And here is the new OOC thread

Weehew

I have returned from vacation and will resume posting.

OK, folks, time to wake you up. Let's do a combat. Instructions just posted to the IC. It's night and you folks won't know what's going on until you know what's going on.

Unless you are on duty or have an SOP that says you sleep in armor, you will be unarmored and have weapons on the deck next to you. Or you are in the cabin and may miss half the fight.

Night shift is Hedwig and Raddik. You'll be awake and as fully kitted out as you generally on at Sea.

The rest of you will be asleep. Even evening shift will be past any wakeful post watch period. Assume the attack is in the wee small hours before dawn.

As a new recruit here, what options do we have available to us besides screaming and running, to wake up the rest of the crew?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 5):

There is physically shaking them. Or screaming and not running. Banging on the cabin door ahs also proven popular, previously.

Somehow I think you're looking for more, but I just don't have it to give. Sorry.

I'm just looking for what's there. I don't want to go running around everywhere if there's a bell mounted right beside the cabin door, for instance.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 7):

First time anyone has brought it up, actually. Feel free to come back to it, after.

There is the Cutlass of Awareness.....

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 9):

Yes, but no one told the new folks (including Raddik) about it yet. So what is about to happen will come as a complete surprise.

You wouldn't want me to spoil it ahead of time, would you? :-)

Of course I would.  Anything to give us an advantage over whatever craziness we have to face next.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 11):

Ok, let's put it another way: I don't like metagaming.

The whole point of private threads and not posting to IC during combat is so that folks dont' suddenly know what they don't know.

Which they do now, because you needed to post it OOC, but not IC at any point.

Sorry for the late posting,  got hung up at the dealership getting my airbag recalled and replaced.

I'll get out the establishing move shortly.

OK, the establishing round is posted. You all sprang awake, as if by magic, and can see boarders boarding. No surprise, and you can all act on your initiatives next round.

The Boarders initiative will be posted when they act.

Send in all Actions, Bonus Actions, Movement, Potential Reactions, etc, and all die rolls related there to, to your private threads by Noon tomorrow please.

Also let me know if there is NOT a private line telling you what you see on deck in the IC thread, please. I'm experimenting with group private lines by position, which means they change with each posting, potentially. I'd hate to leave someone out.

Game map, of sorts, posted. Basically the modified from of the keelboat.

Who is sleeping in which bunk is somewhere in The Ship thread. #3, I think.

I"m going to ush the move to tomorrow. I'm not feeling at all wella nd I'm having problems focusing. Hopefully a night's sleep will fix it.

Hopefully you feel better tomorrow.

Ok, no problem. Shitty day here as well. Tomorrow then.

How about this, DM:  if a ranged weaponnisjused as annimprovised melee weapon (or a melee weapon as an improvised ranged weapon), a roll to strike of Natural 1 means it breaks and is useless for both purposes.  Well, maybe as a club....

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 19):

Nah, standard improvised is fine. The issue is folks wanting to fire bows at melee range. The rules don't allow for it, but no one seems to realize that. I'm told I'm house ruling by enforcing what clearly seems to be RAW to me. It's... jarring.

The rules are really simplified in places in 5e. This is one of them. I put in 3 relevant passages on Ranged Attacks, and pointed to one on Melee Attacks. I put it in when I copied the post to the Master Setting pages.

Mind you, I'm not imposing penalties for firing into crowds, other than basic Cover rules. You folks do it way too much, but I'm not going to put an arrow into a friends back on a near miss due to cover.

Also, I'm inclined to treat spells as Reach Attacks, because they are, basically. Well, unless they require a touch. Things get fuzzy with magic, and the same hands are casting Burning Hands as Fireball. THAT may well be a house rule, but it's one that benefits players.

I still like the Natural 1 breaking it.  It reminds the player that a longbow wasn't mwant fornuse as a quarterstaff, no matter how much it can seem like one when it is unstrung.  Though, I think there was a Hercules film where an Amozonian archer had blades mounted on the tips of her bow for the express purpose of using it melee.

"Distance" is not a word that's defined by the rules. A distance of 5 feet is still a distance. The first sentence under "Range" in the "Ranged Attacks" section says "You can make ranged attacks only against targets within a specified range." The only range that is specified is the maximum ranges. Nowhere is a minimum range specified, so a "distance" of 1 inch is still "within a specified range" of all ranged weapons.

All of the rules you quoted are intentionally vague because all ranged weapons/spells have varying ranges which prevented them from being specific as to how far. The specifics depend on the source of the ranged attack, and looking up the definition of range you get my quote above "within a specified range". If you couldn't use it within 5 feet, I think they would have said "more than 5 feet away from you" rather than "at a distance". They chose to be vague because the variations in range require it, not because you can't use them up close.

I disagree that it is RAW because nowhere is a minimum range written, and the rules of range only state within range, which 5 ft is. If you don't think you can get shot by a crossbow from 5 feet away...I don't know what to tell you. Ever heard of someone getting shot point-blank? You might be harder to hit because you can try to deflect the weapon (disadvantage), but I can absolutely still shoot you with it.

If you want that to be how it's played in your world, it's your game and you have that power. I'm not arguing against you making the ruling, even though I disagree with it. I am arguing against your claim that it is RAW, however. Honestly, I don't even think it's RAI (it's certainly not RAF).

Is swapping to a melee weapon a big deal? No, not really. And that's why I don't really care if you choose to rule it that way. What is gained by doing that, though? You get to penalize ranged characters even more? They're already getting Disadvantage on all of their attacks by RAW unless they spend a Feat to bypass it.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:53, Fri 11 June 2021.

I should have included the 4th quote:

Also page 195: "Melee Attacks"


Melee is "reach". Ranged is "at range". That quote is already there.

"Distance" is NOT "reach" from what I can tell of the rules.

I understand folks disagree with me. That doesn't make me wrong. Nor am I going to change how I read things unless someone can come up with something definitive. A differing opinion is just that: A differing opinion.

In my opinion the RAW is clear enough. I understand it's not popular with some of the folks that selected Ranged Fighting Styles.  But Ranged Fighting Styles aren't meant for Melee. It's in the name.

I have to agree with the DM on this one.  In general, crossbows and bows are not designed for melee combat, where strings can be cut or the bow arms can be shattered, nor are arrows which are really too flimsy to be forced through armor by hand; arrows and bolts back then did tend to break.  Archers and crossbowmen were also taught to keep a distance, since that is how their weapons were intended to be used.  Ranged combatants were, and are, generally uncomfortable in melee/close quarters combat, unless specifically trained.
There is a video that shows this very well, an incident that happened in real life when four Honduran police officers,with guns drawn, tried to arrest an angry man with a knife.  I could link it here, but it is graphic. The first officer was struck in the throat, staggered to the side, fell, and bled out.  Not one of the cops made it unscathed, and the whole encounter took two minutes before the knife-wielding maniac was killed by gun fire.  In fact, it took about 16 seconds before any of the cops could get a shot off.
The general rule is that at 21 feet or closer, you can not draw and fire your weapon before a knife wielder would end you.  And I proved this against a soldier armed with a M16 in a training exercise.  And he had the rifle in hand.
Believe me, unless you are actually specifically trained for it, using a ranged weapon in melee combat is a bad idea. This RAW is based in reality.

Also, for the record Disadvantage is equivalent to a -5. Improvised weapons are a -3 at this level (basically, the value of your Prof bonus).

Yes, this means you don't get our Ranged specials in Melee. You don't get your melee specials at Range, either. It balances out.

Then why does this passage exist at all?

This passage 100% indicates that being within 5' of an opponent who is able to see you/threaten you/etc. does NOT prevent you from making a ranged attack, no matter who the target is.

Being "generally uncomfortable" in melee combat makes sense: that's why the disadvantage on attack rolls, but being UNABLE to fire ranged weapons into melee is not RAW, it is a HARD NERF house rule on ranged weapons.

Not really.  Even in reality, someone armed with  melee weapon within 21 feet of someone armed with a gun is likely to defeat the gun wilder before they have a chance to even brjng up their weapon.  People have little idea how fast a human wanting to do harm can and will move in order to accomplish that task.  It's not a nerf rule.  It is actually based on reality.
https://www.personaldefensewor...019/06/knife-vs-gun/

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 27):

All of your arguments support the ranged person being at disadvantage, not at the ranged person being unable to use the ranged weapon at all.

Yes. AN  OPPPONENT. ANY opponent. This does not say that ranged weapons can be used at melee, just that an enemy, not necessarily the target, will interfere with with any attempt at ranged combat.

The definitions of melee and ranged I references say that the target is in melee if within Reach. NOT ranged.

And the fact that you don't want to see the RAW doesn't mean it isn't there.

Also, Hersten, about that Fighting Style you wanted to change? Thieves don't have Fighting Styles, so I'm not sure what you were referring to.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:33, Fri 11 June 2021.

This is getting xhausting, and my health still isn't 100%.

Whether you accept that it is RAW or insist that it is House rule (regardless of evidence to the contrary or hairsplitting semantics)) doesn't matter. It's the rule. It's not changing.

The discussion is over. Take the weekend, post to me if you are accepting the ruling or withdrawing. If accepting, modify your move, if needed, to reflect. if withdrawing, be kind enough to let us know.

I'll update the move Monday.

Well, I have only heard form about 4 of you, so I'll just post the move and see who responds with round 2.

My posting may be spotty this week. Issues that could be the result of my heart condition, one of the meds I take for it, or a trace elemnet deficiency have been troubling me for a couple weeks and are getting worse. The safe bet is the deficiency, which could take a couple days to reverse after I start taking supplements, so I may not be in shape to update every day this week. And if that isn't it, well then , I may not be in shape to post every day next week, either.

Sorry.

Update posting shortly, as I get it done

OK, posted. Things are crowded enough that most (not all) of you may have disadvantage with missiles.

Remember those spare rolls. If I don't have what I need to fill in with, I'll roll them myself.

I've set the die roller for private rolls for a reason. Please don't uncheck that box.

Let's try for tomorrow noon

Sorry that you're still not feeling well. Get better soon! And don't worry about the game.

I've only got action form 4 of you. I'll push this one more day, but combat is a 24 hour turnaround, folks.

Next round posted, only two left.

Turns by noon tomorrow, please. Maybe we can wrap this up next round.

Still missing rounds form 3 of you, including the two in position to attack the one on the fantail. I'm going to post anyhow. It'll b up shortly.

Posted. moves by tomorrow, noon Pacific US, please.

A reminder folks: I make all rolls for perception and knowledge skills, and anything else where the die roll could affect your perception of the results.

Also, pretty much any active roll in combat (except for those movement related) uses your action.

That being said, I DO use passive results for pretty much everything, assuming you've trained in it or the RAW gives it untrained.

Round is posted, combat is over. Feel free to do whatever on the main IC thread again.

I will be handling events in the background so continue whatever your ight be ding on IC and just send in any requested rolls as they come up.


Next even post Monday

Sorry, folks, a post from one of you had me going back to the move post. I didn't finish the move post properly. I've fixed it, I think.

I'm still not 100%. I'll try and pay more attention until I am.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:28, Sat 19 June 2021.

Just so everyone is in the know I'm holding off on my reply since rituals take 10 minutes.

Made an error with Arnau's options in IC, which has been corrected

Everyone add a d8 to their rolls, or, if you've already rolled, send me a d8, please

Folks, I'm going to be on the road from early Friday morning until mid afternoon Saturday, and probably won't be able to post much, if anything, except maybe Friday late evening, which will be limited to my phone.

I'll post an event tomorrow, and then Monday things will get active. If nothing else, that'll be about the time you'll be out of food, given the current rolled dates for events.

Marvek and Arnau, I need your rolls for Storm 3, still.

So is everyone cool with me having the Pearl of Power?

Party treasure divisions:

Unclaimed:
Brooch of Shielding
Pearl of Power
Water Elemental Gem

Aramuq:
NOTHING

Arnau:
Periapt of Wound Closure

Damen:
Cutlass of Warning

Hedwig:
NOTHING

Hersten:
NOTHING

Marvek:
Eyes of Eagle
Far Realm Shard

Raddik:
Boots Striding and Springing
Chain +1

Thalassa:
Trident of Fish Command: Non proficient and of limited use. Plus she can do better with spells.

Note that I do treasure based on who owns it when you encounter them, not what you folks need. Items like the trident are likely to come up. In fact, it's why there was a kit ready to go for Raddik.

I generally track permanent items found more than consumables (unless they are in the ship's supply chests). There may be consumables found and passed out already that are not on this list.

Hersten has been removed. I try to be tolerant, but the combat was over a week ago, and I do this for fun, not to see how much stress I can handle.

I almost never remove characters and this is the second in as many months. My apologies for any fall out or disruption this may have caused.

I'm good with Hedwig taking the Pearl.

Fine by me

Oh, and for the record: yes, firing an arrow IS an Attack action. and Yes, the rules DO say so. Page 192, where they define attack actions.

And no, you can NOT hold a quiver in one hand and still fire a bow with the other. The rules say so in the equipment chapter. The part of the equipment chart that defines bows as 2 handed, and the definition of that a page or two earlier.

Been arguing both points for a week. yeesh.

Sorry I’ve been absent.  My father in law with the x wife passed away and I’m taking my teenagers to his funeral this weekend.    I will be away from the game for a few days.  Should be back Tuesday.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 52):

I understand. I'm gone half the weekend myself. Now that California is reopened I can see  my step mom after my dad's death last year. It's as close as we'll come to a memorial, after 15 months.

There will be something posted Monday, but it shouldn't be combat, by any means.

Sure! (And sorry for not responding earlier in the IC thread. I don't have a good excuse other than general tiredness.)

Marvek, DM, my condolences.

Alright awesome I will take the Pearl of Power then.

Condolences, Marvek.  Belated condolences, DM.

Is anyone taking the Brooch of Shielding, or is that in the Captain's Chest against future need?

An thanks, folks.

Ooh, time has gotten away from me this week. Just a heads-up that I will be on vacation Friday-Monday. I will have access to RPoL via my phone, but will likely have very little time to post.

In reply to Amaruq (msg # 58):

Weekends don't really count towards the game, anyhow, and this one, in particular, is a holiday weekend, so you shouldn't miss anything.

we'll see how far we get by Friday, then the next update will be Tuesday.

OK, folks, I've split the party into two groups. Rowboat has the original thread, and the folks on the ship have a new one, for now. At least if I did it properly.

I'm not a big fan of splitting the party, which is why we kept Nazem as an NPC, but it does happen on occasion.

Next update is Tuesday, folks, but I will be around all weekend if you want to post in the meantime.

Happy 4th for those of you in (or expatriate from) the US.

Grab some lumber while you're out there, so I can do something besides sit in my cabin for weeks on end.

LOL

OK, folks, I'm going to stream line the mapping of the coast. I'll still be rolling events, I just won't update day by day I'll synopsize what's happened in the background when you have an encounter I need to post. This should speed things up a bit.

Also, I'm going to synopsize any non human coastal encounters. And, as we seem to keep splitting up the party when things actually DO happen, there will be more sea borne encounters, so everyone gets a chance to do something, even if it's just combat.

Also, if EVERYONE forages, you'll get more sooner. Remember, the reason we kept Nazim as an NPC was specifically so every PC could go ashore at once while having someone on the ship. And now we have a second NPC for the time being.

I have a question though, what do we do if there’s a encounter rolled and we’re not on the ship and don’t have people to man it and we just have Nazem on the ship. I guess they get killed and the ships gone?

Hey, if that happens, then we have additional RP opportunities.....

I think having an in-game problem we have to solve is a whole lot better than having people that can't participate in the game because they're watching the ship.

Well, If I'm rolling n encounter, it's for the terrain the party is in. If you're in the forest I'm not rolling sea encounters.

But, yes, it IS possible that something might happen to the ship. Nazem can drive, Hersten can fire a ballista (quite well, actually). If it's a worry, put Alarm (with Nazem and Hersten able to trigger it) on the cabin door and stay within a mile.

The other option is to have half the party leave from boredom. Something to is close to happening as it is.

I had thought this was covered in the "Keeping Nazem or not" discussion.

Regardless, folks, I'll be switching things up a bit to include everyone.

That isn't a good thing if the party keeps splitting, just a necessary one.


Right after this encounter.

Thalassa and Damen do not have to fish from the back of the boat.  We two can use the nets in and under the water.  We can also spear fish in the water.  I also mentioned kelp and seaweed, which are both edible.  And, to preserve foods, we just need to fill a pot with sea water and let it evaporate.  All things a ranger, a druid, or a sailor or shipwright with survival, would know how to do.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 70):

Yes...when the boat isn't moving (it is marginally faster than you, and, after 8 hours, you'll be far behind). But it IS moving during day shift, which is when she fishes.

Besides, for her it kind of IS required. Underwater fishing is actually HUNTING. Her abilities are boosted for FISHING only.

True.  But Damen is better at hunting and foraging in the water and on land along the coasts.  His first preferred terrain was Coastal, and his first preferred enemy was Beasts.

But...you have plenty of meat. You need everything else. The stuff that comes from land plants.

And you have another preferred terrain. You're just as good in the forest.

This is true.  But, you can get a lot 9f the same nutrients from kelp and seaweed.  Seaside and oceanic societies have been doing so for centuries, if not millenia.  We don't always have to forage on land.
There are other things that we have been forgetting about having a ranger on board regarding favored terrain:

• Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
• Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
• Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
• If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a norm al pace.
• When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
• While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Now, an argument could be made that it the ability is Overland Travel and does not include the water. But, on the coast, the water is just as much a part of the terrain as the land, just as a river or a lake or a stream is anywhere else.  Plus, technically, the water covers land.  While you can't actually track in water, if you see the wake caused some creature (or a school), then that information would be discernable.  With his knowledge of ships, he should even be able to tell the number if crew and how laden with cargo a ship is by how low it rides in the water.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 74):

Two of you can forage under water. Eight can forage on land.

Splitting the party is a bad idea, as I said yesterday. I'm not running two groups. That's not fair to the group that doesn't get the encounter. Also dangerous if an 8 person encounter focuses everything on one (partial party) group.

And "Coastal" isn't "Aquatic" or "Out to Sea". It's the coast and surf, not under water. We'll have to wait for a later sourcebook for more.

I'm just giving ideas.  If we hunt and forage along the beach, we cover both land and water.  And I think his next terrain choice is going to be Open Sea. LOL

Well, as to options, Players will do what they want, and, when it goes pear shaped, blame the DM. So I warn folks. You've been warned. My conscience will be clear.


As to open water as  a terrain type, that isn't an option (yet). Wwhich is fine, this isn't an undersea game, it's an exploration of new LANDS game.

I've been working, off and on, on a undersea game, but there are some issues. Terrain types for rangers and druids is just one of them. Tool/Craft for shells and coral is another, although I have a work around (sort of. It needs work, still). And I can only find 4 races that I'd use, although I might benefit from another pas at Volo's and Mord's TOF

Boss says "pick some weeds", you get off your butt and go pick some weeds.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 78):

Oh, I'm sure he'll take mushrooms, dwarf boy. Lots of Vitamin B (a lack of which causes Beri Beri). Nazem certainly misses them

I need a foraging plan, folks. Who's going, etc: Camp on the beach or come back to the boat at night. That sort of thing

I can ritual cast Tiny Hut for the land foraging team which will keep people safe, warm, and decently comfortable as they travel in-land. I can also do some scouting with Arcane Eye should the need arise. I have no proficiency with Survival so my assistance in the actual foraging would be minimal.

Edit: I can also cast Fly
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Thu 08 July 2021.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 81):

Tiny Hut as written doesn't move.

Folks can forage without training, they just don't get as much over the long term.

People don't typically move at night so it shouldn't be an issue. It's also a ritual so if we do need to move I just need 10 more minutes.

And understood.

Damen shall go.  Camping is fine, as is returning to the ship.

Amaruq will definitely go, this is exactly what he does.

Ah. Wasn't sure what you meant. For some reason I thought you wanted it while actually foraging. Sorry.

You're good. I realize I wasn't exactly clear so it's a reasonable misunderstanding.

As another wilderness type, Thalassa would like to go, too. But ideally, shouldn't we all go, to avoid splitting the party again?

Thalassa would slightly prefer camping on the beach, simply because after months of sleeping in the same (presumably not super comfortable) bunk, some variety would be nice. But she's fine with returning to the ship, too.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 88):

only woman in the world that prefers sleeping on the ground to sleeping in a bed.

Yes, I would prefer if everyone went, but I need to know for sure. Also for how many days.

Basically, I need input on that and camp vs boat from Marvek.

Thalassa has a point. We should relegate the NPC player(s) to holding the fort (if they are still around) and all go.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 90):

Two NPCs. On crew one ballista. Just enough.

And, with Damen along, we collect twice as much food.

Forge, forage, close enough for Raddik.

No, that only applies to you not the party. YOU will collect twice as much, as will Amaruq. Everyone else just the usual amount.

By the way, in a limited food area a Wis mod of 0 and no training provides 10.5 meals in 10 days, on average.

Dscussion about the Cutlass are best here, athough I'm not sure how that affects Foraging?

Or are you counting on it for early warning at night? Early warning it doesn't give. It kicks in at the last second, just enough to stop surprise.

Use the hut at night as well.
Sleep in a camp
Watches as normal, knowing we're protected, but not allowing an easy ambush when we wake
I suggest we do it for a number of days about equal to the length of time they would last. If they're good for 10 days, gather for days.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 96):

If what are good for 10 days? I think I may have missed something.

I answered in the same order you asked.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 98):

Not really an answer. I still don't know what you mean.

If we are talking about how long Tiny Hut lasts its 8 hours. It bars the passage of anything and anyone not within its radius when I cast it so we will be safe so long as we stay inside of its boundaries. I can also cast Alarm as a ritual which gives up a 20 ft radius cube of detection should something try to risk attacking us anyway. It's not a perfect defense but with both we won't need watch at night unless we get ambushed by mages.

I also have Alarm, but not as a ritual.

Oh, you mean how long the food would last. Why not just say so a couple posts back?

Anyhow, it lasts as long as the magic holds out. The only Cook on board is still on board, and, if you're camping, won't be able to tell you until you're done. That's why he uses Purify Food, and why I suggested you cast it as a ritual nightly on your take from the trip.

And I can always provide goodberries during the foraging trip as well.

I highlighted it for those who have't checke din, yet, but there WAS a request for initiatives buried in that.

Post initiatives and basic prep round to your private thread or a SINGLE post to IC. There is not time for discussion, so one IC post only, please.

Sorry y’all, works gotten the best of me and a sinus infection. I’m back now.

I just realized it's friday, folks. Move will update Monday, of course.

Also, so you know, this is Old Growth forest. Difficult terrain where the inhabitants are hunting (apparently, to the surprise of the European settlers, the locals tended to burn off underbrush in forests near them for ease of hunting).

This isn't one of those areas. But, as always, you may have special abilities that make it moot. Let me know, if so.

Two rangers, at least one has forest as favored terrain.  Probably both do.

And then there is Hedwig who will do his best not to die in a forest on the other side of reality.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 109):

At least it isn't the Far Realm, anymore.

Or is it? Muhahahaha

Yep, mine are coastal and forest, probably same as you.

Sorry, folks, morning got away from me. Move is posted, ut it's kind of underwhelming.

No one sees an enemy. Ether the Cutlass malfunctioned, or something nasty is happening out of sight, but close enough and dangerous enough to trigger it.

"Lack of surprise" isn't the same as "presence of awareness", I'm afraid.

Next round is another prep round. As far as you know, anyhow.

Yep.  Coastal and forest.  Most of his sailing time was spent in the Mediterranean, with some forays along the Iberian Peninnsula and Western Europe.  Even once to the British Isles before this trip.

Apologies folks, I was late and rushed this afternoon: Yes, if you have more you would like to do, by all means, send in another round.

Second round is up. Still nothing.

This is probably a good time to remind folks that you can try Active Perception every round if you have nothing better to do. You never know....

3rd round posts tomorrow, noonish my time.

Round 3 is up. And STILL nothing.

Noon (ish) tomorrow (Pacific US) for round 4.

At this point you're probably think something is wrong with the Cutlass, or just that I'm screwing with you.

Could be.

It occurred to me that most of my Move OOC post belonged IC, so I'm shifted to a double IC post, rather than one of each. If I combine into one post, folks tend to skim over the important bits.

Still, questions about the move should be posted Private or OOC, depending.

I wonder how many characters have a fear of spiders because their players' do.....

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 119):

How many of you fear them because they are covered in eyes?

Aye.  But, not I.  I have no fear of spiders.  I don't like having to kill them at work.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:27, Thu 15 July 2021.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 121):

I was referring to your adventure in the Far Realm Zone.

And I was still throwing out puns for being "covered in eyes"

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 123):

Damen, don't forget to send in your action.

Got until tomorrow, noonish, right? Just got off work, on my way home.

Missing moves from a couple of you, yet. I'm updating shortly. As long as you make it before I post, you're good

Folks, today's post will be late. My daughter is leaving for her first vacation in a couple years tomorrow, and I'm housesitting in case one of the fires moves near, and cat sitting because I raised a cat lady, somehow. Helping her take care of things today (a LOT of last minute chores for some reason.

I'll post in a bit after I cool down. We will skip tomorrow (Wednesday) and moves will be due Thursday.

Sorry, everyone. I guess I didn't really think the horde of spiders thing through.

I don't know, it sounds like your spiders are kicking ass.

Yes, surprisingly much. :-) But if they keep all of you from attacking, that's still not a good thing.

Not keeping me from attacking, I'm a Sharpshooter ;)

So do you want us to keep posting actions round by round, or just give you 3-4 rounds worth of rolls for the few actions we could possibly take and let you play out the rest?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 132):

keep posting round by round. And this will probably be the last. besides, you can attack with the hammer from above, which is open, and your cantrip is is one of the indirect fire cantrips, as is Thalassa's.

Truthfully. most of you are unaffected by the crowding. just Damen, who has a way around it, and the mages: Hedwig and Marvek. And one of them may come up with something, too.

In reply to DM (msg # 133):

For the record, Hedwig did, and Marvek could but I', NPCing him as reality intrudes, but I don't want to spend PC resources for the PCs, so I tend to NPC conservatively.

I may update early tomorrow, or even late tonight, if I get everyone in.

Waiting on Raddik and Marvek (if he's back, yet)

If I cast Elemental Weapon on someone's blade to add fire damage, will that help with cutting through the webs without setting everything on fire?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 136):

It will help cut through. As to setting fires...hard to say until you try.

Yep, I have a dagger too, but they're piercing not slashing.

I get you. Just trying to be responsive.

Apologies, folks, piercing weapons DO work on webs. They are only immune to Bludgeoning, of the 3 weapon types.

Marvek, while folks are chatting, could you pick the groups current direction and goals?

As far as I Know,the choices are: continue to forage OR see if the spiders have anything interesting in their webs.

The rules for activities while traveling are fairly exclusive, I'm afraid. Foraging even precludes Passive perception rolls, unless a class ability or other special allows it (but you have two rangers, so that's not as bad as it could be.

No word from Marv, folks. Consensus seems to be go west into the spiders' area, rather than get forage credit for today.

If that isn't so, let me know. I'll update with what I have this evening

I think if I were to give an opinion seeking out the spider's den is probably the exciting of the two options and frankly I'm kind of worn out on 'random encounters'. Be nice to have some agency in what we are beating down.

We can forage for food in a number of places, but there's a potential for treasure just right here. Raddik values looking for loot over foraging for food for today.

So, the consensus is we want a dungeon crawl-type of adventure for a change?

Food keeps us alive, but we need "stuff" to make "more stuff", so Raddik will always chose loot over food.

Oh, folks, if you're looking for a dungeon crawl, this isn't the place. If you want one, I can give you one, but not until you're farther south. The locals up here built with hide and sticks, basically. Not dungeon construction material.

I'm not looking for a dungeon crawl so much as something that's not 'I am roused from my sleep by mysterious assailants'. I don't care if this is a 5x5 cave with some eggs in it. It's at least a change of pace.

Sorry, I totally spaced last night's update. I'm too used to noon.. I'll post your first stage of the spider foray now.

Marching order: How about Damen, Raddik, Thalassa, Amaruq, Marvek, Hedwig, Arnau?

Or switch Thalassa and Amaruq, if Amaruq wants to go into melee, but I'm assuming he wants to use his bow and stay further back for that.

Marvek before Hedwig because I'm assuming (based purely on prejudices about sorcerers and wizards) that Marvek is tougher, but it probably doesn't matter much either way. Arnau last so we have a healer outside the danger zone.

Does that make sense?

I can go last, no issue for me. Just to mention that cure wounds is a touch spell, so the ones in front line will be difficult to reach.

Healing word can help, but it does not heal that much.

Sure that's fine with me.

I think that Amaruq should go last.  That way he can use his ranger abilities to watch our backs while we search/forage.

Yeah, I was thinking the same, and I can still target anything that engages us from the front, while being a fighter-type in the back in case we're ambushed.

I meant that only as a temporary marching order for entering the new spider "cage". Sorry, should have made that clearer.

In more open surroundings, I totally agree, we should have someone like Amaruq watching our backs.

Order doesn't matter to me. Thal's idea is fine.

Folks, for the record, I am NOT taking it for granted that folks break formation to check out any given "room" or it's "walls".

In reply to DM (msg # 157):

A reminder that I roll perception checks so that results of a die roll don't affect results  garnered. besides, I have mods to apply, like Cover.

Webs have to be anchored to something, do they not? I called it a location, not a structure. Even if the location is nothing but bushes and trees, it was still here before the spiders were. If we find out the spiders collected stone and wood to build structures for them to then use as anchors, then he will be impressed.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 159):

To build walls, certainly. Critter webs can also be used unanchored as attacks, which the spell can't. It always need anchors, as I recall.

And they are anchored to trees.

Back to combat, and still in 24 hour turnarounds, folks.

DM, I'm a bit confused by this:



So are there 4 total spiders, 3 that are giant and 1 that is not, and also a giant wolf? Or 4 spiders, 3 giants, and 1 giant wolf? Or something different?

3 Giant spiders, 1 giant wolf spider. Sorry. Sometimes I type what I think, rather than what you need.

There are some questions about cover.

between trees and underbrush:
5' (ie: adjacent) is clear enough that there is no cover for medium or larger creatures.

10' is far enough away and with enough in the way that partial cover applies (-2 to hit), +2 Dex saves.

15' most assuredly has at least one tree in the way. 3/4 cover (-5 hit, +5 Dex saves)

20' is 50/50 for 3/4 cover and total cover.

25' is total cover.

If Small or smaller (target OR attacker), reduce all ranges by 5' (which makes melee a matter of partial cover, as well.

This cuts both ways, of course. The bad guys have much the same limits.

Ok, round 1 is up.

As there are spiders coming out of the trees, let's add a Con save (vs poison if you have a special for that) to all posts. Plus the spare roll for sudden advantage/disadvantage issues and unexpected saves.

If webbed, a Strength check can be used as you action to break free. Restrained carries defense AND offense penalties.

Attack descriptions show how many were attacking. The Initiative list shows how many are left.

Let's try for noon tomorrow

Hello all.  I have been busy with custody, getting kids ready for school and adjusted to moving to a new state, and working.   At this time I am too busy to post and game for another week or so.

Would like our DM to NPC me for another week.  I should be back on schedule with everything.

I'll put this to vote, I nominate Damen as Captain.  Everyone ok with that?

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 166):

You NEED a bosun for repairs. He's the only one qualified, I think. Raddik might be, though, he just doesn't have ship knowledge.

Arnau can qualify as Captain, but Damen lacks the Charisma and Charisma skills.

Raddik is short the Athletics needed for Bosun

This is important for event rolls.

Of course, you have enough spell casters with Mending that you can do without a Bosun for repairs, but it's still needed for Events.

I've had a few morning appointments this week, with more to come. Plus we are missing a couple of moves, so I'm going to delay until tomorrow.

My apologies, but between all that and looking after my kids pets, I'm feeling a minor crunch with time. Should be over soon, however.

meanwhile, keep an eye on me, I tend to forget class based specials on some folks and classes, especially at these levels. Remind me if you have a special that affects a situation.

It's okay.  I've had no chance to post either.

OK, folks, round 2 is posted.

Clearly spiders are coming out of the woodwork, so expect more.

The web shots are missing, which is making the bad terrain even worse. ANY movement now will require a successful Acrobatics roll. Let's set it at DC 5 for now, worse as webbing piles up. At 30 we will quit tracking and assume you can't avoid it.

Don't forget moves for tomorrow folks

Round 3 posted. Next move due Monday

Acrobatics DC is still 5

When you say Thalasia burst into flames, what are we talking about?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 173):

She started burning. The flames aren't too dense, and she doesn't seem to mind.

I'm not sure how much more you would even be able to know, so...that's what you know.

That tells me all I need to know.

round 4 is up.

DC for acrobatics is still 5.

I missed a few things this morning.

Damen is only down 15

Thalassa is still in rank 3

Possibly more, although I hope not

Sorry, folks, I'm running a bit late.  My kid got home from Hawaii yesterday and wanted to take me out for lunch today and tell me about the trip. so we spent an hour at a dinner talking about everything EXCEPT Hawaii.

Anyhow, I'll have round 5 up in 30 or less.

I've been busy, too.  Apparently, my card was used in an attempt to pay just over $40 in parking garage fees, in another country, while I was using it at another store in my town of residence.  Had to get a new one.  Then found out I'm overdrawn because of the new billing system for pick-up orders at my local grocery store
 Now at work and still haven't had a chance to post.

This message was deleted by the player at 20:28, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

I rolled your saves for you. You even made one of them

Round 5 is up.

To be clear on what's happening:
-Wolf spiders are going 4 a piece working thr way back. Damen and Raddik each have 4, Thalassa has 1.

-Spiers (which have webs) are trying to restrain you folks when they can, and fighting off Thalassa's diminishing wolf spider horde when they can't. They'll be at melee as soon as Thalassa's spiders are gone.

-Arnau has started a small fire. Anyone currently in the US, Canada, or Greece knows how long that will stay small.

If you are Restrained, your attacks are at Disadvantage and mine are at Advantage.

Acrobatics DC for movement is now 10. Basically a Dex roll with a boost for those actually trained in Acro..or with JoaT.

I err'd again Arnau hit. I've applied damage and there is no fire to worry about at this time.

I'm still missing Amaruq and Damen. I'll delay the move until tomorrow.

Sorry.  Got hit with something and just remembered when I saw the new post indicator.  Ugh.

Round 6 is posted, and there is a long term, forest safe, AoE in effect.

Acrobatics DC is 10 to move for everyone except Thalassa.

Let's shot for noon tomorrow for the next move

A reminder that speech needs to be sent with your move, NOT posted between rounds to the IC thread.

Round 7 is posted.

While you seem to be out of spiders, it's temporary, we are still in melee, and the next move is due Monday. Have a good weekend.

You've just passed the half way point if that helps?

Careful what you ask for....you might get it.

I still need input from Hedwig and Amaruq.

Also, anyone trying to cut folks free I need attack and damage rolls for that. Webs actually have an AC and hit points.

Round 8 is up.

You've done for nearly all the wolf spiders and more than half the regular giant spiders. You're on the down hill side of things.

Well, I did intend for Damen to cut free the nearest webbed-up crewmate.....

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 190):

Yes, but being restrained himself, he couldn't move, hence couldn't get to anyone. So he freed himself rather than lose the turn.

That's what I'm saying.  He became his own nearest webbed-up crewmate.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 192):

Sorry, folks, but my morning got away from me ad I'm just getting home at 1, Also I'm missing Damen's move. I'm going to delay until tomorrow and go fix my breakfast

Round 9 is up. It took a bit. My internet is doing dialup speeds this week during the day, for some reason.

Noon tomorrow and then a 3 day weekend. I am taking Friday off this week.

"Don't use fire," they said...

How many times has Damen been bit by spiders now?  How many spiders have we had to kill?  How many spiders have been coming out of the webs?  USE THE DAMNED FIRE! LOL

What happened to not killing people and pissing off the natives? You're not dead. Yet.

We are surrounded by spiders that just seem to be innumerable.  It is foolish to not use a weapon that would solve the situation.  Think about it this way:  What would you do if YOU were the one in the situation, rather than a fictitious character?  Personally, I like spiders.  I hate it when my job tells me to kill them.  But, if I were Damen (well, technically, I am....), I would definitely be thinking fire is a good idea right then.

I moved from Northern California to Southern Oregon a  couple years back. What I would NOT do is set the forest I'm restrained in on fire around me.

You might prefer a DIFFERENT AOE.

But lets not discuss it OOC during the fight, shall we? I'm told the DM really does NOT like metagaming.

I'm going to repeat that last line, as it was just ignored (and deleted):

Lets not discuss it OOC during the fight, shall we? I'm told the DM really does NOT like metagaming.

OK, round 10 is up, round 11 is MOnday.

The good news is that the last of the wolf spiders has arrived.

You're about 3/4s done, if that helps you see the end of all this.

Moral of the story Careful what you ask for...you might get it. :-)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 19:50, Thu 19 Aug 2021.

Yep yep. Go to do something that isn't foraging and random encounters. Find massive horde of spiders. Moral of the story seek not.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 202):

When it's over, which should be next week or the week after, I'll post the logic behind it in the explanation thread. Let you know how I got there from a random encounter.

Hey, no big.  We asked for this.

That's only the moral of the story if there's no loot.

Forest is still burning, or was that an oversight?

Half oversight. I noted when it went out on your action, forgot about the reminder lower down.

two of you missed the deadline, even with the extra day, but round 11 is posted.

Noon tomorrow for round 12, please.

I thought I posted.  I could have sworn I did.  Hmmm.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 209):

I show Wednesday as your last post.

Hmmmm.

A reminder that Amaruq , Damen, and Raddik haven't sent in moves, yet

Sorry.  My wife's grandmother died last night.

Oh wow, sorry to hear that. My condolences.

If you need time, I can NPC another, Damen. Let me know. Family always comes first.

Round 12 is posted. Next move due Noon day after tomorrow (Thursday). I have a noon appointment tomorrow.

Do we need to spend an action to see what's in the trees?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 217):

Active Perception would be required to search for something, yes (a yes, that would be an Action), but what you need is a way TO see into the trees past the obstructions (the Cover they provide).

Those with a high enough passive perception were told what they perceived: Just sound. Sight is going to require something move closer into the Spirit Guardian Area) or Xray vision of some sort, or Scrying. And Scrying can be iffy, depending on the spell.

Reminder that Amaruq and Arnau still need to send in moves. Marvek, too, if he's back.

I still haven't heard form Amaruq or Arnau. I suspect deadline fatigue is setting in. as things will go better with 6 than with 4 active posters, I'm going to give it one more day. I'll update tomorrow (Friday) regardless.


Also people, mask up. Breakthroughs happen. I'm in quarantine for 2 weeks because someone at my kid's job gave her the gift that breaks through, and we're waiting to see if it hits me.

I've been under quarantine three times.  One because my stepdaughter was around someone who had been exposed.  Two because I showed symptoms; test came back negative but you have to quarantine for ten days in case of a false negative.  Three because my wife came down with it.  So far, she's the only one of us to catch it.  As it stands, my youngest turns twelve at the end if next month, so he's getting vaccinated whether he wants to or not.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 221):

My daughter was vaccinated in April. Better than not getting vaccinated, but she waits tables in a rural area that is high risk, so it only helps, it doesn't prevent. She's also a bit paranoid about having a mask on everywhere, but masks protect others, not the wearer, so that didn't help much, either.

Still, better to do what you can than give up and experience the joys of a ventilator.

Actually, masks do protect the wearer.  If someone infected breathes upon you, it still has to get through the mask.  But, like the vaccine and condoms, they are not 100% effective.  Hell, even 50% effectiveness is better than none.

My wife and I had covid in October and our lives are now dominated by dealing with the after-effects. You don't even have to have a bad case of it to @%&$ your life up for months or years afterward.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 223):

Not quite the message the NIH and CDC put out, really. Unless it's an N95. Mind you, I'm not disagreeing that they might not help, but you might be over estimating how much.

Still you're right that every little bit helps.

They've been wearing them in Japan for years, as a courtesy to other people.  Most Japanese people will wear a mask when they are feeling ill so they are less likely to spread it to others.

Yeah... I'm more worried about long haul effects for my daughter than a bad two weeks. But the vaccine is supposed to minimize that sort of thing for breakthroughs, too, and she seems to only be mildly affected and already improving after only 5 days, so I'm hopeful.

And now I have an excuse to not have to play Doordash for her. Apparently Hot and Sour soup is her mother's family cure all, and she needed some last night (her results came in this morning, so we thought it was just summer flu). Me, I just toss shredded chicken in some ramen and call it chicken soup. Better than the campbells' I keep on hand.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 22:33, Thu 26 Aug 2021.

Sorry to hear about all of the COVID craziness, hope everyone is doing okay. Work has been absolutely crushing the last two days, and I haven't been home long enough to get a post in. Doing it now.

Round 13 is up. I think we are overdue for an Acrobatics DC update. Let's make it 15 going forward from here.

Next Move due Monday at noon, enjoy your weekend

OK, only 3 of you have responded, which leaves 3 that haven't. I'm going to delay another day, but I will use whatever I have tomorrow (Tuesday).

To be clear, in case you aren't sure if you've responded to the current turn: It's Amarug, Hedwig, and Arnau that I'm missing.

In fact, it's been a bit since I've heard from Arnau or since he's logged in. I'm thinking he may live in hurricane affected regions.

Round 14 posted.

You've killed about 84 spiders so far. Almost done.

Acro DC is 20, now. Just too many misses, and not that many adjacent spaces for the misses to land. At least 60 web sots thus far, and 40 or more were misses.

The Spirit Guardians are truly doing their jobs.

Is there a group of spiders clustered together?

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 232):

No, not until they come into melee range. Te ones remaining are the ones that used missile fire last round (webs). The ones tat just arrived.

There likely will be some collected by your move, however, depending on how nasty the spirit guardians get.

Gotcha.

Round 15 is posted.

Targeting tomorrow at noon for round 16. I think we may be taking longer here than the ship combat.

With over 80 enemies, I'm not surprised it's taking a while.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 236):

it's going to be a round 100. maybe 2 more rounds before the last of them arrive, then the boss fight.

Round 16 is up. I only received moves from 3 of the 5 of you not dealing with Reality (which probably means those two ARE dealing with Reality), but Monday is a holiday so I wanted to try and finish the Attrition phase of the combat before the weekend.

Kill count is now in the mid 90s, for those who wonder about such things.

Next round by noon tomorrow, folks.

Raddik did call out last round, asking if anyone had seen yet what it was that was moving around up above us.

 Round before, actually (he missed last round). My apologies, it got lost.

And no, noone can see anything, a couple could barely hear, is all.

I've only gotten moves from 3 of you, so I'll delay until Tuesday. Enjoy your labor day weekend

Round 17 is posted. No current opponents are visible, but we are still dong round by round. Something is out there behind the trees.

Note that several of you are restrained, including the nearly impossible to restrain Raddik (it was only a matter of time). Now would be a good time to fix that.

Acrobatic DC is 20 for movement.

Ok, round 18 is up.

Not that the Dwarven Ghosts are no longer there. They've been doing most of the work, so things are about to get interesting.

Assume the tough guys are coming out next round, now that you're softened up and mostly out of spells.  They've been there for a bit, and the Spirt Guardians spell was the thing keeping them at bay.

Round 19 is up.

New opponents have appeared, including some more spiders. 2 new species have appeared. Not Giant or Giant wolf (although certainly just as big or bigger).

These 2 new species "appeared" they didn't "arrive".

One more round before the weekend: Noon, tomorrow for the next round.

Crap.  Things got busy on me.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 245):

Wasn't much for you to do in any event. Nothing appeared until after your actions.

So there's 3 giant spiders that are just a different breed from the previous ones, and then one new, larger spider that's different from everything else so far?

In reply to Raddik (msg # 247):

Yep. What "Different Breed" means is uncertain of course.

In reply to DM (msg # 248):

I've only gotten moves form 2 of you, and as tere are only 5 of you active, I'm delaying until Monday.

Enjoy your weekend.

Meant to get a post in, but I have been running all day.  Had tot ake a half day from work, and I'm still running.

Round 20 is posted.

The single Species #3 spider bit and then disappeared, and just isn't there anymore.


In other news:
It's been 2 weeks since Arnau checked in. I've sent him an rmail to see if it's just after affects of the Hurricane or if he's withdrawn. Of course, it may take a bit to get an answer if it's the Hurricane, so while I will hold onto th character for a couple more weeks, plan for his absence, at least for now.

Marvek has checked in as recently as a week ago, but still, he's not able to spare the time from reality, yet, so I'll hold onto him for a bit, too.

Still, I'm going to shift both to ship watches for future foraging and exploration until they return, if they do. This leaves you at 5, with no real opportunity to re-crew until Meso-America. I can get you there fairly fast after this by returning to posted events with occasional die rolls.

As to Captain...Right now you can't spare anyone already in a Ship's Officer job, without losing that event roll, which just trades one auto-failure for another. Of the Original crew, this leaves Hedwig as best bet for Captain (not the only choice, of course. it depends on how many failures you want to risk during hurricane season). You'll have to NPC Quartermaster, but, really, it won't be necessary to have a real Navigator until you hit Cape Horn and turn East to find the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Agulhas

I'm willing to be Captain if I'm the best choice. I also have no issues abdicating the position to one of the newer players should that be more prudent. I suppose my longevity in the game at least proves that I have some staying power.

Damen can't really leave the positoon of Bo'sun, nor does he have proficiency with Navigators' tools.

Sorry, folks, running late again. Should have the move up in a few minutes

OK, it's up, folks. Round 21

Notice yet another species of Giant Spider appearing.

Just to clarify: The initiative count has Giant Spider #3 at 20 and New Spider at 14. Aren't those the same thing?

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 256):

Actually, I've somehow downshifted the spiders. 20 is now 14. Nothing at 20. Sorry

Folks, my computer is locked in an update. Ill do the move as soon as it finishes, but nothing has changed in 30 minutes, so...

In reply to DM (msg # 258):

After only 2 hours...I'm back. ove should be ready shortly

Round 22 is posted.

The 2 survivors are an Ettercap druid that as wildshaped into a Giant Spider, and his pet Phase Spider. Best I could do for a spider themed boss fight.

Raddik is getting the Druid's focus currently, while the phase spider seems to be hopping around.

Raddik is grappled, choked, restrained, and getting chewed on by the ettercap. With Advantage.

The phase spider shows up...somewhere, takes a couple of nibbles, and disappears again, in a 2 round cycle.

And the ground is covered in sticky webbing everywhere, pretty much, because the 75 spiders you killed were lousy shots.

On the plus side, in giant spiders alone, you've earned more than 15000 exp as a group.

Noon tomorrow, folks.

I need input from Raddik and Hedwig, still, so I'm going to delay the move until tomorrow.

Move is going to eb a little late today folks. Another 2 hours probably, but it's friday, so that shouldn't affect monday's deadline

OK, Round 23 is posted, round 24 due Monday.


Raddik and Arnau are still restrained. The ground is still full of web blobs (which don't affect the enemy, of course), ad the druid and the etherial spider can move at full speed through the brush. ell, the spider can while etherial.

While no opponents are currently visible, we ar still in combat. Heal, change weapons, prep, deal with restraints, etc as you wish, but it's round by round still, just in case.

OK, folks, I've heard from Arnau and he IS withdrawing. Reality has ramped up for him, and he doesn't know hen or if he'll be able to return.

When you return to the ship, he'll be staying on board for further shore parties (for now, at least). I'll remove him and Hersten some tie after Meso America is reached. Until then they are NPCS that need to be fed, but their skills are sill available.

After you lose them, of course, you'll have much worse luck with Event rolls. However, all is not lost, there ARE some replacement options in Central America.

I'll send off an rmail to Marvek in a bit, and se what he wants to do about his character, as well.

My dog got sprayed by a skunk tonight. I didn't realize it had happened, I just knew she had barked at something after I let her out. When she came in, she dove into the carpet to wipe it off, then jumped up onto the couch to wipe it off there too. Now my entire house smells absolutely horrendous, and the smell is a trigger for both my wife's post-covid condition and my own, so the smell is amplified. I may be going to a hotel tonight if I can't get through it, but I get to spend tomorrow trying to deskunk my house. We're going through every home remedy Google has to offer right now, to do what we can tonight, but relief can't come soon enough.

I may be a bit tied up tomorrow for posting, trying to take care of this smell.

In reply to Raddik (msg # 265):

Citric Acid is the cure all, (I believe). The active ingredient in tomato juice that cuts through skunk. Try Orange oil based cleaners. Assuming you can find any for fabrics, of course.

If nothing else Orange Oil soap (dish or shampoo)  might help the dog, if you don't have a few cans of Bloody Mary mix laying about.

Of course, when I go to verify this online, all I get is: Mix 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and 1-2 teaspoons dishwashing soap. I ay be misremembering what it tomato juice used to do the trick.



Also, my ability to post in a timely fashion this week may be iffy. Several Appointments that are interfering with 3 mornings and one afternoon, and an evening. each on a different day.

Worst case, I get results out late and give 2 days for the next one. Even then, tomorrow is the only day that's likely.

Everything I've heard, including From a Mythbusters episode, nothing, not even the "deskunking" chemical cleaners can get rid of it all immediately.  However, Jamie Hieneman and Adam Savage proved that tomato juice really is the best remedy.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 267):

The Internet disagrees with us they say it's a myth.

Perhaps review this link: https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/removing-skunk-odor.pdf
This message was last edited by the player at 14:58, Mon 20 Sept 2021.

Still missing Amaruq's post, so instead of posting today and skipping tomorrow, I'll just skip today to give him some time.

Posting tomorrow at noon...I think.

Nothing gets rid if the smell completely but time.  However, according to the Mythbusters' experiment, tomato juice does the best job at reducing the smell.

OK, round 24 is up. round 25 noonish tomorrow.

Still waiting for some input and I have an appointment soon. I'm going to delay again (with only 5 of you left, I don't want to run partial rounds). Tomorrow (Thursday) noon.

Round 25 is posted. Another anticlimactic round of nothing happening.

Arnau has finished his spells, BTW, and won't be healing any more.

Let's try and get a move in by tomorrow before the weekend.

Round 26 posted, and, again, nothing happened.

Next move due Monday. Enjoy your weekend.

I still need to hear from Amaruq and Raddik.

Round 27 up.

Remember, folks, movement requires an Acrobats roll to avoid web blobs from previous misses.

Edit: Oh, noon tomorrow. As most are standing ready, I'll going to quit waiting on missed posts until something happens.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:39, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

Round 28 is up.

Tomorrow at noon for round 29.

I still need Hedwig's and Damen's inputs. Let's push the move until tomorrow.

Shit.  Sorry.  Had stuff happen today.  I will get something up tonight, though it may be more of the same.

Round 29 is up.

The ettercap is fully restored and back.

About half of you are chin deep in web, now. A large(20x20x5) blob, this time. Let's assume the other half are due to get one next round, so Dex Saves from all.

Hedwig's Dex save is for this past round. If he fails, he may make a Strength check for the upcoming round, which is due Monday.

Thalassa may, of course, ignore the Web.

Round 30 is up.

30 rounds in...check spell durations, folks.

I need dex and con(poison) saves from everyone every one for now.

Shouldn't be more than one or two rounds, depending on arrow supplies (almost gone) and ability to move to melee (acrobatics rolls)

Noon tomorrow please.

I'm going to give t another day. Still need Raddik and the newly returned Marvek.

Round 31 posted.
Ettercap is done, phase spider is on his phase round, but shouldn't survive more than another round.


Moves by noon tomorrow so we can finish this, please.

And remember, you anted more than the basic 6 spiders. :-)

And round 32 is done, as is the fight, finally.


Raddik is leaving us. I'll NPC him and Arnau and Hersten until Mexico. Then we will try for some replacements, although options will be narrow, and we may not get 3 until South America gives us more options.

With Marvek's return we have 4 originals and one replacement still with us.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 19:39, Thu 07 Oct 2021.

Monday is a holiday in the US. (two opposing holidays, actually).

I'll pot a quick wrap up now and we'll go back to it Tuesday

Gm is this the loot that was on the Ettincap?

Also we need to go ahead and decide what we are doing with the maybe lair of this druid. I say we just go back to the boat. We've spent enough time on this tangent.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 287):

Carried treasure, yes. air? Not so much. A centerpoint to the webbed region is about it. a big ass web.


Also, Damen, those bodies you want to dispose of? Over 100 all small or medium. Not sure what you have in mind other than a really big forest fire.

It will grow back in ten to fifteen years....

I thought so too, but the numbers (days passed since last big event) don't come up right. Also, if you'd have been foraging 3 or 4 days you would have found the construct much earlier, so logic is against it, too.  So I went with my notes.

But that's another reason not to have a 6 week long melee.

Only two event between now and the Gulf I'm going to post an Ad later todaya nd try and line up some replacements.

As soon as  get verification you want the current forage rotation, I'll process the 2 events and we should be  in a new area for you folks to explore.

Also, Now that Arnau is an NPC and departing soon, you no longer have to worry about the Revenant chasing him....Yes, Jolly Roger was behind you and closing rapidly.

Eek! I thought we'd sunk him for good.

Since we're probably never going to find out IC, do you want to tell us why he was chasing Arnau? Was it the bandana, or something else?

The foraging plan sounds good to me, but it's the captain's decision, of course.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 292):

Just the bandana....and a story Arnau insisted in keeping as part of his background (it's a bard thing, I suppose). I gave him changes to quit telling the story and to dump the bandana. He opted to keep both.

And the thing about Revenants is...you CAN'T kill them for good, really. He'd come back in a new ship, and new crew. A long boats and a bunch of viking sailors and colonists (and live stock, which would have been fun) this time.

Time to reacquire a body, take over a ship, let it turn into a lair and the folks on board to start dying off, then he chased you, traveling day AND night, rather than just day.

He was less than a week from catching you I think.

Waiting on Hedwig or a consensus

Early IC post. PLease don't post yet.

OK, fixed it. post away

During what shift is the water elemental spotted?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:17, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 297):

While you were traveling, so Day shift.

Sorry about the delay. I have meetings all day but I'll try to get a small post in.

Got my copy of Fizban's in this morning. Unless you're a big fan of Gem Dragons, it may be something of a disappointment.

Wow.  A longbow has better range than a ballista.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Fri 29 Oct 2021.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 301):

Sure. Lighter ammo.

I'm going to assume Halloween took up most of everyone's weekend. I only received one move from the 5 of you.

I'll delay until noon tomorrow, then post using what I have.

Ok, I still need THREE initiative rolls: Marvek, Hedwig, and Damen.
Hedwig, please make 2. One at -2 for the NPCs, so we know when the ship moves.

Round 2 tomorrow at noon. Please, folks, at least the initiatives this time?

Ballista Damage is 3d10.

Damen, remember, you can only do one thing at a time. Standing at the rail yelling at something 500 feet away prevents you from Aiding the Ballista.

Well, still waiting on most of your actions. I'll delay again, but we need to get back to a 24 hour turn around for combat if we ever want to get down to the Gulf. (where I have someone waiting to join, BTW)

Been busy.  Working extra because we are down three employees from our optimal eight.  And only one hour of overtime a day to do half the work of another employee in addition to my own.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Wed 03 Nov 2021.

Round 2 has posted.

That gap is closing folks. A couple more rounds you'll be too close for Ballista fire, as it will have boarded....or made a big whirlpool and dragged you under, or some other typically Elemental thing.

Noon tomorrow. As no one seems to actually be doing anything, I won't be delaying that one, it'll happen with whatever I have before the weekend hits.

I'm just shocked that the plan was to shoot the elemental and we haven't shot the elemental.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 308):

Yeah, me, too. Which basically means I've delayed twice for nothing to happen. I was thinking this would be a quicker battle than last time.

Oh well, players always surprise you.

Sorry. I probably shouldn't have suggested talking to it.

I wanted to communicate with it as well....

Right. But we talked about this or at least had time to talk about this. I thought we were in agreement that the risk to ourselves was greater than the possibility of avoiding conflict with it. Since none of us have experience conversing with elementals and had no idea why it was following us in the first place.

Round 3 is posted.

Next move due Monday at noon. enjoy your weekend

Round 4 is posted. Noon tomorrow for round 5. That should be your last Ballista shot, assuming movement continues as is.

OK, folks, got another replacement in the works. That's 6 folks active, and Marvek in Limbo while he deals with Reality.

I'm hoping to get them introduced by Monday, but that depends on the Elemental combat and one or two other factors.

I went with the moves that I received. 3 of 5.

Round 5 in posted. Round 6 at noon tomorrow.

Distance from ship to elemental is only 5': enough for one last ballista bolt, if desired.

Ok, round...6? is posted. The elemental has boarded, so Ballista damage is no longer an option.

Next round noon tomorrow.

I don't have moves from Damen or Amaruq. As the elemental is on board and they are your warriors, I'm going to delay one day.

Sorry.  I have been busy all day.  Will get something in tonight or tomorrow morning.

Round 7 is posted. Next round monday. Enjoy your weekend.

The situation: Either you've defeated the elemental, or it's taking advantage of being water to do something sneaky and probably hazardous to your health.

All you have to do is figure out which. We will stay in combat rounds until you think you have, then proceed as you've decided (combat or not).

This means no IC posting, but I'll post anything you want to say in the move for you. Stress of combat is still a factor until you leave combat.

I need to head out to the local 'big city' toorrow, and probably won't be able to post most of the day, until evening.

Still, feel free to post some and give me something to respond to or adjudicate. You folks seem to have come to a full stop, and my only cure for that is a nasty encounter. I think it's a bit early since the last one, so....post, please.

For the record, folks, a football field is 300 feet. You tried to talk to the elemental ONCE at 500'.  That's 1 and 2/3rds football fields.

It didn't refuse to respond, it probably didn't hear you. Or maybe it DID respond and you just couldn't hear it at that distance.

IC post 262. I noted ranges. And, apparently, made more than the usual typos.

Folks, I'll give it the weekend, then if we could wrap this up I have another person to introduce and I need to get you into the gulf for that.

Updated "The Ship" Thread watch stations. It can be changed, I just worked at filing things in, more or less.

Marvek is semi NOC right now, and not the best for day shift, but he's needed there if you want his speed boost. Once you head back East, he;ll need to be nights for navigation.

Damen is evening, because Damen's job is crew harassment nad ship repairs, and that hives him some light for repair work.

Hedwig is split Day/Evening as Captain.

That will leave no office on graveyard until the fish barrel is full. A night time officer isn't really necessary as you're anchored and just need someone awake to notice issues, and that's a crew job. Hersten and Raddik are Civilized types and will leave at the first signs of Aztec civilization.

Ohm bunks updated, too. That was just Dohate and you've a couple empties on the main deck.

Again, assignments can be changed, just filling in something quick to continue with, so we know who is where when it hits the impeller blade.

Apologies for the radio silence these last few days. The holiday scramble has me with less free time than I anticipated.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 325):

Had a bit of that myself. It's going to get worse this week and about 4 weeks out from now, too.

Things will probably drag, but it's a good area for it, as things here starting getting populated soon, so you can admire the scenery and discuss to death what you want todo about it.

Slow and steady is better than no game at all.

Howdy from Arizona.

OK, Maht isn't figured in the following:

Marvek ahs returned twice. I know he ants to play, but Reality is slapping him silly currently, so I'm going to NOC him for a bit next to NPCNazem. Besides losing your weather witch could make things much worse for you during sea encounters.

I had made a small error on my last forage calculations, and hadn't factored in the fish Thalassa catches when calculating food reserves. The 16 day forage cycle should have been closer to 28 days. (New folks, when food gets low, the party hits land in the rowboat and forages for 4 days, thn your cook NPC uses Purify FD to keep it fresh(more or less).

Oh, fish barrel is full, all salt earmarked for fish preservation is gone, and just Nazem's cook salt is left. Of course he has most of it as he isn't making bread, and you don't need to add salt to salt fish chowder. Thalassa can keep you in fresh fish by fishing every 2-3 days, but that will deplete your salt reserves over time. Not important for now, but eventually you'll run out (either way) and it will affect Infestation Event DCs. For now I'll assume you're using the salt fish in the barrel for emergencies only.

New calculations, with Dohate replacing Marvek, and assuming you folks stay coastal for foraging, makes for a 6 week cycle: 4 of forage, 4 of travel. Forest is a bit lower, Desert a bit lower than that, and anything else even lower. All this assumes abundant forage, so Desert will take another hit or two for available forage materials, as might other terrains.

Again, Gulf tomorrow, if you folks want to do anything today.

Also, as we are getting new players, this is a goodtime to update (or submit) SOPs.: The things you do automatically every day, but that aren't necessarily consider typical or default actions: Cast mage Armor every 8 hours, wear armor on a ship, Carry bow and sword while climbing the rigging, or what not. Send them in your private threads and I will update the list.

Welcome Mahtlactli and Ix. :-)

DM, could we conserve salt by using Purify Food & Drink on the fish as well? If it would take too long for Nazem alone, I could cast it as well.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 329):

Nazem is doing his limit on Purify just to keep the forage fresh. A barrel full of fish every day?

Sure, you COULD do it, but it's too late to need to now, as this barrel of fish is salted. The 3rd one, actually. It's just as easy to leave it alone until you can't fish for some reason,  and fish every other day for now.

The issue with salt now is cooking and trace elements, not preservation. And you're still on the sack of salt earmarked for that. You've got a fair bit of time before it matters.

Bear with me folks, I got a late star  today and I need to make some notes on distances and wat not for the gulf, to figure travel time. I'll have something posted IC in a short bit

The Fog:

You folks had a fog vent pending. On checking it out, it's really a non event. Three rolls (Captain and Crew Water vehicle checks, Navigator a Navigation check).

Everyone is trained, and the results for 3 successes and 2 successes, and 1 success (technically a Failure) don't matter as there is no point in moving if you can't see the shore to chart it.

Total failure (no successes) MIGHT see you drifting into shore (a random direction, so  about a 30% chance), but, as all rolls are trained, it's not enough of a worry to actually spend the time rolling.

Fog events will be mentioned in passing, not dealt with, at least as long as you are mapping coastlines.

You folks saw the part about wreckage, right.

Ignoring it is fine, but I need confirmation that is what is happening, rather than just the Holiday interfering.

Sorry, I saw it, but didn't have time to post until now.

No problem. There are 6 or 7 of you, and no one posted, so I thought I may have posted too much to actually read.

I'll try and remember to highlight when I get wordy going forward

Traveling for the holidays. Will return Monday

And, as tomorrow is the first Holiday of the season (at least in the US) I suspect that's pretty common at this point.

I'll update Monday or Tuesday, after folks have a chance to eat far too much, shop on the single worst day of the year, and travel home in pressing crowds of strangers.

A piece of trivia from my kitchen this turkey-left-over-prep-weekend:

A chicken carcass takes at least 6 hours to turn into stock. A turkey is done in 3 hours of simmering. Ben Franklin was right, that bird is should have been honored. Besides, I've never seen Wild Eagle in the liquor store.


Kind of wish I'd had a full grown stock pot, though. Had to do the bones in two batches. Might as well have been a chicken after all.

they told me eagle rare is the best bourbon for the price. there is the $100 bottle, and there is the $15000 bottle. no in between.

anyway i quit drinking from now until christmas.

In reply to Mahtlactli (msg # 339):

I drink cheap rum (rotgut, basically). My palate isn't educated enough to spend good money on a buzz.

And Christmas is generally when I drink more than once a month. It'll be up to a couple times a week by the day. Dunno why...well, I d like hot buttered rum. make it with banana rumand it tastes like circus peanuts.

Yes, I'm a candy ass drinker.

aint nothing wrong with that. drink how you like, not how society tells you.

i gotta quit for a month every few months to prove im not an alcoholic

I am a fan of Cruzan and Bacardi rums, as well as Maker's Mark, Janeson, Dewarrs, and, mow, this Huber's Blackberry Whiskey.  I don't drink often, but I have been known to put it away,as long as I have something in my belly.  The one I've been drunk was because of two shots sweet mash whiskey, two shots sweet mash moonshine, and a protein bar.

In reply to Mahtlactli (msg # 341):

I'm not an alcoholic, but I WAS division drinking champ many years ago. Of course, when you only hit port one week out of 5 it's easy to quit.

I have returned.

OK, we have a bird and a body on a piece of drifting wood. Until I hear from folks, I don't know wat you're doing about it.

Suffice to say that until someone reports back that they found a body I have no idea what's going on. So I leave it to the discretion of the swimmers on what to do.

Nothing wrong with cheap rum, or cheap anything for that matter...as long as you enjoy it and can tolerate it.   Over the years I've learned which things to stay away from unless I want a massive headache the next day...for some reason cheap Canadian Whiskey seems to agree with me the most.

And quitting for a month is like a nice little reset button for your tolerance.

In reply to Dohate (msg # 347):

Hangovers are a figment of the imagination. Never had one. I used to chug water and take b complex vitamins after a night t the enlisted club. Now I don't bother. Of course, I don't drink as much or as often anymore, either.

"Hangovers are a figment of the imagination"

Says the figment of my imagination. How do I know you're real?

In reply to Mahtlactli (msg # 349):

How do you know YOU are real?

That's just what a bot would say ;)

Because I've had hangovers, therefore I am.

In reply to Mahtlactli (msg # 352):

Now you're assuming Decartes was real. And you're mangling him.

At least we know the chicken is real. Even if it isn't a chicken.

I have no idea what you're referring to, but it's a quail.

The film of liquid forming a bubble is caused by water tension.  This is what water strider insects use to walk on water, and what prevents water from spilling out of a container when it is slightly over filled.  Water tension is an aspect of water.


A bubble is a simple shape, even if it is rather large.  In fact, as a way of saving oneself from drowning when suddenly immersed in water, people are taught in water safety classes to take off their pants, tie the ends of the legs closed, swing them up into the air to trap air as they are pulled into the water, then tie the waist shut, as a makeshift flotation device.  Water tension helps seal the spaces between the threads of the fabric so that air does not immediately escape.  I learned this as a Boy Scout.  I believe it was the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge.  Just entering water with loose clothing on usually traps air within your clothes.  I am using real world science, in conjunction with his use of magic, to explain how the result of the rolled Natural 20 is achieved.  In this case, a combination of magic, skill, and ranger knowledge and ingenuity.
If you disagree with that, explain it however you wish.

Shaping a hole in water is fine, making a=it a hollow sphere in are is fine. But even a hollow air filled sphere (or whatever shape) submerged uses the full movement allowed by the cantrip (5'). So you can't move it. And it won't support a sold body.  ​

Now, grasping it was your second  issue. Not only are you short an arm to tow it, what with using one to swom and one to tow the body, but it's air and water...there is nothing to hold onto.

And that's assuming it doesn't collapse as soon as it is outside the original 5x5x5 cube. The spells SEEMS to say the effect is strongly limited for water, although I would think ice could leave it.

Now, if you make it ice, as I said, you could avoid all this. You're not trying to shape a pocket of air englobed by water (and less than capable of support a solid mass), you have something to grasp for towing, and the body can actually lay on the ice and not need to be towed by a third arm.

Then Ice it is.  I can eve make a handhold in it.  But, why would he need a third arm to tow the man back to the ship?    Lifeguards swim with one arm occupied (sometimes both) all the time.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 358):

Yes, that's towing one object. You described towing two objects: The bubble and the man. That's one arm per towed object.

As to the ice, that's for next time, as we are far past the point where you're rescuing the man and are at the point of applying medical care on the ship.

people are taught in water safety classes to take off their pants, tie the ends of the legs closed, swing them up into the air to trap air as they are pulled into the water, then tie the waist shut, as a makeshift flotation device.


I'm gonna go practice this with all of my pants and if any of them lose air I'm getting rid of them.

In reply to Mahtlactli (msg # 360):

Great, Now post IC before Thalassa drowns you with her waterskin.

Yeesh, All this because someone tried to make an air bubble with Shape Water. It's for ice and water sculptures. And only a cantrip.

BTW, I was a certified lifeguard as a teenager. (Didn't want to be, but my mother put me through every swim and dive class she could find when I was a kid. Dunno why). Learned to make water wings from pants then, and again in boot camp (presumably in case the ship sank). They're going to lose air unless you keep them wet. Maybe even then on a loose weave. So try to go down in sight of shore.

Ooooooh icebreaker posts are always the worst.

I have been waiting a day and a half for Maht to post C and he just hasn't....

I would like to apologize for forgetting to add him to group 1 where all the good threads are. It's been fixed.

I think.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:48, Thu 02 Dec 2021.

Oh, New FOlks:

I AM using language groups. You may notice, when going to post in an alternate language, that there are several non standard choices, usually based on an Int skill, although at least one tool has made it to the list, as well.

Please do not use these. They are for my use and something of an experiment I'm trying this game. I have added a new DC to knowledge skills and skill applications: Trained. Basically things that folks with training in the proper area would automatically know or realize. It's easier than checking skills for everyone and making multiple identical private posts.

Generally such things will be posted IC and again in Common Knowledge. It  doesn't come up often, especially since leaving civilization behind.

Still, there may be something for you in Common Knowledge now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:50, Fri 03 Dec 2021.

OK, folks, I'm going to let you folks get to know each other one more day, then the weekend and I'll advance Monday.

I need to get you to civilization before we break for Christmas, which means I only have  weeks, which isn't long in PbP,

Ship thread updated. Maht stuck in the open bank (and not active for 5 days)
Watches adjusted with logic. Older (trusted) crewman stuck in the grave watch, new guy moved to a watch with the most paranoid officer (Damen), in evenings. Let me know if you want to alter that, Hedwig.

Now is the time to update or provide your SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures): things you do daily in the background to prepare for the unforeseen: ells precast, are you doing the unwise action of wearing armor at sea? Carrying more weapons than a simple dagger? That sort of thing.

Default is: No spells cast, no armor worn, only a dagger carried.

Wednesday at noon is the cut off, as that  is when I will update, and it may matter by then.

Ok, new folks, some rules of thumb:
-Sea encounters usually happen during the day, simply because that is not only when you are moving, but when you can actually SEE things more than a few feet from the ship.
-Intelligent aquatics usually attack at night. For one, they expect most of you to be asleep. For another, currently, the boat is anchored and that makes it easy on them.

It is night. The light comes from the sky (and full moonlight, when it happens, doesn't quite provide Dim light, so it's generally dark). Lucky, you have a magic lantern on the mast, making the deck Brightly lit, and the Quarterdeck Dim. The Fantail is Dark, and the cabin is usually Dark as folks are sleeping. They have their own magic light source, however.

This should give you a rough idea of what is about to happen.