Drake - Part 2

I was so surprised I thought that my heart would jump right from my throat. He put his hand on my shoulder firmly. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to escape, so I did what any moderately intelligent youth would do in a situation that he knew he could not get out of…I fainted.

The next thing I knew I was laying next to a fire in the middle of the woods. I had never really been out of the city, so I was both scared, and helpless. Greyson finally spoke in a low gruff voice, “You owe me boy. You are going to help me in what ever way I command, and in return, I will teach you to survive on your own - without stealing.” I rolled over and looked to the sky; before that moment the stars never seemed as bright as they did that night. I thought to myself, what did I have to lose?

The next day the work began; Greyson was impressed with my already honed skills for prowling and sneaking. Initially, he wanted me to do nothing besides look for hazards and scout ahead looking for deer and the like. However, each day he showed me that there was always more for me to learn. He taught me how to look for the most brittle of twigs that could make a noise, and how to move with the breeze to disguise my noise.

Greyson also taught me how to fire a bow. I must admit, I was a natural. However, he would not ever let me stop practicing. I was required to fire two hundred shots before breakfast. My arms and back would be on fire, but I am now glad that he put me through that agony. Greyson never talked much, which suited me just fine. I tend to prefer silence over mindless chatter, but since he never talked much I did learn to pick up on non-verbal cues much better. A couple of years passed, in which I was purely a scout for Greyson. I would look for game to hunt and sneak up close enough to find the weakest or the oldest, and then I was forced to allow either Dorian or Greyson to get dinner. We would visit small town and large during our travels, but only at night, and only to re-supply or to sell animal skins. Greyson was always sure to be out of town by day break when he would do is morning meditation.
This was the time in my life where I began to seek purpose. Greyson taught me in the ways that Obad-Hai wishes his disciples to behave. Obad-Hai teaches that one should live in harmony with nature, and that those who would damage the natural balance deserve swift vengeance. This was a concept that I could get behind. There are other deities that are also protectors of nature such as Ehlonna’s, but Obad-Hai's faith is colder and less compassionate than Ehlonna's. We believe that death should be in balance with life. As such, when followers of the Shalm hunt, we target the weak and sickly first.

A year past, and I had truly become a follower of Obad-Hai. My place was not in a chapel preaching to men, but in the wilderness and the shadows…looking for evil to quell. One day Greyson came to me and told me that I would be allowed to go on my first solo hunt. Dorian seemed like he did not approve. I was filled with excitement. I set out immediately. I wish I had stayed to listen what he wanted to tell me, but the mission…for me it’s always the mission.

I prowled through the forest for hours trying to find the perfect trophy kill to impress my mentor, but a strange feeling came over me. Something was not right within the forest, I felt as though the area was tainted some way. At that moment, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an animal, alone with a crippled leg. It was a beautiful buck, a 14 point, I would be a hero. It was fleeing, but would not last more than a day or two in those woods. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the leaves were shuddering in the wind, the cool breeze was blowing, and the sounds of the forest went silent. I tried to clear my mind, preparing to put the animal out of its misery, but a small image entered my mind. It was an unusual track that I had noticed and let slip by. I couldn’t flush the image, and I decided to go back to find it. Something within me was compelled to leave the perfect kill and investigate the tracks.

After a few moments I located the tracks, and I cautiously followed the tracks, making sure that I did not leave tracks of my own, I remained stealth, and I did not want to be surprised. I came to a small clearing and saw two strange creatures surrounding an old doe. They were unlike anything I had ever seen. The bodies were a tangle of twigs, branches, and small bits of wood. Two arms jut out from their stunted, wooden bodies, each one ended in a three-fingered claw. Each had a pair of red glowing eyes that radiated from within their lifeless sockets. Initially, I wanted to just watch as these creatures cornered this weak and feeble prey, however, it just felt wrong, unnatural.

I fired an arrow and split one in twain. I moved forward and fired another arrow. The second shrugged off the attack. The old doe remained still, paralyzed with fright. Within moments, a half dozen of these creatures sprang forth from the woods and began to surround me. I fought valiantly, however each time I was scratched by one of those creatures I felt heavier and heavier, until I was unable to move. I could feel the poison coursing through my veins as I hit my back. I tragic way to end an eventful life is to be a hero. I suppose I knew better, but the heart sometimes gets the better of the mind.

As I looked up and saw the eerie red eyes surrounding me…knowing that my last moments were the ones I was living at that moment, something amazing happened. What appeared to be an elven woman, but unfathomably perfect and beautiful stepped forth from nothing. She was so physically that my first glance at her stunned me. The next thing I remember was her kissing my forehead before I fell unconscious.
When I awoke, it felt like déjà vu. Dorian was panting above my face, and Greyson was tending to the fire. Greyson said I was out of luck in my life time. He had spared my life, a nymph had given me her favor, and I was still breathing. At the time, I wasn’t really sure what that meant, but I know now that every second of my life is lived liked it could be my last.

Time passed as it does and I noticed little things about myself that were different. I was happier, I was more receptive to learning, but most unusual of all I could talk to animals, and even the trees from time to time. This was a secret I kept from Greyson, but in retrospect, I had a feeling he knew.

One beautiful day I was in my favorite tree enjoying the sunset, when a squirrel came to join me. The small creature was anxious, so I tried giving it some food too calm it, yet it refused. I looked deeply into its eyes and tried to talk to it, but only two words came through…GREYSON…HELP. I leapt from the branch to the ground and began running to our camp. I could see the flames in the distance and began to panic. I forgot everything I had been taught, my master, my mentor…my father, was in danger. As I approached the camp, I saw a figure in horridly arcane garb. His skin was pale, and his eyes were lifeless. He stood over Greysons limp body with an evil smirk on his face…

Drake: The Man, the Myth, the Legend (Part 1)

I know very little about who I really am or where I came from. As long as I can remember, I have been alone in the world. That may sound like quite a sad existence, but to be honest, there is a peace that comes with solitude. As far as I can tell my family was Rhenee. I mean, I look like they do, but, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about being one. I have a few friends that I consider family, although I couldn’t tell you if I actually have any siblings or blood relatives. I suppose it is possible that I don’t have a mother either, but I find that theory to be a bit suspect.

As a very young child I remember getting scraps of food from the kind older women who attended church, but as my cuteness faded, and my stench grew, such kindness became less frequent. I was a street urchin; an orphan with no home to call my own and an odd desire to survive as such. It was during this time that I learned how to use my natural abilities to help me make ends meet. Theft worked well, which is embarrassing to admit. Fortunately for me, I learned at a very early age that it was not the biggest and the strongest that made it on the streets (no offence meat shields), but the smartest. I don’t know what sort of blessings the star of my birth bestowed upon me, but I am very fortunate that wit was one of them. I spent my time learning the streets and alleys of Greyhawk. I would play games with myself; like trying to get as close to people without them noticing as I could, unlocking old doors and sneaking about peoples cellars in the night. I thought I was as skilled as Nerof Gasgal. However, such is the fantasy of youth. I stole food, and anything shiny I could get my hands on. Nooly Hoppertoss is a gnomish fence that helped me unload my merchandise. Now that I am older I know how badly he ripped me off, but I guess I can’t blame him since he also looked after my back for my many years on the streets. Remember that comment about family? Well he is one of those people. He is now “retired” and living out in the Celadon Forrest. He has a nice little cottage; it’s funny what you can afford after 15 years of fencing stolen goods.

As I got a bit older I became intrigued with magic. I knew some of the privileged children whose families could afford to send them to learn the ways of wizardry; I was just as smart, if not smarter then they were. However, I had no sponsor, no benefactor, no means to afford entry into a school. There was a short time where I thought I may have a chance to study. I became close friends with a young boy named Mosenrat. He came from a privileged family no doubt. His father was an adventurer so he seldom was home. The boy was tended to by his aunt, since his mother died during child birth. Mosenrat was and still is very cocky. In a way, I consider him my brother, however, we are no longer on speaking terms…I apologize…I will not bore you with my personal problems. To make a long story short, Mosenrat’s aunt was not a fan of mine. She didn’t think that a child without a home was destined to study magic. Yet, I did not let that shatter my dream. So instead I did what any foolhardy child would do, I obsessed. I read every page I could find on the subject. I found myself trying to look into the windows of mages. I even tried to hang around magic shops in hopes that someone could see something in me to give me a chance. However, no such chance ever came. Time continued to pass as it does, and rather than obsession, my feelings toward mages became bitter; such a childish way of thinking in retrospect.

I suppose I was about 13 when I first met Greyson. He was a weathered angry looking old Half-Elf, always bringing skins, meat and furs to trade late in the night. He would always approach his customer’s accompanied by his large wolf companion Dorian. It was very unusual, but they had the exact same eyes. I admired the patience of his gait, and his relative comfort under the cover of darkness. I started watching him from a distance at first, but as my youthful arrogance got the best of me, I tried to get closer and closer. It was odd, I felt like no matter what I did, I could never get his attention. Often people will turn their head quickly, or see you out of the corner of their eye when you skulk in the shadows, but Greyson never even flinched when I was close. This lack of attention fueled my next boneheaded, life-changing act. One night while he was ordering a meal, I decided I could sneak up on Greyson and snatch his purse. I was right, I did just that. However, by the time I made it back into the alley to count my spoils, I was greeted by a large wolf. When I panicked and turned around, I ran head first into Greyson.

“If Only I Had Taken Resistance to Cold!” - Agurro

Well, I hate to say it, but, the loss of Agurro was unexpected and unwelcome. Two cones of cold will do that do you, particularly if you've not had the chance to move out of the field of fire. . .but, I am getting ahead of myself.

Here is our recap of the last session:

The party returned to the bookstore known as The Reality Wrinkle, to finish the battle they had started the day before. It was fortuitous that the group did not spend time to allow the cultists to gather their forces, or, they would have had to fight a combined group of enemies from tow encounters. Arriving at the bookstore, the characters found the door open, but the first floor was empty. Given the choice of going up to the next floor or down to the basement, the party decided to block the basement door with a bookshelf and then head upstairs. Once they got to the third floor, the cultists, who were now prepared for a fight, unleashed another Wyste on the group. The alien creature blocked the hallway that led up from the stairs effectively and channeled the party into a single file. Wisely, the group decided to head back down the stairs to fight on their own terms, but, misfortune struck Orien, who had shapechanged into the form of an eagle. He found himself grappled by three of the wyste’s tentacles. The rest of the group tried to find a way into the room in order to lay the hurt down on the beast, but, with many trying and failing to overrun the aberration, most of the party ended up being knocked prone at the top of the stairs. Solanthos used his ability to shift to get into the room behind the wyste, but, he found himself surrounded by cultists, who pelted him with a number of magic missiles, taking him down to 4 hit points. In the meantime, Orien was partially swallowed by the wyste, with the resulting damage dropping him to negative hit points. Against the odds, Korik won a grapple check against the wyste was able to grab the talons of the unconscious and dying Orien, healing quite a bit of damage and restoring him to consciousness. While things looked pretty dire for a moment, good fortune did shine on the group. The eagle-formed druid was just barely able to claw his way out of the wyste’s gullet and Solanthos was able to get off a series of spells that destroyed the wyste and a number of the cultists. From that point on, Lianna, Gyrr and Ymir were able to make quick work of the remaining members.

The group then headed to the basement, where they fought and killed another gibbering mouther and the last three cultists in the building. There, they found two prisoners; Alein, the paladin of Heironeous, and a scout by the name of Drake. Drake asked to join your ranks and your group then headed to the inn to heal and rest.

It did not take long for word to spread of your exploits in the bookstore. That evening, you received an invitation to a banquet in your honor, sponsored by the merchants of Brindinford and numerous city officials. It was the town’s way of saying thank you for al of the deeds you have performed on their behalf, which, for the record, include:
• Saving many innocent people at the fair from an attack by wererats.
• Exterminating the wererat infestation at the bell tower.
• Putting an end to a string of murders in the southern part of town, and killing the grimlocks responsible.
• Rescuing the two paladins of Heironeous from the clutches of the alien cult known as “Those Who Hear”
• Destroying the cult members at the Reality Wrinkle.

After the banquet, and even though it was late into the evening, the party decided to head over to the cemetery to investigate the desecration of Lin’Thalus’ grave. On the way, you were ambushed by an ogre mage and a number of other assailants. There were assassins, rogues, a cult member and an evil cleric. The composition of the group demonstrates that the cult was perhaps working in tandem with some of the other sinister forces that you have battled. At the start of the battle, the Ogre mage was invisible. He used his surprise round to blast as many of you as possible with a cone of cold. After rolling for initiative, the ogre mage was able to go before several of you had the chance to go, thus poor Agurro taken down to -19 hit points. Korik too was seriously hurt, falling to -7 hit points and, even the sturdy Gyrr was taken aback by the damage inflicted on him, being taken down to 10 hit points eventually. Once again, you found yourselves in deep trouble. Mustering your courage and using your penchant for sound tactics, you fought back well. While nothing could be done to save the frozen Agurro, Orien was able to heal Korik before death claimed him. Solanthos sculpted a web that entrapped the ogre mage, who, while entangled, decided to use his invisibility power while fighting to get out of the morass of webs. The webbing also served as a buffer between most of your group and the rest of the enemies. Ymir waded into combat, raging and killing the two assassins that he targeted. Lianna and Drake pulled out bows and deftly took out a few others. Using his headband of see invisibility, Drake took the ogre mage down to a single it point, and finally, Solanthos, who had inflicted a devastating amount of damage on the ogre mage with his magic, killed him with a final spell. (Oh, and Gyrr got a kill or two in there somewhere too.)

There is some discussion amongst party members about the possibiity of paying for a true resurrection, for Agurro, at the church if Pelor in town. It stands that you will get a cut on the cost, thanks to all that you have done for Brindinford. You players will have to work that out.

Everyone is level 7. JJ has the loot list and you guys can determine amongst yourselves who gets what.

A few points of note:

1. The fight in the bookstore is the last fight that I know of, where your group will be bottlenecked in a 5-foot corridor. That first battle wit the wyste took quite a long time, and, in the future, when I can, I will create maps that offer a 10 foot wide hall, in order to take your group size in mind.
2. I think we can all agree that using minis on the projected maps is the way to go. I think I was able to alleviate a lot of the time I consumed by having to dick around with the electronic tokens.
3. Also, finally figuring out how to get rid of the auto scroll feature on the battle map sure did help prevent the map from bouncing around all over the place,
4. I think too, that getting rid of DMgenie was a bonus that helped speed things up from my end.

I will leave this recap posted until later in the week, and afterwards, JJ has prepared Drake’s background, which I will post for your reading pleasure. It will take several posts to complete the whole background.

See you all in a month for our next session.

Party Wipe. . .

. . .avoided. (Whew)

Now that I have your attention, let's look at what transpired during our June session.

Following the battle at the abandoned warehouse, the party buried Lin'Thalus and Gallameade in a nearby cemetery and then rested. At Gyrr's suggestion, Korik cast the spell, Speak with the Dead, on one of the grimloock assassins that you killed in the warehouse. The spell allowed Korik to ask three questions, but, the only useful information that you were able to glean was that the Grimlocks had planned to assault the local temple of Heironeous. So, to the temple you went. As the group crested a hill, a number of disgusting, writhing, worm-like creatures appeared to spawn out of the ground. Orien was able to sense that the large, purplish creatures were not natural. A battle ensued, with Solanthos successfully webbing three of the four creatures, known as Wystes. This was fortuitous for your company, as it kept a pair of the wystes at bay for quite some time. At one point in the melee, things looked dire. Both Korik and Orien were grappled by one of the beasts, while Gyrr and Ymir were pinioned by another. At the same time, Ymir was partially swallowed by a wyste. Solanthos' keen use of lightning bolts and magic missiles killed off a pair of the creatures, while Ymir killed a third and Orien's call lightning spell destroyed the other.


After the fight, the party was unable to catch its breath, as a scream pierced the afternoon sky, coming from the direction the temple of Heironeous. Rushing to investigate, the group came upon the scene, where a misty cloud enshrouded the temple. Working quickly, Orien attempted to discern whether the cloud around the temple was magical or not. His intuition was correct, as the magical nature of the cloud was revealed. Working in tandem, Agurro then cast a dispel magic that dissipated the cloud and revealed the source of the scream. Several hooded figures were attempting to carry off a shackled woman. Noticing the party, the men in hoods dropped their burden and began showering the newcomers with magic missiles. Their efforts were futile, as they party made quick work of them, saving one lone survivor for questioning. In response to the party's questions, the man babbled hysterically, referring to the end of the world. The woman, a paladin of Heironeous explained to the party that the man worked at a bookstore in town, called the Reality Wrinkle. After being freed from her shackles, she dispensed justice through her longsword, and asked the party to go to the bookstore to free her compatriot. . .a woman by the name of Alein. Alein was also a paladin of Heironeous.

Going to the bookstore, the party split up, with half of the group going through the front door, and the other half looking to go through the back door. Ymir, Solanthos and Orien stepped into the front, while Gyrr tried to break through the back. Gyrr's initial efforts were not only fruitless, but, they served to alert the clerk at the front of the store that the place was under assault. The clerk ran up the stairs to sound the alarm, while a disgusting amporphous creature with lots of eyes and mouths, oozed out into the store and began gibbering and spitting at the occupants of the room. Ymir and Solanthose were blinded, as was Agurro. Korik cast a silence spell on himself, so that the gibbering mouther's confusion effect would be negated. After a few rounds though, he realized that the silence was also preventing the party's spell casters from exercising their powers. He dispelled the silence shortly thereafter and the party was finally able to kill the thing.

After this battle, the party's casters have found themselves out of spells, save for a few level 0 and level 1 spells. Understanding the urgent need to find Alein, the party must consider continuing its investigattion in the bookstore, or, whether prudence should prevail and cause the group to rest for a day before coming back. . .

Of note:
There were only 6 characters in our latest session. David Wasserman was unable to attend, and so his ranger did not end up joining the group yet. Drake, the ranger/scout/rogue has not yet made an appearance either. The encounters that the party fought were already tailored to challenge a party of 8. I did not scale them back for a group of 6, thus they were very difficult. As such, I will not penalize the party for resting for 24 hours in order to regain spells etc.
The group earned a ton of experience, but, you are still about 1800 away from leveling. If we have a productive session next time, you should be able to reach 7th level, so, I would advise everyone to have 6th level and a 7th level sheet available for the next session.

And Now for the Don’ts

Now for the flip side; here are some things you should try to avoid doing at
the table:

1. Don’t hog the spotlight: If there are four players and a DM at the table, you should assume that you’re entitled to about one-quarter of the DM’s time. If you insist on being the character who scouts every tunnel, tackles every puzzle, talks to every NPC, and dictates the strategy for every fight, you’re being a bore. You’re not the star of the show; D&D is a movie with an ensemble cast, so you have to expect that sometimes other players will get good lines too. It is usually okay to take point on something that your character is the best at, or to role-play a long conversation that is of vital interest to your character, but remember that you’ve got the spotlight, and it is good to share it.

2. Don’t disrespect the other characters: Squabbling over the best magic items in treasure hoards, stealing from inattentive allies, or even trying to kill your fellow party members are staples for the less ethical. Ask yourself though, who wants to use their leisure time to play in a game where their characters get robbed or killed, or, where arguments amongst fellow players are the norm? So don’t slip the DM notes saying that your 10th-level rogue is going to pick the fighter’s pockets when he isn’t looking. Don’t threaten to vaporize your allies with a disintegrate spell if they don’t let you have the +4 ring of protection the evil wizard was wearing. Don’t sneer at people, or run down their characters, or generally go out of your way to let them know how stupid you think they are for being in the same game with you. It doesn’t play well in real life, and it is just as unwelcome at the gaming table.

3. Don’t be a poor loser: It is natural to want to be successful in the game. When things do not go your way, try not to take it personally. Sometimes your character is going to get killed in horrific and spectacular ways. It happens. I am sure most of you have seen more than a few players absolutely enraged by the death of a beloved character. If you play a long-running campaign and get attached to your alter ego in the D&D world, it is only natural to feel disappointed when the game does not go your way. Try to remember, if your character is never in any real danger, there isn’t all that much excitement to any game. On occasion, you are going to have a character get mauled, because the other 90 percent of the time, it is way more exciting to be worried about what is going to happen next.

4. Don’t argue with the DM : The Dungeon Master is not infallible. Sometimes I will remember a rule incorrectly, or forget that you are delaying your action, or overlook an obvious plot hole in the adventure. It is accepted gaming etiquette to let the DM run the game as he or she sees fit. I put a lot of work into making the game fun for everybody else. Try to cut me some slack. That said, you are within your rights to ask a me to check a rule that you think I got wrong. If I insist that I am right, even though you know that under normal circumstances, you are correct, then you need to accept the fact that there are special circumstances of which you may not know. Please do not jump to conclusions and let your anxiety show through raised voices and looks of dismay. Let it slide, and go along with it. That way you don’t stop the game altogether and leave the other players sitting around waiting for the argument to resolve. You can always take up your point later on, after the game session is over. If you think that I am spectacularly wrong, spitefully inconsistent and that I refuse to ever be questioned, You will have to decide if you want to keep playing in my campaign.

5. This dovetails with the last “Don’t”. Don’t meta-game. A player is meta-gaming when he or she uses knowledge that is not available to his or her character, in order to change the way the player plays the character (usually to give them an advantage within the game), such as knowledge of the mathematical nature of character statistics, or the statistics of a creature that the player is familiar with but the character has never encountered. In general, it refers to any gaps between player knowledge and character knowledge which the player acts upon. There was an awful lot of meta-gaming at our last session, with challenges presented to me about why invisibility did not work against Grimlocks, or why a poisoned blade was still poisoned after an initial attack, or why someone was not able to see within the effective area of a darkness spell etc. I would maintain that as a player, it would be best to ask in a calm manner, “Is there a reason why my invisibility does not work against the Grimlock”, as opposed to yelling, “How can he attack me? I am invisible!”. And then making an off-hand remark about how ridiculous it is that you are getting attacked, even though you are invisible.

Behavior: Expectations and Suggestions for all of Us

In articles past, I have suggested things you could do to breathe life into your character. Considering our last session, I think it is necessary to take on the awkward topic of our behavior as players, not just characters, at a game session. The bottom line is, we all want to have fun and we want to help everyone else have fun. None of us wants to be the guy or gal who’s making everyone else miserable. In that vein, I would like to be the first to apologize for being so uptight last weekend. I really did let everything get to me, and at times I snapped at some of you. For that, I am sorry.

I have decided to break this up into a series of articles that I will post daily, here on the blog. I hope you will all read them in the spirit in which they are intended: which is not to insult or demean anyone. I am not going to point fingers nor am I going to call names. I think we all know, myself included, where we can improve.

I’ve decided to start the series with a list of things that we should, as players, be prepared to do when we get together to game. I’ll follow that up with a list of “Don’ts”, tomorrow. Below are some things you can do to contribute to everyone’s gaming experience.

Five dos
1. Be on time. If the game starts at 5:00, please be there at 5:00. If you cannot make it on time, try to give us an idea for when you will get there. If you will be an hour late, your character can join in the festivities when you arrive.

2. Think about what you want to do on your turn while other people are taking their turns: Time is the single most precious commodity at the gaming table. If you take ten minutes to figure out what your perfect move is during each round of every combat you get into, you’re taking more than your share. Instead of everybody getting a chance to bash through five or six exciting encounters in the course of that session, you might limit them to half that many. Plan ahead so that your turns don’t take forever, and everyone gets to play more D&D. The minute your turn ends, start thinking about what you’re going to do on your next turn. If you’re playing a spellcaster, figure out which of your spells you’re likely to use when your turn comes up again. If you’re playing a fighting character, think about which foe you are going to attack, and whether or not you need to maneuver or use any special feats. Sometimes your plans will get spoiled by things that happen when it’s not your turn, but sometimes they won’t, and you’ll give everybody at the table a little more D&D for their time.

3. Do the math ahead of time: By the third or fourth time you’ve attacked with your longsword, you ought to know what your attack bonus is. Ditto for the save DC on that fireball spell you cast three or four times a night. Don’t figure these things out from scratch each time you pick up the Dice; be proactive and organized. Look at the actions you undertake all the time, and add up your bonuses and modifiers before you come to the table. No one minds too much if you don’t know your character’s grapple check modifier off the top of your head, but you shouldn’t have to figure out your modified attack roll each and every time you make an attack.

4. Stay on target, stay focused, and stay in the game: Every D&D game features at least some amount of senseless cutting up and Monty Python movie quotes for no particular reason. Gaming is fun; it is a social activity. Part of the reason you’re at the table is because you enjoy the company of the people you’re gaming with, and you want to socialize. But try to recognize when people are trying to move the game along and get somewhere, and when people are kicking back and shooting the breeze or watching the Rangers game on TV. When the game is on, pay attention to what is going down. If the Dungeon Master is talking, pay attention! Nothing is more annoying than a DM giving a crucial encounter set-up, adventure background, or key bit of NPC conversation, only to have to repeat himself numerous times because people weren’t listening, or, they were having their own separate discussion, or, they were away from the game.

5. Help your friends to shine: This one is a little tough. When you have the chance to grab the spotlight, it is natural to want to do exactly that. But sometimes it is actually more rewarding to let another player at the table have that moment in the sun. Try to look out for situations that a particular character is suited for, and defer to that other character if you can. Every character at the table is the best at something, so let your friends show off at the things their characters do best.

Saturday Re-Cap

1. The Arcane Spell Duel

The battle started with Solanthos winning the initiative. Casting a sculpted web, he attempted to web both Gallamead and Lin’Thalus. Lin’Thalus made his reflex save and was able to get out of the webbed area. Gallamead was not so fortunate and became stuck in the web. Lin’Thalus turned himself invisible and waited to see what happened. Solanthos nuked Gallamead a few times and she took some damage. After about 5 rounds, she rolled a 20 and was able to break free. However, doing so is a full round action, so, she was not able to get clear of the webbed area. As soon as she freed herself, Lin’Thalus cast Legion of Sentinals on her and then Solanthos fired a nuke at Lin’Thalus. Gallamead unfortunately, neglected to remember that drinking a potion attracts attacks of opportunities. (So, even though I explained to Gallamead that she needed to 5-foot step it out and then withdraw to a safe location. . .and, even though I told her that drinking a potion would attract AoOs) Gallamead drank the potion, attracting 8 attacks of opportunity. She died.

Now, according to the rules, the Lin’Thalus could now be killed and Solanthos would not have to pull his punches, because Lin’Thalus had summoned a group of monsters with whom he could not communicate. Because of this, the Legion of Sentinals did not attempt to do sub-dual damage. Solanthos and Lin’Thalus continued to battle each other, depleting their spells. However, rather than continue the fight, Solanthos agreed to surrender to Lin’Thalus, so that Lin’thalus could win his wager. In exchange, Solanthos agreed to pay Lin’thalus additional coin, for the rights to the rune staff of travel.

2. The Aftermath

Immediately following the battle, Lin’Thalus dispelled his invisibility in order to claim the rune staff. However, a darkness spell engulfed the judge and the area in which he stood, and a group of Grimlocks came bursting onto the scene from the several stairs that open into the arena floor. They attacked and killed the judge. 8 of them were slain, but, two got away with the rune staff. Fearing that they would lose the scent of the Grimlocks, the party had to forego rest.

3. The Grimlock’s Warehouse

Following Peta’s nose, the group (sans the dead wizard) trailed the grimlocks to an abandoned warehouse in the city’s south side. Orien fortunately cast a daylight spells that ensured the grimlock’s use of darkness would be negated. Gyrr kept calling for the capture of at least one prisoner, but, the rest of the party was apparently too overcome by bloodlust. The ensuing battle left the grimlock forces comepletely slain. In addition, karma saw to it, the end of Lin’Thalus, who died from a grimlock assassin’s poisoned blades.

As the heir to Lin'Thalus belongings, Korik has decided to keep all of Lin'Thalus' money. So, 3200 GP plus the 1400 GP in winnings from the wager that Lin'Thalus made, all go to Korik. However, Korik made all of Lin'Thalus other possessions fair game. As such, Solanthos kept the rune staff and the gloves of starry night. there is a ring of feather fall and a couple of wands still available. Orien also won the roll for Gallamead's ring of wizardry I. He mentioned that this more than made up for the loss of money that he had wagered on Solanthos to win the spell duel.

A few questions have been brought up by a couple of party members.

1. Why did the Grimlocks attack?

2. Who tipped off the Grimlocks so that they knew about the rune staff?

As Shooma the dwarf had mentioned to you in a couple of sessions past, there had been a number of unsolved murders that occurred in the south side of town. It just so happens that the grimlock warehouse was in the south district. With the Grimlocks deaths, is Brindinford safe once again?

Gyrr has muttered under his breath that it would have been nice to take a prisoner to question. He has suggested that you hire someone to cast a spell that would allow you to speak with one of the dead grimlocks in the hopes of getting some answers.