Archives

10-06-2004

Some quick updates to the site. Check out the new prestige class, the Artificer! Also, I have modified the optional rules for item creation using components. Short and sweet intro...

9-01-2004

Here we go again...setting records here for recent page updates! New additions include two new prestige classes, the Wanderer and the Thaumaturgist. 

For the players, I have uploaded slightly more up to date characters sheets in the characters section (including familiars). Check your info with mine and get back to me with changes. (Obviously I don't have your most recent levels Cinn Oir and Grim....)

Also added a few bits of information NPCs on the Character page (and other places). ANYTHING you guys want to add/upload to this site, let me know. It is a great way to share info!

8-22-2004

Well, it has been a while since the last update. For those keeping track, the local Eyru campaign IS still going. We've had a few changes to the roster. Borack and Faylen have departed the party and Cinn Oir has returned. Jax, the Bard, was unfortunately devoured by a Howler and has been replaced by Grimnoft Evincard, a cleric of the goddess Badb.

The party has managed to get the Council of Stone talking/negotiating in the face of the impending Giant invasion. Currently, they are working for the great Druids who seem to have quite a few errands for them to run. Their most recent charge was to investigate the possibility of Giant involvement in a spate of Worg attacks on lands in High Clan Faough.

New updates include: Characters, Session Logs, and Races.

3-15-2004

Ahhhhh where does the time go? First off, new on the site: Maps! So far the main map has been update with a better looking, more detailed map. Further, the areas have all been given a "detail map" as well. There are more maps to come (and more "detail" on the current maps as well.) Also, the latest local PC character sheets.

Now for a quick summary: Well, the local campaign is still rolling right along and we have managed to meet for several sessions. The new crop of heroes (including Cian and Dierdre from the old) has managed to avoid too much trouble and continues to try to unite the clans in the face of the rising Giant-kin. Last session, they convinced Aengus, host of the Council of Stone, to try to reinvigorate the Council. After getting sobered up (Aengus had violated his Geas to unite the council and had fallen into alcoholism) Aengus agreed to do something about it. At the next meeting he locked his gates and made the entire contingent wait outside and be subjected to an impromptu tournament of skill put on by the PCs. This weeded out the "politicians" and sparked a ferocious debate. Meanwhile, while the Council enters into this period of reorganization, the PCs have accepted a quest to track down an artifact which used to belong to the Giant Kings of old. 

To the players: Dierdre, you have unallocated skill points! Woody, you leveled! Faylen, Borack, Cian, be thinking about your next level (probably happen after next session.)

2-4-2004

Well, as usual I haven't gotten to all the updates I promised. I have some great new maps I am using in the campaign which I have created with Campaign Cartographer. No real ETA on when those will be on the web but I hope sooner than later. The local campaign has picked up steam and is progressing, though at the online game's expense. I added all of the local player's character sheets. Note: This doesn't include all of their equipment. Just a basic listing of EQ. Each individual player keeps track of that sort of detail (as it changes every week or so.) I also plan to produce a summary of events and place it on the session logs page. That may happen with this weekends game as a lot of story detail will be revealed.

1-8-2004

Happy New Year! Better late than never, eh? Well, I have made some updates to the House Rules - Character Races page. Some of the more exotic races are now available for play. While the online game did work out to a degree, we are slowly building a local group here and will continue the campaign both locally and online as time allows. Future updates will include more maps, a summary of in-game events in the Sessions area for anyone keeping up with the current campaign and possibly some more NPC information.

12-2-2003

*Tap* *Tap* This thing on? Ahh yes, just another straggler on the world-wide web that just refuses to be cocooned and digested by the mystical web's arachnid-like denizens. 

We ran a game online! Results were...mixed but encouraging. Communication was the biggest stumbling block as the free audio conferencing software works great but only allows one person speaking at a time and there is a slight delay in transmission so we often had periods of silence where people were just wondering if they could in fact speak without stepping on someone. ScreenMonkey worked well for our online "battlemat". 

The session was thick on combat and I doubt I will have time to continue to transcribe sessions for the web. However a quick recap: the party roasted, toasted and skewered two groups of Ogre mercenaries who are on the fore of the Giant-kins advance forces. There were some sort of (but not really) close calls and LOTS of fireballs courtesy of Dierdre. 

Archu's player has added a full-fledged PC since the net will allow him to play full-time in the campaign. Check out Shalver Copperleaf and his suspicious-looking stats! (Just giving him a hard time :)

11-7-2003

Ok, things are getting a little bit back on track here. I am running a test session online with my current Eyru players. If this is feasible, there may a bit of life left in this site after all. In preparation I have made a few adjustments to the website. Check out the Downloads section for updated PCGen material. Also, check out the Characters page for updated character sheets for our PCs.

11-?-2003

Made a few minor updates today. Updated the LINKS section with some good links. Also, just a quick note: the Eyru campaign -may- be back on track after well over a year in limbo. I have purchased a few software tools that ought to allow me to run the game online! (See some of the new links for information on that) No promises of course, though I have gotten a positive response from my players regarding the idea. I may also implement DnD v3.5 rules in the campaign in the future. Which again brings me to the updates in the LINKS section. You don't want to miss these! Check them out! 

8-22-2003

Ok, so it didn't quite end up as a monthly update... Ah well. I did however run a game with NWN. I tried the MUD route but honestly, I don't have the time to administer something like that. So I have run one online game as DM and it worked out fairly well. Again though, while you can accomplish a lot of things with the scripting it is (compared to a pen and paper game) very inflexible on some points. Overall though I think it was more fun than the "Diablo-esque" play style that NWN initially lends itself to. 

Currently, I'm shelving Eyru for a bit again. I may come back to it in the future. As always the site will remain up for reference. I still get a few e-mails every now and then and a fair amount of traffic. If the urge strikes me I'll pick up the campaign again. When and if that happens I'll be sure to drop a line to the mailing list members. Speaking of mailing lists, the mailing list form is going to be off-line due to some technical issues. As always I can be contacted at gm@eyrurpg.com. 

Thanks for all those who have shown interest in this little project over the years!

6-9-2003

New poll! The next update for the The DM's Section is here. Looks like these will be monthly for now. So far I am still looking for good ways to continue the campaign with a geographically diverse player base but I haven't quite found exactly what I want. The off-shoot of this is that I am toying around with Neverwinter Nights. I have no plans to try to replicate Eyru with the toolset. The reasons are many but in short, it is not a flexible enough medium for me to run the type of RPG campaign that I like. However, it is very well suited for being a graphical MUD....more details on that maybe later.

5-2-2003

Well, I meant for these updates to happen a little more frequently than a monthly basis. Life always loves to throw curve balls (though lately they have been straight over the plate in the end...) The The DM's Section is updated once again with more background info and a few tips for DMing an Eyru campaign. Right now I am still concentrating on writing the "true" history of Eyru. Once I am done adding all the DM notes I can think of to the history, I will try to add more game/rules related info for Eyru DMs. This will of course require an expansion and reorg of the DM Section so I think it will take a bit before it is all complete. As always if any of you Eyru DMs out there have specific questions feel free to e-mail me!

3-28-2003

Just a quick note that the The DM's Section has been updated. I'm slowly working my way through the history and adding some DM notes/tips for running a game in Eyru. The work will be a bit sporadic but don't worry, I'll warn you via the e-mail updates if there are anymore set backs.

3-9-2003

Well, maybe it was Saint Patrick's day right around the corner, or perhaps the fact that I was listening to the Chieftains....I can't quite tell. The short of the matter is I am going to be posting some updates in the coming weeks! 

I have been amazed at the response I have gotten since the site was put on hold. Nothing, overwhelming but several very inspiring e-mails have been sent. Seems there are in fact a few Eyru campaigns going on out in the wild. I was also flattered by the guys at PCGen who offered to make Eyru one of the default available settings that could be downloaded with their software. 

At the moment I don't think I will have the time I would want to provide support for PCGen campaign updates and such. However, I do want to provide a little support to those of you out there running Eyru campaigns.

I wanted to run Eyru something like a mystery, where bits and pieces of the plot were divulged as players explored the world. There were several problems with this and my campaign, the most problematic being the time myself and my players had available. This was further complicated by the switch to a new rule set (3e of course) which really made many sessions more a lesson in gameplay than a concentration on the story.

This led me to keeping much of my "DM's only" info off of the site. History is of course a malleable thing. The history as you see it in the "Background" section is the history of the Eyrian historian. It is in fact incomplete and in some cases inaccurate as far as the truth is concerned. Several facts have been buried and simply changed by Druids and Bards trying to protect the people of Eyru from a near apocalyptic past.

My plan is to shed light on some of these events.  The main reasoning behind this is to support those of you trying to run Eyru campaigns. I am not planning on password protecting this information so it will be available to everyone. If you are a player in an Eyru campaign PLEASE ask your DM if it is alright to peruse this information. Much of this information was intended for players to discover on their through the course of a campaign. Of course, like any widely available setting, avid fans may devour as much material as they want and in many cases may know more about the setting than their DMs. However, it really does add to the game to keep that sense of mystery as you familiarize yourself with the campaign. I leave this up to individual DM's to decide how much they want their players to know....

Without further ado: The DM's Section (under Background on the side menu...)

8-17-2002

Ok, so the site is officially on...hmmm...extended leave. I'm not sure when or if I will begin regular updates but the site will stay up for those of you running Eyru campaigns or for anyone just interested in using this site as a resource.

I'd like to thank all of the regular visitors (and even the not so regular visitors) for showing an interest in this creative exercise. While the site will no longer be updated on a regular basis, I may still be contacted at gm@eyrurpg.com for those of you with any questions regarding the campaign. 

Good gaming!

6-21-2002

It's in the mail! I notice the poll is a bit slow (as usual) but I did take into account that it is only 3 to 2 in favor of Eyru being produced by WotC. Well, for the dissenters, if it makes you feel better, I'll need to be one of ten out of how many thousands of submissions I'm sure they will get. Odds aren't in my favor. Filling out the one page proposal has an added benefit though. It got me to thinking about the campaign again. I had quite few ideas rush into my head. Much of it hints at making some huge changes to the basic game info. Some unique classes, changes to how magic operates, etc. I may get to work on that and post some preliminary stuff soon.

Meanwhile, the PDF is back up! I took it down as I figured while I gleaned it for info to write the proposal, I might actually get around to updating it. There were a few things that I wanted to fix and no sense in having erroneous copies floating around cyberspace. Anyway, I never actually changed anything so its up again, same version as last time.

6-9-2002

Well, I never intended to go two months without an update! Several things have happened around here that have had a big impact. Some players have moved and others have taken on expanded responsibilities. Finally, I have been in the middle of a job search for the past two months (which hopefully will come to an end in the next few days....)

I am currently uncertain about the future of this project. I launched the site more than a year ago mainly as a means to get information to my players between sessions and provide an online resource for their use. I also wanted to share my creative vision with a wider audience having always been interested in writing. 

I do plan to leave the site up for as long as possible however I was recently notified (thanks Liam!!) that WoTC is having an open call for a new fantasy campaign (check their website for details all you aspiring writers). I really never planned to make money with Eyru, preferring to leave it a free, open gaming project. But alas, the ultimate corrupter, cold hard cash, has swayed my opinion. If the world of Eyru is accepted then I will undoubtedly need to take the site down. Good news of course is that if it is the finalist, all the Eyru fans out there will be able to pick up a professionally created copy at your local gaming store!  

Thanks to all the Eyru fans out there!! Good gaming!

4-2-2002

I've been struggling with figuring out what to do with Damian's character, Sir Lance. Damian was only able to play with the group a few times due to his health and the travel required. However, he positioned his character to make a big impact on the direction of the campaign. 

We developed an interesting way to bring Lance into the campaign to that end. Tracking a stray ogre group that had started an early raid into human lands. Ogres that Lance alone saw and none of his clansmen could believe his tales about. 

Lance stuck to his mission and with the help of the party tracked down the ogres and took back proof to his clansmen. Clansmen that had contacts with the local King, Teigh Mac Eoghan. Events were finally set into motion for the humans of Eyru to recognize and begin to assess the giant threat. 

When he was no longer able to play, Damian was very interested in what the results of his character's actions were. We spoke of it on several occasions. Sounds silly perhaps, given his dire condition. However, it was a way for him to escape his struggle, if even for a moment. In all those conversations, I never had the heart to ask what he would want for Lance when he was gone. For the past several sessions Lance has just been in the background, looking after the campsite, seeing to fallen comrades. Not fitting for such a knight.

So, I've made the decision myself, one I believe Damian will agree with. Read about it in the latest session, Session 31: The Long Journey. 

3-21-02

So, why is a site dedicated to an Irish theme didn't post Happy St. Pat's Day notes and such?? Well, if you truly are celebrating that glorious day and you haven't had so much Guinness that you can't see your keyboard clearly, obviously you aren't giving it your best.

Besides, St. Patrick's day fell on our normal gaming day. So instead of getting falling down drunk, we let some Irish luck rub off on the PC's dice and they mutilated the competition. Check out the details of this bloody mess in Session 31: Mistress of the Axe. And no, I didn't forget Session 30. It is there as well! Session 30: Guardians of the Deep. Double digest, woohoo!

News Archive

3-12-02

Damian Deaton was laid to rest last week. We'll miss him, for sure. However, he left with such concern about how others were, I'm positive he would want everyone to carry on with their lives in good spirits. We should let his departure not bring about sadness, but instead reflection. Reflection about our own lives, how we can improve them and how in the darkest times we can follow his example of strength and courage. 

Some minor developments here on the site. All character sheets have been updated. The party is at or rapidly approaching sixth level with several members closing on level seven. I think I'm going soft as a DM as the worst fate to befall them is transformation of one member into a talking bird. Not nearly as devious as I normally am >:) Rest assured though, they are currently deep in hostile territory and no matter how much of a softie I've become, they'll need to keep their guard up!

The latest session, Session 29: The Serpent's Ride details the adventuring groups continued exploration of the lands to the north, in their newly acquired, and very picky ship. They see several disturbing things, have a brush with Jaws, and very nearly wreck the boat in deep ocean water. I've also re-written the optional Magic Item Creation Feat changes. I've tried to flesh out the idea a bit more and provide better guidelines and examples.

3-04-02

Damian Deaton, the player of Lance Von Rose, passed away today at 12:30 AM due to complications of lung cancer. He was 31 years old. He had lived with a condition all of his life called neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition which causes the growth of benign tumors in or on the body. In exceedingly rare cases the tumors can be malignant. This was one of those cases, occurring in one of the most deadly places to have cancer.

Damian was truly a knight. It is how he would like to be remembered. Some may think he fought his final battle, and lost. That is far from the truth. For a single man who had so much arrayed against him in life to still be such a wonderful human being takes more courage than I can possibly fathom. He faced death with such dignity, worrying more for those around him than himself.  I only hope when my time comes I can be so brave. 

Good bye Damian, you will be missed.

Then Sir Bedivere cried: Ah my lord Arthur, what shall become of me, now ye go from me and leave me here alone among mine enemies? Comfort thyself, said the king, and do as well as thou mayst, for in me is no trust for to trust in; for I will into the vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound: and if thou hear never more of me, pray for my soul. 

Le Morte Darthur, Chapter V, Sir Thomas Malory

2-22-02

*Sigh* Well, I started to update the website and make sure all the information was current with the PDF. I ran into a minor issue in that I have formatted the PDF doc a bit differently from the site. In fact, I like the way the information is set out in the PDF much more. The info on society and history is better organized and makes more sense overall, IMO. However, rearranging that on the website will require some work. More behind the scenes sort of work with little apparent "new stuff". I hope I'm not boring the viewers out there!

I'm considering two options: rearranging the info on the website to match the PDF or dropping the society/history info from the site completely and leaving it only to be found in the PDF.  Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. What do you guys think? Check out the new poll (hopefully more popular than the last two vote poll!!!) 

2-16-02

Well, I have received little in the way of comment about the PDF doc. It has been downloaded, I know that! So either everyone is busy printing out copies and starting Eyru campaigns, or they are just thinking "Gee, isn't all this stuff on the website already?" Anyway, regardless, I hope everyone is enjoying it. I'm going to post it for public download today so everyone who hasn't gotten it, check the Downloads section!

As a sidenote, the PDF does say to come here to the site for the latest info. Well, for probably the next week, if you get really picky, you'll see there are discrepancies between the site and the PDF. The PDF is actually the most current thing right now, though I hope to get that straightened out soon.

Now that that is out of the way, check out the latest session log, Session 28: Immortalized in Stone! Bebe gets angry and her and the group beats up a ship full of unarmed men! (Ok, so they aren't men really, they're lizard-like men...and they technically aren't unarmed, they're monks....don't feel too bad for them.)

2-13-02

Feel free to let me know if you see a typo on the main page here....somewhere... (Was I the only one to notice that the last update said 1-8-02 and not *2*? Real update coming later this week.)

2-8-02

The impossible has finally happened. Cian changed back to human you say? Nope sorry. Dierdre enjoying darkness and blinding fog? Guess again. Bebe gives mercy to an ogre? Ha! Nope, it's the final completion of the PDF! Ok, ok, so it took me long enough. And yeah, I'm a horrid perfectionist, even for my hobbies. But anyway, it is finally done. 

One catch: The document will only be available for download by the list members at first. I want them to get a chance to pour over it and let me know of any problems/errors before I open it up to the public. 

Hope its a good read! Normal updates will be back on track soon (I'm still a session or so behind on the logs!)

1-31-02

Our latest session log has our heroes once again in flight from Dun Brees! This time however, they are prepared to regroup and determined to uncover its secrets. Session 27: The Fate of Lord Brees.

On the PDF project: It is pretty polished and complete however I've got just a few more sections I want to add (I managed to completely miss the bestiary, should be easy to add-on.) I still plan to have it done by next week, mind you. 

New poll! Well, Liam as a Leprechaun was ahead in the last poll. Funny thing is, it very nearly happened that way, though he was mistaken for something a bit more sinister. Check out Session 27 for the details! 

1-26-02

Two weeks already! Wow, time is flying. Rest assured I am working on Eyru material and I even have a session log I need to transcribe. Much of the time I would use to update the site I have been devoting to finally wrapping up the PDF doc. I suspect I'll be done within a week or two. Be on the look out for a "regular" update next week. I'll definitely have a session log then and maybe have the final PDF doc.

1-12-02

The poll has Liam's appearance as a Leprechaun in the lead. However, give the latest session, Session 26, a look and you'll soon see what really happens when the party decides to return to Dun Brees!

There is also a new magic item in Cian's Lab. One he has heard rumor of through his Eyrian Lore (and not one he intends to make I hope!) Check out the Collar of the Rabid Guardian, and be prepared to run the other way!

I've actually re-opened work on the PDF project. Slap the "Coming Soon" label on it!

1-5-02

Happy New Year everyone! I know, I know, I'm a little late, but hey, I've been busy! My New Year's Eve consisted of moving furniture and blowing fuses. (Ok, so we didn't blow any fuses but I'm surprised at that.) The annual LAN party went over well and we even managed to squeeze in a DnD session to boot. Check out the latest session log, Cat and Mouse.

The players may notice that this session log has a combination of events from two different sessions. Not trying to confuse anyone...just how it worked out sequentially! And believe me, I haven't forgotten about the rest of the events of the last session (now that was messy). Those will be posted next update. I'll leave the poll up for now though we'll soon see what transpires at Dun Brees...

I also had a note from someone on the mailing list (ahem, you know who you are :) expressing interest in helping me finish out the PDF doc. So maybe, just maybe, that will be wrapped up shortly!

12-19-01

There is a new session log up. Its not so much a log as a DM's notepad this time. There was a sort of story implosion last time we got together so I wanted to clear things up for the players so they could make some more concrete decisions for their characters and the direction of the campaign. See Session 24: The *DM's* Journal for the scoop. All the players need to read this one!

We're celebrating the approaching holiday with a festive green and red image. I suppose that ogre mistook Bebe for one of Santa's little helpers and got a wee bit too close. Yep, the pic for Bebe is finally done. The Eyru Wallpaper (available in the Downloads section) is also updated (preview it at the top of the Characters page.) I'm debating whether to update Cian and Liam's pic, though both seem slightly interested in finding a way back to their old form...

I've added a hopefully very helpful list of names. It includes family and individual names which fit in with the Eyru setting. No more wasting time trying to think of that perfect name! Most of the names are also accompanied by a translation and pronunciation guide. A link to it can be found in the Society section.

Looks like the Clagh Leir won the last poll. (It was up a bit longer than anticipated.) This new poll ought to be fun!

12-03-01

Well several factors led to me missing my almost weekly update. Thanksgiving (recovery from having near twenty people over and from a tryptophan induced coma) and my ISP, @Home deciding to close their doors. The new update is finally here though.

Out latest session log takes a little twist from the normal log. Session 23 is retold through the pages of Archu's personal journal. A little abridged in comparison (I actually crammed two gaming sessions into it) but hopefully a refreshing change of pace.

The Characters page has been updated. PCs are all correct (though XP totals are not perfectly up to date) and a few new PCs have been added. Lance and Archu who are played by visiting gamers on an irregular basis and covered as NPCs the rest of the time. I have also added some new names to the Recurring NPCs list as well.

To the right is a glimpse at the latest artwork. Yes, I FINALLY got around to getting a portrait of Bebe thrown together. Its actually not quite finished. When it is I'll add her to the character group shot/windows wallpaper.

11-2-01

No new session log this time. The last time our gaming group got together we returned to an old 2e campaign we had lost track of. It was great fun as always. This weekend I am preparing for a large-scale Eyru game. I have some friends in from out of town and Bebe may be rejoining us so I'm cooking up a challenge for 7+ players. I can't even begin to imagine what sort of scene they are going to create!

I went back and made some changes to the Prestige Classes. The Gynfakin have been given a Sniper Attack ability, the Inquisitor's ability to torture has been modified and the Heroic Essence ability for the Clagh Leir has been expanded. As always, they are a work in progress and none of them have undergone much play testing, so use them with caution (and if you DO use them let me know how it works!). As a note to my players-since these are a work in progress, if you are interested in one but see a way to improve it, let me know!

There is also a new prestige class: the Gealach Fuil. These special forces under the control of King Teigh Mac Eoghan of High Clan Tairan have granted victory after victory in the northern contests with High Clan Steairn. (See the Tairan section in the Map Room for more info). The members of this elite barbarian order are feared across Eyru for their horrible rage and deadly skill with the axe. 

As always, PDF on the to-do. I'll stop talking about it until I make some progress : ) Also, Cian's workshop will re-open next update as well!

10-22-01

Session 21 is up and we learn the fate of our two fallen heroes! On that note, I've added some new info on an old spell to the House Rules>Magic section. If you don't want to spoil the surprise in the session log, check this little tidbit out after you read! Cian's lab includes an all new item. With a little help from Dierdre, he's created a spicy little number he calls Dierdre's Hot Little Hands.  

There are some new stats available as well in the Tales>Characters section.. Etain is now listed as an NPC under the party section and below, in the recurring NPC section are the stats for the cleric / fist operative that the party fought in Session 18.

Alright, on the "to-do" list (which is growing...) I have yet to scan the new artwork; a picture of the malignant faye, the Bollag. Hopefully that will be up soon. I'm also, as always, still trying to get back to work on the PDF doc. Still stalled, but it is still very much on the agenda. One of these days I'll wrap it up. Also, the character sheets are pretty well all out of date again. I need to update them and that will be one of the first things I do before next update.

10-9-01

Session 20 is finally here! It is a harrowing tale crowned by a desperate fight to the finish from which the survivors barely escape with their lives. Not everyone makes it I can tell you, but just who survives? Lots of new information comes to light as well and the party finds out on their hunt for clues that they are in fact the prey...

Check out Cian's lab for the latest magic item, the Mask of the Woods Between. An interesting mask of tribal design long lost to the Eyrian people. With it, one can speak with the inhabitants of the Woods at a whim and perhaps glean information about its hidden secrets. 

Next week I have some new art to add and hope to make more head way on the PDF doc version of the site's information. Development on that has stalled as I have been strapped for time lately. It will get completed though...somehow!

10-2-01

Another busy week here but I finally managed to get updates posted! We have a new session log and two new magic items from Cian's laboratory. Session 19 has little in the way of sword and sorcery excitement but the players finally get a chance to work on some skills and let some information sink in. 

The latest poll unfortunately proved timely. The party suffers a terrible loss in the next session while investigating the mystery at Dun Brees. Be on the look out for session 20 as our heroes get into a pitched battle to the death and discover some very disturbing information. Cian was the dubious winner of the poll....will that prove true?

Cian's new magic items include the Horse of the Northlands and the Pet Rope. The Horse is a small statuette which can be used to summon a mount from the rugged Broken Lands. And you've heard of pet rocks maybe, how about a pet rope? Just watch your fingers when you try to pet it! Look in 3eDnD>Magic>Magic Items for these new items!

9-21-01

I've been just swamped with other things, excuse the delay. We finally have an update though! It includes the latest session log, Session Eighteen: In the Dark.  Our heroes make a scene once again and fight a very close battle with a crafty cleric. Liam has his throat slit, Cian nearly dies, Cinn Oir gets torn up, and Dierdre casts every single spell she can (which is a lot for a high charisma sorceress!)  Its a mess of a session, but a great read! There is also a new item in the 3eDnD>Magic>Magic Items section. Cian's Lucky Pin, used to provide protection to mages in close combat.

Due to other responsibilities, I made little progress on the PDF doc. However, it is still pretty close to completion. I'm also hoping that next week I will be able to modify the current Eyru Desktop picture (make it look a lot smoother like the new sampling of the art on the site) and maybe create a new one as well.

9-10-01

I'll be starting a new weekly update with Cian's help. Cian has generously agreed to slave over his arcane magics and produce a new Wondrous Item for everyone to enjoy each week! Each item will be detailed down to the market price and ready for fellow wizards to replicate.  The first of these is The Needle Stone. Look for it in the section: 3eDnD>Magic>Magic Items. 

We had an excellent session this weekend! While it spelled BIG trouble for the characters, I think everyone really enjoyed it. Bad news is I don't have a session log ready yet, so be on the look out for the continuing adventures of our favorite adventurers coming next update! 

This update also includes a few things which you may not notice right off the bat. The character pictures on the site have been resized and re-sampled (they look MUCH better and are closer to the look of the original vector images. The Eyru Wallpaper is next on the list for the same treatment) and some text has been modified due to changes in the PDF Doc.  On the PDF Doc, it is in a sort of beta form. All the information is compiled (though I'm debating whether to add the house rules or not) and it is available for download by our list members.

8-31-01

Another small update. As before, don't forget to check the progress of our adventurers by looking at their character sheets in the Tales>Characters section. Also, we have the latest session log up for those of you following the campaign story (and as a refresher for the players.) Session 17: Traitor in the Midsts. This one seems to follow the party's standard modus operandi: plan to be subtle then just start throwing spells!

Work continues on the PDF doc though there is no installment ready for review yet. Many of the areas I have worked on in the campaign have been in an "offline" capacity and much of it is information not available to my players (and thus not going to be on the website soon!) I hope to have a new section up detailing some of Cian's magical concoctions as he has been itching to try his Wondrous Item feat and has some great ideas. Mailing list members will probably be the first to see these and some may even be exclusively available to the mailing list. Market price, creation costs will all be included.

8-29-01

Just a quick update here, there will be another before the week is out. I have Updated character sheets for all the players and these sheets list the current XP totals as well. Everyone is much closer to 5th than I thought and some will probably hit that next game! I will post another update this week with the latest session log and perhaps some new magic items that Cian is devising.

8-21-01

Yikes! I've been getting in an update every week since I can remember! Sorry about the gap. 

To start, I'd like to say "Thanks" to Eric Noah. He is closing down his Unofficial 3e News Site and he will be sorely missed. He was a wonderful source of info for the online DnD community. I'll also miss the traffic spikes I received when he would so graciously post Eryru updates in his community news : ) Good Luck with whatever you do Eric and thanks again for the quality 3e site!

Now, on to our business. I have updated several pages and have some more of the PDF doc completed (which mailing list members will be allowed to view.) The site updates include new spells in the 3e Magic section. The dreaded Covetous Curse has been detailed and an old favorite from 2e, Chariot of Sustarre has been converted. I've also added a new elder god complete with a new domain. Dian Cecht whose domain is quite strangely Healing and, the new one, Vengeance.  If all goes well, I will have a new session log for next week and FINALLY get Cian's character sheet updated from 3rd to 4th level! Also, for anyone using PCGen and the Eyru setting, check out the Downloads section for updated LST and PCC files for the Eyru campaign.

8-07-01

Well, the past week I have been pretty busy with "real world" obligations and Eyru has fallen to the wayside! There has been little progress on the PDF campaign book. There is however some new content on the site. I've added a new session log! It details the party's adventures in the cellar of the ancient tower. They make some disturbing discoveries and meet some interesting adversaries. 

I have also added some more NPC stats. The party has yet to meet these NPCs. They are major players in the world of Eyru, so their info is linked to their descriptions in the Map Room regional info. Check out the regional info for the lands of High Clan Steairn and Faough. The stats for the current Master (Mistress) of the Flame of Steairn, the secretive druid of the Wood Between, and a renowned warrior-hermit of High Clan Faough are all available. I'm still using PCGen to record these NPCs. I have yet to add magical items. Nevertheless, it is a quick way to get a complete character sheet in HTML format....

7-26-01

This may seem like a pretty small update. In fact, its hard to point to the changes. Basically there is no new material this time, only revisions of the old. Since I started compiling the PDF campaign book, I've been sweating the details so to speak. Essentially, I have been ironing out inconsistencies with the information and trying to make everything a bit more clear. 

Most of the changes can be found in the "Background" section. The content of just about every page under that section has changed. Mailing list members will be invited to review this background information (history) as it will appear in the PDF document.

7-19-01

There is a new poll, don't forget to vote. This one is to help out the site and also help me complete the PDF book. Liam and Dierdre's character sheets have been updated with level 4 stats: Tales: Characters section. Also, there is a new session log, Session 15! Go check it out! Another cliffhanger ending, so I hope you can wait a few weeks til the next one. 

I see the poll finally announced a clear winner. The PDF Campaign Book broke the dead heat finally. Well, I've been working on it! As mentioned it will be a bit before I have anything to show. I'm reviewing the current web docs (and fixing a few in the process) and prepping it all to be put into a single printable format. I may add a bit to clarify some things and really would love to add some new artwork. I'll keep everyone posted on the progress.

7-11-01

Not much of an early update but I have added to the site based on the current poll results. I see the dead heat continues between a PDF campaign book and NPC stats. 

The easiest thing to do was to provide NPC stats. With the help of a freeware program called PCGen. I was able to spit out some HTML files for some of the NPCs in the game. You can access these NPC stats from the Tales: Characters section. In the near future, I hope to add some of the high profile NPCs mentioned in the Map Room. Also, check out the downloads section for my custom PCGen files if you like the program.

There have also been some minor modifications to the Smithing Domain, the Counter Feat and the Little Dart Feat.

I'm working on compiling the PDF campaign book. Its a bigger process than it seems and being short on time (as always!) it may be a bit before it is complete. I'll leave the poll up for a few more days to see if I can get a clear winner :)

7-5-01

Hope everyone had a happy fourth. I just returned from my trip and the group managed to squeeze in a DnD session this weekend! That's right-Session 14: The Mark of the Fist is now available!

Give me a few days to recover and I'll hopefully have a more substantial update. Meanwhile, I've noticed the poll is in a dead heat again...NPC stats and a PDF campaign book. I can only guess which one my players are rooting for....

6-23-01

New poll!! There were no winners for the last poll! Dierdre, Cinn Oir and Liam all tied for "first place". We may have a run-off poll in a few weeks if the players need their egos satisfied :)

I was hoping to squeeze two updates into this week but couldn't. I will be going on vacation and won't be able to add to the site until after the first of July. If all goes well, we will have a new SESSION LOG then. Yes, as amazing as it sounds, we actually still play! For now, entertain yourself with a new poll. (I've set this one up so that you can vote every day if you like.)

6-18-01

Myron Breeden is the winner of our Monster Designing contest! He not only won, but submitted two great creatures that have both been added to the Bestiary.  The Fir Darrig and the Glasgavlen are not only fearsome foes but fit seamlessly into the Eyru setting! Great work! No big prizes this time, but he does get his name in lights and his excellent work posted in our bestiary!

In other news, the Map Room is finally "complete" With the addition of regional information for High Clan Faough, every region now has detailed information. Of course, the Map Room is always a work in progress. Maps will be added as they become available and, hopefully soon, stats to go with the NPCs. 

6-11-01: Supplementary

Well, that'll teach me to use something other than Notepad for my HTML editing... Anyway I just fixed a ton of broken links to this main page. I apologize for any inconveniences! Feel free to email me when you run across broken links.

6-8-01

Well, the picture for the Dullahan is completed. I drew a sketch which I kept meaning to scan and "color" (like the others.) However, I went back to a more traditional medium and chose to try my hand at pastels. Hopefully it isn't to painfully obvious why I have only drawn one other picture with pastels (which turned out much better I might add.) I'm not entirely pleased with it as you might have guessed, but, it does convey the dark feel I wanted.

There is some more regional info in the Map Room. Check out the info on High Clan Steairn's region of Eyru. Also, if you look up in the intro blurb....there should be a poll that will greatly entertain (stress?) players and visitors alike. (No extra XP for winning!) Update: In the process of testing, everyone got a vote from the DM :)

I worked a bit on making a little javascript or applet that would open up printer friendly windows (text in black on white, little to no graphics.) However, I've almost decided it might be best to simply offer a PDF file, sort of a "gazetteer" as one mailing list member put it. I compiled most of the info on the site (minus session logs and news) and saw it weighed in at a hefty 50 pages! I'll keep working on it and see what comes of it. Let me know if anyone out there has a preference.

6-1-01

The Bestiary continues to grow as another faye is added to its ranks. The Bollag however is quite different from any Faerie Folk you have ever heard of! Beyond mischievous, the Bollag is a cruel, war-mongering faye with deadly powers.

The new section entitled Faye under the Otherworld has been started as well. It gives an account of what exactly a faye is in Eyru. Later, more information will be added, possibly detailing factions among these Otherworldly inhabitants.

Due to updates regarding the faye, there have also been some minor changes to the Classes (Druid and Sorcerer) and to the Ancestors section.

Work continues here with a pic of the Dullahan in the works, more maps and info for the map room, and hopefully more pics to be added to the bestiary as time permits.  

5-24-01

Some hopefully interesting updates for this week. I've added five new feats in the Skills and Feats section, all inspired by heroic feats from Irish myth. Most notably the exploits of the powerful warrior, Cuchulain. None have suffered extensive play testing but I believe they are all pretty solid concepts and none are campaign specific. As usual, comments are welcome! 

There is new regional information on High Clan Erinin's territory in the Map Room. A few NPC profiles are given as well. Take a peek in the Society section too for some information on funeral customs in Eyru.

If anyone is interested, I'm posting the Eyru RPG site banner in the Downloads section. If you do want to use it to link to our site, please download a copy of the banner to your own site instead of linking directly to the banner here. And please, drop me a line and let me know you are using it! I'll probably add a link to your page as well. Another thing that may have gone unnoticed last time, but there is a search engine at the bottom of the nav bar now.

5-15-01

I'm headed out of town tomorrow, but here is a great update for you Eyru fans. Session Thirteen: Death Rides is finally here! This is definitely an excellent session and continues the tale of our intrepid adventurers. They bargain for their lives and end up helping out Gaelyn. Little do they know that there is death on the horizon......

Work continues on all the standard ongoing projects (Map room updates, need a pic for Bebe, more art for the site, etc.) Please remember to vote for my site and also, don't be shy! Send me your comments! 

5-8-01

Tada! Introducing the new site design! Feel free to poke around and see how you like the new feel. 

To the right you'll also notice a picture of our very own Cinn Oir (see the new Tales: Characters section for her stats.)

Lots of new things. In the "all new" category, check out the Bestiary! Three new monsters guaranteed to make any adventurer's life more interesting. 

Also, check out the Downloads section for an Eyru inspired wallpaper. A picture featuring all of the current PC's portraits!

Now that I have that creative energy burst out of the way, I'll get back to the same old content projects: Map Room information and getting session 13 typed up and posted!

5-3-01

Not much to post though a lot of work going on behind the scenes. I've been pretty busy lately and the site has been low priority. However, I have managed to do some work. Most of it is devoted to finishing character portraits and finishing the site redesign. Liam's pic is done and is pasted in the session 12 log at the top. Cinn Oir is in the works. Also, the final session, session 13, before our break, will hopefully be posted next week, so be sure to check back! By then, I hope to also have the site re-design complete and a nice wallpaper with all of the current characters.

4-25-01

A small update this time. Only two new things: session 12 has been posted in the Tales section and a very short proposal regarding sorcerers has been added in the Rules>Class section. Subscribers to the mailing list (click to subscribe) get to see a new monster as well! I'll hopefully post it publicly next week.

The update is limited mostly because I have bigger things for the site in the works. This includes an entire redesign. It should be frame-less, faster loading, slightly more user friendly, and look "all pretty and stuff". Currently, I'm also working on Liam's character portrait (unsatisfied, I'm sort of starting again) and the standard ongoing projects for filling in gaps in the content.

4-17-01 Supplementary

Two quick notes, I just joined the Top 25 DnD 3e Sites! Click here or use the link at the bottom of this page to vote for Eyru as your favorite site! Also, I added a link to a new ranger tweak that I really like and may replace the standard 3e ranger with. Check it out here.

4-17-01

I'd like to remind everyone that session eleven is up in the Tales section. It turned out to be such an entertaining session, I want to make sure nobody misses it. 

Other new items include regional information on the Freeman's Lands (or the Wastes) in the World section. Currently, this is where the party is adventuring, though they may need to change locales again. I have also added some bits to the Rules>Combat section and the Rules>Classes section. Just a quick blurb on the Bull Rush tactic and my own "fix" for sorcerers. Also a very brief note on clerics.

For the near future, I have a rough sketch completed for Liam's portrait and hope to have it done this week. Work continues on the World section and other ongoing areas. 

4-11-01

This isn't a big update, but I wish I could have gotten it posted sooner. The main thing is a log of session Eleven in the Tales section.. Though, don't think "only thing" as in "yet another session log". This is probably the most entertaining session we've had-and maybe the most combat and rules intensive as well. I can only hope I did it justice. You really just had to be there to get the full effect. According to Dierdre's player I was beet red at one point from raucous laughter and a tinge of embarrassment about the direction things were headed. Oh yeah do things go south this adventure....We're talking Antarctica south here.... And the trouble the characters get into....jeeeeeesh.

I also added two new links to the Links section. One is a great listing of stone circles and the other a link to some online cartography resources.

As for plans, still much the same. I haven't had much time this week and have only managed to get the session log transcribed. Still planning on filling out more World section details and creating character portraits for Liam and Cinn Oir. Bebe will be the last of those, though it will come last as her player has taken a much needed break (And given last session, I'm guessing I'm lucky she wasn't there.....) Of course, I may also wait until last session's events are fully resolved and I know which characters will still be around....

4-4-01

Ok, not an update really, but a correction (Eratta on my site? You'd think I work for Wizards! :)  There was a weird server error and the Magic page has been down for, well, I'm not sure how long. Its up now!! Also, in slightly related Celtic-like news, U2 can still put on an awesome show! 

4-2-01

Well, the biggest news: prestige classes are here! (located at Rules>Character Classes.) Now, I need to start by mentioning these are subject to change. This is my first 3e campaign and of course, my first attempt at designing prestige classes. I'm sure some are a bit unbalanced (whether to powerful or too weak). It may also be a bit before we see any play testing as the current PCs are still in the lower levels. I hope you enjoy them and any constructive feedback is welcome!

Apart from that, still some of the same plans on the to do list: fleshing out the World section info and coming up with character portraits of Liam, Cinn Oir and Bebe. Sessions are scheduled to resume this coming Sunday, so stay tuned if you are following the story.

3-27-01

The next two weeks are going to be pretty hectic for the GM here, mostly on a personal basis, so updates will be a little thin. Plus, sessions may not resume until April seventh due to a combination of the GM and players being unavailable. I had really intended to get some more of the World section posted but I got an artistic urge and went ahead and started some portraits instead. I have completed illustrations of two of our daring heroes: Cian and Dierdre. Don't worry, Liam, Cinn Oir and Bebe will be showing up soon. I'll rearrange the Tales section to better fit everyone's picture but for now, Cian can be viewed just to the right, and Dierdre is on the Tales page. 

Prestige classes will be coming soon. The three created specifically for the Eyru campaign include: the Inquisitor, Clagh Leir (Stone Seers), The Gynfakin (The Unseen). The Inquisitor is a prestige class designed around the strange and very secretive relationship between the Fist and the Servants of the Flame of High Clan Steairn. Clagh Leir is the group that formed the original Council of Stone and had the ability to see through the stones of the earth. The Gynfakin is a clandestine group which protects one of Eyru's greatest secrets and wages a silent war against infernal powers.....

3-20-01 2nd Update

A few small updates today instead of one big one I suppose. As a reminder, a new session log, Session 10, has been posted! The group may be unable to meet again for a few weeks so those of you following the story, bear with us! 

I have also updated our heroes' character sheets in the Tales section and the free character sheet in the Downloads section. The blank sheet now displays the new web address. Some minor changes were made to the blank sheet (there was some familiar/pet info missing, "spell failure" was changed to "arcane failure" etc. nothing drastic.) 

Plans for the near future include: rounding out the World section; posting portraits of our daring adventurers (if I get a lot of time), and posting Eyru prestige classes.

3-20-01

I'm sort of in a rush but I wanted to get the latest session log up!! Check under the Tales section for the continuation of our heroes' adventures!

3-16-01

Well, Eyru RPG has its own domain! If you are reading this you must have followed the link from the old site. If you aren't reading this, well, what's taking you so long? Bye bye to the Barnes and Noble links! It was just a little experiment here. If anyone really misses them, let me know. Otherwise, the space will be used (and what little time) to expand more on the free Eyru material. I'm considering adding a GM's / World builders section; comments?

So far, for updates, I have practically re-written the entry on High Clan Erinin's society. It better reflects what I intended for that group and hopefully is a little more clearly worded. Next update should include the regional information for Erinin as well and also the latest session log!

3-14-01

Well some big changes going on here, but nearly all of it is behind the scenes. I'm switching ISPs, getting a different location for EyruRPG, struggling with networking, and suffering a minor hassle from some script kiddies worm. So bad news is, there is little in the way of updates. Good news, Eyru will have its own domain soon, and I log all incoming/outgoing traffic through my firewall. Those of you starved for some new stuff, check out the Rules: Combat section for a new proposed rule regarding the d20 "5 foot step".

3-9-01

Regional info for High Clan Tairan is now available in the World section. I also found some excellent info on ancient Irish law and have included that in the History: Society section. (My thanks for that to Clannada na Gadelica, an online Gaelic resource that I have added to the list of links.) The information provided leads to some interesting new Skills as well (Knowledge: Eyrian Lore and Profession: Brehon.) As I mention in the society section, the detail isn't necessary for a campaign, but it is presented for GMs and players who may be tired of the "tossed in jail" approach to law that most campaigns resort to. Another note: using such a legal system, personal property and clan relations become very important. Characters will need to flesh out some sort of background for the GM to implement this sort of law in the campaign. 

Also, new to the Sources section is a book on Castles that I highly recommend. It covers the history of castles in general and even includes a good number of illustrations, great for maps or map ideas.

3-6-01

*Sigh* That annoying thing known as reality took its toll this weekend! The game was cancelled as many players were unable to make it. So, sorry about the lack of session log updates, for those of you that were looking forward to it. Also, this month will be a busy month for many of the players and myself. We may see a few more weekends go by without a game but I'm planning on squeezing in at least two sessions for the month.

Good news in a way though. Since I'm not busy writing up a session log I will continue to add to the content. Plans are to work on the World section and flesh out the regional info. Also, last week I noted I had changed the Death's Door rules. Well, I did, but I forgot to upload the page! Its there now!

3-3-01

Well, I don't normally update everyday, but just a quick blurb for today. I have updated the Magic section to include new artifacts and a new Wondrous Item, Cian's Marks made by our very own Cian Mac Oc Midir. I also made a minor correction to the Tales page adding Liam's surname and fixed Bebe's High Clan (Faough, not Erinin.)

IMPORTANT NOTE TO PLAYERS: I've changed the Death's Door rules! (Again!)

3-2-01

So I mentioned no more big changes, eh? Oops. As is obvious, I've added some links to Barnes and Noble. Now, I'm not planning on getting rich off this. Though I will admit to being paid for any purchases someone makes after clicking through from this site. I'd like to see enough money come in to get Eyru its own domain. So if you want to buy a book, come here first to access Barnes and Noble :) There is a search engine link in the upper right (you can replace the DnD entry with anything....) As always, the material I create for Eyru will remain free. 

Also, I honestly wanted to share some of the great books I read while putting together this campaign. There is a new Source section which does just that (and provides a link to purchase the book if you are so inclined.) Ill try to keep adding books, music and the like on a regular basis.

I've proofread log 9 in the Tales section. I also added a little "Help" window (accessible by the question mark the far upper right) that just gives a quick rundown of optimal browsing for Eyru RPG. There is also a link at the bottom of this page to the News Archive. News updates older than the two most recent will be stored here.

I hope players and observers alike are ready for the return to the campaign! Keep your eye on the Tales section for the latest session logs! Past that, Additions will be made to the Magic and World as I have the time.

2-27-01

Well, some more big changes and additions. I've dropped the GM's Only section and replaced it with a Magic section. Reasoning behind the change and a hint of things to come are posted there. All sessions except for session 9 have been skimmed and checked for errors, clarified, etc. I also have some more new regional descriptions in the Maps area. I've also updated the navigational menu and made the selections easier to see.

As usual, most everything is a work in progress. I don't anticipate any more big site changes and will concentrate now on adding more and more info. I have some prestige classes, magic items and artifacts, and Cian's Magical Tattoos - a group of wonderous items created by a player (who still has an un-updated character sheet on the Tales page....) 

2-21-01

Yet another update. The weeks really seem to be flying! I'm working on multiple additions to the site. I'm still checking logs for errors and hope to have sessions six to nine touched up and posted before the end of this week. I also noticed that there was some information that I had in HTML format but didn't have linked to the site! It is the details of the formation of the four High Clans; Erinin, Tairan, Faough, and Steairn. I've added it to an already existing section, History: Legends, The Divide. This is a must read for GMs and players!

I'm also working on two long term additions to the site. I'm expanding the World section to include all the maps and "current day" information on key regions of Eyru. Currently, only some of the info will be up and the rest under construction, so bear with me. On a an even longer term note, I think I've figured out a way to have a GMs Only section. It will however utilize some DHTML I haven't much experience with, so it will be a while before that is completed.

2-14-01

Happy Valentine's day! Well, a pretty substantial update for this week. Again, no log since my campaign is still on hiatus. However, I have been reviewing the existing logs and trying to dress them up. Mostly corrected some awkward grammar and a few spelling mistakes. Most of the time, I write the logs up and try to post them ASAP, skipping proof-reading in the process. So far sessions one through five have been checked. I have also went through almost every  file on the site and performed the same check. I fixed a few spelling/grammar errors and tried to clear up things or remove any inconsistencies in the history. 

On top of that, I've added more to the Rules: Character Races section. Some interesting beings the party has stumbled across are now potential character races! I won't spoil the surprise and list them here...go look for yourself! I mostly followed the guidelines for monster races in the DMG, but I "toned" them down a bit (if you can believe that.) They have some interesting powers but also some pretty drastic drawbacks to consider. Playing one of these races is most likely a case of really wanting to rather than trying to make "the best" character.

2-9-01

Not a lot for this week. A minor addition to the History: Society section. A calendar wheel; a picture of the "year" as described in last weeks update. It is a circular stone divided by a gold cross into the four parts of the Eyrian calendar (Samain, Imbolc, Beltine, Lughnasadh).

So far, little has gone as planned for the site info. I have yet to add any info to the GM's section; mainly due to a lack of time and a little bit of being unsure as to what to put up. As this site is mostly for my players, I don't want to tempt them with any "spoilers". I know they'd love to see the faction chart I've worked up for the inhabitants of the Otherworld, or maybe the NPC stats for say Ceridwen or Cu Roi....though I'm not quite ready to show them. 

I'm also stuck between two world on the issue. I do nearly all of my planning with good 'ol fashioned pen and paper. With as much as I use the computer, I just can't get myself to sit down in front of it to take campaign notes! I also lack a good way to organize all the information I have and don't have the desire or time to create a database to hold it all. Worst part is, I'm putting off computerizing those things (such as the daily adventures, NPCs, etc.) until I get the Master Tools software but there's no telling when that will be out. Sounds like it will be great and I'm really looking forward to the ability to tinker with the database using Access. All the past commercial DnD software tools have always had those annoying, un-modifiable proprietary databases that aren't flexible enough for my campaign record needs. I'm pretty sure Ill be using that when it hits the shelves, and be able to share the files here on the site. 

So, in the mean time, while I debate the merits of adding GM info; I'll concentrate on double checking typos and adding more history, house rules, and the like (which won't be entered into a database anyway.)

2-1-01

Session 9 log is now up, along with updates to the PC's character sheet (save Cian's), all of course in the Tales section. (Repeating that bit of news because I had the link in the tales section messed up and session 9 was mostly inaccessible for a few days....) 

Here is the description of the Eyrian calendar. It is actually a very simple affair wherein the year is divided into quarters by four festival days. (For more information see the History: Society section.) Samain (corresponding to our 1st of November) begins the year with the "blackness of winter" setting in upon the lands. Imbolc (1st of February) finds Brigit rekindling the forge of creation for the coming spring. Beltine (1st of May) begins the spring and the growing season amidst blazing ritual fires. Lughnasadh (1st of August) the god Lugh defeats the Fomorians and the people of Eyru are freed from their rule and taxation (symbolizing the continuance of the earth's fertility and reaping of crops. These four festivals divide the year; there is no need among the Eyrians to meticulously track the passage of time (as per a 12 month, day by day division in our own calendar.) Observance of these important ritual days are what remind them of the passage of time and the recurring cycle of life so important to their society.

For a player or DM however, the day can easily be given as the Festival quarter followed by the number of days passed since the festival itself. For instance: The 33rd of Beltine is the 33rd day after Beltine (which corresponds to our June 2nd and also corresponds to roughly the same date in the official campaign).  For those of you without a calendar handy (or who don't have the number of days each month of our year memorized) from Samain to Imbolc consists of 92 days; Imbolc to Beltine, 89; Beltine to Lughnasadh, 92; and Lughnasadh to Samain, 92. So, as another example, the 92nd day of Samain is also the day before Imbolc. 

As each year is symbolic of the recurring cycle of life, individual Eyrian years aren't numbered.  For record keeping, a DM or player may simply start the campaign at "year one". Referring to an event, in character, which happened in a past year can be simply told as "33rd of Beltine, five cycles past" with "cycles" referring to the number of full years which have past from the present time. 

1-30-01

Session 9 log is now up along with updates to all the PC's character sheet, all of course in the Tales section. I'm working on a calendar based on historical sources which I hope to have up soon and can add dates to the logs as well. The campaign will now be on hold for one month while our other DM runs his game. During that time, I suspect I'll be able to add some of things I've been hoping to on the site (including something substantive finally in the GM's only section.)

1-24-01

Well, due to some interesting circumstances, the game was cancelled last weekend. No log and no character sheet update like I had hoped! I'll try to add something to the page though by the end of this week but as of yet, I'm not quite sure what that should be. I've gotten a few interesting suggestions...anymore out there?

1-18-01

Minor update this time around. Just the session log for session 8 (in the Tales section.) It was a very slow session, everyone hit level three and much of the starting energy went into updating characters. While seemingly uneventful, there was a lot of key information dropped on the players during this session. Reading the log this time would be a great idea to help sort out all of the important details...and determine which they wish to believe.

I'll try to have the online character sheets for the party updated for their new level A.S.A.P. However, the soonest that can happen is early next week as everyone usually hangs on to their characters between session and I forgot to ask for them. If there is anything anyone wants to see on the site (players and observers alike) let me know!

1-11-01

If you are looking for the character sheet, try the Downloads section. Its my first shot at a 3e character sheet so any feedback is appreciated. Some already known weaknesses are the lack of space for listing multiple attack bonuses, the fact that I used "mage" instead of wizard on the spell summary list, and the absence of a unified spell list. Past that I tried to make it user friendly (frequently accessed combat info appears all in one box by the attributes) and multiclass friendly (a chart listing all classes and all cumulative bonuses from multiclassing.)

The latest session is now logged in the Tales section. It was a long session which had some, as usual, interesting outcomes. I dont run a campaign where the players have to follow along with a set story. I simply provide a backdrop, know that backdrop well, and react as the party interacts. Its sort of a tactical nuclear strike approach to DMing. Things immediately surrounding the parties current position are well defined and sort of blur as it expands out from the starting point. So it makes for some very great and, unpredictable, sessions. I love it though when I can justify them "walking into" some pre-planned event I have in the wings for "just the right time". Though I'm not sure the party realizes how incredibly lucky the majority of the last adventure was or the degree of danger they were in at errrr...certain times. (Evil DM smile here >:) The session is illustrated by a picture of Germany's Black Forest I found while surfing and a picture I myself took in a California national park.

Future plans include fixing PC's character sheets. Apparently, I got some incorrect info listed on at least one sheet so next session we will be going over my DM copies. Also, we decided on a new format for our games. I and another DM have been taking weekly turns running our own games. We decided that it may be in the interest of overall story cohesion if we take turns in month long stretches. So session updates will be weekly until the end of the month and Ill use next month to add some of the other new material I've been hoping to: GM info, more maps, NPCs, etc.

1-3-01

The character sheets for the official characters are finally viewable in PDF format in the Tales section. If you like the character sheet they appear on, a blank version is available in the Downloads section. There are a few flaws I must admit. I tried to make it very multiclass friendly though high level characters (fighters especially) may be pressed for space when trying to find somewhere to record their multiple attack bonuses. Also, there is no separate spell sheet to record spells on. I figured that would be taken care of the old fashioned way-simply writing down each spell you have learned or just keeping your book handy for classes that have automatic access to all spells on their list. The best method I have seen so far is to list all the available spells and check the ones your character knows. This however is a lot of extra work and deforests huge tracts of land--especially when done for a multiclass character with two or more spell lists.

Our next session will be this weekend so be on the look out for a session log update next week. For anyone that hasn't checked them out yet, when you get a chance do! So far its a pretty entertaining campaign I think you will enjoy. For the players, re-reading the log of the previous session to jog the memory prior to the next session isn't a bad idea either.

12-28-00

Just a quick update this time. Some maps have been added to the session logs; sessions 2,3, and 5 I believe. The character sheet is complete though not uploaded yet. When I have time to enter everyone's character I'll get them posted in the tales section and post a blank one in the downloads section. There's also a great background story written by Cian's player which will be added as well. I'm hoping that happens sometime within the next week.

For my players, the Eyru campaign is next in line and we'll run a new session hopefully next Sunday. Expect some intriguing info on the mysterious past of the land of Eyru....and, depending on how you guys play it; expect that same history to change the face of the future. This Sunday is of course the New Millennium party celebrated in true geek style-via LAN!

12-21-00

We're going to start posting updates here on a regular basis. The site has been publicly submitted to a few sites, so for any "fans" we may pick up, and for the official campaign's players convenience, the "main" page will serve to announce the latest changes and touch on future plans.

So far, most of the campaign background information is up. Currently in the works is an online character sheet for each character in the "official" campaign. When the sheet is done, a blank version will most likely be included in our "downloads" section. The latest update included the log of the last session (found under tales, session 6), a new Domain; Charm, and a few small changes (typos, minor corrections). Future projects include finally adding something to the GMs section, though, until there's more public interest, it isn't a priority. Currently the site is around mostly for the ongoing campaign's players.

Well, be sure to read the Intro statement and copyright blurb below. Merry Christmas (Xmas, Hannukah, Winter Solstice, etc.) everyone!