text:
- Research
- Open Access
Enhanced self-renewal of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells mediated by the stem cell gene Sall4
- Jianchang Yang1Email author,
- Jerell R Aguila2,
- Zaida Alipio1,
- Raymond Lai3,
- Louis M Fink1 and
- Yupo Ma2, 4Email author
© Yang et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011
- Received: 27 August 2011
- Accepted: 23 September 2011
- Published: 23 September 2011
Sall4 is a key factor for the maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Our previous studies have shown that Sall4 is a robust stimulator for human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSC/HPC) expansion. The purpose of the current study is to further evaluate how Sall4 may affect HSC/HPC activities in a murine system.
Lentiviral vectors expressing Sall4A or Sall4B isoform were used to transduce mouse bone marrow Lin-/Sca1+/c-Kit+ (LSK) cells and HSC/HPC self-renewal and differentiation were evaluated.
Forced expression of Sall4 isoforms led to sustained ex vivo proliferation of LSK cells. In addition, Sall4 expanded HSC/HPCs exhibited increased in vivo repopulating abilities after bone marrow transplantation. These activities were associated with dramatic upregulation of multiple HSC/HPC regulatory genes including HoxB4, Notch1, Bmi1, Runx1, Meis1 and Nf-ya. Consistently, downregulation of endogenous Sall4 expression led to reduced LSK cell proliferation and accelerated cell differentiation. Moreover, in myeloid progenitor cells (32D), overexpression of Sall4 isoforms inhibited granulocytic differentiation and permitted expansion of undifferentiated cells with defined cytokines, consistent with the known functions of Sall4 in the ES cell system.
Sall4 is a potent regulator for HSC/HPC self-renewal, likely by increasing self-renewal activity and inhibiting differentiation. Our work provides further support that Sall4 manipulation may be a new model for expanding clinically transplantable stem cells.
- Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cell
- Transplantation
- Differentiation
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare cells defined by their unique ability to self-renew and their ability to replenish all blood cell types in the body. Under normal conditions however, only a small number of HSCs enter cell division to generate daughter cells and supply mature lineages. Thus a key question is how these HSCs are regulated for their self-renewal and multipotency properties. Scientists have tried to expand clinically transplantable HSCs ex vivo, mainly by optimizing the use of bioactive proteins and various hematopoietic cytokines. The few genes that have been reported to effectively expand HSCs ex vivo include the transcription factor homeobox B4 (HoxB4), Notch family receptors, as well as Wnt signaling proteins [1–3]. However, the long term outcome for clinical therapy using HSCs treated with these factors still needs to be further elucidated.
Sall4 is a zinc-finger transcription factor and is essential for developmental events [4, 5]. We and others have previously reported that Sall4 plays important roles in maintaining the properties of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by interacting with transcription factors Oct4 and Nanog [6–9]. In stem cells, Sall4 functions as both an activator and a repressor of gene transcription depending on the cell context. It suppresses important differentiation genes and activates key pluripotency genes [9, 10]. Sall4 also plays positive roles in the reprogramming of differentiated cells to ESC-like cells, and generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)[11–13]. We and others have determined that Sall4 exists as two isoforms (Sall4A and Sall4B), and they have unique and overlapping functions [14–16]. Interestingly, Sall4 is one of the few genes that are also involved in adult tissue stem cells [17, 18], and its protein expression is always correlated with the presence of stem and progenitor cell populations in various organ systems including bone marrow (BM) [16]. Importantly, SALL4 has been identified as a robust expanding factor for human HSCs [19]. We have recently studied the roles of Sall4 isoforms in controlling murine HSC/HPC properties. Our data indicate that a certain level of expression of Sall4 isoforms is necessary for normal HSC/HPC activity. Moreover, both Sall4A and Sall4B isoforms act as potent regulators of HSC/HPC self-renewal.
Sall4 isoforms enhance and support murine LSK cell proliferation
Given the selective expression pattern of SALL4 proteins in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell compartments [16], we asked whether increased expression of SALL4 isoforms may affect HSC/HPC phenotypes. To study this, mouse HSC/HPC s (Lin-, Sca-1 +, c-Kit +; LSK cells) were isolated and transduced with lentiviruses carrying either GFP alone (control), or together with Sall4A or Sall4B isoform. All GFP positive cells were determined by either fluorescence microscope inspection or flow cytometric analysis (Additional file 1: Figure. S1a, and data not shown). We next performed western analysis to assess the expression of Sall4 isoforms in infected NIH3T3 fibroblast cells. It was found that these cells expressed the appropriate Sall4A or Sall4B protein at 160 and 90 kDa. As negative control, the empty GFP vector did not generate Sall4A or Sall4B bands (Additional file 1: Figure. S1b).
To date, only several factors have been reported to expand HSC/HPCs in vitro while their stem cell characteristics were not impaired. To test whether Sall4- expanded HSC/HPCs may retain immature properties after long term culture, we repeated flow cytometry assays after 6 weeks of culture. We found that there were more than 70% of expanded cells retaining immature surface features (Sall4A group: Sca-1+, 79%, c-Kit +, 64% and Lin+, 21%; Sall4B group: Sca-1+, 75%, ckit+, 48% and Lin+, 22%). In addition, more than sixty percent of these cells were still Sca-1 positive even after 3 months culture (data not shown). These results indicate that overexpression of Sall4 isoforms is capable of enhancing and supporting primitive hematopoietic cells in the presence of combined cytokine stimulations.
Enhanced HSC/HPC activity by forced expression of Sall4 isoforms
Of note, however, though HSC/HPCs were expanded by sustained ectopic expression of Sall4 isoforms and exhibited enhanced repopulating activity, when transplanted into lethally or sublethally irradiated syngeneic recipients, the mice grew normally and were apparently healthy. Analysis of percent chimerism of donor cells in each hematopoietic lineage confirmed that Sall4-transduced HSC/HPCs retained full differentiation capacity and no dramatic changes of lineage percentages were found (Figure 5b, 4 and data not shown).
Status of mice after being transplanted with Sall4 expanded cells
of mouse
Number of injected cells
Month post
Sall4A expanded cells, 2 × 106
Sall4A expanded cells, 4 × 106
Sall4A expanded cells, 6 × 106
Sall4B expanded cells, 4 × 106
Sall4B expanded cells, 6 × 106
GFP-infected cells, 4 × 106
GFP-infected cells, 6 × 106
Down-regulation of Sall4 accelerated differentiation of HSC/HPCs
Sall4 up-regulates multiple important HSC/HPC regulators
Sall4 inhibits myeloid progenitor differentiation
We recently reported that SALL4 is a robust expanding factor for human HSC/HPCs [19]. In the current study, we demonstrate that both Sall4A and Sall4B isoforms also stimulate sustained cell proliferation of murine HSC/HPCs (> 4 months in culture) while their capacity of multi-lineage differentiation was not impaired. Similarly, when Sall4 expanded cells were transfused into irradiated mouse recipients, no abnormal hematopoietic or leukemic features were observed even after 17 months of BM transplantation (n = 18). This study is consistent with the finding that HSC/HPC expansion mediated by Sall4 is still under cytokine control. In fact, in our previous transgenic mouse studies of Sall4B overexpression controlled by a universal CMV promoter, there was an increased incidence of leukemic formation in older mice [16]. Similar studies with Sall4A overexpression under the same promoter, however, were free of leukemic formation (N = 170, five transgenic mouse lines, data not shown) after 2 years of observation. This could be due to an abnormal niche resulting from dysregulated SALL4B expression in various mouse tissues throughout the mouse development with this universal CMV promoter and/or SALL4B may bear oncogenic potential.
In isolated mouse LSK cells, forced expression of Sall4 isoforms dramatically stimulate multiple known HSC regulators, such as Notch1, HOXB4, cMyc, CyclinD1, CyclinD2, Bmi1, Nfya, Runx1and Meis1. This is of great interest since all of these factors play important roles in regulating HSC activity [23–26]. Specifically, Notch1 and HOXB4 are thought to be highly interesting candidates for therapeutic stem cell expansion [27]. cMyc may act as a downstream mediator of both factors in murine HSCs, while the trimetric transcription factor Nfya is able to activate multiple HSC regulatory genes including HOXB4 [28, 29]. The transcription factors Meis1, Runx1 and the poly comb gene Bmi1 are all expressed at high levels in HSCs and required for cell activity [30–32]. Though whether/how Sall4 directly regulates other factors is unresolved, in our previous ChIP-chip study on mouse ESCs, Sall4 bound approximately twice as many annotated genes within promoter regions as Nanog and approximately four times as many as Oct4 [7]. Moreover, Sall4 seems to act as a "central tower of pluripotency" in ES cells in association with Oct3 ⁄ 4, Sox2 and Nanog [33, 34]. Further detailed studies are required to elucidate whether it may also function as a master controller in modulating genetic networks within the HSC system.
Another discovery is the finding of how overexpression of Sall4 isoforms affects G-CSF induced granulocytic differentiation. The results obtained here were similar as compared with the Sall4 activities in the human system [19]. We have hypothesized that the Sall4 gene is also involved in mediating cell fate decisions during hematopoiesis, helping to regulate the exquisite balance among self-renewal, differentiation, and proliferation required for normal blood formation. Our findings demonstrate that sustained activation of both Sall4A and Sall4B isoforms inhibits granulocytic differentiation of 32D myeloid progenitors, supporting the view that Sall4 is capable of influencing cell fate determination in hematopoietic cells. This may also explain, at least in part, why Sall4 isoforms are expressed preferentially in HSCs, down-regulated rapidly in HPCs, and absent in the differentiated lineage populations.
In summary, our work demonstrates that the potent stem cell factor Sall4, which is preferentially expressed within the HSC/HPC pool during hematopoiesis, activates and integrates multiple genetic pathways responsible for the precisely controlled proliferation and differentiation of HSC/HPCs. Sall4 is thus an excellent candidate for the genetic manipulation of HSC/HPC self-renewal in vivo and in vitro.
C57Bl/6J (Ly5.2) and congenic C57Bl/6.SJL-Ly5.1-Pep3b (Ly5.1) mice at 8-12 weeks of age were obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME). All animal experiments were preapproved by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
Gene cloning and lentiviral transduction
The full-length cDNA of mouse Sall4A and Sall4B were cloned into the SalI/NotI site of entry vector pENTR3C (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). A Gateway LR reaction was carried out to subclone the cDNA into the lentiviral mammalian expression vector pDEST-CMVFG12 [35], which contains reading frame of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The obtained lentiviral constructs were confirmed by PCR reaction, enzyme digestion and gene sequencing. To generate lentivirus, the expression vectors were transfected into 293FT packaging cells (Invitrogen) along with pSPAX2 and pMD2.G plasmids (Addgene Inc., Cambridge, MA) for 48 hrs, then pooled filtered supernatants were used to infect cells in the presence of polybrene (8 μg/ml, Millipore, Billerica, MA).
For lentivirus transduction, the isolated LSK or Lin-/Sca-1+ cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the presence of mSCF (100 ng/ml), mIL-3 (6 ng/ml) and hIL-6 (10 ng/ml). The cells (~1 × 106 per ml) were then incubated with high titer lentivirus (~1 × 106 per ml) for 24 hours before being replaced with fresh media. For cultured 32D cells, lentivirus was added in conditioned medium (RMI1640 supplemented with 10% FBS) in the presence of mIL-3 (1 ng/ml) for 24 hours, then fresh media was used thereafter. Cytokines were purchased from ProSpec-Tany TechnoGene Ltd (Rehovot, Israel).
SDS-PAGE and western blotting
Total cell lysates prepared from 1 × 105 wide type or lentiviral infected cells were electrophoresed through 7% SDS-polyacrylamide gels, transferred to nitrocellulose membranes, and then immunoblotted using the anti-Sall4 monoclonal antibody (Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom). Immunostained proteins were detected using enhanced chemilluminescence blot reagents (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Rockford, IL). Blots were detected by a Kodak Image Station 2000 MM (Kodak, Rochester, NY).
Isolation of mouse BM hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
Cells were isolated from whole BM by immunostaining with either magnetic bead isolation or fluorescence-activated cell sorting. To obtain BM, 8- to 12- week-old mice were euthanized by carbon dioxide inhalation and the femurs and tibias removed. A 25-gauge needle was used to expel the marrow by a buffer solution contained phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.2, 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA), and 2 mM EDTA. For depletion of mature hematopoietic cells, the Lineage Cell Depletion Kit (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) was used. The lineage (CD5, CD45R, CD11b, Ter119, and GR-1) negative cells were collected through mini MACS separation columns (Miltenyi Biotech) while in a magnetic field. For positive purification, the collected lineage negative cell fraction were dual stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated anti Sca-1 and anti-FITC MicroBeads (Miltenyi Biotech) and separated again to yield HSC/HPCs (Lin-/Sca-1+). At this step, we confirmed that more than 95% of the separated cells were Lin-/Sca-1+ cells by flow cytometric analysis.
In some cases, fluorescence-activated cell sorting of Lin-/Sca-1+/c-Kit+ (LSK) was performed on the Reflection Cell sorter (iCyt, Champaign, IL). Antibodies were purchased from BD Pharmingen (San Diego, CA). Cells sorted were propidium iodide (PI)-negative, Lin (CD5, B220, Ter119, Mac1, and Gr-1) negative, c-Kit, Sca-1 and GFP positive.
Preparation of peripheral blood
Peripheral blood was obtained from each mouse by tail vein bleeding. One hundred microliters of blood was incubated for 10 minutes at room temperature with 3 mL ice-cold erythrocyte lysing solution (150 mM NH4Cl, 10 mM NaHCO3, 1 mM EDTA, pH 7.4), washed with PBS and resuspended in PBS and 1% paraformaldehyde (Sigma, St Louis, MO) and kept at 4°C until analysis.
Immunostaining and flow cytometry
Freshly isolated cells or cultured cells were stained by described fluorescence-labeled antibodies. The flow cytometry data were collected by using a FACScan or FACSCalibur machine (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) and analyzed by using FLOWJO or CELLQUEST software.
RNA interference (RNAi) and quantitative reverse transcription (qRT-PCR) Analyses
RNAi mediated Sall4 knockdown and qRT-PCR analyses were performed as reported previously [20]. The primer sets are described in Additional file 3: Table S1.
32D cell culture and induction of differentiation
The 32D cells were cultured as previously described [36]. For granulocytic differentiation, IL-3 was removed by washing cells 3 times, then G-CSF (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN) was added to cells at a final concentration of 200 ng/ml.
CFU assay of BM cells
Tubes of MethoCult® GF M3434 (Stem Cell Technologies, Vancouver, BC, Canada) medium were thawed overnight in a 4°C refrigerator. Sall4 or GFP-transduced BM cells were prepared at 10 × the final concentration required. Cell suspensions of 1 × 105 cells per mL were prepared and 0.3 mL of cells were added to 3 mL of MethoCult® medium for duplicate cultures. 1.1 mL of cells was dispensed per 35 mm dish. The cells were incubated for 8-12 days at 37°C with 5% CO2 and ≥95% humidity. The BFU-E, CFU-GM and CFU-GEMM colonies were observed with bright field and fluorescent microscopy. CFUs were counted under the microscope 9 days after the cells were plated in MethoCult® medium. A colony with more than 100 cells was counted as a positive colony.
Support and financial disclosure declaration
This work is supported in part by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Special Fellow Award (3366-09) (J.Y.), Department of Defense Grant W81XWH-10-0046 (LMF), and National Institutes of Health Grant NIH R01HL087948 (Y.M.).
Financial Disclosure Declaration: Y.M. is a scientific consultant to MarrowSource Therapeutics International LLC.
We thank the Genomics Core Facility of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for their service in performing flow cytometry.
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text: Hey Folks, Hopefully I'm getting a lighter rig thrown together soon ( I love my d-180 but oi is it heavy for 200 watts!) and I've been tossing around the idea of using a studio pre as my preamp rather than a usual demeter, aguilar, eden, etc. preamp. So, I suppose my question is this: has anyone used one for any length of time? If so, how do you like it? I really like the clean tone of the iAMP series, but i wanted a more modular setup.


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Chip Shake-Ups
The semiconductor industry moved along at a blistering pace during 2000, but the pace will slow down in 2001, according to research from Dataquest. Market researchers at the San Jose-based company say semiconductor sales rose 31 percent last year; growth for 2001, however, is expected to fall in the low 20 percent range.
Portable devices are expected to continue to play a critical role in driving the chip industry and several other industries. During 2000, the popularity of handheld computers and mobile phones created enormous demand for not only chips but also many other technologies such as LCDs and flash memory.
Shipments of PDAs almost doubled to 9.4 million during 2000, up from 5.1 million shipments in 1999, according to analysts at GartnerGroup. Mobile phones are on the rise, too. According to a Dataquest survey, 51 percent of all U.S. households have at least one mobile phone, and 40 percent of U.S. adults use their mobile phones regularly.
The chip industry rose to the demand in 2000, but shortages in flash memory and LCDs cropped up throughout the year. "The industry is running at high capacity, with reports of shortages and tight capacity for flash memory, microprocessors, and some DRAM architectures," says Mark Giudici, principal analyst in Dataquest's Worldwide Semiconductor Group. Several new portable devices are due in 2001, including a Web-enabled cell phone from Microsoft (dubbed Stinger), several Palm OS-based phones, a new generation of Pocket PC hand-held computers, portable devices incorporating the Bluetooth wireless standard, and other devices designed for new high-speed wireless networks.
The explosion of portable devices has shifted the growth picture in the chip industry. But which chip manufacturer grew the fastest in 2000? France's STMicroelectronics was the leader in growth, with a 57 percent annual sales increase to $7.9 billion. STMicroelectronics makes specialized chips, many of which are designed for mobile applications. Demand for memory chips was also hot, and players like NEC, Samsung, and Toshiba saw healthy growth. Toshiba surpassed NEC to become number two in chip sales, according to Dataquest. Market leader Intel's sales grew 11 percent for 2000, but the company lost market share in 2000, slipping from 15.8 percent total share to 13.4 percent share.
Dataquest says total global semiconductor sales hit $222.1 billion for last year, up from $169.1 billion in 1999.


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TV Review: Archangel
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EmptyThose itching to see Daniel Craig, the reigning James Bond, before the Nov. 14 release of "Quantum of Solace" can catch him in a three-hour adaptation of "Archangel," a novel by Robert Harris.
The special effects are more spartan, the plot is less intricate and the locales are downright depressing, but Craig gets to exercise a variety of acting muscles in a fascinating and not-so-far-fetched story of Russian political intrigue.
In this British production filmed in Russia and Latvia with a large Russian cast, Craig plays former Oxford historian Fluke Kelso, who is ending a tour of Russia with a group of fellow academics. He encounters an old man, a former bodyguard of Josef Stalin, who tells him about papers and diaries that were buried immediately after the dictator's death.
The papers provide evidence that Stalin had a son who has remained hidden but is ready to lead the nation to power and greatness. (DNA testing would be even more conclusive, but it doesn't offer the adventure of chasing after historical documents and exchanging them at gunpoint.)
Stalin is blamed for more than 20 million murders, so you'd think Russians would be aghast to learn that his family tree is still bearing fruit. Then again, recent democratic reforms haven't taken, and there remains widespread Russian nostalgia for the good old days of Soviet repression and domination.
Craig's Kelso is no Indiana Jones. His scholarly bent renders even his relationship with his sexy co-star (Yekaterina Rednikova), the daughter of the former Stalin bodyguard, practically platonic. Then again, everything about this program from director Jon Jones is cold, drab and gray, creating an aura that is consistently menacing and vaguely dangerous.
The program is presented as three consecutive one-hour episodes.


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Pastor of church of about 30 members in Middlesboro, Kentucky, the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name, Coots gave his life trying to maintain the faith of his father and grandfather. He worked for nearly 20 years to encourage the faithful, disciple new converts who did not grow up in snake-handling churches, and defend his tradition's beliefs and practices to a condescending public.
Unlike some snake handlers who are media-shy, Coots gave interviews and spoke publicly about his religion in recent years. He participated in multiple documentaries, including, most recently, the National Geographic reality show, "Snake Salvation." Coots believed outsiders tended to misunderstand snake handlers, and should be given the chance to see them as regular Christian believers, struggling day to day to do what they thought was right. He defended his church's more esoteric practices as biblical, but argued that even if they weren't, they should be protected under the First Amendment.
"Practicing my faith remains a crime across the country," Coots wrote last year in the Wall Street Journal. "While the risk of arrest hasn't weakened my religious conviction, it has forced me to question America's commitment to religious liberty."
Coots clashed with the law in the mid '90s and again in the late 2000s, when authorities seized 74 snakes from his home. When he died, Coots was nearing the end of a sentence of one year's probation for the misdemeanor of transporting venomous snakes across Tennessee. He knew the legal risks he was taking.
He knew the physical risks too.
Before he picked up that final snake on Saturday night, Coots had been bitten nine times. He was bitten once on the top of his head. He lost half of the middle finger of his right hand to venom. He was there, too, when his best friend's wife died after being bitten by a handled snake in 1995, and when his best friend died the same way in 1998.
Nevertheless, Coots believed the spiritual risks of not handling snake were, for him, more dangerous still. He told a documentary film maker in 2012 that he did not believe he had a real choice.
"If I quit taking up serpents I would die and go to hell," Coots said. "God revealed that to me. I'd never tell anyone you have to handle snakes to go to heaven. It's in the word of God, you have to believe it. If God never moves on you to do it, let it alone."
Coots was under no illusions about whether or not he could die from snake bite. He knew he could. He did not believe his faith protected him from snakes, but that he was empowered by the Holy Ghost, through faith, to pick up them in a demonstration of his trust in God and in the plain meaning of the Bible, which says that signs and wonders will follow "them that believe."
As Coots' father, Gregory Coots, explained in an oral history published in 2000, the central doctrine of those pentecostals who handle snakes is not the handling of snakes, but God's providence.
"We don't know what that time is when we are going to die," the elder Coots said, "but God does. I believe God saw the end from the beginning. Before he even created anything, he knew what the end was going to be, and when. Man don't, but God does."
David Kimbrough explains this in Taking up Serpents. He writes:
Church members who see God's agency in everything that happens believe that God allows a snake to bite to punish them for sins in their daily life; to prove to unbelievers that the snakes have not been tampered with; to try the faith of the victim and his or her fellow worshipers; or to show His healing power. Today's believers do not condemn a worshiper who has been bitten and swells or gets sick ... it is commonly held that a bad bite can happen to anyone, even the most devout member.Coots was not always among the most devout of the sign-following pentecostals.
According to his testimony, Coots grew up singing in holiness pentecostal churches for his grandfather, the signs-following pastor Tommy Coots. The patriarch was known for exorcisms and extemporaneously composing hymns, and also handled snakes. One of Jamie Coots' earliest memories was singing "I'll Fly Away" at snake handler's funeral.
His musical talents lead him away from the religion, though. For a time Coots thought maybe he'd go to Nashville and be a country singer, in the style of Hank Williams, Jr. Though he once won a school talent show singing Williams' song "Whiskey Bent and Hellbound," Coots had more success imitating the lifestyle than the career.
When his grandfather died in 1986, Coots was, in his words, out and "running around," doing things he believed he shouldn't. He went forward at an altar call in March 1990, however, and brought a woman named Linda Smith with him to church that summer. Smith, a nominal Baptist nine years his senior, converted and was baptized in November. The two married in December 1990 and had a daughter born prematurely in July 1991. Coots was transformed and active, again, in the church of his childhood, Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name.
He began handling snakes in June 1991, the month before his daughter's birth.
Coots was first filmed for a documentary on snake handling two years later.
He was visiting with John Wayne "Punkin" Brown, Jr., his mentor and friend, who was believed to be perhaps the most powerful snake-handling preacher since George Went Hensley, who popularized the practice at the beginning of the 20th century. Brown was preaching at a Georgia church in 1993, and the service was being filmed by the Discovery Channel. They were filming an episode of the show "Beyond Bizarre," and were not generally sympathetic to the snake handlers. Coots was uncomfortable with the cameras, as he recalled later, and told Brown he didn't want to be a fool on TV.
"I couldn't get to feel the anointing because I was worried about the cameras," he recounted to journalists Fred Brown and Jeanne McDonald. "But I reached out and took them anyway. When I did, then I felt the anointing, and everything was all right."
Coots was bit for the first time later that year. Coots rolled up his sleeve to show the gathered congregation his swelling arm and the two puncture wounds. Two skeptics converted, and became regular members of Coots' church.
He was bit again in the fall of '93, during a revival.
Coots said God had told him to put the black timber rattler away, but he ignored it. "I was testifying," he said. "The Lord said, 'Put him up,' while I was testifying. I wasn't paying a bit more attention ... hit me right there with one fang. Hit me so hard it knocked my arm against my chest ... It hit my arm so hard it jarred my body."
In 1994, Coots took over as pastor of the church his grandfather started. It was there that Melinda Duvall Brown, who was Punkin Brown's wife and had been handling snakes herself since she was 14, was bit by a rattlesnake in 1995. She died in Coots' home. Police considered charging Coots in connection with the death, but a judge refused to sign the complaint charing him, on First Amendment grounds. Coots preached at the funeral and, despite a crisis of faith in some handlers, who released their snakes when Melinda died, brought snakes to the funeral service. They were picked up, in accordance with sign followers beliefs.
When Punkin Brown himself died, three years later, Coots was at that funeral too.
The believers sang and prayed and spoke in tongues and handled snakes at the cemetery where they buried Brown. Coots spoke at the site. Another snake-handling pastor, Jimmy Morrow, recalled that Coots and the other ministers "echoed the church's belief that Punkin Brown died because it was his appointed time to die. I believe that we are all predestined before the foundation of this world. Punkin was buried beside his wife."
Coots maintained that belief in 1998, when he lost one finger from a bite, and in 2001, when he was bitten on the top of his head. He continued even though he was arrested in 2008, on charges of possessing venomous snakes, and into the 2010s, when he cooperated with a National Geographic reality show.
Throughout it all, Coots held that the snake handling was only an expression of the faith, not the core of it. Explaining his decision to work with the TV show, he said, "I want people to see that there's something to us besides just the snakes ... First and foremost, we believe in salvation, people getting saved." Coots was the mentor for Andrew Hamblin and a younger generation of snake handlers, who are taking a more active role in shaping their public image.
He repeated the message whenever someone turned a camera on. "We're still here preaching salvation," he told the Tennessean. "To tell people that there's a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. That's our main goal."
It is, notably, the same message his grandfather preached. As Tommy Coots put it in one of the extemporaneous songs that his wife wrote down,
There's many souls God's calling,
He's calling, 'Come to me,'
So don't wait til death overtakes you,
Come now, He'll set you free
Oh the wrath of God is soon comingThe younger Coots still believed that when he was struck by a snake on his right hand Saturday night and died, according to his son Cody Coots, about two hours later.
To be poured out on the unsaved,
So get ready while you're living
From the cradle to the grave.
"We've got one goal," he said of snake-handlers in a recent interview. "That's to die and not go to a devil's hell."


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The project, which is unded by a $US4 million grant from the Japanese government's Pacific Environment Community Fund, will be administered by the government, with technical assistance from the Niue Power Corporation and the island's private sector.
It will eventually provide up to 30 per cent of Niue's energy needs.
"It means we will be able to reduce our dependency on oil," Mr Talagi told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program.
"We're also hoping in the long term to bring our solar production up to about 80 to 90 per cent of our capacity, and eventually also to introduce electric vehicles on the island and reduce our fossil fuel dependency very much to just the bare essentials," he said.
It expected that the solar power project will save Niue's government about $AU110,000 a year, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 329 tonnes per annum.
According to the Pacific Forum Secretariat, the governments of Samoa, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia and Kiribati have already successfully accessed the PEC Fund for national renewable energy and seawater desalination projects.
Originally from ABC


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Sunday, September 23, 2012
Fishing at Cave Lake
We really appreciate them taking the time to share their fishing experience with the kids. They caught their limit fairly quickly. We're going to have to go back and give it a try some time. Apparently Zeke's Powerbait is the magic tool.
1 comment:
- jhami said...
Matthew's expression is priceless :) LOL
- September 24, 2012 at 12:46 PM
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Happy Decoration Day! That's how Memorial Day started – people used to go to cemeteries and spruce up the graves of military veterans who died in combat. My wikipedia page says it started before the Civil War, but really it was the Civil War that popularized the practice, especially in the South. African-Americans claimed that they started the practice, and the North has also claimed that it started the idea. Whatever – it's become a day to honor those brave people who died serving their country, and we shouldn't forget that, even in the Memorial Day Sales hype, or all the barbecues that we'll attend.
Let's honor the dead with our podcast, which is more focused on the living, with Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, Bert Jansch, Luke WInslow-King, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Pinkshinyultrablast, the Searchers, the Bangles, Continental Drifters, Shocking Blue, Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs, Argent, and Brian Auger's Oblivion Express.
This podcast is, as always, available to stream or download at brennick.net. There should be more content there, and I will try to put more things up this year. The podcast is also available to download as a podcast at your favorite podcast streamer – iTunes, Stitcher, etc. The podcast is called brennick.net. Check that out sometime. I welcome suggestions and comments, too – leave them as you will. Thanks for everything you do to encourage me.


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Hello I am Michael Eugene Purcell Jr. I am looking to find and locate family. My dad Drowned in Wabash River in Terre Haute Indiana. His name is also Michael Eugene Purcell. I did not get a chance to meet my dad. My mother was pregnant with me when he drown.
Hey, Celeste. Its Kaylah Harris. You're welcome, hon, for trying to find your 5th great grandfather. If I give you some information, do you think you could trace it for me. We might find out how we're related.
This msg is for Kaylah Harris. This is Celeste. Thank you for your response. Busy today but will get a post together for you. Thanks so much for the offer if help.
Hello I am looking for information about my family. They are from Paulstown and Goresbridge? Ann
Hi, this is Kaylah Harris. This message is for Celeste. I tried to search your 5th great grandfather. The search came up empty. If you could give me more information about your Purcells, I'll be glad to look the people up on find a grave if they are deceased.
Hello my name is Celeste, Looking for any information on my 5th Great Grandfather. James Purcell, Born Ireland, around 1740, died 1793, Halifax County, Virginia. Married possibly and Elizabeth Hall. Any info about his years in Ireland or immigration would be tremendously helpful. Thank you in advance.
Hi. My name is Kaylah Harris. I'm from Connersvill, Fayette County, Indiana, USA. My great great great great grandmother's maiden name was Purcell. She is buried in Bethany Cemetery, Dugger, Sullivan County, Indiana, USA.
I am descended from Thomas Pursell/Purcell born about 1662-1667 in Ireland. He was first married in Ireland (wife's name unknown) and he had two children born there Daniel and Dennis Purcell. They moved from Ireland to New York in the USA. Thomas was 2nd married to Christiana Van Woggelum. DNA says the family were in Ireland some 3000 years ago. This proves they are not descended from Sir Hugh Purcell who came to Ireland later. I would to connect with Irish Purcell who would join with me and having their DNA tested to see if we are related. My email address is firstname.lastname@example.com and my name is Judith Purcell. I would enjoy hearing from you.
Write an email address and click 'Invite' to share this page with more members of the PURCELL tribe.
Why not see what your family crest could look like based on your own family characteristics?Create Crest
Wear your crest with pride...plenty of products to choose from


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Server Administrator-> This channel
is now moderated
(120) Git: (Hmm.. I think I had just come
back to "camp" to let everyone know the layout, guards on watch, but
bored and not expecting invasion, a few blind spots we could sneak in, but
expecting havok once the shield comes down. About right?)
(122) TaliesinNYC: yes
(120) Git: (Last we left off, we were
brainstorming for ways to either distract the guards a moment to scurry up the
wall and in, or if we have invisibility or short range teleportation options,
gaining alternative entrance.)
(122) TaliesinNYC: (sounds about right)
(122) TaliesinNYC: The shield glimmers in the
late afternoon light. Atop the castle parapet, figures can be seen lazing
(114) Kha: (( Kha trying to walk up to the
front door would be a good distraction =P ))
(120) Git: ((Yeah.. but it also puts them on
alert. For our purposes, he would also need to draw their attention, and not
get peppered with arrows.)
(120) Git: "I don't suppose any one
here has access to illusionary magicks..?" :inquires, as he watches the
shimmering of the shield:
(114) Kha: "To do what?"
(120) Git: "To make an intruder."
** (115) Rynn chuckles, "A few." **
** (114) Kha shakes his head "Nope cant do that." **
(120) Git: :to rynn: "Could you make
one that could appear to remove the shield?"
(115) Rynn: ((I missed the last session,
what does the shield look like?))
(120) Git: (Big gleaming dome. Thus, when it
comes down.. noticable)
(120) Git: (don't suppose you can make an
illusion of the dome itself..? ;P)
** (115) Rynn examines it, "I'm not entirely
sure how I would go about doing that, even if I have an illusion spell I don't
think it can make anything invisible. Beyond myself that is." **
(120) Git: "That's okay. I don't really
plan to make anything invisible. I need you to make a target. Humanoid figures
will do. A group of illusions to take the fall, while we sneak in the
(119) Joroch: "If Rynn can make herself
invisible, how about she does so. Then she can move up and prepare to take down
the shield. Kha could
strike with some magick, something that would likely hit the shield, but be visible. If
he did two in sucession, Rynn could time the taking down of the shield to be between to wo spells -
which could make it look like the visible spell was responsible."
(123) Gatz: "And moments later, we find a
pin cushion where Kha used to be."
(119) Joroch: "Well, I thought he might
be able to do so from out of direct view. If not, then never mind."
(115) Rynn: "I can conjure an illusion
about one hundred fifty to two hundred yards away, but I have to focus on
(114) Kha: "Naw, they wouldnt even see
me." ** looks toward the castle **
(120) Git: :shrugs: "I have something
similar in mind, but we need to be closer. As soon as this looks like an
attack, those guards are going to get a lot more lively,and sneaking in gets
much more difficult. "
(115) Rynn: "If I cast on each person,
I could make a small group invisible. That would require a lot of magicka
(120) Git: "We'll have a small window
of confusion once the shield comes down. During that time, we need something to
grab their attention to one side of the keep, while we sneak in over th wall
and get inside."
(114) Kha: "I could stike the castle
with a ligning bolt from the sky, while standing here."
** (119) Joroch shrugs, "I just tossed it out
there." **
(124) A Lurker (enter): 22:34
(120) Git: "Hmmm..." :to Rynn:
"You could make us all invisible?"
(115) Rynn: "A distraction would be
less taxing on my powers, if that is an option."
(120) Git: "And sneaking in is a lot
easier if we can't be seen as we walk right through the front door. Can you do
(115) Rynn: "How many spells do you
need? I can only cast seven of that level."
(120) Git: "One for each of us.. it
should do. How long will it last?"
(115) Rynn: "Near ten minutes, I'd
underestimate for safety though, so about eight."
(120) Git: "Eight minutes.. if our
intruder is dead in less than a minute from retributive arrow fire, curiousity
dictates the commanding officer to send out a group to search the remains to
find who this was, and how he took out their defenses. It shouldn't take more
than five minutes, with proper response, giving us time.. hypothetically to
slip in, as the team comes out. No?"
(120) Git: "Could Kha cast his
lightning bolts without disrupting your invisibility spell?"
(119) Joroch: "As long as the commander
even slightly capable, it sounds like it should work. I have my own reserves
about that fact based on how lax the guards are - but we can hope that you are
(115) Rynn: "Possibly, but no one
person would decide to take on this tower. One killed intruder wouldn't provoke
them to do anything, especially if they think they're invincible in that
sheild. And no, I don't think he could. Hell I'm worried that doing anything to
lower the shield even might cancel it. That spell was made for getaways, not to
sneak in anywhere."
(120) Git: "Well.. we're going to
experiment with it a bit then. If need be, I can sneak up and take out the
shield, while your illusion draws attention. Showing him use the rod will be
bait, so the guards can report it was somthing he carried which brought down
the shield, something which might restore it. If the commander is so careless
as not to investigate, then we fall on plan B, just wait for awindow to sneak
in, now that the shield will be gone."
** (114) Kha leans against a tree, relaxing while
people decide what to do **
(120) Git: "Ideally, if we can sneak
in, while the investigators are outside, and position ourselves inside to take
out the intruders from within, this should be much easier. It's just too bad we
don't have a really body to keep them busy. But.. beggars and choosers.."
(119) Joroch: "Although, if they come
out to investigate, and find an illusion - they are likely to immediately raise
an alarm."
** (120) Git draws a breath, and gives the run down,
"Alright.. lets see if we're all on board here. Step one: Rynn makes an
illusion to draw attention, I'm thinking a mage type, who will stroll up,
visibly use the rod, which probabalt I'll be doing, invisible or sneaking on my
own, and thus the shield should come down." **
(120) Git: "Step two: Big battle
scene.. Kha blasts some lightning bolts from back here, while Rynn makes it look
like the illusion is cast them himself."
(115) Rynn: "Would the lightning
originate from the sky?"
(123) Agatha: "Well it's not comin' out
his backside."
(120) Git: "Step three: If these aren't
cowards we're dealing with, they should open fire, make it look good, but the
guards win in the end... and I doubt many of them will be able to tell the
difference in casting styles."
(114) Kha: "Yes it would"
(120) Git: "If they are cowards.. maybe
we'll get lucky and they would forfeit." :to Kha: "It would what?"
(114) Kha: "Come from the sky."
(115) Rynn: "Great, I know nothing of
spells beyond my own. Can I assume that they won't either?"
(120) Git: "Well.. they don't look like
archmages from here."
(120) Git: "To a mage where the
lightning is coming from may be a big problem, but to most folks magick's
(114) Kha: "So just make the illusion
touch the shield with the fake rod, then dance around like it is casting a
spell and I will zap the castle with e lightning bolt while we sneak in the
(115) Rynn: "That makes it
(123) Agatha: "It gives us a shot at
(115) Rynn: "How many archers do you
think are there?"
(120) Git: "Well.. we sneak in the
back, if we can't sneak in the front. The rod is bait to get them out to
investigate. When the doors open, we can enter. You'll have to concentrate on
the spell until we're inside. After that, we can seize the gate and close it
behind us.. if we choose."
(119) Joroch: "Once we all regroup
inside of course."
(115) Rynn: "That'll be hard if we go
with plan invisible."
(120) Git: "Why's that?"
(115) Rynn: "To find one another. There
is a problem though, if I am to go inside I'll have to see the illusion to
control it as well. That means I have to go in towards the side, and
invisibility isn't an option if I'm focused on the illusion."
(119) Joroch: "The invisibility
is just to get us in, right?
(115) Rynn: "Yes, but Kha and I won't
be invisible if we're casting spells as well."
(119) Joroch: "And Rynn and Kha could
both remain outside until the rest of us take control of the main courtyard.
Then, we let them in and clean out the rest of the place."
(120) Git: "So.. you'll have to drop
the illusion to cast the invisibility. Hmmm... how many stories do you know of
powerful mages turning to ashes when they die. I know a few silly old fairy
tales." :grins:
(119) Joroch: "Or, they just move in
once they hear the scream of those either surrendering to, or falling before
(115) Rynn: "What's the significance of
the wizard illusion if everyone would be invisible anyway?"
(119) Joroch: "So that the guards
believe the 'mage' made the shield
drop, and don't look for any others."
(115) Rynn: "It's a good idea, I
haven't ever died before so I don't even know."
(114) Kha: "Just make Git, Joroch and
Agatha invisible before you do the illusion"
(120) Git: "Well.. even if we're
invisible, bringing down the shield is going to cause a panic, which makes
sneaking in difficult if there is nothing to draw attention."
(115) Rynn: "So the plan is now
fighting what so ever?"
(114) Kha: "You and I will stay out here
and head in after they get control of the Gate"
(120) Git: "Other option would be to
just bring down the shield, pull back and wait."
(114) Kha: (( AFK for a smoke ))
(119) Joroch: "We wait, and they will
tighten up after the shield
drops. It would be best to hit them hard and fast."
(120) Git: :shakes his head: "Nah..
they know whats coming at them and it puts us and the hostage in danger.. if
he's still alive."
(127) Gatz (enter): 23:09
(115) Rynn: "You would need an
invisibilty to keep him alive... in fact alarming them at all that there is the
intention of intruders they will get the hostage first thing. The illusionary
mage wont work because they'll bring the uncle to them to negotiate with the illusion."
(120) Git: :to Kha and Rynn: "Can
either of you teleport inside, once the shield is down?"
(115) Rynn: "I cannot
(120) Git: "Yeah, which is why if we go
with the illusion, I'd like it to be a corpse as fast as possible."
(115) Rynn: ((Is the shield less than
"thirteen ten foot cubes"?))
(119) Joroch: (( unlikely ))
(120) Git: "The simpler way... sneak
up, take out the shield, pull back, let them panic a while, eventually
resettle, figuring the magick just crapped out on them, and then sneak in when they
settle again."
** (114) Kha shrugs **
(119) Joroch: "Hmm, could work - IF
they assume that the shield
dies on its own."
(115) Rynn: "I could try to create an
illusionary shield itself, it might be a bit smaller but when you're inside a
sphere you might not tell. Then we could bring down the shield with no
(120) Git: "Of course, that takes the
risk that they will beef up security after the shield is down, giving us little
to no openings."
(122) TaliesinNYC: Booting '(123) Gatz' from
(123) Gatz (exit): 23:15
** (115) Rynn nods, "When want to catch them
when they're lazy." **
(122) TaliesinNYC: ((correct))
(115) Rynn: ((Is that to my statement?))
(120) Git: :to Rynn: "Can you really
make an illusion that big?"
(122) TaliesinNYC: ((mmhmm))
** (115) Rynn nods, "Yes I can." **
(119) Joroch: "I would expect that the
most. Likely one reason they are so lax right now is because of the shield - once it's gone,
they may even decide that it's not worth the time and kill their hostage and
move on. There is no way to know what exactly they will do."
(127) Agatha: "I doubt they can move
out that fast. Lazy, remember?"
(120) Git: "Perfect.. if you can make a
shield inside the shield, we can take out the real one and walk in while
they're completely unsuspecting."
(119) Joroch: "If you can - that would
be the best option. The shield
would appear to still be there, but we would be able to get in. Hmm, sounds
(115) Rynn: "That leaves the only risk
of the shield going down is noisy."
(120) Git: "Yeah.. but a momentary
flash.. they may pass off as a magical glitch."
(119) Joroch: "But if they still see
the sheild - it would be unlikely that they would know what the sound is."
(115) Rynn: "They've seen the shield go
down before, they've gotten in and out, remember?"
(120) Git: "More likely they snuck in
through the tunnels."
(119) Joroch: "The shield is not always up -
only in case of emergency. The bandits snuck in and then the shield was raised."
(124) A Lurker (exit): 23:21
(115) Rynn: "So my invisibilty on
whoever wants to go in, I put up a fake shield as the real one is taken down,
someone sneaks in and grabs the uncle while invisible. The getting out is still
(120) Git: "Extraction is the hard
part. We may be best off securing the hostages, then going after the commander
and taking them hostage in turn."
(120) Git: "Kha.. you have silence
spell, right?"
(114) Kha: "Ya"
(120) Git: "Good. We
(120) Git: 'll need them to deal with the
guards inside, without alerting the ones outside."
(120) Git: "So... we're good?"
(115) Rynn: "Who is going in?"
(120) Git: "We'll need all the muscle
we can get.. so.. pretty much everyone but you, as you need to be outside to
watch the illusion. Sorry."
(119) Joroch: (( Berard can stay with her.
(120) Git: (heh.. guess so)
(115) Rynn: "I thought a small amount
would be best, if we're sending in everyone who can fight we might as well
forgo the sneaking and storm the place. Two would be a good choice for
protection, but any more would start to leave opportunities for error."
(120) Git: :nods: "We have to be clean
and precise about it, but I don't know how strong they are, or what kind of
guard routines they have in order, so, with sheer force, and Kha's silence
spells to avoid attention, I was figuring on absolute suppression."
(120) Git: "No good?"
** (115) Rynn nods, "All right. If it's possible
to send a small message to me, I could start making noise out here the moment
you have the hostages to draw them away. I could easily fake taking down the
barrier if I am currently manifesting its image." **
** (127) Agatha nods. "It's settled then?"
(119) Joroch: "Sounds like it to
(115) Rynn: "About that message idea?
Just a last thought."
(120) Git: "Hmm.. if we can seize the
gate after we rescue the hostages, we might be able to meet you there. Still a
question of sneaking off though. unless the hostages know an alternative
(119) Joroch: "Since it is his place,
I'd think that he would."
(120) Git: If you watch the windows on one
side of the building, we could signal you from there. Maybe coordinate torch
waves to signal us either meeting you at the gate, or wait for us to come
(115) Rynn: "Maybe, what signal would
be what?"
(120) Git: "Alright.. if the gate
opens, it means meet us there, which probably means dropping the illusion and
going invisible to approach, unless you are confident in your stealth
abilities. So, we won't call you in unless we have an escape route planned and
(120) Git: "If you see a torch waving
back and forth in a window, it will mean hold back and wait for us. Two torches
will mean we'll need to fight our way out, and get in position to help take out
the guards on the roof with range spells. Alright?"
** (115) Rynn nods in understanding, "The
illusion will linger, but not for more than half a minute. All right, two
torches means they know you're there and to start killing, right?" ((How high
is the roof?)) **
(120) Git: "We'll strike first, as your
signal. Once the commotion starts.. start killing. And for good measure, three
torches means we have our own way out, so just hang out and hold position. ANd
keep in mind, plans may change, so keep watching."
** (115) Rynn nods again. **
(120) Git: "We'll wait for night to
attack. For now.. everyone get some rest. We'll need it."
(122) TaliesinNYC: ((75'))
(120) Git: (anything else.. or FF?)
(119) Joroch: (( ff works for me ))
(127) Agatha: ((ff))
(115) Rynn: ((FF))
(122) TaliesinNYC: ((night then))
(122) TaliesinNYC: Evening comes. The shield
continually shimmers in the darkness. No sign of the movement abating on the
rooftop, though it's clear that there are a bit less than before.
(120) Git: "We'll start from a position
at the rear of the buidling. there are more blindspots to climb up the wall
from. After we're in, Rynn.. circle back around to the front to wait for our
signals. If something happens to ruffle the guards, we may need you to signal
us somehow.. so.. be ready to improvise,"
(115) Rynn: "Okay, is there any spells
beyond invisibility you would like?"
(120) Git: :shrugs: "Got
(115) Rynn: "An armor spell that lasts
a few hours, I need it often myself. Flight will make the noisiest of you quite
as you move."
(115) Rynn: ((*quiet))
(120) Git: "Flight will be handy for
you, if you need to join up with us quick. Don't suppose you can offer enough
of that spell to help us all up over the wall without risking being heard
(127) Agatha: "Leave her be. She'll
need whatever she's got left to make a clean break.
(120) Git: "Alright. Fine."
(120) Git: "Make us vanish and please
erect the shield."
(115) Rynn: "If it's just the four of
you, no problem. It will last an hour and a half, flight I have to be careful
to time when I do it for fun."
(120) Git: "Alright.. if yo ucan afford
(115) Rynn: ((Sorry, a minute a level, I was
thinking overland flight, so you have nine minutes of it.))
(120) Git: (it's enough to get us inside)
** (115) Rynn goes to each and casts the spell Fly,
then proceeds to cast Invisibility on each. After that is done she turns toward
the shield, invoking an identical Major Image, concentrating hard for accuracy,
"Go..." **
Game disconnected!
Locating server at 184.108.40.206:6774...
Game connected!
(129) TaliesinNYC (enter): 00:10
(52) Dj Gilcrease (Ubuntu) (enter): 00:10
Moving to room 'Tolmara'..
(129) TaliesinNYC (enter): 00:10
Server Administrator->
(114) Dj Gilcrease (enter): 00:10
(115) Rob (enter): 00:10
(119) Zane (enter): 00:10
(120) Lunauc (enter): 00:10
(122) TaliesinNYC (enter): 00:10
(127) Gatz (enter): 00:10
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The Tangled Web
Standing outside the entrance to the cave, you are surprised to hear the
sounds of music and merriment coming from deep within.
1) Enter
the Cave
2) Run fast and far away
Attempting to assign the role of GM to (129)
** (115) Rynn starts to shift to the front of the
tower with focus and cover as her priority, taking all the time needed and
staying roughly 450 feet away. **
(129) TaliesinNYC: Booting '(122) TaliesinNYC'
from room...
(122) TaliesinNYC (exit): 00:10
** (120) Git takes flight after everyone is holding
together, and takes a bird eye view for an entrance point. An unguarded door on
the roof or wide enough window to an empty room will do."(repost) **
(129) DM: The roof of Castle Justheart is flat
stone, bleached by time and enclosed by a low crenellated wall. Looking out
over the edge, you see a fine mist covering the lake and a thick fog rolling in
from the distant valleys.
(129) DM: There is a deep pool of water in the
center of the roof.
(129) DM: Archers stand around at their posts,
clearly bored.
(129) DM: The shield shimmers above them.
(129) DM: A door can clearly be seen in the
middle of the south tower exterior, however it's closed.
(120) Git: (any open windows?)
(129) DM: (quite a few, but the shield covers
the entire castle like a second skin)
(120) Git: (that's what we have the rod
(129) DM: (movement can be seen inside in a few
of them)
** (120) Git extends the rod, once they reach the
shield, touching it to the shimmering surface and hoping it does what it's
supposed to. **
(129) DM: The shield vanishes without a trace.
The rod is destroyed.
(120) Git: (open windows to empty rooms?)
(129) DM: The windows SEEM to be open but on
closer inspection are covered with some kind of glass-like substance.
(129) DM: (think modern day skyscraper windows)
** (115) Rynn notices the shimmer of the falling
shield and pauses to make sure her illusion is accurate. **
(120) Git: (alright.. anyone watching the
door on the roof?)
(129) DM: (nope)
** (120) Git lands the group at the door, taking a
look to the guards, to make sure no one is watching, before trying to open the
door. **
(114) Dj Gilcrease (exit): 00:20
(120) Git: :mutters: "What
the...?" :searches for a handle or other device, trying to figure how this
door opens. (search, for way to open and traps, if they go so far to seal they
(120) Git: :whispers: "Heh.. no way to
open the door from this side.. kind of sadistic really, considering these guys
are trapped if there is an attack. Anyway... we'll have to break in one of the
windows. Kha.. you'llhave to keep is quiet."
(119) Joroch: (( only we lost DJ... ))
(120) Git: (doh)
(127) Agatha: ((well...crap))
(127) Agatha: "I guess it's our turn to
make folks disappear. Some key guards would be a good start."
(119) Joroch: "And one of the guards up
here must know a way to get someone up here to open the door."
(120) Git: "No... starting all manner
of chaos up here puts the hostages below in danger."
** (119) Joroch speaks quietly to his companions. **
(119) Joroch: "Whatever we do, we need
to be quick. Rynn's image is not long lasting."
(120) Git: (can we puppet Kha a bit?)
(120) Git: (just for his silence ability)
(129) DM: (heh)
(129) DM: (k)
(129) DM: (someone can run him)
(115) Rynn: ((He did say he would do it, if
that counts for anything))
(129) DM: (hm, I don't have his node)
(120) Git: (eh.. we only need him to do one
(120) Git: (.... ok..?)
(129) DM: (fine)
(129) DM: (consider it done)
(120) Git: "Alright.. on to plan
B." :takes hands again and takes flight, looking for a window with no one
inside.. or an apparent prisoner inside.:
** (120) Git pauses at one window, pointing out to
the others, "Does she seem to stick out to you?" **
** (127) Agatha peeks in the window. **
(120) Git: :refering to a window, through
which a woman in black leather armor can be seen pacing an interior balcony
over a library.:
** (119) Joroch studies the woman for a moment. **
** (127) Agatha raises an eyebrow. "The leader
you think?" **
(120) Git: "May be."
** (120) Git gets closer to look for anyone else in
the room, notes exits and whether she's talking. **
(119) Joroch: "I'm not sure, but she
does seems quite agitated, possibly even paranoid."
** (127) Agatha sizes up the woman. **
(119) Joroch: "Doubt we could get in
quietly enough with her there. New window?"
(120) Git: "If Kha silences the area,
it should hit here too. If we can get her.. and anyone else in the room, it may
mean quick intel on where the hostages are, and if she is the leader, we'll
have leverage of our own."
(119) Joroch: "Then let's do it. The
sooner we get in the better."
(120) Git: :nods: "Once it's quiet,
we'll bust in, rush in before they know what broke the window.. if they
notice... Joroch and I will grab the woman, Aggy and Kha, sweep out to search
for others in the room and block the door. Wait until she turns her back, then
Kha, make things silent. Aggy.. bust the window as soon as you hear the humming
stop." :starts humming lightly, while he pulls a dagger, watiing for Kha
to cut out the sound:
(129) DM: She spins around and comes back your
way, head down.
** (127) Agatha nods and steps out of the way. **
(129) DM: Then she looks up, and her eyes bug
out as she spies you.
(120) Git: (huh?)
(129) DM: Her mouth drops open as if she can't
believe what she's seeing.
(119) Joroch: "Time's up."
(129) DM: She shrieks (though you can't hear on
your side of the glass) and rushes out of sight.
(120) Git: (.... )
(120) Git: (this happens while we're
invisible and before Kha cuts the sound then?)
** (127) Agatha turns towards Git's voice. "What
ever happened to being invisible?" **
** (119) Joroch looks to Git, his armored hand making
a fist ready to break in, but not sure if Git might have a different idea
first. **
(129) DM: (she can obviously see you even though
you're invisible)
(120) Git: :quickly: "Kha, cut the
sound. Aggy break the glass.. now."
(119) Joroch: (( ah, then no one sees
Joroch's fist. ))
(129) DM: (if a group of armored foes appeared
outside your window, flying, you'd shriek too.)
** (119) Joroch moves to the side of the window,
hoping he doesn't run into
Aggy as he does. **
** (127) Agatha quickly smashes the window with her
axe. **
(129) DM: The window shatters, and glass sprays
in all directions (inside).
(129) DM: Of the woman, there is no sign.
** (120) Git flies in after the glass breaks, pulling
Joroch along, and heading the direction the woman fled. **
** (119) Joroch moves easily as he is grabbed,
offering no resistance.
(129) DM: Cluttered bookshelves span the walls
of this great balcony, which almost circles the entire floor of the castle.
(129) DM: There's a door to your immediate
right, down the interior balcony (to 15) and a door leading to the south tower
(above on the map) to your left
(119) Joroch: "How did she see
us?" Joroch mutters to whoever is pulling him along.
(120) Git: (did Kha silence us?)
(119) Joroch: (( yeah - but doesn't mean
that Joroch wouldn't try to ask still... ))
(120) Git: (woman magical disappear?)
(119) Joroch: (( actually - did he cast it
on us, or the window? ))
(120) Git: (didn't see it cast at all.. why
I was asking)
(129) DM: (you have no idea where she went)
(129) DM: (probably down the hall through the
door on your right)
(129) DM: (it's a field that moves with him, so
on him)
(120) Git: (flying after her then, to keep
her in the silence zone, and catch her before she finds help)
(129) DM: She doesn't seem to be visible (or in
(129) DM: Except for you, the library (14) is
empty. A closed door to your right, and an archway to your left offer egress
from this chamber.
(120) Git: (so she either moves faster than
we can fly or disappeared by magical means then, yes?)
(129) DM: (*whistles*)
(119) Joroch: (( or so Git *might*
believe... ))
(120) Git: (sorry.. just trying to make sure
I'm getting it right)
(129) DM: (consider that it takes time to break
a window, climb in and then enter the chamber. time enough for someone to do
something, or a couple of somethings.)
(120) Git: (Smash.. fly... that's about 2-4
seconds, no?)
(129) DM: (not really)
(120) Git: (ok..)
(129) DM: (why are we arguing this? Joroch moves
to the side, Aggy breaks the window, you enter and climb in and pull Joroch
inside. he's bigger than you so that takes time. please, c'mon.)
** (120) Git heads for the open archway.. unless she
had time to open and close doors with us on her heels without being noticed **
(129) DM: (she didn't move to your left.)
(120) Git: (just trying to make sure I
understand the timing to figure out if she's running, teleported or invisible
(120) Git: (oh..)
(129) DM: (or its possible I'm running her like
a PC and she's doing what she would do if confronted with a situation that
suddenly appeared on her doorstep, within reasonable means.)
** (127) Agatha scans the room. "Let's check the
door. She can't be too far." **
(120) Git: (she went toward the door then?)
(119) Joroch: (( that;s what he said - or
what "probably" happened. ))
(129) DM: (well with only two means of exit from
the room -- I didn't specify direction -- it's either the archway or the closed
door. your choice.)
** (127) Agatha checks the archway. **
(129) DM: There's voices and shouts from below.
(120) Git: (but which way did she run off is
what I'm asking. we were following her direction)
(129) DM: (to your right)
(120) Git: (ok.. what about the voices.. voices
others than hers? in this room, down from the balcony or out in the hall?)
** (127) Agatha looks back to the others. "So
much for surprise." **
(129) DM: (sec)
(120) Git: (and are we still in invisible
and/ or silenced?)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+9]
=> [17,9] = (26)
(129) DM: (breaking a window counts as an
attack, I would say Aggy is visible)
(129) DM: (am not sure on Kha's silence thing)
(120) Git: (yeah, but the rest.. I'm
wondering if something about the castle had cut the spell out)
(129) DM: (as for voices, there are at least
three people, but you can't determine precisely)
(129) DM: (a female, two males -- one of which
sounds like an elf)
(120) Git: (from where though?)
(129) DM: (downstairs, somewhere, coming up
through the tower stairs)
(129) DM: (again, can't tell where precisely)
(120) Git: (the stairs to the right?)
(129) DM: (not in the room below)
(129) DM: (the tower stairs are to your LEFT)
(120) Git: (are they approaching?)
** (119) Joroch sees Aggy near the archway, so he
moves to the door and opens it. **
(119) Joroch: (( just a little - to peer
beyond it and make sure way is clear. ))
(129) DM: (they don't seem to be.)
** (120) Git heads for the door to the right,
glancing a window in passing, to see if the illusionary sheild is visible
through the glass **
** (119) Joroch picks up some broken glass and a cork
- causing the items to seems to be floating in the air before he even reaches
the door. A couple drops of liquid can still be seen in the glass. **
** (119) Joroch sets the broken vial back on the
ground with the stopper, and then moves on to the door - which he cracks open
to peek beyond it. **
(129) DM: Another interior balcony runs the
perimeter of this area which overlooks a chapel below. Someone was here
recently and passed in haste. Footprints can be seen on the carpet.
** (127) Agatha heads back and follows the others. **
** (127) Agatha flies a few inches off the ground as
she follows the foot prints. **
** (119) Joroch fully opens the door and moves
through it, figuring the others will see the door opening up. He starts moving
down the hallway, watching the footprints the best he can. **
** (120) Git continues on, flying fast as possible
after the footprints **
(129) DM: The footprints run to about the middle
of the interior balcony in (15) and stop. Whomever was here probably leapt over
the railing and landed atop an altar, causing a disarray in the process. Faint
tracks are on the carpet below you and lead out.
(120) Git: :to Aggy: "Hang back a bit.
If we run into anyone else, at least we're still invisible for the moment( I
think)." :Follows quickly afterthe prints:
** (119) Joroch leaps over the railing as well - and
ends up flying down to the lower level. **
** (127) Agatha looks at her arms and feet.
"Doesn't make much difference now, but I'll let you spot the ambush."
(120) Git: "Hopefully they aren't that
(129) DM: The prints lead out of a chapel, into
some kind of bathing room. An open door can be seen, through which is another
interior corridor.
** (119) Joroch keeps following the prints. **
** (120) Git keeps flying after the prints, listening
in the hall if her path isn't distinguishable, hoping flying speed is enough.
(129) DM: The prints become slightly less
visible as they enter the tower stairs. Voices from below are clearer now. A
trail of black powder ends at the top most step and continues down the spiral
(129) DM: You smell smoke from below.
** (119) Joroch makes sure to avoid the powder, but
follows that trail now. "Git, you here also?" he asks quietly. **
(120) Git: (question: how much of a head
start do you figure she had on us? If it so considerable that there's no way in
hell we can stop her before she reaches help, I figure, best to be prepared for
a fight)
(129) DM: And a good thing too, because a
blazing trail of flame runs up the stone steps, turning the powder to ash in
its wake. Just behind you, there is a loud explosion and a shower of stone
chips rains down the tower shaft.
(119) Joroch: (( I'm always ready for a
fight. :-) ))
(120) Git: "Yeah... keep after her..
and get ready.. we may have to take down whoever she warns."
(115) Rynn: ((seen from outside?))
(129) DM: (she had about 2 rounds head start,
and a bit more because Joroch didn't just rush through the door leading to 15)
(129) DM: (otherwise you might have caught up to
her by now)
(120) Git: "What the hell?" :takes
cover under the stairs as he continues up, flying over the flames:(reflex?)
(120) Git: (2 ROUNDS?!)
(129) DM: (you're flying, so no reflex
(119) Joroch: "Ok, yikes." he cuts
off any response he was going to make as the flame comes rushing up at them. He
moves as fast as he can down the ashen path - but trying to stay high enough
that he doesn't disrupt the path.
(129) DM: (yes, I said two rounds)
(119) Joroch: (( and I want to point out
that no one rushed out the door to 15 - it wasn't just Joroch. :-P ))
** (120) Git flies fast us possible, up the spiral.
(115) Rynn: ((Would Rynn have seen/heard
this sploding?))
(129) DM: (Rynn is outside, so no.)
(120) Git: (ugh.. wish I asked earlier... my
(119) Joroch: (( Joroch keeps following -
gonna go grab a smoke real quick. ))
(129) DM: You catch sight of someone in black
armor slipping through the archway at the landing leading to (8). The stairs
continue down further.
(129) DM: Voices can be heard in that direction.
** (115) Rynn has shifted completely to the front
face of the tower, still hiding and mantaining the illusion of the shield as
she waits for any signal. **
** (120) Git flies full force after the armored
figure, trying to catch it before they reach the voices **
(129) DM: (init)
(120) Git: init: [1d20+4]
=> [1,4] = (5)
(129) Malvira: "Intruders! Intruders! Get
the others!"
(120) Git: (oh, this is not my night)
(127) Agatha: init:[1d20+4]
=> [8,4] = (12)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+4]
=> [16,4] = (20)
(119) Joroch: Initiative: [1d20+3] => [3,3] = (6)
(119) Joroch: (( mine either apparently. ))
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+2]
=> [13,2] = (15)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+3]
=> [19,3] = (22)
(129) DM: Chanting can be heard....
(129) DM: (so Git is probably at the opening to
8. need a marching order, I assume people are flying?)
(127) Agatha: ((I presume I'm pulling up the
(119) Joroch: (( Joroch would be right
behind him, having been moving that way as well. ))
(119) Joroch: (( and yes - flying, a little
off the ground. ))
(120) Git: +2 Dagger(2nd Sneak) Attack Roll:
[1d20+8] => [16,8] = (24) ===> Damage: [1d4+2+3d6+0]
=> [3,2,1,2,6,0] = (14)
(120) Git: (oops... ignore that)
(129) DM: The armored figure looks back at Git,
then slips into the room ahead of her to her left (room 8), which appears to be
an armory. A wide open door leads out to (10). Inside this chamber (apart from
the odd assortment of armor and weapons) are a black-robed elf and a human man
in slightly tarnished chain armor. The warrior seems to be moving unnaturally
(120) Git: (they seem to see all of us? or
just Aggy?)
(129) DM: Your quarry rushes to the end of the
chamber, turns around and launches a shimmering dagger from a wrist sheath at
(129) DM: (she is obviously able to discern all
of you, the rest can see Aggy)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+9+2]
=> [10,9,2] = (21)
(129) DM: The dagger flies wide of its mark and
buries itself in the stone floor. Something in the blade begins eating at the
floor itself.
(129) DM: (load minis and clone them please)
(129) DM: (clone Joroch pls)
(129) DM: (I don't have a mini library)
(119) Joroch: (( we are coming out of the
circular stair area, right? ))
(129) DM: ((yes))
whispering to Lunauc, the whole point of not
using fog of war and leaving the map available for people to see is to minimize
whispering to Lunauc, so if you're not able to
get it, I must be doing something wrong, because this happens EVERY SINGLE GAME
(129) DM: (15, the fighter)
(129) DM: He takes careful aim with a crossbow
and fires into the tower shaft at Agatha (-1 to his roll due to partial cover)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+10+2]
=> [9,10,2] = (21)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+10+2]
=> [19,10,2] = (31)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+10+2]
=> [11,10,2] = (23)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d6]
=> [1] = (1)
(129) DM: (12, Ag)
(129) DM: [1d6] => [1]
= (1)
** (127) Agatha grimaces as the arrow impales her
arm. She goes straight for the nearest threat. **
(129) DM: (6, Jor)
(127) Agatha: Attack: [1d20+14]
=> [9,14] = (23)
(129) DM: (typed too fast)
(127) Agatha: ((hit))
(127) Agatha: ((hit??))
(129) DM: (yes)
(129) DM: (damage?)
(127) Agatha: [1d12+6+2+1]
=> [5,6,2,1] = (14)
(129) DM: He staggers back and smiles thinly,
saying, "Finally, a worthy opponent."
(129) DM: (6, Jor)
** (119) Joroch follows after Agatha, leaving Git the
one that attacked him, or tried to. He flies over to be next to the wizard and
the fighter, drawing out his blade as he does so. Suddenly, he appears from no
where as he makes an attack on the warrior (he should lose any Dex bonus to
AC). "She's not the only one." **
(127) Agatha: "Wish I could say the
(119) Joroch: Longsword attack: [1d20+18] => [20,18] = (38)
(119) Joroch: Longsword Crit Check: [1d20+18+4] => [9,18,4] = (31)
(129) DM: (mmhmm)
(129) DM: (position Jor please)
(119) Joroch: (( using increased multiplier.
(119) Joroch: Increased Multiplier
damage: [3*(1d8+9)]
=> 48
(129) DM: (5, Git)
(129) DM: He (the fighter) betrays no emotion
though his actions belie otherwise.
** (120) Git flies in, hugging the ceiling, out of
reach, as he draws his bastard sword, tumbling in the air, as he reaches the
door, he slices down, coming visible to the others in the room as he aims for
the black armored woman's head. **
(120) Git: Dancing +3 Bastardsword Attack
Roll: [1d20+10] => [1,10] = (11) ===>
Damage: [1d10+3+0] => [6,3,0] = (9)
(120) Git: (more 1's... I have a bad feeling
about this)
(129) Malvira: "Is that the best you can do?"
(129) Malvira: "Yarik! Bolarny! Get up
here, you good for nothing lazykins!"
(120) Git: "Sorry.. I'll try harder.
You could help by standing still. Don't suppose you'd be willing to submit and
be done with the whole thing?"
** (129) Malvira shouts over her shoulder as she
moves into position **
(129) DM: Suddenly, in a twinkle of an eye,
there appear seven images of the mage.
(129) DM: (need to check on something please)
(120) Git: (aoo?)
(129) DM: (as I said, I'm checking on something)
(129) DM: (no aoo, per the book)
(129) DM: (20, Mal)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+8]
=> [9,8] = (17)
(129) DM: She attempts to flank Git and slash
into his side, but misses.
(129) DM: (15, the warrior)
(129) DM: He drops the crossbow and engages
Agatha with his 2H bastard sword. (AOO by both Ag and Jor)
(119) Joroch: Longsword attack: [1d20+18] => [7,18] = (25)
(119) Joroch: Longsword damage: [1d8+9] => [4,9] = (13)
(129) DM: (1 hit)
** (127) Agatha doesn't give the bastard an inch. **
(127) Agatha: AOO: [1d20+14]
=> [15,14] = (29)
(127) Agatha: dmg: [1d12+6+2+1]
=> [4,6,2,1] = (13)
(129) DM: (going to finish this round, and we'll
stop after since its almost time)
(129) DM: (hit)
(129) DM: (damage from Jor please)
(119) Joroch: (( awww... k ))
(119) Joroch: (( 13, it's right under the
attack. ))
(129) DM: It appears he's critically injured but
that doesn't seem to have borne into his skull just yet.
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+15]
=> [10,15] = (25),[1d20+11] => [4,11] = (15)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d12+8]
=> [8,8] = (16)
(129) DM: (12, Ag)
(127) Agatha: "Dunno when to quit
(129) DM: (well ok, we'll finish the fight then)
(129) DM: (as for you, Rynn, no sign of your
friends,but you can hear fighting from afar)
** (127) Agatha is not happy. **
(127) Agatha: ((full attack))
(127) Agatha: Bar'eth-el Attack Roll: [1d20+15]
=> [9,15] = (24) ===> Damage: [1d12+4] =>
[8,4] = (12)
(127) Agatha: Bar'eth-el Attack Roll: [1d20+10]
=> [13,10] = (23) ===> Damage: [1d12+4]
=> [9,4] = (13)
(129) DM: He drops to the ground, dead.
(129) DM: (6, Jor)
(115) Rynn: ((Is it at all possible to tell
how much of the tower is alerted to them?))
(129) DM: (well, there's shouts...)
** (127) Agatha is bleeding from her side but feels
better having made her grievances known. **
(129) DM: (and as for the archers up top, they
don't seem to have heard anything)
(119) Joroch: (( aww, I don't get to do the
move I had planned. Oh well... ))
** (115) Rynn watches the archers on the top of the
tower, as long as her illusion fooled some it was worth mantaining. **
** (119) Joroch focuses on the images of the mage as
the warrior falls down, striking out at a couple, first striking where he
thought the mage had been then also at a spot right next to that first
place. **
(119) Joroch: Longsword full attack:
Attack 1: [1d20+18] => [16,18] = (34) (crit
Attack 2: [1d20+13] => [7,13] = (20) (crit
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d10]
=> [2] = (2),[1d10] => [10] = (10)
(129) DM: Two images wink out
(129) DM: (5, Git)
** (120) Git appears to fumble a bit in the air, as
if trying to gain balance in the air after his ruckus intro(bluff to feint),
but quickly rights himself to give a surprise lunge for the woman's chest **
** (119) Joroch squints a little, but otherwise
doesn't respond to the misses. **
(120) Git: Bluff Skill Check: [1d20+19]
=> [5,19] = (24)
(119) Joroch: (( it's not a 1... ))
(120) Git: (heh)
(120) Git: (sneak dmg?)
(129) DM: (checking)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+14+9]
=> [20,14,9] = (43)
(129) Malvira: "Very impressive....for an
** (129) Malvira steps back and away. **
(120) Git: (... I lose my attack all
together? what happened?)
(129) Malvira: (you bluff, she made her sense
motive roll)
(120) Git: (but don't I still get my attack,
just sans sneak chance?)
(129) Malvira: (you get the attack of course)
(120) Git: Dancing +3 Bastardsword Attack
Roll: [1d20+10] => [1,10] = (11) ===>
Damage: [1d10+3+0] => [5,3,0] = (8)
(120) Git: :head deask:
(119) Joroch: (( DOH! ))
(129) DM: (and it missed)
(120) Git: (I'm just cursed tonight)
(129) DM: The mage gesticulates quickly and
spreads his hands (AOO by Jor)
(119) Joroch: Longsword attack: [1d20+18] => [13,18] = (31)
(119) Joroch: Parting the silk damage: [8+9] => 17
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [4] = (4)
(129) DM: Another image winks out. 5 images
remain, 1 of which is the true one.
(129) DM: He unleashes a lightning bolt at your
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [10d6]
=> [6,3,1,1,3,6,3,2,4,3] = (32)
(129) DM: (reflex by Jor and Ag)
(119) Joroch: Reflex: [1d20+10] => [13,10] = (23)
(127) Agatha: Reflex save: [1d20+7]
=> [18,7] = (25)
(129) DM: (both make, 16 electrical damage)
(129) DM: (20, Mal)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+10]
=> [14,10] = (24)
(129) DM: She attempts to tumble to the side,
and possibly sidewind into a backstab. (AOO by Git)
(120) Git: Dancing +3 Bastardsword Attack
Roll: [1d20+10] => [19,10] = (29) ===>
Damage: [1d10+3+0] => [8,3,0] = (11)
(120) Git: (crit threat?)
(120) Git: Dancing +3 Bastardsword Attack
Roll: [1d20+10] => [6,10] = (16) ===>
Damage: [1d10+3+0] => [10,3,0] = (13)
(129) DM: (yes)
(120) Git: (wonder if I get an att bonus for
higher ground.. figuratively sepaking)
(119) Joroch: (( yeah - you're stretching
there I'd think... ))
(127) Agatha: ((Hey, it worked for Obi-wan.
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d4+2]
=> [1,2] = (3)
(120) Git: Fortitude save: [1d20+8]
=> [13,8] = (21)
(129) DM: (12, Jor)
(119) Joroch: (( 12 is Ag ))
(129) DM: (yeah)
** (127) Agatha is still twitching when she turns her
attention to the evocation-happy mage. **
(129) DM: He's grinning sadistically.
(127) Agatha: attack: [1d20+14]
=> [9,14] = (23)
(129) DM: (yep)
(127) Agatha: dmg: [1d12+9]
=> [12,9] = (21)
(129) DM: (6, Jor)
(127) Agatha: ((how wide is that grin now?))
(129) DM: (not much, but there's a gleam in his
** (119) Joroch sees Git having trouble out of the
corner of his eye, so he makes a step off to the side, putting himself between
the woman in black and one of the mage's images. he raises his arm up, with the
blade aimed down and out slightly. He quickly twists himself, snapping his
wrist down so that his spin sends his blade at both opponents as he spins in
place ((Whirlwind
attack)). **
(119) Joroch: Longsword attack: [1d20+18] => [12,18] = (30)
(119) Joroch: Parting the silk damage: [8+9] => 17
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [2] = (2)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [2] = (2)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [2] = (2)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [6] = (6)
(129) DM: Another image winks out.
(119) Joroch: (( does it also hit Malvira?
(129) DM: (5, Git)
(129) DM: (yes)
(119) Joroch: (( woo hoo! ))
(129) DM: (I deducted the damage already)
** (120) Git shifts aside a bit to flank with Jeroch
and stay between Mal and the door, as he cuts in for her side. **
(120) Git: Dancing +3 Bastardsword(Sneak)
Attack Roll: [1d20+10] => [11,10] = (21)
===> Damage: [1d10+3+3d6+0] => [4,3,1,5,4,0] =
(120) Git: (oh, +2 flank bonus, 23)
(129) DM: (that hit)
(129) DM: The mage lunges at Malvira and throws
you an evil grin. "We will meet again, I'm sure."
(129) DM: He gesticulates (AOO by Jor)
(129) DM: (and Ag)
(119) Joroch: Longsword attack: [1d20+18] => [9,18] = (27)
(119) Joroch: Parting the silk damage: [8+9] => 17
(127) Agatha: Bar'eth-el: [1d20+14]
=> [20,14] = (34)
(127) Agatha: crit check: [1d20+14]
=> [10,14] = (24)
(119) Joroch: (( nice crit. ))
(127) Agatha: dmg: [3d12+9]
=> [9,11,12,9] = (41)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [4] = (4)
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d8]
=> [5] = (5)
(129) DM: Two images wink out, and both Malvira
and the mage vanish.
(119) Joroch: (( aww... darn it. ))
(120) Git: "Well.. that was
(129) DM: ((hey! you hit him once))
(119) Joroch: .me
looks at the empty air. "Yes, we shall."
** (119) Joroch looks at the empty air. "Yes, we
shall." **
(129) DM: (and on that note, we'll stop)
** (119) Joroch moves to the fallen warrior and wipes
his blade clean on the man's garments before sheathing it. **
** (127) Agatha cleans the blood off her axe.
"Forget them. They know we're here now. We have to light the signal and
get the man out if he's here." **
(119) Zane: oh well - I wasn't quick enough
with the other part. :-)


text:
Chrispijn Stulp Fixed
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text:
this is the highly subjective way I read and interpret literature
(the emphasis lies on literature, so you'll only find a couply of trashy readings here and there)
This is what I spent my last week with. I did a presentation today about this text by the early Ukrainian Author Hryhorij Kvitka-Osnov'janenko and I am so relieved that this is over! In order to talk about it, I had to read it first, naturally. The problem here is, that this was written in Ukrainian (and not the modern-kind-of-similar-to-Russian-Ukrainian, but the old-fashioned 1838 Ukrainian with weird orthography and lexis) and the only available translations are in Bulgarian, Polish, Czech and a French one from 1853. Tough luck.
With the help of a bunch of dictionaries and a couple of sleepless nights later, I finally managed to understand the text, so now I can proudly say, that it was ok.
Сердешна Оксана is a sentimental story, clearly in the tradition of Karamzin, but it has some "refreshing" twists to the classic sentimental plot and Oksana is actually portrayed pretty well psychologically, considering it was written in the early 19th century. Overall, this was rather exhausting, not only due to the language, but also because the narrator tends to moralise every now and then for quite some extended passages.