Sunday, July 18, 2004

Magic @ OTH Sat 7/17/04

I started planning the details for this about a month ago, when I got the itch to do something with Magic: The Gathering again. What I figured was that there would be some other people who would enjoy a booster draft, people who missed organized Magic games since Area 51 closed a couple of years ago. With Richard at Old Town Hobby (Shelton, WA) carrying gaming stuff now, I knew that was the place, since there's a meeting room upstairs. He's a great guy, and was all for it. Originally, it was going to be $12.50 and he dropped it to $10, with good prizes, did an in-house flyer and a couple of ads in the Journal. I called the guys two weeks ahead, a couple of days ahead and a couple of guys on the day of to remind them.
    We had eight players, plus me to judge and score, armed with a fresh copy of Scrye. It took a little while to get going (sign ups began at 10, initial play at 11:15), but everyone seemed happy to be there and willing to wait a bit for a couple of guys. The boosters were Dark Steel, Mirrodin, and Fifth Dawn. Richard also threw in one free dice from his jar for each player. I randomly determined table seating and initial pass direction. Drafting took about 40 minutes or so, and deck assembly took about another half hour. 
   After 3 rounds (Swiss scoring) of intense competition, the rankings were pretty close to settled. The final four ended up as Zach, John, Carson and Ian. The 5-8 ranked players were Jon, Chaun, Beau and Sam. I had a great time, and there were very few occasions where anyone needed a ruling. I had John act as 2nd judge, since he has kept current with the new cards. Thanks to everybody, we all had a great time, see you on the 3rd Saturday in August and September! - Dave

Monday, July 12, 2004

Second Saturday in July

7-10-04, 12-6 pm. Well, it must be summer. Of my 10 players (give or take), only 4 made it to the D&D game. A concert, work, no answer, a family vacation and life in general are happening this time of year, and I understand. But it was a great session. Roddy, Robby, Carson and Shane played Revan (3rd Lvl. H Pal), Joseph Prax (3rd Lvl. H Cler.), Taito (3rd Lvl. H Mnk) and Flegal (3rd H Rgr). The party had finished the previous month's session in Moporia, one of the biggest cities in my post-Tenneous Aarde campaign. For this group, I haven't driven home just how nasty the Purple Order (high elf invasion) can be, and I've still got a ways to go. Revan had the greatest suspicion of Priestess Tillaplum (The Plum Priestess) of the Amaranth temple when she offered to teach the party any crafts or skills they wanted for nothing more than a bit of help making things, since the elves there were few, but with lots of skills and much to do and make, just needing some extra hands. The party agreed to come with her, above Revan's initial impression. "She's a WITCH," he said for no apparent reason. But Taito wanted to learn about Brewing, Joseph was interested in Armory and Blacksmithing related skills. Flegal wanted to learn more about herbalism and apothacary supply. So Revan was convinced he would learn a skill, and he decided on Rope Use. The NPCs, Geena (3rd Dw. Ftr), Telpin (2nd gn. Brd) and Mick the Gangly (2nd H Ftr) went along with the rest of the party, into the temple. Everyone learned some skills, a rank or two, though it was more difficult for those without the Int bonuses, such as Taito. Only later, after a week or so, was the problem discovered. The elves would not allow their "indentured servants" to leave. And each of them was armed with wands of charm person, which they used repeatedly to keep gaining the benefits of free labor, the fruits of which were products being sold in several neighboring markets. Those who could resist were told they would be allowed to leave the next day (or anything they wanted to hear to keep them until they fell asleep), given beer and wine (and maybe a Forget spell or two), and the next day, they woke up in jail cells. From the jail cells, a few were taken (in their sleep) for experimentation by evil elvish wizards and clerics, or tortured. Revan was transmuted into a female elf, and unspeakable acts were done to her by at least one of the guards. Joseph Prax finally prayed for 3 shatter spells (his god is good, but also a god of vengeance and destruction and grants shatter). Three guards used their wands of charm person on him, but he resisted. He then cast sanctuary, an underrated spell. Now they needed to make saving throws to attack him. Because they had not yet stripped armor off of the prisoners (so as not to wake them when they put them in their cells) even the attacks that could be made on Joseph missed. He then shattered free 3 of the others, they fought the guards, took their maces and keys, and eventually battled their way to freedom. They captured the transmuter who had changed Revan into a female elf, and after some consideration of advantages and disadvantages, Revan was convinced to use the opportunity to change back into his original human male self. Telpin and Mick the Gangly are now 3rd level, and the party found multiple potions of undetectable evil, several wands of charm person, and monetary treasure that worked out to 900 gp per person.

My next session is the Wednesday group, in two days (Wednesday 7/14/04 6-9 pm). I need to put my brain back in underdark mode and get a good session ready. Until next time, keep hack'n & slash'n... - Dave