I am a geeky Nerd!

I was reviewing technical documents last night… and really enjoying it.  I had my headphones on, listening to our “In A Trance” pandora station, reading about Oracle installations on Unix and Windows servers.  I had to get three documents reviewed before morning, and when I finally wrapped up at 11 pm…  I kind of wanted to do another one.

It is MUCH easier to review documents than it is to write them, which is what I have been doing for the last five years.  But I did hang up my headphones and hit the sack.

Good thing too, because Jack decided to wake up at 5:00 am as opposed to his usual 5:30.  Those extra 30 minutes make all the difference to me in the morning.  I have been pretty grumpy today.

Good thing two weeks of vacation start now!  No more work until Jan 4, 2010!

Now, if I could just shake this damn head-cold.

First Steps

Jack took his first few steps yesterday in the kitchen while Alicia and I watched.  It is hard to describe the feeling of watching him.  He only took two or three tentative steps before going back to crawling, but it was so special and tender to be able to see him try to walk.  I am so glad Alicia and I were both there.

He will be running around the house in no time, so I should enjoy these last few weeks of crawling before he’s onto the next phase.

Things to Teach Jack

Thing 00 – Teach him how teeth are made, both ways.  The first way, build enough tooth to get past the gum, then build again.  And the second way, build the whole tooth and push it through at once.  I think the first way is double plus good.

Thing 01 -When I say, “When you are a big boy…” and Jack says, “I am a big boy!”  Teach him that yes, he is a big boy, but once his new teeth start pushing out his baby teeth, he will be a double plus big boy.  See how long it takes him to read 1984.

Thing 02 – Teach Jack to count on one hand to ten using American Sign Language.  See if it makes him think about addition in a different way.  In order to compare, I will need to build time machine, split the time line and teach him ASL in one time line and both hands in the other.  Then compare.

Or I could just teach him both and see which he likes better.

Jack is Eye Level to a Gnome

This was a gaming blog, and hopefully will be one again soon.  But I thought it would not hurt to have a place to save thoughts about Jack.  He was born on January 5, 2009.  His teeth are now coming in, and man, it is causing everyone to lose a little sleep.  We’d like to have Jack sleep in his crib without being swaddled, but Jack is not to keen on this plan.  There was much screaming yesterday night.

I think we may need to pick our battles, and right now, I am ok with keeping him in a swaddle and “sleep chair” for another couple months.  Then we can start the battle of the crib.

I love Jack’s laugh.  Seriously.  It is one of the most amazing sounds.  He’s a good kid.

Experience – 24 Sep 2008

2625 exp for solving the riddle of Mirrors and Iron Maidens, crossing the lake in the darkness and Penetrating the Inner Sanctum. (exp total is the same as last time? totally by accident!)

>>>>>Highlights<<<<<

“Who wants to go into the Iron Maiden? Tombor does? Ok!”

>>><<<

Rafad: Maybe Coriell should drink some blood…?

Coriell: Yeah… because that is what Rangers do.

>>><<<

“Then Tombor puts the dog into his pants, and spider climbs across the wall.”

>>><<<

Next on the Fishing for Huge Monsters in a Creepy Lake show, how to use Elven Rangers to troll for big game!

>>><<<

Our totals currently look like:

Coriell:

2625 + 19,588 = 22,213 exp

Tombor, Daenerys:

2625 + 19,338 = 21,963 exp

Rafad:

2625 + 19,088 = 21,713 exp

Dymphna:

13,153 exp

These totals represent at least how many experience points you should have. You may have more if you received bonus experience points. For example, Coriell received a 200 exp bonus this time for remembering the oil and “give with the left, give with the right”.

Most of you are now 7th level! Congratulations!

Our Next Gaming Date is:

October ??? (???day) from ? – ? pm

Experience – 24 Aug 2008

500 exp for Role Playing, and finding the Hidden Shrine of the Blood of Vol!

2125 exp for saving the Goblin Market from the Playwright and his minions, and for defeating the initial Shrine Guardians (two Necrosis and four Zombie Bugbears encased in Amber).

Our totals currently look like:

Coriell:

2625 + 16,963 = 19,588 exp

Tombor, Daenerys:

2625 + 16,713 = 19,338 exp

Rafad:

2625 + 16,463 = 19,088 exp

Dymphna:

13,153 exp

These totals represent at least how many experience points you should have. You may have more if you received bonus experience points.

Our Next Gaming Date is:

September 24 (Wednesday) from 6 – 9 pm

Zehra’s Reading

Zehra shuffles the deck and asks each player to draw a card, in the order they entered the room.

Rafad draws The Twin (N Cha card): Duality of purpose or identity

Coriell draws The Marriage (LN Cha card): Union of persons or ideas

Tombor draws The Theater (NG Cha card): True Prophecy

Daenerys draws The Betrayal (NE Cha card): Selfishness leads to ruin

<<<>>>

Zehra spreads out the Harrow deck, and asks the players to draw nine cards. She lays them out according to the positions of the nine alignments.

The Lawful cards represent the past, and are laid out in the first column.

LG Position – Positive Past

The Fiend – LE Str card – Misaligned – Normally, a card of destruction and loss by some great evil, but misaligned it shows salvation from great calamity.

LN Position – Unclear Past

The Marriage – LN Cha card – True Match – A union which brings forth something new. This union will have a huge impact on the world, according to the True Match.

LE Position – Negative Past

The Cyclone – CE Str card – Partial Match – A force which will tear through whatever it meets.

The Neutral cards represent the present, and are laid out in the middle column.

NG Position – Positive Present

The Eclipse – LE Wis card – Misaligned – Normally, a card of self doubt and loss of purpose, but misaligned it shows an unheralded ability coming to the fore or a concealed location revealed.

N Position – Unclear Present

The Courtesan – CN Cha card – Partial Match – Political Intrigue card. The mask is Social Niceties; if it slips, negotiations can take an unexpected turn. Card could also represent a woman of power; how she is treated could decide the outcome.

NE Position– Negative Present

The Crows – NE Dex card – True Match – a dangerous group, violent taking of loved things; murder, theft, shocking loss.

The Chaotic cards represent the future, and are laid out in the last column.

CG Position – Positive Future

The Tangled Briar – LE Con card – True Opposite – Ancient deeds, person or object will have influence. Object or person was lost or murdered in a foul way. Misaligned, the past will bring pain, but also hope. True Opposite, this will bring great pain or great hope or both.

CN Position – Unclear Future

The Theater – NG Cha card – Partial Match – Card of true prophecy. This shows how the prophecy is a show for the prophet, but the prophet has no influence. Partial match in this position shows that the future is particularly unclear, and perhaps beyond your control.

CE Position – Negative Future

The Dance – LG Dex card – True Opposite – The dance is rich and delicate, advising you to stay in perfect step, knowing your place in the greater good. Misaligned, the pattern may just be pretty and hypnotic, and also dangerous. True Opposite, this may lead to catastrophic changes for the worse.

<<<>>>

Players each receive four “Harrow Points” as a result of the drawing. These points can be spent during this adventure in three ways.

Charisma Rerolls: Spend a Harrow Point to reroll any one Charisma-based skill check or turn undead attempt. You must abide by the new result (although if you have additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to attempt additional rerolls).

Inner Strength: Spend a Harrow Point to draw a card from the Harrow deck. Each card in the Harrow deck is associated with one of the six ability scores. You gain a +4 bonus to the card’s associated ability score for the duration of the current encounter (the GM decides when an encounter is officially over). If the card you draw matches your alignment, the bonus increases to +6.

Destiny Shall Not Be Denied: Spend a Harrow Point to force any one d20 roll by the GM to be rerolled. You must abide by the new result (although if you have additional Harrow Points remaining, you can use them to force additional rerolls).

Nux’s Warning

After Nux warned the group not to spill goblin blood in Lower Dura, or word would spread very quickly about “murderous pinkfaces”, he went on to say, “There are goblin clans in Lower Dura who can trace their ancestors back to a time before the humans came here. When, as far as you could travel from this city in a month was ruled by a group of hobgoblin kings. In those days, this city was called Ja’shaarat, meaning Bright Blade.

“Then, 9000 years ago, the daelkyr invaded from the plane of Madness, Xoriat. Though they were defeated, the invasion crushed the Empire of Dhakaan. You have seen the servants of the daelkyr in those thrice damn’d caves, the dolgrims and dolgaunts. The daelkyr used their powers to warp the flesh of the children of Dhakaan, and create the dolgrims and dolgaunts. The daelkyr live deep in Khyber, waiting for the plane of Madness to return.

“After the invasion, the goblins renamed their city Duur’shaarat, Blade of Sorrow.”

So Lower Dura’s people see this as their city. The humans, the elves, the dwarves… all the pinkfaces, they are new here; they are … annoying. Like locust, they will do their damage, gorge themselves… then move on. This city will remain a goblin city.”

When asked why was he helping them, Nux said, “It was good what you did for Vergus. Not sure I would have done it. I am in the Deathsgate Adventurers Guild. We have our own code, maybe a different code from you.”

“And my last job turned out to be for the Blood of Vol. Not that I object to working for them, but they hired me through my old friend from the Last War, Nef’Haz. But it turned out he was a changling.”

“So he was not the Nef’haz you knew?” asked Daenerys.

“Hells, maybe he was! For all I know, he was always a changling.”

“Oh, True! Those changlings are bastards!”

Nux smiled, “Oh. I never say an unkind word about changlings.”

“Ah. I see your point,” mused Daenerys.

“In any case, I felt like the Blood of Vol tried to pull one over on me, so if someone wants to spit in their soup, I would not object. Plus, your friend Victor Saint-Demain is a, how do the humans say? Jack’s Ass.” Nux leaned back, and popped a pork bun into his mouth. “I would like to see him fail.”

Experience – 20 Aug 2008

300 exp for Role Playing

450 exp for facing down the “Neighborhood Watch”

Our totals currently look like:

Coriell:

750 + 16,213 = 16,963 exp

Tombor, Daenerys:

750+ 15,963 = 16,713 exp

Rafad:

750 + 15,713 = 16,463 exp

Dymphna:

13,153 exp

These totals represent at least how many experience points you should have. You may have more if you received bonus experience points. For example, this time Tombor received a 25 exp bonus for remembering the name of the guy with two maces, Nux Two Thuds.

Our Next Gaming Date is:

August 24 (Sunday) from 6 – 10 pm

<<<>>>

Summary in Brief:

9 Olarune 998 YK

Kelly Blades is the owner of the Eleven Bells.

The researcher from Morgrave University, Laren Morrus, is still following Coriell around, taking notes.  He even offer to pay Coriell.  Coriell donates all the money to the temple of Arawai.

Kyle is excited about Crystalfall, since today is the 9th of Olarune. He finally has enough copper to go to the fair and watch. He has taken a shine to Coriell, and asks the group to meet him at the fair. He runs off.

Coriell, Rafad and Tombor go to speak with Capt. Johann Ironfounderson about the escaped Emerald Claw soldiers. Daenerys catches up with them, and gives Coriell the note from Nux Two Thuds, asking them to meet him at Shadow on the Marsh at 4:00 for gaeth’ad.

Rafad and Daenerys head over to the Shadow on the Marsh early to get a lay of the land. Coriell and Tombor run into a stoned ex-Capt. Pardesh, whose guilt is starting to get the better of him. Coriell and Tombor take him to an inn and pay for a room, so he can sleep it off.

The group meets with Nux Two Thuds at Shadow on the Marsh. Nux tells them he was impressed with how they treated Vergus, and helped get Vergus’ apprentice body back to Sharn. “He was a good lad; it was a fine funeral.” They enjoy the gaeth’ad (Crane leaving the Lake and Viper in the Bush). Nux wants to see Victor Saint-Demain lose his bet with Coriell, so he gives them a lead on the Shrine of the Blood of Vol in Sharn. Nux knew someone named Durox, a dwarf, who was searching for the same thing. Last Nux heard, Durox was heading down to Lower Dura to meet with a goblin named Skakan at the Troll Market. Durox wanted to ask him about a “Valve Cluster”.

Nux warns the group not to spill goblin blood in Lower Dura, or word would spread very quickly about “murderous pinkfaces”. See Nux’s Warning.

10 Olarune 998 YK

Everyone but Daenerys pays 10 silver to keep a room at the Eleven Bells for another week. Kyle is paid 7 silver for the next week. Who pays Kyle? Coriell?

They check on Pardesh. Innkeeper tells them that he woke up, punched two elves and stumbled off.

Group heads down into Lower Dura. Daenerys takes her own cab. Rafad notices the same goblin girl who had picked Victor Saint-Demain’s pocket on the first day in Sharn. She has been waiting for him. Her name is Gisa. She speaks to him in Goblin, in Thieves’ Cant. She was sent here by someone named Zehra, who sees things. Zehra expected there to be five of them.

The group goes to meet Zehra. On the way, they face down a “Neighborhood Watch” group. An elf and a dwarf appearing out of the shadows seemed to shake them up a bit. Gisa seems impressed with Rafad’s handling of the situation.

They meet with Zehra in an old mansion in Lower Dura. She reads the cards by candle light and discusses their past, present and future. See Zehra’s Reading. After the reading, Zehra leaves the room.

Gisa takes them to the Troll Market, where they meet with Skakan the goblin merchant. Skakan tries to sell them his goods. Oh, and he’s never heard of a dwarf named Durox. “Wanna buy something?”

Skills to Pay the Bills

Your time in Sharn has been very educational. You have picked up some new skills, either from hanging out in the Morgrave University library, listening to rumors on the streets, reading the Sharn Inquisitive every Wir or just taking the time to expand a personal interest.

You have six skill points to spend on any Knowledge or Profession skills of your choice. You can put them into Knowledge or Profession skills you already have or new skills. You can spread the six points across six skills, put all six into one skill or any combination.

Please just run your choices past me before you spend the points. Mainly, I want to know what skills you are developing, so I can be sure they are useful to you when I am designing the adventures.