In Irespan's Shadow: Claws of the Kitsune and Veil of the Tempest

Game Master Reckless

Guys, I'll be formulating some questions for you over the next couple of days, and likely kick things off in Gameplay Thursday. If you have any requests, questions, input, direction, whatever, this is the place.

Feel free if you want to post in gameplay, whether in vigilante or civilian guise if you wish, or just to dot it.

Probably the first and biggest, at least until I've had some more time to think about it, is the relationship between the two heroes at the beginning. Do we know each other? Is there a growing respect? A healthy fear? Or maybe we showed up at the same crime scene once, and became friendly. Or maybe we want to play the whole thing out from scratch. Thoughts?

I was thinking it would be fun for us to meet up by accident while both attacking the same drug smuggling operation or something. Then we can have all the fun of figuring out whether or not to trust each other in the middle of beating up some thugs!

Perhaps we could go ahead and have them meet in their civilian personas while we're waiting? Well... maybe not, if today is the day Reckless is going to start the gameplay. Katla wouldn't have spoken with Andrezi even if she'd notice him looking in the window, but if he were to visit like he was thinking of they could have a little conversation.

I like it. Andrezi would probably want to visit the shrine later in the day anyway. I'll get a post in later this morning.

I think you might have heard of each other, but in the same way any other citizen of the shadow will have heard of you.... to some extent, you're just beginning your legends.

I'm good with you meeting in civilian IDs and having a chat without realizing who you're dealing with... Xihe's shrine is uniquely suited towards attracting attention.

Oooooo, foreshadowing. :)

A staple of Superhero stories :)

Oh, I'm assuming we should go ahead with our meeting in civilian guise for right now?

Yep. After giving you a few posts to have a proper discussion, you'll be getting a visitor who can help propel the plot, but I wanted to give you a chance to do your meeting.

Works for me- I figured meeting in person, even briefly, will give us a decent foundation for not FREAKING OUT later if we end up finding out each other's secret.

Also, Andrezi is genuinely pleased that there's a pretty thing in the Shadow, even if it's likely to be a target at some point. (though I pity the poor thief who tries to steal from the Fox!)

Katla has kind of planned to be robbed--that's why the only (visible) valuables in her shrine are her calligraphy works. Ultimately, if they're stolen, it's just several days' work that she's lost (and some paper and ink). If she's robbed and they turn up later... well, now she has a thread to pull...

Katla charges service for healing as much so she doesn't get mobbed by the entire Shadow as out of any need for help. If she just handed it out completely for free she fears she might have more demands for healing than she can meet, but at the same time she can't bear to turn anyone away. So she asks that those she heal do some work for her in return, and if they don't fulfill their end of the bargain... well, next time she won't heal them. She hates doing it, but feels it's the best solution she can come up with.

Wow that was a good Cure Moderate roll. XD

I don't remember if I've mentioned before, but Sunday is the only day you won't see me around here.

I'm debating if Katla should roll Sense Motive against Andrezi... she's suspicious of him, but without anything in specific to test I'm not sure she's got enough to go off of to really get anything.

Feel free. It probably is suspicious that he works out of the Shadow, and that he's walking around the roughest section of the city. alone, with what is presumably valuable items in the jeweler's case. He also appears quite sincere in his concern for the man, and was incredibly polite and formal to a man clearly well beneath him on the social ladder.

A lot of people have problems w/ rolling against other players, and while I'm not sure about Reckless' opinion, I know it's never particularly bothered me, especially in situations like this.

edit:
Oh, also, for what it's worth, Andrezi does have his Aura of Subjugation running (-4 to Sense Motive), as well as the Feign Innocence Social Talent, so it's unlikely that he'll come off as more than just an odd duck who cares a bit too much, and needs a lesson in personal security.

Katla is definitely suspicious for all of those reasons, but I think she'll wait on Harry's reaction before saying or doing anything more.

Sounds fair to me!

edit:
Oh, also, for what it's worth, Andrezi does have his Aura of Subjugation running (-4 to Sense Motive), as well as the Feign Innocence Social Talent, so it's unlikely that he'll come off as more than just an odd duck who cares a bit too much, and needs a lesson in personal security.

To The Fox lurking in Katla's mind, an overly nosey jeweler with a shop in the Shadow seems like it must be a front for some smuggling or fencing operation. Probably fencing--how could such a shop manage to fend off thieves without being in bed with them?

The fact that he seems completely honest and innocent will just convince said suspicious part of her that he's a particularly good liar... while the less suspicious part of her will be glad for a fellow appreciator of beauty in the Shadow.

That's not such a bad conclusion to make, especially since Andrezi also buys and sells antiques/oddities and other general loot from passing through adventurers. If the Fox ended up staking out Andrezi's shop, I wouldn't be surprised, and it sort of sounds completely justified.

I rather suspect something else is going to occupy her mind shortly, or she might do so.

For the sake of my sanity, I'm giving Andrezi's Shop a name: 'Opus'.

Sounds good.

I'm thinking I need to sketch out the Swan-in-Shadow's floor plan, since it's likely going to be a major location in this campaign. XD

That's not actually a bad idea. How big were you thinking it is?

A map of the Shadow might help too, in general. I've been wondering how long the walk is back to my Safehouse/Opus. Not that I mind being out of the spotlight for a bit, just curious.

Not that large, though large for the Shadow. I have the picture in my head but still haven't committed it to silicon.

I have a feeling that, the way this is structured, we'll each have times in the spotlight and times where we're waiting on the other.

Have some heavy family stuff going on these days but I should be able to get some posts in tonight.

I sketched out roughly what I'm thinking of for the Swan-in-Shadow in Paint.

Whoops... forgot to put the wash basin near the main entrance. Well, it's there.

Hmmm... here is where The Fox needs some contacts...

Oh, have I mentioned that I specifically got the combination of Slippers of Spider Climbing and a Ring of Feather Falling so that someday, should she deem it wise, The Fox could climb up to the underside of the Irespan and then jump off to drop in on someone? I don't think it will be relevant anytime soon, but... it's there.

She'll probably want a potion of invisibility for it, though.

Oh, I got another picture of Katla! This was done by the amazing Katie Hofgard. :)

Wow. That's REALLY good. :) Very nice!

Hey Reckless, how's the family stuff coming? Things getting any better?

Yes, things are settling down. Thank you both for your patience. Awesome pic of Katla there!

Didn't it turn out great? And glad things are calming down for you!

Have things not calmed down as much as anticipated? :( Or am I just being impatient?

I'm assuming this takes place some years after the events of Curse of the Crimson Throne?

Oh, the full version of Akashic Mysteries came out. I'm reading now; I'll let you know of any changes needed to Andrezi.

Hmmm... I've been realizing The Fox may have some trouble vigilante-ing without any Intimidate skill... XD

I got a new picture of Katla!

More Katla art. :D

I enjoyed the pics, Katla.

Sorry about the crash in posts over the last few weeks. Hopefully we can return to a more regular posting level.

Didn't they turn out great? Her outfit in the second picture is an idea of what her outfit might look like when she's being The Fox instead of Katla.

Hopefully so! It's annoying how Real Life always seems to get in the way of role-playing. I think it gets jealous.

er, so......

Sadly, I think we may have lost Reckless, at least from this campaign.

Guys,

Sorry for the long and unexplained absence. I'm afraid it's going to be a bit longer, and maybe permanent, but you guys deserve better.

Right now, though, I am trying to deal with wrapping my head and heart around the fact my brother was killed yesterday.

I'll be in touch eventually. Meanwhile, thanks for your participation and patience thus far.
-Stratton/Reckless

Oh, no! :( That's terrible.

Very sorry to hear. Please don't rush your process on our account.

Best,
dev

Hey Reckless, nice to see you're back on the boards. I sincerely hope you're doing as well as is possible, all things considered.

I dotted and will probably be submitting an entry for your new recruitment. Any chance you'll be picking this game back up as well, or should I plan on retiring this character/campaign?

I'd certainly be interested in continuing, if you're up for it.

(And yes, I think I already said as much in the Legendary Worlds game, but good to see you back!)

Thank You.

I think I should be able to pick this game back up with a little bit of time to re-prep. Gotta get the Crow sketch done and a few other items readied.