I see dead people.

I am thinking about a new house rule and you guys will have to tell me what you think. I haven't seen or heard of this anywhere and was wanting your input. I think if a playing character unfortunately is going to fall I think they should reach 0 hp no matter how much damage is dealt beyond 0. For example, I have 28 hp left and I am struck for 38 points of damage. We currently play as this is a very dead person at -10 hp. I think this person should have 0 hp and then begin to die. An example of the new way would be I have those 28hp and am struck for 50 points of damage I would be reduced to 0. Let me know what you guys think.

Rusty Parts

Here is the way Dragon #346 describes the physiology of the rust monster. Apparently the antennae have tiny little hair like appendages that have tiny little capillaries that run all the way to the to the rust monsters stomach. The rust monster breathes in carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen and other caustic chemicals that travel those tubes and start a very aggressive oxidation process that rusts metals instantaneously. These same hairs exist on the body of the rust monster hence when attacked the body damages the metal that attacked it. So the way I see it, no breathey, no rusty. Once the beast is dead, his ability to rust metals dies with it.

Answer to Freezing a Dragonheart Mage.

After a bit of research I have decided that a red dragonblood subtype would indeed take full and half again damage from spells and effects with the cold descriptor. The reasons are as follows:per Races of the Dragon pg 4. dragonblood subtype states that things that target or affect dragons, harmful or beneficial, also affect the dragonblood. It also states that the dragonblood subtype does not grant the dragon type or traits of that type, which would seem to mitigate damages that affect dragons. While on the surface this may seem contradictory, the monster manual on page 308 clears up the confusion. The traits the dragonblood are denied are listed there. Clearly a sorcerer would not have 12 sided hit die or base attack bonus of fighters or the myriad of spell like abilities, damage reductions and senses. Unfortunately, this also changes the ever shrinking pool of alter self. The drakes and fell drakes the elf is accustomed to changing into do not apply. Apparently, subtype isn't relevant to alter self. But I'm not 100 percent set in stone on this. I'm kicking around a few ideas and open to suggestions. I was thinking perhaps a modest pool of creatures to draw from and forsaking the all of the rest. Who knows, let me know what you guys think.

Collaboration

You guys know how I am always preaching about how it's your world and that this is more collaborative storytelling than a player vs. dm game. I think I have come up with a way to really put that to the test. Particularly since we don't meet as often as we would like. Caldor is a very big place. Very open with only a few places set up. I am thinking that, if you would like, as players you could design or brainstorm or place something in the world you would like to see. It could be tied to your backstory or not. I am wide open and would really enjoy it. It can be as detailed or vague as you wish as elaborate as an adventure as big as a city or as simple as a weapon or as small as a pixie's dagger. If you would like me to dm it I can, if you would like to dm it I think we have the players that would be supportive and understanding to try it. I guess i am saying that, at your leisure, you could come up with something you think might be a hoot to play, suggest it, design it, dm it, play it, whatever. It can be as close to the main story or as distant as you want. It is hard for me to convey this idea in written form. An example would be, lets say fictitious pc zeke decided he wanted to be from a town in Kangor jungle and he and his party returned there. all the buildings in the place and the movers and shakers of the town were of zeke's design. I would be perfectly ok with that. Or Zeke had designs on a long lost weapon of particular importance and designed a demon's lair to hold such a thing and and chose to dm it for his party. Again perfectly ok with me. I don't want you to think that I am fresh out of ideas, as I said if you want to see this particular campaign out to the end you will have to be around 30th level. I am trying to keep it fresh and maybe involve the pcs a bit more in their world. These aren't one offs, if you dream it, it will be a part of Caldor eternally..well until something destroys it. It isn't mandatory and is a standing invitation, you can choose to take advantage of this or not. Basically the sky is the limit. As I said really difficult to describe what I am trying to confer here. Hopefully you get the idea. If not questions are always welcome.