My First 4e Character: The Final Product

The dragonborn took a few steps forward - wide paces and a steady gaze. His body was covered with dark brown scales, while his eyes were of a similar color. Most of the creatures body was hidden by plate armor, including the helm which covered half of his head and face. In his hands, the dragonborn hefted a long spiked chain ending in a deadly looking flail on either end. The whole weapon seemed to crackle occasionally with black energy. The man was built as a warrior and dressed as an adventurer. A backpack, along with a bedroll and several other basic adventuring items were strapped to his back. Two sunrods hung on small stands of twine from his belt. Around is neck, a steel holy symbol hung on a leather cord. Upon it, a dark image of a raven's head was intricately painted - though the detailed image was weathered and faded. The dragonborn walked with a slight limp in his left leg, and his body seemed worn from the years. Nevertheless he seems to be in top physical condition, with the occasional scar that prove he's more then seen his share of battle. Finally he spoke, in a low and aging voice. "My name is Arjhan Rav'nos, and my story is not one of joy. Build us a fire. I will tell it."



"It was autumn when the Ziagtin came. He blacked out the sky like a raincloud. I lived in a small village full to brimming with ignorant cowards. We were blind to the ways of things, and by first frost we were slaves to the black dragon. They called it worship. 'Surely,' our elders said 'this beast is a servant of Bahamut.' And so we built Ziagtin his temples, and offered up our meager wealth. I was ten then. The night of winter's first snowfall was when the dream first came...

I was soaring. That feeling of flight that so many young dragonborns like myself wished for. The soothing windy breeze against his scales. But I knew... somehow I knew that where scales should have been, there were feathers instead. Rich black feathers. And as he passed the mountain's peak, he glided down over their valley. But his village, far below, was no more. All that remained was a graveyard which stretched over the hills. And I knew... somehow I knew that they were all gone. All of them. They were gone.

At first, the dreams were terrifying. As the years passed, they became sad. And as I became an adult, eventually the dreams were just dreams. I was no fool. I saw what Ziagtin was doing. I saw when the elders started disappearing. I saw his dark ways. That night, I had the dream for the last time, when I finally embraced it. I began to wish for the dream's reality. Then, at least, we would be free. We would be at peace. Finally... at true and final peace.

When I awoke, I was free from the anger. I was free from the sadness and the fear. And upon my windowsill, a regal black raven was perched. I knew... somehow I knew that this was my chance. In minutes I had gathered up what few possessions I had and was out the door. I never looked back.

Ziagtin had told us that we were doing the work of Bahamut - and to leave would be blasphemous. I knew what he meant. Any who left would be caught, and killed... This didn't stop me though, and through the roads of our small village I ran like Ziagtin himself was chasing me, following this little black raven as it made it's way through the cold winter air. I followed. For miles I followed.

I escaped.

The raven brought me to a small abandoned hut five days away from my home with nothing but a bed and a book of prayers within. Prayers to the Raven Queen. There, I lived for twenty seven years. People began to hear stories of the hermit dragonborn that lived in the woods, which brought many to learn from me, or to challenge me. Some brought gifts - thinking me some sort of wise man. I suppose that is what I became after a while.

Finally, when I was forty years old, the dream returned, and I knew my time had come. I traveled back to my home and liberated my people. Not much was left, but Ziagtin remained. I fought him and he fled - weakened and fat off of years of hedonistic tyranny. My people heralded me as a hero, but I could not stay. I had abandoned them as a child, bringing dishonor upon my family and myself. Even though they had forgotten, I had not.

So, I left my village and my hut behind. Now I travel, following the path that my Queen lays down before me. I am no hero. I am no savior. I am simply a paladin of the Raven Queen, making my way in this world as best I can. Now, we should probably get some sleep."

- - -
Arjhan's Personality

Arjhan's goals are two-fold. First and foremost, he wishes to prove himself a true and devoted servant of the Raven Queen. Secondly, he is constantly looking for ways to restore his honor. Arjhan feels that he has committed a great betrayal against his people and wishes to set this wrong right.

In social situations, Arjhan is a fairly reserved individual with a grim outlook on life. He believes in fate and destiny, and is convinced that the Raven Queen has some unseen plan for him. As far as Arjhan is concerned, all that happens was destined to happen.

If ever put in the position where decisions must be made, Arjhan can be quite the commanding individual, and will not sit quietly by while decisions he believes to be foolish are made. He is impatient and wishes decisions to be made quickly so as to not distract him from his true quests.

He is old for a dragonborn (43 years old) and knows that his time is running short. In this light he tries to waste no time in anything, and always acts efficiently. All in all, he is very honest and trustworthy man who always tries to be as honorable as possible.

When the going gets tough, Arjhan gets tougher. The paladin is an incredibly brave - some might say foolishly so - since he sees death as nothing but the greatest reward. He knows his limits however, and is very aware that the Raven Queen will not look favorably upon his passing if it is fueled by foolhardiness. He is tactical and unshakable when combat is joined, though he is equally passionate and driven to succeed.

Sayings
"The raven who flies too high, sees not the worms below"
Arjhan tries to be a humble man, knowing that those who are fueled by hubris generally meet an early and rather painful defeat. This is his warning to others when he sees pride begin to get the better of them, or as a reminder to himself.

"To you my Queen I deliver this soul. Take him/her into your arms."
Arjhan has a great respect for the dead and will say this small prayer over the body of recently deceased enemies. If a friend or companion of his dies, he offers to say a eulogy for the departed individual. Arjhan has no concept of resurrection and generally frowns upon it, though not as much as necromancy. Arjhan will even sometimes shout out this prayer after felling a foe in battle, making it sound more like a war cry.

War Cries
"No pity! No prisoners!"
"Your time has come!"
"Your judgment has been passed!"
"For honor!"
"For the Queen!"
"The Queen has called for you!"

Habits
- In times of peace, Arjhan will often open up his prayer book and read through it.
- If engaged in conversation, Arjhan will sprinkle his dialog with talks of fate and destiny.

Power Prayers
All of Arjhan's powers are linked to a prayer.

Divine Challenge
"The queen has sent me for you! Your judgment has been passed!"
Lay on Hands
"With death comes life. Be still, and accept Her gift to you."
Holy Strike
"None can ignore judgment!"
Valiant Strike
"You cannot flee destiny!"
Raven Queen's Blessing
"With this soul I deliver, grant me Your blessing!"
Divine Mettle
"It is not your time! My Queen grants you salvation!"
Divine Strength
"The Raven Queen grants me strength! None shall escape judgment!"
Dragon Breath
"I serve Winter's Mistress. Accept her cold embrace!"
Piercing Smite
"You all have been marked! You all have been judged!"
Staggering Smite
"None can stand against the Raven Queen!"
On Pain of Death
"Death lingers within you! It begs for freedom! Accept Her embrace!"
Martyr's Retribution
"The Queen of Ravens guides my blade. None can stand against her executioner!"
Martyr's Blessing
"Strike at me if you dare! I do not fear death!"
Wrath of the Gods
"We are the executioners! Your time has come!"

The RPG Three: Part Two

As I began to discuss last time, there are many different ways to roleplay. Tabletop roleplaying is of course one of the more standard methods these days, especially with D&D 4e coming out and already having such a grand audience (myself included). However, a self-proclaimed geekaissance man such as myself can't just sit by and let other fine methods of roleplaying go unmentioned!

Before we go any further however, I need to correct an erroneous and quite blasphemous mistake against the geek world that I made during my last RPG Three entry. I had mentioned during Part One that there were only three main kinds of roleplaying setups: Tabletop, Live Action, and Play-By-Post. However, Erika aka Ravyn over at Exchange of Realities was quick to point out that I missed a valid game format. Play-By-Chat. Now, I've never personally done a chat-based game, but I have heard of them. Ravyn was kind enough to direct me over to a blog post where she spoke on the subject.

"Its first advantage is that it’s a balance between [tabletop and play-by-post games]; it can almost match the speed of a face to face game, but has a good measure of the locale flexibility of the play by post — I’ve seen chat games run with people spanning three states worth of West Coast, and was even in one in which the players were in locations spanning most of the Western Hemisphere and the game-master was in England."

You can read more of this post here. (As a side note, I did a little bit of surfing around Ravyn's site and apparently she writes for Victorious Press, an independent tabletop game design company. Her whole blog's pretty cool, and she's a member of the RPG bloggers network, so it's definitely worth checking out.)

Anyhoo, Ravyn said that she would try to write up another post more focused on Play-By-Chat roleplaying since I wouldn't even know where to begin with that subject, so stay tuned on her blog for that. I'll make sure to link to it when it's posted as well.

Onward!

Live Action Roleplaying

Cost: Live Action Roleplaying, or LARPing, out of the four types of gaming, is probably the most expensive. I would argue however that it is the most worth it. While you can buy the three core rulebooks of a game for about $60.00 and not have to pay a penny more for tabletop, many LARPs cost around $40-$60 per game. I have seen LARPS for as cheap as $5, but they are usually as cheap as they sound in terms of quality.

With LARPs you are generally expected to provide your own equipment and costume. If you want a good costume and aren't particularly proficient at sewing, then this may cost you a little bit too. Chainmail shirts cost money...

If you find a good LARP, you will get what you pay for. If you're throwing in $60 per event, you should be getting $60 worth of entertainment. If not, you should probably play a different LARP. Trust me, there are enough of them out there. As a warning, though I love Tabletop, I may be a little biased towards LARPing since I am a senior staff member at a great LARP near Boston.

Food: While it's always good to bring your own food to any camping trip, good LARPs will probably make some effort to keep you fed. Depending on the LARP you choose, this can vary. I've been to LARPs where no food is served, where they just had a Saturday night dinner, where there are snacks out constantly. It all depends.

Some LARPs will include your food with the game price, while others may ask for a small amount of money per sandwich. Generally though, LARP food is great and not too expensive. At a nice LARP you can get really amazing meals.

Who: LARPs attract a wide array of players. A small LARP will usually have anywhere between 30-60 players at it, though more popular LARPs can have upwards of 100. The amount of players is also usually based around the size of the campsite or location which the game is held at. LARPers are generally fun people who have a habit of very quickly becoming friends. LARPers generally form bonds over their geekiness, just like gamers at a table, only on a larger scale. Fighting goblins together tends to spark friendships.

What: LARPing is kind of hard to describe. Most LARPs start on a Friday night and run to a Sunday afternoon. Some have breaks during the night so people can sleep safely, while others keep running 24 hours a day. Just like with tabletop roleplaying, you have a character, though instead of saying what your character does, you actually do it. Rather then rolling a die to see if your sword hits, you actually swing a sword! (They're foam, don't worry.)

Live Action Roleplaying Games are basically a cross between Renaissance Fairs, Dungeons and Dragons, and Improvisational Theater. You are part of a group of players, while the staff poses as NPC's, monsters, and other beings that you meet along your path. Weapons are usually made of latex of pipe insulation. Games usually have complex rules set up to create a magic system and a combat system, keeping safety in-mind foremost.

You don't have to be physically skilled to have fun at a LARP, though it can help. Since you're actually fighting your own battles, it usually helps to be quick on your feet, though if you'd rather play a spellcaster who just hurls magic missiles, or a sage who would much rather read a book or tell a story, such roles are also usually available. No two LARPs are the same, though a few LARPs such as SCA have grown so much that they branch across the country.

LARPs can come in many shapes and sizes, as well as genres. For example, I play in two fantasy LARPs but work as a senior staffer at a steampunk LARP.

Where: LARPs generally take place at campgrounds - usually boy scout reservations or 4H camps. Some have cabins which are open to campers, while others ask players to bring their own tents.

When: A single LARP will probably not have more then six events in a year, unless the LARP is run by several different individuals who all throw individual events. Typically however, two-three events are held in the spring, while two-three events are held in the fall.

Why: Why go Live Action? If you are a devoted roleplayer who wants to be completely absorbed in the game, then LARPing is the way to go. It is a truly unique experience since you actually get to completely forget about the real world for a weekend and become the mighty warrior, the spunky priestess, or the dark sorcerer. You have the opportunity to fight evil creatures, join guilds, gain power, and find items of magic.

LARPing is great because it encourages you to basically play for a whole weekend! It's a great stress-reliever, since it's hard to worry about taxes and bills when you're running for your life through the woods from the undead (done that...) or lying in wait to disrupt a dark elf ritual 10,000 years in the making (that too...) with a war cry and a raised hammer.

If you want to just leave the dice behind and immerse yourself in a unique roleplaying experience, then I strongly suggest finding a good LARP and going for even one event. You may love it!

Play-By-Post Roleplaying

Cost: The cheapest of them all. Play-By-Post (PBP) roleplaying is absolutely free! Depending on what game you're playing you might need to invest in the basic rulebooks, but there are lots of resources online - like the SRD documents - that publicly share a lot of that information for some of the most commonly played games. Membership to great sites that allow PBP games is absolutely free.

Food: Whatever you bring to your computer!

Who: Through PBP games you are able to connect with and play games alongside people from all over the world. It allows you to find the gaming and posting style that is perfect for you. Due to the thousands of people who engage in PBP games there is really no limit to the number or types of games out there, which allows you limitless potential for roleplaying, unlike the limits of your tabletop gaming group, or the LARPs in your local area.

What: PBP games are text based games which use forums to tell a story. Much like in a tabletop game, there is a GM who is running the quest and will post story-based progressions of the campaign as the players advance. In response to the GM's posts, the players will post their actions in reply posts.

PBP games usually go much slower then tabletop and LARP games since you have to wait for the other players and GM to make their posts after you put one up. However, this extra time allows players and GM's to make their posts incredibly detailed and story-like. People who are fine writers usually shine in these games since they allow for very detailed storytelling and character development.

Where: Many sites offer fine PBP opportunities. The only one that I've personally found worth my time however is Roleplay Online. They have a great, easy-to-use layout, and a huge player base, allowing for thousands of games to happen simultaneously. Yours truly is hosting a handful of games over there as we speak!

When: Most GM's will ask that you post once daily, with many giving weekends off. It is general courtesy that you meet whatever posting requirement the GM asks of you, since otherwise games usually dwindle and die.

Why: As I said earlier, PBP games are great because they allow you to really take your time with what your character does and say. In a tabletop game, you may simply say "I attack the troll with my longbow" followed by a die roll. In a PBP game though you can really get into your characters mind and actions.

"Kaelantos quickly pulls another arrow from his quiver, nocking it into position with a deft celerity. Pulling back the bowstring the elf accounted for height and distance, all within moments. 'Corellon, guide my shot!' The elf shouted this prayer with force, as the arrow leapt from it's bowstring, arching through the air."

See the difference? If you want the time to be descriptive, then PBP are certainly for you. The great thing about PBP also is that you can play them every day! If you're playing a few PBP games then you'll probably be able to throw a post up for at least one of them every day. Ever get that rpg withdrawal halfway between gaming sessions every week? PBP games are essentially the nicotine patches for gamers with an rpg problem.

The final shining point for PBP games is that you can find games that play with any system. Seriously. You want to play Adventure? Star Wars? Mutants and Monkeys? You can probably find it. Even games that defy systems are out there! You can find freeform games and games based on TV shows, books, and movies!

God knows how many Harry Potter and Pokemon game advertisements I've seen out there. And if by some odd chance, no one is running a game in a system that you're itching for, you could always start one, and I guarantee people would join.

As the PBPers would say: "Host it, and they will come." Ok, so maybe I just say that. Yeah...

My First 4e Character: The First Draft

So... I caved. I realized that sooner or later, I would need to break the mold on my first 4e character, and that day happened just 42 hours or so ago. I was invited to play in a Play-By-Post 4e remake of Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. I love the module, so it was hard for me to turn down. Plus, the game was described to me as "noob friendly" which made me face the sad fact that, despite the hours I've put into 3.5, I'm still a baby when it comes to 4e.

As I hadn't the faintest idea of what the party would need, or what I should play, I let the DM make the call. Soon enough, the call had been made. A paladin. This was appropriate for me on two counts. First, I'm kind of a lawful good guy by nature, so I always get drawn to, and enjoy playing those classes anyways.

Second, I have actually had a minor preview of 4e at DDXP this past year, during which I played the halfling paladin premade. I thought this was a good option, so I copied the sheet into a notepad document and sat down on my couch.

Then my cable went out.

The tv and internet flatlined. So there I was, with a borrowed Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and an empty character sheet with only one line filled in. Paladin. I had no way of contacting the online world to see if I was making mistakes or to ask for suggestions.

I was on my own - a good old fashioned solo quest - and I only hoped I wasn't in over my head... The module started at 6th level, so I flipped to page 143 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and received it's heavenly guidance. My adventure had begun.

Step 0: Choose a God.

The actual first step in the Dungeon Master's Guide is to choose a race - but I'm playing a Paladin! That means that probably the most important part of my character will be my religion! Sometimes, religion is tied closely with race, so I didn't want to make any decisions before I knew what god my lovely paladin would be following.

Alright then, Player's Handbook - Table of Contents. Things I was surprised to see? Magic Items. Things I didn't see? Deities! I was scared at first, but a lucky guess and a little page skimming brought me right to the correct location.

Avandra, Bahamut, and Moradin first caught my eye, my goal was to explore all of the many facets of 4e however, so the two old gods were out of the picture. Avandra was interesting. Then the Raven Queen caught my eye. Clearly Wee Jas was not cool enough to make it to 4e, but at least they kept her alive in one form or another. (That poor goddess has gone through so many changes...)

Being a paladin of the Raven Queen would allow me to kill without pity, yet still maintain a humble personality. Also, as the Ravenloft module is crawling with Undead, I would have more then enough reason to lend my weapons to the cause, since the Raven Queen seems to be quite anti-necromancy. Done and done.

Step 1/2: Choose an Alignment.

If you have read my earlier posts you probably caught onto the fact that I was obsessed with alignment. This is usually step 0 for me unless I'm playing a cleric or paladin. However, I held back on this step since I don't know what the paladin requirements will be yet...

Step 1: Choose a Race.

The Raven Queen does not demand any race in particular, so my options seemed open. I peeked ahead at key Paladin abilities just for some added insight into what would work.

First stop is Dragonborn. I've never been a big fan of the "dragon craze" that hit a lot of people around the time Draconomicon came out. I think dragons can be somewhat overused and have, in that vein, steered clear of them for all of my characters. Yet, here we have a race that fits perfectly into the Paladin class - even accenting two of my key abilities. Something worth considering...

Dwarfs are another good option. I've always loved dwarfs. They would fit in decently to the class. On to Elves... err... there's a typo in my book. No wait, that's Eladrin. Sorry. Feypeople. Onward...

Half-Elves! Another all-time favorite of mine. Hey, apparently they fit in well with Paladin too! Of course there are good old humans, another staple of mine. I always find that I need that extra feat, so they're still in the running.

My first urge was to go with the Dwarf. Reading though their description however, the Raven Goddess wasn't even mentioned as a possible god for them to follow, and though they had the more grim and stable personality I was looking for, it just didn't fit.

I figured that Dragonborns would be the same way, but rather, they seemed hung up on honor more then on gods. Certainly a possibility. They seemed down to earth, rather the flighty, and even occasionally aroggant. My paladin would certainly be convinced in his own beliefs, so this was something worth considering.

Half-elves were my second choice after dwarves, but their description fell short for me too. They just seemed a bit too... happy for my tastes. So between dragonborn and human. Final decision?

Well, I want to try everything new, so dragonborn it was. Looking over the race I determined that I would be able to play it in a unique fashion that wouldn't bank all of it's "cool" on the fact that my noble paladin looked like a lizard. Made my breath weapon cold to honor the Mistress of Winter, and moved on.

Step 2: Choose Class.

Paladin! Easy enough. Glancing over the class it looked like the Avenging Route was my character's plan since he is ready to accept death. Why would someone who worships death as the natural end of things take extra measures to protect it. Hmm... playing this character is going to be a challenge, but I'm going to enjoy it.

I'm unaligned! Whatever that means...

Steps 3-5: Ability Scores, Skills, and Feats.

This all fell into place easily. I like the condensed skill selections and the way they organized it. I think this is certainly a fair way to streamline. I've always played with the "perception" and "stealth" skills, rather then listen, spot, move silently, and hide - so it was nice to see this. For feats, I grabbed a couple racial feats, and of course Blessing of the Raven Queen.

Step 6: Choose Powers.

Here's where things got fun. The powers were of course the big thing when it came to 4e, since everything's more or less turned into "build your own class". I could make two 6th level paladins who are completely and utterly different from each other in skill and ability. Strength was my primary ability, so most of my powers had to do with Strength attacks.

All in all though, this was a fun process, and I found the powers really interesting. It will certainly be interesting to play once the campaign starts up. I'll try to update you again when I have the finer points of this guy's personality hammered out. And a name of course... I still need a name.

The RPG Three: Part One

I like to think of myself as sort of a polymath (how's that for a word) when it comes to the RPG world. While Dungeons and Dragons does of course have a special place in my heart (and my wallet) I have played rpg's from a large number of settings and in three distinct ways - Tabletop, Live Action, and Play-By-Post. For those of you who are scratching your head and assume I must be crazy for thinking there's any way to play other then tabletop, then this post is for you.

Yes, the truth comes out. I'm a geek. Well, you already knew that I suppose, but I mean I'm really a geek. I hope you don't hate me.

I am an active member of communities that provide access to each of these gaming types, and as such, my future posts will probably bring each type up, so I think it's worth discussing them a little bit. Maybe taking a look at each of the three gaming types with some good old-fashioned comparing and contrasting will open your eyes to a new form of gaming that you hadn't previously considered! They're all tons of fun, but of course, they're all very different as well.

With each of the three RPG types, we'll deal with two of the big deciders when it comes to choosing a game. Cost, and of course, food. Then I'll go into the who's, what's, where's, when's and why's of each gaming style. Who plays, what can you expect, where will you be play, how often will you play, and why should you play at all?

Lets begin with everyone's favorite.

Tabletop Roleplaying

Cost: The rulebooks cost money and so can supplemental information such as magazine subscriptions or adventure paths. Playing the actual game is free, save for the cost of munchies, but depending on whether you're taking on the mantle of DM or Player, you may be investing largely different quantities of money into the game initially. With any basic tabletop game though, an initial investment of about $60.00 is all that's usually needed to get the basic books needed to play.

Food: Generally a "bring your own" policy, going to a session doesn't mean that free snacks will be provided. Be prepared to order out, or bring your own snacks for the session. Food costs can go up between $5 to $10, maybe a little more, per session. Standard chips, soda, and pizza usually.

Who: Generally, tabletop games are played with a group of friends. Tabletop roleplaying can be a one-on-one experience, or you can play with a big group of friends. Most sane DM's won't allow a group of more then six players, but I've seen pretty crazy DM's before.

What: Tabletop roleplaying games use "pen-and-paper" rules where your character's abilities and scores are recorded on a character sheet, usually resorting to dice rolls to determine chance effects. A typical session will have you sitting around a table, moving miniatures about on a grid, and going through a series of battles and roleplaying encounters as your characters explore the world.

Unless you have a die hard group (no pun intended), you can generally look forward to it being a very social experience, where you can spend time with a group of friends, and maybe kill a dragon or two in the meantime. There is usually no dress code (please come clothed) and in general, tabletop sessions are pretty laid back.

Where: If one player had a free house, apartment, or dorm room, games can really take place anywhere. The only things that have to be moved are the players, the required books, and the battle grid (if you use one). I've even played sessions in a pizza parlor before, so I know firsthand that you can really play anywhere.

When: With a tabletop game, usually groups play between twice a week to once every other week for a game to be successful. I've known sessions to last anywhere between three to twelve hours. An average playing group though probably plays once a week for five hours, give or take an hour.

Why: Why go tabletop? Tabletop RPG's have many positive aspects. Such games function as a casual social gathering, offering players a chance to do some light roleplaying, kill some monsters, and chug down Mountain Dew - all within the temperature controlled comfort of a home or dorm room. Tabletop sessions are long enough to provide you with a fun afternoon, but short enough to allow for short attention spans, and other plans.

Since the clock is ticking ever-closer to 9:00pm, my home's internet is out, and Panera Bread is closing, I'll get into Live Action Roleplaying Games and Play-By-Post Games next time!

Big Happy Family

Many of you bloggers out there are not only aware of the new craze, but most likely a member! For those not involved though I would like to announce that I am now a proud member of the RPG Bloggers Network. Essentially, the network is a one-stop-shop for everything and anything you might need in terms of RPG blogs. It's got over a dozen sites who's bloggers have become members, including Phil or "Chatty DM" from Musings of a Chatty DM who has been a great friend and mentor to me so far in my expedition to the blogosphere.

As a quick and very exciting side note, in his upcoming vacation, I will be doing a guest post over at Chatty DM's site. Since I'm itching to tell someone about what I'll be writing for it, I'll give you - my readers - a little sneak peek!

When you get right down to it, probably the most overused cliche in Dungeons and Dragons is the tavern. Most Dungeon Masters avoid it like the plague, and players simply check out in terms of attention. However, I love taverns - I always have - and I think that they can be so much more then a quest-related rumormill via the cloaked gentleman in the corner.

My post over at Chatty's blog will concern the finer points of tavern brawls, a few unique drinking games, and a half a dozen or so other interesting ways to spice up your tavern visits. The big thing I wanted to do was to write up a quick reference sheet for bar fights, including the types of improvised weapons people might use, along with damage tables.

My plan initially was to work with 3.5 D&D, but since that's no longer the rage it would seem, maybe I should start reading through that 4e manual that I've been avoiding like the plague.

Mmm... plague.

Anyhoo, back to this whole blogging thing. This will be my seventh post, and so far so good. Thanks to some kind links from Chatty DM, I've had more viewers then I was initially expecting, and now with the formation of the RPG Bloggers network, it would seem that I'm hopping on the RPG bandwagon at just the right time.

The best thing of all is the welcome I've received! Chatty DM of course has welcomed me, but some other great bloggers as well. So far, I've gotten kind welcoming comments as well from Geek's Dream Girl, Sektor, and Suudo. And of course Dave from over at Critical Hits welcomed me to the RPG Bloggers Network, through which I hope to meet many more Bloggers. So, thank you all for making me feel right at home in the blogosphere.

As a final quick note on family, sometimes the best families are the horribly dysfunctional ones. A girl from my gaming group at school named Shanika (Deanda the Druid if you've been reading my Runelord Recaps) is a skilled artist and did a party photo last semester. Our whole group loves it, though it is sadly missing Kraca the dwarf - the party's newest addition - since he joined halfway through the semester. Anyways, I thought I would give you all a little glance into what the characters look like because nothing brings "family" together better then slaying dragons and stealing silverware (yes, Blain the rogue actually stole silverware).



From left to right: Kikii, Deanda, Blain, Nakor, Jaime and Slavla.

Nothing quite as dysfunctional as an adventuring party I suppose. Of course, thankfully those are the stories that get left out of the great bardic retellings.

Runelords Recap: Part Two

Brodert Quink shifted ever so uncomfortably in the chair - despite how comfortable it was. He was a man of simple needs with no great desire for attention or recognition (except of course for in his academic fields). Though here the man was, seated in a wide-backed plush chair on the small raised stage hugging the norther wall of the Rusty Dragon. Brodert smiled and nodded to Ameiko Kaijitsu.

Though the woman had grown later in years, she was still rich in exotic beauty. Broderts attention however was quickly brought back to the throng of Sandpoint citizens who crowded the tavern.

It would seem that the children he had relayed the story to the previous day had spread the word. Now everyone wanted to hear it - the tale Sandpoint's heroes. Parents, children, and merchants alike, crowded into the large tavern, eager to hear Brodert's story.

Ameiko had gone to visit the scholar that morning, passing along the news that his story had become the town's buzz, and extending an invitation to use her tavern's stage if he wished. Brodert had no choice but to accept. He could never say no to the wife of one of the heroes themselves.

"Well," Brodert began, "Last we left our heroes..."

"The battle against Erylium the Quasit and her minions raged for nearly half an hour. The summoned beast and the Sinspawn gave our heroes little trouble, but Erylium was a dangerous foe - taunting them with her magical dagger, and flying ever out-of-reach.

Cresting the top of her balcony however, Slavla the Barbarian leapt with deft skill, grabbing the Quasit midflight, as they both crashed down into the pool below. The pool was shallow, but Quasits are very small creatures you see. Despite her struggles and squirming, Slavla's strength was too strong, and finally - the Quasit drowned.

Well, the catacombs they found were certainly strange - containing an ancient statue and a shrine to Lamashtu - the goddess of monsters. This place was certainly one of ancient power and importance. I wish I could guide you all down to it today, but as you all know, the shortly following earthquake buried those catacombs once and for all.

Following their adventures through the Catacombs of Wrath, our heroes had finally learned the location of Nualia - daughter of the late Father Tobyn. She was living on Thistletop Island, and leading the goblin assaults from there. From Tsuto's journals, they learned that she was trying to expunge her angelic features, to take on those of a succubus! She called her heritage a "celestial taint". The woman could never see how blessed she was.

Nualia would not be happy until Sandpoint was burned to the ground, so our heroes had no other choice but to march on Thistletop and take her down. The journey was short, and thanks to Deanda's navigational skills, they were at Thistletop by dusk. Making their way through the briar-filled forests which stood guard for the keep, the heroes battled toe to toe against a great goblin druid.

Deanda the Druid was the hero of this battle, given her abilities to walk through the walls of this dense forest as if nothing blocked her path. Thanks to her help, the heroes quickly made their way into Thistletop. Battling back goblin scouts and watchmen, along with goblin dogs, they freed Shadowmist, a heavy horse that would become fast friends with the druid Deanda.

Finally our heroes squared off against Ripnugget - one of the goblin heroes. Led into battle by Jaime the Cleric, they easily toppled the great warchief, and earned access into Thistletop's lower chambers.

Moving through the dungeon, our heroes fought off goblins, mercenaries, and even the goblin hero Bruthazmus - a bugbear ranger. Though the warriors lent their strongarms to these fights, the dungeon became nothing more then a playful laugh with the magical forces of Kiikii the Conjurer and Nakor the Transmuter. Kiikii laid the floor thick with grease as he blinded almost every foe they faced. Nakor's muscles bulged beneath his own magical fortitude, as he laid waste to even the stoutest goblins with his quarterstaff.

Their biggest foe was yet to come however, as our heroes battled furiously against Nualia herself. The woman had already begun her transformation into one of Lamashtu's chosen. Her hand was that of a demon, and the scratches across her chest were frightful. She charged the heroes, hacking mecilessly at those who opposed her with the serrated bastard sword she wielded.

Her pet, a yeth hound, caused Nakor to run in terror, while the others did their best to stay strong even in the face of overwhelming fear. Even against the might Slavla, her power was great and terrifying. Though finally - the woman fell. Nakor, ripping himself from the fear that the hound evoked within him and physically fortified by the spells he'd cast upon himself, sunk his silver dagger deep into the already-wounded woman's chest. Nualia was dead.

All was not done here though. For you see, our heroes had heard tale of a being known as Malfeshnekor. A beast of some unnatural origin whose alliance Nualia was trying to win. Opening a heavily runed door in search of the beast, the heroes got more then they bargained for. Malfeshnekor was not only there, but Jaime recognized him.

A being cloked in the garb of a demon, Malfeshnekor's features were hidden and the smell of brimstone clung to him. Nualia had locked the being within this ancient chamber until his alliance was assured, but unwittingly our heroes let him free. In exchange for his freedom, Malfeshnekor let his pet - a howling and hungry barghest - engage the group, while he fled.

After the barghest was slain, Jaime explained that this being who escaped - Malfeshnekor the demon - killed his father when he was but a child. Nakor recognized the rooftops as he had gazed through the gate Malfeshnekor had formed. The beast was heading for Magnimar.

With Nualia dead and the goblin tribes scattered, the threat to Sandpoint had been neutralized. Slavla, Blayne, Deanda, Nakor, Jaime, and Kiikii were hailed as heroes and heroines of the realm. In exchange for their great service, Mayor Deverin granted the party of adventurers a house of their own within Sandpoint. The house was small and lacked furniture, but it was a place of their own. A gift which they graciously accepted.

Autumn lingered onward...

It wasn't long before the heroes of Saltmarsh were called on once again for their aid. One rainy autumn night, as the group was gathered in the warmth of their home sharing the stories of their past, a heavy knock rung out upon their door. It was Sheriff Hemlock, the town's guard captain, and a good friend of theirs.



However, the Sheriff had not come with pleasant tidings. Apparently, the past evening there had been an incident - a murder most foul with two victims at the Sandpoint sawmill."

With this, Brodert paused, to gauge the reactions of the citizens to this part of the story. The murders of Katrine Vinder and the Harker boy were certainly no light matter. His audience seemed to take it in stride however, looking back on the incident those many years ago as being lost to memory. With the passage of time, it had simply become the stuff of stories. And so, Brodert continued - telling all who listened of the gruesome deaths at both the Sawmill and the Scarnetti house, and the investigation that followed.

"The most curious thing of all," Brodert continued, "was that this mysterious murderer seemed to know one of our heroes very well - Deanda the Druid. After following a half dozen leads, our heroes were at a dead end. And even worse - Blayne had gone missing. Everything seemed to be going wrong.

That was of course, until the morning when they received another knock at their door. Letting the door swing wide before them, there stood the young dwarven monk Kraca. And he brought news..."

Alignments: The Good & The Bad

Sorry about the lack-of-update yesterday but real-world D&D called, and my group is one of those crazy ones that enjoys playing for 13 hours straight. But I'm back, and I'm riding high on a Five Hour Energy shot. Up, up, and blog away!!!

Ok then! It is time for the alignments! There are nine alignments available in Dungeons and Dragons, and they take up only a tiny little itty bitty line on top of your character sheet. Before I got on my alignment kick, the only attention I gave them was a pair of abbreviated letters on that little line, which I quickly forgot about until some alignment-based spell was fired off. But what good are alignments if you can't use them?! (What's a paladin after all without morals to shove down the rogue's throat?)

Lawful Good: Being lawful good means that you have a preset idea of how good people should act. This is based on your personal set of beliefs and your code. You have dedicated your life to the path of goodness and you have committed to a war against evil, whether through strength or arms, or from you actions and your quests.

You tell the truth, and you keep your word. You speak out against injustice and will not let darkness and evil stay hidden. You hate to see the guilty go unpunished, and take it upon yourself – if your code allows – to act as judge, jury, and executioner. Good characters find you a fast friend and a brave force against evil - if occasionally a little bit over-zealous.

You lose your patience quickly with the hastiness and recklessness of chaotic characters, though you may recognize that chaotic good characters and you are seeking the same ends, just through different means. Above all else you follow your code and morals which are ultimately good.

Neutral Good: Being neutral good means that you always try to be as good as you can be. You do the best you can, and generally try to help others. If someone asks you for aid, be them king or peasant, you will do your best to help them, though it would not be your duty. You are a kind individual, but do not like to be bossed around or disrespected.

You are level-headed, choose your battles carefully, and approach matters with an open mind. You are tactical and make decisions through intelligence, unlike those blinded by acting through honor, or those who charge into whatever they think is best without weighing other options. You are unbiased in doing good.

Chaotic Good: Being chaotic good implies that you always think of the greater good. You set your sight on a goal, and will usually take a wide array of means to reach it. You don’t really care what others things about you, and similarly, you yourself never make judgments about others.

You hate tyranny and are annoyed by evil beings telling you or others what to do, though respect wise or fair orders - often seeing them as "suggestions" - just as long as no one tries to impinge upon your personal freedoms. You value personal freedom in all beings, and see all beings as equals in receiving rights and respect.

You are good, first and foremost – kind and benevolent to all creatures, even those you may disagree with. You pursue good and will not take evil actions, though your actions may be held as rebellious or nonconformist, even blasphemous or traitorous by common society. You seek to secure personal freedom for everyone.

Lawful Neutral: Being lawful neutral implies that you very strictly adhere to your own set of morals or to a personal code, either of your own creation or set down by a church, monastery, or other such organization. Typically such beliefs fall under something that could not be considered good or evil necessarily, such as a code for self-improvement and advancement.

A set of morals handed down from a monastery requiring self-improvement and self-testing at any cost for example, might imply a lawful neutral set of morals. Rather then bothering with good and evil, you worry about order and organization. You are not swayed by calls for help, or by the gains and rewards of lies and betrayal. The only thing that moves you is your code, which you follow until the end.

You are reliable, honorable and true, though you are not a zealot for either good or evil.

True Neutral: Being neutral implies that you are a self-focused person. You’re not necessarily egotistical or self-center, but you always choose to do what you think is a good idea at the time. You may decisions in the spur of the moment and do not give thought to what is good, evil, lawful, or chaotic, until the time comes when you must make such decisions.

You generally lean towards good because hey, you like it when people are good to you, don’t you? You don’t feel personally committed to good or evil either way though. Let the heroes be the heroes. You just want to live your life!

You try to just live your life, taking good or evil steps if required. You are unbiased, and do not hold prejudices against anyone. Some neutral people, on the other hand, rather then simply lacking conviction, are devoted to neutrality. They follow balance and tend to avoid the dangerous extremes of good, evil, law, and chaos.

Neutral beings are usually kind unless given some reason not to be. They know the world is full of those that would try to sway them to take on the mantle of a hero, or to commit acts of evil, and are wary of such individuals.

Chaotic Neutral: You are truly and fully a free spirit. You follow your whims, no matter where they may take you. If you feel like stealing for your supper or slaying a dragon for it, it’s all the same to you. In the end, it boils down to what you feel like doing at the time.

You care about personal freedom, but don’t really care if others gain theirs. As long as you are free to do what you wish, then your happy. A chaotic neutral character does not go out of their way to take down lawful organizations, because that would ally them with good or evil.

You may be unpredictable, but you’re not totally random. Intelligence and wisdom still guides you. Your actions never are without reason, so you’d probably walk over a bridge, before jumping off of it. Unless of course there was something shiny in the water, or someone dared you, or you felt like it…

Chaotic neutral characters generally lean towards goodness, as with most neutral characters, but do not feel beholden to it. Though they may kill if they had to, they probably find no joy in killing and would usually not go out of their way to do it.

Lawful Evil: Villains who are lawful evil recognize that being evil is fun, but it's even more fun beating those goody two-shoes at their own games. They recognize and understand that the world has rules - from the politician to the paladin - and since the world is run by a certain series of codes and morals, why not do everything to take advantage of the system?

The first thing a lawful evil villain should ever take into account is their code. Like any lawful character, they have their own set of morals, though in this case, it is usually either a set of rules laid down by the organization (such as honor amongst thieves), or a personal set of rules. Unlike other lawful characters, the code that lawful evil villains follow is usually not a very friendly one, though they still follow it with a zealous fervor.

Lawful evil villains seek power, and are typically willing to pretty much do anything to get it. Their methods of advancement however are not wild and boundless. Such villains are usually masterminds and manipulators - careful planners who weasel their way to the top through blackmail and deceit.

If lawful evil villains have superiors, they will follow them dutifully, and will value their deals - making them surprisingly trustworthy. In the end though, lawful evil villains do not truly care for the lives of those around them. Bounty hunters who kill their targets without mercy, or a thief who follows her superior's orders without question may be lawful evil.

Above all else, a lawful evil villain follows their code or their orders, no matter what they have to do in order to succeed.

Neutral Evil: The only person who matters is you, and you know it. Neutral evil villains are self-centered, and look out for themselves about all else. They don't kill on a whim, and certainly not because they're told to, but they will if it benefits them most at the time.

While a lawful evil or chaotic evil villain may fight to the death, either to fulfill their task, or just because they're crazy, a neutral evil villain is much more likely to drop to their knees and ask to be spared, just so they can get away and have their vengeance later.

Neutral evil villains may have a wide assortment of goals in life, but they readily realize that the quickest and easiest way to achieve those goals is through evil. They could care less who they hurt along the way - as long as they don't get caught.

If their machinations take a turn for the worst, or if a neutral evil villain sees a way to backstab their companions and turn the tables even more in their favor they'll jump at the opportunity. They are more then willing to follow the rules if it helps them get what they want, but would gladly sabotage and double-cross, if it will help them get ahead.

Chaotic Evil: Cruel, heartless, and bound by no rules, chaotic evil villains are perhaps the most classically "evil" of all. They kill and destroy whenever the mood strikes them, and have absolutely no sense of value for human life. "Planning" and "mercy" are two words that have no place in their vocabulary. If you can count on a chaotic evil villain to be one thing, it is crazy.

Either fueled by a lust for bloodshed, or crazed by one's service to a god of destruction or slaughter, chaotic evil villains care for little other then destruction and chaos. The world, in it's very nature, is too balanced in their eyes. Wherever there is law or order, the chaotic evil villain seeks to bring destruction. They rarely have goals, and are impulsive to an extreme.

Temperamental, sadistic, and lawless - chaotic evil villains are whirlwinds of bloodshed and catastrophe, seeking nothing other then to upset the world. They are selfish and ruthless beings who only occasionally care even for their own lives, if only to be able to live in order to destroy another day.