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rattlinbog · 4 months

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Books Read in 2023

(loved!, enjoyed, okay, did not care for)

January

Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson

The Hidden Palace (The Golem and the Jinni #2) by Helene Wecker

Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America’s Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster by Al Roker

The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

February

Grendel by John Gardner

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art by Rebecca Wragg Sykes

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Winters

March

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The World We Make (Great Cities #2) by N.K. Jemisin

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

April

Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art by Lewis Hyde

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Washington Square by Henry James

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

The Heartsong of Charging Elk by James Welch

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

May

The Antelope Wife by Louise Erdrich

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Orlando by Virginia Woolf (reread)

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Beneficence by Meredith Hall

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Ramadan Ramsey by Louis Edwards

The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

June

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang

Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah

The Crocodile Bride by Ashleigh Bell Pedersen

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America by John Demos

Tales of Burning Love (Love Medicine #5) by Louise Erdrich

July

The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse (Love Medicine #6) by Louise Erdrich

Four Souls (Love Medicine #7) by Louise Erdrich

In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier

The Second Greatest Disappointment: Honeymooning and Tourism at Niagara Falls by Karen Dubinsky

These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card

Songs for the Flames: Stories by Juan Gabriel Vasquez

August

Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

New to Liberty by DeMisty D. Bellinger

Cove by Cynan Jones

Being Esther by Miriam Karmel

Boulder by Eva Baltasar

The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk

September

Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit

We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole

October

Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

Don’t Fear the Reaper (The Indian Lake Trilogy #2) by Stephen Graham Jones

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon

November

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Fen, Bog, and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis by Annie Proulx

Natural History: Stories by Andrea Barrett

December

Lessons by Ian McEwan

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (reread)

A Vintage Christmas: A Collection of Classic Stories and Poems

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

#books #books in 2023 #booklr #reading list #ramblings

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havendance · 5 months

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Santaquest pt 5: Santa Strike Back!

Okay, let's speedrun some more Santa Comics:

DC Comics Presents #67

Superman and Santa Claus go up against the Toymaker! Did you know that Superman has a giant key to the fortress of sorrow that's shaped like a giant arrow?

Superman: If they doubt you, Tim--just tell 'em to ask me. Tim (not Drake): You bet I will! Nifty key! Superman: Thanks, it serves as an aircraft navigational marker mostly-- --since nobody else but supergirl or I can even lift it!

When Santa and Tim crash in the arctic, they are saved by none other than Santa and his elves!

Santa: Here, friend Superman is my top-secret workshop at the very heart of the North Pole! Superman: Workshop...? North Pole...? But that-- that's impossible--!?! You aren't... I mean you couldn't possibly be...

Anyway, Santa and Superman work together to stop the Toymaker's plot to hand out hypnotizing toys etc etc. We do get this nice moment:

Superman: I'm gonna crash-- and crash-- --hard?? Huh? I landed light as a feather--!? But my weight should have carried me cleand through this sleigh--! Santa: My sleigh was build to carry a far greater weight than yours, friend superman-- --for it carries the hopes and dreams of a worldful of children!

Best of DC #58

Others have already brought up Santa's unionized elves in this issue:

Santa: What about Christmas? Elf: That's not our problem--no winter--no work! That's our union contract!

I would like to further point out that while all the male kids who get justice league powers in this issue go on little adventures and solve problems before the final confrontation, our mini-Wonder Woman gets to end up in bondage instead:

Ah, wonder woman comics.

Elvira's House of Mystery Special #1

Two Santa appearences here. Firstly we've got the whole 'Santa healing a blind girl' think Zahri and Ink have already covered. That story also features our second instnce of death by santa sleigh in this read through!

The second one features him getting blasted by aliens in a post-nuclear winter scenario:

(Interestingly enough the Elvira christmas carol story at the begining (which I quite enjoyed) also featured what might have been a far future nuclear winter.)

Swamp Thing #115

Swamp Santa! With a coonskin cap and crocodile drawn sleigh!

Also read: Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2 upon recommendation which featured no Santa but really was quite good. (The Superman and Wonder Woman stories especially imo)

#dc #havendance reads comics #santaquest 2k23 #carthago delenda est

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noxspost · 1 year

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the pantheon

Pyro: God of fire, foresight, time, timelines, wildlife and prophecy

Familiars: a stag and a doe

Cattail: God of water, knowledge, futilely, creativity, orientation of romantic attractions and other attractions.

Familiar 2 crocodiles and 2 alligators

Suntail: goddess of life, creation, sun, fate, the pyre

Familiars: spiders

Soleks: God of the dead, wine, revenge, family, gates, hospitality and is the ruler of the four afterlife realms

Familiars: two twin cats that look like the Ying and yang

Black feather: God of death, truth, plants, mental health

Familiars: two ravens

Hellfire: deity of war, blood (relationships of any kind as well as the stuff you bleed out) magic, literature, academics, and witchcraft

Familiars: two owls

VA: the god of nature of all living creatures, human nature, impulse, stars, the hunt, summer, order, hearth, seabirds (and waterfowl), constellations

Familiar: a twin headed snake and loons

Goat’s leaf: the god of the nature of all living creatures, night, instincts, healing (physicians), sickness (also disease), autumn, history, and society

Familiar: two goats

Zephie: is the patron goddess of sea voyaging, wind, weather, climate, and nature disasters, navigation and ships, pirates, sailors, sea trade.

Familiars: two sheep

Silver tongue: the goodness of agriculture, tree bare, wisdom, humanity, sky, home, and architect

Familiars: dragonflies, Caimans

Loco: God of trickery, festivals, souls, the craft, mountains, mischief, and madness

Familiars: foxes, coyotes and coywolves

Thistle: God of justice, karma, cause and effect, consequences, blacksmithing, working with fine metals, new tree, sun, and weapons

Familiars: axolotls

Northern lights: the spirit and god of memories, hope, dreams(sleep), doorways, maned wolves, textiles and guardian of the between also king of limbo.

Familiar: An Asian type of dragon

kenós: goddess of death, childbirth, femininity, masculinity, guardian of souls with disabilities (visible, physical, mental, and invisible all under all under the term, disability) and space (void)

Familiars: crows and wolves

Alcove (half dik-dik): the goddess of felines, canines, flocks, herds, ink paper, parchment, allegiances, witches, Philla and Agape.

Familiars: frogs and Karas

Kir-kor: is the god of victory, mutiny, brutality, discord, chaos, (the four before celebrations is more of sub aspects) celebration, morality, anarchy, father of all healer and smiths of all types.

Familiars: pigs or boars

Oka-la: is the deity of the swamps, sugar cane, starches, motherhood and fatherhood, virginity, hunger, and mother of the blades (warriors)

familiars: Banded Water Snakes

Jute: goddess of snakes, birds, Aurora borealis, thieves, merchants, railroads, silver, and gemstones

Familiars: seals and peacocks

Hope-la: the god of dawn, caves, beauty, grasslands, stories and archery

Familiars: Moles and Jaguars

Dise-rsra: the goddess of dusk, dragonflies, lava, mother of dancers and entertainers of all types

Familiars: secretary birds

Dyved: goddess of philautia, marriage, cunning, potions, messages

Familiars: Polars Bears

Ermina: god of ruins, communication, strength, clocks, roads, parties, community

Familiars: The Asian golden cats and meerkats

#pantheon #gods #dream smp #philza dsmp #dsmp #Kristen mumza #lady death #ghost au #ghostza #my au

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jimsmovieworld · 2 years

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CROCODILE 2: DEATH SWAMP- 2002 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A group of horny bank robbers are flying on a commerical plane with there money when the pilot announces a storm ahead and they have t9 turn back. They hijack the plane and crash it into a crocodile infested swamp. Interestingly the swamp is filled with both normal crocodiles and supernatural crocodiles for some reason.

The film is about the robbers and there hostages trying to find a way out before being eaten to death.

Martin Kove plays a local man tasked with tracking them down.

Film starts off with a hilariously stupid bank robbery and the parts on the plane before it crashed were very entertaining. Most of the film after the crash is a bit forgettable, but still a lot of fun. If youre looking for a silly cronk movie with bad cgi this isnt a bad option.

#crocodile #crocodile movie #martin kove #movie #film #horror

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amesmonde · 2 years

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Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002) Review

After a bank robbery, the criminals try to escape but the plane ends up in swamp where the robbers/hijacker’s and survivors come face to face with a huge crocodile. With a trio of writers director Gary Jones offers a cheap and cheerful creature feature with some twists and turns. It’s debatably better than the very loosely connected first. Some atmosphere is created in the nighttime sets ups,…

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#creature feature #Crocodile 2 #Crocodile 2 Review #Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002) Review #Death Swamp Review #movie review #review

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raya-rhaenyra-ahsoka · 3 years

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Why Daenerys Should've Stayed Longer in the North Than Attack Cersei Too Soon (Which is a dick move, really) PART 1

I have said this before and I will say it again, D&D f*cked up Season 8. Honestly, there were a lot of missed opportunities with regards to plotlines. And don't even get me started on why they boycotted the Reeds, that's another story.

Also, we're gonna be talking about the possible strategies against an invasion army that has actual people in it, not ice zombies with super-speed and pyrophobia. We're way past that. The stabbiest of the Starks had already defeated Ice Darth Maul, so let's move on.

Anyway, I still think that Dany should've stayed in the North. Not permanently though, just until she has enough allies and armies to scare the living daylights out of Cersei's ass. And here's why:

WINTERFELL IS IN A STRATEGIC LOCATION.

Defense. In Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide, Winterfell falls under the fortress category under the types of defense. Technically, it's a castle rather than a fortress. It is an impregnable structure with all the facilities to supply probably the whole population of the North. It has a greenhouse to grow food, which is appropriate for Westeros' long winters. According to Ned Stark, the castle can withstand a siege with only 500 men manning it against an army of 10,000. Plus, Dany's remaining dragons could easily barbecue an invading army what she did with the Lannister army in the Reach after defeating the Tyrells and taking Highgarden.

Here's a map of the North for reference: (You can pretty much see where Winterfell is, right?)

Source: awoiaf.westeros.org

Terrain. Winterfell is easily accessible since its location is in the heart of the North both literally and figuratively. It has its advantages as well. The North is the largest of Westeros' 7 Kingdoms. It is vast (it takes weeks to travel from the Neck to Winterfell, wtf?!). With regards to Sun Tzu's Art of War, Winterfell's strategic location can easily spot an approaching enemy, and if they come unprepared, its forces can easily defeat them. Thus, a Southron army wouldn't know how to navigate the lands they're not familiar with (let alone get into the North itself and past its defenses, but that'll be discussed later). Let's take into account Stannis Baratheon's failed siege on Winterfell, and how easily Ramsay Bolton's army defeated them down to the last man.

Climate. The North, in general, has a cold and temperate climate. They even get snowfalls in the summer. A Southron army wouldn't be accustomed to its climate, let alone the dangers of the wolves that roam the kingdom. Plus, if they run out of supplies, like food, there aren't many crops because most of its lands are barren due to the cold and snow. (So yeah, good luck with that!)

So yeah, Daenerys is technically at a place where it's appropriate to say:

AN ASSAULT BY LAND IS A DEATH SENTENCE.

The Riverlands. If Cersei orders her army to march North, they would have to pass the Riverlands. Like literally, here's a map:

Blue lines are the borders of the Riverlands, while the Red line is the Kingsroad. (Source: pinterest.com)

And everyone pretty sure remembers that the Great House or the Overlords of the Riverlands are the Tullys of Riverrun.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. The remaining Starks in Winterfell namely, Sansa, Arya, and Bran, have Tully blood through their mother, Catelyn. So technically, because of their family ties, they're likely already allies.

Debts of Gratitude. With Arya massacring the Freys of the Crossing, she had supposedly freed her uncle, Catelyn's brother, Edmure Tully from their grasp. Now, I don't know how that scene would've gone, (because D&D decided to focus on other things), but it would go something like: Hi Uncle! I killed the Freys, you're free now. Go back to Riverrun, call your banners or something and tell them you're back!

Edmure to his bannermen:

Because of that, I think Edmure would have this huge debt of gratitude towards his sister's children. And with the Tully words being family, duty, honor, Edmure wouldn't hesitate to gather an army. So if the Starks go, Hey, Uncle! Cersei is harassing us, send help!

Edmure's response would be:

The Vale of Arryn. I think the Vale would've joined the Starks as well, the same way they aided Jon Snow in the Battle of the Bastards. Because again, they have family ties. The current lord of the Vale is Robin Arryn, and his mother, Lysa Arryn, was of the Tully family-she was Catelyn and Edmure's sister. With the Starks killing that annoyimg smooth-talker, Littlefinger, they had basically saved Robin from his manipulating ways. With Yohn Royce as the witness on Littlefinger's trial, he would eventually tell Robin the truth about who really killed his mother. So if the Starks will ask for his help to join their cause, Robin will very much likely help his cousins.

So once they march up North, Edmure with the Tully and Vale Armies will be waiting at the Trident.

SWAMPS + CRANNOGMEN + MOAT CAILIN = IT'S A TRAP!

The Neck. Let's face it, if Cersei's army managed to get past the Rivermen and Valemen, there's no way they'll get past the Neck. This southernmost region in the North is known for its swampy terrain, with lizard-lions (basically crocodiles/alligators) lurking in the murky waters.

Here's a map of the Neck for reference:

The Green areas are the swamps, the Red line is the Kingsroad, while the Yellow line passing through the Green area is the Causeway. (Source: awoiaf.westeros.org)

The Crannogmen. Call them what you will, frog-eaters (yes, they do eat frogs), mudmen, bog-devils, but you must never underestimate the swamp people because you'll never know what'll hit you. They are called such because of their habit of living in small villages formed from reeds and thatches and that sit atop floating islands. And despite their short stature, the Crannogmen are talented hunters and warriors. Thus, they have adapted to the harsh environment and have learned to use it to their advantage.They use guerilla tactics and apparently a notoriously difficult people to conquer. In other words, they are the perfect example of the small but terrible type of people. The Crannogmen are ruled by House Reed with its current lord, who is none other Ned Stark’s bff, Howland Reed, a.k.a. Meera, and Jojen’s Dad, who holds court in their floating castle (yes, you read that right. A castle that floats.), Greywater Watch. Yep, the one who delivered the fatal blow to Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning was a f*cking Crannogman, this guy:

Since Ned’s children (Bran and Rickon) and Howland’s children (Meera and Jojen) are also good friends, there’s no doubt that they’ll definitely back them up when they have to. The Reeds are their bannermen after all. Though I think Meera would have to push Bran out of his chair to get even, but still.

The Causeway. The only road that connects the North to the other kingdoms is the Kingsroad. The causeway is the only dry road, the only navigable passage, and the only safe route for armies to travel through the swamps of the Neck. (Refer back to the map) It is also narrow. In the Art of War, narrow passes can be used to your advantage. With the Crannogmen familiar with the terrain, all they have to do is garrison it and wait. You can imagine being ambushed by short people hiding in the trees with poison darts or step on the traps they placed on the road and drag the horses and men into the murky waters to be eaten by the lizard-lions. If they have steel armor on, they’d have lower chances of survival. They might not get eaten, but they’d drown, so yeah, good luck!

Moat Cailin. Still, if they get past the wrath of the Crannogmen, they’ll meet their end at Moat Cailin. These ruins of an ancient stronghold command the Causeway as it passes through it. So anyone who travels North by land has to go through the causeway and Moat Cailin. It is an effective natural chokepoint that had protected the North from southern invaders for thousands of years. Its three remaining towers are usually manned with bowmen who’s ready to shoot a rain of arrows to enemies who will dare pass. And with the Starks back at Winterfell, it is most likely garrisoned by the Crannogmen.

A Southron army would have no chance at all and would never get past the Neck, thanks to the small but terrible and lovable crannogmen of the swamps. Also, only two women were known to ever kill a White Walker and one of them lives in the Neck.

I’d watch out for her too. Shout out to our girl, Meera Reed! Because all she got from Bran was a lousy thank you after she dragged his Stark ass across the frozen tundra.

That's it for Part 1, you guys. This turned out to be longer than expected. The link for Part 2 is here.

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night-filled-mountain · 3 years

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Captivity and Escape in Critical Role

So this post has been sitting in my drafts for about half a year. It’s about a persistent theme I noticed throughout campaign 2, which I’m sure others have noticed and written about before, but parallels and recurring themes have always been my Thing, and I couldn’t let it go. And with last week’s episode, and the campaign finale airing tonight, and the dominance of this theme being more glaringly obvious than ever, I thought I’d just give myself a treat and finish up a giant meta post. For old times’ sake.

So, just for the heck of it, here’s an exhaustive exploration of a single through-line of campaign 2 since the very beginning: captivity, and escaping or being freed from it.

Let’s start by taking a quick look at everyone’s backstories, the things that happened to them before the campaign even started, and how they were ultimately resolved.

FJORD: Entered unknowingly and unwillingly into a pact with Uk’otoa, which bound him to perform services he never agreed to in exchange for powers he never asked for. Fjord did not know how he got into this pact or how to get out of it. He makes his escape when he pitches his sword into a lava river and pledges himself to the Wildmother.

JESTER: Spent the majority of her life “locked in her room” (or at least hidden from sight) until the consequences of one of her pranks forcibly liberated her into the wider world. While Jester loves her mother dearly and thinks of her long “captivity” as being for her own protection, its negative effects on her--loneliness, insecurity, a lack of worldly experience and social awareness--were still apparent, and she spends much of the campaign working through them.

BEAU: Her parents had her kidnapped by monks. It could be argued that even before the kidnapping, she was a prisoner to her father’s “over-protective” tendencies and her parents’ expectations when it came to her career, behavior, gender role, etc. But most significantly, she was very much kidnapped by monks, and made her escape from the Cobalt Soul shortly before we met her.

CALEB: Where to start? First he suffered coercion and abuse at the hands of Trent (a form of captivity); then he was made to torture and execute prisoners; then he spent eleven years literally imprisoned in an asylum, and had to kill and steal in order to escape; and four and a half years later, he met Nott when they were both thrown in jail (and had to engineer their own escape once again). Caleb’s ordeals ultimately made him a prisoner of his own guilt and fear, and escaping that prison has been the heart of his storyline.

VETH/NOTT: Besides the aforementioned stint in jail, the catalyst for her entire adventuring career was being captured by goblins along with her family--and then, after engineering the escape of her husband and son, being imprisoned in the wrong body (and subsequently enslaved!). The desire to escape from this second imprisonment was her driving motivation through much of the campaign. With Caleb’s help (and Essek’s, and Jester’s), she ultimately succeeds.

MOLLY: His first memory was of clawing his way out of a grave, which is just about as extreme a form of captivity and escape as you can get. More subtly, he was also a prisoner to the expectations placed on his body--to the life that body once lived, which he could not remember and refused to claim. Arguably (and tragically), his escape from this particular prison is his own death...until Cree resurrects Lucien, Mollymauk fragment and all. Then he presumably becomes a prisoner much like Yasha was, subsumed body and soul by a mind and a will that are not his own. Until last week.

... (incoherent sobbing)

Until last week.

YASHA: She was a prisoner to her clan’s laws and expectations. Her brief attempt to escape this prison through a forbidden marriage ended tragically, and then she was forced to make a second, literal escape (fleeing into the desert)--only to be (presumably) possessed by Obann, imprisoned inside her own mind, and forced to do his bidding until the Storm Lord liberated her once again.

CADUCEUS: When the gang first meet him, he’s literally a prisoner of his own fear (and/or inertia)--though his whole family has left the Blooming Grove, he’s been too afraid or hesitant to brave the corruption of the Savalirwood without companionship, and spent years isolated in the family temple as a result. The Mighty Nein (or rather, Caleb, Nott, Beau, Keg, and Nila) initiate his escape.

***

And that’s just the backstories! Now let’s take a look at each of the places the Mighty Nein have visited since they came together, and the story arcs therein.

***

TROSTENWALD - CARNIVAL ARC: This arc’s entire goal is to free the (future) Mighty Nein and the other carnies from jail or house arrest. (Much later, the M9 come back to pay Gustav’s debt and liberate him as well.) And remember that Beau is especially sympathetic to Toya’s predicament because she, too, was once a young girl held somewhere against her will.

ALFIELD - GNOLL ARC: This arc’s entire goal is to free the citizens of Alfield who have been kidnapped by gnolls to feed to their manticore leader (and to kill off the gnolls and manticore to keep it from happening again).

ZADASH: The Mighty Nein’s first undertaking in Zadash is to kill off the giant spiders in the sewer. In the process, they free a halfling imprisoned in a spiderweb, which leads them to the Gentleman and all his future quests.

Aside from that, their biggest job in Zadash this time around is the High Richter heist--which, yes, is a mercenary/political job that goes terribly wrong, but why does it go terribly wrong? Because Ulog, the M9′s NPC ally at the time, is so furious over his wife being wrongfully imprisoned by the High Richter that he impulsively blows up both her and himself. And arguably the most poignant moment in the heist’s aftermath is Caleb speaking to the next High Richter, Dolan, and ensuring that Ulog’s wife will be freed.

Also, let’s not forget the drow the M9 meet in the sewer. The one they capture, interrogate, and ultimately...let go. Yes, he’s killed shortly afterward and his beacon falls into their hands, but I think it’s very important to remember that the decision they make, when holding a captive terrorist from an “enemy” nation, is to return his stolen artifact to him and let him walk away free.

LABENDA SWAMP/BERLEBEN: The most memorable events during this interlude are: (1.) The M9 literally freeing Kiri from the swamp, where she is stuck in the mud and at the mercy of crocodiles, and (2.) Bowlgate, a.k.a. Caleb and Beau’s tense confrontation over what to do with Calianna, which is once again fueled on Beau’s side by her sympathy for a young woman held against her will. (Caleb proposes that Cali spend the night with the M9, which she did not intend, so they can use spells to determine her truthfulness the next day.)

HUPPERDOOK: This one’s obvious: The M9 fight a deadly automaton to free two gnomes from prison and reunite them with their children (largely to prevent said children from being taken to an orphanage against their will).

GLORY RUN ROAD/SHADYCREEK RUN - IRON SHEPHERDS ARC: ...Even more obvious. The sole goal of the remaining M9 members (and Nila) throughout this arc is to free their friends from slavery. They end up slaughtering all the slavers and freeing several other captives as well.

LUSIDIAN OCEAN - PIRATE ARC: Here’s where things get really interesting. Because this whole arc is also about captivity and freedom, isn’t it?

It’s about whether or not to free a little old captive named Uk’otoa!

I haven’t given nearly enough thought to how this arc fits in with all the others thematically, considering its central lesson is that freeing this particular captive would be a very bad thing. I do think it’s significant that:

(1.) The beginning of this arc, which leaves the whole party feeling so bad and icky, involves them quite inadvertently taking a captive of their own--and one whom they don’t treat very well. (And still don’t, for that matter...poor Marius.)

(2.) Soon after that incident, the M9 are themselves effectively taken captive by Avantika and her crew. This situation doesn’t last nearly as long as many audience members (and quite possibly Matt, and quite possibly the players themselves!) thought it would, because they panic on Darktow, go all Wall of Fire, and free themselves in a huge, climactic, desperate battle. The Mighty Nein do not take well to captivity.

Anyhow, they follow all this up with...

FELDERWIN/XHORHAS - YEZA ARC: ...another very straightforward quest to free a captive. Not only is this arc all about rescuing Yeza from a Xhorhasian dungeon, but after Caleb returns the beacon, after the Bright Queen of Xhorhas offers the Mighty Nein anything they want...all they ask her for is to let them go.

BAZZOXAN & BEYOND - OBANN ARC: ...By now, you know where I’m going with this, right? The entire arc is about freeing Yasha from Obann, who has her imprisoned inside her own body, inside her own mind. There’s a reason That Moment in the cathedral hit so hard, right? “And as you close your eyes, you see yourself breaking the shackles. You see the influence no longer holding any sway over your soul. There's nothing but the storm, vengeance, and hope.”

(Bonus: In the middle of the above arc, we get the HAPPY FUN BALL - RESCUING YUSSA ARC, which, once again, is devoted to freeing a captive.)

KAMORDAH/CYRIOS MOUNTAINS - ISHARNAI ARC: Aimed entirely at freeing Nott from the body in which she was imprisoned. Beau also has a bit of a freedom arc here: confronting the parents who imprisoned her figuratively and literally, turning her back on them (possibly for good), and then confronting a major source of the expectations and superstitions they shackled her with: Isharnai, who is neutralized by Jester’s cupcake.

THE MENAGERIE - CLAY ARC: Aimed entirely at freeing Caduceus’s family, who are imprisoned in perhaps the most literal way possible, being turned to stone. (The M9 also manage to liberate the Stone family while they’re at it.)

RUMBLECUSP - TRAVELER CON: Two great liberations take place here. First, all the residents of the Village of Vo are freed from Vokodo’s influence, their memories restored, their blind devotion dispelled, able once again to choose the course of their own lives. Second, the followers of the Traveler are freed from the deception he’s imposed on them, the cult he’s roped them into. Thanks to the Moonweaver’s interference, they, too, are free to make informed decisions. And I think we can also safely say that Artagan is freed from them, from the false “god” role he managed to box himself into, and he’s happier for it.

EISELCROSS - SOMNOVEM ARC: ...And this is it, folks. This is why I decided to finish this post today. Because I was openly not feeling the Eiselcross arc as an endgame. The hard slog through the elements just wasn’t doing it for me, or the frequent combat, or the increasingly complex lore, or the traditionally heroic quest to save the world from being swallowed by a monstrous city.

...Until last week. Until Lucien’s defeat. And Molly’s oh-so-improbable resurrection.

When I heard all the voices of the Somnovem whispering “Thank you” as their individual souls were freed from the Lovecraftian hivemind...when I heard Jester sobbing that at least Molly’s soul wasn’t “trapped” inside a monstrous Lucien anymore...when Cad’s Divine Intervention succeeded, and Mollymauk Tealeaf opened his eyes--his two plain old natural eyes--unburdened by Lucien and his Somnovem eyes and all of his dark baggage for the first time--I was finally able to embrace this as the ending.

Because it’s not about saving the world. That’s just a bonus. It’s about saving a friend. Freeing a friend. Freeing captives, wherever they find them. Whether from Crown’s Guard, gnolls, and giant spiders, or from royal dungeons; whether from ruthless enemies or from their own families; whether from eldritch abominations or from the forces that chain their own minds.

In the end, the Mighty Nein--and the people whose lives they touch--belong to no one and nothing that they do not choose to belong to. They belong to themselves, to the people they most sincerely love, to the gods and causes they have chosen freely. And that has always, always been my favorite kind of story.

And I can’t wait for tonight.

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thecreaturecodex · 3 years

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Ukron

Image by Alberto Del Lago, © Asterion Press.

[Commissioned by @justicegundam82. This is my second trip into the Nephandum setting, an Italian 3pp D&D supplement from the 3.5 era. The first was the pothos. This entry had decidedly less flavor text, so the piecemeal translation of it into English was easier. Plus, the commissioner gave me a hook to work with--the idea that they create man-eating animals is theirs, and does not appear in the previously published version.]

Ukron CR 6 CE Magical Beast This creature looks like a nightmarish parody of a horse. It has two heads with sunken, skeletal features and needle-like teeth. Its hooves are sharp and cloven, and its mane and tail are the color of clotted blood.

Ukrons are carnivorous horses with two heads and a cruel intellect. They live in swampy environments, where they range out towards civilization to attack humanoid settlements and to force other animals to do the same. An ukron cannot magically control animals, but the disease it carries transforms them into raving, deadly beasts. Ukrons are able to contain their bloodlust long enough to merely wound an animal to allow its infection to take hold, but when fighting humanoid opponents they typically battle until slain.

Ukrons live in herds comprising rough family units. Battles within these herds for dominance are common, and can result in injury or death. They may ally with other creatures that spread pestilence and death, but are quick to remind them that they are allies, not pets. Ukrons are prized as steeds for their speed and endurance, but only magical compulsion can force them to bear a saddle if they don’t wish to. An ukron’s favorite foods include crocodile and snake.

Ukron CR 6 XP 2,400 CE Large magical beast Init +2; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +12 Defense AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural) hp 69 (6d10+36) Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +5 Immune disease Offense Speed 60 ft. Melee 2 bites +10 (1d8+5 plus disease), 2 hooves +6 (1d4+2) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft Special Attacks consume vitality, rend (2 bites, 1d8+7) Statistics Str 21, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16 Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 23 Feats Endurance (B), Multiattack, Power Attack, Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +8 (+20 when jumping), Perception +12, Stealth +4, Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Swim Languages Abyssal SQ marsh stride Ecology Environment temperate marshes Organization solitary or herd (2-8) Treasure none Special Abilities Consume Vitality (Su) When an ukron reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points using its natural attacks, it gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Constitution that lasts for 1 hour. This only functions if the victim has equal or greater Hit Dice than the ukron. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack, but do extend the duration. Disease (Su) Swamp rabies; bite—injury; save Fort DC 19; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 1d6 Cha damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. An animal reduced to 0 Charisma by swamp rabies does not fall unconscious, but gains the man-eating animal template and loses all Charisma damage over the course of 1 minute. The save DC is Constitution based. Marsh Stride (Ex) An ukron ignores all non-magical difficult terrain from mud, water, vegetation or other obstacles in a marsh environment.

#ukron #bad horse #nephandum #pathfinder 1e #commissions #D&D

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thundarrtheblogarian · 3 years

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Episode 2: Harvest of Doom

Our heroes spy an old west style train carrying a cargo of “death flowers” which Ariel knows are used not to induce death as the name might imply but to control minds. They are attacked by the crocodile humanoids working the train who also appear to wear green underpants, and the heroes are gassed unconscious. The leader of the crocodile people — called “carocks” (sp?) orders Ookla taken prisoner to work the death flower fields, but Thundarr and Ariel are thrown in a pit to be eaten by giant furry serpents. Thundarr uses one of the snakes as a rope to get them out of the pit but they are promptly attacked by a swamp monster.

It turns out that the swamp monster is friends with a blonde girl known as a “swamp urchin” and she agrees to help Thundarr and Ariel defeat the carocks — who are harvesting the flowers for an evil wizard (I’m sensing a theme here) provided the heroes will give her the train in exchange. She leads them via raft to a very cool partially submerged Aztec temple and Ariel uses her magic to take a carock prisoner to use as a guide. They come through the temple to the death flower field and Thundarr must fight Ookla who is still under the influence of the flower. The fields are set on fire (this is not explained) and Ariel uses magic to knock Ookla out and levitate him back to the raft.

Traveling back through the temple Ariel wakes Ookla from his trance and he gives them a big hug, pictured. The carocks are transporting what remains of the harvest to the wizard via train, but the heroes manage to stop it and Ariel destroys the flowers with magic, which she probably should have just done from the beginning. The heroes vanquish the carocks and make good on their promise to give the train to the swamp urchin, but Thundarr and Ookla must repair the train tracks they ruined in a humorous final gag.

A slight step down from ep 1 but solid nonetheless. A bit of a western vibe with a little Indiana Jones thrown in, which is notable as this predates Raiders of the Lost Ark. 5 stars.

#thundarr the barbarian #thundarr #cartoon #recap #bluray #episode

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strosmkai-rum · 4 years

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NETCH HEADCANONS

so. i’m starting a new thing where i’ll post my own personal hcs/lore here, and note, it’s a lot. so here we are, today’s topic is netches!

Behavior

- netch in general are very intelligent and sociable creatures, and form families occupying territory.

- there are three subspecies of netch: the common netch, mossy netch, and rosy netch.

- families are composed of a bull netch (the father), the betty (the mother) and netchlings.

- the mature netch will be aggressive to intruders

- parents will rotate taking care of the netchlings and hunting. netchlings will tag along on hunts with either parent to gain experience.

- the betty nurses the netchlings if they are under 6 months, carrying their young underneath them, like a penguin keeping a chick in the pouch.

- also when it rains/snows/ash storm hits, the netchlings hide under their parents for shelter. they also do this when scared.

- after 1.5-2 years, they will leave their family’s territory by choice or be forced out, bc at that point they're just competition.

Hunting/Fighting Tactics

- bull netch will fight for territory, but rarely do fights end in death for either. they will swipe at each other with poison tipped appendages, until one gives in and retreats. they’re resistant to their own poison, so no worries there.

- i’m very torn on hunting tactics by netch, as part of me wants to say, okay maybe they’re like a tiger? maybe they team up with siblings/parents sometimes to bring down an especially large animal.

- maybe they’re an ambush predator. i think maybe mossy netch could function as ambush predators, maybe they’re especially intelligent and able to adapt, able to sink into the swampy waters and very patiently wait for prey. Maybe they seek out high traffic areas and submerge themselves in mud or blend in with the foliage. maybe they’re able to hold their breath for super long, and function similar to dwarf crocodiles/alligator snapping turtles. maybe their shell ends up looking something like a torterra (from pokemon, with all the lil plants on it) and they’re able to stand very still and become basically another plant in the scenery, while waiting for an opportunity.

- opportunities include unwary travellers and adventurers as well.

- they could also hunt by sensing movement in water, and when something large moves near, the spring up out of the water, grabbing it with its appendages and dragging it down into the water. so there's a combo of drowning, poison, and strangulation there, and almost always ensures a kill, unless it gets away from the start.

- maybe rosy netch have a similar hunting technique mossy netch, where they use camouflage to disguise themselves as rocks, and wait for something to approach.

- their venom is a huge part in hunting. it ensures that a well placed hit will bring it down, no matter how long it takes. at that point they can simply follow the trail the wounded prey leaves, until they can catch them successfully. assuming that one hit isn’t enough to kill them.

- some subspecies of netch have spikes at the end of their appendages, sort of like a mace. their venom is like that of a snake; it causes paralysis and with enough time, can paralyze the diaphragm and kill you. they’re not the fastest creatures, but they’re very intelligent and can and will predict your next move and counter it.

- maybe netch have like. magical helium that make them floaty.

- maybe mossy netch, when they submerge themselves in swamp water to ambush prey, maybe them can fill the helium sacs with water/air instead to weigh them down, and then when they're done, they can produce helium and floaty again.

- when they're injured, they can't produce helium as much, causing them to sort of drag on the ground. ouchie.

Communication

- in terms of communication, I like to think netches can control if venom is secreted through their appendages, less so in terms of their leathery shells (there’s just venom 25/8 on them)

- that they often use their appendages in greeting to friends/family. for example, they’ll wrap a limb around another netch’s leg, in greeting, and maybe in mock fights in the nest they’ll do a sort of primal wrestling with their siblings.

- they stop as they grow older though; it’s difficult to right themselves if they fall over, so in a fight it leaves them very exposed and vulnerable.

- they have a wide range of vocalizations too. they use clicks, chirps, whines, etc. pitch and frequency determine meaning, coupled with body language. a few netch farmers are working on establishing communication with them, in partnership with the netch protection programs.

- but maybe they enjoy familiarity. maybe they don’t feel comfortable traversing large distances for food, and that’s what separates rosy netch from the others.

- there’s no familiarity in molag amur, and with weird fucking daedra lurking around every corner you need to be alert all the time. so they guard their territory with a fierce passion, and these are common instances where territory disputes between two bull netch often lead to the death of one.

- i’m not sure if they would have migration patterns, they might just stick to having territory and raising netchlings there, but if they did have patterns, it’d probably be dangerous. like all of morrowind is one huge ash covered landscape, coupled with cliff racers, hunters, and probably anything else. maybe there’s a primary food source of theirs that also migrates, and they just follow them.

- it’s a very good learning experience for the netchlings, and roots out the weaker ones from the stronger ones. common netches have a larger litter (i’d say 1-4) than mossy ones (1-3), with rosy netches only having one, or max two, at a time.

- the, uh, two rosy netchlings very rarely work out; the betty ends up favoring one and the other. dies.

Subspecies of Netch

- mossy netch have moss/small plants growing on their shells. their leather almost permanently retains a grassy musk, and can vary from a bright emerald to a dull jade.

- they rest for long periods of time on the ground, folding their appendages up underneath them and seamlessly blending into the ground. if stepped on, they’ll immediately wake up, and if hungry, well, you know (similar to a trapdoor spider).

- but for the most part, they’re fairly docile creatures. they hunt when hungry, and rest when not. they’re of average size, and stick to swamps and other places where they’ll be hidden and safe.

- rosy netch are true to their name, and red in color. they’re larger than other netch, and very rare to find.

- they live in a very hostile environment causing them to be very dangerous themselves.

- they’re incredibly aggressive, and with every right to be so. however, they steer clear of vaguely humanoid creatures resembling daedra, as they have a permanent feud with them. they can retain water for very, very long periods of time, because they live in a fucking glorified lava pit.

Netch Products

- in terms of netch products, the leather is very sought after.

- first off, it’s very tough to bring down a netch and it must be done in a way where the leather isn’t harmed extensively. it’s supple but very tough and thick, and has a unique flat grain texture. however, touching netch leather secretes toxins, although not much. just enough to tingle your skin. boiling the leather removes this effect and makes it super tough and difficult to break through

- the downside to netch leather is that no matter which form the leather is in, it needs to be constantly maintained. dreugh wax is needed to keep it soft and supple. it will grow brittle and dry if left for long out in the constant ash streams of morrowind, or just extreme weather in general.

- it is resistant to water, a unique property that few leathers have.

- note, because of the harsh conditions that rosy netch live in (near lava pools and with daedra), their leather is tougher, and fire resistant. it’s very useful for adventurers or mercenaries, but very, very few ever get their hands on a piece.

- i like to imagine that the leather is very high in demand, with quite literally only a handful of breeders/reputable hunters on hand, who are very, very handsomely paid. there should be plenty more parts/netch products, but not as known or as in demand as the leather. the dunmer don’t seem the type to waste anything, and so I imagine that almost every part of a hunt is used in some way.

- for netch hunters, finding a suitable netch is a huge part of the hunt. for example, it’s pretty common to find a netch, but to find one with an unmarred hide is pretty rare. netchlings are a different color than mature netches, with a tanner hide, that’s also rougher and with a more bunched up flat grain pattern.

- i imagine that curing netch leather is a difficult and delicate process, as a hunter needs to carefully skin the animal, bringing it down in a way that doesn't extensively harm it, and then the leather needs to be brought to a tanner, who specializes in exotic leathers.

- and then from there the leather needs to be formed into armor/clothing, so a talented armorsmith will have to take care of it, and then from there it's sold.

- the reason why i don't think one person could juggle all of these is because curing netch leather requites a lot of experience in their own fields, and it would be far easier to have a lot of talented people in their own profession that one person doing all of them at once. but there might be one or two people (who are probably a few hundred years old, lotta experience) who can do a decent job of all three, at the same time and operate independently. netch farms eliminate the step of hunting the animal, but the caretakers often grow attached to the netches, and so few are actually killed for leather/products.

Interactions with Humans

warning i got a bit ooc here with. all of tes. so:

- there are netch protection programs in morrowind, for rosy netch found in molag amur, and also for mossy netch in west gash. rosy netch are rare to come across, their red coloration blending into the ash and foyadas, and plenty of adventurers/hunters wanting some of their leather venture into molag amur each year.

- they, uh, die, for the most part. so the government decided, alright, stop tryna kill them, we gonna make it illegal to do it and you were probably gonna die anyway. as well as with mossy netch, the swamps are equally treacherous, but their leather is not as much in demand as with rosy netch.

- they’re known to form symbiotic relationships with a variety of other creatures, including man/mer. in fact, netches socialized from an early age/ones with positive relationships with people often form close bonds, that include gift giving, bringing food to the person, treating them like its young, and in rare but fortunate cases, introduction to the rest of its family and young, and free passage through its territory. as stated before, netches are highly sociable creatures, and will communicate with other netches on who is a friend and who isn’t.

- captive netches live longer than wild netches, and grow bigger as well.

note: i’ve never played morrowind. and the only interactions i’ve had with netch were Bad. so i’ve no clue where this came from.

#TES: Morrowind #tes #lore #headcanons #netch #skyrim #dragonborn dlc #my headcanons

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365days365movies · 3 years

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February 21, 2021: The African Queen (Part 2)

Ah, Part 2! So, how are they doing at this point again?

RIGHT. Rapids. Well, let’s not navel-gaze, let’s see how they do! Check out the first part of the Recap right here to see how we got to this point!

Recap (2/2)

So they go over the rapids, which are basically just a short waterfall. It’s one hell of a ride, that’s for sure, and the two have some difficulty.

But even through that, they ride it out fine! More than fine, as they celebrate surviving the fort and the rapids. Rose lets out a kind of awkward “hip-hip hooray, and descends further into her adrenaline junkie fervor, saying the bullets were like mosquitoes. She, uh...she’s really getting into this whole thing, huh?

Charlie, meanwhile, is just overjoyed to still be alive, and embraces Rose in celebration. They have their own little twin rants about the occasion, and Charlie finishes it off with his own hip-hip-hooray! That’s followed by...

Well...OK then. Both of them seem taken aback by the kiss, and they brush it off as it nothing’s happened. But you can tell that things are different after this. And it seems like both of them are kind of into. Charlie, OK, I can sort of buy, but Rose has really started to experience a different side of life, and she’s embracing the SHIT out of it.

Doesn’t take them long to actually kiss in earnest, either, and they quickly succumb to their passions. Can’t imagine that they succumb completely, though, given Rose’s status as a woman of faith and all that. Either way, the two quickly legit fall in love. This is despite not knowing each other’s first names, goddamn. They finally start to refer to each other on a more personal basis, and they continue their journey down the river.

The two start to enjoy themselves, with Charlie imitating animals he sees down the river (the GIF up above is him imitating a hippo), and Rose laughs with a little snort that I will freely admit is adorable. But that’s cut juuuuuust a little short, when they hear and see what’s coming: more rapids.

And these are WAY worse than the other two, descending into a straight-up waterfall. Still, the boat makes it through, but not entirely undamaged this time. Propeller shaft is a little messed up, and supplies are limited. But Rosie, ever the optimistic innovator, manages to convince Charlie to give it a try, and to let her help.

And honestly...I’m digging their relationship. They’re EXTREMELY different people, but they’re also one of the best examples of opposites attracting that I’ve seen this month. And not only do they work together as a couple, but they LITERALLY work together to fix the boat! They weld a propeller together using makeshift bellows and a wooden fire on short, and the boat’s back to being river-worthy.

And the Ulanga River becomes the Bora, and elephants cavort along the shore...where the hell are they? Like, real talk, I’ve seen Nile crocodiles, elephants, hippos, babbons? Hold on, lemme look up these rivers while these two get assaulted by a massive swarm of mosquitoes, which looks unbearable.

OK, so considering that they’re in German East Africa, they’re probably going through Tanzania. And apparently, the river itself is a pretty common place to find all of those animals co-existing, as well as the largest population of Nile crocodiles in Africa, and a breeding ground for a bunch of bird species, like openbill storks and African skimmers...and can I take this cruise? Like, is there an option to go on a cruise through this area? ‘Cause I wanna. I REALLY wanna, goddamn. I would KILL to see this shit, I mean it.

OK, well, moving on, the two make their way through a papyrus swamp, and they get badly stuck in the mud. They’re forced to make their way out of the reeds by getting out and literally towing it through the muck. Charlie does so, while Rose helps from above.

But remember what I said about a lot of shit being in the water? Well, it’s time for leeches! Yay! Charlie seems to think that they’ve poisoned him, but that’s DEFINITELY not how leeches work. You wouldn’t know that, though, as Charlie starts to feel sick. Even so, they have to pull the boat through the muck onceagain, with Rose using a machete to clear the way.

But again, it doesn’t seem to matter, as a fever-stricken Charlie is convinced that the two of them are now permanently stuck in the mud, and that the two will die there. Rose seems to agree, and she prays to God once more, accepting their deaths, and asking for him to be merciful, despite their...weakness? That would seem to indicate that something may have been...consummated. Huh. Go figure.

But God’s not taking them yet, as the heavens produce not mercy, but torrential rain, which covers the giraffes, hippos, lions, and...I think those are puku? Common antelope species found around the river. But the rains also bring salvation, as the risen water level sweeps the boat out of the mud and onto the lake (which is fictional, by the way)!

But even now, after ALL OF THAT, it isn’t over yet, as the Königin Luise is on the horizon, about to spot them! They head back towards the reeds to hide, and narrowly escape. They decide to enact their torpedo plan at night, and spend the next few days making the torpedoes and cleaning the ship.

They argue about who’s going with the ship to take out the Luise, but they decide to both go, as they’d rather not risk losing each other if anything were to happen. They head out under cover of night and rain, and it’s then that something occurs to me...are they gonna make it out of this? Because swimming in a lake as big as this is no...oh, wait, never mind, the boat just sank. Shit.

Rose is lost, and Charlie’s found by the ship, who interrogate him under suspicion of being a spy for the British. He’s sentenced to death by hanging, immediately. And JUST as they do so, they find Rose and bring her to the ship. They embrace each other, but Rose is also interrogated by the “court” of sailors.

Rose, however, don’t give a FUCK, and just STRAIGHT-UP ADMITS THEIR PLAN! Holy shit, lady’s got balls. Charlie goes along with her, and the Captain (Peter Bull) is more intrigued than angry. But, y’know, not really gonna stop the whole “hanging” thing, now is it?

The two are lead onto the deck to be hanged. Meanwhile, the sunken The African Queen is still out there, submerged in the lake, with the torpedoes in tact. As they’re about to be hanged together, Charlie asks the ship’s captain to marry them, in ANOTHER ballsy move. Fuck me, I love this bullshit! Dumbest thing in the world, and yet I completely buy it!

The Captain, agreeing with me, actually does marry them as the nooses are tied around their necks. And that’s when Chekov’s boat is hit, and the whole thing goes down! HOLY FUCK!! Charlie takes the opportunity and throws off the nooses, and the two dive off the boat as the Königin Luise sinks entirely! The two, now married, swim off to the shore. And that’s it!

The African Queen! Another lovely film, with an ending that’s...abrupt as fuck, I’m gonna be honest with you.

But I’ll get into that in the Review! See you there!

#the african queen #john huston #humphrey bogart #katharine hepburn #robert morley #peter bull #romance february #romance film #user365 #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365 movies a year #mygifs #my gifs #hildy-dont-be-hasty #hildydontbehasty

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rabbitcruiser · 3 years

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Madagascar!, Bronx Zoo (No. 2)

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa, where it is present in 26 countries. Due to its widespread occurrence and stable population trend, it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 1996. It is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the central, eastern, and southern regions of the continent, and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers, swamps, and marshlands. Although capable of living in saline environments, this species is rarely found in saltwater, but occasionally inhabits deltas and brackish lakes. The range of this species once stretched northward throughout the Nile, as far north as the Nile Delta. On average, the adult male Nile crocodile is between 3.5 and 5 m (11.5 and 16.4 ft) in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg (500 to 1,650 lb). However, specimens exceeding 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and weighing up to 1,089 kg (2,400 lb) have been recorded. It is the largest freshwater predator in Africa, and may be considered the second-largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Sexual dimorphism is prevalent, and females are usually about 30% smaller than males. They have thick, scaly, heavily armoured skin.

Nile crocodiles are opportunistic apex predators; a very aggressive species of crocodile, they are capable of taking almost any animal within their range. They are generalists, taking a variety of prey. Their diet consists mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. They are ambush predators that can wait for hours, days, and even weeks for the suitable moment to attack. They are agile predators and wait for the opportunity for a prey item to come well within attack range. Even swift prey are not immune to attack. Like other crocodiles, Nile crocodiles have an extremely powerful bite that is unique among all animals, and sharp, conical teeth that sink into flesh, allowing for a grip that is almost impossible to loosen. They can apply high levels of force for extended periods of time, a great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown.

Nile crocodiles are relatively social crocodiles. They share basking spots and large food sources, such as schools of fish and big carcasses. Their strict hierarchy is determined by size. Large, old males are at the top of this hierarchy and have primary access to food and the best basking spots. Crocodiles tend to respect this order; when it is infringed, the results are often violent and sometimes fatal. Like most other reptiles, Nile crocodiles lay eggs; these are guarded by the females. The hatchlings are also protected for a period of time, but hunt by themselves and are not fed by the parents. The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year. It is a rather common species of crocodile and is not endangered despite some regional declines or extinctions.

Source: Wikipedia

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paperanddice · 3 years

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Tears of the Crocodile God 12

Now it’s time for the last big post of this conversion as I build the encounters for the 13th Age version of the adventure. Unlike the 5e one, I actually really like the encounter building rules for 13th Age, and with a system much more focused on balanced combat based on group size I’ll actually build versions of the encounters for groups with 3 to 6 characters. Some will be more straightforward than others, and some of the big boss fights like the Crocodile God itself will be quite a bit tougher for smaller groups, but those groups should have better odds of going in fully stocked thanks to plenty of uses of the Crocodile Fonts to heal, regain recoveries, and possibly recharge daily powers and spells.

Drowning Vault (Monster, Hazard)

With only the one type of monster in this, the drugged up manticores, this is an easy one to set up. I don’t even need a chart or special modifications. Simply use one manticore for every two players (round up), and you’ve got your encounter.

Howling Hunt (Monsters, Shields)

3 Players: 1 tanarukk steel cavalry, 5 howler dread hounds 4 Players: 1 tanarukk steel cavalry, 10 howler dread hounds 5 Players: 2 tanarukk steel cavalry, 5 howler dread hounds 6 Players: 2 tanarukk steel cavalry, 10 howler dread hounds

An easy enough setup regardless of which version of the encounter you run. If you choose to use the Howling Hunt as a result of a campaign loss or characters taking a full heal, if there’s multiple tanarukk have them split up and approach the party from different directions wherever they’ve settled down for a bit more fun. If they’re in the room with the Spellsplinter Shields, have the cavalry use quick actions to switch their shields with the magic shields and encourage players to do so as well. Otherwise just play up the howlers closing in and hunting the party down easily thanks to using the runewheels and any sacrifices the party’s collected.

Statues in Stasis (Monsters, Shields)

3 Players: 5 child statues, 1 empowered child statue 4 Players: 6 child statues, 2 empowered child statues 5 Players: 5 child statues, 2 empowered child statues, 1 teenager statue 6 Players: 5 child statues, 3 empowered child statues, 1 teenager statue

Scatter the animated statues among the places on the map with the shields. Make sure to use shields such as the Fool, Dungeon Door and Mind Flayer on the stronger statues, while the weaker ones start with the Black Dragon and Umber Hulk. Don’t double up on any statues until you’ve got one of each in the encounter, then start repeating the weaker ones. Keep the other statues around for them to pick up during the encounter and for the players to take action to either take them or to just deny the statues from getting them.

Hag’s Lair (Monsters, Hazard)

This one doesn’t require a complicated setup. Simply make use of Old Beshebra the hag, then enough Filth Hag Sons so that there’s one opponent per character. Three characters requires 2 sons, 4 has 3 sons, and so on. Old Beshebra and her sons will take advantage of the movement risks in this move to ensure that vulnerable targets have trouble escaping them and keeping the more dangerous opponents away from Beshebra as much as possible.

Mold King’s Throne (Monsters, Hazards)

This encounter is going to be a mess no matter what, with the 40 crocodiles dropping in slowly, with a bunch of them turning into death mold crocodiles, the death mold itself, the goal of collecting the scroll cases without getting hit by the death mold. I’ll indicate the number of death mold zombies that seems reasonable to include depending on the number of players, but with the constant mooks and environmental threats it’s hard to say exactly how the encounter will play. Do your best.

3 Players: 4 death mold zombies 4 Players: 6 death mold zombies 5 Players: 8 death mold zombies 6 Players: 8 death mold zombies, and adjust the death mold’s action to function up to 3 times per round.

Chained Hydra (Monster)

The hydra should be able to face off against a party on its own. For a group of 3 or 4, just include the one 7 headed venom maw hydra, while a party with 5 or 6 characters can face off against one that’s been bumped up by 1 level. Increases its initiative, attack bonuses, and defenses by 1 each, increase its hit points to 280, adjust its additional head sprouting to give 55 hp each, and increase its damage so that each gnashing teeth attack deals 16 damage on a hit and 8 on a miss, while the venomous spit increases to 8 damage per attack. If you choose to use the nastier special instead, the damage should still be fine for an 8th level hydra.

Mimic’s Parlor (Monster, Brand)

3 Players: 1 impersonator mimic, 5 mimic spawn 4 Players: 1 impersonator mimic, 1 cloaker, 5 mimic spawn 5 Players: 1 impersonator mimic, 1 cloaker, 10 mimic spawn 6 Players: 1 impersonator mimic, 2 cloakers, 10 mimic spawn

Most of the enemies start this fight hiding. If a player willingly sits down, they get stuck and the fight likely starts as soon as they realize they can’t stand up again. Start the battle with that character already grabbed by a mimic spawn, rather than having it use its ambusher ability.

For this encounter, adjust the description of the room a little to stick a whole bunch of additional furniture and debris in the room so that when the mimics use their vanishing trick there’s more things for them to hide among.

As with the 5e version of this encounter, I think that this room can be given an additional fun role play scene where the impersonator mimic offers a dice game to determine if it gives over the hidden brand in the room. If someone sits down to play, it will throw a d6 and add one for each lotus garland the player has. On a result of 7 or higher, the player gets the brand, while anything else results in their death. Of course, anyone who doesn’t have a lotus garland can’t be allowed to leave the room alive, but the mimic won’t reveal that until it’s gathered as much information on who these intruders are as it can.

Guardian’s Run (Monster)

The mummified cyclops on its own is an “even” fight for 8 characters of this level, so pretty much all groups won’t want to tangle with it. It’s not meant to be an actual battle, simply something the characters flee from and avoid by other means. Don’t worry about how unbeatable it is, that’s entirely on purpose.

Crocodile Tears (Monster, Hazard)

Unleash 1 mummified crocodile on groups of 3 or 4, and two of them on groups of 5 or 6. Since this will happen alongside the rising sand trap, things will be interesting enough to be enough of a challenge even for the larger groups in each of those situations.

Crocodile God’s Lair (Monster, Environment)

This one is a bit of a challenge for me. The Crocodile God is a good boss for a group of 3, but for groups above that level it immediately isn’t quite as imposing and dangerous. A group of 4 is technically even with the Crocodile God, and once you get more than that the party now has the advantage. So the God will need some assistance with any group above the minimum. This was something I did not consider in the initial plan, so I am lacking a great instant substitute.

Here’s my solution: Last minute stat block! If facing larger groups, the Crocodile God summons up a few giant crocodiles to help it:

Giant Crocodile Large 7th level mook [beast] Initiative: +9 Clamping jaws +12 vs. AC - 30 damage Natural 14+: The target is also grabbed. It takes 5 ongoing damage as long as this grab lasts. AC 22 PD 21 MD 15 HP 50 (mook) Mook:Kill one giant crocodile mook for every 50 damage you deal to the mob.

3 Players: The Crocodile God 4 Players: The Crocodile God, 2 giant crocodiles 5 Players: The Crocodile God, 3 giant crocodiles 6 Players: The Crocodile God, 5 giant crocodiles

Nephalot’s Quarters (Monsters, Hazard)

Nephalot is not meant to be an easy fight, but the surprise round the characters get help make a huge difference. This will be a test of the player’s ability to focus fire and get the hell out before getting overwhelmed, and so the additional reinforcements will quickly be overwhelming even against a larger group. Each row will have the creatures in the room initially, and then the main round of reinforcements. No matter the size of the group, have 8 crocodile cult acolytes swarm in every round after the reinforcements arrive, just swamping the room and driving players away with an overwhelming number of attacks.

3 Players: Nephalot. Reinforcements: 1 crocodile cult priest. 4 Players: Nephalot. Reinforcements: 1 crocodile cult priest, 2 crocodile cult enforcer. 5 Players: Nephalot, 1 crocodile cult priest. Reinforcements: 3 crocodile cult enforcers. 6 Players: Nephalot, 1 crocodile cult priest. Reinforcements: 1 crocodile cult priest, 3 crocodile cult enforcers.

And with this, I’ve finished my 13th Age conversion of Tears of the Crocodile God. Thanks for following along, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this. If you make use of anything from this conversion at all, even just a monster stat block or a hazard, please let me know! I love to hear whenever someone uses my material.

#13th Age #Adventure #Tears of the Crocodile God

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