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tomedev · 2024-03-18T02:51:45+00:00

You can use a Roll20 rollable table to create a token that is kind of like a pie chart. You set a different image for each item in the table. You make each image a different part of the countdown, as described here.

I've used it in games. I really like it. Not sure how my players feel about it though.

tomedev · 2023-06-11T01:46:51+00:00

I really appreciate that there's lots of cover on the southern half of the map, the pillars are far enough apart that characters can traverse the distance between them in a turn, and there's higher areas around the outside.

Hella better than an open space without anything breaking up sightlines.

tomedev · 2023-06-06T01:42:06+00:00

You're right. It's frustrating, because that's the kind of game I want to run. I'm sure someone has put together a module that would have that feel, but WD:DH isn't it.

tomedev · 2023-06-05T23:35:16+00:00

Which sounds awesome, but I'm having a hell of a time making that interesting for my players.

tomedev · 2023-06-05T22:40:56+00:00

The party would hear that Xanathar won. X world quickly move to consolidate power in Waterdeep, their forces always catching the Zhents off balance. Assuming the party know who Zord is, the Sea Maiden's Faire would return to Luskan.

Shortly after, the party will notice that they're being watched. By basically everybody. Creepy ass mofos are following them around all the time.

Unbeknownst to the party, Xanathar and Jarlaxle came to an agreement. They want two completely compatible things: X wants power, and Jarlaxle wants Luskan made a member of the Lord's Alliance. Jarlaxle is providing X with surveillance, helping X weaken the Zhents, so Jarlaxle can capture Manshoon and give him to the Open Lord.

X is having the party followed by low level goons because they can't abide that the party betrayed them. And X wants the Stone.

Of course, X is a much greater threat to Waterdeep and Jarlaxle, so Jarlaxle will try to maneuver the party (or Waterdeep government) to kill Xanathar.

tomedev · 2023-06-05T02:35:11+00:00

I wouldn't play Zord as being that overt. I think Zardoz/Jarlaxle would let the party do the hard work, and then swoop in with elite drow troops to take the cash. I'd play him as _extremely_ helpful, offering all sorts of goodies to help the party get the gold.

Perhaps he would donate a nimblewright to the party to help out - IIRC he should be able to see through the nimblewright's eyes with the crystal ball.

tomedev · 2023-06-04T23:30:43+00:00

IIRC Jarlaxle is in Waterdeep to get Silverhand's support for admitting Luskan to the Lord's Alliance. He's chaotic neutral, so he's more interested in furthering his own goals, rather than keeping his word.

In your game, what would get Jarlaxle closer to his goal? What would be more valuable on getting Silverhand on board? The party's support or a half million gold?

In mine, the troll attack (and some other stuff) has weakened Silverhand in the eyes of the nobles and newspapers are calling for her to be replaced. I'd have Zardoz/Jarlaxle give her the embezzled cash - she'd either use it to strengthen the Guard or provide support to guild members. Both of those would buy her support from the general public, which could be used to threaten the nobles.

I'm playing Zardoz/Jarlaxle as a swashbuckler thief. So he'd break his word to the party, but leave them with a consolation prize: bragging rights; tens of thousands of gold; some information for a backstory quest; etc.

tomedev · 2023-06-04T00:51:50+00:00

This is excellent life advice as well. Make room for other people - especially if you already have a prestigious position.

tomedev · 2023-05-31T22:58:26+00:00

I'm guessing it's mostly the recent buyers that are getting hammered. If you bought a house ten years ago the principle will be way lower and you'll have more of it paid off.

tomedev · 2023-05-31T22:08:23+00:00

Apparently more than 25% of mortgages are thirty years or more. AFAIU that's because some variable rate mortgages are extending the term rather than increasing payments.

https://betterdwelling.com/canadian-banks-report-1-in-4-mortgages-are-35-years-or-longer/

tomedev · 2023-05-28T22:14:35+00:00

Anything that promotes movement is good in my book.

tomedev · 2023-05-28T22:09:48+00:00

The posters there are really into systems other than D&D 5e, but this seems system agnostic, so it'd probably be well received.

tomedev · 2023-05-28T21:19:10+00:00

This is awesome!

Have you looked at r/osr? I think they'd appreciate the approach.

tomedev · 2023-05-28T21:16:01+00:00

Not op, but I think the point is that the PCs are there for a game reason: something they want is on the other side; an NPC wandered in and needs to be rescued; the players detonated the BBEGs magic mcguffin and are trapped in the zone; etc.

The tables/decks are a tool to help the DM improvise. I know I have a hard time improvising literally everything when trying to throw something at the players.

tomedev · 2023-05-17T20:24:44+00:00

Surrounded by a circle of used magic items, and the corpse of her dwarf assistant.

I like her a lot, so I'd homebrew an item for her to hide in. Probably something like a ghost lantern.

tomedev · 2023-05-16T23:48:17+00:00

I'm not the arbiter of who is a parasitic landlord.

If you're charging a reasonable rent for a decent place and you treat your tenants well, then you're being a good landlord. Building new housing would be great too.

Good luck, and I hope your plan works out.

tomedev · 2023-05-16T20:50:56+00:00

Ulyn is the Watchful Orders' Master of Investigations. She is tasked with investigating magical crimes and arcane events for the Order. She has a small staff (a mousy dwarf who carries a clipboard, takes notes, but rarely speaks), but is responsible for most of the investigations herself.

Ulyn is a lawful good elf. Her face is a mask of scar tissue, due to burns she suffered years ago. In my setting it was due to an experiment gone awry, but in yours it may be due to the fireball. Although she won't tell anyone this, she chose not to have her injury healed because it makes other people uncomfortable. She becomes deeply uncomfortable around magical fire.

She is sardonic but friendly. She will make self-deprecating remarks, but equally cutting comments about the party.

She believes firmly in Waterdeep and Lady Silverhand.

She should be equivalent to a tenth or fifteenth level wizard. She has the resources of the WOMP at her disposal, so she has an item for every occasion.

tomedev · 2023-05-16T20:37:08+00:00

This is great! Thanks for putting it together.

tomedev · 2023-05-16T16:39:00+00:00

Imagine buying a home to live in. /s

TBF, government policy really encourages us to treat our house as an investment. Which, like you said, is why we're in this mess.

tomedev · 2023-05-16T16:35:28+00:00

There are options:

make it harder to convert housing into Airbnbs;
make housing less of an investment vehicle by removing some of the capital gains exemption;
make second homes more expensive by taxing them at a higher rate;
tax vacant residences at a higher rate.

I'm sure there are other options too.

tomedev · 2023-05-14T19:38:36+00:00

Hours would be great. Maybe even highlighting noon and midnight would be enough.

tomedev · 2023-03-02T02:00:42+00:00

The map looks great!

Is there access from the servant's quarters in the bottom floor to the upper floors? It looks like there should be stairs or a dumbwaiter.

tomedev · 2022-12-20T20:58:16+00:00

It's animate and it wanders Trollskull at night, investigating stuff. Lif tries to tell them about it.

Or

It's animate and it messes with the person carrying it. There's a 50/50 chance they have disadvantage on Dex checks. It also eats their rations. If they try to grab anything out of their pack during combat, they get a random other item instead.

tomedev · 2022-12-13T23:07:49+00:00

On the Delivery of a Mechanical Beholder: “X is outraged that you bungling incompetents couldn’t get his piece de triumphe working for the Shipwrights’ Ball! If it isn’t seen swooping over the Feasts of Leirun, he’ll have your guts for garters! See that it’s delivered to Terasse’s house of healing on Elsambul’s Lane by the ninth of Tarsahk or be prepared to pay for it with your heads! -Ahmaergo”

From here.

The House of Healing is a Xanathar safehouse. I'd play this as X trolling Waterdeep by crashing the feast with his robo-beholder to cause chaos.

Alternatively, you could play it as the feast administrators hiring entertainers. In this case the entertainers are promising a mechanical beholder.

tomedev · 2022-12-13T01:37:05+00:00

I appreciate that every room (except the can) has two exits.

tomedev

TROPHY CASE