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08 Apr 2010
Spokane's Townshend Cellar
So, here I am sitting in the tasting room, with an amazing view of the hills north of Spokane. Like a typical Spring day in the Northwest, the clouds are simultaneously flirting with rain and sunshine. I'm sipping on a 2002 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with the wine maker. The wine has JUST NOW been released. How many wineries that you know are releasing their 2002 wines in 2009/2010?
Townshend Cellars has grown from a small production boutique winery to a powerhouse of quality producing over 20,000 cases per year from a selection of 20+ wines. Located 20 miles North of Spokane in beautiful Green Bluff, Townshend Cellars is a destination for wine in the heart of apples, strawberries and pumpkins. I'm ashamed to admit this was my first visit to Townshend, and even worse, my first experience with ANY Townshend wine. Before you discredit my wine experience, hear me out.
I first met Don Townshend for my review for the grand re-opening of Caterina Winery (Don recently took over ownership). While I've seen the T3, Vortex, and Table Wines in stores, I had yet to experience any Townshend wine. Upon my arrival, Don and Jill Rider (tasting room manager), welcomed me and the wine began flowing. What surprised me was the variety of wine that Townshend produces. From bubbles to Tempranillo, you can experience just about everything in the tasting room. – Seriously people, there are over 20 wines, including port, Rose, Chardonnay, Lemberger, Merlot, Malbec, Chenin Blanc and even Pinot Noir.
Townshend Cellars began in 2001 with the release of their 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon. That wine won the Inland Northwest's best Cab and the praise has never stopped. Don attributes the success of Townshend to the Cab and the T3. T3 is a blend of Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc that was originally only available in restaurants. Customers can count on the wine to be consistent and a good value. Townshend's signature wine spends up to 30 months in oak and another 3-4 years in bottle before being released. Sourcing 500 tons of grapes from Preston, Willard, Alder Creek and more, Townshend is committed to quality wine that releases when it's ready, not when the cost sheet says so.
This winery visit included so many highlights. Don and Jill opened their 07 Malbec, 02 Cabernet Sauvignon, T3, and the biggest surprise, Huckleberry Brut. To be honest, this bubbly stuck with me so much that I'm still thinking about it. Made in the brut style, the sweetness of the huckleberry is subdued. Not a single Townshend wine is over $30. Check out the Diamond T club for 20% off of club shipments and 10% off wine and merchandise purchases.
While the current location was voted one of the top 10 places to have a picnic by Tasting Room Magazine, Don was excited to announce the ground breaking of a new tasting room further north in Green Bluff. The larger tasting room should be complete toward the end of summer with future expansion for wedding and meetings on the 20 acres coming in the next few years (check out the video for the amazing views).
It may have taken me a few years to experience Townshend Cellar but from what I've tasted, I can now relate to everyone who raves about the wine.
The Stats:
Townshend on the web: www.townshendcellar.com
Townshend on Twitter: @townshendcellar
Townshend on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Townshend-Cellar/107962877089
Open Thursday – Sunday Noon – 6pm
07 Apr 2010
Episode #53 Smith-Madrone Winery
Big wine, small lot, Napa vineyards, small price. Looking at the Smith brothers, you might mistake them for iron workers in Pittsburgh or mine workers in West Virginia. One sip of their wine and there is no mistaking that Stuart and Charles Smith are definitely wine makers!
Planted in 1971 Smith-Madrone Vineyards sits on 200 acres of steep hillside on top of Spring Mountain in Napa Valley. The vineyards consist of 13 acres of Chardonnay, 13 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 7 acres of Riesling. With less than 5000 cases of wine made each year, attention to detail stands out with these wines. Brothers, Charles Smith (the winemaker) – former school teacher and international croquet player – and Stu Smith (vineyard manager) – graduate of enology and viticulture from U.C. Davis, make wine that showcases the beauty of their vineyard.
In doing research for this review, two things stood out:
1) The reference to wine bloggers in the tasting notes. (Joe from www.1winedude.com was referenced in the recent Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon release notes)
2) This quote: "Let me make an analogy with the "Wizard of Oz" to the wine business. Like the Scarecrow, the wine industry is mindlessly making wines to achieve some vaunted number, thus the resulting wines, like the Tin Man, have no heart. I can only hope that the Cowardly Lion will find his courage and roar his defiance and independence by making wines of balance, complexity and nuance. The witch would be (wine critic) Robert Parker because he's the cause of all this stuff."
The NectarView
2007 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay
- The Stuff: 100% estate Chardonnay, 11 months in oak, 754 cases, 14.3%abv
- The Swirl: Pale gold color with hints of thicker viscosity, clean and clear
- The Sniff: muted undertones of toast, pear, and citrus fruits. Pleasing and crisp
- The Sip: Slightly effervescent and very crispy pear and citrus. A good thickness indicative of a Chardonnay, but could be mis-diagnosed during a blind tasting as a Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent acid with finish of stone minerality.
- The Score: At $30, slightly more than I would pay for a quality Chardonnay, but a good score of 4 out of 5. One of the better Chardonnay's I've had from the 2007 vintage.
Cellar Tracker Scores – 90 pts (3 reviews)
2004 Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon
- The Stuff:82% Cab , 8% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc; 22 months in American oak, 2164 cases, 13.9%abv
- The Swirl: Dark inky plum with some brilliant bright purple undertones. Nice ruby colors toward the edges, opaque.
- The Sniff: The hills are alive with bright cherry fruit, earthy evergreen trees and smoky tobacco. A bouquet that causes you to get lost in time, forgetting the final stages of sip and spit.
- The Sip: The flavor profile was slightly off balance with a good earthiness on the front end but a hollow mid-palate that lacked the fruit. The finish did show off cedar chocolate covered cherry finish with good tannin structure. The wine could show very well in 3-5 years.
- The Score: At $45, I can score this a 3 (out of 5). The sour burnt cherry and hollow mid-palate lowered the score a bit at this price range.
Wine and Spirits 90 points; No 2004 Cellar Tracker reviews
02 Apr 2010
Anelare A Wine to Desire
One sip and you may understand why the name Anelare was chosen for this small boutique winery from Benton City, WA. Anelare is Italian for desire…to long for.
Producing less than 1000 cases per year, much of Anelare's wine is only distributed through their tasting studio in Kennewick, WA. When the Alexander family pursued their passions for wine, they enlisted the help of Victor Cruz of Canon del Sol. Victor's wine has received critical acclaim for its consistent structure and quality.
2007 marks Anelare's third vintage. Wine club members have exclusive access to estate Syrah (Ciel du Cheval), and reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Non wine club members can purchase Nonna Viola Red Wine and Saint Helena Syrah. With PR rep, Becky Templeton from Blends of Vino on board, Spokane can now discover the longing and desire of Anelare.
2007 Nonna Viola Red Wine
- The Stuff: 50% Syrah, 25%, Cab, 25% Merlot from Milbrandt, Gamache, and Goose Ridge vineyards, 292 cases, aged 22 months in new/used French/American oak, 13.9%abv
- The Swirl: Bright and young with black cherry color, moderately translucent and watery out toward the edges
- The Sniff: Tight nose with hints of cherry, perfume and traditional merlot cocoa
- The Sip: Pretty light and watery on the front palate that opens up to moderate cherry and plum fruit. The finish is mellow with a hint of pepper.
- The Score: At $24, I can score this a 3 minus (out of 5). The serious wine drinker may find themselves underwhelmed but if you're looking for an easy drinking red blend, this may appeal to you.
Cellar Tracker Score – None for any vintage
2007 Saint Helena Syrah
- The Stuff: 100% Syrah from Gamache and Goose Ridge vineyards; 222 cases, 20 months in new/used French/American oak, 14.1%abv
- The Swirl: Dark blackberry plum color, opaque with good ruby color toward the edges
- The Sniff: A little evergreen tree with notes of black berry and hints of hot sulfer (indicating youthfulness)
- The Sip: A good presentation of dark fruit, slightly jammy but has good acidity on the back end to balance out the sweetness. Lacks typical spice found on some Syrah, contains a slight woodiness.
- The Score: At $28, I think this wine is a solid 3 (out of 5). Get the price down to $24 and it could move to a 3+
Cellar Tracker Scores – None for this vintage, but 1 for 2005 vintage (91 pts)
VISIT HERE for information about their tasting room hours
For more information about Anelare in Spokane contact firstname.lastname@example.com www.blendsofvino.com
29 Mar 2010
Episode #50 Exploring Port At Knipprath Cellars
Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Bordeaux…these may be the comfort wine of our world, but Spokane Winery Knipprath Cellars is making a bold departure and creating quite a stir with their Port line up and new focus on Iberian grape varieties Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Touriga Nacional. German born, Henning Knipprath grew his passion for wine in California, then started a winery in the state of Washington with a focus on Spanish/Portuguese wine. Henning brings his global experience to wine making and offers a perfect way to travel, with our palate, to new places!
(Henning is little quiet so turn up your volume)
After attending school in California and graduating with a Chemical Engineering degree, in 1990 the Air Force brought Henning Knipprath to Spokane (thanks, Uncle Sam). With a longtime passion for wine, Henning started Knipprath cellars in 1993. As an Air Force pilot, military deployments kept Knipprath Cellars a part-time operation until 1999 when they moved into their current location at 5634 E Commerce Ave. With his European background, Henning produced the "standard" Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet, Merlot), but it was his Port product that began getting the attention of consumers. "We didn't set out this direction," says Henning, "we were nudged by the customer's response." The nudge is so strong that Port sales are 60% of Knipprath's production of 3000 cases.
The Port selection consists of a traditional ruby port, tawny port and creative delicacies that can only be described as desert in a bottle. The Au Chocolate is an infusion of pure chocolate extracts, and grape spirits while the yang to that yin is the La V vanilla port. The newest addition is the soon-to-be released Coffee Port. Look for a formal review soon. One might imagine some interesting creations by mixing two or even all three. In addition to Port, Knipprath offers hints of Henning's German heritage with a seasonal spiced red wine using a recipe from his mother's cookbook (Alpine Wine, $16), and a refreshing summer Lagrima (best served with a slice of lemon.)
The entire production of Knipprath wine (from grape to bottle) is done in the historic 6700 square foot Parkwater schoolhouse. Every inch of this building oozes character showing small hints of its use as a parochial school, military typing depot, and convalescence home. Henning has big plans for the space as he continues to think toward the future of expanded production, events space and expansive tasting room.
Next on the horizon for Knipprath Cellars is the release of a new label, La Bodega Del Norte. With Knipprath being so synonymous with Port, people often have a hard time recognizing the other quality wine. La Bodega Del Norte will focus on Tempranillo, Garnacha, and other Iberian grapes. Watch for these new releases in the near future.
The Stats:
Knipprath on the web: www.knipprathcellars.com
Knipprath on Facebook: search for Knipprath Cellars
Tasting Room Hours: Wed-Sun, Noon – 5pm
Old fashion phone call: 509.534.5121
24 Mar 2010
How Do You Define Bargain?
Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's a deal.
Finding good wine at low price makes it taste even better.
We're all looking to save money. Buying something for a bargain makes us feel a sense of accomplishment. It's easy to agree that getting a new Chevrolet Corvette for $10,000 is a bargain (if not a steal), but is it a bargain to pay $3 for a bottle of wine that tastes disjointed, tart, sour, and thin? The definition of a bargain is "Something offered or acquired at a price advantageous to the buyer." A used Paul Reed Smith Custom Ten-Top with bird inlays for $2000 would be advantageous to me, but not for everyone.
Grocery Outlet is known for low prices on food items. While I've never considered G.O. a place for wine, I learned from my Twitter friends that several often find deals there. Evidently there are more bargainistas out there than I imagined. Ahead of their bi-annual wine sale (March 30-April 3) Grocery Outlet reached out to me with a fun challenge. They offered me two $50 gift cards – one to use to buy wine and the other to give away to a lucky viewer/reader. I have to admit that at first I was conflicted about being "paid" in wine to promote an event, but I see it as an opportunity to uncover a good value for those that read this blog (thanks, Mom). It's also pretty cool to be able to give someone $50.
So, off I went with my preconceptions in search of the $7 bottle of Opus One, and the $4 Clos de Betz. Each of the 130+ West Coast stores is independently operated, and from what I hear, wine selection varies greatly by location. The Spokane location on Sprague Ave had a decent sized section of wine. If you're looking for a wine steward, shelf talkers, and organized bottles – go somewhere else. If you're looking for wine that is as low as $3 and $60 Napa wine (retail) for $15, then you may be onto something.
Armed with my $50 gift card, I walked up and down the aisles looking for labels I recognized, appellations that have respect, and the biggest mark-up. 30-minutes later the till said $61 (pre-tax) for my 8 bottle score ($7.62 average). Sadly I only saw a few labels I recognized. With a low of $3 and an outlandishly expensive $15, I left a little uncertain of how this experiment would take shape.
It's simple. Leave a comment (either here or at my Facebook page). You won't be added to a mailing list, you won't be spammed – one lucky reader will win!
The NectarView
- The Stuff: This wine comes from AU Vineyards in South East Australia. The winery is responsible for AU, Buckley's Cove, 12 Apostles, Element 79, Fly, and Tambourine labels. This is a 2009 vintage blend of Shiraz and Cabernet. The web site availability shows US distribution is limited to Grocery Outlet stores.
- The Swirl: Very bright purple (neon), moderately thin with medium translucence.
- The Sniff: Sugary grape or cherry jolly rancher and sweet candy. Reminded me of those sugar candy you dip the stick into.
- The Sip: Very thin throughout. The wine is very off-balanced with a sugary sweet front end and then a bitter tart back end.
- The Score: At $3, I score this wine a 1 (out of 5). This is a not recommended at any price.
Two Cellar Tracker scores at 77
Okay – so for me this was not a deal. Keeping it real here, this wine ended up down the drain. I'm sure that there are some folks who would be okay with it, but for the majority of wine lovers, this is no deal.
2005 Two Iron Red Wine
- The Stuff: The bottle says Napa and references Costa del Sol Cellars. My online investigation revealed next to nothing about this wine. The retail on the Grocery Outlet shelf said $60, but I was unable to validate that anywhere.
- The Swirl: Dark plum with a good color. Thins out toward the edge and is mostly opaque.
- The Sniff: The nose opens up with a nice black fruit and cassis. Hints of stone and oak come through as well.
- The Sip: The mouth feel is a Jekyll and Hyde. The initial attack is modest with good fruit but the finish is very bitter, woody and sharp.
- The Score: At $15, I score this wine a 2 (out of 5). A purchase price of $25 and over, I'd be ticked. At $15, I'm slightly disappointed, at $10 it still doesn't make the Under $10 Team.
Cellar Tracker – Seven people have this in their cellar (all purchased from Grocery Outlet), but no reviews.
I had high hopes for this wine, being from Napa Valley. So far, neither of the two wines I selected would qualify as "bargains" for me. Three of the remaining four are from labels I recognize, so I'm hoping for good things.
Stay tuned! Have you ever found a bargain at Grocery Outlet? Want to win $50? Leave a comment.


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Cocoon soft pattern jacket
Stylish essential for Fall's chilly days! Jacket in ponte-di-roma knit features soft round collar and 3/4 length sleeves with contrast roll-up cuff sleeves. Fashionable cocoon shape. 27-inch length.
- 75% polyester, 18% rayon, 7% spandex
- Imported
- Machine wash in cold water, gentle cycle.
- Do not use chlorine bleach.
- Hang to dry.
- Iron at low setting.
- Can be dry cleaned.

subset: commoncrawl


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Be Prepared! Tire Chains or Cables May Be Required in the Parks at Any Time
All vehicles must carry chains or cables when entering a chain-restricted area. It's the law (CA Vehicle Code, Section 605, Sections 27450-27503). Road conditions may change often. For road conditions, call 559-565-3341 (press 1, 1). More »
Vehicle Length Limits in Sequoia National Park (if Entering/Exiting Hwy 198)
Planning to see the "Big Trees" in Sequoia National Park? If you enter/exit via Hwy. 198, please pay close attention to vehicle length advisories for your safety and the safety of others. More »
Middle Fork Trail Gallery
Did You Know?
Sometimes you will see sequoias in a straight row. This may happen because sequoia seeds prefer mineral-rich burned ground. When a fallen log burns long and hot, it leaves a strip of bare mineral-rich soil — an ideal place for new sequoias to grow. Years later, we see a line of sequoias!


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Reviews of Sours Jelly Beans - 2.6 lb Case
Our Sours have sour power hitched to fabulous Jelly Belly fruit flavors. Get ready to pucker up! The flavors are: Sour Apple Sour Orange Sour Cherry Sour Grape Sour Lemon To preserve freshness, 2.6 lb cases will be packed as 12 individually-sealed 3.5 oz. bags.All Jelly Belly jelly... read more about Sours Jelly Beans - 2.6 lb Case
Comments: great flavor and a good sweet snack...wish they were bigger like regular size jelly beans |
Comments: Love the grape! |
Comments: I am addicted! Jelly Belly Sours make my taste buds dance!! |
Comments: I loved the original Jelly Belly sours, but I am not so sure about the newer flavors. I am not fond of the Sour Blueberry, Sour Grape, Sour Raspberry or Sour Apple. These flavors are just not as exciting and recognizable as the others. The Sour Apple especially almost tastes a bit like peanut to me, I did not really realize it was supposed to be apple. As for the other sours, they are delicious. |
Comments: Good date code of Aug 2011 - bought mine in Nov 2009. Some retailers in my area have old date codes on their shelves. So, I just order from the factory. |
Comments: I was satisfied with the overall product [...] |
Comments: I almost didn't get them. I am glad my husband talked me into it. They are great!! |
Comments: My favorite snack anytime. Sour Peach & Sour Apple are to die for. |
Comments: I rarely enjoy candies due to the fact that I have Type 1 Diabetes(juvenile diabetes), but when I AM in desperate need of a sugar boost, I love Jelly Belly Sours. If I have to eat sugar, it might-as-well be good, which is why I am so glad Jelly Belly made the Sour Jelly Belly. It's the Power of Sour!!! |
Comments: I sometimes crave the sours when I wake up in the morning and have them for breakfast. |
Comments: Loved the flavor!!! |
Comments: My son-in-law, who is an Army helicopter pilot is stationed in Afghanistan, and one of the things that he asked for were Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. I hope he gets them in time for his birthday. |


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Adopt-a-tern Program
The Common Tern is an integral member of the Great Lakes' ecosystem whose loss would symbolize a major ecological change, so research efforts are being made by students and faculty at Penn State Berks to curb their decline. Read about Adopt-a-tern Program »
Perkins Plaza
The Plaza honors the memory of Dr. Harold W. Perkins and also provides a beautiful gathering place for students, faculty, staff, and community members. It includes outdoor seating, a water feature, and a clock carillon.
Learn about the Perkins Plaza »


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The Fine Print
REFUND POLICY: This event is nonrefundable. No full or partial refunds are given to customers who miss the event. In the event of a cancellation, your voucher will be fully refunded • Limit 8 vouchers per purchaser • Each voucher is good for 1 person • Children 10 and under get in free when accompanied by a paid adult (Limit 2 per paid adult ticket) • Talent subject to change • Autograph fees for guests may apply • The deal is valid only for tickets on the date[s] of the event as listed and may not be exchanged or redeemed for any other dates • Groups wishing to sit together must purchase their vouchers together • Purchaser may change the name of the individual retrieving tickets up to 24 hours in advance of event via the LivingSocial website event details section; no name-changes or alternate pick-ups permitted without notice at venue • Entire value must be used in a single visit
Meet the creators of your favorite works and rub elbows with fellow comic enthusiasts at Wizard World Ohio Comic Con. With this offer, score tickets to this event -- held Friday, September 20 to Sunday, September 22 at Greater Columbus Convention Center. Check out hundreds of comics and collectables in the Con's marketplace and find great sketches, lithographs, and more in the Artists Alley. Meet comics legends, popular artists, and television celebrities like comic creator Stan Lee, acclaimed actor William Shatner, Summer Glau, Ray Park, Lou Ferrigno, and more. $23 ($39 value) for one Friday ticket $58 ($115 value) for one Sunday ticket, including: • One limited edition lithograph by Michael Golden • One The Walking Dead #1 comic book Wizard World Ohio Comic Con's Website
The Wizard World Ohio Comic Con immerses you in pop culture with exhibits, game demos, and celebrity appearances. Everywhere you turn you'll see an icon -- from Marvel Comics' Stan Lee to The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus.
Although human innovation has already emulated some superhero abilities, such as using x-rays and breathing underwater, it remains impossible speak entirely in Comic Sans. Swap speech bubbles with this Groupon. The Deal $20 for one general-admission ticket on Friday, September 20 (up to a $39.87 value, including all fees) Starting at 3 p.m., the Greater Columbus Convention Center fills with the celebrities, artists, and vendors of Wizard World Ohio Comic Con 2013. Up to two children age 10 and under can attend free with a paying adult. Wizard World Ohio Comic Con 2013 Facilitating the fan-delighting collision of comic-book universes ...


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Monster of the Day
Making Monsters is back for an all-new season, and to kick off Halloween season, we will feature a new monster from the show every day. Check back each day in October to see the "Monster of the Day."
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Check out exclusive videos that showcase the country's most unique eats.


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- Musician's Friend Best Selection, Price & Service. Guaranteed.
Need Help? Ask our Experts or call 800-449-9128
Asistencia en Español 866-226-2919
Need Help? Ask our Experts or call 800-449-9128
Vintage vibe that doesn't break the bank.
If you're looking for a budget electric guitar but want something with personality, DiPinto's Belvedere Deluxe may be exactly what you need. It features a double-layer semi-hollow mahogany body, single f-hole, two-tone finish, massive paddle-shaped headstock and small humbucking pickups.
The Belvedere's light, semi-hollow body provides rich resonance and percussive punch, and its mini 'buckers deliver fat tone that still has plenty of bite. The three-position pickup-selector switch and master volume and tone controls produce everything from a raucous rockabilly twang to a sultry jazz swing. In overdrive, the Belvedere growls with a vicious bite and howling sustain that are perfect for blues dogs and rock hounds alike.
Featuring a comfortable, 22-fret painted maple neck, 24-3/4-inch scale and bound ebony fingerboard, the Belvedere's neck feels and plays like a real vintage guitar. Although the body looks large, the guitar weighs much less than most hollow and semi-hollow electrics and is comfortable to play for hours on end. The tastefully designed single cutaway provides excellent access to the uppermost frets while it complements the Belvedere's classic lines. Acoustically the DiPinto is loud and punchy; amplified it sounds immediate and full.
The Belvedere's distinctive retro design, combined with its many usable tones, sets it apart from other instruments on the market. If you want to stand out from the crowd and sound like a star, the DiPinto Belvedere Standard is the best way to get noticed.
Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.
Call or click today to order.
Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


text: Ok, save bench, the rest of my lifts are going great, I.e. moving up in weight on them and still keeping good form. Now bench seems to be eluding me, so much to the point that today I dropped weight, by 10lbs, just to get good sets. I need help as far as what to do and if dropping weight is a good thing. It seems to me like dropping weight In order to get a good workout is fine, however I could be wrong. Please and thank you for your time!


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Forever Unique Chiffon Prom Dress
This chiffon prom dress by Forever Unique is the perfect party pick and its timeless appeal will mean you can wear it from season to season.
This dress features an embellished waistband for added sparkle. Each embellishment has been lovingly hand sewn, making each piece individual. Bust cups support the plunging neckline, while off the shoulder straps add a sultry feel to your look. The zip fastening to the back secures the fit for a confident finish.
Wear this prom dress with black platform heels, a sparkly clutch and matching jewellery for a statement finish.
Please keep me looking my best by hand washing me only.
Useful info:
- Prom dress by Forever Unique
- Chiffon fabric
- Off the shoulder straps
- Plunge neckline; gathered bust
- Embellished waistband
- Fully lined
- Bust cups
- Zip fastening
- Length: 26 inches
Forever Unique Bonny Embellished Dress
- Price
- £220.00
- In Stock
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
0 reviewForever Unique Embellished Prom Dress
Part of an exclusive online collection we're excited to offer you this gorgeous statement piece ready for the party season.
Adding glitz and glamour to your party outfit this prom dress by Forever Unique is a gorgeous piece that will instantly transform you into the belle of the ball.
This dress features silver textured embroidery and bead detail to the front of the bodice for a luxurious look that shimmers. Each bead embellishment has been lovingly hand sewn making each dress from the collection unique! The sheer tulle net skirt is a popular look on the party scene this season and adds a fairytale shape to your outfit. The plunging V-back is a sultry reveal, while the back zip fastening perfects the fit.
Wear this dress with a pair of killer diamante embellished platforms, sparkling accessories and a matching clutch bag for the ultimate prom Queen style.
To keep this beautiful dress looking happily ever after, please ask your dry cleaner for a professional spot clean only.
Useful info:
- Prom dress by Forever Unique
- From an exclusive collection
- Sheer tulle net skirt
- Hand sewn embellishments
- Bust cups for added support
- Sheer mesh detail to top
- Fully lined for smooth fit
- Plunging V-back
- Back zip fastening
- Length: 25 inches
Forever Unique Exclusive Libby Embellished Midi Dress
- Price
- £165.00
- In Stock
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
0 reviewForever Unique Panel Midi Dress with Bead Embellishment
Part of an exclusive online collection we're excited to offer you this stunning statement piece ready for the party season.
This midi dress by Forever Unique is the perfect way to show off your curves this season and with bead embellishments it's the ideal piece for your polished party look.
The nude body of this dress is contrasted with black side panels creating a gorgeous illusion piece that reveals your svelte silhouette. Hand sewn bead embellishments to the front make each dress from the line unique and adds that touch of sparkle to your style as they catch the light. Fully lined the fit is smooth, while a back zip fastening perfects it. A split to the back hem with zip fastening gives you as much, or as little, freedom of movement as your look desires.
Wear this pencil dress with a pair of killer nude heels with stud detail and accessorise with a cute nude clutch bag with metal trim.
To keep this gorgeous dress looking as good as the first time you saw it, please cool hand wash only.
Useful info:
- Midi dress by Forever Unique
- From an exclusive collection
- Panelled pencil dress
- Hand sewn embellishments
- Slight shoulder pads
- Zip fastening to back
- Zip to hem at back
- Fully lined
- Length: 38 inches
Forever Unique 2-in-1 Dress with Sequin Embellished Skirt
Go from dinner date to after dark glamour effortlessly in this gorgeous 2-in-1 dress by Forever Unique - it's perfect for parties and evening out with the girls.
In a draped style, the top flows elegantly for a flattering shape. Three-quarter batwing sleeves with a cut-out design add to the stunning shape of this piece and channel the season's love for this style. Covered in sequins, the skirt simply dazzles as it reflects the light and, fully lined, it promises a smooth fit. A key hole back with button fastening is an elegant touch to your look.
Wear with peep toe platform shoes and a statement bracelet. Add an embellished clutch bag to complete your outfit.
Useful info:
- 2-in-1 dress by Forever Unique
- Jersey drape top with cowl neck
- Three-quarter cut-out batwing sleeves
- Fully lined, sequin embellished skirt
- Length: 24 inches


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The Intrinsic Value Of The S&P 500 (May 4, 2012) 0 comments
With US GDP at $15.46 trillion and Moody's Aaa bonds yielding 3.95%, the intrinsic value of the S&P 500 index as measured by BV is 2098.11.
By comparison, the S&P closed at 1369.10 on May 4, 33% below fair value.
Understanding Brock Value charts
The red and green lines found on many of the BV charts on this site are 0.33 standard deviations over and under BV. These lines fence in the normal range of the market. When the market is above the red line, ten-year returns tend to be lower than average. When the market is below the green line, ten-year returns tend to be higher than average.
(click to enlarge)
The red and green lines are one-third of a standard deviation from BV, the white line.For more about Brock Value, please visit my site.
Back To Peter Brock's Instablog HomePage »Instablogs are blogs which are instantly set up and networked within the Seeking Alpha community. Instablog posts are not selected, edited or screened by Seeking Alpha editors, in contrast to contributors' articles.
After 12 years and six months, the Dow has produced a measly 0.78% annual return, dividends included. $SPY http://lostdecades.com Jul 8, 2012
Moody's Aaa weekly rate hits new cycle low, lowest since the 1950s. Intrinsic value of the S&P now 2275. http://brockvalue.com Jun 26, 2012
Market mired in gloom, 41% below fair value. Upside beckons. $SPY $DIA http://brockvalue.com Jun 20, 2012
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Washtenaw County students to perform at annual NAAPID at Night talent show
Students from multiple Washtenaw County school districts will perform Monday at the 10th annual National African American Parent Involvement Day at Night Showcase of Student Talent.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo
The event is at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, at Lincoln High School District Performing Arts Center, 7425 Willis Road, in Augusta Township. The event is free and open to the public.
NAAPID chair Shoshana DeMaria said this year's show will feature students from kindergarten through 12th grade from Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Willow Run, Lincoln, Milan, and Saline school districts.
For Blake Hensley, a magician and senior at Saline High School, this is the third year he's performed at the event.
"I love doing magic," he said. "...This year, I'm doing a trick where I pull a string out of my eye."
The event will be catered by South West Washtenaw Consortium Culinary Arts Students of Saline, Dexter and Lincoln High Schools, under the supervision of instructor Sam Musto.
"The students are involved with everything that NAAPID does," DeMaria said. "They do the culinary arts. They do the exhibits. They even MC the shows."
Food will be served at 5:30 p.m. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Demaria said students and parents of all backgrounds are encouraged to participate.
"It is for everyone, for all students," she said. "But in particular, it is for African American students. The focus is on them, because African American kids in particular fall between the gap in education."
The event will feature a poster contest. The contest is separated into high school, middle school, upper and lower elementary, and kindergarten. The prizes for first place poster in each age group are $200, $150, $100, and $50, respectively.
"We ask the parents to ensure that goes toward their education," DeMaria said.
DeMaria said NAAPID at Night has been a very successful program, with attendance consistently exceeding 500 people. Despite that, the program has seen a decline in funding.
Previously, it received donations from participating school districts, but many of those donations have ceased, because districts no longer have the money to spare.
DeMaria said organizers had enough money in reserves to finance this year's event, but they will need to find funding to continue the event next year.
"We are applying for grants, and hopefully we will get some money in," she said. "It's a needed program. It's for children. So I'm anticipating we will get something for next year. I'm not sure from where, but we will apply and we're hoping that it comes through."
Kody Klein is an intern for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Bombay, Meri Jaan
It is not often that you get two movies about Bombay releasing in the week. While one of them identifies a locality by name, the other pays tribute to the glittering film industry the city is home to. That makes it just the right week to look at ten songs/scenes that paid tributes to Bombay.
Some were about a locality, some about the entirety. Some were quirky, some hatke...
We bring you Filmy Friday, a column by Diptakirti Chaudhuri.
Diptakirti Chaudhuri is crazy about Bollywood. In fact, he is crazy enough to have written a book on Bollywood trivia. He can be found on Twitter and Blogger by his first name.
- Yahoo India Movies Fri 3 May, 2013 5:30 PM IST
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- More than 125 prominent CEOs based in New York are urging Congress to quickly pass a $60 billion aid package for Superstorm Sandy relief.
The CEOS include top executives of Time Warner, NBC Universal, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley, Madison Square Garden and the National Basketball Association.
The plea comes as the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut urge Congress to act quickly on the aid before lawmakers break for the holiday.
Govs. Chris Christie, Andrew Cuomo and Dannel Malloy say no region or state should have stand have to alone after a disaster. They say Congress hasn't acted in seven weeks following Sandy, taking longer to provide aid than in previous disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.
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05/19/2009 (All day) to 05/21/2009 (All day)
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This year is the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs' 30th Anniversary. We commemorate WCSAP's commitment towards uniting agencies in the elimination of sexual violence, and in that spirit we dedicate ourselves to reflecting on our past, celebrating the present, and rejuvenating ourselves for the future.
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May 1, 2009 02:10 PM | 3
Last week, The New York Times reported that CIA interrogators subjected 9/11 plotter Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah to a total of 266 episodes of waterboarding between 2002 and 2003. More recently news broke that top Bush administration officials, including Condoleezza Rice and John Ashcroft, had condoned the practice as early as 2002.
The Obama Administration considers waterboarding – in which a person is strapped on a board with a rag or cloth covering his or her face and doused with water -- a form of torture. So does the United Nations' former High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, according to news reports.
It seems pretty obvious that waterboarding can cause emotional trauma, but does it threaten a person's physical health?
No doubt about it, says Allen Keller, an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine (who, it should be noted, testified that waterboarding is a form of torture before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 2007). During waterboarding, some of this water can flow through the nostrils and into the lungs, Keller explains. Water in the lungs, especially if it's dirty, can cause potentially deadly pneumonia or pleuritis, an inflammation of the lung lining.
Waterboarding could also cause hypoxia, a condition in which the body is not getting enough oxygen, either because the victim is holding his or her breath or inhaling water -- and inadequate oxygen supplies can lead to deadly organ failure, Keller adds.
But don't underestimate how tightly intertwined the physical and psychological experiences of waterboarding are, Keller notes. Since it mimics the terrifying sensation of drowning, it triggers the release of stress hormones called catecholamines that can cause heart rate and blood pressure to soar, potentially setting the stage for heart attack in a person with underlying heart disease, he says.
But even healthy people can die from sheer terror, as Martin A. Samuels, chairman of the neurology department at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston told ScientificAmerican.com earlier this year. The sudden outpouring of stress hormones can cause the heart to beat abnormally, hampering its ability to deliver blood to the body.
Waterboarding might be an ideal way to cause a fear-induced heart problem, Samuels speculates, pointing to experiments by the late Johns Hopkins psychobiologist Curt Richter, who in the 1950s created what he called a "swimming" jar for wild rats that was partially filled with water, allowing them to swim but not escape. The rats often died, and when Richter examined their hearts, he found damage suggesting stress hormones caused heart muscle cells to contract uncontrollably, Samuels explains.
"Make no mistake about it, [waterboarding] is a profoundly traumatic event," Keller says. "The physical and psychological and social aspects are all interdependent and feed off one another."
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Imagine if the technique is practiced on USA sponsored terrorists by other nations. UN, NATO and all Human Right organizations will demand for head of people who condoned and practiced it. But here we are. Bush, Cheney, Condy and other racist criminals are enjoying free life. All western hypocrite and immoral regimes will make noise if Sri Lanka government uses torture on LTTE terrorists. While the Gaza genocide was fully backed by US, Europe, NATO, UN etc; all these criminal organizations and nations are demanding Sri Lanka to stop its war on terror. The worls is indeed shameless.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThat's like asking "does rape have long term physical effects?"
It's an idiotic and misguided question. Torture is never right, is illegal and is a war crime. Period.
This website is not exactly correct; The C.I.A does not use dirty water as in foreign countries so that rules out pneumonia, and waterboarding is such an effective method (used to try and save US citizens lives) that it only takes about thirty seconds for the prisoner to surrender information. Therefore, it would just be like holding your breath so there goes the idea of your body not getting enough oxygen. As to the other forms of "long term physical harm" how much water can get in your lungs in thirty seconds?It is usually only done once or twice but in some cases like the only two that the Obama admnistration released(of course they were the most beneficial) i guess there could be some physical damage but these situations do not happen excessively; so what a little strain to a terrorist for the safety of our nation?
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Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder Adventure Path
Skull & Shackles
(If it's presumptuous to start this 'official' thread, please feel free to rename it) I am reading through this chapter of the AP right now and noticed that a lot of the ship tasks and ship actions involve DCs around 10. So are players supposed to be able to take 10 on them or is the intimidating atmosphere aboard the ship enough for the PCs to be considered distracted or in danger? I could see the reasoning go both ways.
Wow that's a tough decision actually. Here are my thoughts (and I skipped to the tasks so I might have [probably] missed something). If the PC doesn't have Profession(Sailor) or something similar they must "learn" how to be a sailor. Therefore, they are under extreme scrutiny for the first few days. In other words, they have to succeed 3 times in a row before they can take 10. If the PC does have Profession(Sailor) ... urrrh ... let them do it right off, or maybe they have to succeed just once. You could even up the ante some by saying they have to pass by 5 or more for those 3 times in a row before they're allowed to do their duties without being watched like a hawk. Note, I'm all about verisimilitude and having fun and will thus bend the rules to fit the scene. Which all of my players prefer, just to be clear. :)
Nullpunkt wrote:
Most of the skill checks represent a day's worth of work, rather than a single skill check. Asa result, in the Skull & Shackles game I'm running, I haven't told the players the DCs, and as a result, haven't asked to take 10. I probably wouldn't allow it, because of the penalties for failure aboard the Wormwood. That said, if you want to make to easier on your players, you could certainly allow them to take 10 if they have the correct skills.
Zaister wrote: As I'm reading, I see a lot of XP awards to be awarded to "the PC" that manages this or that task. Is that a change that introduces individual XPs or are we supposed to see this as a group award even if it's earned by just one PC? In a few instances, this adventure does give out individual XP awards (where it uses the singular "PC"). The reason for this is that most of these awards are for actions that all of the PCs will likely want to take, so no character should be getting extra. If a PC does not do one of these actions, that PC does not get the XP award, but as we're only talking about few hundred XP here at most, the difference in characters' XP totals will not be that great in the long run. In all other cases, the XP awards are divided as normal between all the PCs (where the adventure mentions the plural "PCs").
Information on the bonuses the pirate familiars in the Bestiary should grant to their masters was inadvertently left out of both the Bestiary and the Player's Guide, but here's the relevant information: Other Piratical Familiars
Pirate Familiars
Any recommendation for how to introduce new characters if one or more of the starting PCs succumb to flogging, keelhauling, traps, or some other agent of doom? It would be a shame to have the player have to wait 20 game-days before bringing in a new character from aboard the Man's Promise. The captain seems to be specifically avoiding contact others until he's ready to launch his attack on shipping lanes so it seems implausible to say that he puts into port to take on new crew.
Someone shipwrecked or marooned on some flyspeck of an island? The captain did just pick you guys up in a busy pirate port, so there's no real reason he can't make another stop for more crew. Especially since the PCs won't know his plans. Worst case, the new PC can be one of the already press-ganged pirates who hasn't had much interaction with the PCs yet. I'd be tempted to hold back one or two faces in the crowd for that purpose.
One thing that struck me skimming through it was the assumption that everything shut down at night. Everyone's off duty, you can sneak around, all the officers are in their cabins, etc. Is there no night watch? Do they anchor every night? It doesn't seem so, there are a couple of references to sailing overnight, but it seems everyone named is always on the day shift. Is this just for convenience?
Ayrphish wrote: Anyone worried that their players will get bored for the first 20 days? Seems like it could get pretty repetitive. Players can go exploring the ship during the time, interact with lots of NPCs and do lots of stuff they can come up with. If they have no interest in that, I guess rolling the dice for the days can happen rather quickly, but then you probably have the wrong group for this AP.
Zaister wrote: Scenery role-players vs Action role-players.
Ayrphish wrote: Anyone worried that their players will get bored for the first 20 days? Seems like it could get pretty repetitive. I plan to tighten this section up with a few planned encounters/events designed to acquaint the PCs with the crew and to pirate life in general. I also certainly do not plan on playing each and every day of this 20-day period. My players would ... mutiny. :-P
Yeah, I'm working out how to balance out not playing every. single. day. yet give the players time to get to know the crew and to get the politics worked out. It's the latter that'll force the time to stretch out some, but if it's interspersed with some additional encounters, I think it'll work out pretty good.
We run a forum with our group, I have not read the AP yet, but in previous ones where RP is heavy and action is light, we often throw the forum in for RP conversations and interactions between sessions. We only meet weekly, and this has greatly helped keep the balance. My group is, admittedly more action focused with an icing of role play.
Ahaaaaaaaaaaar! I'll just double post this one as it probably belongs here too! :
This was a very interesting adventure to write from a number points, not least of which introducing such high level future enemies in such close quarters to the PCs. It certainly will be a challenge for some groups to get their heads around this proximity and one thing I've tried to stress is the nature of just how tough the bad guys are on board the vessel. You're the expert at pitching this to your players, what Wormwood does is give you a number of options for you to build upon. The obvious way here is the NPCs, and there are some immediate potental allies to warn the PCs, but again if this isn't enough you can go with big fights between the tougher NPCs; and wounds that would down the toughest PC in a single go etc. One thing I was very very mindful of is that the PCs are vulnerable to start with, and the GM needs to play this carefully, their relationship with Plugg is a tricky one - if he hates them it would be easy for him to have them keelhauled, which is why initially he falls into the background as the main villain behind Scourge. The possibilities of bullying the PCs must be carefully avoided too, give them victories along the way The other issue I thought long about was controlling the PCs action's somehow - it could be too easy for one player to take over a session, which is why I've brought in the actions - to try to make sure that everyone gets a fair crack of the whip (or cat). Absolutely, the day to day life will work for some, and less so for others, if you like more action pitch in a few more fights or side quests along the way, or skip some of the checks as has already been suggested - the important thing is for the PCs to realise what being a pirate is like for their future careers and most important have fun. I'm really looking forward also to how GMs will approach this adventure and share their ideas - the suggestion here are not only great for fellow GMs but for freelancers looking at approaches in the future. Shiver me timbers!
The first thing that struck me as I read through the adventure was that 30 NPCs is alot to keep track of. Even with some of the crew being un-influencable future villains, having the crew spread out over several pages and then a few focused on for several pages, and then the appendix of several pages again was a little inconvenient. Without a chart to print out, I had to make a spreadsheet. The contents of which is being transferred to index cards with notes on description, mannerisms for roleplaying the NPC, job, actions that can modify influence checks (and their modifier), locker contents, and a color coded post-it strip to indicate their current attitude toward the PCs. The plan is the cards will enable me to keep track of where on the ship the NPCs are with having to move around 30 miniatures. I can also pick up the rigger stack or the swab stack and have a good idea of who the PCs are interacting with during their daily tasks. This should help to build up the NPCs as people and give the players a better sense of the future crew members they are attempting to turn friendly or helpful. Also, anyone who is indifferent at the end of the adventure will still throw in their lot with the PCs (should they win), but could be people the PCs need to keep their eye on. Hopefully this works works out as well as the only other time I've ever resorted to index cards (Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil). I look forward to this being as fun for me as it is for the players.
WampaX wrote:
I was thinking of doing something similar. There's a ton to keep track of. I'll be glad when someone becomes captain at the end of the book, and I can pass off some the responsibility to them!
I have taken a two-step approach to aid me in handling the enormous task of keeping straight and managing all the Non Player personalities.
Having this strong visual/physical association with the personalities will help you GM them and your players to relate to them. L2G.
Captain Venture
Azmyth wrote:
I was thinking of doing this too, but realized I probably don't have enough unique non-metal-armor-wearing human or near human minis to represent the entire crew . . . so I went and purchased the Paper Minis, which has the entire crew!
I am concerned about the lack of information on the "Other Officers". The AP is clear that they will have significant roles later on, but as-is we dont even know their general appearance. I realize that there's no room to have a full write up on, say, Peppery, but since she's slinging spells around like nobody's biz (a big part of one of the fights), I'd like to know more about her than her race and level. I also realize this is only a concern for "early adopters", but nonetheless I hope to keep my campaign canonical as I can without having to retcon a statement I made out of ignorance.
Varthanna wrote: I am concerned about the lack of information on the "Other Officers". The AP is clear that they will have significant roles later on, but as-is we dont even know their general appearance. I realize that there's no room to have a full write up on, say, Peppery, but since she's slinging spells around like nobody's biz (a big part of one of the fights), I'd like to know more about her than her race and level. Descriptions are from what I can tell from the paper mini images: Peppery Longfarthing - Trim female human wearing an overly large wide brimmed black hat, a long reddish brown cloak, and covered head to toe in finely tailored red clothing (shirt and pants) with brown leather boots. Black hair, black or brown eyes, fair complexion. Also has a long staff topped with a large green ord or crystal. Habbly Quarne - Older male human wearing a black short brimmed hat, blue doublet, and a short brown carpenters smock over black breaches and black leather boots. He is also wearing belts and braces from which hang the tools of both his trade (carpenter and surgeon equipment). Scruffy short greying brown beard gives him a "weathered" look. Kipper - Fit mid-twenties male human wearing a sleeveless leather jerkin, brown leather bracers, blue pants and black shoes. Wild brown hair pulled back under a red bandana. Also has a heavy crossbow. Patch Patchsalt - Hagish (looks like an Annis hag or classic witch) gnome female wearing a grey vest, white shirt, large red belt/sash, black pants, and no shoes. Fair skinned with long brown hair exploding from under a patterned red bandanna. A small cutlas and dagger are tucked in the belt and a thick gold chain hangs around her neck. "Caulky" Taroon - Waifish young female human (she's small) wearing a much too large for her red with gold filigree sleeveless captain's dress coat, tattered white pants, and no shoes. Dirty blonde hair held back with a bright purple headband. Bowed head with sad blue eyes. Richard,
Area A10 specifies that 18 lockers are in use, but not who their owners are. Subtracting the 4 press ganged crew and the 6 officers with their own lockboxes elsewhere (Captain Harrigan, Mr. Plugg, Master Scourge, Riaris Krine, Peppery Longfarthing, and Habbly Quarne) leaves 20 potential crew members . . . so who doesn't have a locker? Magpie and Owlbear would be my gueses.
WampaX wrote: Its specified that 4 others have been press ganged along with the PCs, but no names are mentioned. Did you have anyone particular in mind as to who these other 4 would be? I was wondering the same thing, but then I thought maybe he meant the other recruits that have only been on board a few days: Sandara, Rosie, "Cog", and Shortstone. The paragraph before their descriptions calls them recent "recruits". Tim
Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! The joyously twisted mind behind Escape from Old Korvosa, The Skinsaw Murders, The Sixfold Trial, and Sound of a Thousand Screams returns. With PIRATES!!!! I am loving this adventure so far, and can't wait to run it. As far as the "bookkeeping" for the crew/officers/party, I was intending on keeping a "personnel spreadsheet" with work-schedules, possessions, attitudes, etc on each of the NPC pirates. Now I may steal the "index card" method described above...seems like it'd be easier to shuffle actual physical media at the table than click some keys on my laptop. It should prove easy enough to track who's where, who's friendly, and just what all the NPC pirates have on them come the end of the adventure. Plus, grabbing images from the internet/NPC gallery to paste on the back of the cards should give the players a better grasp on just which NPC is which.
psionichamster wrote: Plus, grabbing images from the internet/NPC gallery to paste on the back of the cards should give the players a better grasp on just which NPC is which. The paper minis might work well for this purpose as well, if you expanded the images from the PDF. Hopefully the resolution doesn't end up too poor.
WampaX wrote:
As Tim Felts said, the other four "pressees" are the recent recruits: Sandara Quinn, Rosie Cusswell, Crimson Cog, and Conchobhar Shortstone. As for lockers, the 18 includes the 14 crew members listed on pages 19-20, plus the 4 recent pressees. The officers' lockers (including Kipper and Patch Patchsalt) are not included in that total.
Macharius wrote: The Paper Mini's pictures can be blown up to full A4 and still look good.
Varthanna wrote: I couldnt tell by reading the product review, are the paper minis' wormwood pirates all distinctly unique? Do they fit the one-sentence descriptions of the crew? While I haven't seen this particular set yet, the others I've gotten (RotRL & LoF) have been pretty much spot on for NPC descriptions.
Varthanna wrote: I couldnt tell by reading the product review, are the paper minis' wormwood pirates all distinctly unique? Do they fit the one-sentence descriptions of the crew? Unique! [Although a couple of them could be brothers!] EDIT: I should clarify, Some of them have the same picture/pose with different colouring.
brent norton wrote: Is anyone running how everyone get to Port Peril and the night at the Formidably Maid? I have three players. Two of them just escaped from prison (See Fire Mountain Games AP) and are supposed to meet a contact at the bar. The third PC is already a crew member who got the job of getting them drunk and unconscious before bringing them to the Wormwood. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.
For area D1 what's the white dotted line supposed to represent? Is that just where it goes underground entirely and becomes the cave system? That's my assumption just checking to make sure I'm correct.
Oh also while reading through it all it says in The Cauldron (area D8) that characters tripped must start making swim checks, according to the low tide marker on the map there's still a good 40-50ish feet of water. So 2 parts A) wouldn't they already be swimming? and B) can you be tripped if you're in/under water?
Not got the ap yet as its not a pdf until weds but having read the posts and blurb I am thinking of running Fury in Feeport as a prologue so the pc's get to know each other before the ap starts. Freeport will be Port Peril with a few name changes here and there. It seems it would work OK and I should be able to finish it with the PC's relaxing in the Formidably Maid then I can kick start the AP. Just an idea at the moment though.
Pirate Punishments and Death A few people have mentioned concerns about the ambush in the bilge as being dangerous to PCs, but I'm unsure about the various punishments doled out. 3 lashes here, 6 lashes there. Every lash is 1d3+2 nonlethal, according to Scourge's stat block. Once your nonlethal damage is equal to your Max HP, it becomes lethal afterwards. let's say a smarmy rogue with a decent Con... lets say his hitpoints are 9 at level 1. He shirks his duties to explore the ship and gets caught. Scourge gives him 6 lashes.
Am I doing that right? He's now Dying. Let's say because they're nice they help him stabilize. So they throw him in his bunk and he rests all night and gets back 1 nonlethal per hour and heals 1 lethal damage. He still has 9 lethal damage. He's Disabled, and can't work, so he get a dozen cats 1d4+2 lethal each... so 12d4+24 damage. Very much dead. Once they're aboard the Man's Promise, all those lashes turn to cats. DANG!
Varthanna wrote:
That's what Sandara is for. She can get the PC back on his feet (OR the PC can use a healing resource he may have acquired already). This should help impart a greater desire to rescue her once she is kidnapped by the grindylows and that having friends and allies among the crew is important.
Varthanna wrote:
I doubt they would continue to whip an obviously critically injured crew member. The idea is to punish them, not kill them. They gain nothing by whipping a near lifeless body. If they didn't want to deal with him at that point, they would just perform a mercy killing and throw his body overboard. They aren't robots.
Robert Jordan wrote: Oh also while reading through it all it says in The Cauldron (area D8) that characters tripped must start making swim checks, according to the low tide marker on the map there's still a good 40-50ish feet of water. So 2 parts A) wouldn't they already be swimming? and B) can you be tripped if you're in/under water? The PCs are likely already swimming. A trip attack represents being pulled below the surface, thus requiring another Swim check to recover.
Varthanna wrote:
There's no point in continuing to whip an unconscious character. In the office game I'm running, if a PC falls unconscious from lashes, they get the ones they missed from being unconscious on the following day. And, as others have said, Sandara (or a PC cleric) can certainly help those characters recover from their wounds.
There's flogging around the fleet where the convicted would be sentenced to hundreds of lashes, split up among the ships. A surgeon would travel with him and determine when the flogging needed to stop for the day. Such a punishment could take weeks to be completed. Now bring in magic. A particularly cruel captain with access to a cleric, or other means of healing, could flog a crewman to, or near, unconsciousness, have the cleric heal him, and continue. Especially cruel if the cleric and transgressor are PCs. The cleric could be under threat of the same, or double, if she doesn't perform the duties. An excellent way to make the PCs despise Plugg.
Rob McCreary wrote:
oh, okay! Thanks for the feedback. So the AP says that they get a dozen cats if they wont, or CANT perform their day's duties. I thought this is what it meant. I can't think of anything else besides low HP that means a PC CANT perform a duty. Just so I understand, if two cats can knock out a particularly frail wizard, he'd have six days of punishment in store for him?
I have some questions about the Rum Ration. I don't have a GMG, so I am trying to understand the rules for addiction from the PRD, and am unsure if I understand correctly. The Fortitude save only affects the possibility of addiction, correct?
Also, the 1d3 Con damage, is that only a temporary effect or does that persist? Because the way I read it it would seem pretty easy for a PC to die from alcohol poisoning well before Day 21. Or does it assume that a PC would spill or dispose of the rum before that happens? Its a relatively easy check, but the penalty for failing is fairly significant, I can easily see six lashes from the cat and a damaged Con score pretty much guaranteeing that a PC enters a spiral of destruction with no easy way out. Especially given how many tasks require DC 10 Con checks. Lastly, what impact does the 1d8 hours of fatigue play for a PC? Does that affect their night actions only? Just the first one, or all of them? And does the +1d4 Charisma bonus last as long as the fatigue?
OK, as promised and late to set sail here's the first extra, an NPC that when I thought on was one NPC too many for the PCs to interact with, however, you may wish to use him in preference to another perhaps: Dungrin – The Whispering Dwarf (Swab)
I was going over the map of the Wormwood last night and something occurred to me... how the hell do the ship's non-officer crew get back and forth between the main and middle decks? There are only two sets of stairs that lead from the main to the middle deck - one in the Officer's Quarters and one in the Captain's Quarters. Both are kept locked and trapped with the Officer's Quarters having Owlbear chained to the bottom of it expressly to prevent anyone from coming up the stairs into the Officer's Quarters. Do they get hauled up and down through the cargo hatches? That seems a bit unusual. Am I missing something obvious? Should this be hand-waved? Do the captain and/or officers let the entire crew come traipsing through their quarters every time a crew member needs to relieve themselves?
The PRD has everything you need on the rum ration effects.
DonalGraeme wrote:
"When a character takes a drug, he immediately gains the effects, an amount of ability damage, and must make a Fortitude save to resist becoming addicted to that drug" So the fort save is just for the addiction part.Quote: Also, the 1d3 Con damage, is that only a temporary effect or does that persist? Because the way I read it it would seem pretty easy for a PC to die from alcohol poisoning well before Day 21. Or does it assume that a PC would spill or dispose of the rum before that happens? Its a relatively easy check, but the penalty for failing is fairly significant, I can easily see six lashes from the cat and a damaged Con score pretty much guaranteeing that a PC enters a spiral of destruction with no easy way out. Especially given how many tasks require DC 10 Con checks. Reading on in that same paragraph above, the d3 Con heals like normal ability damage, so 1 point should heal a day later, but 2 or 3 points would stick around and force a character drinking their ration to make their fort saves vs addiction at increasing DCs. The PCs should probably watch the rest of the crew and get cues on how they handle the rations, or have an example made of one of the other new recruits so they understand the danger presented by drinking the rum ration each night. On the other hand, they may plan to gain the system and use the CHA boost to help with influence rolls, but they will run the risk of addition and take the CON damage for the next day's task. Quote:
+1d4 CHA lasts as long as the fatigue, and would affect their night activities, should they attempt them while fatigued. ArchAnjel wrote:
Just from perusing the rest of the adventure and the fact that some of the jobs and events require PCs to move about the ship freely, that during work time and leisure time, the doors and stairs to the officer cabin are open. The harpoon traps are probably set and the doors locked for the evening, to prevent the majority of the crew from easily getting around the ship. Owlbear's chain is probably shortened or he is waylaid by the press of bodies in the morning and evening. I would say that anyone moving about the ship at other times has to deal with Owlbear making noise and possibly grasping for them, but knowing the length of the chain, might be able to squeeze by. This way, he can still act as an alarm for the officers at night, but not be an impediment to the normal ship's routine. Richard Pett wrote: Looking at the other stuff I have most of it seems to have made the final cut so I guess the NPC is the only extra I'll have this time - ahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar! I was a little surprised that there were no dwarven crew members included in the published product. But this will do nicely. I may replace Cog or Shortstone with Dungrin. Thanks Richard!