#(to note though if You want to try something you should say “I roll d20”

[tremendousmothergoat]

roll d20

seduce the spider

"Aw, cute. Sucker!" Muffet sticks out her tongue and puts an L to her forehead with one hand, while taking the box of chocolates you'd brought with another. Yeah, that's about what one should expect..

(Roll: 10)

#(I'm assuming these next ones are all in the pov of an anon #(given they seem to be from the same person as the others #(to note though if You want to try something you should say “I roll d20”

[jq37]

The Case File – Mice and Murder Ep 4

The Case of the Puzzling Painting 

Welcome back to Loam Hall where our Sylvan Sleuths are still hanging out in a room with a dead body. When we left off, Gangie had been snooping into Sly’s conversation about Fletcher Cottonbottom and now, he uses his Criminal Contacts feature to see what he knows, if anything, about a recent return. With a 26 he knows that his family used to be well respected but after the whole business with the insurance fraud and Sly busting it, the family kind of fell out of favor. So Fletcher was in a weird position where he was rich and a part of high society and had enough dirt on everyone to get them to do things for him but couldn’t actually show his face because he was disgraced. Gangie also knows that it’s rumored that Fletcher’s weapons running scheme was actually a front for moving art. 

With regard to more recent news about Fletcher, Gangie was never in direct contact with him but he knows that 3-4 years ago, his most trusted henchmen started going missing--people attributed it to some kind of “Cottonbottom Curse” and that rumor is part of why Gangie decided to get out of dodge in the first place.

Buck does an insight check on the rest of the PCs and, with an 18, doesn’t clock anyone there as especially suspicious (Lars isn’t there but like..it’s Lars). Ian tries to give Squire Badger his last rites but ends up pulling the knife out, putting it back in, flapping blood everywhere with his feathers, and sending Constance into a badger rage. Buck tries to help smooth over things, claiming his big screw up was a new style of avant garde church ritual (Ian appreciates the support--who ministers to the ministers, you know?) and in the process sees his knife for the first time. Which, you know. He obviously suspected before but never nice to see.

While this is going on, Daisy sneaks off to try and check on the secret door and everyone sees her do it/eventually follows her but we’ll get back to her once we check in with Lars who is en route to the kitchen. Once in the hallway, they do a perception check and, on a 15, there are 3 doors and Ally gets to pick one. There’s a kitchen where Gilfoyle is talking to a group, a door where someone is crying behind it, and a door where they can hear nothing. Ally, the galaxy brained genius, goes for the quiet door. That’s the money door and with their ears pressed against the door, they can hear Edwina and Carolyn--the two mice maids that overheard Buck’s conversation with the Badger--whispering about what happened there and wondering if they should pay back the money they were paid to by Buck.

Gilfoyle walks out and sees Lars snooping but on a Nat 20 deception check, Lars is able to play dumb and skate by suspiciousness. Also, with a dirty 20 perception check, when the mice maids leave, Lars sees that they’ve been stealing silverware. 

OK, back to Daisy who is getting to the séance room as quickly as possible. She has two rounds before people catch up to her so she’s trying to make the most of it by Investigating the painting she noticed was bolted to the wall earlier. She first rolls an 11, getting no new information. This is so frustrating to her. She’s good at this dammit! But being around Sly is rattling her terribly. She has feelings for him--strong ones. But she isn’t herself around him. How can she be with him if he makes her so unlike herself? Her introspection is enough to earn her advantage from Brennan on her second roll and boom! 25! Daisy is back. 

With that roll, she notices that the eyes in the painting actually move and can be used as a spying post on the other side. Then Sly runs in and they start bickering immediately. Daisy throws a crystal ball at him and absolutely brains him on a nat 20--the first combat roll of this very RP oriented season. 

Buck and Ian are still in the room with the body for the moment and Buck asks Ian about the first few names on the list Gangie gave him. There were a bunch of members of the Burrows family--a working class family that all died of a consumptive illness. And then the Diggories who died in a carriage accident. The connecting thread? All badgers. Buck then zooms away to follow Daisy, Ian follows, and Lars, seeing them as they leave the kitchens, also follows. 

So all the PCs are in the séance room now and they kinda have the sense of, “OK y’all, we’re all screwed but we’re al screwed together so we better throw our lot in with each other and start working together so we don’t die because no one else here is on our side.” Buck proposes an alliance and they all agree to share info. Sly asks about Buck’s knife and Buck admits it’s his but says he didn’t do it. Sly believes him--not because he wouldn’t do it but because he has no motive (that he knows about anyway. Buck doesn’t spill about the contract). 

Gangie shares the list of names from before with the whole group.It’s like half badgers and then some other critters (full list here). Sly doesn’t share any of his secret info Grant got texted. Daisy and Buck don’t share about the key (though Sly you’ll remember sat her steal it). Buck does however mention his suspicion about the fact that Gilfoyle wasn’t around when Squire Badger gave his speech and Daisy does the same about the fact that he said he would call the cops but the cops haven’t arrived yet. Lar’s remembers that Jez’s husband is gunning for at seat in parliament and wonders if this is related somehow. Daisy mentions the eyes in the painting and everyone is like way to bury the lede dude! Especially when they’ve just all spilled their secrets. Everyone checks on the painting and with a 25 Gangie can intuit that this is probably used to spy on rich people when they’re mid-séance and vulnerable and spilling secrets (which he doesn’t share but Daisy comes to a similar conclusion on her own). Buck on a 23 can smell ledgers (idk how but the DM said so and I’m reporting it) and guesses that that’s where the Squire’s real office is which means that’s probably where the contract he needs to find and destroy is too. 

 The group makes a list of their loose ends which are what’s on the other side of the painting, what’s up with Fletcher, and the smell of ozone. Plus Ian remembers that the date on the bust in the study is wrong and shares with the class. 

Lars tries to get to the other side of the room by ripping the painting off the hinges with a very impressive 26 but there is fully a wall behind it and the noise brings Gilfoyle, Harding, and the Badger kids running. Lars notes that in the stone behind the painting it says “⅓”  and then hurriedly puts the painting back. Daisy thinks that might refer to a secret third floor or basement accessible by the elevator (but my first thought was that there were 2 other spying paintings in the house somewhere).

Everyone in the room hears the Gilfoyle and co. coming and try to act natural. There is a group stealth check that they all tank so heavily that all the suspicious staff and kids need to do to suss them out is roll above a 5.

AND THEY ROLL A TWO. 

With that, Lucretia appears, totally buys that they’re doing very important spiritual work in there, and in fact guards the door for them. They use the privacy bought by their very vigilant sentry to plan their next steps. Sly, Daisy, and Ian will check out the study while they rest of them check out the elevator. As they exit, Lucretia asks if they got the answers they needed out of the spirits.

Oh yes, says Daisy, echoing Lucretia’s nonsense prediction from last episode. Either something good or bad might happen. Either way, I’m excited! 

Case Notes

How baller of a player move is it to say a line so poignant that the DM is forced to let you roll with advantage? I have been on the other side of that as the DM and it’s so great. MAD respect to Rekha for that. AND THEN THE DICE COOPERATED. You simply love to see it. 

The other best Rekha line is Daisy to Sly upon being called out about stealing the key in his normal, coy, quippy way: You saw me bitch.

Shout out to Grant also for being constantly on as Sly. The guy is on point always. Impeccable.

I am SO SO SO happy Daisy and Sly are on the same mission team. If I was friends with either of them I’d be like, “This is a toxic relationship, they make you too crazy.” But as an outside viewer I want them to be within crystal ball throwing distance always.  

The question I’m sure we’re all asking: Is Brennan enough of a minx to invoke the butler did it trope? I know everyone at the table is thinking it even if none of them have said it outright. I figured the reason the cops haven’t showed up yet was the storm but who knows?

Two pieces of housekeeping, only Buck and Gangie know what the room behind the painting is with their high rolls and, after the bit of passing it back and forth with Buck, Daisy has the key. 

I really can’t do the bit about Gangie’s mom justice. I wish there was a comedy Emmy for actual play DnD shows so D20 could get the accolades it deserves just for that bit. 

Brennan indicated that the conversation between the mice maids was the most interesting info (Gilfoyle convo to staff was too public to be juicy/they could get the info from one of the many gathered staff people and crying is info on its own--though I am curious about who the crying person was) but I’m wondering what he meant by that. Because the fact that Buck paid them might be interesting if Buck did it. But we know he didn’t. Is it the fact that they were in the room at all? Again, info that the party knows if not Lars specifically.  The fact that they were stealing silverware? What’s Brennan’s game here?

#dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #mice and murder #mice and murder spoilers #the case file

[transmogrified-in-the-void]

Powered Shorts: BI DND

the band plays some good old fashioned dnd

“The looming ruins of the Cathedral of Glaudem shadow over all of you. Part of the roof has caved in, vines cover most of the old brick that make up the cathedral, and the only standing structure, the front, is about 350 feet tall. As you get closer, a storm is brewing, wind whipping around you. Trees groan under the wind before torrents of rain start to pound on you. There’s no doubt, this is the cathedral that the elder was talking about.” Airael describes from behind their DM screen. “Before you enter, what do you do?”

“Myathethil takes out her quarterstaff and readies her darts.” Virtue says simply. It makes sense, Myathethil is a to-the-point character. If she thinks a fight is coming, she readies her weapons. If someone is trying to poison her, she punches them. Simple and easy.

Bug looks through their notes and character sheet. “Wena holds onto eir amulet from Tulai, whispering a prayer in Halfling. Ey have been in many battles, but a small part of them worries ey won’t make it out alive this time. Ey will need all the luck ey can get.” 

Airael nods. “What is the prayer?”

“Uhh,” Bug thinks for a moment. “Tulai, wherever you are, please give me the strength to come home.”

Airael nods, writing something down from behind the screen. “Cato, Gemini, what are Hotaru and Tragedy doing?”

Gemini smiles. “Tradegy is tying the charm her mother gave her to the end of her mace. If this is where her journey ends, then she wants to do it knowing her mom is nearby. She wants her mom to know that her baby found people who care for her.”

Airael smiles, and looks at Cato. “And Horatu?”

“Horato is staring at the Cathedral, feeling a familiar sense of oppression in his soul. He is mentally preparing to have to betray everyone if it means finding his fiancee and family before he dies.” Cato says carefully. “He made a promise to himself in the Feywild, and he’s not going to break it today.”

“With that out of the way.” Airael gives a feral grin. “You all walk into the cathedral. Normal formation I’m assuming?”

Everyone nods. 

“Good, good. Uh, Wena, what’s your passive perception again?”

“Um, 16.” Bug answers.

“Cool, cool, cool. Wena passes through the threshold. You see that the inside is just rubble. Anything that could have been destroyed was. As you look forwards to where the cave has collapsed, you see a fucking dragon.”

There’s cheers around the table as the band rejoices at fighting a dragon, before going quiet at having to fight a dragon.

“Can I see the color of the dragon?” Bug asks.

“Make a perception check.”

Bug rolls, looking at the dice then back at his sheet. “That’s an 18 plus . . . that’s 24.”

“There’s a flash of lighting, and you can see this is definitely a young blue dragon.”

Bug nods. “I’m going to whisper back to the group.” Xe turns to the players. “Hey, uh, be quiet, and has anyone picked up Draconic in the last 5 or so minutes?”

A chorus of ‘no’s, and Bug nods again. “So we can see the dragon, but it hasn’t noticed us. Should we make a plan?”

Everyone starts to discuss amongst themselves, Gemini throwing out the idea of all attacking one wing at once to disable its flying. 

“I have animal handling, would I be able to know which part of the dragon needs to be hit the hardest from like, birds and shit?” Bug asks.

“Sure, make the check.”

Bug rolls again. “Haha, oh fuck, uhhh that’s an 8?”

“You need to hit the wing.”

“FUCK!”

Everyone laughs at that, taking a moment to get back together.

“Okay okay okay, so who has no throwing weapons?” Cato asks, and Bug and Gemini raise their hands. “Sweet so I can give you my daggers-”

“I can cast spiritual weapons to make a longbow instead. Give your daggers to Mya.” Gemini interrupts. “I can cast it as a bonus action too. It’s like, glowy and shit so it probably would be better if I cast it after the initial attack as a bonus sneak attack.”

The group nods in agreement. “So do we need to get closer?”

“Those who are using throwing weapons will need to.” 

Bug and Virtue roll, getting an 11 and unnatural 20 in the process. 

“So Wena barely gets close enough, almost tripping on some rubble. Mya, you’re having a great time. You’re basically dancing your way to this dragon.”

“I give the signal and attack.” Bug says. “I’m going to throw both of my hand axes at the same time.”

“Cool, roll to attack with advantage on both. Actually, everyone but Gemini roll with advantage. Gem, we’ll get to you.” Airael says, with the group nodding. Everyone rolls. “Uh, let’s go in order of Bug, Virtue, then Cato.”

“22 and 12.”

“19 and 18.”

“18.”

Airael looks at something behind the DM screen. “Sweet. So, Gem, make a perception check real quick?”

“Uh, 15.”

“Cool, you notice when everyone throws their weapons, and are able to time it just in time to make your spiritual weapon. Roll with advantage.”

“That’s a 24.”

Airael checks behind their DM screen again. 

“All but Bug’s second attack hit. Go ahead and roll damage.” They do, and Airael scratches something on a paper behind the screen. “You all attack the dragon’s wing. Bug, your first handaxe snaps one of its outer bones. Gemini, your sacred arrow shoots right through its joint, rendering it completely useless. The dragon roars, lightning striking as the storm gets worse. Roll initiative.”

After writing some more things behind the screen, Airael looks at Cato. “Hotaru goes first. What’s your move?”

Cato thinks, looking over their sheet. “I’m going to use an action to Disengage. How bad do the pillars and supports look?”

“They’re pretty worn, but seem to be bolted together well. The wood looks to be starting to rot though.” Airael answers.

Cato nods. “Okay so idea one out. I’m gonna use my action to hide.”

“Roll stealth for me?”

“23?”

“You fucking melt into shadows and disappear. Not even Tragedy can see you.” Airael says, and Cato laughs. “Now, speaking of said tiefling, it’s your turn!”

Gemini laughs sinisterly, looking over her spell sheet. “How far away is the dragon at this point?”

“About 70 feet ish.”

Gemini nods. “I’m gonna cast Guiding Bolt as my spiritual longbow dissipates into nothingness.”

“Sounds good, roll to attack.”

“Does a 22 hit?”

“Yes it does, damage?”

Gemini rolls 4 six-sided dice. “That is . . . 25 radiant damage!”

Airael writes something down again. “As Hotaru disappears into the chaos of the storm, Tragedy’s shining bow disappears into a mist that swirls into a line of light that strikes the dragon. It roars in pain as the light is absorbed into its wet scales. Bug, your turn.”

“I’m taking out my longswords and attacking this bitch with them.” Ey roll the d20. “NAT 20 MOTHERFUCKERS!”

The group chants ‘20’ over and over again as Bug takes a celebratory walk around the table. They roll for their second attack. “Ahem, does a natural and an unnatural 20 hit?”

Airael rolls their eyes with a smile. “What do you think? Both of them hit. How does it happen.”

Bug grins. “Wena storms, haha storms, towards the land-bound dragon, unsheathing eir swords. Lighting flashes in the sky as eir amulet starts to glow, and ey shove the longswords into the belly of the beast. For . . . 23 damage.”

“23 damage.” Airael repeats, scratching more things behind the screen. “It is now Virtue’s turn.”

“Can I actually take my turn to run on top of the dragon?” Virtue asks.

“That’s gonna be a dex check.”

“That’s a 19 for the monk lady to run up a dragon.”

“The monk lady runs up the dragon.”

“Hell yeah.”

“It’s the dragon’s turn now.”

“Un-hell yeah.”

Airael smirks. “First the dragon is going to swipe at Wena, who is the closest to it.” They roll. “What’s your armor class again?”

Bug checks their sheet. “16.”

“So both attacks hit for . . .” more rolling, “20 slashing damage.”

Bug groans as they write their current hp down.

“Now it’s going to make a breath attack against you.” Airael points towards their girlfriend, who gasps. “Don’t you gasp, Tragedy did a lot of damage. Make a dex saving throw.”

Gemini rolls. “11?”

Airael doesn’t respond, and instead starts to roll die after die after die. “45 lightning damage.”

Gemini groans. “You’re mean.” She grumbles as she writes her new hp.

Airael shrugs, smiles, and turns to Cato. “Your turn, bucko.”

Cato grins. “I’m making a sneak attack with my bow.” They roll. “26 hit?”

“It sure does. Roll damage.”

Cato rolls their d6 six separate times. “That’s a 27 piercing damage for the blue dragon in the back. And I’m gonna hide again.”

Airael nods and looks up. “Gem, your turn.”

Gemini looks at her spell sheet. “I’m running up to this bitch and casting inflict wounds as a 5th level spell.”

Airael’s eyes light with interest. “And do tell how this looks.”

“Tragedy has a giant blast mark that’s burned off part of her armor. She’s tired, she’s pissed. She runs 30 feet towards the dragon, writes the words “pain” in glowing infernal letters, and screams as the letters become dark and twisted and strike the dragon in the face.”

Airael nods. “Roll to attack please.”

“I’m adding 10 as per my channel divinity.” She says once she rolls. “So that’s a 21 to hit the dragon with my overpowered spell.”

Airael sighs. “Roll your damage.”

Gemini rolls 7d10. “40 necrotic damage.”

“The dragon’s glowing blue eyes stare at you with anger and hatred as you scream. The letters strike the creature’s face, causing the flesh to rot and die away, the word ‘die’ clear on its forehead. With that, it’s Wena’s turn.”

“Nice. I’m just gonna hit again with my swords, that’s a 13 and a 12.” Bug reports.

“You wrench your swords out, and try to hit again but miss the angle. They clink off the scaly underbelly.” Airael says in response. “And now the monk lady who is on the dragon’s head has a go.”

“I’m gonna beat it on the head with my quarterstaff.” Virtue says. 

Airael sighs again. “Roll to hit.”

Silence. “That’s a nat one I’m afraid.” Virtue says, and Airael smiles.

“You smack the dragon on the head, and your quarterstaff shatters. The staff given to you by Moss, your partner and beloved, the staff that you’ve had for all of your crazy journeys. Gone. Poof.” They say, a grim smile on their face. 

“Oh God.” Virtue mutters, putting their face into their hands. “Oh fuck, my staff.”

The players are quiet in fear as the dragon starts its turn.

“First off, it’s going to shake its head to get rid of you. Make a dex check.” Airael starts.

“That’s a 27.”

“You stay on the dragon, grasping its scales and spine as it twists and turns. Next, it’s gonna try and slash Wena again.” Airael rolls some dice. “You manage to dodge the first one, but the second one comes from behind and gets you for 8 damage.”

Bug silently cheers at that, editing his current hp.

“And finally, it’s gonna try and bite Tragedy. What’s your ac?”

“14.”

“So it gets you pretty hard. You’re lucky you have armor, otherwise you would 100% be in half right now.”

Gemini curses silently.

“But now it’s Hotaru’s turn.” Airael looks at Cato. “Are you going to do what I think you’re going to do?”

“Oh totally.” Cato says. “Does a 27 hit?”

Airael nods.

“28 damage, my good sir.”

Airael smiles. “Hotaru comes out from behind Tragedy, seeming to have melted out of the shadows. He has his bow notched and drawn, and he stares the dragon down. The dragon roars at the human, trying to intimidate him, and Hotaru lets the arrow fly. The dragon’s roar is cut short as it stumbles around a little before collapsing down, dead. What is everyone’s current hp?”

“Full hp.” Cato says, with Virtue saying the same.

“Mine is 76.” Bug reports.

“2.” Gemini says, and Airael’s grin grows wider.

“Tragedy falls over, almost dead and bleeding out. You look up to see a glowing figure with a familiar smile. It’s your mother.”

Gemini smiles. “Mom?”

“Your mother floats next to you, crouching by your head. ‘Oh Sorath, my sweet baby look how much you’ve grown,’ she says, smiling at you like you didn’t kill hundreds in her name. ‘I know you hurt with my leaving, but let yourself grow with these people. They’re good folk, I know you can sense it too.’ She starts to fade away, her time here is short.” Airael describes the scene, tears coming to their eyes.

“No, mom, please! I need you!” Gemini says. “Don’t leave me again!”

Airael smiles. “She gives you one last sad look. ‘I’ve never left you, baby. And I never will’ And like that,” they snap, “she’s gone with the sun coming out of the clouds.”

“So did anyone else see that, or was that just a spirit thing?” Virtue asks.

“Hmm, make a perception check, everyone.” Airael decides. 

Cato gets a 21, Bug a 18, and Virtue a 17.

“Hotaru is the only one who sees the apparition, and is the only one who hears it. And with that, our time is up!”

Everyone groans, standing up and organizing their papers and dice. Cato smiles to themselves. They’re so excited to see what’s next. They feel safe here, and so so happy. It’s nice for a change. 

#the powered universe #powered shorts #cato character #bug character #airael #airael powered universe #gemini #gemini powered universe #bardic inspiration #bardic inspiration band #dnd #dungeons and dragons #this is why the band has its name fyi

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

A Little Bit Like Home

You moving to school has been tougher than Calum would like to admit but there are some moments that make it easier to bear, there are small moments where it’s not so bad. 

A continuation of these two blurbs (Blurb 1 and Blurb 2) Again it’s hella self indulgent. Inspired what really happened to me in my DnD campaign, see this post.  

**Contains spoilers for the Waterdeep Heist from Dungeons & Dragons if you are currently playing that module!!!**

Enjoy my masterlist!

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___________

“Can I make a perception check on the walls? See if there’s anything else funky in this room?” you ask, clicking over in your browser tab to the dice roller. The DM allows you to make that call and you click on the d20. 

“Your the only one rolling well on those things tonight,” one member of your party, playing an Orc sent out to learn magic and getting packed in with your ragtag group, notes after their failed attempt to pick the lock. You managed to pick that that too, but you chalk it up to you being a Drow Rogue and lock picking being one of your skills. 

“18,” you call out, looking back at your character sheet to make sure you’ve done the math correctly. 

“18?” The DM asks, just to be sure. You nod. “Okay, so you look around the room and there’s not really anything worth noting besides some dirt and blood. But no traps, no buttons in this room.”

“This room,” the entire party echoes laughing. The six of you have just survived barely a lightning trap. Which you still refuse to admit to setting up, but it was definitely you since as the marching order had you in front. 

“We’re going to have to go back to that mimic room,” the paladin of your group declares. Your party was warned that the room at the start of your adventure in this hell of a magic maze could be a trap and a mimic could be in the depths of it. But there was a chest still yet to be opened. However, you took the advice of your Orc and backed out of that room to avoid a fight just yet. 

Your previous encounters in other rooms leaving some of your party is better shape than others. This early in your adventure together the five of you didn’t really want to risk loosing anyone just yet. Lightening and your pirates love of ale seemed to be your only foe at the moment. 

“We should maybe just see what’s in here first,” Calum, playing as a Druid, counters. “Though it seems like if we find yet another key to a door that’s already been picked, it’s might be useless.” 

You know the tease is directed at you. “Hey, look here buddy, I will not hesitate to shoot a quiver into your ass. I see a lock I’m going to pick it,” you defend. 

“Besides,” your party’s pirate starts, “we’ve ducked a lot of rooms afraid of getting into another fight. If they pick a lock or two and we find the key later, at least we can add to the Bard’s collection.”

“Thank you,” you laugh. 

Soon your party’s able to direct their attention back on the adventure and magic maze you’ve found yourself in. You and Calum end up smashing mirrors in a room to avoid any sort of magic in them that would cause your party to fight your soul doubles. This leads to a five minute debate of how to leave said room that didn’t involve shoving the unicorn that your party was tasked with finding up someone’s ass due to a riddle unveiled, Everything you see is mine.

“Wait,” you say, laughing at the argument about who can fit the unicorn into their mouth. It was deemed to be more dignified. Your pirate waits outside the room, still naked thanks to the magic that rips all the clothes, weapons, and armor off of anyone that attempts to leave the room. “Everything you see is mine. If the mirrors are smashed, then nothing can be seen right?”

“No, shards can be face up, so technically things can be seen,” the party’s Bard counters. 

“No, no, you’re onto to something,” the pirate starts. 

“Oh my god, we’re so fucking dumb,” the orc hollers. “Someone cover their eyes. You means us. Anything we can see can’t leave the room.”

Thankfully, you’re still dressed having only attempted to leave the room and letting others continue with their naked escapades. “Holy shit,” you shriek as you direct to your DM how you cover your face with your hood and hold it tight around your eyes so you can’t see anything and step through the door. You’re able to cross completely clothed, swords, crossbow, and pack still in tact. 

“We’re so fucking STUPID,” you laugh. 

Calum’s giggle cuts through the speakers of your laptop. “How were we so prepared to just be fucking naked through the rest of this maze?” He directs to the DM that he redresses, having also attempted several times to brute force the magic door with no success. 

“We never speak of that,” the orc demands through their own laughter. “Never.”

The party comes to a stopping point about another hour later, saying goodbyes before leaving the Zoom meeting. Not even thirty seconds later after ending that call, an incoming FaceTime call comes from Calum. You answer it, wiping at the corner of your eyes. He’s grinning as the call finally connects. The weekend that Calum came up to visit, a friend in the cohort asked you if you’d be willing to going a beginner’s campaign. You had wanted to give the game a whirl but you knew it would be a time suck and asked if it was okay to bring someone else along too. 

After getting a yes from the DM you know you had to convince Calum to join in. It took less effort than you thought for him to join in and the two of you spent a couple hours the night before picking out your characters before you emailed the information back to the DM. Now every Saturday night you and Calum spend about three hours in a Zoom getting into all sorts of trouble. He settled easily on the Druid but spent forever trying to find an artist rendering of his character, Okolian, that felt right. Long black hair with streaks of white was a must along with a single braid as well, which he stole from your character’s look though your hair is all white. 

Slowly, it was decided that Okolian would have blue skin muscular, but not overly buff and refused to wear sleeves in order to wear leather arm bands around his biceps which could easily be mistaken for tattoos or markings of his people. Okolian prefers his staff but is also armed with a sickle and mace. The Calum touch of course was to add ferns rather than feathers. 

“I can’t believe you were going to let me be the one to have to figure out the unicorn,” Calum teases. 

“Hey, it was only six inches. Not that bad.”

He sputters his laughter. “Is that payback for calling you out for picking all the locks?”

“I would never do such a thing but maybe.” 

“Anything else on the agenda for tonight?”

“No not really. Whatever work there is out in the world, I’ll get to it tomorrow. What about you? The night’s still young.”  

Calum shrugs. “A friend was supposed to get back to me about drinks tonight,  but I haven’t heard anything yet. If he gets back within the hour or so, I’ll probably tag along but if not, it’s not a big deal. But you never did tell me about last night. How’d that go?”

You cover your face for a second, remember how many drinks were consumed the night previously. Calum laughs at the slightly panicked look that crosses your face. “There was two drinks too many past my usual limit and I felt it. Big time,” you answer. 

He’s glad to hear you getting out more. It’s in turned made him feel a bit better about getting back to his normal routine, getting dinner more with the guys or other friends. Missing you doesn’t hurt so bad anymore for Calum. He feels most often right before he’s going to bed, when he’d normally curl up into your side and open his arms wide for you to curl up into him. But it hurts less during the day. 

Getting used to the cohort and getting out a couple Friday’s in the month has helped you as well. You don’t feel so chained to your phone, don’t feel so beholden to being there for every text right away. It’s still hard when you start to cook dinner and almost reach out for a second plate still by habit. And in the morning when you’re fixing your cup of coffee your brain still wants to pull down a second cup. Sometimes you do. Sometimes you just give in because you need it. Need to let yourself sit with those feelings. 

“I’ll be sticking with cider after last night,” you tease. “Wine makes me myself too much. Never doing that again.”

Calum’s been privileged to see you wine drunk a couple of times and he can already imagine the type of trouble you nearly got yourself in. “Is your picture on the wall at the bar?”

“Not that bad, but close,” you giggle. 

“What am I going to do with you?” 

It’s just a joke but for a moment it makes you pause--what’s going to happen when you go back for break? Are things going to be different? Most of your clothes and things are still there though slowly more and more has been shipped to you. Is Duke going to remember you? Miss you too?

“Promise me the house isn’t too different?”

Calum furrows his brows, head titling just a little to the side. “What do you mean, baby?”

“Like without me, is it all going to be different when I come back?”

“It’s all pretty much the same here. Duke’s the king of the castle. Still have plenty of hoodies for you to steal and your side of the bed still misses you. I still miss you.”

“No, I--I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like I don’t want you to find ways to cope but I don’t know. What if it never feels right? Like so much has been missed that I just won’t ever fit in again?”

Calum shakes his head. “Babe, no. You still belong. Your shoes still have space in the closet. Your mugs still sit in the cabinets. There is so much of you still here--it’s how I get through the days.”

Maybe that’s what’s rough for you. There’s not much of Calum at your place. There’s none of his dirty laundry that’s halfway hanging of laundry baskets and there’s no bass rumbling and there’s snoring next to you at night. It’s all you, which is nice. But you wish you had a little bit of Calum too. 

“There’s none of you here,” you say softly. 

“I can fix that.” It’s a steady confidence, a nod of his head at statement. “Don’t you worry.”

You two steer the conversation to something lighter before you call it a night. And it’s harder to get up the next morning, to peel yourself out of the sheets. But you do it, you push up with a grunt and get your day started. Coffee, a quick bowl of cereal and fruit. You call Calum right before lunch to check in and then get back to work. 

As the days pass, the conversation the ache gets buried in some stress. However, you get a text about a package to get from the lockers at the front of your complex so shuffle down the path thinking it’s the new mattress pad you ordered. It shipped late last week but you hadn’t expected it to arrive this soon. 

As the door swings open to the locker you spy Calum’s handwritten on the label of the package. What the hell had be gone and done? You pick up the box and kick the door close with your foot before taking it back up to your apartment. Setting the box down on the kitchen counter, you find the scissors and cut into it. Right on top is a small envelope with your name scribbled across it. 

You said you didn’t have anything of me. So I knew I had to correct that. I hope they help. And a little thing from the old man, well not from him. But you’ll understand when you get to that. 

Love you. 

Digging into the box, you notice a few guitar pics, a couple extra t-shirt and then a long thin box. You pick it up, noticing it looks like a necklace. But with Calum you never can be sure. As you crack it open, you laugh, finding a gold chain staring up at you, attach to it is a tiny locket that as a paw print on it. You crack it open though and find a tiny picture of Calum and you inside of it and your eyes well with tears. It’s from your last vacation before you left for school, just two of you reclined on the beach and Calum kissing your temple. 

You draft a text to Calum. Tell Duke it feels like home now. 

#calum hood #calum hood blurb #calum hood fanfic #calum hood angst #calum hood fluff #h writes #5sos #calum 5sos #calum hood x reader #calum hood x reader insert #5 seconds of summer

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #86: Mysterious Heroine X

Before we get into America proper, Fate and Phantasms is taking a quick sightseeing tour of the Servant Universe, courtesy of Mysterious Heroine X! With this build, you’ll be able to sneak up on sabers and give them a taste of your Secret Calibur. You’ll also have plenty of technobabble gadgets that do whatever the plot demands, and your very own spaceship! Kinda. You’ll have most of your spaceship. You’ll have spaceship parts.

Check out X’s build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: A gold lancer?! Ooh, I bet it’s Qin Liangyu!

Race and Background

D&D doesn’t really have a Servant race (we’re waiting on that collab, WoTC!), but we’ve made a large majority of servants Humans, and we won’t stop now. Variant Humans get +1 Dexterity and Wisdom, Arcana proficiency to represent your technological prowess, and the Lucky feat. This feature lets you use your very literal plot armor to succeed when you really need to, or counter deadly attacks, three times per long rest by rolling another d20 and optionally using that roll when making a save, attack, or check or when another creature attacks you. 

You’re a Far Traveler, because it doesn’t get much further away than another dimension. This gives you Insight and Perception proficiencies. You can always tell when someone’s lying about being a saber. It’s mostly because they all have the same face, but still.

Ability Scores

 Put your highest score into Dexterity. You’re totally a saber, but some swords use dex! It’s fine! You also want your dex as high as possible, because a track suit isn’t armor. Second is Charisma: you can lie to paladins for extended periods without getting caught (I know she was a child, shush). Your Wisdom’s also pretty good; your gadgets have to work off something, after all. Your Constitution isn’t amazing, and neither is your Strength, but you’re not here for fair fights. Finally, dump Intelligence. Your gadgets are cool and you know how to use them, but you didn’t make them and you probably don’t really know how they work.

Class Levels

1. Ranger 1: When you become a ranger, you get proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saves, as well as Athletics, Stealth, and Investigation to help you hunt down sabers without being seen.

As a first level ranger, you would normally get Favored Enemy, but Sabers aren’t a type of humanoid, so instead you get Favored Foe. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can mark the creature for up to a minute, concentration permitting. Once per turn (including the turn you mark it), you can deal an extra 1d4 damage to that creature. You can make a number of marks per long rest equal to your proficiency bonus. That’s not a lot of damage right now, but it gets better as we go.

You’d also normally get Natural Explorer, but Space isn’t an option for that either. Instead, you are a Deft Explorer, which at level 1 makes you Canny. This gives you extra languages, plus expertise in Stealth. You’re a master assas-Saber, after all.

Lastly in our list of switchups, most Excaliburs are great-swords, but your lightsaber is a pretty light saber, so we’re instead calling it a Scimitar. Don’t worry, we’ll make it a little stronger later.

2. Ranger 2: At second level, you gain a Fighting Style. The Dueling style adds 2 to single-handed melee damage, to help make up for your smaller sword. You also learn to cast Spells this level, using your Wisdom as the spellcasting modifier. Since we have Hunter’s Mark covered with Favored Foe, we’re instead going to learn Alarm and Snare to better protect the area around our ship. They create an alarm and snare respectively- sometimes it’s nice to have a spell that just does what it says it will.

3. Ranger 3: Normally at level three you’d get Primeval Awareness, and since you don’t talk to animals that’s exactly what you’re getting here. You can spend a spell slot to sense aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead within 1 mile of you, though their number and location aren’t given. The effect lasts for one minute per spell level used. Those lancer sabers aren’t particularly hard to find, but a little extra help never hurt.

Third level rangers also pick a conclave. You’re dedicated to protecting the multiverse from the massive influx of Saberfaces, making you a pretty clear-cut Horizon Walker. You can use your Portal Detector to Detect Portals within a mile of you as an action once per short rest. You’re also a Planar Warrior, letting you spend your bonus action to make your Secret Calibur a higher caliber, turning all its damage into Force Damage for one attack, and dealing an extra 1d8 damage as well. If you wanted to justify what you spent on a new set of dice, this is the build for you: literally the only die you’re not using each turn now is your d12.

You also get another spell this level, and the extended spell list for Horizon Walkers gives you access to Protection from Evil and Good. For up to 10 minutes with concentration, one creature you touch is protected from aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This imposes disadvantage against those creatures if they try to attack them, they can’t be charmed, frightened, or possessed by them, and they have advantage on saves if they’re already under one of those effects. Most sabers either are or get their power from one of those types of creature, so this should be pretty helpful.

4. Ranger 4: Your track suit is leather armor at best, so use this Ability Score Improvement to strengthen your Dexterity. This improves you AC, sword accuracy and damage, and makes you sneakier too.

5. Ranger 5: Fifth level Horizon Walkers get an Extra Attack, letting you make two attacks per action. It should be noted that Planar Warrior and Favored Foe only work once per turn, but more damage is still more damage.

You also get another care package from the Servant Universe; this one contains your Object Locater, which lets you Locate Objects. As long as the object is within 1,000′ of you and isn’t blocked by lead, you’ll know exactly where it is and where it’s going for up to 10 minutes. If you’ve been close to it before, you can locate specific objects like, say, Excalibur, or you can locate an kind of object, like clothing, a kind of weapon (saber) or tool.

6. Rogue 1: This isn’t really an “above board” move to make, but you’re not one for traditional tactics. That probably why you’re an Assas- Totally a saber. Yup. Anyway, with this level you get one rogue skill -Acrobatics- proficiency, as well as Expertise in two skills. This doubles you proficiency in Acrobatics and Perception. You can make a Sneak Attack, dealing extra damage against creatures when you’re using a finesse weapon (you should be) and you either have advantage against your target or there’s another enemy of the target within 5′ of them. You can also use Thieves’ Cant to communicate with other rogues without being found out.

7. Ranger 6: We’ll get more rogue in a bit, but back in Ranger, your Favored Foe increases to 1d6, and you’re now a Roving Explorer. This gives you an extra 5′ of movement, and you gain a climbing and swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

8. Ranger 7: Since you’re not really from this plane, it can be a bit tricky to stay on it for long. You can weaponize this with your Ethereal Step, letting you cast Etherealness for free and as a bonus action once per short rest. The drawback is it only lasts until the end of your turn, but until then you can move in any direction (at half speed), you’re invisible to creatures who can’t sense the ethereal plane, and can move through objects that aren’t on the ethereal plane. Think of it as a short-range teleporter.

If you want to be even sneakier, turn on your cloaking device to Pass Without Trace, giving you and creatures near you +10 to stealth checks and the inability to be tracked through normal means for up to an hour.

9. Ranger 8: Moving at half speed in the ethereal plane is a bummer. If only there was some way to be even faster. Wait, there is! use this ASI to become Mobile, adding 10′ to your movement and allowing you to slip away from enemies you’ve attacked this turn. 

You also get Land’s Stride, so you can ignore most difficult terrain, as well as damage caused by nonmagical plants. You also have advantage on saves caused by magical plants.

10. Ranger 9: I don’t think we’re fast enough yet. Let’s get even faster. As a ninth level ranger you get third level spells, like Haste, which doubles your movement speed, gives you an extra action each turn, adds 2 to your AC, and gives you advantage on dexterity saves. This lasts up to a minute, at which point you’ll have to take a break for a turn. Fun fact: Etherealness is not a concentration spell, so you can speed up and blast through the ethereal plane no problem.

11. Rogue 2: Back in rogue, you learn to make Cunning Actions, letting you Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a bonus action. We didn’t make you Canny in stealth for nothing, use it from time to time.

12. Rogue 3: As much as you like to deny it, you are an Assassin class servant, meaning you Assassinate people. You have advantage on attacks against creatures who haven’t taken a turn yet, and all your attacks that hit automatically deal critical damage on surprised creatures. You also get proficiency in the Disguise and Poisoner’s Kits. That track suit is barely a disguise, and it’s definitely not magical.

Also, your sneak attack increases to 2d6.

13. Ranger 10: Tenth level rangers are Tireless, letting you spend an action to gain 1d8+ your wisdom modifier temporary HP, a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency modifier. Also, your exhaustion now decreases on short rests as well as long rests. I’m sure this makes anyone who wants to multiclass Berserker/Ranger very happy.

Again, you would normally get Hide in Plain Sight, but instead you get Nature’s Veil. Proficiency bonus times per long rest, you can use a bonus action to turn invisible until the start of your next turn. Unlike normal invisibility, this persists even if you attack someone, so have fun with that.

14. Ranger 11: Eleventh level Horizon Walkers see their Planar Warrior feature grow even stronger, adding 2d8 force damage to an attack. You can also make Distant Strikes now, teleporting 10 feet before each attack you make. If you make your two attacks against different targets, you can even make a third attack against a third target!

With this level’s spell, you can call down some fire support from your ship with Conjure Barrage. You’ll have to keep something to throw on hand, but it will deal 3d8 damage in a 60′ cone, or half on a successful dexterity save (DC 8+proficiency+wisdom modifier).

15. Ranger 12: Use this ASI to improve your Wisdom for stronger air support and better tracking.

16. Ranger 13: Thirteenth level rangers get fourth level spells. Freedom of Movement will help you break out of any restraints you may find yourself in. Sabers aren’t typically one to take prisoners, but perhaps some misguided locals get between you and your mark.

17. Ranger 14: At fourteenth level, your Favored Foe is now as strong as it’s ever going to be, dealing 1d8 damage per turn. You can also Vanish as a bonus action on your turn. This also prevents you from being tracked by nonmagical means unless you want to be followed.

18. Ranger 15: Your plot armor has upgraded from dumb luck to a Spectral Defense, spending your reaction to gain resistance to an attack. You also learn Banishment, letting you kick any errant Sabers back to the servant dimension. Killing them would be preferable, but there are days where you just don’t have the time.

19. Ranger 16: Use your final ASI to max out your Dexterity for more AC, more stabbing, and better stealth.

20. Ranger 17: Your capstone level of ranger nets you the ability to cast 5th level spells like Teleportation Circle. This allows you to instantly travel to any existing spaceport (circle) on the same plane as you that you know the combination to, and even make your own after a year of casting. You also start with the runes needed to travel to two circles chosen by your DM. It’s a shame this doesn’t work between planes, but if your DM wants you planehopping by level 20 it’s going to happen anyway.

Pros: 

You’re so fast you clip through walls. With 45′ base speed, the ability to double dash on command, and access to haste, you’re able to get where you need to go when you need to be there. Toss in your etherealness and distant strikes, and you’ll find yourself saving a lot of time. Or you’ll find out all the buildings you enter were mysteriously built on the ethereal plane too. It’s depends on how hard your DM railroads.

You’re also very stealthy, with the ability to turn invisible before you strike and your absurd stealth bonuses you’re going to be hard to find, at least until your sword is already in their neck.

Your sword may not be magical, but you can turn it into Force Damage for an attack each turn. Combine that with your sneak attack and favored foe, and you can still deal plenty of damage, even to tough creatures. Like sabers! 

Cons:

Despite being from another plane of existence, this build doesn’t have any planar travel, bar Banishment-ing yourself back home. This isn’t really a weakness, per se: if your DM needs you to be in a different plane they’ll typically help you out. It’s just really frustrating for me specifically.

Your weapon buffs all only last for one attack, making your multi-attack somewhat awkward. On top of that, your Planar Warrior requires you to call your attack ahead of time, so you can’t just wait for a critical hit and dump all your features into it like paladins can.

A lot of your spells require Concentration, and that means not only do you have to pick and choose your spells carefully, but you can easily waste a slot because your constitution isn’t that great.

#fate grand order #fgo #Mysterious Heroine X #D&D 5e #Fate and Phantasms

[wanderinginksplot]

Prompt: Tup + Teaching Reader to Fix a Mechanical Object

Another fluffy fic because I am WEAK. Also, quick reminder that I got the character and prompt pairings by rolling a pair of d20s, so please don’t roast me about Tup not having any interest in mechanics or electronics. I just write what I can think of. (Evidence can be found on my masterlist.)

Anyway, enjoy!

---

“And that is how you fix a LAATi’s main motivator drive,” Tup finished, tapping at the freshly-repaired mechanism. The ring of his gauntlet striking against the hollow metal made you wince. You didn’t know much about mechanical things and, from everything he had just shown you, neither did Tup.

“Very impressive. Do you want to get something to eat” you asked, steering him gently toward the mess hall at GAR’s headquarters. While you walked, you made a mental note to send one of the engineers to check out the motivator drive before the ship was cleared for use. “Where did you learn to do that?”

As you both stepped into the mess, Tup scrubbed a hand over his head, the movement dislodging his hair from where it had been confined in a neatly-tied bun. “Err… I mostly taught myself. You don’t get many chances to cross-train out here and I never got the chance to be in the mechanic corps. I was marked for infantry since I was decanted.”

Well, there was certainly a lot to unpack in that, but now you didn’t feel like you could order him not to fix anything in the future. “Do you want to learn about mechanical processes? It may not be how you want to spend your leave, but I could get you a shadow day or two with some of the mechanics.”

“Really?” Tup asked excitedly, piling his tray with more food than you had ever seen anyone eat in one sitting. These troopers and their enhanced metabolisms.

You shrugged a bit at his question. You oversaw most of the GAR’s administrative tasks on Coruscant, but you were still low-level enough that you knew a few of the mechanics. They liked to chat for a bit when you gave them the lists of work orders for ships that needed repairs. “Probably?”

“I would love to do that!” Tup grinned, and the conversation paused as you both took your trays to a table and sat down facing each other. 

You ate in silence for a few minutes before Tup gave a small, almost self-deprecating smile. “You might want to warn the mechanics that I mostly work on electronics. I really don’t know much about mechanical stuff, but I want to learn.”

“Electronics?” you asked, perking up a bit as you stirred at the soup you had chosen for some reason. It was always awful, but you got it every now and then to see if it had magically improved. “Do you think you could fix my comlink?” 

He seemed bewildered by your question, the blinking he did accentuating both his long lashes and the teardrop tattooed under one eye.

Your face heated a bit. “Sorry, that was a weird thing to ask. It’s just been shorting out lately and repair shops charge so much-”

“No, no, it’s fine!” Tup hurried to say. “I know a bit about comlinks from when I’ve had to fix them in the field. I’d be happy to take a look. Do you have it here?”

“It’s up in my office, actually,” you explained. "Maybe I could run up and get it?"

"I'll come with you," Tup offered, standing from the table only a moment after you did. 

"No, you should stay here and eat," you told him. “I’ll be right back.”

"I'm already done," he said, taking a bit of a piece of fruit. Startled, you glanced down at his plate. Though it had been absolutely piled with food only minutes before, it was now empty. The fruit Tup was holding was indeed the last thing left of his meal.

While you were staring at the lack of food on his tray, Tup had been eyeing your barely touched soup. “Do you want to bring that with you? I’m sure they’d have a container for it if you want…”

“Nah, it’s terrible,” you said with a laugh.

“It always is,” he agreed, smiling so widely that his eyes crinkled at the corners. It warmed your heart to see Tup happy and you were a little sad when he turned toward the administrative offices. 

You followed Tup, amused to see where you would end up, but he led the way unerringly to your office.

“How did you know where this was?” you asked. “You’ve never been here.”

“Oh, uh… Well, you know troopers,” he hedged. “We all talk, share information. Some of the guys have been here, so I know where it is.”

You frowned, trying to think of a single time when a trooper had visited the admin offices, but nothing came to mind. Too bad, because it certainly would have made your day more interesting. “When did-?”

“Now, where is that comlink?” Tup asked loudly. 

“Uh, right over here…” you said slowly, pulling open a drawer and bringing out the malfunctioning piece of equipment. “It’s just having trouble making outgoing calls.”

He hummed a bit, turning the comlink over to study it, then shrugged. “Easy enough to test. Let me put in my frequency and try to make a call…”

Tup typed in a code and his wrist comlink chimed right away. One of his eyebrows shot up and your face heated again. It wasn't as if you had made up a broken comlink in order to get Tup's frequency, but it probably looked that way to him. 

"Let's try one more time," he suggested. You nodded, grateful that he wasn't going to start teasing you - at least, not immediately.

You didn't think you had ever hoped for a comlink malfunction before, but stars, it would really be great if Tup could see the problem with his own eyes.

He typed in the number for his frequency again, hit the button to connect, and nothing happened. At least, nothing happened for a split second before his comlink beeped at him. 

Tup grinned and you braced for a teasing comment, but he had stifled the expression only a half-second later. “Well, that’s strange. Maybe it’s fixed?”

You frowned at the odd behavior. Most of the troopers never hesitated to mercilessly tease someone, and Tup was no exception. You had seen him absolutely roast Hardcase about his new relationship with an administrator aboard the Resolute only last week, so the fact that he wasn’t teasing you was a cause for concern. 

“It really is broken, though,” you insisted.

“I believe you,” Tup said quietly, without a trace of the grin he had worn only a moment before. “You have no reason to lie. But I’ll tell you what: you have my frequency now. If it keeps giving you problems, use a working comlink to call me. If I’m planetside, I’ll come take another look at it, okay?”

“That sounds wonderful, thank you,” you agreed, still on-edge. You never thought you would have wanted to be teased, but this was strange behavior.

“And…” he cleared his throat. “And if you ever want to call for another reason, even if you just want to talk, you can. I’ll pick up. I’d be glad to listen to you.”

You stared at him, knowing your eyes were bulging like those of a particularly deranged mynock. “You would?”

“Of course I would,” Tup’s blush at the admission showed even through the smooth brown of his skin. “I always like talking to you."

"I like talking to you, too," you replied, feeling a bit dizzy at the conversational turn. "You're probably my favorite person to spend time with."

"Really?" Tup asked, perking up a bit. "Then… do you want to come to 79s with me? Maybe tomorrow night?"

"79s is a dance club..?" you guessed slowly, trying to remember what little you knew about the place. You weren't really the clubbing type, but for Tup? You would gladly try to be.

"Yeah! A lot of us clones go there. Some guys won't go anywhere else," Tup explained. "Do you want to come? No pressure…"

"Of course I will!" you insisted. "Are you sure none of your friends will mind me tagging along?" 

Tup blushed a bit, rubbing at the back of his neck. "There, uh, won't be any other guys there. It'll just be you and me. Like a… a date. It is a date. I mean, will you go on a date with me?"

You had been putting so much effort into following Tup's train of thought that you stared at him for a long moment after he had finished speaking. He stared back, dark eyes intense, and you snapped back to the moment. 

"Yes!" you agreed loudly, winced, and corrected yourself to a more natural volume. "Yes. Tup, I would absolutely love to go on a date with you."

Tup looked so thrilled that you forgot to apologize for shouting in his face a moment before. "That's great! I'll come get you here- oh, I don't have a speeder. I can meet you here and we'll go together? Or I could just meet you there, or-"

"Let's meet here," you offered. 

"That seems easiest," Tup agreed gratefully. With a shy smile, he said, “Thank you for agreeing to go. I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time.”

“I would have said yes months ago,” you admitted before you could censor yourself, and felt your face grow hot.

Tup’s eyebrows shot up his forehead at that, then a wicked smile spread across his face as his eyes heated. In a voice that was a full octave lower than you were used to hearing from him, he murmured, “Sounds like we need to make up for some lost time, then.”

You nodded breathlessly. You didn’t know where that sudden wave of confidence had come from, but it was a good look on him. 

“Meet you at seven?” he asked.

“How about six,” you suggested.

He grinned and pressed a kiss to your cheek. “It’s a date.”

You watched him leave your office, an unfamiliar swagger in his step. You shook your head and smiled, cheek still warm from his lips. Six couldn’t come fast enough.

---

A/N - cocky Tup is the best Tup. 

#star wars the clone wars #star wars #star wars fanfiction #fic #i take requests #clone trooper tup #gender-neutral reader #no description reader #shy tup #then really confident tup #please reblog

[ask-fantasy-sanders-sides]

Okay this might sound stupid but how exactly the "rolling the dice" works? What the numbers supported to represent? Sorry idk how dnd works usually :(( -🏹

Oh, that's okay, I can explain! ^^

When a character wants to do something, they have to roll a 20 sided dice (called a d20) to see whether or not they succeed. They can add or subtract to the numbers rolled based on their Stats. A Stat is a number, from one to 20, that describes how good they are at a certain skill, or how much their body developed a certain trait. 10 is "mid-high average", and every even number above ten gives you +1 go a roll. Every odd number below 10 gives you -1.

Let's use Patton as an example. These are Patton's Stats, as of right now:

Strength: 18 (he has a +4 if he rolls to complete a feat of strength, like lifting a boulder, or punching someone's lights out)

Dexterity: 13 (he has a +1 for Dexterity based actions, like dodging incoming attacks)

Constitution: 14 (+2 to rolls that have to do with physical hardiness, like avoiding poison or drug effects, and for calculating his heath bar)

Wisdom: 14 (+2 to rolls that have to do with wisdom, like knowing if someone is lying to you)

Intellegence: 5 (-3 to rolls that have to do with learned knowledge, like world history and magic)

Charisma: 10 (+0 to rolls that have to do with interpersonal relationships, like pulling off a lie, or calming someone down)

Sanity: 7 (-2 to rolls that have to do with mental stability, like avoiding whisper psychosis or keeping your cool under stressful situations)

When a character rolls for a task, they roll the d20 and add or subtract the relevant skill number. They try to beat the task's Difficulty Class, or DC. Something easy, like rolling Dexterity to jump over a log, would have a DC somewhere around 5. Something super difficult, like rolling Charisma to talk a malicious Dragon into letting you go instead of eating you, could be as high as 25.

These stats get larger as your character levels up, and eventually you might have the numbers it takes to beat DC 25 tasks. You can also get "Help" from another character, which allows you to add their skill with your own (if Patton tried to lift a boulder, he may have a hard time, but if Roman helped him, they could definitely do it together!).

***Important note: No matter what you could add or subtract to a roll, if you roll the d20 and get a 1 or a 20, that's it. A 1 is a total failure, and something bad is going to happen to you. A 20, on the other hand, is a totally success, and you complete the task you were rolling for as perfectly as humanly possible. Say you were rolling to jump a log, like mentioned before. If you get a 20, you do a perfect backflip over that bitch, and it looks cool as hell. You get a 1? You trip over it, fall awkwardly, and now you've broken your ankle.

There is also something called a Proficiency Bonus. It is a number that goes up as you level up, and is the same for everyone (Proficiency Bonus right now is a +2). If you have been trained to do something, you also get to add your proficiency bonus. For example, Patton's charisma is a 0, but he has proficiency in the skill "Persuasion", which is a charisma based skill. So, when he rolls to persuade (convince by telling the truth) someone, he adds +0 for Charisma, and +2 for Proficiency.

There are a few rolls where you can't add anything, and one of those is Death Saving throws. If a character is dying, you roll a d20, flat. If you get a 10 or below, you've received one failure. If you get above ten, that's one success. You need three successes to live, and three failures to die for good. If you roll a 1? That's two failures, baby. If you roll a 20? Auto-success! You're alive.

I hope this explains enough for now? It will make more sense when I release their Character Sheets, and I should have those done soon. They will tell you the numbers everyone is working with, the spells and abilities they know, and how big their health bars are!

You only get Virgil, Roman, Logan, and Patton's, though. The rest are secrets >:D

#game mechanics #game lore #lets roll

[thewritewolf]

Nino’s Quest Chapter 9: At the Gates

The party finds the lair of the Necromancer and struggle to find a way in. Their righteous quest quickly devolves into a cuddly sleepover.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 (Final)

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3. My ko-fi.

The wind was howling as Nino and Alya approached the bakery. Winter was well and truly here, but that wasn’t too surprising. It was the last week of November, after all. Nino looked up at the grey skies and frowned as a few stray snowflakes danced to the ground. They had gotten lucky so far with very little snow, but something in his gut was telling him that wasn’t going to last much longer. Just in case, Nino had brought a change of clothes. Who knows if they were going to get snowed in? Especially given how long this session was going to last.

It wasn’t every day they marched into the halls of the Necromancer, after all.

For now, though, they marched into the bakery.

“So… how’d it work out yesterday? I didn’t see much of them after we let ‘em out,” Nino whispered to Alya as they waved at the Dupain-Cheng parents.

She poked her head into the living room and turned to look at him with a wide grin. “See for yourself, babe.”

The two of them were sitting on the couch playing Ultimate Mecha Strike. Despite the fact that the entire couch was open to them, Marinette was practically sitting in Adrien’s lap. His arms were wrapped around her and his chin rested on her head. For a few solid moments Nino was left stunned at the threshold of the room, staring in awe. At least until Alya jabbed him in the back with her elbow.

His startled yelp caught Adrien’s attention. A bright smile lit up his face. “Awesome timing, guys! We were just about to decide who was the absolute master of Mecha Strike.”

“It was me,” came Marinette’s reply as the victory screen played.

“As if there was any doubt,” Adrien murmured. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his nose into the crown of her head.

“Hey! That tickles.”

“Too bad.”

“Well,” Alya cut in, “if you two are done being sickeningly cute, we’ve got a Necromancer to stop. In case you forgot?”

“I know, I know. Fighting evil, saving lives - the usual.” Adrien didn’t open his eyes or loosen his hold on Marinette, but Nino could see the knowing smirk on his face.

“Speaking of the usual…” Marinette said as she extracted herself from Adrien. “How does croissants for everyone sound?”

Alya followed after Marinette, leaving Nino to start getting set up. It wasn’t hard to miss the dopey smile that his best bud wore, or how he was almost melted into the couch. Even though that had been the plan all along, Nino was still surprised it actually worked.

“So… you and M, huh?”

“Mhm…” The smile grew wider.

“Dude, you’ve got it bad. I’m just glad you guys finally figured it all out.”

“Yeah…”

“Mind telling me what happened?”

Adrien shrugged. “We just needed to talk things through. That’s all.”

“Sure, dude.” Nino softly punched Adrien on the arm. “Just took a locked door and a bunch of time to make you do that.”

A blush spread across Adrien’s face. “We got there eventually..”

As much as Nino wanted to pry or tease a little more, he was just glad to see his friend so happy. Those two definitely deserved each other.

Just as he finished setting up, the girls returned with a plate of fresh croissants. The perfect food for planning an invasion.

“Alright, my dudes. You’ve discovered the great entrance to the ruined dwarven city. The gates are big and strong. You can hear something moving, can catch glimpses of something marching back there. But whatever it is, it’s not alive.” Nino tugged on his cap. “Well, uh, not in the usual sense, anyway.”

“We can probably take them,” Alya said as she cracked her knuckles. “We’ve trounced worse baddies.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Skeletons gave us a lot of problems back in the mines.” Marinette was tapping a finger to her cheek.

“I know that look, Mari.” Adrien grinned. “What are you thinking?”

“Well, what if we don’t use the main entrance? If it really is a city under there, then there’s no way the Necromancer can have the entire place guarded.”

Alya crossed her arms. “That sounds great and all, M, but do we know of any other entrances?”

“I don’t know.” Marinette locked eyes with Adrien. “Do we?”

Adrien seemed to catch on quickly and scrambled through his notes. “Oh! There’s got to be some legends or stories about this place, right?”

“Hm…” Nino made a quick roll and nodded. “Yeah, you’ve heard a few tales. And between the four of you and all those years of neglect, you could prolly find it. But what are you gonna do once you’re there?”

“That’s where I come in,” Marinette wore a serious expression, her eyes distant as she imagined their mission. “With my super high stealth, I can steer us clear of patrols. And if I find a good place to stash the rest of you, I could even do some scouting on my own.”

Alya narrowed her eyes and cupped her chin. “If we pull this off, then we might just avoid the Necromancer’s entire army…”

“...AND we’ll have the element of surprise.” A vicious grin split Marinette’s face. “He won’t have a clue that we’re coming.”

“Right, okay.” Nino took a deep breath. This… wasn’t exactly what he expected them to do, but being DM meant being able to improvise. Nino rolled a perception check for the four of them, more for show than anything. They’d have to roll pretty high to spot a secret passage. “After a few hours of following your half-remembered story, you don’t find anything. Do you want to keep looking?”

They all nodded resolutely.

“Right.” Nino rolled another round of perception checks. Nothing. “More hours pass. The sun is starting to set. Do you still want to keep looking?

Alya was looking a bit less certain, but Marinette remained confident and that was enough for Adrien. With majority in favor, they kept searching.

“So the moon is out now. It’s full and half of us are some kinda elf, so we could keep searching, but-”

“We keep going.”

“M, what if we can’t find anything? Maybe we should make camp, figure out a new plan.”

“Alya, trust me. I’ve got this.”

“But M-”

“If this plan doesn’t work, then we just aren’t equipped to open the gates and fight the baddies. We’d have to go back anyway. Besides - I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

Alya sighed. “Alright… We stay at it.”

Nodding, Nino rolled a perception check for them. His character failed, as did Alya and Marinette’s. All that was left was Adrien’s character.

Who, naturally, rolled a twenty. His first of the entire campaign. Shocked, it took a minute for Nino to recover. “So, um… With the moonlight coming down, Adrien spots some glowing runes on a rock. He plays the song that he has been following and sure enough, the stone totally vanishes, revealing a stairwell that leads deep underground.”

“Sweet.” Alya says as they all tear into celebratory croissants. “What do we see down there, babe?”

“You’re walking for a while, but eventually the tunnel opens up into a dusty, abandoned quarter of the city. You pass through long abandoned checkpoints and guard posts. When you step into the main cavern, you realize why the city went quiet.” Nino paused to down his pop, leaving the party enraptured. “The ceiling had collapsed, tons of mountain stone crushing the city. Even now, a massive ramp of rock squats in the middle of the city.”

Adrien, his hands folded in front of his face, narrowed his eyes. He spoke in his bard’s voice. “Who knows what lies beneath?”

“Soon enough, the Necromancer.” At their confused looks, Nino added, “Even though you feel death all around you, the air is filled with the sounds of picks hitting stone… And the rattle of bones.”

“Is there somewhere nearby that I can hide these guys?” Marinette jerked a thumb towards the other two.

“Sure. There are plenty of abandoned buildings around here. Most of ‘em prolly won’t collapse ontop of them.”

“Yeah, well, thankfully I have all that training in engineering, remember? I pick the most structurally sound one and try to sneak over to the cave in.”

“Oh, dang. Forgot about that.” Nino cleared his throat. “With the other dudes safely tucked away, you can sneak over to the landslide. Roll for stealth.”

“What am I hiding from?” She asked as she searched for her d20.

“Human zombies in rusty metal armor.”

“Huh. Rusty because of being really old or because zombies don’t take gear of their stuff?”

Nino thought about it for a moment. “The second one.” He glanced at the die roll. “Okay, that’ll be good enough. You get a clear view of the rocks and, well… there are tons of short, stocky skeletons in tattered rags. Probably dwarven, most of them are only armed with picks, but there are a few dozen of ‘em crawling over it. As you watch, one tumbles off and shatters as it falls down the cliff… and right into a huge hole. Whatever they’re digging for, you get the feeling they’re close.”

Marinette tapped at her chin. “Alright, I get a good look around to see if I can guess where the Necromancer might be.”

“There’s a battered but sturdy guard tower that sometimes flashes a sickly green light. Other than that, its shambling undead everywhere.”

“Can I get there easily?”

“Uhh… maybe. There are guards out front, but the tower is kinda out of the way, away from the throng of undead.”

Adrien make a confused face. “Why would he set up there…?”

“Not a lot of intact buildings, I bet.” Marinette nodded. “And he wants some quiet too. Maybe we can use that in our favor?”

The session devolved into making plots and figuring out how best to ambush the dark wizard. They were so engaged in their conversation that they didn’t notice Sabine’s arrival until she put her hands on Marinette’s shoulders.

“Gah!” Marinette started and tilted her head straight up. “Oh, hi maman. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you kids know that Tom and I are going to bed. The snow is coming down pretty hard now, so we’d rather you all stay the night.”

While Marinette tried to gently brush off her mom’s hands as they messed with her hair, Nino got up to look out the window. Sure enough, a layer of snow blanketed Paris with no signs of stopping. The darkening skies also reminded him of how early he’d had to wake up the last couple days.

Fighting down a yawn, he turned back towards his party. “What do you say we call it here and pick it up in the morning? Maybe we can watch a movie or something.”

Marinette tilted her head up to look at her mother. “Can my friends spend the night in my room? Then we can be out of the way when you guys wake up in the morning.”

Sabine seemed to consider this for a few moments before replying, “Of course dear, but remember our talk…”

A fierce blush spread across Marinette’s face. “Maman!”

“I’m just saying!” Laughing, Sabine left the room.

An awkward silence stretched before Adrien naively asked, “What talk?”

-------------

After a few movies, they were exhausted. Nino was looking down from Marinette’s bed at the unfolding drama of who would get the chaise.

“Adrien please - I’m fine sleeping on the floor. I’ve got plenty of pillows and blankets. It isn’t that bad.”

“If it isn’t that bad then I can be on the floor. You already gave up your bed to Alya and Nino. At least take the chaise.”

“I’m the host!” She hissed in irritation. “I have to make sure all my guests are comfortable!”

“And I will only be comfortable once I know you’re sleeping on something nice and soft!”

In a huff, Marinette threw her pillows and blankets on the floor of her room. For a hot second Nino was worried that she was about to jump him, but no, she was just angrily building a nest on the floor. Adrien gaped at her for a moment before dropping his stuff on the ground and doing the same.

“I mean it, hot stuff,” Marinette growled through a faint blush. “I’m sleeping on the floor no matter what you do. You may as well just take the chaise.”

Adrien took a deep breath as if winding up for a long spiel. “No.”

Both of them stubbornly get into their blanket nests and glared at each other, but from his spot from above, Nino could see them slowly inching together. He shook his head and ducked under the covers, where Alya had already tucked herself in. Her eyes were closed as she nuzzled against the pillows.

As he was taking off his glasses, she mumbled, “The babies still being ridiculous?”

“You know it.”

“Good. Can’t have everything change all at once.”

“Right as usual, babe.” Nino leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Night.”

A serene smile graced her face as she whispered back, “Night.”

#Miraculous Ladybug #Nino Lahiffe #Alya Cesaire #DJ Wifi #Adrien Agreste #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Adrienette #Dungeons and Dragons #DnD #D&D #ml fanfiction #my writing #Nino's Quest

[soysaucednd]

Traveling in D&D: How TF do you do it?

Hey, GM here! Have you ever had trouble figuring out what to do with a party of adventurers to get them from point A to point B? This post is for you. I will provide my strategies for getting players from one place to the next, along with links to where I learned some of them and my general thoughts on the matter.

Travel is an interesting problem in Dungeons and Dragons. It has to happen pretty much until the party has gotten to the point where they can use magical teleportation, but it can quickly feel formulaic and boring if handled incorrectly, and I know I have been at fault for making travel insufferable many times as a DM. In a campaign I am running, the party is about to embark on a 500 mile journey to a far-off city, so I wanted to see what I could think of for making the sessions about the journey rather than the destination.

One way I am thinking of trying to make travel more interesting is to use it as an opportunity to solidify and showcase the worldbuilding I as a DM have spent hours upon hours working on. Letting them discover areas that are of historical and mythological significance. For example, in my campaign there is a legend of a war that was won by a King Arthur like figure from the nation’s past that unified the country, and one of my towns is said to be where he fought a great beast and his shield shattered to pieces. Adventurers have tried to find the pieces, believing that the shield held great magical power. Or, I have a town where my big bad was raised that has information about her backstory if the party digs deep enough there. Spend some time figuring out what interesting pieces of lore you can tie to locations on your adventure

Secondly, I want to give my players to feel like travel is a real part of the game rather than an intermission.

In my experience there are two types of travel in Dungeons and Dragons: on the road, and wilderness. I’ll start with On the Road.

Things I count as on the road traveling are moving from one town to another on a main road, moving within a town itself, and traveling through areas where they have accurate maps, even if it is a wilderness area. Generally, what ties these together is that they are along a clear path towards a clear goal.

Generally, if I am running travel on the main road of a kingdom, I will have already made a basic map of my world, with the significant towns and the main roadways and some information about each, along with a d20 table with a few encounters that is balanced in a way that matches how dangerous you want this path to be. This way, if the players are traveling from one place to another place far away (such as from a provincial town they’ve just liberated from bandits to the capital city of the realm), I can add actual settings in between as they pass by other towns and cities on the way. Instead of filling the road with combat encounters, I can usually assume that it is fairly safe beyond possibly a few highwaymen, and use the golden rule of “skip the boring parts.” They arrive in the new town they’ve never seen, there are some plot hooks, new NPCs, and mysteries to be solved, or they can press on. This same basic rule applies to travel within cities.

For on the road travel in a wilderness setting, I usually add more plot hooks like the goblin attack from Lost Mines of Phandelver onto the path rather than have towns and cities on the way. Players can discover a mini-adventure on their way, that way they feel like they are discovering things rather than being stopped and diverted from their goals by force.

Next is Wilderness Travel. This type of travel is aimless and simply for discovering areas they do not know about. It is often far more dangerous, and I like to prepare different encounters based on the dangers that might be in the environment the players have found. These can range from encounters the party will have little trouble with to encounters designed to force the players to run away.

Encounters can, of course, mean any number of things. Traps left by hunters, beasts to battle, areas to explore, temples to old gods, you name it. I generally err on the side of showing them a path to follow and letting them choose whether to bite, which helps the world feel more real and reinforces the idea that the players are not the center of the universe. In my games, I try to make the players feel as though they are acting upon a world that isn’t shaped by their actions until they pass around 15th level. For instance, if the party is ambushed by a large group of bandits, they feel like they are important, that the bandits have sent their entire encampment to kill them. If the party instead fights maybe three bandits and through that they find a path that leads to the encampment where 15 more are camping, they feel more like they are discovering the inner workings of their environment rather than being acted upon by them. They are simply passers-by in a world with its own culture and its own systems of life that don’t necessarily care about the heroes.

To me, wilderness travel is an opportunity to remind your heroes that the world is a big and scary place, and that they are not all powerful. In my experience, wilderness travel is a great opportunity for vivid descriptions and attempts to disorient or unsettle your party using the environment. Missteps or bad survival rolls can and should remind the players that they are mortal. I don’t usually like to track food and water, but this is an opportunity to explore how the party will react to food and water supplies dwindling, or attempts by creatures to steal their food during the night. Encountering and battling dangerous beasts is only one way to remind the players that the world is not tamed by their existence, and will crush them if given the chance.

The other main strategy I have seen for wilderness travel is the concept of skill challenges (thank you to Matthew Colville on youtube for this idea). I have yet to try this in a game, but his concept is to have each player justify the use of one of their skills (ex: a ranger rolling survival checks to forage for food) over the course of the journey. Then, depending on the length of the journey, you have them roll a specific number of skill checks and track the successes and failures based on a DC you determine. Based on the number of failures among the group, you decide on an encounter for them, harder for each failure. As I said, I have not used this method, but it is something I want to try the next time my party heads into the wilderness to search for adventure.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvQ2JgZIjVI) Here is a link to Matt’s video on making travel interesting, I would highly recommend watching it and his other videos.

A final note, don’t be afraid to simply say “you get there” if your party goes off in a direction you haven’t planned for. It’s better to skip to the next section where you have content than to scramble to create a whole world for them to travel through. Not all sections of your adventure should have Lord of the Rings style epic escapades, but if you have the time to prepare and write down a mini-adventure on the open road, I would highly recommend it.

TL;DR

ON THE ROAD

Plan out the path that the players are taking. Know what they might encounter on the way.

Make d20 tables for encounter hooks that scale to how dangerous you want your environment to be.

Emphasize hooks over encounters. Let the players see something they can explore and decide whether to bite on it rather than stopping the adventure dead for a moment to have combat for the sake of something to do. (Remember the goblin ambush at the beginning of The Lost Mines of Phandelver?)

For long journeys, have them discover towns and cities on the way where mysteries and adventures are available for them to follow.

Weave your worldbuilding into the journey. What important historical events might be tied to your locations? Are there any myths that might be centered around a specific locale?

WILDERNESS

Make d20 tables that include a wide range of difficulty for encounter hooks.

Remind the players they are insignificant compared to the environment, and the world would keep going without them.

Make some encounters that are designed for the players to run away from. They are not the mythical heroes of old, and some things can and will kill them.

Again, weave some worldbuilding into the areas you explore. Are there legends of specific monsters in the area? Are there ancient artifacts or locations told of in myth?

Explore the concept of skill challenges from Matt Colville (who knows it better than I do. I’ve just seen it as a common strategy.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvQ2JgZIjVI

IN GENERAL

Don’t be afraid to skip travel if you don’t feel confident writing encounter hooks and lore.

Steal and alter encounter hooks without shame.

Discuss with your table how they like travel to be run. Run through your idea on how to do travel with the party so they know what to expect. Just generally stay on the same page and make sure your party will enjoy what you are giving them.

If you and your party are having fun, you are doing it right. I am writing this post because I want to toy with ideas on how to run travel in my games, and provide a resource for people who might be having trouble.

If you made it here, thank you for reading! If this was helpful, please give it a like and a reblog, and respond with your ideas on travel in D&D! Maybe some stories from times your party has been on a long journey.

#GM tips #dm tips #traveling #D&D #dnd #d&d 5e #soysaucednd #dungeon master #game master

[probablymango]

Dungeons and Arcana

Chapter 6: The High Priestess

“Asra, I know you want to know what’s going on with you, but we’re going to stay with M.C. for now.” Lucio says as someone continues to knock on the bottom of the table. “Because the customer is getting impatient. M., what do you do?”

Asra looks at M.C., who seemed to be contemplating their options. “Does the door have a peephole?”

“It does have a peephole.”

“I look through the peephole.”

“Roll perception.”

“It’s a… 12.”

“A mysterious figure is standing in the glow of the lantern outside. Their graceful hands are twisting together anxiously as they wait. Even in the dim light, you spy jewels glittering along their fingers. You don’t immediately recognize them.” The knocking gets more insistent.

“Well, I guess I open the door for the presumably rich person. Well, yeah, I do open the door for the graceful, rich person.”

Nadia pulls her hands out from under the table and the knocking stops. “As I come in, I unwrap my shawl. ‘Forgive me for the hour, but……I will not suffer another sleepless night. Please. You must read the cards for me.’”

“Roll wisdom, M.C.” Lucio taps at his computer.

They roll and grin. “Today is a good day. 18.”

“You now recognize the figure in front of you is the literal Countess.”

Asra snorts, watching as Nadia and Mordy start facing each other as they start to talk and getting more expressive as they get into it. It was fun to watch.

“I.. uh, well! ‘You’ve come to the right place!’”

“‘So I’m told. Your reputation precedes you. Beggars and nobles alike… The people of this city whisper your name in wonder. Though in my dream you were….. Different. No matter. I come with a proposal.’ I look around the shop, trying to get my bearings as I talk to them.” She doesn’t even wait for Lucio to tell her to roll and rolled her d20. “Uh…. that’s an… 11..”

Lucio snorts, but grins. “You see a quaint little shop. There’s a little counter with a glass top, showing samples of crystals, glass jars full of something, and some kind of dust-like substance. There are lit candles and a few fabrics draped on top of it. On a stool nearby, you see some kind of leafy green plant. The wall behind the counter has what looks like a cabinet built into the wall, some various items hanging on the knobs of a few of the many, many drawers in the wall. On the top shelf of the cabinet, there’s many more glass jars, an animal skull, and a few candles…” He glances at Asra and M.C. “Is there anything else there?”

Asra grins. “There’s a few tapestries and rugs that give off a slight magical feel with their design, but not much else.”

“Fabric hangs from the ceiling, connecting the lanterns together.” M.C. supplies.

Lucio nods, typing away again. “And that is what you currently see around the shop.”

“‘You mentioned a dream?’” M.C. asks Nadia, bringing them back on subject.

“‘Yes. An unwelcome ability I have come to possess. My dreams are haunted by visions of a future waiting to unfold. But the future I saw, the one that brought me to you… …is one I will not allow to pass. Tell me, magician. Will you hear my proposal?’” Nadia leans against the table, bringing a flair of nobility and power that she has perfected over the time that they’ve been playing together.

“‘What’s your proposal?’” M.C. asks, resting one arm on the table, getting very interested in all that Nadia had to tell them.

She smirks, playing it up. “‘Not very talkative, are you? Nervous, perhaps? You needn’t be. I require very little of you. Be my guest at the palace for a short while. You will be afforded every luxury, of course. It is as my dreams foretold. I ask only that you bring your skill… and the arcana.’”

They’re silent for a bit, probably deciding what will further the plot. “‘I am at your service, Countess.’”

Nadia and Lucio both smile, making Asra worried about what Lucio has planned for the campaign. Was it another traitor based game? He did seem to like those the most. All the drama as each of the players tried to figure out who was trying to betray the other characters.

This was going to be interesting.

“‘You have chosen wisely, magician. I will alert the guard to expect you tomorrow. But before that… I want to see these talents of yours for myself. Shall we do a reading?’”

“I usher her to the back room.” M.C. makes vague ‘move move’ motions with their hands.

“The two of you go to the back room, sitting across from each other with the cards on the table between you.” Lucio says, clicking on something. “What do you do?”

“I look around the room.” Nadia rolls her dice then frowns. “.... 8.”

Lucio grins. “It’s room with many tapestries and fabrics spread about the room. You don’t notice the skull they have, probably because you sat down as you got into the room.”

She chuckles and shakes her head. “Probably for the best that she doesn’t see a human skull.” She stops laughing for a bit, bringing back the aura of nobility. “I gesture to the cards and say, ‘Go on.’”

M.C. shuffles the cards again, then pulls one off the top and sets it down.

Asra smiles. It was his favorite card in the whole deck, the Magician. An orange fox with magenta-purple eyes, in a white outfit with light purple and gold shirt collar, and covered their shoulders with a purple-red cloak. Each of the corners held different items of the minor arcana and behind them was blue flames, along with a flame texture resting above it to make it give the illusion that they’re surrounded by the flames. He really liked it.

“‘... The Magician.’” They look up as Lucio starts the whispering noises again and walks over to them, again.

“‘How very appropriate.’” Nadia looks over the card. “‘And what does he hold for me?’”

Lucio whispers in their ear.

“‘You have a plan.’” They say.

“‘Go on….’” She leans forward, needing the answer.

They think about how to word what to say as Lucio keeps whispering in their ear. “‘One that’s long in the making. Years upon years. Now, you seek to set it in motion.’”

“‘And? Should I move?’”

“‘Yes. Act now. Everything has fallen into place.’”

“‘Say no more.’ Then she gets up and leaves the room.”

“I follow after her a few seconds after, surprised that she’s leaving so suddenly.” M.C. laughs.

“She’s putting on her shawl back on. ‘Your fortunes are simple. Much the same as others I’ve heard. And yet… you are the first to pique my interest.’”

“Rude.” They laugh. “I’m not like other fortune tellers.” Almost everyone laughs at their joke.

Nadia tries to get back to the moment, but keeps getting interrupted by the others giving small quips of their own and her own laughter. When she manages to control her breathing and the others going quiet. “‘Ahem.’ She’s standing by the door.”

M.C. didn’t seem to immediately understand what Nadia was getting at, still winding down from the jokes. “Uhhh.. what?”

“She’s standing by the door. She wants to see if you’ll open the door for her or not.” She restates and elaborates.

“.. oh!” They chuckle and rub the back of their head. “Yeah, I’ll open it.”

“‘Until tomorrow, then. Pleasant dreams.’ Then she leaves, walking into the night and using the darkness to disappear like a badass.”

Lucio looks at her. “Roll for performance?”

She rolls and grins, tapping at the table in what appeared to be her trying to restrain her excitement. “17!” Everyone cheered for her.

He laughs. “You disappear into the mist, which is acting like something out of Silent Hill in its thickness.”

Asra noticed M.C. write something down. ‘Did Nadia confuse me for Asra???’ He noticed Lucio pass Julian a note, but couldn’t read what was written on it.

“So M.C., what are you doing?” Lucio asks, a mischievous glint in his eye.

They seem to pick up on that he had something planned. “....... standing in the shop, questioning my interaction with the countess.”

Julian spoke up, mouth covered and talking like he was trying to be intimidating. “‘Strange hours for a shop to keep.’”

“They immediately look around the shop.”

He was obviously smiling behind his hands. “‘Behind you.’”

“I turn to the voice.” They announce.

“You are staring at what is essentially a plague doctor, complete with an intimidating white mask with red glass eyes and a dark cape, looming against the door.” Lucio says, nodding towards Julian.

He was grinning. “‘Now, sources say this is the witch’s lair. So who might you be?’”

“I attempt escape!” M.C.’s already rolling.

“‘Up up up. Not so fast.’”

“M.C., roll for dexterity. Julian, roll to contest it.” Lucio grins.

“I got a 9.” Julian sighs.

M.C. looks up looking amused, yet disappointed. “... I got a 4.” “Oh my god!” Everyone laughs, in different stages of disbelief.

“So..” Lucio laughs, trying to get his words out. “So Julian, you watch as the stranger tries to dart out of the building, but you grab their wrist and pull them against your body in an attempt to keep them from running.”

“‘Tell me where he is and I’ll let you go.’”

“I wish to struggle again!” They roll again as Julian does the same. “13!”

“.......” He laughs and rubs his face. “I got 7.”

“I throw my head back and hit him in the face before running away.” They laugh.

“While escaping, you managed to knock his mask off. Are you running anywhere in particular?” Lucio asks, trying to look innocent.

“.... No, not really.”

He grins wider. “So you run into the backroom-”

“God dammit!” They groan, while the others laugh. “I should have chosen a room..”

“I run after them and try to catch them again.” He’s rolling his dice again and they respond in kind.

“Since y’all are running, use dexterity.” Lucio smiles, leaning back.

“3..”

They sounded like they were going to sob through their laughter. “I critted!”

“Are you serious?!” Julian stands up and looks at their dice while, they start laughing harder.

Nadia leans over, laughing as they nodded. “That is a one. First one of the game.”

“Your puns aren’t helping!” They laugh, sliding down in their seat.

“So, MC runs into the back room and gets caught by the the intruder by the scruff of their clothes.” Lucio says through his laughter.

“‘You’re a slippery one.’” Julian giggles.

“I look back and try to struggle away.”

Lucio clicks something. “You see his face and I want you to make a wisdom roll.”

“That is a.. Seriously?!” They groaned and laughed. “That’s a 15.”

“You recognize him.”

“I do?”

“Yes.”

There was a soft ding and they looked at their phone. They mock gasp. “I do.”

“‘Oh, you recognize me? Then you know the trouble you’re in.’” Julian grins.

“‘Doctor Jules?’”

“‘Haven’t heard that name in years. Quickly now. Where is the witch?’”

MC raises their hands. “‘I’ll talk!’”

“‘Go on.’” Julian leans forward, staring at them.

“‘Master Asra is gone.’”

Julian has an unimpressed look, truly putting his drama lessons to use. “‘Obviously. Where to?’”

“‘I wish I knew. He’s gone on another journey. He didn’t tell me where.’”

“‘I see. Well, if you don’t know, and I don’t know… Why don’t we ask your magic cards?’” Julian looks around, as if assessing the room. “‘This is where you do your fortune telling, isn’t it?’ I sit down in a chair and try to look fearsome. ‘Go on. Don’t be shy.’”

“I sit down.” M.C. shuffles and draws a card. “......... Death.”

Lucio didn’t get up to tell them anything, instead playing the audio of what sounds like blood pounding. Maybe a heart beat? “‘Death? Death?’” It was hard to tell if Julian was still in character, until he gave a bitter, icy laugh. He was still in character. “‘You’ve got to be joking. Death cast her gaze on this wretch and turned away. She has no interest in an abomination like me.’ Then he hits the table and leaves the room.”

Lucio stops the noise and raises his eyebrow at him, obviously curious.

“I guess I follow after him, at least to make sure he’s not breaking my shop.” They shrug, putting the cards back together.

“‘You’ve been hospitable, so I’ll let you in on a secret. Your witch friend will be back for you. He’s taught you his tricks. You may even say that he cares for you. But when he returns…’ Then I put the mask back on. ‘Seek me out. For your own sake. That creature is far more dangerous than you know. Well then. The hour is late. Don’t let him fool you, shopkeep.’ Then I dramatically close the door and leave.”

“Roll for closing the door.”

“That’s, uh, 11.” He looks to Lucio.

“So you try to do the cool closing of the door, probably trying to make it look like you weren’t there and that maybe they had imagined it all, but the door slams as you disappear into the early morning fog.”

“That works for me.” Julian laughs, earning some giggles from the others.

#arcana #my writing #mysterious art #fic #au #lucio #asra #muriel #julian #portia #nadia #mc

[loquaciousquark]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E23 (June 19, 2018)

Welcome to tonight’s Talks Machina. Today’s preshow: the weather throughout the Dwendalian Empire. I’m sure this isn’t foreboding at all. Tonight’s guests: Matt & Emmy-award-winning Sam Riegel. Sam has a prepared bit for the opening that he just found out he was supposed to prepare. He gets out, “How many... light bulbs...” before BWF has pity and throws us to the title screen.

Tonight’s announcements: New M9 shirt in the new CR store at shop.critrole.com. The show also now has their very own dedicated Critical Role Youtube & Twitch channels--however, don’t worry, as it’ll still be broadcast in all current locations as well. After Dark will continue to be available on After Dark only. There also will not be any Talks Machina or new Critical Role episode July 3 or July 5, as they’ll be making the move to a new studio during this week. (Marisha’s stepped down at G&S to make this move to full-time CR management as well.) There’s a summary post of these announcements with a FAQ on critrole.com, if you need more information.

Before we can get to CR Stats, Sam interrupts to ask Matt why they’ve never had an NPC with a French accent. Matt, answering in an excellent French accent, explains that they’ve not come across any regional areas that are analogous to France yet. He suggests they visit the Menagerie Coast.

CR Stats! The M9 have now officially rolled 99 natural ones. Nott’s in the lead with 22. Sam only has one d20 that he rolls, and he thinks Laura’s bad luck is rubbing off on him.

The M9 have now been traveling together for about a month. Matt, deadpan: “They’re such a tight-knit family.” He does like that everyone’s getting to see the ground-floor development and occasionally has to remind himself to set the scene because he gets sucked into the roleplay.

Kiri has imitated people 82 times--Sam loves Matt’s imitations.

The D&D Beyond theme song was a greater achievement than the Emmy (per Sam): “It was a thing that I just came up with...that became the anthem for a generation.” The Emmy is a bucket list, pinnacle professional achievement, but he loves that he got to write & make the theme song. (Also: two years on one cartoon vs. fifteen minutes on a song.)

Matt has a tumultuous history with the Streamys. He directed a web series ten years ago and was invited to contribute to a big montage...only to find out right before the show that it had been cut from the program altogether.

The battle with the Merrow played out fairly close to how Matt had envisioned it, although the players’ positioning led to some interesting situations. It was more challenging in certain moments without Nott, especially when Matt was trying to decide how certain events would play out. Sam sidebars to point out how much he loves it when a battle changes halfway through (either due to traps, additional enemies, or the map changing). Matt says there are many battles they’ve had in the past where certain traps were never triggered. However, you can’t do it too often or it becomes expected. (Matt does feel bad when he’s rolling well and the PCs are rolling badly.)

Nott’s water thing Sam invented during the game (because he thought it would be funny, natch), but he’s come up with a backstory since then that explains why she’s so afraid of water.        

Matt plays out combat as designed even when a PC suddenly decides to not participate--unless it’s a new group that doesn’t fully understand D&D combat yet, and it would impact their enjoyment of the game. He wants people to understand that there are consequences with character choices. 

Sam often finds it bothersome when they know they’ve missed something in game, especially when it’s an important story beat. It’s the worst when Matt gives them multiple chances to succeed, and they still end up failing all of them. Matt confesses sometimes he makes them roll checks on general knowledge they’d have known anyway just to make them feel a certain esoteric skill was useful for once. 

Nott feels terrible she sat out the Merrow fight only for Caleb to come close to death. Sam: “Nott feels awful about it. Sam Riegel feels great about it! I love situations where it doesn’t look like it’s going well.” Plus, the night before she also got Caleb in trouble with the bowl thing. BWF’s a little worried it’ll affect their relationship.

Matt claims that Kiri was not at all related to wanting to prove he could do Jester’s accent. He rolls for random encounters when they’re traveling, and Kiri was one he’d considered to demonstrate the presence of kenku, while also highlighting that non-Empire people are moving away from the conflict. He half-expected them to ignore her altogether. 

Matt reveals that Kiri has six (6) (SIX) hit points. “She’s practically a baby bird!” Sam has a retroactive panic attack that they’ve been bringing her to all these battles. Me too, bud. Sam accuses Matt of “not having brought anyone worthy of taking a baby bird off our hands.” Matt: “You haven’t even looked!” They wonder together about the possibility of a baby bird orphanage in Hupperdook.

GIF of the Week! @justjamesearle. It’s long and perfect and details the Fjord whack-a-mole death saga with the venom splashes. 

Nott’s opinion of Kiri hasn’t changed at all with the reveal that she heard/repeated her conversation with Caleb. Sam thinks Nott should have known better than to talk with a recording device in the room, especially since she only ever repeats it when it’s hilarious or well-timed. “It’s hard to live with a soundboard.”

Matt keeps a list of notes of what Kiri can say. It’s super fun, and he sometimes gets so caught up in conversations he forgets to write down things for her to repeat later.

Nott wished Kiri hadn’t repeated the facts from her backstory, but she’d never considered being aggressive towards “little RiRi” (oh God it’s too adorable). She still doesn’t like a lot of attention. Both BWF & Sam applaud Matt for giving them little prods to reveal backstory.

Dagon, Matt & Marisha’s bird, provides a lot of inspiration for Kiri. Matt talks about being a bird owner after growing up with cats and dogs, and reveals that wanting to utilize that knowledge was part of why he introduced kenku.

Nott finds Beau the exception to her general mistrust of the group, which is why she let her care for Caleb after the last fight. She feels Beau has been weirdly sensitive and protective even through her lens of abrasiveness, and she respects that she hasn’t spilled the beans about Caleb’s backstory.

Fanart of the Week! @obeymybrain, which is a great group portrait in four vertical-column stylings after the Haunted Mansion from Disneyland.

If the troll hadn’t been slowed by Caleb, Matt thinks the group would have permanently lost someone. Matt loves the new monsters that are punishing to melee characters. He thinks they did a good job damaging it at range at first, and Sam waxes poetic on all the options they didn’t pursue instead (like Saran-wrapping the door before it came running out). Oh, what could have been.

Sam’s love for Liam is stronger than Nott’s love for Caleb, because “...Liam kisses back.” They’ve known each other half their lives now.

If the M9 pursue dynamite as a common battle tactic, Matt may need to prepare for his builds to be destroyed more often. It’s still limited by the relatively new availability of blackpowder and has a high possibility of backfiring depending on their rolls.

Nott wishes she could tell everything to Caleb, but is limited by the realities of their show, since it’s hard to find a time that’s not full of dick or drug jokes. There’s been times they’ve been alone together but Caleb hasn’t asked any questions; Sam thinks “He needs to do some Marisha-style questioning. That is an inquisitive monk, and I love her for it.” Matt points out it’s a critical aspect of her character that she wants to know everything.

Matt played out the last Fjord moment in front of the whole group in part because it would have interrupted the flow to have everyone leave, and in part because he trusts his players not to metagame now that they’re all learning bits and pieces of each other. He liked the visceral smash-cut of the vision to the party watching Fjord jam this thing into his stomach.

Matt does have to juggle all the party’s backstories since it’s such a large group; some will be long-game just because of the natures of their stories. He likes to drop threads as they go, though, so everyone feels more connected to their world. Players feel like the stakes are higher when they can see their stories reflected and affecting the living and breathing world around them.

Nott wasn’t particularly bothered by Molly immediately forgiving the bandits right after they hurt her. “They’re just dumb. They’re just dumb and they need to go. They’re too dumb to hurt.”

Matt knew the outline of Hupperdook before the party ever heard of it. Now that they’ve expressed interest in it, he’s begun filling in the details since it looks likely that they’ll visit it soon. It helps that they’re limited to speed of foot & horse; when they can start bamfing everywhere in later game, it gets a lot harder. Matt’s advice in that situation is to give the town a unique social structure or aspect, to make a bold choice that will cause it to stand out in their mind. It helps if you can ask what the players are looking for, then “yes and” based on what they’re seeking (he builds an idea of two competing taverns poaching clients from each other off a spur-of-the-moment request from a player asking if there’s an inn nearby).

Sam does rehearse his more performative ads ahead of time. He usually writes them the day of over lunch, although lately he’s been trying to get them done on Mondays and Tuesdays so he’s not as stressed on Thursday.

There’s no specific inspirational character for the Gentleman. Matt wanted to create an outside-the-law businessman who wasn’t your typical ~thief-lord~ while still seeming unique against the world. He wanted him to be charismatic and domineering, welcoming until you crossed a personal or business line, in which case he’d immediately put you in your place. 

Nott still considers her old goblin tribe a threat to her & is reluctant to confront them. She does feel a little more prepared now that she has more allies, but is hesitant to meet old demons & old memories. Matt sidebars to point out that a lot of these character backstories could be self-driven, since there’s nothing keeping them from visiting Nott’s hometown now. They could pursue it at any time if they wanted.

The firearms in the world are a direct result from Percy & Ripley; she dealt them out in heavy trade areas like Marquet, which results in the technology being distributed in a way that now impacts the M9 in their world. They’re still limited by materials, though.

Matt loves the joy on Tal’s face every time they mention firearms are readily available in Wildemount.

Everyone’s distraught over Tal’s Vicious Mockery in the last episode. Bless his heart. Matt: “Sometimes you come out of the gate and realize you’ve come out without your pants on. You commit, and you walk away.”

Sam misses giving inspiration on a regular basis. He also has a lot of insecurities over his current inability to contribute to a battle with much more than crossbow bolts. BWF: “Just sent Nott to a bard college.” Matt: With a -3 charisma, I think you’re taking inspiration away from people.”

Favorite M9 voice to mimic as Kiri? Partially Jester, because it’s just funny, Nott is shrill and ridiculous, and has lately been enjoying mimicking Fjord for the few times he’s been echoed.

The Nott voice is not hard at all on Sam; it’s mostly falsetto, which BWF says he usually talks in off-camera all the time anyway.

After Dark: After This

In CriticalRoleLand, Dani would like to see Vex’s Flying Brooms. BWF suggests a waterslide that ends in Vex’s & Percy’s bathtub; Matt suggests it be a goldfish ride that goes over the side. He also likes a teleporting ride that goes into Umbrasyl’s belly, and Sam comes up with a dunk tank for heckling Tary.

Matt talks about that viral Youtube video with the weather forecaster naming the city that’s like 100 characters long. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, that’s the one.

Nott’s Tinder profile? “Short, green, looking for mean. Buy me a drink and I’m yours.”

Matt wouldn’t be surprised if this campaign does eventually touch on family in the same way the first one did. However, Sam feels so far it’s much more about identity, and Matt tacks on regret & making amends. He also thinks trust & learning to accept help from others is still developing, since so many of these characters have been hurt in some way.

VM had a lot of very classical heroic archetypes; this campaign is full of many more human, subtly complicated characters. Matt loves the contrast.

The eyes. The EYES.

Sam agonizes that in his Friday retellings of the campaign’s story to his six-year-old son, it drives him crazy that he can’t answer his son’s questions as to why something happened. His son does ask “does Matt Mercer know?” and Sam is glad he can say yes.

Sam loves the idea of the world hinging on the bandit troupe they keep running into. I debated troop or troupe there, but given the hysterics they keep causing, I’m sticking with troupe.

If they met, Nott would steal every single thing from Taryon Darrington. Except that lame book, of course. “That’d be amazing. And! Possible! We’re on the continent, right?” Sam rubs his hands together gleefully...until Matt points out Taryon’s been relegated to NPC status & Matt would be the one controlling him now.

Matt usually prepares a guest for the show by meeting with them ahead of time. Depending on how much (or if ever) they’ve played before, he helps them build a character and teaches them the basics of the class. Mark, obviously, didn’t need that introduction, so instead they focused on loose backstory and finding ways to integrate that backstory into the existing world. When it’s time for them to actually play, they’ll discuss in advance a way to bring their paths across each other, such as Cali looking for a specific relic at the same time that the M9 were going to be investigating a safehouse full of stolen relics. As soon as they meet, it’s hands off. (It can be hard to get someone out of the group if they for sure can’t return the next week.)

MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE END OF CAMPAIGN ONE IN THE SECTION BELOW.

BWF jokes that last campaign Joe Manganiello just showed up and said, “Hey, so, I’m playing Arkhan,” and that was that. Actually...that’s pretty close to what really happened. Matt & Joe did meet for a long evening in Joe’s kitchen in advance to discuss backstory & motivations, after which he finally managed to convince Joe’s wife, Sofía Vergara, to play a small game with him, Joe, and Marisha. Sam laughs that at Matt & Marisha’s wedding, they had two sentences with Joe before the conversation immediately devolved into D&D and Joe’s wife rolled her eyes out of her head.

They did discuss that Joe wanted to steal the hand at the end of the last campaign. “You don’t have the Hand of Vecna, the Hand of Vecna has you.” They had a long conversation about Arkhan’s denouement after that episode.

END OF MAJOR, MAJOR SPOILERS.

And that’s all for the night! Have a lovely week, and is it Thursday yet?

#critical role #critical role spoilers #talks machina #talks machina spoilers #long post for ts

[powerwordsleep]

naruto!DnD au

the team 7!DnD verse that nobody @baasama asked for

and because there’s already some stuff out there that’s completely terrible not only for team 7, but also DnD, so i felt the need to do right by both.

Three travelers stand alone on a vast cliff, a smoke-darkened sky above and an endless drop to death below. Blood, dirt, and weeks worth of grime litters their skin and clothes. Their journey has been long, perilous, unrelenting, but they finally made it to the end. Victory beckons them. The promise of peace, happiness, and a not ungenerous sum of gold is only one more fight away. One more dance of kill or be killed.

The horizon dances red with the flames of the nearby villages burning below them. They had managed to evacuate most of the civilians before the attack began, but they had passed by more than a few charred, burned beyond recognition bodies on their trek up the mountain. Each fallen they passed only hardened their resolve.

The sound of an earth-shaking roar escapes from the mouth of the cave in front of them. The ground quakes as the footsteps of something giant stalks forward to meet its challengers. A large red snout appears first, shining like the blood running in the streets below, and the lips spread in a bloodthirsty grimace, revealing a row of sharp, glistening fangs. The creature growls in what is meant to be a chuckle, a plume of smoke shooting out of its nostrils and into the faces of the three tiny figures before it.

“So, you’ve arrived at last.”

One figure steps forward, seemingly unafraid even in the face a would-be god. “Yeah, we’ve come to put an end to your stupid reign of violence and bloodshed and… stupidness!” The man puffs out his chest in bravado. “Believe it!”

“Idiot,” his companion scoffs from behind. “It’s not a great idea to threaten a dragon right to its face.”

“Shut up, Lucien!” the first man whips around to glare. “What are you, scared of some lizard action?”

The man called Lucien seethes. “No, Markus, I just don’t have a death wish!”

Markus turns to face Lucien completely, the large, foreboding, capable of ending the world as they know it enemy front of them forgotten.

“How many times do I have to tell you, my name is Markus Ultimate!”

“As if I would use that ridiculous name -”

“Do you wanna fucking go? Do you wanna fucking brawl right here Lucien because I swear to god-”

“Will the two of you shut up!” the third member of the party interrupts. “We do not have time for petty squabbles when there’s a dragon to fight!”

“Aww, but Nila, Lucien is being a dick again!” Markus Ultimate whines.

The woman called Nila sighs, having heard this song many times before. “Sorry, Markus Ultimate, but Lucien kind of has a point. We should have gone with his idea and tried to find a back entrance and sneak in, rather than face this thing head on.”

Lucien raises his chin in triumph and Markus Ultimate, eyes daring him to make another snarky remark. Markus Ultimate pouts and mutters, “You’re just siding with Lucien because you’re sleeping with him in real life.”

A cacophony of groans, sighs, and indignant shouts ruin whatever slim illusion of in-game fantasy they had managed to immerse themselves in. Kakashi sighs and rubs at his exposed eyebrow, his headache sure to make a reappearance.

“Naruto, that was completely uncalled for! You know what we said about breaking character like that, and besides, I do not give special preference to Sasuke just because-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Naruto cuts of Sakura’s rant. “You boning Sasuke on the regular isn’t affecting Nila and Lucien’s relationship at all.”

“Why are you so fixated on our sex life, deadlast?” Sasuke accuses, one eyebrow twitching in both anger and disgust. “Stay out of our business.”

Naruto turns red and ignores Sasuke’s comment in favor of shouting at Kakashi, as if all of this was somehow his fault, “Let’s get back to the game already, Kakashi-sensei! We got a dragon to fight!”

“Everyone roll initiative,” Kakashi says before the argument can get any worse. Like addressing whatever weird tension that last comment had triggered.

Kakashi is getting too old for this.

“14,” Sakura says.

“Aww, man, I got a 12,” Naruto groans.

“It’s not a competition, Naruto,” Kakashi reminds him. For the 100th time.

“But if it was I would kick your ass. 21.” Sasuke just has to so unhelpfully egg him on.

Naruto predictably takes the bait. “Hey that’s unfair! Sasuke is cheating!”

Sakura rolls her eyes and gestures to the dice. “No, he’s not. He rolled an 17 and gets a +4 to initiative because he has high Dex as a Rogue.”

Sasuke smirks across the table. “Maybe you shouldn’t have chosen to be a Bard if you’re so upset about it.”

“Alright, Sasuke you’re up first.”

Sasuke peers over the map set up on the table and considers his position. “Do I have enough movement to get to those clusters of rocks over there?”

“Yes, but if you want to try and hide you have to roll with disadvantage because the dragon is right there -”

“23.”

Kakashi sighs. “Alright, you’ve somehow successfully hidden behind the rocks, because the dragon was distracted by Markus Ultimate making a scene.”

Naruto slaps the table in glee. “Ha! You’re welcome, Lucien.”

Kakashi politely coughs to reign in their attention. “Next is the dragon’s turn.”

His three former students lean in, eager to see what the first move will be. “The dragon steps fully out of the cave, his full height towering 20 feet above you. He makes two claw attacks at you, Markus Ultimate, and swipes his tail at you, Nila.”

Kakashi rolls his die behind the privacy screen. “18 and 16 to hit for you Markus -”

“It’s Markus Ultimate!”

“- and 21 for you, Nila.”

Sakura grimaces as she checks her character sheet. “Hits.”

“You take 14 points of slashing damage as the dragon swings his tail over the cliff and slams into your torso.”

Sakura marks down the damage on her sheet and Kakashi looks expectantly at Naruto.

He’s smirking. Never a good sign.

“I cast Vicious Mockery on the dragon and say, ‘Get wrecked, you gecko!’”

Kakashi rolls his D20 and audibly groans when the dice comes to a stop.

“The dragon fails the save.” Naruto whoops in celebration. “As his claws race towards you, you say your, um, chant, and it disturbs the dragon enough that you are able to evade and reduce some of the damage.”

“Your turn, Nila.”

Sakura grins and rubs her hands together in anticipation. “Watch how it’s done, boys! I move to the dragon and take two swipes at it with my sword.”

“Roll for both attacks.”

They watch as Sakura rolls the die. “10 and 17!” Sakura says, and in sync all three head turn towards the DM, eagerly awaiting the result.

“The first one misses,” he begins and they nod, having expected that,”and the second one…” Kakashi swears they’re about to fall out of their seats. “Hits.”

“Yes!” Sakura pumps her fist up in the air. “And I cast Divine Smite!”

“Roll the extra d8s of damage.”

Sasuke passes her the extra die and Naruto gives a, “Hell yeah, Nila!” of encouragement.

After the damage is calculated Kakashi addresses Naruto. “Your turn, Markus Ultimate.”

Naruto is silent for a few moments, which is probably a new record for him. When he speaks, is low and serious.

“I walk forward in front of the dragon.”

“Don’t you dare, Naruto,” Sasuke warns. An impending sense of doom begins to overtake Kakashi.

“I say, ‘Hey dude, this here, this thing you’re doing, it’s like not very cool. In fact, it sucks. Cause people are cool, you know? You could be friends with people, instead of burning them and shit. It’s actually a lot more fun! Do you have any friends? I could be your friend! I understand the pain of loneliness. You’re just like me -’”

“You can’t be serious.” Sasuke says.

“Naruto, please,” Sakura begs.

Naruto doesn’t take his eyes off Kakashi.

“Roll a persuasion check.”

Naruto grabs his dice. Sasuke turns aways, muttering, “I can’t freaking watch this,” while Sakura holds his hand in a deathgrip. Kakashi can feel his hairline receding.

He dice leaves Naruto’s hand, falls to the table, bounces, once, twice, then rolls, swaying on one of its edges, before it falls to one side and comes to a stop.

Their eyes lock onto the number displayed.

“No, it can’t be,” Sakura whispers, horrified.

“I’m fucking done,” Sasuke says and leaves his seat.

“HELL YEAH!” Naruto yells, jumping out of his seat.

Kakashi blinks, rubs are his eye, and leans forward. Just to check. To really make sure this is happening.

20.

Naruto managed to roll a natural 20.

“Add your Charisma modifier.” Kakashi reminds Naruto mid victory dance.

“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Naruto grabs his crumpled and ripped character sheet and scans for the correct number. “Umm so the total is a 25!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Sakura plops her head on the table, defeated.

“I haven’t even made an attack!” Sasuke yells from the other room.

Kakashi can’t blame them for their reactions. After all the weeks of careful planning he had done, after all the character building and development of the story, leading up to the final, epic battle and…

Naruto talks their way out of it.

Again.

“The dragon is… touched by your eloquent speech. He decides he’d like to be friends even though he was trying to destroy you and your world a second ago. I guess.”

“Whoooo!” Naruto cheers. “Great fight guys, yeah? That was so much fun.”

Sakura glares at Naruto. There’s a crash from the other room, presumably from Sasuke throwing a fit.

Kakashi gathers his myriad of campaign note papers in front of him, then in a blur of hand signs sets them ablaze in a quick fire jutsu.

Time to start preparing for the next campaign.

#Team 7 #Naruto #Dungeons and Dragons #fanfiction #dnd #naruto fanfic #sasuke is a rogue #sakura is a paladin #naruto is a bard #it's canon okay

[kokichi-and-co-imagine-blog]

Day 10 of the Advent Calendar: D&D

Anyways here’s something that if I can finish in one session I’ll cry. (Special thanks to The Adventure Zone because I’m pretty much going to be using the first arc of their story to model this after.)

Adventure is Out There! (AKA How quickly will the DM lose his mind trying to get his friends to play Dungeons & Dragons)

It started out as Kaede wanting everyone to be able to get along and needing some sort of team building exercise. She wasn’t sure how to get everyone on board, but Rantaro stepped up to the plate, suggesting they go on a little adventure outside of the walls of the dome they were stuck in. He quickly explained that he had been a DM before for his sisters, and that he wouldn’t mind it much if they wanted to play. To Kaede, Dungeons and Dragons was something that she had always wanted to try out, but never really got the chance.

After scheduling different times for different parts of the campaign, Rantaro had retreated to his room, probably to scribble out some notes to get the sessions up off the ground. He prepared scenarios for three groups, but he was only ready to take on the first group. After sitting down and making everyone’s characters, Kaede was happy to be a high elf bard! She waited patiently as Himiko, Kaito, and Tsumugi made their characters.

“Shouldn’t we introduce our characters so that we uh... know what we’re working with?” Tsumugi asked, looking at Rantaro, who had set up his area. He nodded, looking at his notes for just a moment.

“Yeah, it’ll make your scenario that I’ve given you probably a bit easier. Himiko, wanna start off?” Himiko looked around before picking up her character sheet, treating it as if it would break if she moved it too quickly.

“My character is a great and powerful human mage. Yumi had traveled across so many lands in search of her master who had left after a certain incident disgraced him. She doesn’t want to take crap from anyone else though.” She smiled as she finished talking, and Kaede smiled, murmuring a compliment about how interesting Himiko’s character was.

“My turn, I guess!” Kaito said, holding his paper out for everyone to see. “I’m Kaito, the star-touched half-elf! I spent my time trying to reach out to the stars because I knew it was where I belonged, but my god Chislev told me I needed to find a suitable partner to go up to space with! It was then that I decided to traverse the world, looking for someone like me!” He laughed, showing everyone the picture he did of his character. Tsumugi was going to ask why Kaito didn’t come up with a name like Himiko, but decided against it.

Tsumugi looked at her paper and sighed, shaking her head. “My character is a lot more plain, a regular dwarven monk named Chalala. She’s out here trying to make a name for herself and her people by any means necessary.” She smiled nervously at Rantaro as if looking for approval. He nodded, commenting about how plain characters are easier to shape than extremely developed characters from the get-go. After Kaede talked about Chun for a little bit, everyone decided how they met, and the adventure started.

“Everything was fine in the tavern you found yourselves in that night- a little bit of noise from some locals who were practically falling off the stools, but it was a charming place. Chalala, a cousin of yours had invited you and your party here to speak about something she kept calling ‘The last job you’ll ever need to take.’ Set on finding out what could possibly come from such a job, you were told to head to Nimoor in search of abandoned mines that your family had once created and found a plethora of magic in there. When you got there and there was no sight of your cousin, Chalala, you knew something was amiss.”

“You find yourself in a cave where the ground seems to give slightly under your feet. The stalactites give off a decent glow, letting Yumi the human mage see just enough to be able to comfortable continue forward. Can everyone make a perception check actually?”

Nervously, everyone rolled their D20. Kaito rolled a nat-20 and cheered, earning a soft chuckle from Rantaro.

“Kaito, you can hear this squelching sound coming from the distance, and it seems like the sound is getting closer. The noise seems to be coming from above you and when you look up, you see two black, gelatinous blobs dancing on the ceiling of the cave. What do you do?” Rantaro looked up expectantly, watching Kaito stop for a moment to think.

“I should probably warn my friends about that,” Kaito mumbled.

“Yeah, you probably should!” Rantaro laughed, and Kaito shouted to the other players. Everyone got ready to face off against the monsters, and the sound of dice hitting the table echoed in the room as everyone rolled initiative. 

The fight went relatively quick due to everyone using their spell slots, not thinking that they wouldn’t replenish after the fight. When Rantaro mentioned this, Himiko’s eyes widened as she looked back down at her paper.

“But... how am I supposed to fight without magic?” She whined.

“I guess you’ll have to figure it out. Maybe you can just tell people their moms look like a deformed cheeto; that’ll hurt them emotionally,” Tsumugi responded absentmindedly, ignoring the slight glare sent her way after saying that. “Oh, that’s right- can I loot the body?” With a moment of hesitation, Rantaro agreed to it.

“As you’re inspecting the remains of this blob, you find what had been at the core of it that seemed to have given it power. A small, dwarven figure you recognize as your cousin who makes boots had been swallowed by it, and it seems as though it hadn’t even been recent. In his hand is a vial of what looks like blood mixed with ink. Do you take it?” 

“Nooooo! How am I supposed to get shoes for my feet that are both trendy and functional?!” Tsumugi cried out, making everyone laugh. Seeing her get into character made everyone feel a little less tense after the mistake of forgetting spell slots. She agrees to taking it, and Rantaro smirks a bit, flipping through his notes.

“As you take it out of your hand, the blood inside seems to heat up and try to escape the bottle. Slowly but surely, it seeps out, climbing up your arm into a pattern you have never seen before. It hardens after settling into position, letting you realize something insanely important: this is a map of the cave, and the floor beneath you is marked with something that appears to have a staff and webs as a symbol. As you’re watching this, Chun hears the sound of a pulley coming from the opposite side of a glowing lake. Upon further inspection, it leads down, though you can’t see where it leads to. Chalala, do you tell them about your blood map?”

“... No, I don’t. And I don’t think I’ll have any intentions of telling them about it. But I will say we should go down there and find out what’s there.” Tsumugi looks up, receiving a shocked look from Kaede over not sharing the info. After everyone agreed, everyone sat on the edge of their seats, awaiting the description of what could possibly await them.

“This...” Rantaro mumbles, thinking of the boss fight ahead, “is going to be quite the experience.”

#Mod Kokichi #danganronpa #D&D #Dungeons and Dragons #this wasn't the best but I needed some way to wrap this up hhhhh #Kaede Akamatsu #Himiko Yumeno #Kaito Momota #Tsumugi Shirogane #Rantaro Amami #Thanks Griffin McElroy for making my life a little easier

[thewhiteboardofkanjisan]

Hmmm...how about 1-30? :-P ["I don't know" is a perfectly valid answer to ones you may not have an answer for yet, and so is guessing.]

Hi @prionailurus​!! :D

1. What’s the first game system ( __ Edition D&D, Rifts, GURPS, Shadowrun, etc.) you ever played?

5th edition D&D! I sat in on a Pathfinder campaign once but didn’t actually get to play.

2. What’s the most recent one you’ve played?

Also 5e!

3. What’s your favorite system?

5eeeeeee

4. Is there a system you’d like to play but haven’t?

I’d like to play Pathfinder so I can try the Oracle class out. I’m also interested in another RPG called In Nomine.

5. Are there any systems you’ve tried and did NOT like?

Haven’t had the chance to try any unsuccessfully!

6. Do you have any house rules for the system(s) you play?

Not really? Mostly we have house-handwaves of certain aspects we’re too nooby to enforce, like spell components and rations, and spell prep. That Pathfinder session I watched left me with a house rule I’d love to implement though, that Barbarians can redo a bad roll by punching the table to “pop” the dice.

7. Do you DM/GM for your group?

Occasionally! In my group, I and two others take turns being the DM. Comparing notes without spoilers is a real thorn in the side.

8. Do you say DM or GM?

DM for D&D. I imagine that GM is more fitting for other systems.

9. Do you have a go-to setting?

If I understand the question right, my group’s running campaign is in an ever-expanding homebrewed world of no name, which canonically has an Austria and a New Orleans. There’s a LOT of misty coastal towns, because that’s in the aesthetic of all three DMs.

10. Have you ever run a game, or do you prefer to just play?

I’ve run three campaigns, and there’s a special magic to running, but I do really like playing and being able to get into character. DMing carries a lot of pressure, too.

11. Do you play with game mats and/or minis?

We have a wet-erase mat we keep forgetting to erase and a small set of minis for the party. NPCs and small monsters are played by Monopoly pieces, big bads are amiibos and other kitsch owned by the DM who hosts at his house.

12. How old were you when you first started gaming?

25 c: I’m new

13. How often does your current gaming group meet up?

Weekly, usually, but sometimes we skip a week or two because of scheduling conflicts.

14. How often would you LIKE to meet up for gaming?

Ideally weekly as a minimum. Twice a week would be rad. A week can be a long time to wait!

15. How long do your gaming sessions tend to be?

4 hours min to 6 max. Anything past 5 and people start to disengage and get sleepy because we start in the evening, because scheduling.

16. How long would you LIKE your gaming sessions to be?

I would love to have all-day games, at least for Big Plot Occurrence sessions. With snacks.

17. Have you tried/had any luck with Roll20?

I’ve been trying to connect with a group on there with no luck thus far. I want to use it to playtest some other characters I’ve brewed up.

18. What’s your preferred gaming beverage?

Whatever beer the host is willing to part with, hehe.

19. What are your preferred gaming snacks?

I don’t really snack, we get dinner during our game sessions. Usually sandwiches or pizza.

20. What are your superstitions or rituals regarding dice?

I named a few of my d20s (Rocky, Misfit, Elf One), and I switch between d20s depending on the task at hand. (Rocky is for strength, Elf one is for charisma, Misfit is for attack rolls, etc) I also have a REALLY SHARP d4 from a high-quality set I bought on sale, which I’ve dubbed the 𝕯4 𝖔𝖋 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 and keep it out for poking people when they have bad gaming etiquette.

Other than that, I mostly just put misbehaving d20s away and switch to my first d20, which rarely lets me down.

21. Do you know anyone with really good/bad/weird dice luck?

Yes! My good friend has NEVER rolled well on initiative in all the times we’ve played. He always rolls 8 or lower.

22. What would you say is your alignment?

Chaotic good, I’d like to think.

23. What is the class you’d like to be?

I’d love to be a bard. Magic and music and charm out the wazoo.

24. What class do you think you’d actually be?

Probably a fighter. I’m good at music, but charming I’m not. Brute strength is where I excel irl. (I do play rugby, after all.)

25. What weapons would you wield? [@thewhiteboardofkanjisan] (It me!)

Sword! I would love to wield any kind of sword.

26. If you could cast one spell, what would it be? [@thewhiteboardofkanjisan​]

Probably Fly, or maybe Polymorph.

27. What school of magic would you specialize in?

Either Divination or Evocation! 

28. If you could have any creature - real or fictional - as a familiar, what would it be? [@thewhiteboardofkanjisan​]

Gonna agree with you, pseudodragon is the WAY TO GO! For a real animal, though, I’d pick a klipspringer antelope or a Honduran white fruit bat.

29. What was your favorite character to play? [@thewhiteboardofkanjisan​]

My currently-only character, Mariya, a CG half-elf ex-acolyte bard loosely based on Maria from The Sound of Music. Over time she’s grown away from the source material in a lot of ways. Depending on what the DM does with Mariya’s backstory, I might give her an alignment shift to LN and heavily multiclass in warlock for the second half of the levels.

30. Do you tend/prefer to play characters of your own gender/orientation?

I’ll shake it up with gender, but my group’s world tends to operate under the rule that Everyone Is Bi Always. One time a plot-hook NPC swapped genders mid-session with no in-world explanation just to make it a little gayer (Landon the lighthouse widower. Poor fellow. That’s a story for another day.)

31(Which I’m adding because I think you sent me the ask before this one got added).   What do you, primarily, get out of roleplaying? That is, is it for fun with your friends, to experiment with being people who you are not, or something else? [@aetherspoon​]

For me, D&D is both freeing and gives me validation I can sometimes miss in real life. I can be things the real world doesn’t allow, but I can also remind myself that Real World Daisy is talented, a good team member, has ideas worth sharing. D&D helped me make it through my final semester of grad school when a really bad semester-long group project was giving me hella anxiety. (I actually wrote an article for the student newspaper about why business students should play D&D. I’ll share it if anyone wants, though my name’s attached to it, but I’ve totes shared that info on here before so it’s nbd!)

#Dungeons and Dragons #D&D #shut up daisy #Hi Candice! #prionailurus #asks #tabletop rpg

[thegeneralsnotebook]

January Feature: ‘As’ Effects Are Dumb

After taking it at least somewhat easy with many of my articles as 2018 was winding to a close, I’ve decided to open up the New Year with something quite a bit more meaty. Be advised, this article is going to be taking a moderately deep dive into the rules, and into some pretty complex pieces of the rules too. It definitely won’t be a very beginner-friendly piece of writing, so I’ll say sorry to anyone who was looking for something like that. Maybe next month.

‘As’ effects, and the way that the game resolves them, are a concept that’s been digging at me really ever since they first became a thing in Absolute Discord. Queen Chrysalis, Identity Theft was the first card to make use of the ‘As’ timing for its enter-the-board text, and it naturally caused quite a stir and more than a little confusion once people started seeing it in play. The idea behind the card, and the reasons why it couldn’t have used a normal enters-play trigger, are pretty straightforward. Chrysalis is built to function as a copy of the card that it’s targeting, as if you had played another copy of the same card. All of the text on the original card should thus be operational on the new card. But because of the way enters-the-board triggers are resolved, if Chrysalis gains the ability when she enters play, the triggering point will already have passed and the newly gained triggers won’t fire. So in order for those triggers to fire, Chrysalis has to gain the abilities before she enters play.

This necessitated the creation of Rule 706.1a, which I’ll inline here just so that we all have it. It defines an additional step in the process of what happens when cards enter play, coming right before the application of modifiers that affect the state in which the card is entering.

(706.1a) Any abilities that occur ‘as [something] enters play’ are applied. This is a one-time check; if one such ability causes a card to gain another ability with the same timing, the gained ability will not be processed. If multiple such abilities would be applied, they are all checked simultaneously and then applied in order. (711)  

For what it’s worth, this rule solves the problem that Chrysalis poses relatively succinctly, and under its umbrella the game was even able to manage Wakeup Call and Desert Road several sets later. But there’s a problem. And the problem is that this rule is stupid.

Rules & Exceptions

I appreciate systems. All good games, but especially open-ended ones like CCGs and RPGs, are built around systems that get bent and deformed a little or sometimes a lot as the design space widens, but are robust and well-designed enough to handle pretty much whatever you want to throw at them. For an (hopefully somewhat relatable) example, the core resolution system of Dungeons & Dragons goes as follows: player decides to do something, DM determines appropriate check and necessary modifiers, player rolls d20, consequences happen. This gets bent and twisted all over the place in the course of play, but the fundamental structure is robust and flexible enough to handle pretty much the whole game.

And that’s good, because having a simple system that underlies the majority of a game’s play makes that game easier to learn, and easier to navigate, even when things start getting more complicated. Everything extraneous to the core system system becomes one more thing that the players have to hold in their heads as they play, so the more stuff that can be resolved in the system itself without breaking the system, the easier it will be to navigate the game.

MLP, for what it’s worth, has a pretty solid system at its core: the concept of Priority Windows and Pre-Priority Processing. Essentially, triggers can fire at any time, but their effects will only resolve during the next PPP step. While there are a couple of complications in resolving those triggers, the basic gameplay loop is made pretty simple. Before the window, stuff resolves, then (maybe) somebody does something, and then the resulting triggers resolve, and so on. All we have to do is remember when Priority Windows happen, and we’re set. Nice and easy.

Of course, to bring this somewhat-extended tangent back to the matter at hand, ‘As’ effects are dumb because they can’t exist inside this system, and so the only way to have them in the game is to break it. By resolving between declaration and resolution, there is no Priority Window for them to resolve at. Worse still, ‘As’ effects can be confusing because they look like triggers, but they’re not triggers. They’re their own special thing that resolves in its own special way as defined by one paragraph buried deep in the rules. For the rest of time, we are now doomed to saying “Except for ‘As’ effects” whenever we want to make a general statement about how things enter the board.

Naturally, having this particular, small set of cards that work in a very different way from how other cards work makes the game harder to learn, and makes it harder to play. It’s more things to keep in your head as you try to navigate the interactions between cards and try to craft a strategy for the way that you’re going to play a turn. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the game would be better off without ‘As’ effects, as certainly now that they exist they’ve been used to do some nice things, with particular note being paid to Wakeup Call and Desert Road. But it would be much nicer if we could find a way to fix them, or at least make them more palatable as a full element of the game, rather than something that feels a little tacked-on just to make certain cards work.

Prospective Solutions

The most natural solution seems to be a pretty simple one: give the ‘As’ cards a Priority Window to resolve at, so that the core structure of the action loop is preserved. The idea might start to sound even better once we realize that this is essentially what Magic: the Gathering does to enable its counterspells. Such a response, though, would solve this issue at the cost of opening up a whole hornet’s nest of additional problems. Because in reality, what we’re now doing is breaking open the loop even more, by allowing any number of things to happen in between an action’s declaration and its resolution. Magic can get away with this because it has a stack; a well-defined system for ordering the resolution of events declared and/or triggered in relation to each other. In theory, Ponies could implement something similar, but almost certainly not without a) violating core design principles of the game, and b) likely not even solving the issue we wanted to solve in the first place. (In fact, the merits of MLP’s lack of a stack are a topic that I’m going to save for some time in the future.)

So if that solution is out, what do we have left? If an answer exists, I don’t think that it lies in changing how ‘As’ effects behave, essentially for the reasons described above. We can’t really tinker around in that space without seriously compromising the game’s design, and if we fundamentally alter the behaviour of the text, then we invalidate admittedly cool cards like Chrysalis and Desert Road.

Instead, I think that it could lie in adopting ‘As’ as a fully-fledged timing in the same class as ‘When’. If we can’t fold it into the usual resolution cycle, at least by integrating it more closely into the game we can make it feel like less of an exception. RIght now, as defined the ‘As’ timing only matters when cards are being played. But from a conceptual standpoint, I can’t see a reason why that couldn’t be extended to other actions. The important thing to keep in mind is that as opposed to a traditional trigger, which resolves according to the normal Priority system, an ‘As’ timing would resolve between the declaration of an action and its resolution. This is exactly how it currently works with playing cards.

For example, a hypothetical card with the text: “As you draw a card, put a 1-Pink Earth Pony Friend token into play” would resolve after the resolution of a modifier or ability that allowed you to draw a card, but before you actually draw the card. If the resolution of an ‘As’ effect causes another ‘As’ effect to fire, it resolves right away, as per normal. If it causes a normal trigger to fire, it would resolve according to the usual loop (i.e. before the next Priority Window).

Now, just to be safe, let me say that this is a first-thought idea here. I’m well aware that such a concept would have to be very closely scrutinized to make sure that nothing funny was happening with the game as a result of it. As per usual, we find a whole pantry full of cans of worms once we start considering how this would interact with replacement modifiers, which “happenings” are even worth having an ‘As’ effect attached to them, and what sort of things are reasonable to have happen on such a timing. I’m not even sure if this design space allows anything particularly novel. But it sounds to me like something at least worth thinking about. Heck, just in the last paragraph there was a problem emerging: that chains of ‘As’ timings create a queue of actions that are held up behind the triggered events, and could conceivably require significant bookkeeping to keep track of. Thinking through problems like that would take significant time.

Notably, one can take the same argument that I’ve made above and throw it back onto this suggestion. Because in implementing ‘As’ as a fully-fledged timing, what we’ve essentially done is create two classes of triggers, one of which follows the normal resolution loop, and one which doesn’t. Isn’t that needless extra complication? Isn’t that harder to remember and harder to learn?

Well, sure it does. Except that two classes of triggers is what we’ve already got.

#mlpccg #mlp:ccg #gamdesign

[serenity-sweet13]

Gotham S2E20

Harvey Bullock is asking the real fucking questions. How in the world does it take a putz like Harvey Bullock to ask the real fucking questions!? Of course they fucking shredded everything! 

Okay, as a Georgia resident, when I hear “Pinewood” I think of the Walking Dead studio, so yeah “bad guys come in and monsters come out” is kinda perfect, cos the actual studio may or may not be where the Sanctuary set is, so it’s kinda like a parallel with Negan.

Yeah, Harvey? This is never gonna be over--- whoops there’s only 5 seasons, right? No, seriously, how the hell are they gonna wrap this mother up?

Ed’s been loose for like an episode and a half now and... okay, I’ve pulled the “got lost” excuse and I’ve done it better! That’s... kinda pathetic, dude. Ed, buddy, nothing but love, but you need to start lifting and work on your excuses.

Also, what the hell is with all the Catholocism in Gotham... and wow, Father, that attitude is fucking priestly of you. Yeah, I can see it, though. Hey Jim? If you’re ever out of something to do, I bet there’s about 200 years worth of allegations in all these fucking Catholic churches. Whoop! Did I get too real too fast there for a second? TOO BAD!!!

Seriously, Oswald, you need like a stuffed animal or something if you’re just gonna monologue.

I can’t fucking believe BD Wong was at DragonCon and I just fucking now started watching Gotham.

Oh my god no! Harvey Bullock is the Uncle Friend! He definitely does not want to be in charge and he definitely should not be in charge! “Halloween costume”!? Excuse me. As a dedicated cosplayer... Yeah, weirder and weirder. Okay, that logic is sound - “If he bleeds, he can be beaten.” Great, Harvey, now you have a goddamn mob like in Beauty and the Beast. Nice going, putz.

I LOVE ALFRED’S FUCKING DIALOGUE!

Gotta love ChaGood Little Shit Bruce.

“He’s right, you know!”

ALFRED’S FUCKING DIALOGUE!

Oh god Gilzean... I feel so fucking bad for this guy. He is the legal definition of “putz” and everything keeps fucking happen. OH GOD HARVEY WHY... They have Medieval Times in Gotham!? Oh god Tabitha don’t tell me you believe this fucking horseshit. Yep, Jim. “Ancient assassin, my ass!”

Guys, stop digging up fucking dead people.

Oh god that evokes imagery of fucking Pigeon Man.

Selina... HOW DID YOU STRAIGHTEN YOUR HAIR.

Bruce, you at least need to be buying this girl hella level desserts. Chocolate is the way to a girl’s heart.

Selina, you’re a ChaGood little shit too. I love her relationship with Bridgit. Girls supporting girls is a fucking mood. GOD BRUCE BROKE OUT THE BETCHACAN’T???? Argh, the best way to get these two little shits off their back pockets is imply something can’t be one. Tell them “betcha can’t”... of course she already knows a way in.

SERIOUSLY WITH THE CATHOLIC IMAGERY! Key, crowbar. Yeah, hey subtitle people? Those aren’t mice squeaking. Those are rats. They’re still cute little rodents, but they deserve the dignity of you getting it right. Oh, Harvey... It’s not grave robbing... It’s... um... archaeology? Is it old enough to be archaeo--- nah, you’re right it’s grave robbing. Unless it’s in the line of duty... evidence retrieval and like that, right?

Dude, Jim, there are better prop swords at fucking Party City.

He gon stab her. Yep, he totally gon stab her. Tabitha that is not an intelligent thing to do. Now you’re gonna die and Barbara’s gonna go another two tons of crazy! Do we want that? No. Ewwwww these two are way closer than siblings should be. Like, Are You Afraid of the ------ oh who the fuck let this family fucking have dogs!? oh yeah, he gonna stab her. No he doesn’t remember. I mean, he kinda remembers, but not really. Oh fuck he does remember.

Yep, he fucking stabbed her. I didn’t even KINDA see that coming - that was a goddamn given.

Thank God for Netflix.

Seriously, I want to know how this girl straightened her hair. Did Bruce get her a straightener? Did Alfred give Bruce a straightener to give to her? Hair doesn’t just do that, especially not with a goddamn beanie like that!

Okay, Jim Gordon and Ed Nygma have the actual best outerwear I have seen since Alucard and Aoshi Shinomori.

Carjacking in the name of righteousness! I dig it.

Maybe I should be making YouTube videos where I read all this shit out. I have a goddamn melodious voice. Wow, when I talk nice about myself, I swear a lot.

Selina is making me want to climb shit like I did when I was a kid. Fetch me the closest PF Chang’s horse! Stop the world... I WANT TO GET ON! Except I really don’t want to... yep, that’s why I didn’t want to be in there. That’s really fucking gross. And again, subtitle people - that is a RAT, not a mouse. Somewhere Vincent Price shakes his fist at you.

Oh god. Bruce? You might have lost your father, but now you have at least two dads. Alfred and Jim? You got Royal Marine Dad and Officer Dad. Also, Alfred? you owe Selina a big fat apology. Like, get her something really goddamn nice for Xmas. And a handwritten note. An entire Lush selection...

Oh god Ed and Cat. This is hysterical...

Oh god... Ed still has this fundamental desire to help people. OH GOD THAT WAS THE BITCH-PLEASE FACE OF THE AGES! THORIN OAKENSHIELD COULD NOT HAVE MATCHED SELINA KYLE’S LITTLE BITTY BITCH-PLEASE FACE!

God, I feel the actual worst for Gilzean. This guy’s been through too much. Can somebody fetch this guy a shot and a beer? And maybe a fuzzy bathrobe and fifteen cats? Seriously, Butch needs to do a Falcone and retire into the suburbs with a bunch of cats and a knitting group or something. Again with the giant bag of weed over here!?

Seriously Oswald. You need ACTUAL therapy. Like, somewhere Allan Arbus, as Dr. Sidney Freedman with the two E’s, is looking down from heaven and shaking his head. “Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice - pull down your pants, and slide on the ice.”

Well, there’s Bruce with his co-dads again. And they both drive like bloody maniacs. AWW BRUCE YOU SWEET LITTLE SHIT AND YOU ALMOST CAUSED ALFRED TO FUCKING SHOOT HIMSELF!! You seriously sweet little shit. no. no do not split up. AGAIN WITH THIS SCOOBY DOO NONSENSE! SHAGGY FROWNS AT YOU! LIKE ZOINKS THIS IS A GODDAMN BAD IDEA! JINKIES IT’S FUCKING AZRAEL!

Who could’ve seen that fucking coming.

no fuck you Azrael fucker. You do not get to say “As you wish” - you are the wrong Man in Black.

Yep, and Ed’s loose. Oh my god and he pulled the high school escape? DUDE I COULD SNEAK OUT OF MY HOUSE BETTER THAN THAT WHEN I WAS SELINA’S AGE! I used to roll a d20 for Stealth.

Oh that elevator makes me nervous on so many levels. Hehehehehehehe that was funnier than I intended it to be.

Oh god Bruce. No. Also Alfred no. Also Azrael no. MOTHER FUCK NOT THE GODDAMN PARLOR! THERE’S FUCKING ANTIQUES IN THERE! and we get to see Alfred swordfighting... NOT THE VASE!! jeez, watch the antique telephone! And whatever that was you broke. And now the goddamn window. Oh please, Bruce, you know he’s probably fine. That guy’s British. He’ll be in good spirits and fit as a fiddle two years after he’s dead!

and Cat is stuck to the fucking ceiling. Gimme a cucumber, somebody, I wanna try something.

Oh jeez. Ed was right. That is fucking horrible. There is something very Shutter Island about all this stuff.

Also, Bruce, you’re about as sneaky as an avalanche. If nothing else, use what you’ve got. Go West Side Story on his ass and turn on every one of those car lights. It’s been known to work, right? THERE WE GO! HIT HIM WITH THE GODDAMN CAR! You lucky little fuck, being tall enough at 13 to hit the stupid pedals... are you fucking kidding me. Somebody seriously just plug this guy in the motherfucking head! YOU DO NOT GET TO SAY PREPARE TO DIE THAT IS TWICE YOU HAVE ABUSED YOUR PRINCESS BRIDE REFERENCES AND YOU GO JIM - EMPTY THAT CLIP IN THE MOTHAFUCKA!

Yep, both dads.

Oh for fuck’s sake. MARY AND JOSEPH JUST GODDAMN SET HIM ON FIRE!

Oh for fuck’s sake... Where did this motherfucker come from!? Oswald, what the fuck even!? BUTCH FOUND THE ROCKET LAUNCHER! Okay, do we have one less motherfucker now?!

If you start singing, I’ll throw up.

You go Butch. Four for you Glen Coco you go Glen Coco and none for Gretchen Wieners bye!

Crikey, Ed. You SERIOUSLY need to join a gym.

Pupper is the goodest boy. Good boy catch crazy Ed. Good boy.

Oh god. Bridgit. Oh no. No no no no no. IT’S WHO THE HELL IS BUCKY ALL OVER AGAIN! NO NO NO NO NO!!!! Your name is Bridgit Pike. You were a sweet little girl and Selina was your friend and she loves you and noooooooooo!!!

#gotham #selina kyle #butch gilzean #oswald cobblepot #edward nygma #jim gordon #bruce wayne #alfred pennyworth #girls supporting girls #who the hell is bucky