"I beg to differ," Min replied rather coldly. "This is not the jungle. If it were, you wouldn't be here, as there wouldn't be any profit in selling fire-armaments to the odd explorer who happened by once in a decade. You are very interested in taking advantage of the benefits of civilization, in the form of a town and a dock and a local authority who will back up your right to your own property should someone try to rob you, even as you sneer down your nose at it."
"Every city, every society, was once a little cleared space in the midst of a wilderness, where people got together and agreed that things like politics and education and cooperation were better than war and ignorance and every person looking out for herself. Pridon's Hearth, such as it is, exists because people believe in those ideals and are willing to work together in pursuit of them. No one came here hoping to spend their lives in a poor, disease-ridden scratch in the jungle, where people settle their differences with insults and broken bottles, and I'll not apologize or be told I'm unwelcome because I'm in favor of the colony's safety and prosperity."
"You're right - I've got no problem with it." Alleria replied, standing her ground before the wizard. "I relish the day we've got prettily paved roads and constables on every corner, because you're right, it makes things way easier for me. We're both working for the sheriff here, remember? But look around - we're not there yet, to that pretty, perfect little dream harbor. In a little while, we're trudging between a couple of muddy ruts cut through the underbrush, going to a fort where the lawkeepers, the ones who are supposed to be in charge, have gone completely silent. For all we know, they've been swallowed up by the jungle you want to pretend doesn't exist.
"I've got this place's good at heart - I want to see it grow, too. I'm a part of this now, and I'm glad to be working under the sheriff. But when you're on the trail and a jaguar jumps for you, you can't just pass that to your superior and call it good. You can't just run to your higher-ups when your cart gets stuck in a pothole five miles from anywhere and night's falling. At some point, you've got to be ready to make decisions, to do what has to be done so everyone gets through. And guess what? It's the people willing to act that rise to the top, when - if - your utopia finally wins out."
Turn 007 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
How's everyone feeling about responding to different scenes at the same time? Too confusing or OK?
Banker Baldra Sifreth assumed they were part of the new arrivals. She encouraged them to open accounts with the temple to protect their assets and invest in the community’s future. “Do you have something that you want to leave here for safekeeping?”
Action 2
Nsizi's hand went straight to the bulge under his neswambi. He carried the wealth of the tribe, and if anything happened to it, or to him, then the chances of purchasing medicine were lost. However, it had never occurred to him not to simply carry it on his person, as that is how things were done in the savannah."Forgive my ignorance," he said to the aged kuhani, "I know little of these customs. If I were to leave something important with you, how does that work? Where do you keep it? What must I pay?"
tag banker
Turning to his new companions, he said, "I don't intend rudeness, but I must ask - is this safe? Have any of you done such a thing before?"
tag others
Action 3
Somewhat concerned by the woman's behaviour, Nsizi decided for the moment to ignore it. Instead, he said, "Greetings, Bibi Heri. I am Nsizi, of the Bas'o. I have travelled far to speak with you. The children of my tribe are ill; they fall asleep and cannot be roused, except briefly to take water or broth. Many months they have not woken. I have come to ask if you have heard of such an illness before, and if you have any medicine you think might help."
tag heri
"I believe it is safe, it seems banking is an important part of their faith, and it is easier for a mishap to befall a small group rather than a large one - though there are few absolutes in life," Akosua replied to Nsizi, as she glanced about suspiciously.
"For the moment we would wish to exchange this bill or writ for smaller ones. Probably the smallest ones you are able to provide given we must split and make change from this - and are told merchants may not be able to do so?"
Akosua enjoyed the rain revelling in it and turning her face up into it frequently, she had always felt at home in the water and longed for the day her goddess would gift her the power to swim beneath the waves like some of her relatives.
She looked over the poultices on offer with interest asking before responding to the strange halfling, "We are, I am Akosua a student herbalist. As well as the greater matter of Nsizi's tribes suffering we have agreed to visit the Fort to check on things, and the Sheriff informed us you might have something you wish of us given we are heading that way? And what is this special medicine, an intoxicant, or the bark of this famous tree you are rumoured to have discovered?" There was no judgement in her tone at the last only keen interest.
"Forgive my ignorance," he said to the aged kuhani, "I know little of these customs. If I were to leave something important with you, how does that work? Where do you keep it? What must I pay?"
The Abadar cleric was glad to be teaching something of her faith, "We will keep it safe for you in our vault until you desired it. I would also give you a formal writ stating the amount of money you left in the vault."
She then added, "As this is a very important service we provide, we expect some money from you so we can maintain and improve our safety and facilities. This usually amounts to 2% per year."
Action 3
Somewhat concerned by the woman's behaviour, Nsizi decided for the moment to ignore it. Instead, he said, "Greetings, Bibi Heri. I am Nsizi, of the Bas'o. I have travelled far to speak with you. The children of my tribe are ill; they fall asleep and cannot be roused, except briefly to take water or broth. Many months they have not woken. I have come to ask if you have heard of such an illness before, and if you have any medicine you think might help."
The halfling looked out into space for a second, "I haven't heard of that. Is there a way to look at the children to see what other symptoms they show?"
She looked over the poultices on offer with interest asking before responding to the strange halfling, "We are, I am Akosua a student herbalist. As well as the greater matter of Nsizi's tribes suffering we have agreed to visit the Fort to check on things, and the Sheriff informed us you might have something you wish of us given we are heading that way? And what is this special medicine, an intoxicant, or the bark of this famous tree you are rumoured to have discovered?" There was no judgement in her tone at the last only keen interest.
"Good to meet you... Akosua."
The halfling then focused for a moment, "The fort yeah. I rely on some of the militia to gather jungle plants and herbs for me." She quickly wrote down a list, "If you're out there, keep an eye for these. I have an... amazing reward if you get them."
She then sort of spaced out again.
She then added, "As this is a very important service we provide, we expect some money from you so we can maintain and improve our safety and facilities. This usually amounts to 2% per year."
Nsizi did not have much of a head for numbers, but 2 seemed pretty low. Reluctantly he nodded. He didn't want to part with the pouch that had been entrusted to him, but he knew that it was a small miracle that he hadn't been parted from it by force. "Yes, I will entrust something here to you."
The halfling looked out into space for a second, "I haven't heard of that. Is there a way to look at the children to see what other symptoms they show?"
The dark-skinned man shook his head. "No, they are all far to the north. But I have some healing skill, and examined many. There is no sign of fever, nor pain. Their arms and legs are relaxed, and can be easily moved. It looks like normal sleep, except they cannot be wakened."
Tag Heri
Nsizi leaned over and looked at the list the small healer had provided to Akosua.
Akosua looked over the list, in her long study of herb lore she was more familiar with the plants of the sea, but most of the list seemed familiar, "Is this also know as Mung Root? I think I recall the name being applied? Can you describe the leaves of this, I have only seen it in dried form so I am no sure I would recognize it well fresh. Otherwise there should be no problem."
OOC:
It's just, you know, herbs, wild flowers, lichens, roots. Work with me people! :)
I'll get both of these during the turn recap.
The dark-skinned man shook his head. "No, they are all far to the north. But I have some healing skill, and examined many. There is no sign of fever, nor pain. Their arms and legs are relaxed, and can be easily moved. It looks like normal sleep, except they cannot be wakened."
She swayed on her feet and appeared to be looking at the ceiling for an answer, "Hard to say. I haven't heard of this sleeping sickness before. Some of the local tribes are said to have powerful medicine men among them. Maybe they can help."
tag?
While I wait for my other players to post... :(
I'm going over PC sheets. :)
Nzisi:
your hit points are 13 (8 max, 3 toughness, 1 CON, and 1 favored bonus). No other comments.
Minercuria: no comments on PC sheet
Alleria: no comments on PC sheet
Zelkja: I think you used 21 points for stats so you may want to lower your wisdom from 13 to 12; no other comments.
Akosua: your feats are: extra channel and channeling force and your channel energy is 7/day (your PC sheet shows them correct in some places and different in others); no other comments
Marcallon: you forgot to add your Martial Flexibility ability; no other comments on the PC sheet.
How's your situation coming?
While I sympathize with you, it's not a good idea to bring along a PC if the player is not available.
Therefore, if you're not 'here' when the group sets out to the fort, you'll be left at the colony.
Akosua: your feats are: extra channel and channeling force and your channel energy is 7/day (your PC sheet shows them correct in some places and different in others); no other comments
Mirya had a bit of trouble getting around, “Well, pleased to meet you all. Did you just come from the boat? You have to tell me all about Sargava…”
Zeljka grunted, "Sorry but I was only in Eleder and it wasn't for long. I came from far north. The only news I have is the storm that happened while we were at sea. What about you? The sheriff made it sound like you had news for us before leaving for the Fort."
tag Mirya
Zelkja: I think you used 21 points for stats so you may want to lower your wisdom from 13 to 12; no other comments.
Akosua: your feats are: extra channel and channeling force and your channel energy is 7/day (your PC sheet shows them correct in some places and different in others); no other comments
So, would it not be 9/day?
Mirya had a bit of trouble getting around, “Well, pleased to meet you all. Did you just come from the boat? You have to tell me all about Sargava…”Zeljka grunted, "Sorry but I was only in Eleder and it wasn't for long. I came from far north. The only news I have is the storm that happened while we were at sea. What about you? The sheriff made it sound like you had news for us before leaving for the Fort."
"Well, well, well. You're not having a good day, are you now?"
She shook her head, "That's the problem with you young ones today. All business and no time to chit-chat. Ok, you can at least tell me about the new colonists. Any sophisticated older gentlemen looking for a local lady with experience in the amatory arts?"
tag?
Mirya had a bit of trouble getting around, “Well, pleased to meet you all. Did you just come from the boat? You have to tell me all about Sargava…”Zeljka grunted, "Sorry but I was only in Eleder and it wasn't for long. I came from far north. The only news I have is the storm that happened while we were at sea. What about you? The sheriff made it sound like you had news for us before leaving for the Fort.""Well, well, well. You're not having a good day, are you now?"
She shook her head, "That's the problem with you young ones today. All business and no time to chit-chat. Ok, you can at least tell me about the new colonists. Any sophisticated older gentlemen looking for a local lady with experience in the amatory arts?"
tag?
Zeljka's brows creased giving her the appearance of a unibrow as she thought about how old the new colonists may have been. She always had a hard time figuring out how old humans were. "Maybe not old enough but there were certainly gentlemen on the ship. One of them plans to become the 'papaya king' of Pridon Hearth. Maybe he would be to your liking?"
"Banker, who is the governor of this colony?" Min asked.
"You said you studied in the north. Where?"
"In Avistan. In Korvosa. Which is in Varisia." She smiled. "I never know how much detail to give. Are you familiar with the northern continent?"
"Maybe not old enough but there were certainly gentlemen on the ship. One of them plans to become the 'papaya king' of Pridon Hearth. Maybe he would be to your liking?"
"I have to warn you," Min put in, "everything he has is a loan from his father. Perhaps you ought to inquire after the Papaya King Senior?" She turned to Zeljka thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her lips. "There was that Mr. Blackwell, the prospector, although his retinue seemed a little on the rough side."
"You said you studied in the north. Where?""In Avistan. In Korvosa. Which is in Varisia." She smiled. "I never know how much detail to give. Are you familiar with the northern continent?"
"More familiar with the north than here. I grew up in Magnimar so I know Varisia."
tag?
"Maybe not old enough but there were certainly gentlemen on the ship. One of them plans to become the 'papaya king' of Pridon Hearth. Maybe he would be to your liking?""I have to warn you," Min put in, "everything he has is a loan from his father. Perhaps you ought to inquire after the Papaya King Senior?" She turned to Zeljka thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her lips. "There was that Mr. Blackwell, the prospector, although his retinue seemed a little on the rough side."
Zeljka shook her head, "I would stay clear of Mr. Blackwell. Anyone who has six rough men around him is up to no good." Then for Mirya's sake she added, " And I think the last name of the Papaya King was Menius. He seemed to think he was important."
She swayed on her feet and appeared to be looking at the ceiling for an answer, "Hard to say. I haven't heard of this sleeping sickness before. Some of the local tribes are said to have powerful medicine men among them. Maybe they can help."
Nsizi bowed his head respectfully. "I am grateful, Bibi."
It's just, you know, herbs, wild flowers, lichens, roots. Work with me people! :)
Alleria started to speak up...then came to a somewhat jarring realization. I've got nothing to leave behind...I spent all I'd saved up just to make enough ammunition to buy me a few days' time to get set up...I can't leave my sleeping things here and risk getting caught in the woods for a night... "Plenty soon enough," she responded to the banker's query with a confidence she didn't feel. What if I've made the wrong choice, relocating here? What if it all goes wrong and I'm left with nothing?
"Just admiring your work - and you make it look effortless. Vethorn, was it?" Alleria responded, giving the half-elf man a warm smile. "I'm hoping to spend some time getting better acquainted with your work; you and I have similar interests, and I was hoping I could pick your brain for the best supply lines for metals. Do you get most of your steel sourced from around here, or is it mostly shipped from Eleder? What about lead - is it easy to find? Are you familiar with which trees around here make the densest charcoal?"
"Also, Sheriff Praet sent us - she said you might have something that needed doing up toward Fort Breakthrough? Myself and some others are headed in that direction, if you had an errand that needed running."
It's just, you know, herbs, wild flowers, lichens, roots. Work with me people! :)
LOL
BTW, I'll be recapping later today and moving this party along towards the fort...
Questions?
Game on!
Turn 008 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
All the places visited so far as well as the maps are in the campaign tab in this website.
On my tablet but can post link later if needed.
I just added: 1. Countinghouse of Abadar.
Questions?
Game on!
Having examined the herbs in detail and ensured she could pick them out, as well an inquired about the most suitable spots to find them Akosua nodded, "I think this shall not be a problem Heri, we will get your herbs. Do you have anything you might advise us to take into the Jungle, perhaps something to ward off Malaria?"
When they returned Akosua raised a hand in greeting to the rest of her new companions, I am glad women out number men, they will not risk anything with such a balance.
"Heri merely wished for us to pick some herbs for her, which grow near the Fort. Myself and Nsizi here have seen all of them so identifying them should not be a problem, and I am used to gathering plants. What of the other requests?"
Action 1:
What of the other requests?
"Mirya at the Emporium has seedbags and letters to be delivered to the Witterwil farm. It's on the way to the Fort. And she gave us this for our trouble." Zeljka placed half of the banana cream pie on the table. "Sorry. I got hungry on the way back. It's very good."
tag everyone
Action 2:
Thunder rumbled in the distance again. "We can leave now and make it to the farm by nightfall. Mirya said they'd likely put us up. We'd just get wet."
When Jonas came to tell them about their rooms, Zeljka asked, "Are rain storms common here? Just wondering if the rain will stop by tomorrow."
tag Jonas
Thunder rumbled in the distance again. "We can leave now and make it to the farm by nightfall. Mirya said they'd likely put us up. We'd just get wet."
As he licked pie from his fingers, Nsizi found himself nodding to Zeljka's plan. He liked the idea of breaking the walk up. "To be honest, I am weary and would prefer to stay the night here. But if you all prefer to go today, we can leave soon and go to this farm."
Having examined the herbs in detail and ensured she could pick them out, as well an inquired about the most suitable spots to find them Akosua nodded, "I think this shall not be a problem Heri, we will get your herbs. Do you have anything you might advise us to take into the Jungle, perhaps something to ward off Malaria?"
The peculiar halfling came back to her senses, "Yeah, I got just the thing."
She went back to her shop and came back smiling, a palm leaf in her hand, "Here. It keeps away the mosquitoes. No charge."
tag?
Action 2:
When Jonas came to tell them about their rooms, Zeljka asked, "Are rain storms common here? Just wondering if the rain will stop by tomorrow."
tag Jonas
Jonas cocked his head and tried not to sound too condescending, "Well ma'am, we are in a tropical area so yes, rain is fairly common. However, there's a nasty storm brewing off the coast that just doesn't seem to blow over. We're hoping our local weatherman is right and the storm will turn into a little rain."
He looked outside, "It will probably be raining tomorrow but it's dry inside, right so cheer up."
tag?
MOVEMENT
Yes, the 3-hour walk for moving at 30' turns to 4.5 hours when moving at 20'. So overland movement as well as 'combat' movement will be affected.
It's not a deal breaker as usually the shorter races walk at 20' but it's true that we don't have any in this party.
If you want, you can reconsider your curse and/or class. Have you looked at the shaman class?
Questions?
Game on!
Yes it seems that way, doesn't it? :)
Game on!
where are my two(three?)other players?
I want to recap and move this along later today...
"I would prefer to leave today, they may need help, or we may find the need to seek out signs of what has happened at the Fort, if the worst has, and in either case a day could make a large difference. A little rain never hurt anyone, and we have no guarantee it will be dry tomorrow."
Half of the pie may have been gone...but half was still there, and that was way better than none. Alleria reached forward for one of the remaining slices of pie, licking the gooey yellow remains off her fingers with gusto (and with a furtive glance at Minercuria). Vethorn's asked us to look after a shipment he sent out a little while back but never got paid for - he's looking either for the cash or the goods returned to him. He's offered us a discount on weapons for the trouble - damn good of him.
The rain wasn't exactly raising Alleria's spirits...but sitting around at town didn't accomplish much. I'm liking the sound of getting going now - Sheriff Praet sounded kind of anxious, and any walking we do today's less we've got to do tomorrow. Plus, the longer it rains, the deeper the mud's going to get. If we've got a place we can get to this evening, it seems like the best way to go.
OK, fair enough. I'd still like to recap later today but will wait until tomorrow if I have to. :)
BTW, it looks like you are going to the fort this afternoon but it's not clear to me whether you are stopping at the farm on the way there or on your way back.
Without stopping and with Nsizi's current travel time, you will arrive at the fort late evening/early night.
Questions?
Game on!