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Final Fantasy XIV - Crafted Gear Comparative Spreadsheet

The crafted gear progression for Final Fantasy XIV can be pretty tedious to make out, especially if you are progressing multiple crafting classes. I've compiled a simple spreadsheet with some of the early game crafted gear (at the moment, it is up to what recipes free-to-play players can acquire).

You can make a copy and sort it however you want, but at the moment it is sorted by:
  • Slot
    • Shields are a separate category from other Secondary slot items
  • Type
    • Including Class, but also special categories when many classes can use the same item. See the notes at the top of the spreadsheet.
  • User Level
    • Not necessarily at what level the item can be crafted or at what level the recipe is acquired.
If you run a lot of dungeons you may acquire Aetherial or Unique Untradable gear that has no Materia Slots but better stats compared to what crafted gear you can wear at a comparable level.

For Armor usable by Warriors, it is worthwhile to compare what you can get from a different class. For example, Level 30 Steel Cuirass usable by tanks, compared to Level 32 Steel Scale Mail usable by tanks as well as Lancers and Dragoons. At just two levels difference you'll get superior stats with Steel Scale Mail, meaning instead of slotting materia in two suits you can focus on one suit.

Also around level 35 start looking for leves with items that can be repaired into Vintage gear that has the curious advantage of having one additional materia slot more than normal.

The crafted gear progression for Final Fantasy XIV can be pretty tedious to make out, especially if you are progressing multiple crafting classes. I've compiled a simple spreadsheet with some of the early game crafted gear (at the moment, it is up to what recipes free-to-play players can acquire).

You can make a copy and sort it however you want, but at the moment it is sorted by:
  • Slot
    • Shields are a separate category from other Secondary slot items
  • Type
    • Including Class, but also special categories when many classes can use the same item. See the notes at the top of the spreadsheet.
  • User Level
    • Not necessarily at what level the item can be crafted or at what level the recipe is acquired.
If you run a lot of dungeons you may acquire Aetherial or Unique Untradable gear that has no Materia Slots but better stats compared to what crafted gear you can wear at a comparable level.

For Armor usable by Warriors, it is worthwhile to compare what you can get from a different class. For example, Level 30 Steel Cuirass usable by tanks, compared to Level 32 Steel Scale Mail usable by tanks as well as Lancers and Dragoons. At just two levels difference you'll get superior stats with Steel Scale Mail, meaning instead of slotting materia in two suits you can focus on one suit.

Also around level 35 start looking for leves with items that can be repaired into Vintage gear that has the curious advantage of having one additional materia slot more than normal.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Final Fantasy XIV - Easy Hunting Log Kills

In Final Fantasy XIV, there are Hunting Logs that more or less track your level to provide a suitable challenge when you engage the critters. That is to say, if you are around the same level, you will more or less overpower them. This is less of a case for the Grand Company Hunting Logs which are scaled to probably align with your highest level character by the time you can access the log.

There are however opportunities to complete Hunting Log with vastly underlevelled enemies in easy locations during FATEs -- which let you not only get your Hunting Log reward but a FATE participation reward as well. Also, some enemies are in clumps and you can end up pulling a larger mob than you want (especially if you have no ranged attack to pull enemies, such as being a Pugilist). FATEs involving kill-counts often have respawning non-player allies nearby to help with being mobbed.

Here are some examples



In Final Fantasy XIV, there are Hunting Logs that more or less track your level to provide a suitable challenge when you engage the critters. That is to say, if you are around the same level, you will more or less overpower them. This is less of a case for the Grand Company Hunting Logs which are scaled to probably align with your highest level character by the time you can access the log.

There are however opportunities to complete Hunting Log with vastly underlevelled enemies in easy locations during FATEs -- which let you not only get your Hunting Log reward but a FATE participation reward as well. Also, some enemies are in clumps and you can end up pulling a larger mob than you want (especially if you have no ranged attack to pull enemies, such as being a Pugilist). FATEs involving kill-counts often have respawning non-player allies nearby to help with being mobbed.

Here are some examples



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

SWTOR Dread Palace operation Calphayus right side portal

If you've run the SWTOR operation "Dread Palace" with veterans, you'll know that at the boss Calphayus, there are two phases involving portals -- Past and Future, left side and right side of the throne respectively.

In the first phase, everyone goes left to the Past. In the video below, I show what's in the Future portal on the right in that first phase -- the one no one ever goes into.

If you've run the SWTOR operation "Dread Palace" with veterans, you'll know that at the boss Calphayus, there are two phases involving portals -- Past and Future, left side and right side of the throne respectively.

In the first phase, everyone goes left to the Past. In the video below, I show what's in the Future portal on the right in that first phase -- the one no one ever goes into.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - The Facility

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Facility (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Waist Talisman
  • Wrist Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 550-650 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 550-650 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Waist Talisman choices:
  • Black Sash
  • Jaguar Cord
  • Khonsu's Disc
Wrist Talisman choices:
  • Bone Timepiece
  • Bracer of Forgotten Horrors
  • Iron-Sulfur Bracelet
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Facility (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Waist Talisman
  • Wrist Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 550-650 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 550-650 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Waist Talisman choices:
  • Black Sash
  • Jaguar Cord
  • Khonsu's Disc
Wrist Talisman choices:
  • Bone Timepiece
  • Bracer of Forgotten Horrors
  • Iron-Sulfur Bracelet
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - The Slaughterhouse

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Slaughterhouse (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item -- NEEDS VERIFICATION
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 550-650 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 550-650 XP
Possible Items
Finger Talisman choices:
  • Band of the Bacab
  • Rurikid Knot
  • Skadi's Ring
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Slaughterhouse (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item -- NEEDS VERIFICATION
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 450-500 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 450-500 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 550-650 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 550-650 XP
Possible Items
Finger Talisman choices:
  • Band of the Bacab
  • Rurikid Knot
  • Skadi's Ring
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - Hell Fallen

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Hell Fallen (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Finger Talisman
  • Luck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Luck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 500-550 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 500-550 XP
Possible Items
Finger Talisman choices:
  • Band of the Bacab
  • Rurikid Knot
  • Skadi's Ring
Luck Talisman choices:
  • Chit of Kinich Ahou
  • Gambler's Soul
  • Obsidian Flakes
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Hell Fallen (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Finger Talisman
  • Luck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Finger Talisman
  • Luck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 500-550 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 500-550 XP
Possible Items
Finger Talisman choices:
  • Band of the Bacab
  • Rurikid Knot
  • Skadi's Ring
Luck Talisman choices:
  • Chit of Kinich Ahou
  • Gambler's Soul
  • Obsidian Flakes
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - The Ankh

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Ankh (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Wrist Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 325-375 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 325-375 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 325-375 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 325-375 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 425-475 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 425-475 XP
Possible Items
Wrist Talisman choices:
  • Bone Timepiece
  • Iron-Sulfur Bracelet
  • Bracer of Forgotten Horrors
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Ankh (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Wrist Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 325-375 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 325-375 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 325-375 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 325-375 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 425-475 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 425-475 XP
Possible Items
Wrist Talisman choices:
  • Bone Timepiece
  • Iron-Sulfur Bracelet
  • Bracer of Forgotten Horrors
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - The Darkness War

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Darkness War (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Head Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 300-350 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 300-350 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 300-350 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 300-350 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 400-450 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 400-450 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon The Darkness War (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Head Talisman
  • Occult Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 300-350 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 300-350 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 300-350 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 300-350 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 400-450 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 400-450 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Occult Talisman choices:
  • Ankh
  • Sigil of Ambition
  • Whalebone Rune
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - Hell Raised

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Hell Raised (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 275-325 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 275-325 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 275-325 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 275-325 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 400-450 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 400-450 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Neck Talisman choices:
  • Linen Amulet
  • Seed of Aggression
  • Fishbone Medallion
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Hell Raised (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1-5: One item
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 275-325 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 275-325 XP
Boss Chest 6: One Item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 275-325 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 275-325 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Head Talisman
  • Neck Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 400-450 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 400-450 XP
Possible Items
Head Talisman choices:
  • Ashes of Crushed Cities
  • Blood Halo
  • Pigment from Beyond
Neck Talisman choices:
  • Linen Amulet
  • Seed of Aggression
  • Fishbone Medallion
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Secret World Legends - Dungeon Loot - Polaris

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Polaris (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1 to 5: One item
  • Neck Talisman
    • Linen Amulet
    • Seed of Aggression
    • Fishbone Medallion
  • Waist Talisman
    • Black Sash
    • Jaguar Cord
    • Khonsu's Disc
  • Talisman Distillate 250-300 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 250-300 XP
Boss Chest 6: One item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 250-300 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 250-300 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Neck Talisman
  • Waist Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Possible Items
Neck Talisman choices:
  • Linen Amulet
  • Seed of Aggression
  • Fishbone Medallion
Waist Talisman choices:
  • Black Sash
  • Jaguar Cord
  • Khonsu's Disc
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.

This is the boss chest loot table for Secret World Legends dungeon Polaris (Story Mode).

Chests
Boss Chests 1 to 5: One item
  • Neck Talisman
    • Linen Amulet
    • Seed of Aggression
    • Fishbone Medallion
  • Waist Talisman
    • Black Sash
    • Jaguar Cord
    • Khonsu's Disc
  • Talisman Distillate 250-300 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 250-300 XP
Boss Chest 6: One item
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Talisman Distillate 250-300 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 250-300 XP
Bonus Chest (blue beam of light, randomly replaces a boss chest): Two items
  • Extraordinary Weapon
  • Neck Talisman
  • Waist Talisman
  • Talisman Distillate 375-425 XP
  • Weapon Distillate 375-425 XP
Possible Items
Neck Talisman choices:
  • Linen Amulet
  • Seed of Aggression
  • Fishbone Medallion
Waist Talisman choices:
  • Black Sash
  • Jaguar Cord
  • Khonsu's Disc
Extraordinary Weapon choices:
  • Auxiliary Loader (Assault Rifle)
  • Soulblade (Blade)
  • Eldritch Tome (Blood Magic Focus)
  • Otherworldly Artifact (Chaos Focus)
  • Unstable Electron Core (Elementalism Focus)
  • Bladed Gauntlets (Fist Weapon)
  • Fuming Despoiler (Hammer)
  • Six Shooters (Pistols)
  • SPES-C221 (Shotgun)
Since there are six bosses per dungeon, if you are going to run a dungeon multiple times, you may want to skip the early chests and save your keys for the final boss chest. Only the first run of a particular dungeon each day awards XP.

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SWTOR Rant - Pet Peeves and Changes I'd Love to See

SWTOR (Star Wars: The Old Republic) just got its 5.6.1 update today and again things are newly broken or still broken. Such as no Conquest rewards -- again.
Time for a rant. Things I'd love to see happen, and not just bugfixes.

  • Bug fixes.
    • It's painfully obvious that there are more and more bugs, of increasing severity, as time goes by. I really feel that instead of crushing out new content in the hopes that the ever-complaining subscriber base will actually like something, they should take a long time out and fix every bug they can find, both big and small.
    • The Prince teaches us that, human nature being what it is, people will remember bad things longer than they remember the good. So do all bad things at once and spread out the good. Right now, SWTOR is letting a seemingly never-ending schedule of bad things overshadow any good they are doing.
    • Take Action:
      • Have a long time out on new content. Systematically fix bugs till the game is stable and updates ship out bug-free.
      • In the meantime, give out little, safe, recognition rewards for persevering through this period such as legacy-wide Titles, Achievements, or Character Flairs for staying in the game. For example, just completing one quest everyday on any character, and do so for increasing periods of time to earn more and more recognition. At the highest tier, give a 7-day subscription code redeemable any time.
  • Credit Spammers
    • Apparently it's hard work to stop them, but a simple action that could be taken is to protect new players, who are naive and vulnerable, as evidenced by the relentless chat-spamming on starting planets.
    • Take Action:
      • No player can trade, e-mail, use the Galactic Trade Network, or join a Guild with any of their characters until they have a Legacy on the server. By then they should have played enough to understand that excessive credits at the start is really not necessary. This applies whether they are subscribers or free-to-play.
      • Anyone posting a credits-for-sale link has their account immediately suspended for 7 days and 100 Cartel Coins taken out of their balance. If the account turned out to be one that was hacked, then they should have secured it with a Security Key.
    • Another reason Credit Spammers have success is because of inflation on the Galactic Trade Network. Cartel Market items cost a lot not just because they are the product of chance drops, but because players with enormous amounts of credits can control the market on these limited items.
    • Take Action:
      • Make all Cartel Market items Bound to Legacy.
      • Make the only Cartel Market item that can be traded (directly or through the Galactic Trade Network) be 100-Cartel-Coin vouchers. This removes the possibility of putting a price premium on chance.
        • This has the additional effect of making credit exploits easier to trace since Cartel Coin usage is logged, so they cannot be used to launder credits from exploits.
        • This flexible-use item could also encourage even more purchases on the Cartel Market.
  • Referral Links
    • Just as bad as credit spammers and sometimes even more devious by hiding the fact that it is a referral link.
    • Also, the rewards stack into so many Cartel Market Coins that the game is basically giving far too much of the Cartel Market away for free.
    • Take Action:
      • Discontinue the program immediately. No reason really needs to be given but abuse by having non-friends and total strangers use your link is reason enough.
      • If players really want to support others (for example, fan sites that previously had referral links), allow them to gift Cartel Coins to each other by buying certificates in denominations of, say, 100 CC. As a little reward and incentive, let the buyer have 1 CC free at time of purchase.
  • Cartel Market and Credit spend limits
    • Recognize that the game has become so inflated in credits and take advantage of it! Cartel Market goods cost millions of credits so no one in their right mind would subscribe or use Cartel Coins to access Escrow just to buy it with credits.
    • Once effectively-free Cartel Market items start to dry up because referral link abuse (see above) ends, goods on the GTN will come from real money being spent on the Cartel Market. At that point, we won't care that they are re-sold on the GTN because ultimately credit flow means real money entering the game through the Cartel Market.
    • Take Action:
      • Some time after Referral Links are discontinued, stop the system of Escrow and let all players, including free-to-play and Preferred, spend their credits directly from the Legacy Bank and in unlimited quantities.
      • Make the Cartel Coin certificates (see above) tradeable on the Galactic Trade Network to further encourage in-game credit-generating activity to lead to sales in the Cartel Market.
    SWTOR (Star Wars: The Old Republic) just got its 5.6.1 update today and again things are newly broken or still broken. Such as no Conquest rewards -- again.
    Time for a rant. Things I'd love to see happen, and not just bugfixes.

    • Bug fixes.
      • It's painfully obvious that there are more and more bugs, of increasing severity, as time goes by. I really feel that instead of crushing out new content in the hopes that the ever-complaining subscriber base will actually like something, they should take a long time out and fix every bug they can find, both big and small.
      • The Prince teaches us that, human nature being what it is, people will remember bad things longer than they remember the good. So do all bad things at once and spread out the good. Right now, SWTOR is letting a seemingly never-ending schedule of bad things overshadow any good they are doing.
      • Take Action:
        • Have a long time out on new content. Systematically fix bugs till the game is stable and updates ship out bug-free.
        • In the meantime, give out little, safe, recognition rewards for persevering through this period such as legacy-wide Titles, Achievements, or Character Flairs for staying in the game. For example, just completing one quest everyday on any character, and do so for increasing periods of time to earn more and more recognition. At the highest tier, give a 7-day subscription code redeemable any time.
    • Credit Spammers
      • Apparently it's hard work to stop them, but a simple action that could be taken is to protect new players, who are naive and vulnerable, as evidenced by the relentless chat-spamming on starting planets.
      • Take Action:
        • No player can trade, e-mail, use the Galactic Trade Network, or join a Guild with any of their characters until they have a Legacy on the server. By then they should have played enough to understand that excessive credits at the start is really not necessary. This applies whether they are subscribers or free-to-play.
        • Anyone posting a credits-for-sale link has their account immediately suspended for 7 days and 100 Cartel Coins taken out of their balance. If the account turned out to be one that was hacked, then they should have secured it with a Security Key.
      • Another reason Credit Spammers have success is because of inflation on the Galactic Trade Network. Cartel Market items cost a lot not just because they are the product of chance drops, but because players with enormous amounts of credits can control the market on these limited items.
      • Take Action:
        • Make all Cartel Market items Bound to Legacy.
        • Make the only Cartel Market item that can be traded (directly or through the Galactic Trade Network) be 100-Cartel-Coin vouchers. This removes the possibility of putting a price premium on chance.
          • This has the additional effect of making credit exploits easier to trace since Cartel Coin usage is logged, so they cannot be used to launder credits from exploits.
          • This flexible-use item could also encourage even more purchases on the Cartel Market.
    • Referral Links
      • Just as bad as credit spammers and sometimes even more devious by hiding the fact that it is a referral link.
      • Also, the rewards stack into so many Cartel Market Coins that the game is basically giving far too much of the Cartel Market away for free.
      • Take Action:
        • Discontinue the program immediately. No reason really needs to be given but abuse by having non-friends and total strangers use your link is reason enough.
        • If players really want to support others (for example, fan sites that previously had referral links), allow them to gift Cartel Coins to each other by buying certificates in denominations of, say, 100 CC. As a little reward and incentive, let the buyer have 1 CC free at time of purchase.
    • Cartel Market and Credit spend limits
      • Recognize that the game has become so inflated in credits and take advantage of it! Cartel Market goods cost millions of credits so no one in their right mind would subscribe or use Cartel Coins to access Escrow just to buy it with credits.
      • Once effectively-free Cartel Market items start to dry up because referral link abuse (see above) ends, goods on the GTN will come from real money being spent on the Cartel Market. At that point, we won't care that they are re-sold on the GTN because ultimately credit flow means real money entering the game through the Cartel Market.
      • Take Action:
        • Some time after Referral Links are discontinued, stop the system of Escrow and let all players, including free-to-play and Preferred, spend their credits directly from the Legacy Bank and in unlimited quantities.
        • Make the Cartel Coin certificates (see above) tradeable on the Galactic Trade Network to further encourage in-game credit-generating activity to lead to sales in the Cartel Market.
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      SWTOR Grade 10 Mission Discovery - Investigation

      Ever since SWTOR 5.0 (Star Wars: The Old Republic), Crew Skills were expanded to Grade 10. Previously we showed Grade 10 Slicing, Treasure Hunting, and Underworld Trading. We recently chanced on some BLUE Mission Discoveries for Investigation and ran them under update 5.6.

      Mission Discovery: Investigation (blue grade)
      Might be cheap on the Galactic Trade Network since they are outdated mission discoveries, so give it a shot. We ran the mission with a Companion Level 50 Mako and got a non-critical result. For the mission price, obviously the best part is the guaranteed pink / artifact-grade materials instead of trying your luck with regular missions.

      2017-Dec-12 Mission Discovery Investigation 110

      2017-Dec-12 Mission Discovery Investigation Grade 10 Trelli Secrets

      2017-Dec-12 Trelli Secrets result 1 no crit
      Ever since SWTOR 5.0 (Star Wars: The Old Republic), Crew Skills were expanded to Grade 10. Previously we showed Grade 10 Slicing, Treasure Hunting, and Underworld Trading. We recently chanced on some BLUE Mission Discoveries for Investigation and ran them under update 5.6.

      Mission Discovery: Investigation (blue grade)
      Might be cheap on the Galactic Trade Network since they are outdated mission discoveries, so give it a shot. We ran the mission with a Companion Level 50 Mako and got a non-critical result. For the mission price, obviously the best part is the guaranteed pink / artifact-grade materials instead of trying your luck with regular missions.

      2017-Dec-12 Mission Discovery Investigation 110

      2017-Dec-12 Mission Discovery Investigation Grade 10 Trelli Secrets

      2017-Dec-12 Trelli Secrets result 1 no crit
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      Let Us Don the Gnomish Headgear

      The kids got me a new hat last weekend.  I appreciate that they couldn't wait until Christmas.

      It shall to fair and fitting to wear it around, as today is SATLOF (Saturday After Thanksgiving Left-Over Feast) which I am bailing early on family functions and skipping my 25th High School Reunion entirely to attend.

      Eat copious amounts of leftovers, imbibe beverages to your appropriate level of responsbility, and play a game or two!
      The kids got me a new hat last weekend.  I appreciate that they couldn't wait until Christmas.

      It shall to fair and fitting to wear it around, as today is SATLOF (Saturday After Thanksgiving Left-Over Feast) which I am bailing early on family functions and skipping my 25th High School Reunion entirely to attend.

      Eat copious amounts of leftovers, imbibe beverages to your appropriate level of responsbility, and play a game or two!
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      (Kickstarter) Starbowl Revival Fantasy Football Figures

      I'm not a Blood Bowl player, but I understand the simplicity and attraction of the GW game.   It seems that every week, some bloke is trying to crowdfund another team for the greater community, and most surprisingly meet their goals.

      The latest that I've seen that actually tickled my fancy is the very unsubtle Starbowl Revivial Miniatures for Fantasy Football by Rykar Jove
      The team seems to be completely fleshed out, with star players, coaches, tokens, etc. and the prices are comparable with other teams.  Plus the theme is outstanding.

      I'm not a Blood Bowl player, but I understand the simplicity and attraction of the GW game.   It seems that every week, some bloke is trying to crowdfund another team for the greater community, and most surprisingly meet their goals.

      The latest that I've seen that actually tickled my fancy is the very unsubtle Starbowl Revivial Miniatures for Fantasy Football by Rykar Jove
      The team seems to be completely fleshed out, with star players, coaches, tokens, etc. and the prices are comparable with other teams.  Plus the theme is outstanding.

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      (Kickstarter) Flash Gordon RPG for Savage Worlds

      It's a bad week for Kickstarters I should otherwise love.  It must be the upcoming holidays blues.

      Shane Hensley and Pinnacle Entertainment Group have recently launched their Flash Gordon RPG for Savage Worlds.

      I'm thinking the Savage Rifts Kickstarter hit my sweet spot.  The softcovers/pdf from Savage Rifts for just over $30 hits that middle ground between Flash Gordon's $20 pdfs and $45 (+$9 S&H) for the limited edition hardcovers. The baubles, add-ons, and trinkets do nothing for me.  
      It's a bad week for Kickstarters I should otherwise love.  It must be the upcoming holidays blues.

      Shane Hensley and Pinnacle Entertainment Group have recently launched their Flash Gordon RPG for Savage Worlds.

      I'm thinking the Savage Rifts Kickstarter hit my sweet spot.  The softcovers/pdf from Savage Rifts for just over $30 hits that middle ground between Flash Gordon's $20 pdfs and $45 (+$9 S&H) for the limited edition hardcovers. The baubles, add-ons, and trinkets do nothing for me.  
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      Black Friday Combat





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      Happy Thanksgiving 2017







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      5e and the Online Thespian Generation

      An article over at The Verge is connecting the rise of 5e and RPG liveplays, largely the popular video and live streaming actual plays found on YouTube and Twitch.

      I can't argue with that.  If the new (and returning) generations of players are making D&D have its most profitable year ever in an Amazon-related world, it makes sense that they are turning to online instant gratification.  In part, it's solid entertainment value, but it's also the "How do we play this thing?" that we grognards with the blue ink module maps and cheesy dice in the boxed sets longed to have answered in our early days.

      The problem, of course, is that these players are being deceived.  Despite all the plot-driven fantasy storylines, the angst-driven brooding, the old school renaissances, and the indy-press revolutions, unless you and your friends are a bunch of improv masters, voice-over actors, and card carrying members of SAG with wicked editing skills, your weekly sessions will than likely carry out like Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off running a combat.

      Having just been to a convention with plenty of old school and new wave gamers in attendance, I'm quite certain that many were fans of the liveplay series, but very little of their own pedestrian games would warrant their own camera and Twitch channel.

      That includes all the My Little Pony games I ran on the Kid's track.  There's 30 seconds or so of video of me running one of those sessions, and despite my 25 years experience and the session being entertaining for all the players, I'm not setting up my own channel to broadcast future MLP games.

      I am biased towards the radio-play style that traditional podcasts present gaming sessions in.  There are two things, however, that I keep in mind when listening them.  1) Audio editing can turn enjoyable games into gold, and in reverse, a lack of it and kill a game with promise.  2) The traditional players from podcasts like Skype of Cthulhu are always going to sound like their struggling when put up against professional improv players from the Campaign Podcast.

      I always hearken back to a phrase I used repeatedly on this blog, "I'm not the demographic they're targeting." 

      What could have been cool a decade or two ago has now vanished from my horizon.  Celebrity gamers (save the game designers themselves) loose their fascination with me, especially when the meat of many of those games is so dry.  Whether its failing to grok Fantasy Flight Star Wars dice, or belittling a setting like Rifts when their own personal favorites fall equally flat in execution, I can only hope the players at the online table have a good time.

      So whether you're playing 5e, Pathfinder, or PotA, enjoy the gameplay, and try not to overdramatize the game when a simple 5-ft move or a timely punch in the face will do.  
      An article over at The Verge is connecting the rise of 5e and RPG liveplays, largely the popular video and live streaming actual plays found on YouTube and Twitch.

      I can't argue with that.  If the new (and returning) generations of players are making D&D have its most profitable year ever in an Amazon-related world, it makes sense that they are turning to online instant gratification.  In part, it's solid entertainment value, but it's also the "How do we play this thing?" that we grognards with the blue ink module maps and cheesy dice in the boxed sets longed to have answered in our early days.

      The problem, of course, is that these players are being deceived.  Despite all the plot-driven fantasy storylines, the angst-driven brooding, the old school renaissances, and the indy-press revolutions, unless you and your friends are a bunch of improv masters, voice-over actors, and card carrying members of SAG with wicked editing skills, your weekly sessions will than likely carry out like Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off running a combat.

      Having just been to a convention with plenty of old school and new wave gamers in attendance, I'm quite certain that many were fans of the liveplay series, but very little of their own pedestrian games would warrant their own camera and Twitch channel.

      That includes all the My Little Pony games I ran on the Kid's track.  There's 30 seconds or so of video of me running one of those sessions, and despite my 25 years experience and the session being entertaining for all the players, I'm not setting up my own channel to broadcast future MLP games.

      I am biased towards the radio-play style that traditional podcasts present gaming sessions in.  There are two things, however, that I keep in mind when listening them.  1) Audio editing can turn enjoyable games into gold, and in reverse, a lack of it and kill a game with promise.  2) The traditional players from podcasts like Skype of Cthulhu are always going to sound like their struggling when put up against professional improv players from the Campaign Podcast.

      I always hearken back to a phrase I used repeatedly on this blog, "I'm not the demographic they're targeting." 

      What could have been cool a decade or two ago has now vanished from my horizon.  Celebrity gamers (save the game designers themselves) loose their fascination with me, especially when the meat of many of those games is so dry.  Whether its failing to grok Fantasy Flight Star Wars dice, or belittling a setting like Rifts when their own personal favorites fall equally flat in execution, I can only hope the players at the online table have a good time.

      So whether you're playing 5e, Pathfinder, or PotA, enjoy the gameplay, and try not to overdramatize the game when a simple 5-ft move or a timely punch in the face will do.  
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      (Kickstarter) Ducks Lost in the Dungeon of Doom IV: Quack Keep

      Some things are great concepts, but are a little harder in ther delivery such as Darcy Perry/Star Hat Miniatures/5th Wall Games and Miniatures Ducks Lost in the Dungeon of Doom IV: Quack Keep.
      The core of this campaign is in three parts.  First, an adventure module Quack Keep by the famed Jennell Jacquays riding on her on a slightly warranted professional theme that she "was pretty much labeled as that designer and artist who did the ducks."

      Second, is a re-offering of the original five duck miniatures from the Dungeon of Doom III Kickstarter with five new duck characters rounding out the final portion of the offering.

      I like them all, but after finally figuring out the conversion for  Canadian Dollars, Euros, and British Pounds, converting from Kiwi Dollars (with the even with Kickstarter's help) is hurting my tiny brain.  It takes a bit, but the ten dollars for the pdf of the module and six dollars or less per figure (plus shipping and handling from New Zealand) isn't too bad. 
      Some things are great concepts, but are a little harder in ther delivery such as Darcy Perry/Star Hat Miniatures/5th Wall Games and Miniatures Ducks Lost in the Dungeon of Doom IV: Quack Keep.
      The core of this campaign is in three parts.  First, an adventure module Quack Keep by the famed Jennell Jacquays riding on her on a slightly warranted professional theme that she "was pretty much labeled as that designer and artist who did the ducks."

      Second, is a re-offering of the original five duck miniatures from the Dungeon of Doom III Kickstarter with five new duck characters rounding out the final portion of the offering.

      I like them all, but after finally figuring out the conversion for  Canadian Dollars, Euros, and British Pounds, converting from Kiwi Dollars (with the even with Kickstarter's help) is hurting my tiny brain.  It takes a bit, but the ten dollars for the pdf of the module and six dollars or less per figure (plus shipping and handling from New Zealand) isn't too bad. 
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      Ballad of the Pigeon God #33: Dag and Brutus Have an Adventure

      10 DuoDec 1071 Village of Welldale, Barony of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
      Dag - Kobold acolyte of Akana.  Dutiful husband and father of two.
      Brutus - NPC - gigantic, but not-to-bright ex-gladiator who is loyal to the Heroes of the Chateau d'Echelon.
      Norm Dingleberry - Nose-picking Dwarven Warrior
      Echelon -  Only the current Baron of Eding.  Nothing special.  Eccentric cleric of a distant eastern god of the sea.


      Dag DiVelandro - Kobold Warrior of Akana
      DAG WRITES IN BOOK.  Yaah!!!  I ate bird
      too day Big man is here.  Calls me Bag and Sag.
      Jeny hate Dag.  Jeny is magistrate.  Lookin for
      sherif.  Go to Lowdale.  To Welldale.  I ride with
      Dwarf.  He Smelley.  AAHHHH! Srceam of little guy.
      Cursed town.  Scary.  Wierd peopLe.  Sand and
      Magic.  Lady at well casting magi.  Bye sade lute
      man!  WELL DRY.  THUD!  Little Girl!
      Smelly House.  Broker House.  Norm falls in Hole.
      Echemon fall to.  DAG HELP TO.  Talis Strong!
      Back to town.  Bad spider hurt DAG.  Screams.
      Echemon fly from hole.  All is Good?
      Me Lost!  Oh Well... Bye bye!!


      DM Notes: The biggest issue I had compiling this was that  it was written out of the journal, creating trouble placing this in chronological order.  The page was pretty snug in the pages that should make up episodes #35-37, but that creates some paradoxes.  Placing it during the "Baronial Duties" arc of the campaign is certainly more historically accurate.  

      Couldn't tell you what the actual adventure was, but any excuse  for the simpler life in the halfling dales (Lowdale, Welldale, and Elmshire) that are under the jurisdiction of the Baron of Eding were fine with me.  Most visits to those villages were self-contained scenarios, with only the slightest drizzle of campaign continuity.  

      Two more notes:  Dag is the most virtuous, most heroic character in the campaign.  He starts out as a terrified kobold, trying to hide, then defend his family.  He moves onto to comic relief and the role of the group's cute puppy, his family acting as a companion to Timmy.  Here, he's back to comic relief, being run by Velandro's (his lord's) player, but he's relatively effective.  

      Second, Brutus is a one-trick pony NPC that rarely got mentioned in the journal, but he should have.  Ex-merc, ex-gladiator, picture Razor Ramon from wrestling, but with a heart of gold.   He was a bit of a simpleton that always got people's names wrong (hence Bag and Sag references above), but in world of spider-people dopplegangers, his loyalty and skill with a sword were unquestioned.  
      Give him some chain mail and a bastard sword, and you have Brutus.
      Next #34 - The Taxmen Delivereth
      10 DuoDec 1071 Village of Welldale, Barony of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
      Dag - Kobold acolyte of Akana.  Dutiful husband and father of two.
      Brutus - NPC - gigantic, but not-to-bright ex-gladiator who is loyal to the Heroes of the Chateau d'Echelon.
      Norm Dingleberry - Nose-picking Dwarven Warrior
      Echelon -  Only the current Baron of Eding.  Nothing special.  Eccentric cleric of a distant eastern god of the sea.


      Dag DiVelandro - Kobold Warrior of Akana
      DAG WRITES IN BOOK.  Yaah!!!  I ate bird
      too day Big man is here.  Calls me Bag and Sag.
      Jeny hate Dag.  Jeny is magistrate.  Lookin for
      sherif.  Go to Lowdale.  To Welldale.  I ride with
      Dwarf.  He Smelley.  AAHHHH! Srceam of little guy.
      Cursed town.  Scary.  Wierd peopLe.  Sand and
      Magic.  Lady at well casting magi.  Bye sade lute
      man!  WELL DRY.  THUD!  Little Girl!
      Smelly House.  Broker House.  Norm falls in Hole.
      Echemon fall to.  DAG HELP TO.  Talis Strong!
      Back to town.  Bad spider hurt DAG.  Screams.
      Echemon fly from hole.  All is Good?
      Me Lost!  Oh Well... Bye bye!!


      DM Notes: The biggest issue I had compiling this was that  it was written out of the journal, creating trouble placing this in chronological order.  The page was pretty snug in the pages that should make up episodes #35-37, but that creates some paradoxes.  Placing it during the "Baronial Duties" arc of the campaign is certainly more historically accurate.  

      Couldn't tell you what the actual adventure was, but any excuse  for the simpler life in the halfling dales (Lowdale, Welldale, and Elmshire) that are under the jurisdiction of the Baron of Eding were fine with me.  Most visits to those villages were self-contained scenarios, with only the slightest drizzle of campaign continuity.  

      Two more notes:  Dag is the most virtuous, most heroic character in the campaign.  He starts out as a terrified kobold, trying to hide, then defend his family.  He moves onto to comic relief and the role of the group's cute puppy, his family acting as a companion to Timmy.  Here, he's back to comic relief, being run by Velandro's (his lord's) player, but he's relatively effective.  

      Second, Brutus is a one-trick pony NPC that rarely got mentioned in the journal, but he should have.  Ex-merc, ex-gladiator, picture Razor Ramon from wrestling, but with a heart of gold.   He was a bit of a simpleton that always got people's names wrong (hence Bag and Sag references above), but in world of spider-people dopplegangers, his loyalty and skill with a sword were unquestioned.  
      Give him some chain mail and a bastard sword, and you have Brutus.
      Next #34 - The Taxmen Delivereth
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