Buddha's New D&D Thread is Groovy, Man.

[Barrister]

A mithril bow already at the 4th level? What kind of gear are you guys gonna be packing when you hit tenth!

The DM kind of buffed us up a bit with magic weapons, as we've somehow missed all the gold so far and we all rolled horribly rolling up our characters (no array old school dm) and playing 2.0 you don't get any hit/damage bonuses unless you have 16+ on the appropriate ability. Of the three PCs only one has a 16 (the elf on dex)

last night we delved further in on this adventure that is a bit of a riff on White Plume Mountain. killed hella lot of Goblins, and got closer to "the gold"

Aside from the comedy gold that can result from the roll on comeliness, what's the benifit of playing 2.0 over 3.5?

Pretty sure Comeliness was from 1.0 - from the source of all cheese Unearthed Arcana if I'm not mistaken.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

* There's the over-arching conspiracy of the game - Evil Doppelgangers are systemically making the core races extinct, they've almost finished off the humans, working on Dwarfs, and planning the rest.

How does that even work?

It's complicated. I'm likely never going to explain the total "how To" suffice to say that Humans were on the wane anyway in my world, they are the oldest race, but one of the shortest lived individually. They used to breed like rabbits, but rates have fallen drastically due to plagues etc, and the race iself reaching an evolutionary crossroads. The doppelgangers are systematically replace all the important humans they can. Most actual humans left are poors.

Dwarfs are the next oldest race in Buddhaverse and the next to fall if the doppels have their way.

what makes this interesting is that all my PCs in their backstory have issues with humans and dwarfs (from wiping out their families mostly, or general intolerance towards half-whatevers that make up most of my PCs). It's fortuitous as they will likely end up trying to save species they claim enmity to, or participate in the genocide.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

The game went well mostly, though one of the gals playing who's usually a lot of fun was kinda grumpy, and ocd about a d6 she thought she lost (one of the other players was pranking her really obviously, and she wasn't getting it, it got kinda weird.) But the rest of the evening was fun. They fought some githyanki, some buffed up dire gnolls, and a couple of hired killers. They got a bit of intel on the Human conspiracy, but ignored it. They are carrying their collective anti-humanism pretty far it seems. I may have to step up the genocide to include races they care about.

they got some tidbits though about some of the poss quests that I mentioned above... I think they are going to follow the Pirate one.... as a sister Hag was behind the buffed up Gnolls... and they will be getting more attacks from her minions in retribution for their slaying of a sea hag way back at the beginning of the game.

I'm starting to figure out how and what I need to do to be properly organized, for each game. I enjoy the prep time as much as I do playing.

I also played ny Red Hand Of Doom scenario game with my (now 12th level) Ranger. We got some buffs from the Prince and headed off into a trap of Dragonic proportions as we were teleported by a Wizard to the side of this very Mt Doom-y Mountainside that is like The Rushmore of Tiamat sculptures. It turns out that The horde we beat back in the city was actually a sacrifice from  the evil bosses to help their trying to bring Tiamat to the Material Plane... not just an aspect, either, but actual Tiamat. :yikes:

So we appear across a big natural bridge from said Tiamatmore mountain, we see a doorway that looks obviously trapped with big five dragon heads also adorning the door frame. For some reason the Fighter (not the mostly Invisible Rogue, or the Stealthy Ranger who has Evasion also) went up to the door to check it out, and before you can say electrical breath weapon he gets smoked by a huge pretty annoyed Blue Dragon ( a wicked awesome fig that one) The rest of us moved in, and We started hitting it as it made us all quake in our boots (most of us failed the Huge scary monster will save, but just at a minus 2 on everything level) ... It focused on me as my fame as an enemy of Dragons has spread during this campaign. My arrows are often the last thing  seen by any dragon we fight. he didn't scare me other than that trickle of pee going down my leg at the beginning!

We got our Cleric and orc lover Cradle to cast a dispel magic on as much of his buffs as possible. She worked her mojo well, and he got easier to hit. I pumped arrows into his hide, as our Evoker Marcus dazzled the beast with cacophonous magic blasts, and some Cold blasts. Quinn the Fighter stepped up as did our Drow buddy, Xendrick and everyone contributed pretty well to one of our more efficient Dragon Slays. As we were surveying our prize (taking some claw, teeth, horn trophies.) I noticed a shadow that turned out to be Death itself (and not the Norm MacDonald version) as it challenged me (I am The Eternal Champion) to a staring match. I beat it's staring match role and got a new destiny power - +5 vs. Necromancy, which if this first encounter is any clue of what's ahead, should be useful as heck. I also leveled up to 12th after the kill. A new feat - Improved Favoured enemy gives me another +3 on damage against dragons... all my bow attacks on dragons do d(8)+11 + 1d6 fire damage (if applicable)

The Drow climbed up to where the Dragon had come from a few stories up the mountain. he reconned the Lair and found some hoard from ol Blue. We got a +3 Greatsword,  a Staff Of Fire, a bunch of Ioun Stones, and weapon, armor crystals, some bracers, belt of Giant strength etc.,,, also gp we haven't counted yet, as we decided to at least try to open the door. We first though spent a few hours doing identify, etc on the magic loot.

Then we let the Drow go try his luck at untrapping, unlocking the obviously somehow trapped door. He didn't have much luck as he got hit by two of what he later called "Pain Showers" five breath weapon blasts every time he set off the traps. Then once he got the doors open he faced two undead dragons... a Black Dragon Skeleton, and a Zombie White Dragon, he almost bit the cookie, but managed to get back to some healing, as the Dragons squeezed out of the doorway and set on us. Despite not having much undead fighting history, nor a cleric who can turn (Cradle is a Combat medic)we managed to take them out as well as their Hobgoblin WarSoul keepers who came at us with Cones Of Cold and other Dragon inspired spells. We definitely were in a fight as everyone took some damage, but we still won the day fairly easily.

Now we get to actually enter the Dungeon.... next game.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Delayed

ah well, playing my M&M Modern Fantasy game tomorrow. I play a demon who lives in the Village and runs a cafe frequented by queer lycanthropes, alt universe Merlins, plant elemental, bike couriers, etc, and so on.
It was pretty fun last time. Have to start working on my 3.5 game ... I think the group is most interested in the "Pirate adventure" scenario I tossed out as bait (big bads at the end of it will be the Covey of Sea hags.)... I've got a couple of cool swashbuckling type NPCs done up already including a Djinn Swahbuckler, and a wise crackin' Lady Pirate named Bess..

any piarte movie aficionados out there?  I'm going to go back and watch Scaramouche, Captain Blood, etc... get the tropes down a bit better. What's an inspiring Pirate movie??? wrong thread? it's for my game.

I I'm also looking at taking them to some oddball adventures, like some sky city where they have dirigibles, gliders, lots of Aerial combat. I'm planning to use the Stormwrack "Narrative combat" option... modified to suit my weirdo players. I'll do something similar with that.

[Neil]

I didn't think Succubus were bound by Laws.

You thought wrong.

Chaotic Evil.

Law of the Jungle.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Well it turns out that we can play My Game tonight. Got some wicked smelling chili in the slow cooker since last night for the kids... and a plan to get them headed off in search of legendary Pirate gold. (it will turn out eventually to be a Dragon's Hoard of Gold.) ... One of the gals has dropped out at least temporarily as she wants to concentrate on upcoming exams etc which is pretty reasonable, school over D&D.... we'll be down to three plus NPCs so it's still a good group, and they are all pretty enthusiastic.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

young people. couldn't be on time if their lives depended on it.  sheesh. I hate it when everyone is late there's no one to bitch with.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Well They showed, only half an hour late or more (one guy was 45 minutes late. ) but anyway the game turned out fun and we ate my vaguely middle eastern chili, and some weird but tasty veggie lasagna, and salad.

I finished up my "find the missing "Drunken Master" arc and finally got them to listen in regards to my overarching conspiracy of killing and replacing the Humans with doppelgangers. (almost typed doppelgamers, there's something to that :p) The Monk (T'wong Fu) went off with his new bride to the monastery for Drunken master training, while the rest of the gang signed up with Bess the Pirate and her crew of Genies, Satyrs, Elves and whatnot in order to help her locate the Legendary Cortez' Island, which was supposedly raised from the bottom of the ocean by this Cortez, a legendary Blackbeard type possibly mythical Pirate, centuries in the past. No one has found it, but Bess has a clue.

Also the Pirates may help out the Dragon Princess Bodeena rescue her brother Deenbo from the Bronze Dragon Clan that lives in the Sky city not so nearby (it's a political hostage taking, not a prisoner kind of thing really, he's been there for 3 years, but rumor has it there's a sharp to the right regime change coming in Sky City...)

Currently they are in the Capital City (Dragonport) where they will have a few days of city roleplay to do before they can begin their seafaring adventures.

[jimmy olsen]

Roll a D6 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54VJWHL2K3I

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Not much gaming going on in Buddhaworld these days, as people seem to have real life crap going on. A couple in my game broke up, she left the game earlier, I'm not sure if he's still into playing. I haven't put much effort into continuing the game though, as there always seems to be stuff coming up that I need to do first (Playoff rollercoaster, other social commitments etc.)

My two Mutants & Masterminds campaigns are going, though the "modern fantasy" one is not working for the GM (I think it's fine except for the lack of any sort of combat) so we will be shifting that game to the Cthulu ish setting we are using in the other game, which is way more fun(but that's because of who's playing it imo) but shifted to Nawlins instead of NYC.

I'm struggling to come up with a new character though. I do have a Knife Thrower as a backup for my other Golem character, but I want to do something different, more New Orleans like. Maybe a Voodoo type?  need to mull.

The "Red Hand Of Doom" Scenario is languishing as the DM is actually working a lot this spring (Bartender at convention hall, busy season kicking in) I really want to kick some Dragon ass with my increasingly specialized Dragon killing Bowman.

Thinking of doing a real swashbuckler game in my game, finally getting to do my Pirates Vs. Ninjas thing I've been wanting to do (though originally I wanted the players to be the ninjas, it's turned out the other way.)

ah gaming, I spend so much time thinking of what i want to do in my game, and so little time gaming (lately anyway)

[BuddhaRhubarb]

well still not much going on gaming wise for me. Though one of my M&M games is happening without me on Sunday, I'd already promised other friends I'd get together for the hockey game. I think the M&M nerds are a bit put out, but these things are of about equal time wasting value to me, and I said yes to hockey earlier. That said I have a new character for that game, a martial artist/dance instructor type in 1920's New Orleans... he uses the Haitian martial art known as calinda, which is a "Fighting Stick" style that has masqueraded as a folk dance for ages, much like Capoeira. Next month, likely.

I have come up with the next part of my D&D campaign, before we get into the Pirate ship stuff, I want to do an urban adventure in the City of Dragonport (my Dragonport is a bit bigger and scarier than the Cityscape version.) where they get a side quest from "The Knight Of The Green Dream"... who enlists them, somewhat accidentally to aid in his quest to find out what's going on with all the missing humans. And why are the druids they come across sacrificing Dwarfs at their Rave? I'll also be introducing some City watch characters, Hippies, Assassins, and red herrings galore. I did a bunch f work on it last night. Felt good to get somewhere with it... I had been a bit stymied... Now if I can just get the gang together to play. Might ask another friend or two to join as we've lost two now from the original group.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

bah, it looks like my game I'm Dming may be done, as the couple who were playing have split and neither seems interested in continuing now. May have to find a whole new group.

might play that "Red Hand Of Doom" module over the long weekend though... some dragon slaying would be very cathartic for me. Will get to play my M&M game this weekend after all as Canucks game is at the ungodly time of noon.

That's just not right. what is this Peewee? but it does clear me to play my new fighting stick wielding Creole character.... so good news with the bad.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

no M&M... sick gamers. Red Hand Of Doom tomorrow night is still a go though. At least There be Dragons.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

had the "red Hand Of Doom" game last night, we inched forward... That game has become all about the fights for me, as a lot of the role paying gets washed out by the rules lawyering by the other guy who shows up every time. We did have a 3rd PC (The 4th to play our rogue drow Xendrick) last night though, so at least there was one more slow brain. We wended our way through a few rooms, killing off some bearded devils and a night hag who had dressed themselves up like Snow White and two of her dwarves.

We then found a torture chamber where we very slowly dispatched some sort of Fiend who had been torturing various humanoids. At the end there was one half orc ( a "road Agent" who had been playing both sides a bit too much and got caught... ) so we have another NPC (who gave us the mole in our own court if he's to be believed, and we think he is as that npc was flirty with my pc and pcs never get laid, so...) to use as a meat shield, I mean maybe help us out as we delve deeper and hopefully fight more Dragons, less devils.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Played the old Cthuhlu esque M&M game this aft.

From the Journals of Johnny Vertigo Jr.

We awoke from apparently being clubbed like baby seals by mutant Fishmen Cultists, with Dagon striding towards us licking his chops. we're bound on the cleverly named Devil's Reef near Innsmouth. We hate Innsmouth. Also there's a sailboat coming at us as someone tosses dynamite at some of the cultists. Oh and Curran, the rich Kid who transform into :an Old One" when he gets stressed? He's being man raped by a Fish-Princess while the cultists chant, and warble their odes to Dagon... but yeah there's shit blowing up, Dagon's coming, a lot to do.... so I bust out of my ropes with a simple shrug of relief at at least being awake to see all this fucked up craziness.

The dude from the boat appears to be armed to the teeth, as he screams Enoch ! Enoch! (subtle code no doubt that he too is hear at the behest of Miz Medina Masters, of the Hermetic Order of Enoch) Apparently he's not just some crazy villager with a hate on for cultists... also he was being chased by a shoggoth. well actually likely the same Shoggoth  that we electrocuted and set loose earlier that afternoon and it seemed a bit vexed so we got Curran, dispatched a few beasties and made our way to some caves above the beach that we'd spied from the reef. What could go wrong in a cave.

We just barely managed to get into the cave and down some stairs before the battling Shoggoth and Dagon came crashing ashore. We decided to keep heading into the underground rather than wait out whatever the hell it is that Shoggoths and Dagons do when they meet up. Don't wanna know really.

so we got into a more dungeony feeling network of caves and doors with many windows that looked out and over above the "Old Ones" undersea city, beautiful it's it's chaos, and dangerous as all get out. We spelunked I was almost an all day sucker for some kind of Stalactite (or is it "mite") creature that tried to eat me. Luckily Golems don't taste so good, and I was able to free myself. freaky though. You can't forget shit like that.

Eventually we came to a room with a weird mirror, that Giovanni, our "Priest" made quickly as a portal to somewhere, but where we didn't know. We held hands and went in... We went through a starnge undulating frothy dimension that seemed familiar, but something happened and Curran (in Monster form from all the little battles we'd had along the way) we came out the other side without him. Did something get him, did he let go? we didn't have time to really stop and figure it out, He'll come back if he can and wants to. Down one monster.

We came out in what turned out to be a room in a building in Innsmouth. We hate Innsmouth. We decided that we needed to wipe this town from the earth, basically. We conceived (our new compatriot was very helpful in this regard with his car stealing and blowing things up skills that the rest of us lack, he was also very handy with the Shotties. And he's a terrible terrible poet. ) a plan to blow up the gas station and cause a big fire that would consume the town.


with a few bumps we were able to do just that, and we sped out of town as fast as we could, some hillbilly fishmen piled in a convertible and gave us a good chase but that's to the new guy's driving skills and my new double barreled Shotgun we got past them. We made it To Arkham and despite a sense of forboding, got a room at the hotel, where from one of those damned "corners" a Hound of Helmuth or whatever they are found Giovanni and snatched him back to Dire Wolf land or wherever it is those beasties reside.

So it was just me and the new guy. The debriefing from Miz Masters is going to be awesome. oy.