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12:33 AM
hey there @daze413
 
@Shalvenay heya!
 
how're things going?
 
it's a saturday but I'm working :/
 
awww
what do you do for a living btw?
 
I'm a Credit and Collection manager (for now). Gonna get promoted when they can find a suitable replacement, I'm not sure what the position title is but that's how it goes in shifty companies with no clear org structure
 
12:41 AM
@daze413 ah. what makes you work weekends then? O.o
 
@Shalvenay my company always works saturdays (most companies in the Philippines that are run by Chinese businessmen do)
only have 1 rest day in a week (sad life)
but it's not that bad, due to poor employee retention, it's easy to move up in the ladder haha
 
@daze413 6 hours and 40 minutes per workday, or do you get saddled with a 48+hr workweek?
 
8 hours+ per day (without overtime), so yeah 48 hours
and dont get me started on our working conditions >_<
but, hey, bright side is we always get food when the executives have birthdays, or open a new branch, or anniversary, or whatever reason. And! we sometimes get expired or near-expired stuff for free haha
 
ugh
 
I once received a whole case of near expired spaghetti sauce, which was nice
 
12:51 AM
ah
so yeah...wish to continue?
 
anyway lol getting rambly
sure!
so, after I find out the tax collector is ok, what now?
 
kind of up to you -- do you want to try to convince the tax collector to return with you? do you want to just bear the word that he's OK yourself?
 
idk, i feel like I should do something here. Can I ask Rethvara what this place is, it looks so neat
in particular, what is under those webbings below?
 
by all means
 
1:10 AM
Ok so while they're arguing, I walk toward the edge to get a better look at the webbings below and say "Rethvara, what exactly is this place? What is The Talespinners?"
Firaga wonders why Tharvyrion crawled out of it, must it be some sort of office? strange.
 
Rethvara smiles as you look out over what looks to be a large funnel-web...with a rather pale drider-like thing in the middle, complete with fuzzy, tarantula-style body, pointy elf ears, and a wizened-looking face. There are a few books and scrolls laying in parts of the web, and even what look to be seats woven right into it. "Ah, we follow Arachne, the fey spirit of spiders, bound to her by the webs we weave..."
 
(Reth says that?)
 
@daze413 yes
 
uncomfortable, Firaga takes a step back from the edge and turns to Rethvara, "So what is it you do here?"
 
"I'm the treasurer...I keep track of the books and the supplies."
 
1:18 AM
Does my character know what she is talking about? I'm not very familiar with the setting. Does she mean Arachne as a race or subrace of elf?
"No, sorry, I mean what do you all do here?"
 
neither -- fey spirit is fey spirit :) (think like a step or two down from Titania or Oberon f.ex)
"Ah, we keep and study Arachne's teachings, as well as more mundane things, like providing services to travelers and patrolling the woods"
 
"Noble, but I haven't seen any of your patrols around when I walked in. I could have been a marauder but I was able to enter your temple unmolested." he asks, challengingly
 
"We prefer to keep a low profile regarding our security measures. Most folks who try to cause trouble get themselves in trouble around here, anyhow."
 
"Fair enough." Firaga takes a glance at the drider again before saying "What sort of services do you provide to travellers, and are you looking to hire?"
 
"We provide basic supplies and healing mostly, for the traveling sort. There are lectures as well for those who wish to study alongside us"
 
1:27 AM
(am I right in thinking that it doesnt make sense that the constable would send me if he knew there were fey guardians here? I'm thinking theres some sort of foul play here)
(I, the player am thinking that)
 
(the constable didn't know that Tharvyrion was staying with the coven -- he could have gotten waylaid by bandits and be bleeding out on the road, for all he knew)
 
(yes but if there were guardians on patrol, most likely he wasn't waylaid?)
(ok, so no conspiracy)
 
(no conspiracy -- just a lack of knowledge :)
 
Thoroughly uninterested in hearing lectures, Firaga politely refuses as best he can and turns to Tharvyrion: "So, your business is not finished here, and I'll leave you to it. I should return to the guards else they think I have also perished. Do you want me to bring anything to town while I'm here?"
 
"I suppose a letter of my current state might be appreciated by the constable"
 
1:33 AM
Firaga agrees and waits for Tharvyrion to finish the letter.
"A-and can you put something in there that commends me?" he says, his golden scales shifting nervously
"I wouldn't ask, normally, but I am out of a job and it'll be greatly appreciated."
 
Rethvara nods "Let me prepare the briefs for you, then." She also motions down to the web "If you ever feel tired of standing, just climb down and take a seat in one of the seats down there." Tharvyrion also pipes up in reply "Uh...well, I can at least put a thank-you in there. Don't want to appear like there's something underhanded going on..."
 
"That's 'Firaga' F-I-R-A-G-A"
"Oh, oh, yes, yes, o-of course. Ahem."
"Thank you fey maiden, this place has been most hospitable, but I will be going soon after Tharvyrion is done with the commend- I mean letter."
Does he look like he's going to take long? Because Firaga will take a seat after all if he's still, like, in the first paragraph after 5 minutes.
 
Rethvara smiles up from her writings"If you wish to return, you are welcome any time...although before you go..." and beckons someone from within the web. The drider-ish scurries up with a smile on her face "Ah, so you're the guest here. I'm Lothadriel, the Headmistress around here. Firaga's the name, right?"
(it looks like Tharvyrion won't take too much longer with the letter btw)
 
Unnerved at the sight, Firaga fights the urge to step back What sort of magic could have transformed this creature? Firaga's nostrils flare just a bit before he opens his mouth to say "Yes, well met. I have learned much about what you do from Rethvara, she is very hospitable."
oh, and belatedly, he bows. As if he just remembered his manners.
 
Lothadriel smiles and bows in return "It is a pleasure meeting you."
"I just wish it would be on better terms than this silly tax dispute..." She shakes her head and sighs "The road to hell is paved with good intentions, they say..."
 
1:46 AM
"Ah, no, I relish the opportunity to have met The Talespinners. I think the tax dispute is a good thing, for that. And I am sorry I cannot help other than to bring Tharvyrion's letter back to the constable."
 
"Well, you do have a point in that we never would have met otherwise...just another line in a tangled web we weave." Rethvara finishes the briefs at this point
 
Firaga keeps glancing at Tharvyrion if he's finished, eager to end the uncomfortable conversation with this fey drider, but he keeps on doing small talk with it- her?.
(Firaga is uninterested but I'm all ears on anything she has to say, haha)
 
Tharvyrion finishes as well, and the two offer their papers to her along with a "Best of luck on the journey and farewell" from Lothadriel. You notice that Lothadriel and Rethvara have matching wooden necklaces with finely carved spider emblems on them
 
(wouldn't it be close to night by now?)
 
(quite)
"Oh, and if you wish to stay the night, feel free to."
(dinnertime here)
 
1:56 AM
Firaga clears his throat as he stares up at the night sky, "I- don't want to impose, mistress, but the thought did cross my mind, if it's not too much trouble. The constables fears about bandits around this area could be founded. Better to travel by day. Perhaps, if it's not too much trouble, Rethvara can show me the temple, if she's not busy?"
"Or do you still work well into the night?" he smiles
 
2:10 AM
"Ah. The center web is our chapel of sorts around here." Rethvara smiles and beckons you to clamber onto the web after her and Lothadriel while Tharvyrion retires to his bunks for the night
 
I follow gingerly, fire burning up my throat as I clamber down on the webs, ready to incinerate it if it proves too sticky. Firaga can't speak while like this so he'll nod but will only swallow if he's asked a direct question.
"Mm-hmm... Hmm..."
 
Rethvara leads you down a non-sticky part of the web that looks to be a woven path, even. "Just look out for glistening spots, those are the sticky parts. Most people only ever get stuck to her desk once, though. Having to have her yoink you out usually cures them of it."
 
"Hmm, hmm..." he says, carefully avoiding anything that seems to have even the slightest of sheen.
 
Rethvara leads you to some non-sticky, hammock-like seats woven into the web, and sits down in one herself. "Please, feel free"
 
Firaga swallows down the fire and sits on the edge of the offered seat. "ahem. Is this where I will be staying for the night?"
 
2:18 AM
"There are bunks upstairs as well if you would prefer a more...traditional experience."
 
"It is... certainly new. And, yes, I would prefer a bunk, thank you."
(so um. long rest? next day or does Rethvara have something important to say?)
 
(long rest and next day)
 
I bid everyone farewell, even Ralphie I pet on its blue torso
And head on back to town. On the road, I prepare my shield on my arm. You never know.
 
alrighty -- can we pause there for a bit?
or actually...
d6
 
 
2:26 AM
a die!
im gonna die...
 
actually, yeah, lets pause for a little while (so you can get some work done ;)
 
no, I'm getting a lot of work done, actually. Saturdays are always really slow. And I'm really only busy on month ends when sales starts to pick up
but ok let's pause there, with the ominous 2 roll
 
(turns out I didn't really need that dice after all picks it up)
 
That was interesting, though I felt there was something more to the place. What happened there?
i felt for sure the drider had a quest for me or something
 
ah...the driderish would have been happy to explain more had Firaga wished to sit and listen
but she'd probably have whooshed a bit anyway :P
 
2:32 AM
Firaga was there for a night, cant the drideresque have explained while they were waiting for the letter?
yeah, being head mistress, and a drider-kin must be very busy
 
ah, true. consider it something we missed :p
 
ah well, it doesnt seem to be the last ill see of the place. So whats the ideal destination here? Should I have gone back to town or was there really something with the Talespinners?
While playing, I felt the place was really ffluffy and cool so there must be something there but Rethvara or even the mistress didnt really expound on anything. I felt that going back to town was the right next step.
 
going back to town works
and we can continue now
so, you're on your way back down the pack-road, almost to the wagon-road, when two elves clad in dark garb step out from the forests, one in front, the other behind, longswords drawn. (Roll init!)
front than back
d20 d20
 
14
15
 
alrighty. btw, if it seems im slacking at work. I am, but thats because my head is in japan and my 2 staffs are attending a training seminar and I got most of my work done yesterday and Im trying to keep from going insane trying to solve a problem. Im sure a solution will come up. just not now
heyy @Miniman
 
2:39 AM
@daze413 Hey!
 
dang!
d20
 
thats a 10
 
(and this is a bit harder than what I'd normally do for this scenario with a solo player, but I'd figure Firaga would like a challenge)
 
he's reasonably sturdier than most L1s
barring crits
 
2:40 AM
17 (back) 15 (front) 10 (Firaga)
 
"So, there ARE bandits on the road... When I'm done with you, there will HAVE BEEN bandits on the road."
 
"Drop your weapon before we have to make *you the have-been.*" The voice from behind you sounds a bit on the feminine side...
 
Firaga sizes them up, (do you use the optional flanking rule?) and thinks he can take them both with his breath-weapon, if he can line them up just right... "I've dealt with the likes of you. Come meet your unconsciousnes." (not death)
 
(we can use flanking here as it's not too complicated although I'd ordinarily skip it when I'm not running map-and-minis)
They're shifting position as you turn, trying to keep that 180deg relationship on you...
 
ok, thisll be tough... but Im sure Firaga can weather it
 
2:48 AM
you hear some chatter in Elven...and then the back-bandit tries to half-sword a murder-stroke into the back of your head!
at a +4
d20
 
AC is 18. miss
Firaga hears her coming, sidesteps and elbows her. (no mechanical effect)
"Contemptible!"
 
She overshoots as this happens, her partner matching Firaga's sidestep as he goes in for a slash at the big dragonborn to try to chop him a bit more...down to size.
again +4
d20
 
still misses
anything else? or my turn, now?
 
2:52 AM
His slash is off-the-mark as well, your turn
 
so theyre flanking me. And I'm pretty sure they cant hit me... So I'll provoke an OA from the girl and move to line them up and breath fire on both of them
 
they're a bit out of position now, but the girl sees an opening and thrusts with her longsword...
at a +4
d20
 
She stumbles a bit as she steps, her thrust wildly off the mark
 
blech
OK, so its a DC 12 dex save for both of them for half.
2d6
 
2:54 AM
 
7 fire damage... not very good
 
front then back
both at +2
d20 d20
 
Firaga breathes in deeply, as his nostrils flare in anticipation. Fwwoom! A cone of flame wreathes both figures
did the front one dieded?
 
The elven lass is able to use her momentum to roll away from the incoming flames, only getting singed, but her counterpart isn't so lucky, getting the full blast of the firey breath
nope
 
2:58 AM
:o OK, end turn.
 
11 starting on both so 4 on the guy and 7 on the gal
 
I underestimated their HP! haha, never again.
 
She comes up from her roll and tries to outflank the Dragonborn with another thrust...(at +4 again)
d20
 
dang
she is rolling terribly
 
3:00 AM
She is off-balance from the roll and sends the sword wide of Firaga...
Her partner comes up smarting and tries to swing at Firaga, aiming at nothing in particular....
(at +4)
d20
 
oh that hits
 
damage at a +2
d8
 
im down to 8 HP.
 
3:02 AM
The blade's tip digs into Firaga's chest a bit, opening a thin gash
(oh, and I forgot flanking :P)
(your turn though)
 
I take my battleaxe and swing it at the front guy, "Hardier than I expected, I give you that." at a +5:
d20
 
My shoulder shudders a bit from the wound, and my arm hesitates for split second before I strike.
 
He parries the blow with his sword without much difficulty (do you want to rerun this from the top after we're done with this with the flanking rule in play properly? just wanted to make sure that that wouldn't influence the difficulty too much)
 
I dont wanna second wind now... Maybe next turn
sure, sure. Though with flanking, I'm pretty sure things will go south for me quickly. But let's try it
 
3:06 AM
(we'll do this without as a baseline then the rerun with flanking uniformly then :)
 
(sounds good)
 
She tries a slashing stroke from her sword this time...
(at a +4)
d20
 
Her slash simply glances off the dragonborn's armor
He tries a thrust this time....
(at a +4)
d20
 
3:08 AM
His thrust gets stopped by Firaga's shield...
(your turn)
 
From behind my shield, I bring my battle axe up in an uppercut slice
d20
 
13? at the front guy
 
He grunts as the slash connects....
 
d8
 
3:10 AM
6
 
11 damage
Firaga mutters... "First have-been bandit," he says, now turning on the girl.
 
The man drops his sword, staggering backwards as he looks down upon the wound gashing his torso wide open and groaning in pain...
The elven lass glares at the dragonborn, eyes blazing bright and nostrils flared, as she goes for a killing stroke with her longsword, thrusting...
(at a +4)
d20
 
that's a miss
 
She misjudges it though, and Firaga's shield gets a piece of the blade, knocking the thrust wide
 
3:14 AM
Firaga pivots, spinning and aiming the axe at her open side.
d20
 
12
 
She winces greatly as the axe connects with her open flank...
 
d8
 
3:15 AM
still, a 6
good enough?
 
She staggers backwards, and sideways, but holds her footing...and then backs off (disengages) and tries to hide in the woods...
 
Shes not yet hidden is she?
I can still see her?
 
(at a +2 for the Hide check)
d20
 
She slips into the thick underbrush
 
3:18 AM
"Fast. And sturdy. You'd have made a good adventurer." he bolts after her, She couldn't have gotten far
I move 30 feet to where I saw her hide, can I see her now?
 
roll a Wisdom (Perception) check
 
d20
 
that's a bush, that it is
+0
 
Sadly, you cannot find her any longer
 
3:20 AM
I'll try to find her anyway, dash if I have to, kinda circle around the trees
 
She's slipped away well and truly for good, sadly (end of encounter)
 
The search futile, Firaga returns to the body, kneels down to inspect it. Rummages through its pockets and such
(ok, so from the top?)
With my AC, I think I still have a chance even with the Flanking rule. So we'll see
 
you find that there was a much cruder, possibly faked version of the Talespinners' symbol on him, as well as a symbol that's a red crystal dagger on a pendant in one pocket
(and from the top now)
The two elven figures step out from the woods, one in front, one in back...they are in dark garb with plain brooches, and pendants bearing very crudely carved spider symbols on them, not even good fakes of the Talespinners' emblem
 
"So there ARE bandits on the road. When I'm done with you, there WILL HAVE BEEN bandits on the road..." Firaga says as he takes his battleaxe on one hand
etc etc... initiative at +2
d20
 
3:25 AM
much better :p
 
at +2 as well front then back
d20 d20
 
15 (Firaga) 9 (front) 3 (back)
(one other fix -- they should be rolling attacks at +2 not +4 as they aren't using a finesse weapon any longer)
 
Firaga grunts and begins the assault on the one in front of him, circling behind to line them both up. And slashing his axe sideways.
D20
 
3:30 AM
They circle with him to keep him flanked as Firaga's axe blow is parried by the man, who retaliates with a riposte from his longsword...
(at +2 with adv for flanking)
d20 d20
 
20
11
 
(Hmm... thats a major nerf, though, do they really want to use longswords? I suspect thatll decrease their CR by 1 peg)
 
(I suppose I could switch them to rapiers without too much of a fuss, or some sort of finesseable longblade)
(either way though, ouch)
 
(Yeah, finesse longblades arent very many... I wonder why?... but yes, I guess I die?)
Roll low damage....
 
(at +2)
2d8
 
3:32 AM
6
2
 
Im alive!
With 2 hp
 
His thrust connects soundly with Firaga's right shoulder, going clean through it
@daze413 it's really weird too, because rapiers are actually no lighter than other swords :P you have to start getting into foil/smallsword territory (i.e. pure fencing/dueling stuff) to be able to take serious weight off
 
Firaga coughs up a spray of fire and blood. Crimson staining his immaculate golden scales
@Shalvenay I really dont like the image of sneaky rogues with rapiers on them as well. But its legal so I just shrug and imagine them holding a bigfer dagger
 
@daze413 I've seen rogues with greatswords in 3.5e :P
She moves to try to finish off Firaga with a thrust from her own blade...
(at +4)
 
@Shalvenay i havent played 3.5 but i bet you can play as a warforged rogue haha stealthily clanking in the shadows
 
3:36 AM
d20 d20
 
Misses
 
Unfortunately, her thrust isn't quite on the mark and glances off Firaga's armor
@daze413 a well oiled warforged rogue ;)
 
Makes all the difference, I suppose.
Firaga stumbles a bit as he desperately dodges. Not good. he thinks as he swings his battleaxe at the same guy.
D20
 
3:38 AM
18
D8
 
9 damage
 
The man is caught off-guard by Firaga's sudden burst of energy and takes a hard, hewing blow to the chest, staggering backwards (2hp left)
He recovers his balance though and tries to thrust at Firaga, blood running down freely from his wound...(d20 at +4 w/ advantage)
d20 d20
 
He is too off-balance and winded to put together an effective thrust, sending a blow wild off Firaga's shield. His partner tries to finish off Firaga...
(again at +4 with adv)
d20 d20
 
3:41 AM
20
11
 
She finally connects with another thrust from her sword...
(at +2)
2d8
 
wait, can I second wind?
i guess it doesnt matter haha
 
yeah...it really doesn't matter
She drives her blade clean through Firaga's neck and out the other side, nearly up to its hilt.
 
well, if you really think about it. Even if there were no flanking, the crit was rolled first
 
3:44 AM
yeah...crits are nasty xD
(feel free to narrate Firaga's demise as you wish ;)
 
whoa. that blow literally kills me. 14 damage, and im at 2 HP, with a 12 maximum. I dieded
Firaga's shield arm goes limp, sputters of fire erupt from his mouth as the last remaining breath escapes him. The flame winks out harmlessly a few inches away, and he drops to his knees, held up only by the elven lass behind him, the last of his strength leaving him.
So ends the saga of Firaga, unable to carry the letter back to the constable... Unable to remember the constable's name.
 
heheheh. interesting that flanking swung the encounter so much
 
Also, it makes sense that the bandits would only attack if they outnumber me. If I were alone as a bandit and I see a heavily armored guy strolling up the road, I wouldnt attack him
 
@daze413 yeah
 
flanking is a big swing, I wouldnt implement it for solos. And Im even thinking of removing it from my games. It makes solo boss monsters too easy
they are already too easy as it is :/
 
3:49 AM
yeah -- good point on flanking
 
For level 1s, I also dont crit. Admittedly, I botch crits just at that level
but its still a hit
 
ah.
yeah...the squishiness of L1s is a concern in 5e (not as bad as 1e haha but still, it's a bit of a concern)
 
Meh, as long as you survive day 1, you'll be good to go. Like, how much XP was that first scenario?
 
oh, the spider? or the first run with the bandits?
the bandits are 50xp at least the way I had them set for you
the spider isn't even statted atm :P
 
just use giant spider? see? I get 1/3 of the xp needed to level up with just 2 bandits
more of those guys, and I'll get to L2 quickly. Do you also give XP on milestones? Like finding out the tax collector is alive?
 
3:57 AM
@daze413 if this was part of a campaign, I would be milestoning this, very much yes!
(XP hasn't been a concern as I generally don't fret about it in a short form game)
 
ok so, your encounter is 2 bandits per PC?
 
@daze413 1 per PC. I boosted it to 2 because I thought that Firaga would want the challenge
 
@Shalvenay ah, are you open to suggestions?
 
@daze413 sure thing :)
 
would your bandits have dogs?
because bandits are boring. spice it up with mastiffs
and when a guy is prone from the dog, have the bandits gang up on them
or, if thematically, it doesnt make sense...
 
4:03 AM
I could see that happening...how does that change the headcount I should be shooting for though?
 
well since mastiffs are also CR 1/8 you could have say an equal amount of mastiffs to bandits. but the total of them would still be 1:1 per PC
it also gives the PCs more options than just to kill: do they attempt to distract the dogs with food? or something else?
 
sure
might be a diff. breed of dog though ;)
killer poodles anyone? :D
 
the only concern would be if dogs fit thematically with the wannabe-talespinner-bandits
 
(standard ofc, not mini)
 
up to you.
 
4:06 AM
they wanted spiders, but couldn't tame 'em ;P
 
anyway, can we end it here? Gonna take my lunch break and have a meeting this PM
 
@daze413 sure thing
 
or... even better, they DO have spiders. but they cant tame them so the spiders are wild cards
I used that once... L1 players vs Bullywugs and Crocodiles but the crocodiles werent very tame and they woud turn on their masters. It was fun
 
@daze413 haha xD badly tamed spiders
 
it also further reinforces the feel of wannabee-tale-spinner
Anyway, we'll pick up next time? With the 2nd encounter that you said was the real toughie?
 
4:10 AM
@daze413 we can do the revised version of that -- that was the encounter you just tested :D
 
Oh. It was doable but it was because I had high AC and no flanking. If I used someyhing with lower AC, thats trouble.
With 1:1, you'll have no problem with dead PCs
Anyway, I'm out. See ya @Shalvenay thanks for running a game :D
 
@daze413 np :D
 

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