inside.

                                                                          Monday, September 21, 2015

                                                                          One Character, Nine Systems: Part 9

                                                                          Last week, I proposed an experiment of generating the same character in nine different editions/variations of the D&D game. In the first post we introduced Junco Eliade, now it's time to give him some crunch. In this iteration we'll use:


                                                                          The 4th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons game gets a lot of hate from players of pretty much every other edition. We don't care about that here. What we do care about is the rules. 4th edition includes a large number of splat-books, but not nearly so many as 2nd or 3rd edition. For the purposes of Junco, we will define the scope of his 4th edition build options as including the Players Handbook 1, Players Handbook 2, Players Handbook 3, Arcane Power, Divine Power, Primal Power, Psionic Power, Martial Power 1, Martial Power 2, Dungeon Master's Guide, the various Monster Manuals, and the Rules Compendium. Given the existing constraints in race and class, much of the material in books other than the Players Handbook 1 will be irrelevant (since the major purpose of 4th edition splat-books is the introduction of new races and classes), but we will keep them in scope for reference sake.


                                                                          Race: Dwarf
                                                                          Unlike AD&D (either edition), 3rd edition, or Pathfinder, 4th edition does not concern itself with alternate racial abilities or subraces. A dwarf is a dwarf.
                                                                          Class: Hybrid Cleric-Fighter
                                                                          4th edition has very closely defined and constrained class "roles" and as such, does not support multi-classing as strait-forwardly as previous editions (at least it does not have racial limitations on available classes). Multi-classing in 4th edition can be handled in one of two ways.
                                                                          The first (presented in Players Handbook 1) involves taking one class and then "dabbling" in a second by taking a "Multi-class feat", which gives you limited access to some of the skills and one special feature of the second class. This method is particularly lack-luster, as the best you can manage is a Cleric with a handful of fighter moves, or a Fighter with a once-per-day minor healing ability.
                                                                          The second (introduced in Players Handbook 3) involves creating a "Hybrid Class". This is also a far cry from advancing in two classes simultaneously (or even alternately). Instead, this gives the player guidelines for building what is effectively an entirely new class with a mix of features from both parent classes, in some cases heavily altered from the original feature in order to fit the new hybrid role of the character.
                                                                          Given that Multiclassing has been a significant aspect of Junco's build since his earliest incarnation using the little brown books (OD&D), we will use the Hybrid Class rules to define this incarnation. If we wanted to make things easier on our-self, we could go with Cleric and pick up the Fighter multi-class feat, since Cleric is clearly the dominant class in many of his builds (especially 3rd edition and Pathfinder), but the Hybrid option feels more true to the character so far.
                                                                          Level: 3rd
                                                                          Minimum XP: 2,250
                                                                          Alignment:  Unaligned
                                                                          Ummm? So 4th edition, deviates from both the three-alignment paradigm of OD&D / Basic D&D, and the nine-alignment paradigm of every other edition. Instead, 4th edition presents 5 alignments, which do not fit in with either method: Lawful Good, Good, Unaligned, Evil, Chaotic Evil. Clearly they are trying to stress a Good vs. Evil paradigm, mostly eliminating the Moorcocking Law-Chaos axis of earlier editions, but they fail to eliminate it completely, instead using Law and Chaos to express further extremes of Good and Evil.
                                                                          So, the alignment options used by every previous version of Junco--either "Lawful" or "Lawful Neutral"--no longer exist. While Lawful Good includes the word "Lawful" it is clear from the descriptions and the other options in the paradigm that the "Good" is much more important than the "Lawful" here. Since I see Junco as much more "Lawful" than Good, the only viable option seems to be "Unaligned", which is to say, he really doesn't care about getting dragged into this Good vs. Evil nonsense.
                                                                          Hit Dice: N/A
                                                                          Characters in 4th edition do not gain "Hit Dice", nor otherwise roll dice to determine their hit points, instead gaining a flat number of hit points at 1st level and each level thereafter. As a Hybrid Cleric-Fighter, Junco gains hit points at 1st level equal to 13 plus his Constitution score, plus another 5 hit points for each level thereafter.
                                                                          In addition to his hit points, Junco gains a number of "Healing Surges" per day equal to 8 plus his Constitution modifier (11 per day). These constitute a pool of readily available healing. At any time outside of combat, a character can spend a Healing Surge to restore one-quarter his maximum hit points (10 hit points per surge in Junco's case).
                                                                          Average Hit Points:  40
                                                                          Stats:
                                                                          • Str: 9 -- -1 modifier
                                                                          • Dex: 16  -- +3 modifier
                                                                          • Con: 17 -- +3 modifier
                                                                          • Int: 16 -- +3 modifier
                                                                          • Wis: 13 -- +1 modifier
                                                                          • Cha: 8 -- -1 modifier
                                                                          Dwarves in 4th edition gain a +2 bonus to Constitution and Wisdom, with no racial penalties to offset them. Also, interesting (but irrelevant to this experiment), 4th edition is the only version of D&D that makes rolling ability scores an after-thought. The first two options presented for ability score determination in 4th edition are:
                                                                          1.  Assigning numbers from a standard array: 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10
                                                                          2. Point buy. 
                                                                          Not until "Method 3" do ability scores involve rolling dice, and then the method presented is 4d6, drop lowest, six times, and assign as desired. So, technically, using 3d6 in order for ability scores is completely outside of the rules for 4th edition (no hate here, just the facts). 
                                                                          While 4th edition does not have any minimum ability requirements for classes or class-based abilities, almost all class "powers" (including things that would be considered spells) require an attack roll. In the case of Fighter and Cleric powers, most of these are based on Strength or Wisdom, which will leave Junco trailing behind more intentionally optimized characters. 
                                                                           Dwarf Abilities:  
                                                                          1. Vision: Low-light
                                                                          2. Languages: Common, Dwarven
                                                                          3. Skill Bonuses: +2 Dungeoneering, +2 Endurance
                                                                          4. Cast-Iron Stomach: +5 racial bonus to saving throws against poison.
                                                                          5. Dwarven Resilience: You can use your second wind as a minor action instead of a standard action. Second Wind allows the character to use a Healing Surge (see above) during combat, once per encounter.
                                                                          6. Dwarven Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the throwing hammer and the warhammer.
                                                                          7. Encumbered Speed: You move at your normal speed even when it would normally be reduced by armor or a heavy load. Other effects that limit speed (such as difficult terrain or magical effects) affect you normally.
                                                                          8. Stand Your Ground: When an effect forces you to move—through a pull, a push, or a slide—you can move 1 square less than the effect specifies. This means an effect that normally pulls, pushes, or slides a target 1 square does not force you to move unless you want to. In addition, when an attack would knock you prone, you can immediately make a saving throw to avoid falling prone.

                                                                                                                                  Hybrid Cleric-Fighter Abilities:
                                                                                                                                    1. Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, and chainmail
                                                                                                                                    2. Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, simple ranged. military ranged
                                                                                                                                    3. Healer's I.ore: Your study of healing allows you to make the most of your healing prayers. When you grant healing with one of your cleric powers that has the healing keyword, add your Wisdom modifier (+1) to the hit points the recipient regains.
                                                                                                                                    4. Healing Word (Hybrid): Once per encounter. Minor action. You or one ally within 5 squares can spend a healing surge to regain 1d6 hit points.
                                                                                                                                    5. Combat Challenge (Hybrid): Every time you attack an enemy using a Fighter power, whether the attack hits or misses, you can choose to mark that target. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. While a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that doesn’t include you as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is adjacent to you shifts or makes an attack that does not include you, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt.

                                                                                                                                    Cleric-Fighter Powers:
                                                                                                                                                  All classes in 4th edition gain a set number of powers, defined as "at will", "encounter", "daily", or "utility". The number of powers gained is the same for every class. As a 3rd-level character, Junco has access to 2 at-will powers, 2 encounter powers, 1 daily power, and 1 utility power. As a Hybrid character, these powers may be selected from either the Fighter or Cleric lists. In cases where he has access to 2 or more powers in a given category, they must be evenly split between his two classes. Junco's power selections try to emphasize his scholarly tendencies and his preference for tricky/strategic attacks using a staff.

                                                                                                                                                  • At Will Powers:
                                                                                                                                                    • Astral Seal (Divine Power): At will. Standard action. Wisdom attack (at +2) vs. Reflex. Until the end of your next turn, one target within 5 squares takes a -2 penalty to all defenses. The next ally who hits it before the end of your next turn regains hit points equal to 2 + your Charisma modifier (1 hit point).
                                                                                                                                                    • Footwork Lure (Martial Power 1): At will. Strength attack vs. AC. Deal damage with a melee weapon (weapon + Str). You can shift 1 square and slide the target into the space you left.

                                                                                                                                                  • Encounter Powers:
                                                                                                                                                    • Shield Bearer (Divine Power): Encounter. Wisdom attack vs. Reflex. One target within 10 squares takes 2d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage. You conjure a shield bearer in an unoccupied square adjacent to the target. The shield bearer lasts until the end of your next turn. The shield bearer occupies 1 square, and allies can move through it as if it were an ally. While adjacent to the shield bearer, any ally gains a +2 power bonus to all defenses.
                                                                                                                                                    • Spinning Sweep (Player's Handbook 1): Encounter. Strength attack vs. AC. Deal damage with a melee weapon (weapon + Str), and you knock the target prone.
                                                                                                                                                  • Daily Powers:
                                                                                                                                                    • Beacon of Hope (Player's Handbook 1): Daily. Wisdom attack vs. Will vs. all enemies within 3 squares. Affected enemies are weakened until the end of their next turn. You and all your allies in the area regain 5 hit points, and your healing powers restore +5 hit points until the end of the encounter.
                                                                                                                                                  • Utility Powers:
                                                                                                                                                    • Legend Lore (Players Handbook 3): Encounter; Free action; You can make a History check in place of a knowledge check that would use a different skill.

                                                                                                                                                  Attack Rolls:  varies
                                                                                                                                                  Attack rolls in 4th edition are always equal to 1/2 the character's level, plus the relevant ability modifier (as defined by the "attack power" being used).
                                                                                                                                                  Saving Throws:
                                                                                                                                                  • Fortitude Defense:  15
                                                                                                                                                  • Reflex Defense:  14
                                                                                                                                                  • Will Defense:  13
                                                                                                                                                  4th edition makes two big changes from previous editions where saving throws are concerned. First, it keeps the three-save-system from 3rd edition (Fort, Ref, Will), but turns these into static defense numbers, similar to Armor Class. Various attack forms may target these "defenses" in place of Armor Class. All "defense scores" start at 10 + 1/2 the character's level. Fortitude uses either the character's Strength or Constitution modifier (whichever is higher), Reflexes uses higher of Dexterity or Intelligence, and Will uses higher of Wisdom or Charisma. 

                                                                                                                                                  In addition to these Defenses, some ongoing effects allow a "saving throw" at the end of your turn to negate the effect. In these cases, the save is a flat 1d20 roll, with a 10 or higher succeeding. This roll is typically unmodified, though some powers, feats, or racial traits may affect it. Junco gains a +5 bonus on saving throws that are related to ongoing poison effects.

                                                                                                                                                  Skills: 
                                                                                                                                                  Characters in 4th edition gain "training" in a number of skills (typically 3) selected from a list for their class. All skill checks are made with a bonus equal to 1/2 hour level, plus the relevant ability modifier, plus 5 if it is a skill the character is "Trained" in. These may be further modified by racial bonuses or feats.

                                                                                                                                                  As a Hybrid Cleric-Fighter, Junco's available class skills are: 
                                                                                                                                                  Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Can), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Religion (Int), Streetwise (Cha)
                                                                                                                                                  His Trained skills are:
                                                                                                                                                  Healing (Wis), History (Int), and Religion (Int)

                                                                                                                                                  Feats:
                                                                                                                                                  Feats in 4th edition work exactly like those in 3rd edition. Characters gain 1 feat at 1st level, and another every even-numbered level thereafter. Thus Junco has access to 2 feats.
                                                                                                                                                  • Linguist: Choose three languages. You can now speak, read, and write those languages fluently.
                                                                                                                                                  • Weapon Focus (Staff group):  Choose a specific weapon group, such as spears or heavy blades. You gain a +1 feat bonus to damage rolls with your chosen weapon group. At 11th level, this bonus increases to +2. At 21st level, it increases to +3.
                                                                                                                                                  Characters in 4th edition gain one or two languages based on their race, but no additional languages from skills or high Intelligence. The Linguist feat helps restore some of the multi-lingual talents that Junco had in previous editions, but not enough to compete with the 8 or more languages possessed by some of his previous incarnations.

                                                                                                                                                  The Exodus: Session 13

                                                                                                                                                  How to win friends and influence battles...

                                                                                                                                                  We strike out after the other missing cows...
                                                                                                                                                      Find a pack of 150 Hellhorns...with our beasts...and they're girls...
                                                                                                                                                          Flying the standard of Horgrim Whitemane (old, worn-out general)
                                                                                                                                                          The men are all either old or children...
                                                                                                                                                              The old general is no idiot...they are digging in...
                                                                                                                                                      Circling birds show that there is a second group...
                                                                                                                                                          Khut speeds off to check...
                                                                                                                                                              200-man Empty Circle scouts...shooting down the birds...
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                  Squee and Ithunn casually saunter down towards the Hellhorn camp...
                                                                                                                                                      They are acosted by a big, competent looking Hellhorn lady (Batbyar)...
                                                                                                                                                          They are told the camp is on the eve of battle...
                                                                                                                                                          They wander in and chat with Horgrim Whitemane...
                                                                                                                                                              Who is Squee's best friend...
                                                                                                                                                                  Apparently they are ready to "sing their deaths"
                                                                                                                                                                  They are so ready to die that...Squee REALLY is their best friend...

                                                                                                                                                  Khut kisses the mammoth with a Looooooooooong shot...
                                                                                                                                                          trying to snipe the EC leader...
                                                                                                                                                      Which gets shot out of the air by a massive volley...
                                                                                                                                                          And KHUT RUNS....

                                                                                                                                                  Leading the Centaur army into a valley...
                                                                                                                                                      Where the Krokodile decimate their archers with cursed arrows...
                                                                                                                                                          The Cavalry crash...
                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                  AND the party charges the leader...
                                                                                                                                                          (a massive, blackskinned centaur with a huge axe)...
                                                                                                                                                              and his half-dozen able-bodied centaur guards...
                                                                                                                                                      Khut takes the general's shield with an arrow...
                                                                                                                                                      Sorq wrecks their lives with a Fireball...
                                                                                                                                                          And Squee, Ithunn, and Ado pile on to save her from an incoming volley...
                                                                                                                                                      Khut drops one with another shot...
                                                                                                                                                              heavily aided by the bardic dynamic duo...
                                                                                                                                                          And more Fireballs start flying...
                                                                                                                                                          AND Ithunn moving like Hasted lightning...appears out of nowhere...
                                                                                                                                                              and spinkicks the general in the face...Five. Times.
                                                                                                                                                                  And knocks him to the ground...and beats him like a bad dobby...
                                                                                                                                                              AND he stands up and retaliates with a huge axe...
                                                                                                                                                          Khadagan leaps in and slashes at him...narrowly avoiding a back-kick...
                                                                                                                                                          Ithunn kicks him down again and the beatings commence...
                                                                                                                                                              And chops his head off...
                                                                                                                                                      More arrows rain down...finally dropping Sorq...
                                                                                                                                                          Khut nails three more...
                                                                                                                                                              AND one is turned crispy by a Fireball...
                                                                                                                                                              AND Vadim smears one with a Rhino...
                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                  Meanwhile the Krokodile keep shooting and the cavalry continue to wheel...
                                                                                                                                                      Their cavalry get in among the Krokodile...
                                                                                                                                                          who are saved by the Hellhorn infantry sacrifice...
                                                                                                                                                      AND the cavalry get torn apart by the Krokodile archers...
                                                                                                                                                          AND the Empty Circle scouts jump General Whitemane...
                                                                                                                                                              but Whitemane and Batbyar survive...

                                                                                                                                                  Khut collects A LOT of horsemeat...
                                                                                                                                                      AND Ithunn has a group of fanatical amazon fan-girls...
                                                                                                                                                          She gets a lot of "Sign my horn!"
                                                                                                                                                      AND Horgrim is deliriously happy for the victory...
                                                                                                                                                          He tells us they bought OUR beasts from the Bent Blades...
                                                                                                                                                              Over the Hill...
                                                                                                                                                                  We go pay them a visit...
                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                  We roll in to the Bent Blade camp...
                                                                                                                                                      To find that Squee already has them wrapped around her VERY little finger...
                                                                                                                                                          Vadim talks up Nergui's, the Bent Blade, cow-snatching skills...
                                                                                                                                                          We caught them cold and dead to rights...
                                                                                                                                                              AND with some smooth talking from Ado...
                                                                                                                                                                  230 Bent Blade scouts (Horse thief) join our little band...
                                                                                                                                                                  AND we get all 24 beasts back...
                                                                                                                                                                  PLUS the 36 they brought with them...
                                                                                                                                                      We sent couriers back to the Gray Lady...
                                                                                                                                                          telling her that we found some skystones...
                                                                                                                                                              and food, and she should come join us...
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                  We book it North and catch up with the caravan...
                                                                                                                                                      During a Lightning Storm...
                                                                                                                                                          There is a stampede...while rounding them up we find...
                                                                                                                                                              5 fine Hornbeasts show up...with Malik brands...
                                                                                                                                                                  Apparently belonged to the Cataphracts of the Malik empire...
                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                  We start trying to integrate our new, mismatched Tribe...
                                                                                                                                                          Sorq goes to talk with Hundreds...who is up to her ears in refugees...
                                                                                                                                                              Ado and Squee jump in with some work songs...
                                                                                                                                                              Ithunn takes her Amazons and begins training them...
                                                                                                                                                                  in a very erotic and entertaining combat-dance...
                                                                                                                                                          Khadagan loads up a pair of wagons with a mobile herb-garden...
                                                                                                                                                              He plants Cackleaway, Sourgrass, and a couple Firestarter Bushes...
                                                                                                                                                          Vadim chats with Hulagu...
                                                                                                                                                              Learns the Chinua ran off to the Boneyards with a pacel of outriders...
                                                                                                                                                              Hulagu asks for help collecting salt from the salt flats...
                                                                                                                                                                  Breaks Like Wind rounds up some tradestoners and heads out...

                                                                                                                                                  Vadim and Khut round everyone up and ride off after Chinua...
                                                                                                                                                      We follow them to the khurgan burial mounds of the "Bone Yards"...
                                                                                                                                                          We follow the tracks towards the oldest dolmens...
                                                                                                                                                              Sorq deciphers the moss-covered ancient ruins...
                                                                                                                                                                  The final resting place of Khan Gen'Shihir...
                                                                                                                                                                      and also his mount, and his wind beast...
                                                                                                                                                              There is a giant stone blocking the passage...the block is brand new...
                                                                                                                                                                  and the tracks go STRAIT IN...
                                                                                                                                                                  We tie a rhino too it...then Sorq explodes it as we goose the Rhino...
                                                                                                                                                                      AND we're in...
                                                                                                                                                                          AND another big rock closes us in...

                                                                                                                                                  We enter a big antechamber with bass-relief depictions of steppefolk at war...
                                                                                                                                                      The story of the betrayal of Gen'Shahir Khan to the Shahanshar of the Malik...
                                                                                                                                                          Sorq creates some flaming cat lights...
                                                                                                                                                          Khut finds tracks going left...into a workers chamber...
                                                                                                                                                              Big boulders fallen in from the roof...remnants of a recent camp...
                                                                                                                                                                  4 days of rations are there (they took a week)...
                                                                                                                                                                  Strange pinging and clicking noises...
                                                                                                                                                          A rock moves...It surprises people...
                                                                                                                                                              except Khut who hits it, and hits it again, and hits it again...
                                                                                                                                                                  It swings back and whiffs...
                                                                                                                                                              Khadagan crams firestarter bush chips in the crack left by Khut's axe...
                                                                                                                                                                  AND Sorq blows it up with fire...
                                                                                                                                                                  AND Squee blows it up with Shatter...
                                                                                                                                                                  AND Ithunn leaps in, kicks it down, and starts beating...
                                                                                                                                                                      But it stands up and punches her into a wall...and vanishes...
                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                  Khadagan points out that the rock-monster is a spirit...
                                                                                                                                                      We all light up a bowl of Yokeleaf and start tripping...
                                                                                                                                                          We appear to be in a smooth hall of solid-gold (on-reflective) walls...
                                                                                                                                                              Sounds of tinkling fountains...
                                                                                                                                                          A tall, square-chinned steppefolk in fancy armor greets us...
                                                                                                                                                              We chat it up with Ja'Lin (he's gellin like a felon)...
                                                                                                                                                              He leads us into a gorgeous pleasure dome with a crystal ceiling...
                                                                                                                                                                  With an unbelievable greenhouse/garden of unrecognizable plants...
                                                                                                                                                          Sorq busts out a gilded, landshark-bone flute...
                                                                                                                                                              tries to propitiate the spirits with song...
                                                                                                                                                          Ja'Lin offers us baths and summons two malik servants to assist us...
                                                                                                                                                              Khut looks at everyone like they are insane when they start bathing...
                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                  NEXT TIME:  Ado pees in the pool in Xanadu
                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                  Monday, September 14, 2015

                                                                                                                                                  One Character, Nine Systems: Part 8

                                                                                                                                                  Last week, I proposed an experiment of generating the same character in nine different editions/variations of the D&D game. In the first post we introduced Junco Eliade, now it's time to give him some crunch. In this iteration we'll use:


                                                                                                                                                  The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is published by Paizo, Inc. and it a direct successor of D&D 3rd Edition. While not under the Dungeons and Dragons brand, Pathfinder has in some ways supplanted D&D in popularity among the tabletop gaming populace and has achieved remarkable commercial success. Mechanically, the first release of Pathfinder is almost identical to the revised 3rd edition (v3.5) of D&D, but has carried on 3rd edition's legacy of having numerous expansions and optional rules, causing it to deviate significantly from the 3e core in its current incarnation. As a third-party product, Pathfinder is published under the 3rd edition Open Gaming License, and thus all of the rules from its many, many accessories are publicly available. For the sake of this experiment, we will assume all Paizo-published materials released under the OGL and the Pathfinder brand to be in scope, and will be using the d20pfsrd.com as our primary source.

                                                                                                                                                  Race: Dwarf
                                                                                                                                                  Unlike 3rd-edition, Pathfinder takes a stance of making races highly customizable, rather than bogging down with defining dozens of subraces. Players and GMs are given a single "Dwarf" race, with dozens of alternate racial traits which can be mixed and matched to create exactly the subrace or combination of abilities desired for a given character.
                                                                                                                                                  Class: Cleric (Scroll Scholar) 2nd / Fighter (Lore Warden) 1st
                                                                                                                                                  Pathfinder follows the same rules for multi-classing as 3rd edition. The 3rd edition concepts of alternate class features and replacement levels have been subsumed into a new concept of "Archetypes". Class archetypes are thematic packages that replace one or more abilities of a core class to make them fit a specific theme. These are very similar to 2nd Editions "Kits", but, unlike kits, a character may have any number of archetypes for his class(es) so long as they do not modify or replace the same features. Given Junco's role as a scholar, he will be taking the Scroll Scholar archetype for his Cleric class, and the scholarly Lore Warden archetype as a Fighter.
                                                                                                                                                  "Character" Level: 3rd
                                                                                                                                                  Minimum XP: 7500 / 5000 / 3300
                                                                                                                                                  Pathfinder has three different rates for character advancement, to suit the GMs needs depending on the desired speed of leveling in the game. The three "minimum XP" numbers listed correspond to the Slow, Medium, and Fast leveling charts respectively.
                                                                                                                                                  Alignment:  Lawful Neutral
                                                                                                                                                  Hit Dice: 8+1d8+1d10+9
                                                                                                                                                  Average Hit Points:  27
                                                                                                                                                  Stats:
                                                                                                                                                  • Str: 9 -- -1 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  • Dex: 16  -- +3 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  • Con: 17 -- +3 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  • Int: 16 -- +3 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  • Wis: 13 -- +1 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  • Cha: 6 -- -2 modifier
                                                                                                                                                  Dwarves in Pathfinder gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom, in addition to the Constitution and Charisma modifiers in D&D 3rd edition.
                                                                                                                                                  Dwarf Abilities:  
                                                                                                                                                  1. Dwarves are both tough and wise, but also a bit gruff. They gain +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, and –2 Charisma.
                                                                                                                                                  2. Dwarves are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
                                                                                                                                                  3. Dwarves are humanoids with the dwarf subtype.
                                                                                                                                                  4. Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
                                                                                                                                                  5. Dwarves begin play speaking Common and Dwarven. Dwarves with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
                                                                                                                                                  6. Dwarves can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
                                                                                                                                                  7. Dwarves gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
                                                                                                                                                  8. Dwarves gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.
                                                                                                                                                  9. Dwarves gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes because of their special training against these hated foes.
                                                                                                                                                  10. Dwarves gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.
                                                                                                                                                  11. Dwarves are proficient with battleaxes, heavy picks, and warhammers, and treat any weapon with the word “dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.
                                                                                                                                                  12. Dwarves are skilled at climbing and navigating narrow ledges. Dwarves with this racial trait are immune to altitude sickness and do not lose their Dexterity bonus to AC when making Climb or Acrobatics checks to cross narrow or slippery surfaces.
                                                                                                                                                  13. Dwarves keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies. They can make such skill checks untrained.
                                                                                                                                                                  As mentioned previously, races in Pathfinder have many options for customization. To reflect Junco's scholarly nature, as well as referenced exploration of mountain-top ruins, the typical dwarven Greed and Stability abilities were swapped for increased skill in climbing and history (#12 and #13 above).

                                                                                                                                                                  Cleric Abilities:
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Clerics are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Clerics are also proficient with the favored weapon of their deities.
                                                                                                                                                                    2. A cleric casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. However, his alignment may restrict him from casting certain spells opposed to his moral or ethical beliefs; a cleric can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own (a Lawful cleric cannot cast spells with the Chaotic descriptor). A cleric must choose and prepare his spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, a cleric must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a cleric’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier.
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Prepare and cast 4 0th-level spells per day.
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Prepare and cast 3 1st-level spells per day, plus 1 1st-level Domain spell.
                                                                                                                                                                    3. If your cleric is not devoted to a particular deity, select two domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities. The restriction on alignment domains still applies. Each domain gives your cleric access to a domain spell at each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up, as well as a granted power. Your cleric gets the granted powers of both the domains selected. With access to two domain spells at a given spell level, a cleric prepares one or the other each day in his domain spell slot. If a domain spell is not on the cleric spell list, a cleric can prepare it only in his domain spell slot.
                                                                                                                                                                      1. KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN
                                                                                                                                                                        • Granted Powers: 
                                                                                                                                                                          • You treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
                                                                                                                                                                          • At 1st level, a scroll scholar chooses one Knowledge skill. This becomes a class skill if it is not already one. The scroll scholar adds half her class level to all Knowledge checks of this type (Religion). At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a scroll scholar chooses 1 additional Knowledge skill to receive this bonus.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Knowledge Domain Spells:
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Comprehend Languages
                                                                                                                                                                      2. TRAVEL/EXPLORATION DOMAIN
                                                                                                                                                                        • Granted Powers: 
                                                                                                                                                                          • Increase your base speed by 10 feet.
                                                                                                                                                                          • Door Sight (Su): You can lay your hand upon any surface and see what is on the other side, as if using clairvoyance. Using this power takes 1 minute, during which time you must be touching the surface you want to see through. You can keep looking for as long as 10 minutes with each use of this power, but must touch the surface and take no other action the entire time. The surface cannot be thicker than 6 inches plus 1 inch per cleric level you possess. You can use this power a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Travel/Exploration Domain Spells
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Expeditious Retreat
                                                                                                                                                                    4. Spontaneous Casting: A cleric who is neither good nor evil can convert prepared spells to either cure spells or inflict spells (player’s choice), depending on whether the cleric is more proficient at wielding positive or negative energy. Once the player makes this choice, it cannot be reversed. This choice also determines whether the cleric turns or commands undead (see below). 
                                                                                                                                                                    5. Channel Energy (Su): Regardless of alignment, any cleric can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her holy symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled and the creatures targeted. A good cleric (or a neutral cleric who worships a good deity) channels positive energy and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures. Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the cleric. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two cleric levels beyond 1st. Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the cleric's level + the cleric's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. A cleric may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A cleric can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect.
                                                                                                                                                                    6. Bonus Languages: A cleric’s bonus language options include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal (the languages of good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil outsiders, respectively). These choices are in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of his race.
                                                                                                                                                                      Spellcasting in Pathfinder is identical to 3rd edition, luckily the additional +2 Wisdom granted to Dwarves slightly offsets Junco's limitations from the previous incarnation, allowing him to cast spells of up to 3rd level (should he advance that far). In addition, his increased Wisdom allows him to prepare one more 1st level spell per day than his 3rd-edition counterpart.

                                                                                                                                                                      Unfortunately, despite the advantages granted by his increased Wisdom, the new Channel Energy ability in Pathfinder is highly dependent on Charisma. Thus, despite the increased Wisdom, Junco is still crippled somewhat in his performance as a Cleric due to his random ability scores.

                                                                                                                                                                      Fighter Abilities:
                                                                                                                                                                        1. A fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, but no shields.
                                                                                                                                                                        2. Lore wardens gain 2 additional skill ranks each level. These ranks must be spent on Intelligence-based skills. All Intelligence-based skills are class skills for lore wardens.
                                                                                                                                                                        3. At 1st level, a fighter gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets.
                                                                                                                                                                        There are no restrictions on weapons or armor from combining the Cleric with other classes in Pathfinder. The Lore Warden archetype restricts the armor available to Junco from his Fighter class, but in combination with his Cleric levels, his only net loss is the ability to use Heavy armor.


                                                                                                                                                                        Attack Rolls:  +2 Base Attack Bonus
                                                                                                                                                                        Saving Throws:
                                                                                                                                                                        • Fortitude:  +8
                                                                                                                                                                        • Reflex:  +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Willpower:  +4
                                                                                                                                                                        Junco's saving throws and attack bonus in Pathfinder are identical to 3rd edition, save for the slight improvement to Will saves from his increased Wisdom score.

                                                                                                                                                                        Skills: 
                                                                                                                                                                        Skills in Pathfinder are almost identical to 3rd edition. The one significant change is that any skill can be purchased on a 1:1 basis, with no doubling for non-class skills. Skills that are Class skills gain a +3 bonus to checks if the character has at least 1 rank in that skill, encouraging greater diversification.

                                                                                                                                                                        Junco gains a number of skill points equal to 2 + his Intelligence modifier from each of his Cleric and Fighter levels, with none of the complex multiplying of 3rd edition, plus an additional 2 points per Fighter level from the Lore Warden archetype, giving him a total of 17 skill points. 

                                                                                                                                                                        Junco's class skills as a Cleric are:  Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).. His class skills as a Fighter are Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
                                                                                                                                                                        • Acrobatics (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Appraise (1 point): +7
                                                                                                                                                                        • Bluff (untrained): -2
                                                                                                                                                                        • Climb (1 point): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Craft (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Diplomacy (untrained): -2
                                                                                                                                                                        • Disguise (untrained): -2
                                                                                                                                                                        • Escape Artist (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Fly (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Heal (1 point): +5
                                                                                                                                                                        • Intimidate (untrained): -2
                                                                                                                                                                        • Knowledge - Geography (1 point): +7
                                                                                                                                                                        • Knowledge - History (3 points): +10
                                                                                                                                                                        • Knowledge - Religion (3 points): +10
                                                                                                                                                                        • Knowledge - Planes (1 point): +8
                                                                                                                                                                        • Linguistics (3 points): +9
                                                                                                                                                                        • Perception (untrained): +1
                                                                                                                                                                        • Perform (untrained): -2
                                                                                                                                                                        • Ride (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Sense Motive (1 point): +5
                                                                                                                                                                        • Sleight of Hand (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Spellcraft (1 point): +7
                                                                                                                                                                        • Stealth (untrained): +3
                                                                                                                                                                        • Survival (1 point): +5
                                                                                                                                                                        • Swim (untrained): -1
                                                                                                                                                                        Another significant change of note is that the Linguistics skill grants knowledge of a new language for every point spent in it. Thus, with three points in Linguistics, plus 3 bonus languages for his Intelligence, and the starting Common and Dwarvish, this version of Junco is up to 8 languages. Still a bit less than the 11 he had in AD&D, but much closer than was possible in 2nd or 3rd.

                                                                                                                                                                        Traits:
                                                                                                                                                                        Traits are a new feature introduced with Pathfinder. Traits work similar to feats, though grant roughly half the bonus that a feat would, and often have a more directly background-flavor oriented design. Characters in Pathfinder gain a number of traits when they are created determined by the GM to match the intended power-level of the campaign, with 2 traits being typical. 
                                                                                                                                                                        • Scholar of the Great Beyond: Your greatest interests as a child did not lie with current events or the mundane—you have always felt out of place, as if you were born in the wrong era. You take to philosophical discussions of the Great Beyond and of historical events with ease. Benefits: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (planes) checks, and one of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Propitiation: Your knowledge of the gods tells you precisely which gods have jurisdiction over which aspects of your life, and you can call upon the appropriate deity for help even if that deity is not your patron. Benefits: At the start of each day, pick one of the following skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (pick one craft skill), Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Knowledge (local). You gain a +2 trait bonus on that skill until the start of the next day.

                                                                                                                                                                        Feats:
                                                                                                                                                                        Feats in Pathfinder work exactly like those in 3rd edition, with the same limitations. Characters gain 1 feat at 1st level, plus one every odd-numbered level thereafter. With one bonus feat from his Fighter levels, Junco has a total of three feats to use. Junco's feat choices from 3rd edition also exist in Pathfinder and work exactly the same way (save that Scribe Scroll no longer requires an expenditure of experience points). We will keep them for the sake of consistency.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Scribe Scroll: You can create a scroll of any spell that you know. Scribing a scroll takes 2 hours if its base price is 250 gp or less, otherwise scribing a scroll takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. To scribe a scroll, you must use up raw materials costing half of this base price.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Weapon Focus (Staff): You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.
                                                                                                                                                                        • Rapid Reload (Heavy Crossbow): The time required for you to reload your chosen type of crossbow is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow) or a move action (for a heavy crossbow). Reloading a crossbow still provokes an attack of opportunity.


                                                                                                                                                                        Sunday, September 13, 2015

                                                                                                                                                                        The Exodus: Session 12

                                                                                                                                                                        Horray for Omelettes!

                                                                                                                                                                        Vadim is wandering through the mist...
                                                                                                                                                                            He smells the boiled-cabage scent of a gorgon...
                                                                                                                                                                            He goes kackle-mode and follows the scent...
                                                                                                                                                                            He finds a gorgon, stuck in the mud, bellowing...
                                                                                                                                                                                He freezes the ground and tries to free the creature...
                                                                                                                                                                                Swarms of landsharks are around...

                                                                                                                                                                        We all awake to Vadim bellowing (waking from a dream)...
                                                                                                                                                                            There is white dust on Vadim...
                                                                                                                                                                            We are in the mudflats left behind after the monsoon tarns...
                                                                                                                                                                            Burning cursed Khort keeps the Holy Mountain Beasts coralled...
                                                                                                                                                                            We see Altan running for the herds...
                                                                                                                                                                                Vadim bolts out the door...
                                                                                                                                                                                    "I guess this is a no pants day"

                                                                                                                                                                        Wettooth peas growing around the corrals...
                                                                                                                                                                            The big bull HMB rears and stomps...
                                                                                                                                                                            The mamas stand guard over the calves...
                                                                                                                                                                            Except in the HMB corral, where they appear dry...
                                                                                                                                                                                Like something feeding on their roots...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut rushes in, sight obscured by the smoke...
                                                                                                                                                                                Lights a torch and shoves it in a crack in the mud looking around...
                                                                                                                                                                            Squee rushes in and finds a blood-trail leading to one of the calves...
                                                                                                                                                                                Heals him quick-like...

                                                                                                                                                                        The mudflasts buckle in a line heading for the HMB calf...
                                                                                                                                                                            Barruk rushes in and stands right in the path...
                                                                                                                                                                                A fully grown, emaciated landshark breaks the surface...
                                                                                                                                                                                    Barruk lands a solid swing on it...
                                                                                                                                                                                    Then it crashes into the baby...
                                                                                                                                                                                        Only to anger the mama who starts stomping...
                                                                                                                                                                                            Knocking everyone flat...
                                                                                                                                                                                    It hurls past Barruk, and Ithunn who tries to look scary...
                                                                                                                                                                                        And CHOMPS the calf...

                                                                                                                                                                        Khut instinctively runs for high ground...
                                                                                                                                                                            The highest ground is obviously the Bull...
                                                                                                                                                                                He tries to climb it...
                                                                                                                                                                                    and narrowly avoids getting stomped...
                                                                                                                                                                                    but the big feet open up the tunnels below...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khadagan leaps at the landshark and, Raging, tries to hold its jaws shut...
                                                                                                                                                                            Barruk leaps onto its back, and hacks at its neck...
                                                                                                                                                                            Squee does a hilarious hippo impression...viciously mocking the landshark...
                                                                                                                                                                            Ado leaps into the Landshark's mouth...and sings a lullaby to the calf...
                                                                                                                                                                                Who shall henceforth be known as "THUMPER"...
                                                                                                                                                                            Ithunn leaps in and kicks the landshark backward away from the calf...
                                                                                                                                                                                Right under the feet of the stomping Bull...
                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                        Khadagan leaps in after it...and stabs it in the pants...
                                                                                                                                                                            Its viscera spill out into the muck...but it keeps coming...
                                                                                                                                                                            Barruk tries to leap out...and falls on its head, decapitating it...
                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                        Khut runs and knocks over the nearest bundle of khort...
                                                                                                                                                                            Choking and hacking as he does it...
                                                                                                                                                                            Vadim makes friends with the mama....
                                                                                                                                                                                rides the HMBs off to get some fodder...
                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                        Sorq and Ithunn collect a lot of landshark eggs from the holes....
                                                                                                                                                                                and make lots of omelets...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut cuts up the adult and makes a really, really nice cloak...
                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                        Ado takes Thumper to meet Ganbaatar...
                                                                                                                                                                            suggesting that Thumper could be trained for war...

                                                                                                                                                                        We go talk to Altan...round up his herd and the second brood HMB...
                                                                                                                                                                            We head south to seek out the Gray Lady...
                                                                                                                                                                            AND a sleeping landshark that Vadim detected...
                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                        Khut rides off to try to wake up and draw the shark's attention...
                                                                                                                                                                            Then Ado drops a Thunderwave to draw it in on himself...
                                                                                                                                                                                The Shark bursts up, swallows Ado whole, and dives...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut and Ithunn dive down the hole after it...
                                                                                                                                                                                Ithunn lights up a huge chamber...
                                                                                                                                                                                    The back wall glistens with hundreds of eggs...
                                                                                                                                                                                    The big, mama landshark digs its claws in...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND Ithunn grabs its tail and chases it up out of the whole...
                                                                                                                                                                                    Barruk and Khad swing for it, and create a mighty breeze of whiffing...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND Vadim rushes in on his Rhino...knocking it down and stomping it...
                                                                                                                                                                                    Vadim leaps in the hole as the Rhino goes over...
                                                                                                                                                                                        AND belly-flops in the mud...
                                                                                                                                                                                        AND Squee jumps down and lands on him...
                                                                                                                                                                                            Ado gets up and uses them as a human ladder to climb out...
                                                                                                                                                                                                and narrowly avoids getting eaten again...
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                        Sorq's cat, Alev, leaps into the launches some flames at the eggs...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut runs over and shoots up out of the hole...
                                                                                                                                                                                Tagging its tail as it swings past over the hole...
                                                                                                                                                                            AND Khadagan slides in and opens its belly...
                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                        We climb down and collect the eggs...put them on ice...
                                                                                                                                                                            With the intent of leaving them as traps (17 live eggs)...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut cuts up mama for food...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND discovers that Landshark eggs are THE MOST DELICIOUS THING EVER!
                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                        We catch the Gray Lady a half-day's journey outside of Vohu Mana
                                                                                                                                                                            Ado leads the way in...and runs into Krokodile outriders...
                                                                                                                                                                                Who inform him that they are STARVING...
                                                                                                                                                                                    They've lost several people...
                                                                                                                                                                                We roll in and cook up some Landshark soup...
                                                                                                                                                                            Vadim brings a hardboiled Landshark egg to the Gray Lady...
                                                                                                                                                                                Turns out they've been living on Krokodile eggs for a few days...
                                                                                                                                                                                The Gray Lady is pissed off...
                                                                                                                                                                                    We negotiate food & transport to Vohu Mana & 2 mating HMBs...
                                                                                                                                                                                    The Gray Lady quickens "Little Foot"...
                                                                                                                                                                                        Lots of bad smells, sacrificed eggs...
                                                                                                                                                                                            and she's nearly unconcious after...
                                                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                        We hear a ruckus from the Krokodile...
                                                                                                                                                                            Find out that 24 of their hornbeasts have been stolen...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut looks for tracks...
                                                                                                                                                                                finds that the Warbler curse markers have been bypassed...
                                                                                                                                                                                Blob of reddish paint...
                                                                                                                                                                                Clear tracks hornbeast tracks...and one stepfolk mocassin print...
                                                                                                                                                                            Khut hits the ground running...and chases down a small Malik caravan...
                                                                                                                                                                                2 wagons...6 Malik guards...2 massive 10-ft. tall lumbering Malik...
                                                                                                                                                                                    AND the carve-horned, giant malik are clearly not alive...
                                                                                                                                                                                    AND they have way more hornbeasts than they should...
                                                                                                                                                                                        Definitely the stolen ones, but only 6 of them

                                                                                                                                                                        Barruk and Squee ride in and greet them...
                                                                                                                                                                            The black-robed leader-malik refers to things in the East as...
                                                                                                                                                                                    "deeply untroubled"? (does he like the Empty Circle?)
                                                                                                                                                                                Says he bought the hornbeasts for "a song" from...
                                                                                                                                                                                    Red-skinned, horned steppefolk...who lit out north...
                                                                                                                                                                            Barruk mentions "Brands"...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND Khut rolls in at full speed and smears a guard with a Rhino...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND Barruk clocks the Malik-sorcerer with a branding smite...
                                                                                                                                                                                    The sorcerer disappears...reappearing and blasting Khut off his beast...
                                                                                                                                                                                        AND then Ado silences him...
                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                        Sorqutani vanishes, reappears right beside the sorcerer...
                                                                                                                                                                            AND he goes rigid...and Alev climbs into his robe and starts biting...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND Khadagan leaps into the silence and guts him...
                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                        Barruk is surrounded by five dudes and two zombies...
                                                                                                                                                                            AND wrecks a zombie with his flaming hammer...
                                                                                                                                                                            A guard retaliates...and Barruk turns to water for a second...
                                                                                                                                                                                AND the axe splashes through him harmlessly...
                                                                                                                                                                                    BECAUSE the spirit of Drowned River loves us...
                                                                                                                                                                            Vadim rushes in and smears a zombie with a Rhino...
                                                                                                                                                                            Squee calls up clouds of swirling daggers around Barruk...
                                                                                                                                                                                Ado thorn-whips a zombie through the blade barriers...
                                                                                                                                                                                    AND then Vadim crushes it with his Rhino...
                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                        Ado, who has been being beaten on by two of the guards...
                                                                                                                                                                            RUNS and hides under a wagon...but still gets a javelin in the ass...
                                                                                                                                                                                He tries a shot at one of the guards...and knocks out Barruk instead...

                                                                                                                                                                        NEXT TIME:
                                                                                                                                                                            Interrogate 2 captured Malik guards - from Vahu Mana
                                                                                                                                                                            Chase down Hellhorns...