I didn't manage a post yesterday. It's not because I'm joining the crypto panic, I just got worse after Thursday's blahs and spent most of the day sleeping off whatever virus was after me. It even looks like HIVE may be rebounding, too. I'm well aware both of us could be on a dead cat bounce of course, but I am an optimist on both fronts.

Dungeons & Dragons

I only had three players at the library Dungeons & Dragons game today, but I went ahead and threw them into the final encounter for my story arc. The three of them had been in the same room at the top of a ruined tower last time, and they managed to slay the mimic. I was mean. The chest was just a chest, but the altar was a hungry monster in disguise. It nearly killed one of the characters, but three successful death saving throws in a row prevented disaster.

As they took stock of the situation following their victory, they looked over the edge of the crumbling parapet and saw the skeleton minotaur that had been fighting the absent players. They had split away from the trio who explored the tower in the previous session. I decided the narrative needed a kick, so the minotaur was dragging the bodies of the rest of the party into a nearby clump of bushes and disappeared.

Rule 1: don't split the party.

Rule 2: don't miss a session!

Anyway, these three players properly decided to follow, and found the secret trap door to the underground lair of my evil necromancer. The entire aboveground tower was a red herring. Once they knew where to go, they followed and acted tactically. They found the bodies of their companions in alcoves beneath the foundation walls. One player failed medicine checks and was convinced theyw ere all dead. Fortunately, another more competent character recignized they were all merely unconscious, and bandaged up their wounds to ensure they remained stable.

More natural-looking caverns spread out from these wrought stones in the foundation, and one of the two rogues decided to set a trap using their ball bearings to make sure they wouldn't be flanked. Then, while rigging a more elaborate tripwire trap on the other path in case of later trouble, they heard a crash. The large skeleton minotaur had failed a dexterity save while squeezing through the booby-trapped narrow passage! Planning makes things much easier. They killed it with little trouble, as it was at a severe disadvantage from the trap.

Then they explored the rest of the caves, finding a bag of holding and a few coins in a pile of refuse from previous victims, and finally battled the necromancer behind everything. One character was paralyzed briefly by a spell, and another was knocked unconscious for a second time this session, but they eked out a win. It turns out this fellow was using the dark arts to create a phylactery and make himself into a lich. Well, he hadn't finished, and his corpse was decapitated for good measure. Huzzah!

Space Dust: An Amateurish Beer Review

I decided to indulge in a beer tonight as I wind down for the night. Space Dust IPA is from Eleysian Brewing of Seattle, Washington. The brewery has been around since 1996, and tends to carry a premium price for local microbrewery products.

The stats:

ABV 8.2%
IBU 73

The hype:

Medium body American India Pale Ale
Pale, C-15, & DextraPils malt
Chinook, Citra, & Amarillo hops

My opinion:

IPAs are absolutely swamping the market, but this one stands out from the rest. Most IPAs lean heavily into either the citrus hops or the piney hops. His has both notes, but they don't clash. The hint of pine and the maltiness balance out the bitter citrus well. I don't think I'd make this a regular refreshment, but it's not a bad treat.

Revisiting Ratchet & Clank

But what's with that Playstation 2 controller?

While bedridden with a bug, I decided to revisit the original Ratchet & Clank on my old fat Playstation 2. The game was first released back in 2002. Twenty years later, the controls seem a bit odd compared to what ahs become modern convention, but it's still a heck of a lot of fun. I don't have a way to capture footage or screenshots, so this image will have to suffice.

The controls would get a much-needed refinement in the first sequel, but despite some minor issues with now-obsolete control conventions and some minor quibbles with pacing and writing, this is still a solid action platformer. I highly recommend giving it a try. There are many wacky weapons, lots of secrets to be uncovered, and a wry sense of humor throughout.

Nonsense

My co-worker has pigs on her homestead. They were sick for a while, but they're better now. I can't wait until they are fully cured, though.

Our library has a children's book called Soon. Is it bad I always think of this meme every time I see it?

Image credit

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