Comments from the Peanut Gallery: Spelling Online

People really need to spell properly online. It pisses me off whenever I see a "te awesom". On the other hand, l33tsp34k r0cks.

My Weekend

On Friday, my family and I traveled to Ballarat, to Sovereign Hill Living Museum. Sovereign Hill is a museum that shows what life was like in Ballarat during the gold rush. There are plenty of interesting sights and activities throughout the museum, but one of the best parts is talking to the museum staff. We had very informative chats with the boiler operator and the "wheelwright", something that would not have happened if we had been on a guided tour. The museum really gets across what life was like in the 1850s-60s.
Score: 10/10
Also, lunch at the New York Bakery was absolutely delicious. I had a wonderful chicken parmigiana
Score: 9/10
Later that day, we went to the "Sound and Light Spectactular Show" of "Blood on the Southern Cross", the story of Victoria's Eureka Stockade and the shortest civil war in history (it took 20 minutes for the British to take the Eureka Stockade). The show itself was well done, and impressed upon you the horror of what had happened at the Stockade and before.
Score: 8/10
Dinner at the Charlie Napier hotel was not the best buffet, but the beautiful dessert made up for the slightly lacking dinner
Score: 7/10
That night, we stayed at the B-Grade accomadations at the Sovereign Hill Barracks. Terrible, but at least it was cheap. (The other option was $120 per person per night. Not much of an option for 5 people)
Score: 3/10
Getting up early that morning to travel to J.'s birthday near Seymour, we stopped along the way for breakfast at the Boathouse in Daylesford. Quite possibly the best croissants I have ever had. We also took a walk around Lake Daylesford, and spotted somebody training for the Olympics.
Score: 10/10
After that, it was a two-hour drive to B.'s farm for J.'s birthday party. We arrived at 1 o'clock, earlier than most people, and had barbequed hamburgers for lunch. We went searching for firewood for the fire, caught up with the other homeschoolers, and then played a game of Fugitive when all the others had arrived. After playing fugitive, we played two games of soccer. My team won the first and lost the second. I scored one goal, and spent a lot of time in Goalie.
After playing soccer, we spent a lot of time just hanging out and doing nothing in particular until 3 of the homeschoolers disappeared at about 8 o'clock. We spent about 40 minutes searching for them and calling out their names, but to no avail until they appeared at back the house. They had apparently heard us calling, but thought it was their parents calling them to go home, so they did not come. Then, we left the party, and stayed in the Best Western in Seymour. A good little hotel with very nice rooms
Score: 8.5/10
Then, we returned to Geelong on a long, scenic trip, dropping in on M. and A. in Melbourne and dropping off Dad at the airport on the way.

DnD Stuff: My Character for Tycho's Dragonlance campaign.

Okay, so I've decided to let Tycho be the Dungeon Master for our new campaign. My new character is the Baronet Willius "Ogreslayer" uth Caramar, Heir to the Barony of Whitehill, Consort to the Lady of Southmark, and Commander of the Whitehill Militia. For our first adventure, I will be hiring a group of Mercenaries to defeat the undead who have been threating the goldminers of Whitehill's goldfields.

Here is an (unorthodox) statblock of Willius(The marshal class is (slightly modified) from the Miniatures Handbook, the Blueblooded feat is by Shadowfoot on the Wizards of the Coast Boards, and the Brutal Attack, Tough Skin and Damage soak feats are explained below):

WILLIUS: Medium Humanoid Fighter 2 / Marshal 4
Str 16 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 10 Cha 20(including +4 from Crown of Charisma)
Hit Points: 42
Saves: Fort +9 Ref +3 Will +4
Initiative: +1
AC: 22 (+10 from +2 full plate, +1 from Dex, +1 from Natural Armor)
Attacks: +11 +2 Greatsword "Gretorika" (2d6+5, 19-20/x2)
+6 Heavy Crossbow (1d10, 19-20/x2)
BAB/Grapple: +5/+8
Skills: Bluff +14, Diplomacy +17, Handle Animal +12, Intimidate +14, Knowledge(war, history) +4, Knowledge(local, nobility) +5, Ride +8, Use Magic Device +10.5
Feats: Blueblooded, Weapon Focus(greatsword)(Alaris' Grip), Tough Skin, Leadership
Class Features(fighter): Proficiencies, Bonus Feats: Power Attack(Alaris' Heavy Attack), Brutal Attack (Alaris' Greater Onslaught)
Class Features(marshal): Skill Focus(diplomacy), Minor Auras +5(Motivate Dexterity, Watchful Eye), Major Aura +1 (Hardy Soldiers), Grant Move Action 1/day, Bonus Feats: Damage Soak
Gear: +2 full plate, +4 cloak of charisma, 3xPotion of Cure Light, 3xPotion of Cure Serious, 3xPotion of Bull's Strength, +2 Greatsword "Gretorika", camp gear, warhorse(heavy).
Gold: 18,000gp

FEATS EXPLAINED

Blueblooded [Backround]
Prerequisites: DM approval
Your starting money is increased by the DM, and the Knowledge (nobility) skill is a permanent class skill for you.

Tough Skin [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Con 13+
You gain +1 natural armor.

Damage Soak [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Tough Skin or Toughness, Con 13+
You gain DR 1/-.

Brutal Attack [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Power Attack, Str 15+, BAB +4
You may take a full-round action to make a single melee attack with a two-handed weapon that deals +4 damage.

Improved Brutal Attack [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Brutal Attack, Power Attack, Str 17+, BAB +8
Your bonus damage from Brutal Attack increases to +8 damage.

Greater Brutal Attack [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Improved Brutal Attack, Brutal Attack, Power Attack, Str 19+, BAB +12
Your bonus damage from Brutal Attack increases to +12 damage.

Brutal Charge [General] [Fighter]
Prerequisites: Brutal Attack, Power Attack, Str 15+, BAB +4
Your bonus damage from Brutal Attack applies when charging.

Random Rant: Electioneering

It's election time here in 'straya, and it is a horrible time. Every day seems to have the Howard goverment come up with a new scheme to save their flagging ratings. And you know why? Because they can keep doing it until they find something that works. Having the government set the election date is possibly the STUPIDEST idea ever implemented in a government system. This way, they'll just wait until their ratings are higher than ever. The Australian political system is overdue for an overhaul.

Random Rant: Australian Constitution

I recently read a copy of the Australian Constitution, which I should have probably done a while ago, seeing as I'm an Aussie. My opinion of it: It sucks. Not entirely, but plenty of stuff should be scrapped, and some stuff should be added.

Here's my proposed changes
-Make the Executive branch headed by a DIRECTLY elected President. The prime minister, for one thing, should not cater to the cares of his district above the cares of the nation. On the other hand, the President should sit in parliament and be directly answerable.
-Guarantee humans some basic rights: The right to free speech, religon, food, etc... Does not go far enough
-The Budget should be voted upon by the people. This idea I got from zompist.com. See his argument for better reasons why than I could give you.

Hey All

Hello to anyone reading this Blog. This blog will be used as convenient webspace for any D&D Stuff I care to post, Random Rants about everything, and Comments from the Peanut Gallery on various issues.