The Wrestling Road Diaries Vs. The Gatekeepers

I figured today would be a good day to throw out some photos, especially after the storm a few weeks ago and a decent looking D&D table from last night, so a simply Sunday Photo Blog...

First up is a shot of the limb that fell in the backyard, this one gives absolutely NO scale to it the branch whatsoever.  It is a nice starting place though.

Here is another shot for scale, again I don't think this really gives you that great a look at just how damn big this thing was.  I'm really glad we didn't see or hear it fall as I might have pooped myself.  I'm also glad that this isn't the branch that almost fell on me.  I might never have went outside again.

This is a shot of the limb at the trunk end.  Again I can't state enough how these shots don't do this monstrosity justice.  In the picture it just looks like a normal limb, that thing is as big around as my friggin' thigh.  It started from beside the wood chips from the tree we had to cut down last year and almost reached the driveway.  Sheesh... 

Finally a close up of the trunk girth.  I know lightning didn't strike the tree, so it had to have been the 80 mph winds.  When I walked into those winds when trying to open the garage side door it almost knocked me flat on my ass.  I've been in some storms, but this one was a violent, immediate, and nasty as I've ever seen.

Now this bad boy is the one that missed me by about a second.  I had to jump out of the car, run to the side door, not get knocked on my ass, make sure I can get the key in, and then open the damn door.  The second I popped into the doorway I heard a HUGE crash, turned around, and saw this thing on the ground where I had been standing.  Granted this monster may not have been as big as the monstrosity, but if this would have hit me I'd have been in SERIOUS trouble.

A shot for scale as a I prepare to get my vengeance by chopping and smashing this thing since I don't own a chainsaw.  It wasn't the heaviest thing, but it was waterlogged, nasty, and had shook me up enough that I couldn't wait to destroy it.  Oh and the Winnie The Pooh belly shot is for the ladies...

Yeah, that's how damn BIG the large limb was.  I'm not a weak man, but damn I couldn't move this thing by myself.  At all.  I could pick it up, but couldn't drag it, throw it, or muscle it anywhere.  The more I tried to the more I realized just how out of my class of strength I was.  What a massive pain in the ass.  I think this and the next picture gives the best idea of actual scale to this thing.

What a horrible photo.  First off damn I'm tired in this picture because you can see the scare under my eye big time.  Secondly, I just feel like I look beyond 'husky' here.  Yuck.  Now for the good stuff, that is now my favorite stupid pose.  The strange Senior Picture hand on chin pose has become my default idiot pose.  You can see if you look at my size 15 1/2 wide feet that this thing was just massive.  That and you can compare the girth to my very large thighs.  That's right drink them in.  Amazing the wind that snapped this thing off.  We are beyond lucky this thing didn't hit our garage or house. 

Last night's D&D session went pretty well, although honestly we greatly missed the sick Tiny Yeti.  This is a good shot of how much to me Terraclips mean to the game.  The flexibility to build almost anything you want is a gawdsend.  This is a shot of the ruins a mile out from the ruined Library Of Erathis.  It's chock full of cannibal Goblins who are in a full blown panic as the sky falls and the 2nd Great Darkness has begun.  Thanks 1st Group.

Here is another top down shot of the three story tower shot where the archers and the mage were sitting.  It was a perfect spot for the mage to summon the Fire Elemental and harry the PC's.  As you can see I'm already starting to use Paizo's Goblin Dog miniatures.  I may never again after Edgar's battle cry about "butt fucking that damn dog with my battle axe".  Last night was full of the craziest, funniest, and loudest battle cries. 

Last shot of this blog is the PC's at the top left sneaking into the ruins.  The sneaking went well at the beginning, then the Players just said "TO HELL WITH THIS!"  And then went on a full scale Goblin killing run.  The amazing thing is I loved watching and running for this massive, long encounter.  The Player's seemed to have a blast, it was difficult, but not impossible, and I tried to let them be imaginative, try crazy stuff, and push their combat creativity.  Last night was more like I want this group's games to go.  Hopefully I can keep the momentum.  Thanks for checking this stuff out.