Here's a new OOC thread. I'll move over the last from the other thread.

Has the Complex (this level) been mapped yet, if so, please can it be added to the Game Maps section?
We have been looking for a large enough place to call home that is away from everywhere and I'd like to know if this could be one of those places!
Sorry, I forget where we are in the world without a map

p.s. 36k XP wouldn't go a miss ;-)

This level has not been completely explored. There are two exits from the verbeeg room you haven't explored (going east and northwest) and one exit from the hill giant room (going northeast) that had a troll come out of. Those are the only unexplored areas you know about.

XP updated. 5,030 xp each. If you have high prime requisites, you get an extra 10%.

Thank you GM.
Not enough to go up, but getting there.

Now that Torvek has expended some of his spells, he is quite happy to go a settle down with his spell book in a safe place.

Having issues on my end. My roommates computer and phone and everything keeps blinking, my computer guy said kill it all, it is electrical and everything is on the same circuit I think. Have to kill the breaker and everything and get an electrician, might have a fire. NPC me if needed.

Best of luck. Check in when you can to let us know you're still alive.

I might be alright, though we do need a good electrician.

I got behind on some PhD work, and I've got a 7 week class on the brink of being over I need to square away.  Sorry for the inactivity

Sweet, getting your PhD in what?

In reply to Corym Ildroun (msg # 11):

If you need any help, I'd like to say get in touch with me, but I doubt I'd enhance your work beyond naming me from any quotes (I'd like to think I'm important enough but unlikely lol)

In reply to Yngvar the Mad (msg # 12):

Curriculum and Instruction, I focus on social studies and history. Specifically gamification and conceptual instruction.

I specialize in multi-week immersion role playing games that focus on critical moments in history.

I do a three week simulation of the Japanese Imperial Court from Summer 1940 to Winter 1941, the Yalta Conference, the 1914 July Crisis, and the 1935 Social Securities Act (that one is interdisciplinary and requires students to do some sophisticated statistical regressions to support their policy proposals).

I didn’t get to bed until 3am last night, but I’ll get spells pick and actions posted today

How many days walk would it take to return the people to the town?

I am not sure who should stay or go.

I'll go, a little more potent outside.

@Yngvar: I thought a druid can change into a bird once a day with no time limit on duration hence I thought you were able to fly all day if you wanted.

I'm pretty sure there is a time limit, but can't recall. I can do a mammal, a bird, and a reptile a day. Hmm, maybe there isn't a time limit. What do you have in mind? I'll look in the PHB to make sure.

He gains the ability to shapechange into a reptile, bird, or mammal up to three
times per day after he reaches 7th level. Each animal form (reptile, bird, or
mammal) can be used only once per day. The size can vary from that of a bullfrog
or small bird to as large as a black bear. Upon assuming a new form, the druid
heals 10-60% (1d6 _ 10%) of all damage he has suffered (round fractions down).
The druid can only assume the form of a normal (real world) animal in its normal
proportions, but by doing so he takes on all of that creature's characteristics
-- its movement rate and abilities, its Armor Class, number of attacks, and
damage per attack.

Thus, a druid could change into a wren to fly across a river, transform into a
black bear on the opposite side and attack the orcs gathered there, and finally
change into a snake to escape into the bushes before more orcs arrive.

The druid's clothing and one item held in each hand also become part of the new
body; these reappear when the druid resumes his normal shape. The items cannot be
used while the druid is in animal form.

Just looked, this IS straight from the PHB, so no, no time limit. What was your plan?
This message was last edited by the player at 22:59, Mon 04 Mar.

Just that you can be a bird all day if you wish to for speed and reconnaissance purpose.  Unfortunately, I don't think you can be a Tolkien-style giant eagle that carry multiple people while flying to come back fast.

No, just a normal bird.

Well, giant eagles are in the monstrous manual but I am not sure they qualify under the "normal (real world) animal in its normal proportions" clause.  But as a normal bird, you should be able to gain Fl 36 movement which can be useful for travel.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:04, Mon 04 Mar.

Yup, I can go far, fast. What is your idea?

Just poking my head in to confirm that yes, shapechange lasts "indefinitely" (quote from Complete Druid's), and that no, giant eagles don't count as "real world" creatures. The size of shapechange maxes out at brown bear/great cat. Pick a big enough eagle and you could probably carry a toddler, but not all day and almost certainly not without doing at least some damage. But there isn't a flying creature that can carry a full sized halfling or larger that meets the "real world" criteria.

It's a day and a half march to get back to Triel, assuming nothing happens to slow the group down. The prisoners have healed enough to keep up a normal pace, but only barely. So it would be easier to knock them down to a stumbling pace than it would be to do the same to the rest of you. Of course, if Krackor's ioun stone goes with them, they'll continue to get stronger over the course of the march.

No problem with that.

Argh. I was intending to post today, but I woke up with a migraine. I may be tomorrow before I can post.

I could have sworn the DM said the ogre corpses were still where they were?

Oh, they are. The giants on the other hand...

Ahh, I missed where they were missing! I need to reread it then!

It doesn't mention the giants are gone???? I didn't see they were missing? It says we go through the room where the prisoners were held, but does not mention the giants.

Only two people noticed, in the general rush to get the ex-prisoners out. I included them in a private line.

I must have been distracted! ;-)

I don't use private lines very often, but it seemed fitting in this case.

While we are at the giants body question: IIRC, there were dead ogres in one room but dead giants in two rooms.   Have the dead hill giants disappeared from both rooms?

Good question.

You went through three rooms to get to the exit.
1) Room with secret door - contained as many dead minotaurs as expected
2) Very large room with prisoner cages - contained only 2 of the 6 dead hill giants that were expected
3) Entry room - contained all of the dead ogres that were expected

The fourth room, with the dead verbeeg giants, was not on the route out and has not yet been checked.

I'd like to open discussion on flying overland movement rates, since the group is now at a high enough level where that matters.

In 2e, the rule for ground movement is people marching move 2x their movement rate in miles per day. Mounts move 1x their movement per day. So a human marches 24 miles/day and a heavy war horse marches 15 miles per day. Without factoring terrain, obviously.

I could just rule that all flying creatures have the same 1x modifier, but that seems too low. Out of curiosity, I looked up how far hawks can fly in a day, and the answer is apparently 200-300 miles. Which is too high.

I'm thinking of ruling that flying creatures use a 2x modifier. So a hawk would fly 66 miles per day, and a pegasus 96 miles per day. That's pretty decent distance, especially ignoring terrain, without getting too out of hand. But I wanted to see if anyone else had an opinion.

Fine by me.

Land creatures have multipliers for over land pending running, jogging, sprinting. Horses walk as fast as a person but jog quicker and on.
Flying is literally, as the crow flies, making direct distant that much quicker, flying has diving quicker but carry less, flying straight and flat would be quicker.

2x and no negative terrain Modifiers works.

Polymorphing and flying are powerful abilities so should provide worthwhile benefits.  On the other hand, I agree than duck-like 400 miles per day flying might be problematic due to shrinking the world a bit too much.  Gut feeling, flying 3 to 5 times further than can be walked would sound like a good enough advantage to be worth using so the 66 to 96 miles per day work with me too.

I thought we also killed giants in the ogre room.  Did that one disappear too?

Sorry I've been unavailable.  Spring Break + 20th Wedding Anniversary has left me much busier IRL

Which leads to the question: was the wife met at spring break 21 years ago ? :-)

In reply to Torvek Ragdar (msg # 43):

Nah, we'd been dating for a couple of years.  Met online through mutual contacts

No, but there was an ogre leader, which was called out as being larger than the others, which might have caused the confusion.

All of the ogres, as well as the ogre leader, are still there.

Hmmm, am I the only one escorting the prisoners back to town? No one responded to my post.

It's not only you, however, the other two people with the caravan are Kitheras, whose player is swamped, and Kali, whose player has been very sick for the last week and a half.

I'm in the process of adding an additional player, who will be one of the rescued. We're still building out the mechanics, but I'm adding them shortly, so hopefully they'll be able to start interacting soon.

Ouch, I wondered why it was so quiet. Thanks for the heads up.

I'm taking 90 participants from my Cub Scout pack on a two-day camping trip this weekend.  We'll be camping in Goliad State Park and participating in a Living History exhibition--a re-enactment of the Goliad Massacre.

I also have accepted a book deal that I'll begin writing this summer, but I need to fill out some applications to get some funding to attend some conferences this summer to make contact with some people that will have valuable insight on this project.

I also have two journal articles that need to get submitted before the end of the month, and two conference proposals that need to be submitted by mid April.

I also have to provide an annotated assessment of 62 2,400 word research papers so that my grading accuracy can be externally assessed in the Netherlands.

You should just go dutch on this last one and cut the work in half. :-)

Hello Everyone.  I will soon be playing Ulfric, a Knight of the Mystic Fire.  In the process of finishing the character up and writing the back story.  I have been rescued by your group and am now among the wounded being taken back to the camp.

I have been playing 2E for several years since it was published and look forward to getting back into it.  I have had no luck figuring out 5E and at this point don't see much point.  Look forward to gaming with you all soon.

Welcome! Glad to have you!

Welcome on board.

Nice to hear that we have someone who's not going to complain that THACO is too complicated a concept :-)

I never said that! ;-) I learned with THAC0 over 40 years ago! ;-P

I actually learned on the old school AD&D chart system that changed to Thac0.  But it is secong nature now.

I didn't mean you, sorry.  Just that it's one thing that is often heard from these youngsters that DnD 3+ that THACO is too difficult to understand.  I was just welcoming another old timer.

Where I agree that the newer version are simpler to learn is in the standardisation that bonus are always positive and penalties are always negative and rolling high is always good.  The earlier versions have this schizophrenic approach where you have a -2 bonus due to dexterity and a +2 wisdom bonus... low rolls are good for skill checks but high rolls are good for attack rolls...  All second nature as I'm so familiar with the system but madness.  THACO is not the complexity, it's just a convenience tool.  Irregularity of the system is what makes it more complex.

In reply to Torvek Ragdar (msg # 56):

I know you weren't talking about me, just wanted to pick on you a bit. Rolling in 3.x is easier.

Nah, it's the same effort, neither's easier: take the dice in your hand, lift it and roll it on the table. :-)

better than 4x, I can't drink that any more!
I agree with this but...

I can't see what is "too complicated" in +2 to your roll and -2 to your target figure. OR +2 to target figure (so can get under it by more) and +2 to attack rolls meaning can hit a better AC!
;-)

I’ll post first thing tomorrow morning

Corym the Easter bunny!

Welcome aboard!

Migraine today. Post tomorrow.

I know I need to post, I'm on training for the next 3 days, so I should be easily able to post properly then.

Hi everyone. I have really messed up my knee, and it's screwing up a bunch of things. Updates will probably be sketchy for a little while.

What did you do to yourself now boss? Knees are fun! :-( Been there, done that! Torn meniscus and had knee surgery, tore it again. Not sure if I even have any in either knee now. I have trouble walking now and steps are a bitch! I just grit my teeth and curse and keep going now. Take care of yourself, hope if feels better soon.

We're not sure, which is part of the problem. I've been jumping through the hoops to get an MRI all week. Once that happens, we'll have a better idea what's going on.

Sorry, just to be clear?  Are there no other exits to the room to continue further?  Is this a dead end?

Yes, there is one exit, more or less on the opposite wall. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

There aren't any secret exits, but there is one obvious one. The mine cart tracks disappear down it.

Ah, that reminds me of something I forgot to add: the mine cart is empty, on the rails, and is prevented from moving by a rock wedged under a wheel. There is a gentle downward slope from where you descended to the exit. I'll post an update so it's all in IC.

IIRC, we've been coming down this area with Corym leading the way sneakily, invisible and checking for traps while Torvek and Krackor follow a bit behind.  We have not specified an exact distance.  I would think that we want to be far enough to allow Corym to sneak but I am not sure how far that would be.  Probably depends on how loud Krackor is.

I’ll post tonight once kids are in bed

In those underground tunnels, I bet they can hear Krackor half a mile away! The sound would travel.

In reply to Yngvar the Mad (msg # 72):

Stealthy as a fox ;-)  On heat, screaming for a mate lol
You're only saying that because he's wearing plate mail lol