Author: Scott

Categories
Books

July 2020 Books

Ghettoside – A true story of murder in America by Jill Levoy. (5/5) A well written and compelling look at some detectives and some cases, including pursuit of one case from its dry beginnings. Interesting and complicated; the state monopoly on violence is critical.

The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer. Interesting, both broad strokes and specifics. Great as a first book to orient on the period; focused on daily life at various classes. Great specifics. Inn cost 75% food, sleep 25% (4/5)

The Man in High Castle by Phillip K Dick. (3/5) An interesting “allies lose WWII” set a generation later, when the new patterns are well established. Compelling characters resigned to the world as it stands; the insanity of triumphal Germany chills.

The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty. I checked this out before we watched the segment of Taste the Nation about the gullah geechee that featured him. Well written & charmingly rambling — but it goes long on the genes/ancestry angle, which I have an aversion to. Genealogy was Dad’s thing, but too much of it was “names on a chart”, not stories or a reason to care. Without context, I don’t care about even my own ancestors… so the bulk of this book stirred up the same annoyance.

Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (5/5). A fascinating story set within slavery; full of horrors and so many respites that prove false or temporary. Ahistorical in parts, but intentionally– Cora (our main viewpoint character) is dynamic and inspiring.

Categories
Uncategorized

Thinking about taxes Prop 13, and Prop 15

(From my comments on a GVWire article about Prop 15.)

Look, I know that taxes get people hot under the collar and short circuit thought, but for a given service HOW do you want to pay for it? My first preference is to write out a check for the specific service, exactly as I do for garbage collection, water, and sewage. If I need an extra trash bin, I pay a little more; if I cut my water use, I pay a little less. Straightforward, 1 check for 1 service bundle.
My second preference is to pay locally for services that I benefit from. I can’t afford a personal fireman, policeman, animal control, etc., and most years I don’t need a fireman AND a policeman, but some years I need both, etc. For that I historically paid a property tax (which, yes, gets rolled into my rent if I was a renter, or included in my CAM if I was a business owner) which paid the city or county who paid the service people who put out fires, corralled feral dogs, etc.
My third preference is to kick into a statewide pool for statewide services. I want to keep citrus blight from decimating California crops, I want for the state to run prisons to keep offenders off the streets, etc. Pretty straightforward, but I’m only 1/40,000,000 of the tax payers, so my personal preferences aren’t well represented.
Very low on my list of funding mechanisms would be to collect statewide taxes to send to cities to “make up for” the property tax rates slashed forty years ago via a ballot initiative. It’s very indirect, gives the state more influence over the local government, and is based on a snapshot in time frozen in amber. Why is that your preferred mechanism?

From the initiative —
Section 3: It is the intent of the People of the State of California to do all of the following in this measure: (a): Preserve in every way Proposition 13’s protections for homeowners and for residential rental properties. This measure only affects the assessment of taxable commercial and industrial property.

So you’re ask telling me that you’re eager to pay a higher sales tax sooner, since the state’s not barred from collecting sales tax? And higher income taxes? If the government is collecting taxes, and there’s a mechanism to ensure that they are more local (so they money doesn’t go to the state, then get divided and sent back to the cities and counties as compensation for prop 13 revenues, as is currently practiced). Or perhaps you’d rather pay more in gas taxes?
There are lots of ways for cities, counties, and the state to collect taxes, and most of you will whine no matter which type is imposed. But there are serious advantages to keeping taxes local, instead of sending them all to the state, losing some to state government, then sending them back to cities and counties. If you want more efficient, less wasteful taxes, you want them local. That’s also true if you want to ensure that your tax dollar goes to your community, not the other end of the state.

From the very short article: “If voters approve the initiative on Nov. 3, protections on the tax hikes on business properties will be removed. Home properties will remain protected. The system is known as “split roll.”Any reason you want to use the very popular Prop 13 protections for homeowners to defend business rates? Particularly since people die and their property gets reassessed, but corporations don’t?

https://gvwire.com/2020/08/27/will-prop-13-tax-revision-help-or-hurt-central-valley-leaders-debate/

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group Roleplaying

Dungeon World: August

We are led by Skitterfly and Mefecil, the lieutenants of the Blackcoats and Conglomerate and come across a smoldering battlefield.

Thelian scans the battlefield, trying to identify the conflict and any current threats. The battlefield was abandoned by the forces a few weeks ago, though there’s smoldering still going on. Many fallen are blackcoats, but others are in mail without Conglomerate or Blackcoat markings.

Skitterfly curses “dammit”. Smoke roils across the battlefield, resolving into a animate suckerfish of smoke. 

Daelwyn asks what it is. 

“It’s a canker-knight”, replies Skitterfly. ”Have you not heard the tales of the canker-knight?” The smoke form sinks into the bloody battlefield and fills fallen suits of armor with living smoke. Three smoky forms wrapped by armor from the battlefield rise from the ground, draw blades and charge!

Thelian calls for Lt. Skitterfly and Mefecil to cover his flanks as he charges toward to smoke filled armor. Skitterfly follows a few paces behind, but Mefecil retreats behind his companion Snailo.

Raumoko takes human form and calls on Daelwyn to boldly fight; Daelwyn draws his bow and fires a volley of several arrows, peppering one smoke creature seriously but not fatally.

While everyone is distracted, Jess’s bolo from the edge of the treeline takes down Ubagork (Lt. Skitterfly’s henchman), who topples.

Thelian’s charge brings him close to the large armored smoke leader; he dances just out of the foe’s range. Thelian stabs his spear into the smoke glimmering in the joints between the great creature’s armor plates. Thelian’s ancient spear head shines pink as the smoke snares on the head. He drags the smoke out of the armored form; unnaturally, the smoke clings to the spear tip. But the armor falls, and the smoke dissolves, wisping away from the glowing spearhead. 

Jess rushes forward, striking the fallen Ubagork while it’s tangled; it’s grievously wounded and half sawn through, but mushrooms don’t bleed right.

The smoke of the last Canker-Knight creature begins flowing out, rattling nearby armor as it moves to animate a fallen giant’s armor. But Thelian strikes hard, stabbing the exposed smoke where it writhes outside the armor; pink glowing around the spear head; again drawing out the smoke. The battlefield armor ceases rattling and falls still, but combat continues between the band and the escorts.

Daelwyn pivots and fires his arrows at Snailo by surprise; Snailo’s shell turns aside just enough of the shot to barely keep its life.

Mefecil shouts about the contract, that the attack is unlawful. Jess volleys daggers at Snailo, who topples to the ground, shrinking and withering to the salted coating, dead.

Thelian calls for a truce, but is ignored; he’s citing an old form. (+1 XP)  Mefecil sneers, “cast down arms like the fallen Queen?” and strikes at Daelwyn. Daelwyn turns and flees, rushing to Thelian for protection.

Skitterfly’s eyes trace Ruamoko’s form for weakness; Ruamoko presses his hands together, his tattoos flash bright and blue, smoky ash clings to him as he begins calling on the volcano spirits to strike Skitterfly.

But Skitterfly is deadly fast; his moth wings unfurl as he leaps at Ruamoko. Skitterfly stabs Ruamoko in the chest before he can complete his spirit call. Ruamoko’s eyes fade from lava red to obsidian as smoke boils from Ruamoko’s wounds, and ash expels from him in a broad cloud. Ruamoko coughs as the ash afflicts him strongly, ash stings the eyes of all the combatants and reduces visibility for everyone to less than an arm’s length.

End of Session:
+1 XP for inspiring Ruamoko to show his contempt for civilized contracts
+1 XP for “protecting those weaker”
+1 XP learning about Thundering Steel’s embargo
+1 XP Learned about rites changing in Thundering Steel
+1 XP Overcome Canker-Knight = +6 Thelian this session

Dungeon World 8/23

Darkness, borne of smoke and flutters of ash settle on the battlefield. Everyone staggers, the ash concealing their opponents of a few breaths ago.

Thelian wipes away the caked ash and stretches his senses, (fails +1 XP on Discern Realities check), spying 2 glowing red eyes that float through, stirring the ash. Thelian sweeps at them reflexively, but the spear slashes through without resistance.

Mefecil calls out in panic, slashing his spear, “where are you?” Jess lurks in the nearby ashen shadows, unseen, and strikes at the many-eyed. His knife severs several eye-stalks, but Mefecil doesn’t fall. They square off; as Jess darts in, taking a serious slash in the side from Mefecil’s spear, but his dagger sinks deep in the foe, who shudders and falls, its many eyes stare sightlessly.

Daelwyn seeks out Jess in the ash cloud, calling “Let me take a stab at that,” but is blindsided and shouldered to the ground by Ubagork (who remains bound). As the mushroom beast lines up to smash Daelwyn’s head in, Daelwyn calls out “Umami!”.

Ruamoko runs through the mist, seeking out Daelwyn and Ubagork. Ubagork looms overhead, while Daelwyn is smeared in ash underfoot. Ruamoko still streams ash from his wounds, looking almost like an elemental with glowing lava like eyes; Ruamoko slams his taiaha into its chest and it falls together into the ash beside Daelwyn. Daelwyn calls out “Thanks Ruamoko! He was not a fun guy!”

Thelian calls a challenge to the red eyes; stabbing his spear forward. The spear head sticks in the nearby mass, a blow scored. The spear begins to glow and smolder, burning Thelian’s hands. Thelian’s spear sears hot and glows like molten metal… 

Daelwyn strums mightily and the sound thrums out, as almost visible concentric circles, guiding him and Ruamoko through the falling ash, the sound waves opening a clear space, exposing the melee of Thelian and the fire spirit.

Under the sounds of chaos, Jess positions himself carefully, sinking into the ashen shadows and prepared to strike should Skitterfly reappear or a new foe expose itself.

The burning spear cannot be held long, so Thelian commits. He leaps mightily, torquing the spear so he will fall atop the spirit with his weight to drive the spear deep, pinning it. As the spirit is pierced and pinned into the ground, its skin bursts, expelling flames and fire that scorch and cruelly burn Thelian.  The lava eyes lose their molten glow, now cold and sharp 2 obsidian eyes stare up from the fallen spirit. 

Skitterfly emerges from the ashen smoke; Jess leaps unseen from ambush, intercepting it in mid-flight. Skitterfly’s assassin training holds, casting its dagger forward despite the interception. The dagger flashes towards Thelian, almost catching him unaware. At the last moment Thelian tries to leap aside, but staggers with exhaustion into the dagger’s path… and the dagger strikes true, deep into his chest.

Skitterfly writhes under Jess, and confusedly asks “You betrayed them, so that means you’re on our side, right?” Jess calls it a fool, drives the knife deep, and it expires.

Thelian’s feet slide on the slippery ash, and he topples, spilling his blood into the ash. He bleeds at the verge of death.. 

(Last Breath, roll total = 8, so death will bargain to begin the next session.)

+1 XP, for Thelian, interposed himself between foes and friends.
Group XP: What we learned? +1 XP,  Overcome Foes: +1 XP. Loot memorable treasure? No

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group Roleplaying

Dungeon World: July

Dungeon World 7/19

The Slough of the Sun is a district, swampish, with a crashed starship at its center.

Weirdly, the water can look extremely deep; like it goes through to space at the bottom. Stars shine through in places.

Jess, scouting makes a discovery (7). Across the path Jess notes that our path is little traveled; ahead a string small circles of mushrooms, almost growing in the the shape of footsteps.

Thelian (8) — we’re being stalked, by glowing eyes occasionally — but Jess is set on by tendrils out of the reeds. Like worms, they come out of the ground; he leaps aside, but they continue crawling up; they sprout near him, their gross oily tendrils crawl around his new feet.

With a torch he sweeps at them, they wither back and “bleed” dark oil. The light draws attention; Thelian rushes forward to help him, but the threat retreats.

Daelwyn knows that the Sun-Swamp has a number of creatures and fauna are affected in strange and mysterious ways. “The city from the sky changes it all”.

Thelian keeps an eye out for dangerous things, in case the tendrils are holding us delayed for an ambush — but none manifests. We continue to the city/ruins unharmed, arriving late — almost around midnight.

Before we cross the river, we come upon Crimson’s Crashpad, an inn. Ruamoko arm wrestles a purple, one armed woman; when they prove well matched, he shifts into a great ape and slams her arm to the table. The hostess quickly moves us to another table and asks us to not make a scene.

The river catches light , like a sudden dawn, brightening intensely. Small pools of light scattered through the city also glow on the same schedule. 

A glowing ball is in/below the river; shining through the deep cracks, like the stars that shine from the depths of the ponds, creating a second “day” near the end of the night.

Since they were tired, and the room was expensive, Thelian decided to sleep. Daelwyn does the same. Ruamoko stalks the streets, exploring the town; searching out a meal. Jess had attempted to sleep on the roof, but the bright of the river woke him and he decided to search the town for the oil that we’d spotted bleeding from the ground.

Jess came across a trader, Skaxxx, selling goblets of the oily fluid. The oil becomes the worms when spilled; when they’re climbing up from the ground, he pockets the cup surreptitiously and kicks over oil in the meantime; letting the oil worms menace the shopkeep. (The cup is worth 80 silver.)  

Ruamoko eats a meaty mushroom; it cuts like a rare steak. Later, he strides the city, locals follow while playing music to match his stride; when he changes to a velociraptor and they break out scary deeper music. A body sinks into the river, he spies.

After a few hours the river-day ends, and the stars and night emerge again; the city slides into night. Ruamoko comes back, shortly before actual dawn.

On the next day’s journey, a weasel-person is in a blind, talking with a deer-person. They’re watching over the path to Thundering Steel, hiding and waiting for travelers to fall into a pit trap. Jess scouts ahead as normal.

Jess warns us about the blind, pointing Ruamoko at it. Ruamoko changes into a triceratops and Daelwyn leaps aboard; they charge at the blind, but Daelwyn is scraped off by the low tree branches. Ruamoko smashes forward sans rider, smashing into the crouched weasel man, trampling it underfoot, where it’s crushed.

The Deer w/ feathered antlers shrieks out in birdsong; after a startled pause, it starts hopping away.  Ruamoko shifts into a panther and chases it down. 

There’s a person, dying, laying in the water, a previous victim of the weasel ambush. She squawks like a chicken as Jess steps on her; she’s stained dark with blood at the water’s edge.

Jess saves Yaya Baga (the chicken lady), and they escape together. She lives in a hut with giant human feet. She is an alchemist, and identifies some of Jess’s old loot. Vagzarks storm on vanity, when drunk it turns you into the most beautiful version of yourself. Treat a Cha roll as 10+. 

Jess strolls back from Yaya Baga’s, and rejoins the companions who were still searching out their missing friend.

As we approach the border of Thundering Steel, sharp chiseled towers thrust up from the ground. There’s a zone of death; it’s heavily guarded, a notoriously deadly barrier to keep the dangers of the district contained. Dealwyn tells the tale of Sir Gordrick the Wanderer, who visited every parish of Dis. He rescued his third wife, Brunhilda, from the district.

There road leads to the gates, and legal entry is allowed, but only under 

“If you have been sent here under punishment of law,” or a long series of other causes to be committed to the district. A few seconds later the second tower’s guard repeats the same speech a few seconds delay. One faction is the blackcoats, the other wears black coats with gold accents. There are two large factions, The Conglomerate of War and Valor was Thelian’s old faction. 

Our goal is to escort Aapri’s sister Ubri out of the sector — or, that failing, to deliver the trinket that allows their distant communications.

The moth creature whistles, and the barrier briefly dissolves. As they approach, Thelian suggests indirectly that Jess vanish into the shadows. Daelwyn and Thelian sign the contract; they review it carefully.

The last barrier falls, bringing a wash of wind scented with blood, rust, and gunpowder. In the distance cannon boom.

The guards assigned to escort/recruit are:

Lt. Skitterfly (mothman) & Ubagork is a large muscled mushroom person. 

From Border Policeman Meficil of the many eyes, and Snailo are the Conglomorate faction.

Both of the gates close at almost the same time; Jess barely makes it through. He dons the necklace and contacts Aapri, verifies that the necklace works. She sees that we’re in Thundering Steel, he tells her that we just arrived.

Categories
Books

June 2020 Books

(Not including the October Daye books that are together in their own series post.)

The Making of a Justice by Justice John Paul Stevens. (4/5) As I feared, I’m now old enough to enjoy biographies. 😉 More importantly, this is very well paced, blazing through a Great Depression youth, a sketch of WWII and early career, then insight into big cases.

The Return by Hisham Matar. (4/5) Well written and compelling; it has some interesting parallels to JPS’s book that childhood wealth is a barely noticed backdrop. Learning through conversation with family in Libya was a great way to learn alongside Hisham.

The time traveler’s guide to medieval England : a handbook for visitors to the fourteenth century by Ian Mortimer. A really interesting book, in both broad strokes and specifics. I’d happily suggest it as a first book to orient on the period; it’s focused on daily life at the various levels of society. Some really good specifics — like when staying in an inn, about 75% of the cost was for the food, with the bed only the remaining quarter. (4/5)

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group Roleplaying

Dungeon World 6/28

Start up in action next time, defending against the goblin raiding party.  Daelwyn sings an inspiring ballad; unfortunately, the goblins are seized by the electric pounding of the beat.

Thelian rushes forward to clash with the goblins; they leap over his thrust, and bear the shield and spear tip to the ground, then slash at his ankle with a rusty sickle; another bites his nose. (12 damage – 2 armor, +1 XP). 

The manure farmer’s goodwife rings a bell, which is caught and repeated by neighbors. Cannon shot from the town plows nearby.

Thelian finds his resolve, leaps back to the cover of the low wall running along the road. With that security, he pivots to the attack, striking relentlessly and cutting down the last four who hadn’t fled.

When the cannon shot continues, Thelian tries to discern the cause, and shouts out a warning to Raumoko, that they’re probably firing at the terrifying dragon. Raumoko shifts back to human form. (+1 XP, discern realities failure) 

Thelian and Jess meet the approaching warriors from the town.

Daelwyn chats with the manure farmer, joined by the now human Raumoko. 

  • Raumoko is ogled by the wife.
  • Dealwyn is charmed and invites her to the celebration in the town, but she demures.

While we carouse —

    One-upper, Boreast Lario, brags about the founding of Castledale.    Lich-queen was slain by an unnamed hero, slew the lich queen with an ancient and powerful magic spear.

    A beggar kid approaches Jess, confides that target lives in Castledale, owns a jeweler’s shop, many attempts have been made in the past, but he’s too protected.

    Daelwyn one-up poetry battle with Boreast, telling competitive tales; Boreast is not limited by by actual myth and history, just making up increasingly fake but gilded stories, which dazzle the local rubes.

    After Boreast finishes a tale and the crowd is dazzled by his boasts, the skeleton bell rings out.

    The graveyard has 2 guards at the edge, who bicker about not entering the graveyard where the 

XP: Alignment +1 (defended town & farmer), +1 XP for learning, +1 XP for defeating re-re-re animated skeletons

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group Roleplaying

Dungeon World 6/14

The session begins with the party being debriefed by the Wizards Dirnov, examining their mystical measuring apparatuses from the expedition into the Heart of Ice. They try to get us to  describe more of our experiences, particularly the gem people of the frozen city, gained from exploring the world beyond the rift… without compensation. Daelwyn catches them at it and turns the tables, leading the wizards to reveal their motives– the demoness in the heart of ice, when she wakes, owes them a debt. 

We sell them their rival’s exploration journal (captured from the top of the crevasse camp) for another 100 silver, netting us 125 silver apiece. They send us off, and we return home, to the Savage Lands district.

We live high in a treetop apartment — relatively spacious, with one other group sharing the building on our branch. The Savage Lands were battered by a storm that threw down nearby apartment trees while we were away on our last mission… leaving our current rent looking cheap (at 5 silver a day) due to the shortage of housing. If we’re ever unable to pay, the landlord now has every incentive to toss us to charge the next group a higher rent.

We decide to take on the job that Jess was given by Aapri, which involves delivering an artifact (one necklace of a magically linked pair) to her sister Uupri. Her sister is somewhere in Thundering Steel, but we have to find out where in the district she is. She’s offering 100 silver total for this dangerous job, which seems quite scant for such a dangerous district, without even considering that there are other districts to traverse along the way…

While she’s pitching us the job, Jess ducks out to “use the restroom”. He encourages Ruamoko to distract Aapri, so he can burgle her place while she’s distracted, to look for signs of deception or corroborate her story. He examines her not-luxurious room, pockets a cloak clasp, and returns to the meeting. Jess throws Aapri’s clasp on the table and notes that we’re no small fish — that there’s substantial danger and not a large fee to back it. Thelian shows scars from his time in the Thundering Steel district, emphasizing the danger, to back Jess’s play. Aapri doesn’t have cash, but promises Daelwyn that she’ll be in our debt, if we can just find her sister. It’s been years since they saw each other, and the district is a grinder of war; we nod and accept the mission. (There’s also a moment where her eyes linger on Thelian; probably wondering if he’s the same Thelian of the stories and tales.)

We set off to the south, heading through the Castledale parish. The seaside district is centered on a castle with a surrounding village. We’ve heard that they want to dominate nearby districts, extending their stability and finances into neighboring Dis. It’s a very defensible parish; famous for their extensive livestock and steeds. Long ago, the current rulers conquered the deer people and their necromancer queen; some of the deer people remain around the fringes.

While we’re advancing through the district, in the hills near the village Jess spots (with his new spyglass) an armed band of goblins preparing to raid the village. Jess calls out and the goblins pivot to intercept our group instead. Thelian moves to intercept… and end session.

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group

Dungeon World 6/7

As Clams is loaded up by his friends and they prepare to ascend, the heroes discuss the next step. Thelian suggests that they descend the crevasse across the great cavern floor; Ruaumoko volunteers to become a featured serpent and fly Jess in exploration, while Thelian and Daelwyn trudge across the floor of the great cavern floor to the chasm mouth.

Ruaumoko and Jess become light headed as they descend; the depths are more alien than the lands closer to Dis. The chasm is much darker; the cavern above had a purplish light spilling from the walls; as they explore they pass through true darkness and emerge in a cavern where the heart of ice lies — a throbbing purple network of glowing veins running to a mountain. The blood colored liquid vial (from the Wizards Dimov) freezes over — they’ve successfully reached the heart. Around the veins swirl a number of the translucent-blue leech beasts, the same ones who left the pocks all over Iwobe. The sound of cracking ice seems to be agitating the leech beasts.

The explorers feel their energy being drained; there are thousands of the leech beasts and they’re crawling back along the approach tunnel. Jess decides to gather one in the gathering sack; Ruaumoko as the flying serpent tumbles, then his form is lost and he’s a man again. The two are on the cavern floor, with the creeping mass of leech beasts crawling toward them; they rush to the vertical chasm, shift shape and fly out to meet Daelwyn and Thelian at the lip of the deep chasm.

Daelwyn stares around, and notices shadowy forms near the ceiling of the great cavern, flitting about in the fog and shadows near the roof of the cavern. Thelian suggests that we explore the city; when he mentions a chance at treasure Jess agrees.

The journey is a few hours; the fog descends and the shadowy shapes fly lower with the sound of thunder. Eventually we reach the city; high walls like a frozen wave’s crest reach a hundred feet but are dwarfed by grand buildings and towers. The city is built of red ice, with some of the buildings over a thousand feet high.

Thelian hammers a line to release a portion of the wall, then charges a weakened section, snapping off a 50’ high ramp, leaving a sawtooth in the wall, and giving us a ramp down.  It’s a loud crash, and brings the locals to the windows.They are something like gem elementals, standing in the city and towers — many colored, like rubies and diamonds held together in loose forms. 

Daelwyn steps forward and calls out that we come in peace; they do not appear to understand. The Amethyst people stream beyond us up the city walls, largely looking beyond us into the cavern beyond — and up at the chasm we descended from Dis.

The towers are sheer and seem to lack entrances; around it are many smaller “homes” with entrances on the ground.

It is Amethyst Emerald after collecting its neighbor’s head, is more clearly able to communicate. They have a special knowledge; the hidden knowledge is known best by the people in the towers. Perhaps their head, traded to the people below, is what they seek? But there is no easy access to the high towers.

The gem people were trapped here, by the wall, by the people in the towers. Part of the knowledge that they sought was what is outside of the walls — Thelian’s smashing of the hole in the wall and the resulting ramp was a gift to them.

We decide to exit this place and its bitter cold; on the way Jess gets a good view of a long, snaky, white scaled creature. Its face is like a Lion or Wolf; it silently flows through the air, patrolling. It breathes out a huge cloud of fog and vapor.

The journey up is longer, and many supplies drop into the chasm and are lost; we’re all almost out of supplies. We’ll start next session debriefing the Wizards Dimov on Dis’s new neighborhood.

Categories
Apocalypse World Game Group

Dungeon World 5/31

We rest in the cleared camp, then descend into the chasm. After some distance it leveled out and we came to a more horizontal cave with icy stalactites and stalagmites. Blue veins run through the perimeter of the icy tunnel; Jess climbed up and chipped away at the end of the vein. A purple fluid flooded the end of the “vein” and nearby “capillaries”.

Zatuva was a primordial demoness, Daelwyn recalls and explains. We find a way around the large cavern, 20 miles across, and decides to investigate what appears to be a city in the cavern. Ruaumoko finds a successful route, but Jess sets off an avalanche following the trail. The trail pulls away from the path and smashes into a lower trail — with three figures. Jess calls a warning and two successfully escape the sliding ice, but the third is swept off the narrow path and down to the cavern floor.

Ruaumoko (as a winged panther) flies down into the mists and hunts for the missing explorer, “Clams”. He finds a boot and calls up to Clam’s companions that he found the missing explorer. He then digs Clams out of the snow where he’s buried; he’s battered and unconscious.

Clam’s pair of companions, Ico and Iwobay, set aside their heavy supplies, then gather their materials for a descent down to their companion and Ruaumoko. While they descend, Jess slides down the icy face in perfect control, then sneaks over & investigates their abandoned equipment. He found scrolls with the recordings of their excursion, snatched them, then hid in the shadows nearby.

Daelwyn tries to boldly leap down, imitating Jess’s graceful descent, but loses control and bounces down painfully, smashing his head against a rock and getting thrown away from the rockface, out of control. Ruaumoko has to leap into the air (still as a winged panther) and grab the falling Daelwyn to prevent a fatal impact. Thelian uses the climbing gear and makes a much more controlled descent.

Thelian, Daelwyn, and Ruaumoko descend to the three explorers. They’ve been exploring for a few days, and have had enough; they’re ready to leave with their fallen friend Clams and return to their friends at the base camp. Thelian tells them that their companions at the base camp attacked, and won’t be there to greet them. That seems to be an additional spur to depart; they agree to meet us at the Lute & Loot when things are over to share information from our excursion as small payment for their abandoned gear, since they’re out so much on this expedition. (It sounds like they’re on a similar exploration for Wizards of Dis, and as Thelian pointed out, we didn’t promise to keep our experience exclusive to the Brothers Dimov.)

They tell us about some of the foes they’ve encountered, including leech like creatures that float through the fog, are drawn to people’s warmth, and try to suck the heat out of their victims. They’ve also seen giant shadows, but managed to avoid them. The creatures get stirred up when the wizards in Dis intervene directly (with scrying or floating eyes).

To climb the wall with the sick/unconscious Clam will be difficult, so they turn their heavy gear over to us. Iwo & Iwobay leave behind a heavy hammer/pick for ice, adventuring gear (5 uses), and a fragile glass & silver inlaid idol of the moon. Since it’s small and light, Thelian and Daelwyn are immediately suspicious of their desire to leave it behind. They claim that it’s Clam’s idol and they won’t be able to avoid breaking it while carrying him, it’s so fragile. 

Thelian is suspicious of the idol and studies it closely. It reveals a wondrous enlarged image/map of the moon. He stares too long at the idol… and vanishes, appearing on the moon outside the corresponding crater. The cold and vacuum assail his lungs, and weird people, Clam people, stir from the nearby crater.  [+1 XP for failing while discerning Clam’s moon token]

Spurred by Thelian’s disappearance, Daelwyn remembers that the moon charm was held by Lord Sequester; it allowed teleportation to and from the moon. In the first moment, the seeking magic can be disrupted, which is how he was brought down.

As the clam people emerged from the sand and approached Thelian; he studied the glass charm, now in the shape of any heart… the world he left behind. As he stared, the images grew larger. He searched and studied, seeking the chasm, which the clam people’s chatter approached. With a twist of effort, the image enlarged, clearly showing the icy clearing and avalanche where his companions still were. He vanished from the moon, returning confused and disoriented from hypoxia.

Clams was distraught at the absence of his icon; Thelian wanted nothing to do with the cursed object and weakly rolled it back to Clams, who clutched it tight and slumped back to unconsciousness.

Categories
Books

October Daye novels by Seanan McGuire

Rosemary and Rue (4/5). The first October Daye novel really sells her. She’s complicated and obligated and does the right things, despite wanting to shirk, she can’t. Interesting charms/magic system and Changeling like feel.

A Local Habitation. (4/5) Complicated new circumstances; Tobe has to really push confronting weird murders; Tamed Lightning’s people are annoying and insular and feel realistic. The relationship between Tobe and Quentin is well executed, balancing obligation and support.

An Artificial Night (3/5). Another solid Tobe book; it’s a series of quests, and she’s definitely outmatched. There’s a heartbreaking chapter of enslavement, and hard choices with bitter consequences.

Seanan McGuire, Late Eclipses (October Daye, #4). (4/5) Tobe’s life gets even more complicated as Oleander returns to haunt us, parts of her twisted past are revealed, and her friends keep falling ill. I’m eagerly awaiting the next, One Salt Sea.

One Salt Sea (October Daye #5) by Seanan McGuire. — A very solid continuation to the series; a fascinating introduction to the undersea fae, and dramatic and terrible consequences. 5/5 #BookReviews

Ashes of Honor (October Daye #6) by Seanan McGuire. Does a good job of Tobe not dealing well with tragedy; handled with empathy. Interesting developments in San Jose and the depths of faerie. 3/5.

Chimes at Midnight (October Daye #7) by Seanan McGuire. Replacing a duchess isn’t enough… an interesting delve into the Kingdom and its history, brought current. Evil pie was worrisome, but handled compassionately (and magically) to ensure less wallowing. 4/5

The Winter Long (October Daye #8) by Seanan McGuire. Interesting dredging of lots of book 1 elements; it’s great to get answers… far more than Tobe wants. A tough foe, without a bunch of violence; an ambiguous resolution. 3/5

A Red Rose Chain (October Daye #9) by Seanan McGuire. A solid continuation of the series; Toby’s in over her head as a diplomat. Fun sparring with the pretender and her puppet in Silences; plus a look at Faerie reactionaries. 3/5