CB's City of the Spider Queen v3.5 OOC

[Voadam]

Per the 3.5 MM, duergar are flat-out immune to poison. All poison. Hael, being duergar, would of course know that. What this might reveal with regard to the duergar apparently croaking of poison back in the Playhouse...well...I shall leave you to your own assumptions.

[SBLOCK] and the part where Hael drank and doubled over with momentary pain but overcame it, should he have felt that?[/SBLOCK]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Since that's mere description and the character suffered no lasting effects or anything truly adverse, I had no problem with it.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

My schedule from now until (and the end date is a bit uncertain too) perhaps the first or second week of June will be a little wonky. My spouse is working irregular shifts and in an effort to enjoy time together before he departs for the remainder of the summer months this year, I imagine my posting activity will be a bit different from what it has been. Prior to, I had been trying to get in a post in the mornings my time, or barring that, a post in the late evenings after my children had gone to bed. I will continue to try to get in a morning post or an evening post on a M-F basis. You may find, however, that at times I post later than you might like or on a weekend--my plate for that just opened up for this next few weeks. I'm sorry for the irregularity of my posting activity that's bound to happen until maybe mid-June but you'll in all likelihood still continue to get 5 or more DM posts out of me per week at the rate of one a day or so. It's just that I expect it won't be straight M-F anymore. I don't expect anyone to post over the course of a weekend, so no worries there.

We've been playing a couple of weeks now, so now is an appropriate time to gauge player reaction to the game. If you've time and/or inclination, I would appreciate hearing whatever gripes or likeable things you're feeling with regard to this game. Here or via e-mail is fine. If I know what's in the minds of my players, I can hopefully tweak the game to suit needs and tastes.

 

[Voadam]

Since that's mere description and the character suffered no lasting effects or anything truly adverse, I had no problem with it.

[SBLOCK]That was your original description is why I ask. So as a duergar Hael will automatically overcome poison through toughing it out but not ignore it completely in a descriptive sense. (So if someone tries to poison Hael he will notice even though he will not be mechanically affected).[/SBLOCK]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Interesting point, thank you for calling it to my attention. Sure...I have no problem with the character knowing a poisoning attempt. I could see it either way--knowing or being oblivious--but it will likely prove invaluable to Hael to know if someone's trying to snuff him so it seems a good thing to include in this particular game.

Edit: I'm curious and I haven't researched...does anyone know whether being immune to poison implies automatic oblivion or knowledge of poisoning attempts? For the purpose of our game here, I'm comfortable saying that poison immunity implies knowledge of the attempt, but for another game in another setting I might be inclined to rule otherwise. Is there a supporting rule out there that anyone can dig up?

 

[wmasters]

We've been playing a couple of weeks now, so now is an appropriate time to gauge player reaction to the game. If you've time and/or inclination, I would appreciate hearing whatever gripes or likeable things you're feeling with regard to this game. Here or via e-mail is fine. If I know what's in the minds of my players, I can hopefully tweak the game to suit needs and tastes.

I'm a little new to PbP as a whole, but my two pennies worth is that this adventure, particularly, has captured my imagination and I can't think of anything I'd ask to be improved at the moment. You're doing a great job. It's all been well written, descriptive and flowing. More of the same!

 

[Scotley]

CB, thanks for the heads up re: your posting. It is still a ways off, but I will be traveling for vacation June 8th through the 15th and will not be posting or posting very infrequently. I will toss out a little feedback. I'm enjoying the game so far and am glad to see the work you are putting into details like available equipment (even though Lyssa can't afford anything interesting just now). I like the setup you given us; it makes for some drama and role-play opportunity for Lyssa. Unfortunately, I don't feel I've been able to do justice to it due to being unusually busy myself. In additional to work and family concerns I'm trying to put two of my own games back together as well help a couple of friends with theirs following the data base crash. I also had to rework my characters for the other games I play in. You did a great job getting things back up and running with hardly a bump. The descriptions and events so far have been quite well done. I like the way you have been open to player suggestions and solicited information or advice. I look forward to a long and successful game. I hope to improve the quality of my posting soon. Next week should be a lot better than the last two. The only negative thing I have to say is that I felt the handling of the business with initial outfits (cost and weight) was reactionary and needlessly harsh. Fortunately, that has little bearing on the game or my enjoyment of it. Keep up the good work.

 

[kinem]

So far the game is going well.

CB, Prixo actually has 1 backpack that cost 2 gp and weighs 2 lbs. Yes, the reason for using his magic Quiver is to reduce encumbrance since it acts like a bag of holding. He is near the limit of light encumbrance so every pound counts. The Quiver is described in terms of how many of specific items it can hold, but it is NOT "merely OK" IMO to use it in an innovative way such as holding food. Such creativity is part of the fun of the game.

The arrow compartment is already filled with his 60 poisoned arrows. The largest "bow" compartment currently holds his rope, but I suppose that could be moved to the "javelin" compartment. If he can fit 30 pounds (= 30 days) of food in the large compartment, which I think he could given how large a bow would be, he will do so. The food will not be loose, but will be in cloth bags so as not to soil the Quiver.

 

[Voadam]

Heads up, I will be away and do not expect to have internet access from Friday 5/26 through Sunday June 4.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Thank you for the head's up regarding absences, Scotley and Voadam. Much appreciated.

kinem, here's quote of what I said, just to keep us all abreast and tracking regarding using the Quiver as a pseudo-Heward's Handy Haversack or Bag of Holding:

According to the description of the Quiver of Ehlonna in the 3.5 DMG, a quiver isn't really intended to be used as a backpack. I don't really care, though, as long as you don't get too abusive with things. Devoting one of the three chambers to small food items like nuts, strips of dried meat, etc. should be fine. Since Prixo is a bow specialist, you may want to use the javelin compartment over the arrow or the bow compartment for food storage. The javelin compartment is slightly longer than the other two and can hold up to 18 javelins. Whatever you feel you can reasonably fit in there for food will suffice. I note that Prixo does have two backpacks in his current inventory, though. Were you wanting to put the food in the quiver to reduce encumbrance?

Perhaps it isn't clear in the wording, but I encourage you to use the Quiver's javelin compartment to store miscellaneous small items because I know your character is a longbow specialist and will be using the bow and arrow compartments for actual bows and arrows--with the exception of the rope in the bow compartment, with which I'm fine. The rope should be able to stay where it currently is in the bow compartment. What does Prixo currently have in the javelin compartment? I had assumed that there was room there for the food you're wanting to store. I re-referenced Prixo's character sheet and now note that what I thought was a quantity is acutally a weight, so we're clear on that. Prixo has one backpack. I do understand needing to stay at a certain encumbrance and am willing to work with players to help you all achieve the desired end. My concern, as DM, is that players don't try to tweak the capabilites of gear to the point of being broken...which is why a few posts ago I said "whatever you feel you can reasonably fit in there for food will suffice."

I certainly hope you understand that I wish to foster creativity without simultaneously playing totally and completely outside the rules, which in my opinion is equally as important because the rules exist to create a level playing field for ALL the players. So, again, storing miscellaneous small items in a Quiver is fine (in this example, we're talking about food). The Quiver, however, isn't a Bag of Holding and doesn't cost or weigh anywhere near what even the smallest Bag of Holding does and thus shouldn't be too badly abused in terms of being asked to carry equipment and gear. As stated early on in the game, I trust to my players' discretion.