Defenders of Daybreak, The Early Years.

Piratecat

Sesquipedalian
That's it; after that glorious retelling, I'm subcontracting out all of my story telling to Sialia! Oh my goodness, but that was fine.
 

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Sialia

First Post
thatdarncat said:


"aw come on 'rath, besides I think the professor's getting wise. I think last week's translations were a little too good. I'll see what I can do while you tell us the rest of the story?"

Are you kidding? It was totally too good. Didn't I tell you I scribed up the draft with you as lead author, popped over and presented it at one of Master Deltarion's symposiums way over in Gont, and then cited it in the write up I handed in?

Prof thinks you're brilliant, and I got credit for being up to date on the literature. So no sweat, 'k?

Actually, truth, I wouldn't hold even a story hostage. I was just kinda hoping to stall for time so's maybe one of the other Defenders who was actually present at the battle where everyone fell could tell you about it.

Apparently, Tao was amazing, and even managed to damage some of the foe after she had been giftwrapped head to toe in iron bands. She levitated using some gizmo or other, flipped herself upright by wrapping her toes around the edge of a table, and then belched fire breath all over a bunch of them.

Full of surprises, that lady, eh?

Master Deltarion said he might be willing to step in and reminisce about the debacle, but he's been a little preoccupied. I'll see what I can do about getting him occupied with this stuff.

Anyway, I'm working on the write up of the rest of what happened on the beach, it just may take a bit. I've got some other goodies to throw your way while we're waiting. Stay tuned.
 

thatdarncat

Overlord of Chat
Sialia said:


Are you kidding? It was totally too good. Didn't I tell you I scribed up the draft with you as lead author, popped over and presented it at one of Master Deltarion's symposiums way over in Gont, and then cited it in the write up I handed in?

Prof thinks you're brilliant, and I got credit for being up to date on the literature. So no sweat, 'k?


Wow, really? Hmmm ok, I'll get to work on the rest of the translations right away.

Actually, truth, I wouldn't hold even a story hostage. I was just kinda hoping to stall for time so's maybe one of the other Defenders who was actually present at the battle where everyone fell could tell you about it.

It's no problem, I've been a lil crazy with new job, looking for work, gaming (twice a week, yay!) and girlfriend. I think things will maybe be a little more sane this week so we'll see what we can do.
 

Knightfall

World of Kulan DM
Blink. Blink.

Finally... got... to the... end.

Now what do I read? Oh well, I'm sure P'Cat will update the other one eventually.

Great storytelling, keep it coming...

RPB
 

Sialia

First Post
Ok, I know I'm way overdue for a post. I've just had a hideous week of disconnectivity.

Ok, so it wasn't really all that hideous. The basking on beaches and snorkeling part wasn't so bad. And the tropical birds were pretty cool.

And the tour through the botanical gardens at Waimea Falls, well, I wish you were all there.

We had this tram driver that barely looked old enough to have a drivers license. And the tram was pretty full and one of the passengers, who looked like he might be 16 at a generous estimate, scrambled up into the seat next to the driver and said, "Can I sit up here?"

And the tram driver said, "If ya wanna give the talk."

"Sure," says the kid. "I'm Mike. I just got in from Colorado last night, so I know everything."

The tram driver leans over into the microphone and announces to the entire tram, "Hi, I'm your driver, Bill. And this is Mike, who's been with the park since 1975 and he's gonna give the horticultural talk today."

And starts to drive. As might be expected, Mike's grasp of horticulture is a bit on the thin side, but Bill has been through the performance enough times that he's enjoying having a straight man.

A typical exchange went like this:

Bill: "And coming up we have the Hibiscus collection."

Mike: "What's a Hibiscus?"

Bill: "You know, red flower, trumpet shaped, has stamens and pistils shooting out of the center? State flower of Hawaii?"

(Bill's dad's shirt, which is about 2 feet in front of Bill and facing him, is completely covered in pictures of hibiscus flowers, but he remains oblivious to my pointing helpfully at them.)

Mike: "Hibiscus. Cool."

Bill: "Actually, I believe 'rad' is the appropriate term to use when describing the hibiscus."

Mike: [agreeably] "Rad."

And so on.

It was like watching older Dylrath and younger Dylrath having a conversation with himself. Bandeeto and I nearly split a gut.

More updates to come. Thanks for waiting.
 
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Sialia

First Post
'K one other funny Hawaii story, and then I promise, back to business.

Bandeeto bought a ukelele.

A green one, with white hibiscus flowers painted all over it. We've been referring to it as the "teeny tacky tinny tourist ukelele," and I'm gonna make him set that phrase to music once he figures out how to keep the thing in tune. It's pegs are a little on the loose side, and it tends to slide out of true after about four strums.

So I'm telling Kidcthulhu about our adventures investigating the Aeos worshippers of the islands and I tell her about the uke'. I say, "The good news is, he hasn't really gone and blown a proficiency slot on the thing. The bad news is, he hasn't really blown a proficiency slot on the thing."

And she says to me, "There is no proficiency in ukelele."

I was going to write up a Dylrath and Arcade short story about Arcade's attempts to breed a hideous misbegotten miniature guitar (anyone recall that Dylrath has perfect pitch?) but it's just too grim to think of the two of them goofing off drinking mai tais while the rest of the Defenders tiptoe through the undead underdark.

Hey, I oughta set that to music, too.
 

Knightfall

World of Kulan DM
Dylrath is definitely my favorite character in these stories. I'm going to have to add him to my own campaign, as a student at Mathghamhna (that's the Arcane Order to all those not familiar with the 2E accessory, College of Wizardry).

Any chance that we'll see his character sheet on the Defenders website?

RPB

Thread Hijack!!!

BTW, I'd really like it if P'Cat, Bandeeto, Sialia and the rest of you guys take a peek at my Divinity War StoryHour and tell me what you think. Here's a quick link...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=18997

End of hijack...
 

Sialia

First Post
Whoa. Flattery. I love it.

Many thanks. I look forward to checking out your storyhour!

I'm not sure if Dyrlath's stats are up anywhere or not. I know that P'Cat has the latest version, except that his spell list is completely wrong. P'cat had to guess about that part, cause the change to being a real arcane spellcaster all happened just as I was moving away away. I've only gotten to guest play Dylrath with the new 3rd ed stats and 4th level spellcasting abilities once. (He always gadgeted his spellcasting previously.)

If I were picking out 'Rath's spells myself, I'd pick lots of divination, and plenty of illusion, and a handful of multipurpose spells like Unseen Servant that you can use for almost anything. Probably continue to use gadgets for most of the major kaboom. One or two good blowing crud up spells, just in case, but it's not the focus.

Dylrath always counted on hanging out with folks who were better at blowing things up than he was, and had a lot of healing magic on hand. Dylrath was the kind of person who always counted the other party members as being in his inventory.

He's a support character, who makes it easier for the heavy hitters on his side to get their jobs done, and much harder for the heavy hitters on the opposing side to pay attention to what they thought they were doing. Or at least, that's the intent. I won't say there hasn't been the occasional screw up.

Dylrath's original stats were S 14 I 13 W 9 D 18 Co 14 Ch 9. Some of that changed during the transition to 3rd ed, and there were some items used also, I think, to boost the int to something that could plausibly handle spells. A periapt of intellect?

I know the thieving stats are all done differently now, but it's worth knowing what they were in 2nd ed, at his level of mastery:
PP 55
OL 60
FRT 65
MS 55
HiS 55
DN55
CW 70
RL 55

Ok, anybody? Yes, thank you, you with the spectacles. Quite right, I'm glad someone is paying attention:

At his level of mastery, Dylrath had a barely better than even chance of succeeding at anything.

God, I loved playing that boy.
 
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Knightfall

World of Kulan DM
Ok, something strange is going on. Why are there two different Early Year threads that are nearly the same?

If you link to the Defenders of Daybreak, The Early Years from the main Story Hour forum you get a thread that is 7 pages long. But if you link to 'Defenders Get Buried Up to the Neck in Sand' link in Sialia's sig you get almost the exact same thread with 13 pages.

And when I tried to post to the 13 page thread it wouldn't let me. It told me that I didn't have the rights. Then I relogged in from that thread and it said no valid thread was found. Then I went to the 7 page thread and tried to preview the post... success.

KF

EDIT: Ok, the post worked but when I tried to edit it the first time it failed again. I had to relog in a second time. There's an electronic doppleganger thread on the board.

[13 Page Thread]
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=4167&perpage=20&pagenumber=13

[7 Page Thread]
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=4167&perpage=40&pagenumber=7

Hope it works this time. It didn't... had to do it again.
 
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