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D&D

D&D Sessions: The Road to Charis

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This is part of a larger series. Check out the full story here!

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It was a warm day when they leave the school. I few birds fly overhead, slightly obscuring the cloudless sky. A light refreshing breeze passes over them, giving them a brief moment of respite from the heat of the sun. Dust settles on their boot straps as they move carefully through the forest. They leave the mountains and the school behind them. It disappears behind the growing canopy. B.U.D. moves the most confident, despite not quite knowing where he is going. His head is caught up on the parameters of his mission. There are a lot of new and wonderous items in this forest and B.U.D. attempts to collect them all. All in the name of the mothership.

Jalila and Tal follow close behind B.U.D., constantly pulling him back to the path whenever he veers too far from the path. Their sighs become as common as the bird songs that follow them on their journey.

“B.U.D. come back!” Jalila yells, sounding more and more annoyed as the day grows longer. For a moment, B.U.D. will follow the directions and walk at stride with his companions, but this is short lived as something new and shiny always plucks him from the path. Tal and Jalila continue after him. Making sure he never gets too far from the party.

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Varus and Zamir keep their distance and watch the spectacle curiously. They are amused by their struggle and never once offer to help. Zarmir chuckles as he watches Jalila and his brother struggle with their large metal friend. Night begins to fall on the party. They are behind schedule but it is getting too dark to move safely through the forest. They search for a safe place to set up camp. Varus builds a small fire.  Zarmir sits and chews on some of his dried rations as he polishes his glaive. Tal begins to prep the various ingredients for a rabbit stew. Jalila finds a tree to lean against and drops to her seat. She takes off her boots and massages her feet letting out a sigh of relief. Without looking up she says “We need to tie you up B.U.D.

B.U.D Claps and replies “I had a busy day! Look at all the data I have gathered for the mother ship” B.U.D begins to set down a myriad of rocks, plants and other odd objects he found along the way. He begins to organize it by type and size, mentally documenting the novelty of each item. Satisfied with their placement, he begins to pop each item into his mouth, swallowing it in turn. He savors the item. Not the taste, B.U.D has no sense of taste, but the new experience he collects from each item. As much as he is proud to have collected items for the mothership, it is his own curiosity in tandem that motivates him to complete his mission.

“So” Tal asks as he chops carrots.  “What’s the mothership?”

“Thank you for asking” B.U.D. replies with a large grin in his face, “The mothership is where I come from. She made me and she gave me my mission.”

“Excuse me? What mission?” Zarmir perks up. He eyes his metal classmate suspiciously.

“The mothership has sent me to this planet to learn all I can about it” B.U.D. continues to eat away at his collection in between replies.

“What are you gunna do with it?” Zarmir grows more suspicious.

“Do? It is my mission to learn everything there is about this planet for the mothership” B.U.D says, excited to talk about the mothership to his friends.

“Why?” Varus asked, also suspicious by the answers.

“Because the mothership asked me too. It is my mission.”

“This isn’t going anywhere” Jalila chimes in “How do you collect data anyways?”

“Oh it’s quite a simple processes. I put the items I have collected into my mouth. They are pulled down into my, I guess you would call it a stomach, where nanobots break down the item to its basic components. I then analyze said components and collect the data. The data is then saved into my memory at which point it is duplicated and sent to the mothership  through a special connection I share with her”

“Ok?” Tal replies, not quite understanding the answer. There is a shared confusion that washes over the group as they try to piece together the nonsense of B.U.D.’s reply. “So, where does the mothership come from?”

B.U.D. perks up at the sound of the question and with his voice full of excitement he replies “Well the mothership has always been. She comes from mothership before that who comes from the mothership before that. And she comes from the mothership before that. And she comes before the mothership before that. And…”

“Ok we get it! But what planet do you come from?” Tal asks.

“I don’t come from a planet. I come from the mothership who comes from the”

“Stop!” Zarmir interrupts, his head beginning to throb ” We get it B.U.D. Thanks” He is unsure what to think of his new classmate or his mission, but he sure is annoyed by B.U.D’s strangeness.

B.U.D. continues eating his collection of items. He wanders a bit as he spots new mysteries around the camp.

The night settles and the only light they share is the fire that sits between all of them. Tal passes out the bowls of hot soup. The sounds of slurping and idle chatter fills the space and drowns out the sounds of the owls and crickets. They watch as the smoke floats away into darkness. Suddenly, a russtling in the forest interupts their peace. They can hear the sound of footsteps crunching at leaves and twigs and moving violently through shrubs and bushes.  Arms reach for weapons. Bowls are placed gently on the ground. Bodies stand up quietly and move slowly to greet whatever it is that comes for them.

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A lone figure steps out of the forest. He is a slender man with shoulder length black hair. He is sweety and dirty. His hair matted from the sweat humidity. He looks at the party as the feeling of fear and apprehension overcomes him.  He throws his empty hands out in a feeble attempt to ward off oncoming attacks and shouts “No wait! I saw the fire and came to check it out. I mean no harm. I’m a bard!”

Zarmir and Varus keep their weapons trained on the stranger. They eye him closely. His clothes are dirty and covered in small tears from travel. Over his shoulders hangs a small worn bag that has begun to fray at the seams.  There is no visible weapon on him. Zarmir moves closer,  closing the distance between him and the stranger. He places the blade end of the glaive inches from the stranger’s chest. The metal rings that line the dull end of the glaive jingle as the blade comes to a stop. Zarmir in a hostile voice says “Who are you? What are you dong here?”

Caught off guard by the sudden hostility, the stranger nervously lets out “Um. I. My name. My name is. Is Rodrigo and I um. Can you please point that somewhere else?” Rodrigo motions slowly towards the glaive and waits for an answer. Without a word, Zarmir moves closer, now pressing the blade to Rodrigo’s chest. The cold polished steel makes a small cut in his tunic. Rodrigo swears he can feel the blade digging into his skin. He swallows hard, his hands start to shake. Cold sweat starts to run down his back. His voice shakes as he lets out  “I’m not. Im not here to fight. I saw the fire and thought you were adventurers. I didn’t want to be alone in the dark in this forest. I’m on my way to Charise. To visit my aunt. I swear that’s all it is. I don’t have any weapons, check my stuff” He drops his small bag by his feet. Zarmir watches Rodrigo closely, still filled with mistrust.

“Back up” Zarmir orders, he pushes the glaive a bit into Rodrigo’s chest who moves back slowly. His hands still shaking and raised. Sweat starts to fall down the side of his brow and glistens with the light of the fire. Zarmir reaches down and opens the bag. He spreads the contents around on the dirt. Within the small bag there is a journal full of stories and poems and songs.  A worn out pen and half a bottle of black ink. There is a flute, polished and delicately wrapped in cloth. There are a few dried food rations and a waterskin that is mostly full. Zarmir drops the blade from Rodrigo’s chest. We walks away from the mess he’s made, back to his bedroll where he picks up his bowl and continues to eat. He watches Rodrigo from the corner of his eyes.

Rodrigo picks up his belongings. Taking long breaths as he tries to calm himself. His hands still shake. “So. Would it be all right if I spent the night here with you guys. I won’t be any trouble I swear.” He slings the bag over his shoulder and waits for a reply.

“I don’t see a problem with that” Tal says as he begins to pluck at his lute.

“Thanks a lot. This forest is no joke” Rodrigo drops to the ground and takes off his bouts. He breaths a loud sigh of relief as he wiggles his toes in the fresh air. “So what brings you guys out here?”

Tal still a bit suspicious replies “We are going to Charis to investigate some issue the village is having.

Rodrigo perks up at the mention of the town. “Wow that’s a coincidence. Would you guys mind if I tagged along for the rest of the way? I can play music, tell stories, jokes?”

The party is silent until it becomes uncomfortable. B.U.D. is the first one to break the silence. He says in his happy go lucky tone “Yes that seems logical. We are going the same way.”

Rodrigo eyes B.U.D. curiously. With the tension settled, Rodrigo looks at B.U.D. for the first time. His metallic body glistens in the light of the fire. It isn’t armor, he thinks to himself. At least not the kind that can be removed. “What are you?” Rodrigo finally lets out, not quite sure what to make of this strange creature. He had never seen anything like this. He pulls out the journal from his bag and begins to take notes. He describes B.U.D. in short bullet points.

Metal humanoid. Seems to speak and understand common.

B.U.D. replies ” I am a Biomechanical Universal Diplomat and I was sent here by the mothership to learn everything I can about your planet. People here call me B.U.D.” Rodrigo starts taking notes furiously, squinting at the letters on the page he can just barely make out.

“What is the mothership?” Rodrigo asks without lifting his gaze from his notes.

“Well the mothership made me and tasked me to come to this planet to gather data. She comes from the mothership before that who comes from the mothership before that who…”

The rest of the party move as far away as possible from the two. Jalila and Tal relieved that someone else gets a turn with B.U.D. Zarmir and even Varus chuckle to themselves as they hear the murmurs of the endless loop that is the story of the mothership.  

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The Gambler: A God for Homebrew

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I want to take a moment to discuss a little homebrew idea I have been milling over. I have done some play testing, but the idea is still raw and I am more than open for any feedback.

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The gambler is the trickster god. He appears to the players and offers them power, health, strength, and even a wish, but there is a catch depending on the deal they strike. I plan to have the gambler apear once per story arc in my campaign and interact with only one player character at a time. He will offer them four contracts and it is up to them to choose if they want to enter into one or not. If they do not, the gambler will move on to the next character. I will do this out of game to keep it an overarching mystery in my campaign. The gambler and the deal struck with him must always remain a secret. Any buffs and debuffs gained from entering a contract are permanent and can’t be undone, even by magic. Player characters are limited to one contract per session with the gambler.

There are two cardinal rules when dealing with gambler

  1. You must never speak about the gambler or the deal you have made with him. This includes above the table conversations that happen out of character.
  2. Deals that are made can’t be unmade

The gambler will present the players with four different contracts, of which they can only choose one. He will offer them accuracy, power, endurance, and a wish. Each contract has it’s own components and set of consequences.

Contract of Accuracy

This contract grants the user a truer aim against enemies. If the player chooses this contract, she will gain advantage on the first hit on a new enemy. This includes spell attacks and ranged attacks. A new enemy is one that has not been previously attacked by this character. The enemy can already be damaged. In exchange for this buff, the player must forfiet 30% of their total health excluding temporary hitpoints.

Example: The barbarian makes this deal. For simplicity she has 100 total hp. After this deal she will have 70.

Breach of contract will result in in disadavantage on all first attacks against new enemies and the 30% life lost.

Contract of power

Taking this contract grats the player better stats. If a player chooses this contract, they can choose one base stat to increse by one point. In exchange, the player character must give lose a point in another stat. Stat points can not surpass 20.

Example: The barbarian takes this contract because she wants a better constitution. Her current constitution is 16, if she takes this deal it will not be 18. In exchange she will give up a point in intellegence turning her 10 into an 8.

In addition to exchanging points, the player will owe the gambler one favor that he can call on at any time in the campaign. It doesn’t have to be right away and there should be tangible consequences that affect the story. It is important to note that this should be a task that uses a skill they are not proficient in. They will get three opertunities to complete a favor for the gambler, but they only have to succeed once. There is always the option to decline the proposal but doing so results in a fail. Failing to complete a favor for the Gambler will result in a breach of contract.

Example: The party goes to the magic shop to stock up on potions. As the barbarian waits for her turn she hears the Gambler’s voice in her head say “I am here to collect. This merchant has a very rare magical sword crafted with enchanted dwarven steel. Steal it for me and our deal deal is done” The barbarian with low stealth and sleight of hand will attempt to steal the sword if she chooses.

If this contract is breached, the character will take a -2 to the buffed stat. If she had a +3 in the buffed stat, she will now have a +1. The point that was traded previously will remain traded. This deal cannot be repeated unless the favor has been completed.

Contract of Endurance

Taking this contract will make the player sturdier. If the player takes this contract, they will gain 20% of their total health and 1 point added to their armor class. In exchange, the player will always start with 2 failed death saves.

Example: The barbarian who takes the deal starts off with 100 hp and will end up with 120 hp

If this contract is breached, the player will take a 20% loss in their hp and they will lose 1 point to their AC, in addition to the points added to their initial total. The 2 failed death saves will remain.

Wish

A player who enters this contract will get access to the wish spell in exchange for their soul. A player who chooses this contract will fail all their death saves and cannot be revived by any means. The sould of the player’s will be in the Gambler’s service. For the rest of the campain, the sould of the character will hunt down the party.

Example: The barbarian uses the wish spell to get a new axe. The barbarian dies and the gambler comes to take her soul. For the rest of the campain, the party will encounter the soul of the barbarian who comes to kill the party.

If this contract is breached, the gambler apears to the player and takes her soul right then and there. No saves, no fight, just instant death. There are a few caviats to this contract. Contracts made with the Gambler cannot be undone by the wish spell. The gambler cannot be undone by the wish spell. A soul taken by the gambler cannot be persuaded or reasoned with. Nor can it be retrieved or revived. This deal can only be made once.

This is Important

It is important that the players keep their deal a secret. Even if eventually all the players have made a deal with the Gambler, they can not speak about it. The gambler chooses who he wants to apear to and can’t be summoned, even after a deal has been struck.

What do you think? Any ideas on how I can improve this system?

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D&D Sessions: A Warforged’s Backstory

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This is part of a larger on going story. Click here for the full story!

ALIEN MOTHERSHIP by DorianoArt on DeviantArt

Our story begins on a large bio-mechanical ship. The large circular ship moves through space on a mission to learn everything it can about the universe. It is within its metal walls where it all begins. The mothership is life. From the outside, the ship looks alone and almost abandoned as it journeys through space but inside it is alive. Inside you find the endless rows of pods of dormant warforges. Smaller versions of the mothership, designed and manufactured to carry out the ultimate mission. Each one is meticulously created for the greater purpose. In the darkness, large arms move franticly, checking vitals, making repairs, and birthing those ready to be awaken.

Interior mothership concept. by alexdrummo on DeviantArt

Today is B.U.D.’s birthday. A long arm connects to his pod. Slowly it checks for vitals as it begins the awakening protocols. It begins to upload the history of the mothership and feelings of fondness towards the her. It uploads important objectives and protocols and any pertinent to the mission. He is also imbued with  an unrivaled curiosity. Aside from that, B.U.D. is a blank slate, eager to learn.

The arm detaches from the pod. B.U.D.’s eyes open slowly. He is blinded by the light. He blinks wildly as his eyes become accustomed to the light. The shadows come first, slowly creeping up against the corners. Slowly the colors start to fill in, erasing the white that blinds him. Details are made clearer until he sits in his pod staring at an empty metal corridor. Hot steam blows out from a nearby vent. He is mesmerized by the beauty of the mothership and stands there motionless.

Warforged Cleric by ThatweirdguyJosh on DeviantArt

A voice in his head directs him to his first objective, get to the pod. Prepare for departure.

A strip of light on red light illuminates a path that turns down a corridor, leading him away from his ship. He follows it past the rows of dormant pods. Past arms in a frenzy with pre-programmed instructions. Past the pipes that leak hot steam at almost random intervals. As he walks, he takes it all in. Every curve, pipe, sound that fills his head with wonder and amazement. He commits everything to memory and moves in silence. He follows the lights until he comes to a pair of doors that slide open revealing an area just big enough for him to stand snuggly. He fits himself in and watches as the hatch closes. There is a small window for him to see out of. A large console wraps around him full of monitors, buttons, switches, dials, and blinking light. A moment of silence goes by as he sits in darkness. He feels a rumbling coming from somewhere in his new pod as he is spit out into space. 

In his amazement, he looks onto the Mothership. He analyses every feature he continues to float away slowly from the massive ship. Another strange rumbling from within and he watches as the pod adjusts itself, aiming towards an unknown direction The rockets fire and he watches as the Mothership disappears into the darkness. Time passes. He spends his waking hours looking out the window and listening some of the data that was left for him to learn.

Eventually the ship enters the orbit. B.U.D. watches the bright blue mass grow in front of him. Around him, the air heats up turning red as it falls through the atmosphere towards the continent of Wild Mount. The pod lands in a massive explosion that shakes the whole continent. Large chunks of earth and trees give way as it nestles itself into a giant burning crater. A large cloud of dust and smoke hide him from the rest of the world. The hatch pops off and a mixture of hot and cool air hit B.U.D. instantly. It takes him a moment to get out, mostly because he is distracted by the smoke and the dust and the fire. He takes his first step. His feat lands on soft chard earth. He feels bits of gravel scratch at the souls of his feet. With increasing confidence, he takes more steps until he is out of the massive crater.

latest (1280×720) (nocookie.net)

He watches the crater as the smoke and dust continue to do their dance in the north blowing wind. But he also makes out the nature he has disrupted. The green of the trees that sit somewhat skewed away from him. He is overwhelmed by this new influx of color that he stands there motionless for a long lingering moment. He takes more slow steps towards nature as he stops constantly to collect new data. Rocks, sticks, flowers, anything new to send to the mothership. He pops them in his mouth, his body digests it. Analyzing everything in it’s composition and saves as data that he will later send out to the mothership in the form of what he calls prayer.

He is distracted when the army comes. Guards armed in shinning new armor. Weapons are drawn with fingers tightly laced around their hilts. He is distracted by the world so he doesn’t here the archers knot their bows and take cautious aim at this strange creature. He is so distracted that he doesn’t hear them advance slowly behind him. Studying him. Judging him. Trying to decide whether he be friend of foe.

Captain Trainer leads his men silently. His armor freshly polished, his sword sharpened, his heart beating furiously in his chest he moves forward. When he is at earshot he lets out in feigned confidence

“State your business. Are you friend or foe?”

B.U.D. hears the new sound and begins to process it. He turns around and sees for the first time humanoids slowly moving towards him. Data for the mothership he thinks to himself. He opens his mouth and parrots the words that greeted him.

“What the fuck is that?” a guard whispers nervously to his group. They move forward with caution as B.U.D puts another flower in his mouth. When he turns around, he spots a few soldiers inching forward. Unsure at what to do he waves his arms wildly.  The soldiers tense up. The captain of the troop is the first to speak

“Where are you from? What are you doing here? Did you cause that racket?” Bud repeats the words, not quite understanding the common.

“Do you understand me?” no real response. Captain Trainer sighs and in his growing frustration and confusion he asks “Are you a fucking Kenku?”

B.U.D keeps repeating the new sounds, stringing them in random order. Confused by this response, Captain Trainer tightens his grip on his sword. His men tense up as he inches closer and closer to the creature who stands, watches, and spouts nonsense in common. “My name is John Trainer. I am captain of the royal army military guard. We are here investigating a strange explosion. Did you cause that explosion?”

Still no answer, instead B.U.D. takes a flower he holds in his hand and pops it in his mouth.

Captain Trainer sees his and says “I’m going to get close to you and give you this flower, yum” Captain Trainer begins to mime with his hands, hoping the creature understands gestures. B.U.D. sees this and begins to mime as well. Captain Trainer reaches out his hand with the flower. B.U.D. moves to accept making all the soldiers tense up, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. Captain Trainer uses his free hand to motion his men to continue holding. His heart races and a thick dirty beads of sweat run down his temple. He can see the detail etched into B.U.D.’s armor. It isn’t armor he realizes almost instantly, it is his skin. The metal beast moves his hands to accept the flower “Kenku Trainer Army” he spits out as he grabs the flower. Trainer feels the cold metal on his skin. He sees the unnatural mechanics that allow this creature to move. For a moment the world is still as they continue to decide on whether or not this beast is friend of foe.

It takes a bit of a coaxing and a lot of frustration but captain trainer is able to get B.U.D and back to a nearby barracks. For four years he remains the country’s most well-kept secret. For four years he was constantly watched as he learned everything he could learn about the new world he fell into.

Now B.U.D walks freely with a group of adventures he is growing fond of. Now he is free to continue his mission.

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D&D Sessions: Table of Contents

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This is a story based on a campaign I am currently running. This will be an on going series that I will break up into sections. Here you will find an easy way to navagate through all the parts so that you are always up to date with each part of the adventure. I will be spending a bit of time cleaning up the formating of the posts. I will include pictures that are not my property but I will provide links to where I found them and giving credit to the artists of course. Feel free to comment and don’t forget to follow!

Table of Contents

  1. Prologue
  2. Character Introductions
  3. Toula the Combat Teacher
  4. The First Team Fight
  5. The First Quest
  6. A Warforged’s Backstory
  7. The Road to Charis
  8. A Chat With the Mayor

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D&D Sessions – The First Quest

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This is part of a series. Click here for the whole story!

ArtStation – For honor warden_Fanart, Kim Junghun

Zamir and Jalila drop to the ground, letting out audible breaths full of exhaustion. Weapons fall to their side, kicking up small clouds of dust as they settle in the sand below.

“Thanks for the help” Zamir says between breaths. His right arm extends for a hand shake. His palms dirty with blood stained sand.

“My pleasure” Jalila clasps Zarmir’s hand, giving off a loud clapping sound. When the adrenalin begins to wear off, she feels a soreness in her left arm and shoulder. She begins to massage it.

Tal makes his way to his brother who remains on the floor. He looks over Zarmir, his armor bloodied and scuffed from the battle. Although most of Zarmir’s wounds have closed, some of them have opened up again sending sharp burning pain through his body. Tal drops to his knees. He clasps his hands together in a prayer and whispers “may her light sooth and protect you”. His hands begin to glow as he waves his hands over Zarmir’s wounds. A soothing calm dulls the pain and Zarmir starts to feel better. 

Art by AnthonFoti

B.U.D’s clapping fills echoes over the empty arena. He walks over, his energy levels low but nothing he can’t handle. He examines the metal creature carefully and without much hesitation picks op one of the arms. “Can I have some of this for the Mother Ship?” His voice unaffected by the battle.

“Oh gosh” Jalila replies. Would it be canabalism? She thinks to herself as she begins to take off the heavier parts of her armor. Massaging the sore parts on her body.

“I don’t think its eatable B.U.D.” Tal adds, his hands still hovering over his brother.

Varus walks up behind the group. His fingers are wrapped around the arrow lodged into this shoulder. Quick movements  cause a sharp pain to shoot through his shoulder. He shuffles forward slowly trying not to cause more pain. He is used to the pain. The myriad of scars that cover his body prove he is no stranger to it, yet he is also human and the reaction to pain is only natural. He does his best to hide it, no one notices.

“Well that was easy” he finally lets out “B.U.D. a little help please” he points to the arrow in his shoulder.

B.U.D. drops the metal arm and nods “of course”. A small cloud of black metallic specks flow from pours that appear on his shoulder. They hover over his head before they surround Varus. Instinct kicks in and Verus tenses under the B.U.D’s strange cloud. He tenses even more so as they start to cover his body. He relaxes as the pain in his shoulder starts to numb. Underneath the thick cloud he hears the sound of crunching wood. He feels the weight of the arrow begin to fade  as the cloud gently tugs and pulls at his skin. The cloud disperses and B.U.D. reabsorbs the cloud. Varus looks at his shoulder, the arrow is gone and his shoulder is completely healed without a scar.

“Well aren’t you handy” Varus finally says, still astonished by his companions strange magic “Thanks”

“You’re welcome” B.U.D. replies “Does anyone else need any healing”

“I’m good” Jalila answers. She whispers a quite prayer as she massages her sore parts. Her hands glow and the pain and soreness starts to fade away.

“So what happens now?” Tal asks as the lights from his hands go out. He is completely drained now. His eyes start to grow heavy as he watches Toula who seems to be lost in thought.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never gotten this far. Most of my students either die or quit” she lets out a nervous laugh. Her left arm rubs at the back of her head. “Well officially, I am your new advisor. I will be giving you missions when they come in. But that is all I know for now”

The lack of information annoys the party. Toula’s lack of preparation doesn’t help. The group grows disheartened looking on to the person who was in charge of their career. The school’s bad reputation was no exaggeration. But the exhaustion weighs on them heavily and they lack the energy to protest. Instead they gather their gear.

“Can we leave?” Zarmir stands up gripping at his glaive.

“Yeah, class dismissed. I will contact when you get an assignment. Go get some rest” Toula turns to walk away, taking long deep gulps from her bottle.

Outside, the heat of the summer day starts to set in. There are more students out and about, talking and laughing as the party slowly makes their way back to their room. They spend the rest of the day resting and exploring the school waiting for their next assignment.

“I don’t like our new advisor” Zarmir says, not hiding any disdain he has towards her.

“I don’t know, I kind of like her” Jalila responds thinking of the strange drunk woman. She wasn’t uptight like the other teachers she has had since joining the military. Toula was the first adult who didn’t talk down to her or mention anything about her upbringing. “At least she’s not a snooty uptight instructor”

“She is a character” Tal chimes in. Unsure what exactly to think of her.

“She is unprofessional. Did you see the bottles?” Zarmir retorts, unbelieving that he was alone in his sentiment.

“Nobody’s perfect. We can’t judge her on her vices. She’s a teacher for a reason. Maybe she’s a good fighter?” Varus says as he moves his left arm in circles, unbelieving how good it felt after B.U.D’s little trick. It might have been better than it was before.

“Well I don’t see it. She is always unprepared. It is bad enough I have to be in this school, I would at least like to have someone who does their job.”

“Is that not how teachers are supposed to act?” B.U.D. asks, not seeing a problem with the strange woman who smells of booze.

“No B.U.D, they are at least supposed to know what is going on and that lady doesn’t know what day it is!” Zarmir adds growing more annoyed by the fact that he has to explain his disappointment.

“What day is it? Is it important to know what today is?” B.U.D struggles to understand the situation.

“It’s an expression B.U.D. He means to say that she doesn’t know anything.” Jalila chimes in. She didn’t think B.U.D was going to be this much work. “In any case, I don’t think we can do anything about her. We get what we get at this school. “

Zarmir continues his walk in frustrated silence. B.U.D. pulls out a glass bottle from his cloak pocket and takes a bite. Jalila lets out a soft sigh as B.U.D. slowly chews the glass. The party moves in silence except for the sound of crunching glass. The Party spends their day performing different tasks. Tal explores the school until he finds a nice place to play his lute. He works on new songs but mostly plays to relax himself. Zarmir finds a place in the woods where he can work out. He works until his muscles begin to give and continues to push himself until he can no longer move. Jalila spends her day cleaning her armor, polishing her shield specifically. She can see the dents of where the claws hit. She eventually ends up in the schools weight room. She works out until nightfall. B.U.D. walks explores the school’s grounds, eating interesting objects that he finds. He collects a lot of data for the mother ship. Varus spends some time praying to the Raven Queen when no one is looking. He spends the rest of his time trying to find any information about Captain Elaran. He finds none.

At night, the party gathers in their room. They share small exchanges of conversation that ultimately ends in an early night. B.U.D. is left in the his corner as everyone has long since retreated to their rooms. He watches the night fall over the mountains. He thinks about all the new things he ate today and hopes the Mother Ship is as pleased with his findings as he is. In a deep gravelly voice:

Hello residents of room 304, this is your courtesy wake up call. I have one announcement for you when you are all here present and ready

Doors open cautiously as the doors open to reveal a very confused B.U.D.

Was that you?

Smoke Drawing

“Up here.” says a small stone gnome statue. He wears a pointy hat and his stone features animate as he talks. “Sorry to startle you, my name is Steve and I will be your point of contact with the school. I will give you announcements and send deliver any messages addressed to you”

B.U.D. begins to move forward, hand out ready to touch the talking stone gnome.

“Please don’t touch me” Steve snaps at B.U.D. “Anyways, you have a 9 am appointment with your advisor Toula. Please don’t be late. Bring whatever you would take on an adventure” with that the gnome’s eyes close. B.U.D. waves his hand in front of the gnomes face. It doesn’t react.

“I guess we have a mission” Tal breaks the silence as he gathers his things. B.U.D. continues to inch towards the curious statue. He wonders what kind of data it would send to the Mother ship.

Jalila watches and lets out a silent sigh. “B.U.D. don’t eat the thing” She shakes her head and walks to her room to get ready. B.U.D. stops and moves away, his eyes never leaving the small gnome statue.

The party once again stands outside of Toula’s office. The stench of stale liquor seeps into the hall. Again their knocking goes unanswered.  A frustrated Zarmir walks through the door announcing “We’re here for our meeting”

A sleeping snoring Toula is slumped over her desk this time. Space has been made for a her head and a small perimeter of crumpled up paper that surrounds her. There are more scraps of paper mixed in with the bottles that are scattered around her desk. B.U.D. gets excited by the sight. Zarmir continues forward. A less than gentle shove to the shoulder brings an aggressive Toula from her slumber. Fists in the air, ready to strike at the intruders she looks around blankly. It takes her a minute to calm down before she lets out a yawn. “Sorry” she finally says “didn’t think you would come back. This is all new to me. You guys are early”

“It’s actually five minutes after” Zarmir says. He debates on whether or not he should leave the office and make an appeal to have anyone else be his instructor. How will he prove his family wrong with this person as his teacher?

“Right, well there was supposed to be someone else here but I guess I’ll start on what I got” Toula pulls out a small sheet of crumpled and dirty paper. She clears her throat and begins to read slowly. Each word read more unsure than the last.

” You made it! I am. glad.  I congratulate you my students. This makes me feel good. I hope”

Before she is able to finish her thought Zarmir interrupts “It’s fine you don’t have to read anything. We get it”

“Yeah please stop” Jalila adds.

“Yeah I don’t really know what I’m doing here. You are the first to pass my test, I wasn’t prepared” she says. Zarmir lets out a small involuntary laugh.

“Really? The only ones? But that was so easy” Jalila adds smuggly

“It must mean you are worthy. I couldn’t tell by looking at ya, but I’m glad you didn’t die”

“Did you build that thing yourself?” Jalila asks

“The metal thing? Nah that wasn’t me. That was Terry. He makes all the shit around here. Odd fella but he knows how to make some fun toys”

Suddenly, there is a soft knock at the door. The door opens slowly. Headmaster Xanather walks in. His suit is freshly pressed. His wild hair reaching out in every direction almost like tentacle. His piercing yellow eyes seem to glow even in this properly lit room, Behind him, the door closes as he stands at the center of the group. He smiles and says “As you might already know, I am Headmaster Xanathar and I would like to take this moment to welcome you to my school. I am here to tell you that you are not here by accident. I have been following your careers very closely and I for one am impressed. You have a lot to learn and I am honored that you are here to learn it.”

Like we have a choice Zamir thinks to himself.

Headmaster Zanathar lets out a sneaky smile as he continues his lecture “We run things a little different here. Most students will have a normal class schedule and training to get them ready to join the ranks and fight for our great country. You and a select few have been chosen to perform some extracurriculars. You can think of it as a supplemental work study program. You well be sent out on various jobs, whether it be to escort politicians or fight monsters. There will be small bits of compensation but the real reward is the experience you will gain in the field. You have already proven yourself extraordinary students so I am sure you will do splendidly. The only rule is that you will be representing the school on these missions so act appropriately.

He pulls a small silver watch from his coat pocket. A beholder is engraved on the cover. Shock starts to wash over his face and before anyone has a chance to ask a question he lets out “Oh well I apologize for my rudeness but I simply must get going. Welcome to my school and good luck out there.” The door closes as he is out before he even finishes his sentence.

The party turns to Toula who is in mid gulp. She takes another drink before finally setting it down. “I’m sure you have questions, I don’t have answers” She opens a drawer and pulls out a map. “But I do have your first mission”

Map Sorce

Pushes more bottles to the floor, the bounce creating a loud ruckus. With the map spread out on her desk she adds “There have been reports of animals savagely attacking people in the nearby village of Charis” her dirty finger moves and points at the small village’s name. “What we need you to do is go investigate and solve this little problem. Think you can handle it?”

“Yes but do we have any more information about the situation” Tal asks, a worried look on his face.
 

“No, that’s why you need to investigate. Can you handle a bunch of animals?”

“No problem!” Zarmir says as he flexes his slightly bigger arm “Nothing me and my glaive can’t handle”

“Can we have the map at least?” Tal asks as he studies the map.

“Yeah it’s yours. Leave when you’re ready. Report back to me when you’re done. Don’t die on me”

“Do we get any other help? Any potions or weapons? Maybe horses?” Varus chimes in from the corner of the room, Toula lets out a loud bellowing laugh. It shakes the bottles as the sound fills the room.

“Oh gods no. You seem to forget where you are. Unfortunately there aren’t many funds so you will have to be resourceful. I’m confident that you will manage just fine all the same” She winks, pulling the bottle of liquor to her mouth to take a swig.

A bit disappointed yet unsurprised by the answer, Varus pulls out a silver flask from his pocket. “Can I drink in here?”

Toula shrugs “I ain’t your mum”

Varus pops open his flasks, the scent of warm cognac mixes into the air. Toula’s nostrils start to flare, her mouth starts to water and after a big swallow lets out “What’s that you have there bud?”

“No I’m B.U.D. That’s Varus”

“Oh geez” Jalila says as he pats B.U.D on the shoulder. B.U.D. Pats her back not quite understanding the strange ritual.

“It’s a bit from my personal reserve, you want a swig?” Varus hands over the flask. Toula takes it gingerly and brings it to her nose for a sniff. It was fancy compared to the stuff she has been drinking so far. She takes a sip, the warm cognac washes down her throat.

“Wow!” she goes for another swig “this is good, what is it?”

“It doesn’t have a name, its just something I like to do for fun” he reaches for the flask and takes a long swig.

“Well if you ever get more, send some this way”

Varus smiles “that’s easy enough”

“Is there a place where we can buy potions and supplies” Zarmir asks

“Uh you can try the book store”

“It’s probably expensive never mind” Zarmir replies, already halfway out the door. The party leaves Toula’s office. They meet at the school gate, it’s a nice day. There are no clouds in the sky and a few birds fly overhead. With bags packed, weapons sharpened they take their first step on their journey to the village of Charis.

The Whole Story

D&D

D&D Sessions – The First Team Fight

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This is part of a series. Click here for the whole story!

Image by PatternPictures from Pixabay

The party walks down a long and dank brick corridor. They pass flickering torches. The corridor ends at a large metal barred gate. On the other side sits a large ring. The floor is covered in freshly packed sand. Surrounding the ring, a twenty-foot stone wall that holds up rows of seats that stretch back to an open ceiling. The sun has begun to peak over the eastern wall, illuminating a small section of the ring like a spotlight. A few birds fly over the large opening, creating the only blemish against the blue backdrop.

The gates are opened with loud chains that clang heavily against one another. The sound carries into the ring and bounces off the empty seats. The party moves forward to the center of the ring. Hands clench weapons tightly as eyes scan the ring for danger. There is none noticed, and they continue their trek slowly towards the center. Each footstep lands with a slight crunch, leaving behind sloppy imperfections on the sand. They pass by red blood stains that have since soaked into the sand and dents where hammers and other blunt weapons fell. On the walls, they notice the countless nicks and deep cuts that were never mended. There are bits of wall that are missing. The party moves forward.

When they reach the center, the ring remains silent.  A large metal gate looks back at them somberly, unmoving. A door shuts loudly in the distance. It is followed by the faint sound of feet lazily shuffling over stone. About a minute goes by and Toula appears along the wall with a wine bottle in each hand. She makes wobbling trek along the edge to the center of the wall and plops down. Her feet dangle over the edge of the wall and she looks down the confused party. With out a word, she raises a bottle to her mouth and bites the cork off. She spits it over the edge. it lands with a silent thud a few feet away from them. She takes a big swig and her thirsty gulps echo off the walls of the empty colosseum. She stops and looks down letting out a satisfying burp before adding “Welp? Get on it”

With that, the large gate drops, bouncing heavily on the sand below shaking the ring. It kicks up a thick cloud of dust and sand. Grips get tighter. Eyes try desperately to look throw the thick dust and past the darkness. The dust settles and a feint sound of footsteps can be heard from somewhere in the darkness. With each passing second, the sounds get heavier. Small bits of sand start to bounce in resonance. It gets closer, but the tempo never changes. One step after another, closer and closer until the footsteps are accompanied by the sound of metal scraping onto stone.  

Tal is the first to see it. A large metallic orb inching through the darkness with 9 long metallic arms reaching out to pull it forward. At its head sits a small metal helmet with no face but emotionless red eyes that illuminate the darkness.  

“Well, okay then” Tal lets out trying to hide the anxiety from his voice. No one else sees what he is talking about. The metallic creature stops suddenly. It’s long claws dig into the stone around it and it begins to brace itself.

“Um, you guys. Something is happening?”

“What is it?” Jalila asks, half squinting, trying desperately to see through the darkness.

Image by Ray Shrewsberry from Pixabay

Before Tal could answer, the creature launches itself out of the tunnel. The sunlight shines off the metal, sending out beams of hot light into the stands. Instinct kicks in and the party scatters as the giant metallic orb lands, creating a large crater where they once stood. The metallic creature raises from the crater, towering over them at 15 ft it scans its surroundings. It starts to make its way towards Zarmir who is the closest.

“By the light of the gods, be gone demon” Tall says clutching the holy symbol that hangs around his neck. The small cross warms under his touch. A large purple beam falls from the heavens, engulfing the creature in blinding purple light. When the beam stops, the orb stands seemingly unaffected. The metal glows purple. The creature sets its glowing red gaze towards Tal and in the same second makes a run towards Tal.

Zarmir tightens the grip on his glaive and takes his first confident step towards the purple glowing metallic creature. Each step comes down quicker and harder as his years of training start to set in. He closes the distance as he feels streams of sand being kicked in his direction. When in range, Zarmir leaps at the creature, swinging his glaive at the creatures back. The iron glaive meets resistance. Sparks fly as it begins to cut into the hull of the orb. The metal rings that ornate the back of the blade jingle wildly as it starts to slowly cut through. Purple glowing metal starts to bend under the blade until it gives, leaving a the creature with a large wound on its back. A black ooze starts to seep from the wound. A claw swings at Zarmir in retaliation, but instinct kicks in and he deflects the attack. Zarmir takes his chance and swings at the joint between the claw and the arm. The blade catches and the sound of metal tearing fills the field. Zarmir’s glaive goes through and the offending claw lands lifeless besides him.

Zarmir doesn’t see the second claw attack. It moves too quick and swipes him at his side. Pain shoots through his body as he is lifted from the ground and thrown from his position. The armor below the claw bends and cracks as he tumbles over the sand leaving small clouds of sand and dust. He lands breathless. The side of his body hurts. He struggles to stand. His ears ring and his vision has blurred. It takes him a second to realize he no longer has his glaive. It takes another for his vision to return and find it lying halfway between him and the beast. He takes a step forward and a bloody cough escapes him.

The creature is upon Zarmir before he can take another step. It towers over him. The purple menacing glow looking down at a defenseless and hurting Zarmir. It’s arms stretch out for one final attack. Zarmir stands his ground. He lifts his left arm to try to ineffectively shield himself from the creatures final blow. The claw comes down quicker than Zarmir remembered. More precise. More deadly.

It lands with a heavy clank as it digs into Jalila’s metal kite shield. It scratches at the symbol of her holy order. Her arms start to shake. She mutters a small incoherent prayer. She clenches her teeth, digs her heals in deep into the sand before successfully swinging away the attack. She clutches her long sword and swings. The blade catches metal as sparks spray back at Jalila’s unflinching face. Her muscles begin to burn but she pushes on. The blade goes through and long arm drops besides the creature. It stumbles back a bit.

Varus sees the opening and fires his crossbow.  The bolt flies over the sand in a loud whirls as it flies through the opening left in his back. There is a loud clanging sound as the bolt bounces around the creatures insides. With that, the creature’s arms retract within itself leaving behind a large glowing purple orb. It begins to spin, kicking up a large cloud of dust as it rolls towards the other end of the ring. The loud sound of gears reaches out from behind the cloud.

“You good” Jalila asks, her breathing has become labored and heavy. A bead of sweat runs down her forehead.

“Ye” is all Zarmir is able to let out before another bloody cough escapes his throat.

B.U.D with a clear line of sight claps his hands together. Under his breath he lets out “let the mother ship give you strength”

A calming warmth comes over Zarmir. The pain in his chest dulls and his breathing eases. His bleeding wounds begin to close. With his newly found energy he runs towards his glaive. This time there is no cough to interrupt his trot.

At the other end of the ring, 9 long renewed claws extend from the orb. The wound at it’s back has mended. It’s red glowing eyes scan the field, and it starts to speed forward. Again, making it’s way towards Zarmir.

“Let your light fill the darkness” Tal exclaims with his hand clutching the small tin cross around his neck. A purple light, this time originating from his free hand, shoots towards the creature like an arrow. The creature sees it in time. It drops its shape into a ball and the guiding bolt flies over where the creature was. It catches itself and continues forward. A bright blue beam catches the creature on its side leaving behind a deep darkened dent in the armor. B.U.D. stands at the other end of the beam’s trajectory, his hand extended with his two long fingers extended. Seeing that he hit the target, B.U.D starts to clap.

The creature sets his sights on B.U.D. It begins to take deep confident steps towards him, quickly closing the gap between them. It moves much more quickly now. It is clear that creature is out for blood.

Across the ring, Varus has taken aim. A bolt releases from his crossbow, hitting the creature in a reaching arm. It stumbles from the impact, but only for a moment. It continues forward. The creature turns it’s head towards Varus. It’s soulless gaze locking onto his position. A small hole opens up at it’s side releasing an arrow towards varus. Before he can react, the arrow lodges itself into his left shoulder. Pain isn’t foreign to Varus. His childhood was full of pain and this was nothing new. But Varus is also human and he can’t help but to wince as the arrow pierces his skin and digs himself into his flesh. He feel a warm liquid start to flows down his shoulder, soaking  

The creature continues towards B.U.D. B.U.D closes his eyes and whispers a silent prayer as he reaches for his mace.

Zarmir rushes forward, glaive in hand. The rings on the end of the blade begin to jingle with each step. With a quick leap, he brings his glaive down, this time full of fury and rage. His glaive meets metal. His muscles burn, his breathing becomes labored as the glaive slowly makes its way through the creature’s arm. It falls to the ground; it flops once before it remains still. Zarmir continues, this time lunging at the creature. His blade pierces the creature, this time it meets little resistance as his glaive sinks deep into the creature’s side.

The giant purple orb stops moving and turns to Zarmir. Zamir watches as gears turn slowly within the beast. A claw comes down for another attack but this time Zarmir is ready. He raises his Glaive and deflects the claw leaving enough of an opening for a swift and precise strike. The claw falls to the ground and twitches before it lays there motionless.

A crossbow bolt flies over Zarmirs shoulder. The wind lightly tussles his hair. It pierces on of the creatures red glowing eyes and it explodes with small bits of glass. The creature stumbles back. Each step more unsure than the last. It uses its desperate moment to sends another desperate claw attack at Zarmir. Zamir deflects but one of the claws is able to leave a deep burning cut on Zarmir’s face.

A third claw comes down, but this time it meets the face of Jalila’s shield. Her heals dig deep into the sad as the force of the claw attack moves her back slightly. With the impact still resonating over her body, she pushes the claw away. Her forehead begins to cover with sweat. Her muscles burn and her strength begins to give. Rage fills her. It can’t end here she thinks as she makes a last desperate push at the claw, pushing it away. The blade of her long sword follows. It sinks into the creature’s metal armored arm, this time it cuts like butter. The claw lands creating a deep crater in the sand.

The orb tries to mend itself. It tries to run away but instead is met with two more guiding bolts, one at each side. It turns its head, searching for a source. A bolt comes flying towards the creature. It finds the other eye. It sinks in deeper into the skull of the beast. It digs itself towards the back and finds itself at the center of an expertly drawn magical seal. The seal erases under the arrow. The creatures yes go dark and it falls over, lifeless.

Toula claps and laughs loudly. Her hands come together for a slow clap as she jumps from her seat into the ring. She walks forward slowly.

“Well, you done it” she exclaims loudly “I am impressed”

The Whole Story

What's Next

Recomendation: The Queens Gambit and March Comes in Like Lions

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the Queen’s Gambit PosterMat

I just watched The Queens Gambit on Netflix and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Normally I am disappointed by the original content as it seems to be cheap copies of better media out there, but this is not the case with this show. If you have not seen the show, it is based on the life of the first woman chess grandmaster. I will warn you, it does start off slow but it’s all worth it in the end. The acting is great, the plot is well written, and I absolutely adored the aesthetics for the show. The sets and the costumes were all well designed. If you haven’t seen the show I would highly recommend it to your watch list.

But I am not here to review this show or even to convince you to watch the show. Instead, I am here to sell you on some anime. Now before you go and dismiss my argument and move on to another article, hear me out. This isn’t what you think. There are no super powers or weird harems. Instead what you get is a slice of life anime about a young professional shogi player and his journey to the top.

z7XceZ0n0f032yaq8R2zSimsjVl.jpg (680×1000) (tmdb.org)

The anime in question translates to “March Comes in Like a Lion”. 3-gatsu no raion zenpen for those who wish to watch it in the original Japanese. What makes this anime special I would argue are the same things that make The Queens Gambit so good. I would argue that they are essentially the same plot and wouldn’t be surprised if Netflix borrowed from the anime. What the anime does that the show can’t is that it expands on a lot of the elements that the show can’t address. You get an internal dialogue so you know exactly what the main character Rei is thinking. The supporting cast is given a lot more room to develop into memorable tangible characters for the audience. The show also has a lot more room to address the issues the these players go through in much more detail. Without going into too much detail, it definitely does the Queen’s Gambit a lot a more justice than the Netflix show does.

Now I understand they are not the same story, both are based in entirely different worlds and comparing live action to anime is never fair, but I believe that it is a good refence point especially for those who do not really like anime. I believe both are important bits of media in their own right and if you haven’t already seen them I would motion you to do so as soon as possible. Both are also available on Netflix. But if you have already watched the Queen’s Gambit, make sure you finish strong and watch March Comes in Like a Lion as well.

Poems

In the Box My Grandfather Made

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I’m going to tell you the story of how I caught lightning in a wooden box my grandfather made

It is a simple wooden box,

Carefully stained in pretty cherry and on the front cover,

He carved his initials.

My grandfather is a meticulous man and each day he would spend hours completing his first incision until little by little, the box was made. Some day’s he would only carve at it once and leave it on his workbench to sit idle underneath the hot Mexican sun. Sometimes it would sit there idle and untouched for days while he worked, drank, and lived his life away. There are a lot of untold stories sewn into the streets of that little Mexican Village.

My grandfather spent years working on that box,

Slicing at it piece by piece until slowly it took the shape that I now hold in my hands.

You see, this box is magical.

But its not due to some ancient Aztec spell infused into its wooden fibers,

We aren’t Aztec. Nor is it magical because it can hold lightning.

It’s magical because mixed into the lacquer and the glue is mix are our history and traditions. It’s magical because within these tiny wooden walls house more love than I could put into words. It is magical because he gave it to me to hold.

He probably doesn’t think it’s magical. He probably doesn’t even remember giving me the box. To him it was a gift for me when we had nothing. To me, it was everything thing.

To me, it is everything.

It is just a wooden box with small fading initials in the front. Along it, the scars of a life well lived.

Oh right. I was telling you the story of how I caught lighting in the wooden box my grandfather made.

The other day, emboldened by its magic,

I climbed to the peak of Mount Olympus. With the box in hand, I looked up at Zeus and with my clearest voice I yelled

I am here too. I dare you to forget me.

Zeus looked down from his thrown and with a look that I thought was anger he thrown down one of his bolts of lightning.

In self-defense I raised the wooden box in self defense and waited under its cover. It landed with a loud explosion that shook the world and crumbled the mountain into nothing.

When the smoke cleared and the dust settled,

I stood there with a wooden box full of lightning and a cool story to tell.

Uncategorized

New to Town (2009) Review – A love story they should have told better

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I will not sit here and try to sell you on a movie that is mediocre at best. The plot is generic and contrived and there is no chemistry between the main characters. It is hard to watch a love story about two people who only seem to only tolerate each other. The movie does try to address some deep issues like how corporate America can ruin small rural towns, but it does not go deep enough. It shouldn’t, it is a rom com, but these scenes are more thought out and impressive than the romantic plot that seems to be thrown in there out of necessity.

The biggest problem with this movie is the pacing. They mix so many plots that they leave very little time to flesh any of them out fully. When she shifts from hating the town to wanting to save it seems to come almost out of nowhere because it is so sudden. I wish they would have abandoned the romance plot, that being the weakest in the movie. I wish movies like this would stop defining woman’s happiness by their relationship with me and instead focus on the deeper non-romantic connections they could make. If you take out the romance plot from this movie, it could turn into a heartwarming film about a woman who wants to save a town because of the friendships she has made in the process.

I would argue that it is the relationship that Blanche forges with Lucy that ultimately saves the town. The character Blanche is the only reason why I enjoyed this movie as much as I did. I Stopped following Lucy’s narrative early on because she is a generic character. Instead, I chose to follow Blanche closely. Blanche starts out the movie as this almost overbearing presence. She doesn’t stop talking and she is always inserting herself into Lucy’s life. But as the movie progresses it’s clear that Blanche is going out of her way to make sure Lucy feels welcomed in her town. I believe that her motives are altruistic and Blanche’s kindness is indeed genuine. This overbearing presence she has slowly becomes normal and scenes without her seem lifeless. I think the film does a great job at showing this progression of from annoying to friendly not only for Lucy, but for the audience as well. I think this friendship was the most important aspect of this films plot and I wish they developed it a lot more.  

My main issue with this movie is the love interest. They could have dropped him from the movie and it would not have changed the plot. He has such little impact in this movie that I forget his name. Instead, they should have taken more time to develop Lucy’s relationship with the town. They could have shown her slowly building a rapport with the townspeople and maybe even start developing a routine. They could have shown her going into a shop and the owner knows her by name and what she likes to order. I would have rather seen a heartwarming scene between Blanche and Lucy instead of the messy fight she has in the factory with the workers. This movie should have been more about her relationship with the town and factory.

If you are looking for a good romantic comedy, you have already seen better. Go watch those instead. If you are looking for a dumb movie to put in the background while you do chores, this is a valid choice. It could make a fun date night movie, the plot is simple and you do not need to pay attention to the movie to get the gist. There are worse ways to spend an hour and some change, but you probably won’t remember watching this movie.

D&D

D&D Sessions – Toula the Combat Teacher

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This is part of a series. Click here for the whole story!

The next morning, the room was still and quiet. Zamir wakes up before the sunrise to train. The rest sit in their room. Varus takes out a symbol of the Raven Queen that he kept hidden under his shirt, kneels and begins to pray. B.U.D stands in his corner in silence, watching out the window as the world begins to grow brighter. Tal pulls out his loot and begins strumming some notes softly, half distracted by thoughts on the upcoming exam. He spent the night trying to prepare, but there was only so much he can do. Jalila sits in her room polishing her armor. She had a great nights sleep on the incredibly luxurious bed that was provided for her. She has spent most of her life sleeping on the floor, the mattress is a welcomed change.

Image by Quang Nguyen vinh from Pixabay

As the sound of the morning alarm finally rings, Zarmir finally returns from his training. B.U.D watches as Zamir makes his way to his room. He listens as he can hear the rustling of people finally getting ready. Tal sings a muffled song in his room. B.U.D becomes fascinated in this planet’s morning rituals. This is the first time he has lived in such an intimate environment. B.U.D is excited by all the data he collects as everyone finishes getting ready.

When our heroes step outside, the morning dew has long since evaporated. The sun has not yet reached its highest point and the cloudless sky offer no relief to what is sure to be an unusually hot day. There are some people out and about. Some lounging about having idle conversations while others rush to their next appointment. Aside from that, the school is silent. Each footprint echoes off the walls of the dormitories with only the songs of birds to give the world variance. The group makes small talk. With their minds preoccupied by the exam, the talk consistently ends awkwardly.

Image by Manuel Reina from Pixabay

Our heroes arrive at the coliseum. It is a large, impressive stone building, visible from any where in the school. Massive pillars hold up its side. There are large statues, almost as tall as the building itself, of heroes in mid combat. The large gates of the coliseum are open. A small party stand outside, their bodies drenched in sweat. They talk about their class schedule.

The group moves past them, into the large lobby of the coliseum. A few banners hang with the school’s insignia neatly etched into the fabric. Around the edges of the lobby are more statues of heroes, these with name plates and dates decorating their basses. A few tables set up, but only one was occupied. Behind it, a young man who at the moment is slumped over the table, sound asleep in a pool of his own drool. His heaving breathing echoes off the walls of the chamber. The group makes their way towards him.

“Excuse me” Tal says as he gently taps the shoulder of the sleeping figure.

The young man stirs from his slumber. He takes a long blink as he wipes away the drool from the rim of his mouth. “I apologize, I must have dozed off. How may I help you?”. His voice is groggy. He wipes the sleep from his eyes.

“We are here for the exam. We have room 5a. Can you tell us where that is?”

“Oh? So you’re the group” He begins but he catches himself as he seems to remember some terrible truth.  “Um just go down this hall, you can’t miss it”

“The group?” Varus adds suspiciously “What do you mean by that?”

“Yeah, can you tell us about the test” Jalila adds.

The young man lets out a nervous laugh” Oh uh. I’ve said too much. I’m sorry I’m not allowed to say more. I wish you all luck!”

“What can you tell us?” Varus continues to pry, growing more suspicious by the second.

The young man looks around for help but none can be found. A bead of sweat starts to take form on his forehead. He sighs “All I will say is that it will be tough. I wish you luck and good fortune, now I really must take my leave. I have too much work to do.” With that, he stands up and walks away from the group, leaving them alone in the lobby.

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

They make their way down the hall. Room 5A stands before them. A small moment of still quiet falls over the group. Tal knocks softly. No answer. Another soft knock, still no answer. The door is unlocked.

The door opens and the smell of stale ale fills the hallway. The room is plain, except for the piles of glass bottles that seem to be everywhere. Underneath one of these piles is a desk, one that feels sticky from this distance. There is no other furniture in the room except for a chair that now holds a sleeping dwarven woman. Her long-matted hair comes down in thick dirty dreadlocks. Her large muscular arms crossed over her chest. She is slumped back against the wall. She snores and the bottles shake as they react to the reverberation of her voice. She doesn’t seem to notice the intruders.

Zarmir uses his glaive to knock at the door frame “Hello?”

Still no response. Zarmir knocks louder. She doesn’t even flinch. With a loud sigh he walks walks up to the dwarf. The smell of stale ale grows thicker.

“Good morning!” he adds Impatiently.

The sleeping dwarf wakes in a jolt. She stares at the intruders, her face not hiding her confusion. There is more silence before she finally says “You’re late!” Her eyes already searching for more liquor.

“Actually, we were early. Waking you up made us late” Zarmir retorts. He doesn’t like this new teacher. She is incredibly unprofessional.

“Oh right” she responds as she continues her search for another drop of liquor. “Well I am Toula, you can call me Toula. No Miss, Mrs, just Toula.” Her voice is rough and gravely. She continues to sift through a pile of bottles on her desk as she talks.

“You, my unlucky friends, have the pleasure of doing the only kind of test that really counts for anything Yours will be a trial by combat. I only have three rules” she continues. She raises a bottle to her eye, shaking for the sound of liquid.

 “One, don’t die. I am not responsible for any deaths. If death is going to be a problem, drop out now.”

All but Varus raise an eyebrow. No one mentioned anything about death. It isn’t even the first day and now death is on the table.

“Two” She raises two fingers up “go all out. Show me what you’re really made of. I need to be entertained. If you aren’t going to do your best” she pauses as she brings a bottle to her nose and sniffs. Satisfied by the scent, she continues “drop out now.

She takes a long gulp. “and three” She pauses, looking as if she is searching for the next answer “play it smart, I will not go in to help you. If you need me to save you, drop out now.”

“What are we fighting?” Varus asks. Aside from B.U.D. He seems the least phased by the new information.

Toula smiles “Now it wouldn’t be any fun if I gave you that”

“Yes there would” Tal responds “it be so much fun” The others nod in agreement.

“In war, you don’t always know what you are fighting before hand. This will test that. Now through those doors is your destiny, go forge a good one” She takes another gulp of alcohol. The group tries to protest but she is already walking to the door. Before leaving she adds “prove to me you deserve my attention”

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