Darkest Corners volume 2

Game Master Harakani

+1 on previous theories.

But a trough investigation of the lair as well as questioning of the victims (once they are capable) should help the picture a bit.

But while the whole 'torture to feed wisp' seems reasonable - the 'to death' seems less so. Wouldn't it be less of an hassle to keep them alive instead of having to replenish the captives?

Maybe there is some extra stuff to it - maybe not.

If you've lived as long as this wisp, the normal stuff doesn't cut it any more.
You go closer and closer to the edge, until finally, you push past the border and break free of all constraint.
Simply dying and afraid is standard fare...absorbing their final moments as they draw their terminal breath, that's the stuff wisp dreams are made of.

Or, there's more to it ;) Either way works for me ^_^

Yeah, you've got it :)
Sacrifices started with animals, then single people, then multiple people. The energy was used to somehow incubate baby wisps. The trouble was that the baby wisps didn't have enough control, and kept killing people.

Soooo....do we need to mention in our report that about 300 murderous baby-wisps scattered into the winds and will likely, invisibly, start killing anything they consider close to death?

Baby wisps are waaay easier to kill than mama wisp backed up by high level wizard.

And baby wisps are way dumber and by the looks of it much less coordinated. Sure it might be a problem once they grow up but right now I doubt they manage to ritually murder anyone.

So Ophelia is leaning towards mentioning it (it is protocol after all!) but if we don't want to just make up some semi-legit reason and mumble something about 'culture' or something and she'll probably go blank :P

Speaking of things that may bring trouble in the future - the book of dark wisp secrets gleamed by torturing people.

Something we want to pass along?

(Once again a question Ophelia feels 'yes' in if only due to protocol. But me as a player is actually having some doubts. Depending on the actual contents of the book of course... :P)

If we tried to keep every dark magic secret away from unscrupulous mages in our government, we'd need to raze the city we're in to the ground. What's one more lawn chair on the titanic?

true :P

Isama figures the people higher up will use it to learn how to protect from such things in the future. Sunny Bright Optimistic Naive Isama.

So I figure that means I don't get to be mystic, learning the journals dark secrets during the night, guard duty during the day?

I do find amusing what different views we represent on the matter ^_^ - Mia would never hurt innocents for this but would probably really prefer studying the book by herself-

Happy Easter everyone.

Ditto. May the easter-bunny have bought you a plentiful bounty.

And if some of you don't celebrate easter; may the fact that some people insist that bunnies lay eggs be of amusement to you :P

Hey, it's an ancient festival of the fertility goddess(debatable, possibly simply fertility customs as part of a spring festival named that way) Ēostre(Easter)/Ostara(Ostern(german)), namesake of oestrogen, with an egg as origin of live and a hare as symbol of fertility.
That whole Jesus things just overwrote that during the rebranding of religious holidays.

So, yay fertility, yay eggs, yay rabbits.
Also, I'm fun at parties

If we are talking strange fertility rituals I got only this to add. Traditional midsummer pole to *uh* fertilize the ground ... :P

Okay.
Wizard and book handed over.
Baby wisps reported but underplayed.
Prisoners rescued.
Prisoner had barely anything left - about 20 silver and 20gp worth of furniture. There's another 40 silver on the Prisoners if you want to loot them. The glasses are worth a fair bit, of course, but will need to be turned in.

This is a major success. Everyone's budget goes up by 5K each.
I will try to get the time together to start writing a wrap-up/intro for the next module.

Anything people need resolved/done before then?

What happens to the apartment itself?

I imagine it gets cleaned up and the owner has someone else pay for it.

Or, he doesn't clean it up after seeing the report, and instead sells tours into the macabre killing chamber of a wizard madman who's killing spree would have consumed the whole city if not for the heroic guards who brought him down-

With our much-deserved budget increase...at what budget level are we exactly?(I done messed up...by mostly picking situational and temporary stuff on lease from HQ for that last mission, I failed to put the last "new limit" into writing...so I currently have ???+5000 in funds ;) )

Ah, 21000 I believe.
And yeah, I see that tour happening as well.

Isama kinda wants to put the word out to see if there is interest in setting up an informal Druid's Circle in the city. Wants to go down to the sewer with some sun rods to clear out that dark fungus. Help the sewer people out.

Aye, as for what we're getting done, I assume I'll spend equal amounts with Victor, Ophelia, and in the Library.
Tinkering, Learning, and Watching. Working, Helping, and Studying.
Also, not sure if I managed to "aquire" anything in the hideout while searching - something that could be used to support the meagre salary of a poor guard sorceress-

I think I'll buy an Eversmoking Bottle.

Good, I'll get a Decanter of Endless Water.

Through our powers combined, we can pretend to be a misty fountain. Or place both in hard-to-find places at the top of a spire, then flood the city.
Honestly, no idea what exactly I'll get, but I believe I'll get a weaponry upgrade among other things.

I'll admit, I hadn't really thought of either of those options.

I'll put the gold down as a part-payment of my Mask of Stony Demeanor...

'How typical of central to forget about me!' :P

Don't know what to spend my 5K on, maybe she'll spend it after the debrief on their next mission?

Still considering, but I'm pretty certain I'll opt for a "Lesser Designating"-Upgrade for my crossbow.
As I understand, all of you use primarily melee, and I'm pretty confident on actually hitting...juts not doing much damage. I could add an elemental effect or something, but I figure I'd actually do more good helping you guys hit(and doing more damage)-

Also, I think since it's a +2 upgrade, it's still a fair use of my discount, nothing gamey...if I was base bard, I could provide that same bonus just by talking with you guys and wouldn't need to hit something...

I'd be all set and "upgraded" for the new value. No hurry from my side, just wanted to let you know(plus keep posting as it always feels a bit weird if nobody is posting too long in a game/discussion thread -

Mkay : )

I am also all set - and in no real hurry. But I don't mind a chat either ;)

Well any suggestions for a druid with 5K to spend :)

Hmm. Those feather tokens that summons trees are quite nice. They might synergize with other stuff - and dropping trees can be useful!

But probably not 5k worth of them :P

edit: linky!

A bit on the pricy side perhaps ...

How about boots of striding and springing, if you can free up 500 of your budget...

That 20 feet-speed of yours was inconvenient a few times in the past, was it not?

I believe I'm ready to go, just got an eversmoking bottle.

No offense, Diene...but i think you are ALWAYS ready to go.
^_~

You should look into flavor options for this thing. As in, a slight fragrance of apple, with just a hint of cinnamon, and a whisk of honey.

The boots will be my next purchase I think. Will go for a dull as hell cloak of resistance +2. Turn in my current cloak for 500 GP.

Isama: "Sell back" at full price. Yeah, you guys are a bit overpowered, this is one reason.

Cool cool. Close to those boots!

Overpowered? Nah...we have more leniency on making our characters flavourful and awesome because we don't have to optimize as much ^_^

Okay, so my laptop broke today.
I've got a little time each night while I can borrow a PC.
With luck the laptop will be fixed in a few days.
Sorry all.

Sorry to hear. But hey, at least it happened during downtime after we managed to resolve the current case :)

Best of luck for getting quick and good service.

Good luck with the laptop GM. It's really rough when technology stops behaving.

I have no idea what you are talking about, Isama!

Mia should use her contacts with the slimy construct maker to help the DM out!

Well, I now have a laptop again!. SO much better...
Hopefully I'll be able to put something up soon.
Frankly, at this point I think it would be better just to get something up than something perfect. Hope you all understand.

Totally understand. But from my perspective: Take your time. In other games, I would worry about downtimes, but here, it's strangely "fitting" with "between cases" and stuff.
Plus, you were the first ones to give me a chance in a game, back then, so I'll stick around no matter what ^_^

Yeah I think we're all here so no worries.

Yep! : )

Also I can write up something distracting after dinner so you don't have to worry :P

I've got an entire line of villains I'd love to stat out.

I mean, I just came up with an idea for Springwheel Jack's Double Barrel Knife Gun Launcher.