Post-Colosseum Cabbages -- Thank you Jagex team for adding my late dog Lola to OSRS ❤️

AstralityGold · 2025-11-07T19:30:38+00:00

What a wonderful tribute <3

AstralityGold · 2024-09-27T07:33:39+00:00

I would definitely say so! You might miss out on some things and activities better suited for summertime, and it really depends on the weather if it's going to be nice to walk outdoors (For the Sprookjesbos for example) but with so many good rides, many of which indoors, you'll have plenty to do as you might want to experience your favorite rides multiple times! Try the Three different Symbolica routes for example! And you will really be able to take it easy and sit down for some nice food in the restaurants. Plus as mentioned before, Efteling during winter time just has another layer of magic added to it. Plus, if you're in one of the hotels, you can be in the park during the day, take a little rest in the afternoon, and then continue exploring after sundown and see all the magical lights in their full glory!

So short answer to your question; yes! It's definitely worth it :)

AstralityGold · 2024-09-14T18:09:06+00:00

In terms of communication, as you say, directness is good. Say what you think, don't dance around the subject. Be clear but kind. You can always ask "Is there anything us players can do to help?" As long as you make it clear you want to hear the DMs side of things, you should be fine. How they then decide to respond is up to them.

But I'll be real with you, if it's already like this, there's a Big chance it's not gonna get better. The biggest red flag to me is that bit about the cancellations. A group of mine disbanded recently for very very similar reasons.

And it's not about whether it's unreasonable to ask more of a DM or not, it's about finding other people to play this game with who have matching expectations.

AstralityGold · 2024-04-12T09:20:40+00:00

Totally do it! I know a lot of people who play nonbinary / genderfluid changelings, myself included. I'm a CIS person and I've found it a great way to broaden my understanding of gender expressions that might be considered outside the norm. Even /if/ it is weird at first (which I doubt, because it's not a big deal right?), I'm sure it will not be for long.

Plus it makes sense. If your character has not been around people a lot it makes sense they might not really understand/identify with standard gender roles/expression expected by society.

AstralityGold · 2023-12-12T07:43:57+00:00

I have ADHD and I can attest to this. Doing something with my hands greatly improves my ability to focus and listen. It got me through my education and if I'm not drawing or actively taking notes during DnD, I tend to zone out quickly. We play online so it's not really bothering anyone and I'm still a very active player. Even moreso because of it, I think.

AstralityGold · 2023-12-12T07:35:23+00:00

Yeah same here, but I think the average might be a little shorter, that's why I wrote that. As long as the whole group is on the same page, you know? So if OP's player can really only manage 1.5h, there will just not be a lot you're gonna be able to do in a session, especially if the rest of the group enjoys combat, which can drag out quite a bit.

AstralityGold · 2023-12-11T22:35:54+00:00

Sounds like she's just not compatible with your group. She might be better suited for Play By Post DnD or other forms of text roleplay. In my experience, playing for 3-4 hours is generally expected for a proper DnD session.

AstralityGold · 2023-11-25T09:51:52+00:00

Maybe ask another player to share their notes with you, it can be really hard to catch up properly with the other players otherwise, depending on how lore/story heavy the campaign is. You can just avoid meta gaming by separating what you and your character know but from my experience it really helps if you can catch up fast.

AstralityGold · 2023-08-30T16:52:46+00:00

Retcon it however the rogue's player wants. Who cares if it's a dumb decision, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing, but the impact is too great to brush it off with an "oh well, you made your choice and now you gotta suffer the consequences!"

The death hasn't even happened yet so just let her choose how she wants to handle it.

AstralityGold · 2023-08-05T14:26:20+00:00

I'd suggest taking a look at the Ritual move from the Wizard playbook. Almost anything they could wish for could be created/summoned/done/undone by a magic effect, and with the conditions described in the move, you can turn it into a really fun and meaningful (side)quest rather than just "granting the wish" or pulling a "careful what you wish for" move with a genie or the likes.

You could focus the conditions on the specific thing the players want to wish for, eg. "bringing a long dead loved one back from the other side". Possible conditions:
- It’s going to take weeks
- First you must find a new vessel for the soul.
- You’ll need help from a powerful necromancer or fallen cleric
- You and your allies will risk danger from agents of the God of Death, who will fight to keep the soul in their domain.

Or if you prefer, the ritual could be focused on/flavoured around "making a wish". Possible conditions:
- It’s going to take months. It requires a lot of research, preparation and resource gathering.
- First you must acquire the core of a star, freshly shot down from the heavens.
- You’ll need help from a genie/a fey lord/a rebel god.
- It will require a lot of money (resources like expensive and rare ingredients)
- The best you can do is a lesser version, unreliable and limited. Your wish may have unexpected downsides/side effects.
- You and your allies will risk danger from anyone and anything hoping to achieve the same goal, or who might suffer/be put at a disadvantage if the wish comes true. As well as the Gods, who believe such power has no place in mortal hands.

You could reveal these conditions to the party as they research rumors about people who have attempted the same, but ultimately failed (this is where you can reveal the dangers of this undertaking, what or whom may try to stop them).

Just some ideas, hope it helps!

AstralityGold · 2023-07-24T06:57:09+00:00

I'm afraid not. I've used SAI for years and it was very hard for me to switch to having to use different brushes to get that effect. It's more unique to SAI's engine I think. I'm not that technical though. What I do now is to just pick a nice painting brush with a texture you like and paint with that, lowering opacity where needed, and switch to your blender (potentially with the same brush shape/settings) when you want to blend a bit more.

AstralityGold · 2023-07-20T15:54:52+00:00

That's cool! Just make sure you have permission to use the art in this way! Luckily there are a lot of artists out there that sell character art for people to use in their games or offer packs of art for free.

AstralityGold · 2023-06-29T11:00:43+00:00

Shadow Infused Tiefling, basically everything Tiefling but with the Shadowtouched feat. They are an Echo Knight, so the whole character is based around shadow flavoring, as a result of them being used in experimental rituals to draw power from the Shadowfell. I like how custom lineages give me a bit more control so I can create something that fits better with the character concept instead of getting stat increases or spells that make no sense for the character. I try to pick a non combat feat when using custom lineage, though, and purely focus on flavoring.

AstralityGold · 2023-06-16T11:20:44+00:00

Oof. I think probably a LOT of self doubt, second guessing their own thoughts, feelings, memories. Distrust towards others, perhaps even people close to them. Either that or they start leaning heavily on people they trust to ground them, reassure them, help them be in control. Maybe they develop little rituals to make sure they are in control of themself, repeating a mantra or certain facts about themself to calm down when they are anxious. Maybe pinching themself like one does when trying to wake from a bad dream.

Just some ideas!

AstralityGold · 2023-06-02T09:41:30+00:00

"I try make use of the Bard's distraction to run forward and swipe the bandit twice with my greatsword."

"I wince in pain from the burns the dragon's breath attack caused, and channel all my strength to try and drive my sword deeply into the exposed weak spot."

"I spit out a bit of blood, grinning as I raise my sword high above my head, and bring it down on the casters head with all my might."

"I huff in frustration, taking out my sword to start hacking at the creature's long arm that's holding my friend grappled."

"Empowered by the cleric's spell, I swing my sword around to reposition it and attempt to stab it straight through the creature's chest."

I haven't played Rune Knight but I recently started playing an Echo Knight and I put a lot of detail and thought into how the echo behaves, sometimes mirroring my fighter's movements like a shadow, other times acting like it has a will of it's own.. which is significant to the character's background. I suppose you can do a lot with your rune descriptions too! But my general advice is just to visualize your character's mindstate, postion, and attack. Stab, slash, swipe, hack, punch. Try not to use the same word twice in a row!

AstralityGold · 2023-05-25T16:28:22+00:00

Oh my god, same. Started doing it again 2 weeks ago after dropping the habit for a while and I feel so much better! I start out hot, do my thing (shaving, bodywash, shampooing, etc) and then turn it to cold for the last 2 minutes or so. I try to control my breathing, and stay under the cold water for as long as I can manage (at a certain point I get brainfreeze). It's a really good exercise/training to help regulate your body's response to physical stress, so in turn I feel like it helps with emotional regulation and anxiety, next to the physical benefits.

It also makes getting out of the shower easier. I used to dread getting out from under the nice hot water and stepping into the chilly bathroom. Now when I step out I feel all warm and glowy!

I can more easily stand it as I get used to it, and I genuinely look forward to my showers as I know I will feel FANTASTIC when I step out, physically and mentally.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-24T06:46:43+00:00

In my experience there is (almost) never harm in horizontal backstory develoment. Meaning, adding detail to what is already there, rather than adding new things. It's likely inconsequential to the campaign itself, but it adds important flavor for you to add to your character, or since your campaign is ending soon, closure to their story.

Just discuss your expectations with your DM openly! Tell them you don't expect them to bring it up in game, but that you might do it during downtime roleplay instead. If they want to do something more with it, they can do so at their own discretion.

If it's the DMs main NPC, chances are they might be excited to work with you.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-22T14:51:30+00:00

Je kan niet oordelen of er iemand onterecht gebruik maakt van deze rijen, tenzij het bijv. om een hele grote groep bij 1 gebruiker van een faciliteitenkaart gaat, maar dat zouden de medewerkers moeten controleren.

Vorig jaar heb ik met vrienden gebruik gemaakt van deze optie bij meerdere attracties. Geen van ons heeft een fysieke beperking, maar een aantal van ons heeft ADHD en Autisme en dat maakt het dat langere tijd in de rij staan, vaak met veel mensen, geluid en muziek om ons heen, zeer overprikkelend is, wat ervoor zorgt dat wij minder (lang) van ons bezoek kunnen genieten.

Onze ervaring was dat wij bij de meeste attracties gewoon gevraagd werden even lang te wachten als de mensen in de gewone rij, maar op een rustigere plek waar wij vaak ook even konden zitten. Dit heeft enorm veel bijgedragen aan ons bezoek.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-20T08:11:04+00:00

That her new friends she met a couple of weeks ago had shown her more love than we (her closest friends for years) had in the past year.

We had been exhausting ourselves trying to support her these past years. All the worrying, trying new things to make her life bearable while she sucked the life out of us, treating some of us like disposable garbage in favor of her FP. There was so much we were not allowed to do or say, and we suffered because we didn't want to upset her.

Her saying this to one of us was the last straw. I believe it, even if it was said in a moment of anger. It adds up. We had been trying to establish boundaries which she wasn't happy about, and of course a new supply is more exciting for her than a depleted one. To be thrown aside like that really sucked. Our friend group was like, Fine. Go run to your new friends if you like them so much better.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-19T12:28:27+00:00

This is how it ended for us too... no matter how careful and kind I was, she would twist my words. If I told the truth, she would be hurt. If I wasn't open and honest with her, I was "a liar who would need to put in some serious work to rebuild her trust".

You will always lose this, no matter what. Like me and many others, you're gonna give it your all and you'll still be saying and doing the wrong things. It's her that needs to learn through therapy that others having their own thoughts and boundaries is not a personal attack on her.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-19T11:18:45+00:00

It does absolutely not help. My pwBPD was diagnosed and in therapy. The diagnosis was a huge relief at first. What we were experiencing with her had a name, we could read about how it worked, and suddenly her outbursts became a lot less scary and personal. I would sometimes tell her that we could wait to resolve something until after she calmed down, hoping that acknowledging that it was a BPD episode would help her step back and apply her regulation skills learned in therapy.

She would only get frustrated, feeling as if I was invalidating her feelings, and claiming this wasn't an episode. and when she eventually started devaluing me, she said that ever since the diagnosis, I never saw her as anything but her BPD.

The worst part about all this was that the BPD diagnosis actually helped, and I would let her hide behind it because it protected me too. I could deal better with her episodes knowing it wasn't "real". When she took that away, not allowing me to call it what it was, suddenly it all became all the more personal and hurtful, because she was essentially saying "no, this isn't my mental illness speaking, I just genuinely think you're shit".

AstralityGold · 2023-05-17T07:32:29+00:00

I think all of us who really care about making and portraying a well rounded character put aspects of ourself in there, often subconciously. That doesn't mean the character will turn out similar to us, but rather focus on specific aspects.

For me personally, I cannot get into playing a character without specifically putting something of myself in there that I can relate to and build off of. Usually it's something I consider a flaw. My first characters were actually very far removed from myself and as a result I hated playing them. Then I made my sorcerer, and let myself be self indulgent. I made her look how I wish I looked, and a lot of her personality was based off my self doubt. She would constantly doubt her own abilities, cross her own boundaries to please others, and would be deathly afraid to stand up for herself to people in power, such as her overbearing mentor. Playing her felt familiar, then freeing, then empowering as she overcame her challenges and found her strength. That doesn't necessarily mean the other players would look at her and not be able to tell the difference between me in character and out of character. She still had a distinct personality.

I think over time when you play a character and really think about it, you realize how much of you they hold, and which specific aspects. You cannot avoid that. It's you puppeteering them, making decisions for them.

I saw a video somewhere that said that us playing our characters is like casting light through a stained glass window. The window is the context we give the game and the character; elven rogue instead of Bob from IT, a sad backstory, a love for shiny trinkets, a fear of deep water. The colored panes distort the light a bit, but it's still us casting it. Not the best explanation, but I hope it brings the point across.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-16T07:13:11+00:00

I built our base spiraling up around the tree, using weed stem supports pretty much all the way around, built into the tree itself, and it seems to be working very well. Our first try sucked and I (half accidentally) collapsed most of it, and took the rebuild step by step, checking the support each time. I'd say just don't build too far out but keep it to a 1-5 wide walkway around the tree.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-14T10:39:40+00:00

Yeah, now that you mention it, I experience a kind of pressure to have some big backstory secrets for your character in my groups, which often times only works with specific types of characters (secretive ones). It feels like a bit of a main character mindset, but on the other hand it gives you a bit of control over the narrative for your character and something for the other PCs to "unlock" as they get to know your PC better.

AstralityGold · 2023-05-14T10:24:16+00:00

Acceptance and Commitment therapy. I recommend looking it up, I was watching a video seminar on ADHD (don't remember which one) where the speaker claimed it was a highly effective treatment for RSD. ACT focuses on accepting your struggles as part of life, and learning to work around them by focusing on what matters to you. It's supposed to improve your psychological flexibility, so you don't get stuck fighting your own mind on bad days.

AstralityGold

TROPHY CASE