OOC: In the entire time I've been gaming, I have never seen a party have a run of bad luck like the session we just experienced. The odds of a critical failure on any given die roll are 1 in 20. We got at least five on approximately 30 die rolls. The odds of a critical 'success' are also 1 in 20. We got one. Our opponents had rather different luck. I've never seen that much alcohol be consumed during a gaming session either. We needed it.
[Publisher's note: Receiving the apparent favor of Kurtulmak, evil God of the Kobolds, appears to have been something of a turning point for Gridley. Perceiving that he had failed his own God, Gridley sought his own way to make peace with himself.]
Meepo having convinced us to help overthrow the kobold queen (and install him as king), we took a day to rest and plan. Meepo gave us a great deal of information about the kobold organization. The gnome had equally valuable information: the missing adventurers we sought had been captured by the goblins, and taken to a druid on a lower level of the fortress, a place from which no captive has ever returned. Despite this lead, we chose to deal with the kobolds first. We armed the kobolds and the gnome we had rescued, recovered from our wounds and illness, and readied our spells. Meepo led us to the main kobold hall, passing a magical fountain that produced a small quantity of an unknown substance.
Our entrance to the hall was rather less subtle than we had hoped, Meepo loudly declaring that the queen should listen to us, and then die. Thistle's attempt to awe the kobolds with her magic dancing lights and claim the kobold kingdom as reward for bringing Kaltrax to them also met with a rather poor reception. The queen ordered us killed.
Baast attempted to decide the issue in a single blow. She leapt onto the dais holding the queen and her six bodyguards, and swung her greatsword mightily down. Sadly she apparently lost her balance in the jump and her blow, instead of splitting the queen in two, split the throne in two. A bottle of alchemist's fire was catapulted into the air as the throne disintegrated, landing on and incinerating one of the bodyguards. Keiros began flinging bolts of energy at the queen. Yasir moved in with his rapier, but dropped it. I swung at one of the bodyguards, but missed. Thistle shot at one of the guards, and missed. Marclar fired a magic missile at the queen and attempted to direct Kaltrax to attack her, but Kaltrax failed to follow his command. Meepo cast sanctuary on himself and moved to one side.
The queen's guard moved in on Baast, badly wounding and all but surrounding her. She attempted to attack the queen again, and nearly dropped her sword. I managed to heal some of her wounds, and Marclar managed to get Kaltrax into the fight with his breath weapon taking down two guards, but Thistle's sword spun away as she engaged a guard, and the queen ordered her guards to attack me. I was more fortunate than Baast, but still battered as we cut our way through the rest of the guards.
The queen, with most of her guards now fallen, attempted to run around the party to escape. Thistle scored a kick, aided by Yasir's bardsong, but was clawed in return as she passed. I charged the queen and landed a blow with my mace, but it was Meepo who cut her off and delivered the killing stroke.
And not a moment too soon. The three kobolds we rescued had fled early in the fight, and returned with a wave of kobolds behind them. Seeing Meepo triumphant over the gueen, the kobolds bowed before him.
As the kobolds cheered their new leader, I felt a scaly hand touch my shoulder, and I felt within me the dark evidence of my mistake. Kurtulmak spoke to me, telling me he would grant me a boon at my asking, if I would only acknowledge that it came from him. This dark favor terrified and revolted me, and I realized that in aiding Meepo's evil, I had done evil myself.
I must rekindle the light within me, to guide my way back onto the path of goodness. I take heart in remembering that there can be no shadow without light, and that a single spark can birth a mighty blaze. I shall bring the light of the Shining One with me wherever I go.
This resolution did not come at once; I confess that I drank heavily as the others feasted King Meepo. Thistle and the rescued gnome slipped off rather early; I hope that it was not a case of the wine being in and the wit out.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
3/14
Happy Pie Day, everyone!
Make sure to eat some pie to celebrate. Bonus points for eating other round things.
In other news, I'm still exhausted.
Make sure to eat some pie to celebrate. Bonus points for eating other round things.
In other news, I'm still exhausted.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Rome, Movies, and Sleep
A prescription sleeping pill has halted the short nights, but is not helping me catch back up. I don't know if depression is the cause and trouble sleeping is the result or the other way around, but I don't seem to be able to break the cycle.
On Saturday four of us visited the Seattle Art Museum; they've got an exhibit of Roman artifacts on tour from the Louvre. There were some very interesting pieces, particularly (from my point of view) a marbe work from a triumphal arch that showed four soldiers, including the detail of their uniforms and shield decorations. The exhibit is well worth your time if you're into the period at all.
Sunday three of us went to see "Fool's Gold". It was a fun movie, managing the treasure hunt theme quite nicely. A moderate suspension of disbelief is required (hey, it is Hollywood). Kate Hudson turns in a particularly nice performance. The movie left me with a desire to go SCUBA diving. :-)
I'm still trolling for additional ideas on how to get/stay asleep if anyone else has any (thank you randomgirl).
On Saturday four of us visited the Seattle Art Museum; they've got an exhibit of Roman artifacts on tour from the Louvre. There were some very interesting pieces, particularly (from my point of view) a marbe work from a triumphal arch that showed four soldiers, including the detail of their uniforms and shield decorations. The exhibit is well worth your time if you're into the period at all.
Sunday three of us went to see "Fool's Gold". It was a fun movie, managing the treasure hunt theme quite nicely. A moderate suspension of disbelief is required (hey, it is Hollywood). Kate Hudson turns in a particularly nice performance. The movie left me with a desire to go SCUBA diving. :-)
I'm still trolling for additional ideas on how to get/stay asleep if anyone else has any (thank you randomgirl).
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
It followed me home - can I keep it?
[Publisher's note: The addition of Kaltrax to the party has confused many. Gridley was no paladin, of course, but it is unusual to find a generally evil creature in such company.]
Perhaps it was the disease, or the fighting, or the lack of the Sun's Light to warm us, I know not. What I do know is that all of my companions and I fell into a deep sleep.
And we dreamed.
I dreamed that the Sun was above me, its light filling me and spilling over into each of my companions. The light pulsed strongly about Marclar in particular.
I awoke to find myself stronger, and when I prayed to the Shining One I recieved additional spells. This, while gratifying, was hardly surprising. The rest of the party also seemed stronger.
Seeing Kaltrax free of his bonds and curled up under Marclar's arm, contentedly asleep, was rather more surprising. I have taken this as divine intervention; I hope I am judging correctly.
We set out once again, and immediately encountered another pit trap. Thistle was caught on the far side as a squad of goblins attacked, badly wounding her. While Baast hurried down into the pit and up the far side, I fired off a pair of Magic Stones, killing two goblins, one of them already injured. Concerned for Thistle I urged Yasir to take a tricky bow show past me; an unwise move, as it turned out. The arrow, luckily, caused me only a minor wound. Thistle retreated, and Baast quickly finished off the rest of the goblins.
We moved on again, and discovered a cell with four prisoners; three kobolds and a gnome. Meepo freed the kobolds, telling them he was their new leader, and we his followers. Thistle and I let this pass unchallenged, more amused than upset. The gnome reported he had been captured some time ago, and claimed to be a cleric of Garl Glittergold. As he still had his holy symbol, we have taken him at his word.
We at last reached the gaurded entrance to the goblin portion of the citadel. Another goblin squad was startled and found themselves in close combat with Baast, much to their short-lived sorrow. The defenders were quickly defeated, but we could hear more coming, and conducted a fighting retreat to the kobold zone.
On the whole, our raid has been quite successful. We have the dragon we came for, though parting with him as planned will be rather difficult, as he has bonded very stronly with Marclar. We have killed over a dozen goblins, rescued four prisoners, and gained in strength and knowledge.
Of course, we as yet have found no sign of the prisoners we were originally sent to find. May the Sun light our way to them.
Perhaps it was the disease, or the fighting, or the lack of the Sun's Light to warm us, I know not. What I do know is that all of my companions and I fell into a deep sleep.
And we dreamed.
I dreamed that the Sun was above me, its light filling me and spilling over into each of my companions. The light pulsed strongly about Marclar in particular.
I awoke to find myself stronger, and when I prayed to the Shining One I recieved additional spells. This, while gratifying, was hardly surprising. The rest of the party also seemed stronger.
Seeing Kaltrax free of his bonds and curled up under Marclar's arm, contentedly asleep, was rather more surprising. I have taken this as divine intervention; I hope I am judging correctly.
We set out once again, and immediately encountered another pit trap. Thistle was caught on the far side as a squad of goblins attacked, badly wounding her. While Baast hurried down into the pit and up the far side, I fired off a pair of Magic Stones, killing two goblins, one of them already injured. Concerned for Thistle I urged Yasir to take a tricky bow show past me; an unwise move, as it turned out. The arrow, luckily, caused me only a minor wound. Thistle retreated, and Baast quickly finished off the rest of the goblins.
We moved on again, and discovered a cell with four prisoners; three kobolds and a gnome. Meepo freed the kobolds, telling them he was their new leader, and we his followers. Thistle and I let this pass unchallenged, more amused than upset. The gnome reported he had been captured some time ago, and claimed to be a cleric of Garl Glittergold. As he still had his holy symbol, we have taken him at his word.
We at last reached the gaurded entrance to the goblin portion of the citadel. Another goblin squad was startled and found themselves in close combat with Baast, much to their short-lived sorrow. The defenders were quickly defeated, but we could hear more coming, and conducted a fighting retreat to the kobold zone.
On the whole, our raid has been quite successful. We have the dragon we came for, though parting with him as planned will be rather difficult, as he has bonded very stronly with Marclar. We have killed over a dozen goblins, rescued four prisoners, and gained in strength and knowledge.
Of course, we as yet have found no sign of the prisoners we were originally sent to find. May the Sun light our way to them.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sleepless in Seattle
Well, it has now been a full week since I've had a full night's sleep.
Having trouble sleeping is not, of course, new for me. It is very new for me to go to bed exhausted and be unable to sleep through the night. One or two sleepless nights are generally followed, if time permits, by a night or two of deep sleep. This time, however, I've woken up at ~3-4AM seven times in a row. My normal weekday alarm is 5:00AM.
For about four days I've been yawning, exhausted, etc. Add in the several pieces of bad news I've gotten over the past few days and I'm in pretty bad shape.
What do you do when you can't sleep?
Having trouble sleeping is not, of course, new for me. It is very new for me to go to bed exhausted and be unable to sleep through the night. One or two sleepless nights are generally followed, if time permits, by a night or two of deep sleep. This time, however, I've woken up at ~3-4AM seven times in a row. My normal weekday alarm is 5:00AM.
For about four days I've been yawning, exhausted, etc. Add in the several pieces of bad news I've gotten over the past few days and I'm in pretty bad shape.
What do you do when you can't sleep?
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