Assault on Castle Whiterock


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Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

This is the PBP thread for Sharoths Castle Whiterock PBP.
The Discussion thread can be reached Here.

Castle Whiterock is located near the town of Cillamar in the country of Molthune, near the border of Isger. Canorate is the nearest City that is on the map. Please refer to the PF Campaign setting, page 102 - 103 for more details.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

" A Dummies' Guide to Castle Whiterock "

" Listen up you primitive screwheads!! You're all fresh and shiny from your apprenticeships and alleyways and eggshells and mercenary regimental guard duties. That's nice and cute and furry - and will get your sorry butts fragged quicker than a mind flayer snacking on an inattentive gold dragon's noggin!!

" In order to survive, I have been tasked with given you pre-packaged self-propelled field rations enough information to maybe not die fifty feet outside the town gates. Or, in some parts of town, fifty feet outside the front door of the local bar. So, since someone asked me all nice and purty-like, I'm givin' you chowderheads the following tidbits of advice.

" Lesson #1: Do not assume. If you cannot figure this one out, well ... you are monster kibble waiting to happen.

" Lesson #2: Carry a variety of weapons. Not counting whatever your fancy shmancy nancy 'weapon of choice' is, carrying just one weapon is a surefire ticket to getting the tag 'CHOW' tattooed on your forehead. Since most of you chowderheads are at least proficient with the simpler weapons, we'll stick to what almost all of you know how to use without stabbing yourself in the foot.
" Always, always carry a dagger. If nothing else, that is what you probably eat with. In a pinch, a dagger is a throwable weapon at close quarters and that dagger may be what keeps you from finding out what the inside of a gullet looks like.
" Get - at a minimum a club, or some other wooden bludgeoning weapon. A club is free, isn't too too heavy and can - like a dagger - also be thrown. They are your best weapon of last resort in melee when your pappy's fancy sword is scraping off the ribcage of a skeleton or turning into rusty flakes from some spell. And, they are free.
" Obviously, just about all of you will have a primary melee weapon you fancy. Presuming you are not familiar with a Martial Weapon, you might wish to take a close look at either the morning star or the old peasant standby, the spear. The former does two of the three basic damage types, and can take advantage of a reasonably strong person when swung two-handed. Not a bad way to finish a downed foe. The spear is cheap, can be thrown and can be set to receive a charge.
" Now, here is the lesson I do not generally see ever being learned. Carry 2 to 4 javelins for throwing as a group. That's right - all of you can probably chuck a javelin, so all of you should be packing some. It is better to go to loot your foes' corpses than it is to have to spend perfectly good cure spells and healers' kits to repair damage you could have avoided.
" Lastly, everyone should carry a projectile weapon. Barring a rash of impoverished characters, this should be the venerable light crossbow. Packing a reasonably accurate range increment, capable of being locked and loaded as you trail behind your point-snack, this gives your entire party the capability of perforating foes as they come to you. And for the love of the gawds, carry BOLTS too ... lugging around a crossbow does you no good if you don't have any ammunition.
" You will not always have a full compliment of spells and magical dooflichies available to you with which to wreck havoc and kill things. That is where the weapons come in. Unless you or your foes break them, weapons can always kill things that want to kill you.

" Lesson #3: Basic Tactics. Not counting cramped underground environments, you chowderheads are likely to encounter significant amounts of hostiles at a surprising distance. Unless you all have pointy ears, it is likely you have one or maybe two real archers in the team and the rest of you hopefully are toting light crossbows as mentioned above. Unless there is a really, really pressing reason, do not ever charge to engage your foes unless there is no alternative. Let them come to you. Fill them full of crossbow bolts and arrows. When they get a bit closer, chuck those javelins I told you to get and fill them with those too. Never assume your foes will walk to you. You may find yourselves having no terrain that is conducive to engaging in melee, so you will be forced into a shooting duel. Other times of course your bows and crossbows will be more of a hindrance than a help. Adjust, adapt and think.

" Lesson #4: Gear load management. Just because you can afford everything in the general store, the smithys and the jewellers store does not mean you should carry everything. Strive to keep your gear to as light a load as you can. The trick, of course, is bringing enough gear to survive and thrive but not so much gear that a snail can chase you down and barf on your face. Basic gear is essential. Rope, a hammer, a few spikes, a crowbar, one or more light sources, a bedroll to sleep on, a spare change of clothes, and at least two sacks to carry loot or you buddy's head back out in are crucial. Two waterskins and food are also a really good idea unless you plan to drink whatever water you can find while subsisting on your own toe fungus.

" Lesson #5: Those who learn to run away can come back and kill things to take thier stuff later. Do not be afraid to run away when the odds are pretty clearly not in your favor. As a subset of this lesson, do not charge in blindy and hope you won't get your head lopped off. Otherwise, your buddies will probably be taking your head back in a sack.

" Lesson #6: Practice, practice, practice. Develope teamwork drills. [Referring to the Teamwork Benefits from PHB 2.] You never know when you chowderheads' teamwork will figure out that something bad is behind that door or that there is a secret door none of you would have otherwise singly been able to find. Do not forget to hone a trick or two that plays up to your own unique strengths. [Referring to the skill tricks from Complete Scoundrel.] Finally, get your team's spiritual leader(s) to pow-wow about a companion spirit that shores up your weakest or most feared area. [Again, referring to the Companion Spirits from PHB 2.] The more of these kinds of things you chowderheads learn how to do, the likelier it is you will get to die of old age.

" Lesson #7: Secret intelligence that is way above your non-existent divine rank gives us some vague idea of the kinds of threats you will be facing. " [This is where they are informed of the following recommended skill bonuses to be had. The physical ones listed are the bonuses recommended after armor check penalties are accounted for. 5 or more ranks in each of the following additional Knowledge skills : arcane, local, nature, nobility & royalty, religion and the planes / Survival at about a +10 / Search at about a +10. The trapfinder/lockpicker will need about a +20 to Open Locks. The 'face' will need about a +15 Diplomacy bonus as well as about a +10 Gather Information. Spell-lobbers will want at least some modicum of Spellcraft.
Obviously, it is not possible to have all of these skills at the higher bonuses at 1st level. But it is a clue to the players to keep in mind the kinds of things they can be expecting to have to deal with.]]

" Lesson #8: Do not let your melee guys get more than a simple move again ahead of the cleric or curative spellcasters. If you chowderheads do go charging off pell mell in order to wade into combat with a pack of little toothy goblins - and then you get your legs hacked off - the odds are it is because you charged in and left the healers too far behind to do your reckless butt any good. Think about your spacing and reach. Heck, form a shield wall with the spellhuckers packing longspears - which double nicely as 10 ft poles - jabbing the bad guys in front of you. It can prove surprisingly effective.

" That's all - now get out of my sight! I'd like a pleasant memory to go to sleep with tonight. "

Thanks to Turin the Mad for the initial writeup that I "Borrowed".

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

For dice rolls, please use Invisible Castle, especially since I can access it at work.

As for work, I work Monday throught Friday 4pm to midnight EST. My personal e-mail can't be accessed from work, nor can my books or some of the web sites that we may eventually need. Please keep that in mind when it becomes time to "torture the DM!" ~grins~

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

We will be having 7 players in this game. All will start out at level 1. Everyone playing on this PBP please send me an e-mail requesting the map for the Town of Cillamar. ~grins~ Thank God for PDFs and e-mail. I will get some more info on the town tomorrow. Hopefully the Hardcopy of Castle Whiterock will be here too by the time I am done with work. I so prefer hardcopies to PDFs for some things.

~sighs tiredly~ Tiem to get some sleep. Take care everyone!


M Gnome Bard/1st

Pokes head in and looks around

~whistling~


~ whistles back ~


Male Underfolk Spell Thief 1

Sharoth, help me out. What brings someone like Brother Seamus to a town like this?


The food.


Male Silver Dragon
Brother Seamus wrote:

Sharoth, help me out. What brings someone like Brother Seamus to a town like this?

Working on it. My guess is that you were sent there. Perhaps searching for something to help fight the Dark Fey? Or just investigating the area to see if there are any allies that you could recruit? Or jsut plain wanderlust? Why would YOU be there? Perhaps that might be an answer? I should have an answer by this evening, one way or another.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Kael,

Spoiler:
you were asked to come to Cillamar to invstigate why a fellow Whisper Gnome disapeared. He had been investigating some rumors of slavers and orcs in the area, while looking for an abandoned gnome research area. He has been missing for about a week or so when you were asked to go. Having been tired of the same places (natural wanderlust), you jumped at the opportunity to get away from your home and see new sights. You were also told to see Lady Chauntessa, proprietress of the Inn of the Slumbering Drake, and that she could be trusted.

You asked your friend, Brother Seamus to join you since you knew that he could be useful and need to get away.

Please make up a Whisper Gnome NPC, lvl 6-7. Just be forewarned, you will not see him for a while.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Merian Benvalla,

Spoiler:
your home is Cillamar and you are visiting the area after being away. You were told by your commander to see Lady Chauntessa, proprietress of the Inn of the Slumbering Drake, if you were bored. Your commander told you that he trusts Lady Chauntressa and that you should too. When you were a week away from Cillamar and Castle Whiterock, you started to get some dreams about someone calling for help and some nightmares about being trapped and being unable to escape.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Brother Seamus,

Spoiler:
You were asked by your friend Kael to join you in his investigation of a missing Whisper Gnome. Since your tallents were going to waste, you jumped at the opporuntity to not only be useful, but also see the world.

Does this sound like a good way to get you involved?

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

I will get the rest of the infor about how you all got to Cillamar and Caslte Whiterock later on tonight. But I am on a roll, so please bear with me. I will also be ready to start tomorrow, one way or another.


M Gnome Bard/1st

~Sits on bar stool and taps fingers on the bar~
"can I getta drink over here?"
starts whistling the first part of dueling banjos and looks at Kael

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Priapus wrote:

~Sits on bar stool and taps fingers on the bar~

"can I getta drink over here?"
starts whistling the first part of dueling banjos and looks at Kael

~the bartender gives you a strong ale, on the house~

I have not forgotten you. I have about 1/4 of what I want to write done, but I am at work and will hold off until I get back home.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Priapus, some of the people in the crowd start to ask you for a song or two. What do you do?


Male Underfolk Spell Thief 1

DM Sharoth

Spoiler:

While it is possible that Brother Seamus has met Kael, and formed a friendship with him, and decided to follow him to find a missing / hiding whisper gnome...that all seems fairly passive.

Seamus is probably cunning, and not one to tip his hand unnecessarily, but he's not passive. He wouldn't just hang out on the surface (or "in the colors", as he'd put it) for wanderlust or as a lark. He should be out to get something or someone.

Really, the only connection he has with the surface world is the slave traders who captured his ancestors and sold them to the ghouls. I'm leaving the details of that organization up to you, but I'm guessing they would have had some sort of necromancer or evil cleric along with them.

It's been three hundred years or so, but there are some grudges that go pretty deep.

Is that doable?

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Brother Seamus wrote:

DM Sharoth

** spoiler omitted **

Is that doable?

Spoiler:
Then how about this. You have heard rumors of some slave trading going on near Castle Whiterock. Realizing that you can't handle it on your own, you decided to constact an old friend (Kael) for some assistance. When you got to where Kael lived, you decided to work with him since he was going to investigate the same thing.

Dratted typoes!

Does that sound good?

P.S. - The Slaver connection is a good way to get you two together, if you two don't mind.

P.P.S. - And you are right about Seamus being more proactive than how I had initially thought of.


M Gnome Bard/1st
DM Sharoth wrote:
Priapus, some of the people in the crowd start to ask you for a song or two. What do you do?

~Gives a sly smile jumps up on a table and sings my little heart out~

I will make a roll when I get home

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Priapas, you are at the Inn of the Slumbering Drake in Cillamar, btw.

This will be the town that you and the rest of the gang will be staying at for most of the adventure. Whne you are not somewhere else that is!


M Gnome Bard/1st
DM Sharoth wrote:

Priapas, you are at the Inn of the Slumbering Drake in Cillamar, btw.

This will be the town that you and the rest of the gang will be staying at for most of the adventure. Whne you are not somewhere else that is!

Heck I am not sure if I know the name of the town I am in let alone the Inn.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Priapus wrote:
DM Sharoth wrote:

Priapas, you are at the Inn of the Slumbering Drake in Cillamar, btw.

This will be the town that you and the rest of the gang will be staying at for most of the adventure. Whne you are not somewhere else that is!

Heck I am not sure if I know the name of the town I am in let alone the Inn.

~laughter~ Then you had better be careful or you WILL know the name of the jail that you might be in.

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

Kael

Spoiler:

Sharoth notes that we're friends from our common journey to the surface world, or "the colors" as Seamus calls it.

Seamus is on a hunt against slavers and slave traders, and there seems to be an infestation them around Cillamar and the nearby ruins. He suggests we might be approaching the city for a common cause.

Would you prefer to enter the city boldly, or with temperance and stealth?


female human oracle of battle 4

Are we assuming ourselves to be at the Inn as we get things started here?


M Gnome Bard/1st

Singing and Making jokes about my singing ability
My rolls
"Hey…
Wooo…
Alright baby….
Ohhh…
Oh….
Yeah…
I can make the pain disappear
And I can erase the past ohh
I can make the future shine so bright
And I can make right now alright yeah
I got it you got it we got the magic girl
I got it you got it we got the magic girl
I got it you got it we got the magic girl
I got it you got it we got the magic girl
All I got is concrete all around me wooo…
But I can see the countryside
You can be rich when you’re poor
Poor when you’re rich
It can be raining and I can make the sun shine

I got it you got it we got (wooo) the magic girl
I got it (you know you got it baby) you got it we got the magic girl
I got it (I’ve got it baby) you got it we got the magic girl
I got it (You know I got it baby) you got it we got the magic girl
I know sometimes sometimes you feel no hope
But I’ve been down off that lonely road
I took whatever gift he offered me
Because I knew that he would set me free
(whoa) I got it you got it (wooo) we got the magic girl
I got it (magic baby) you got it we got the magic (woo) girl
I got it (we got the magic baby) you got it we got the magic girl
Skip
I got it you got it we got the magic girl wooo
Science they can’t prove it
But I know I can do it
I can fly
I can bend metal with my mind
I can wake up in a paradise ohhhh

We got that magic
We got that magic
We got that magic
We got that magic
Hey
We got that magic
We got that magic
Ewww
Got that magic come on
Hey
I got it you got it we got that magic girl
I got it you got it we got that magic girl
I got it you got it we got that magic girl
I got it you got it we got that magic girl
Everyday"


M Gnome Bard/1st
Merian Benvalla wrote:
Are we assuming ourselves to be at the Inn as we get things started here?

Just thought I would get the party started ~ so to speak.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Merian Benvalla wrote:
Are we assuming ourselves to be at the Inn as we get things started here?

That is my thought. However, I am trying to figure out ways for one or more of you to have known each other to begin with.


Brother Seamus

Spoiler:
I'm all about temperance and stealth. I am fragilee, like a lamp.


Female Human Fighter 1

Is there a set time when we should post tomorrow? I'm on Pacific time so I have to do the maths in my head.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Idiah wrote:
Is there a set time when we should post tomorrow? I'm on Pacific time so I have to do the maths in my head.

~shrugs~ Don't worry about it. I figure that we post when we can post. Of course, being the evil DM that I am, I will disturb your sleep! j/k! j/k!

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Good rolls Priapus! The crowd enjoys your first song, but the second brings down the house! You hear Cheers and people chanting "More! More! More!'


M Gnome Bard/1st

"I sing songs my friends, good and small, and will tell tales until the sun is up; that is as long as the beer flows"

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Aldan,

Spoiler:
You Master requested that you journey to Cillamar to investigate Castle Whiterock and the reason why summoning spells often go awry. He explained that your tallents and magical ability could help figure out what is wrong with that area. He did warn you to be careful and gave you three postions of healing for use in an emergency. He suggested making contact with Quintus, a Conjurer and alchemist for some more information. However, he did warn you that even though Quintus is a good source of information, he is sometimes an opportunist. Quintus tends to frequent the Inn of the Slumbering Dragon. Your Master also suggested that you should recruit some people to assist (i.e. guard) you from the dangers that you might face.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Idiah,

Spoiler:
(~smiles~ Sorry. I will make it up to you later!) While wandering around looking for a new home, you bumped into a pair of Cheliaxian bounty hunters. One of them noticed you as a wanted fugitive. They chased you, but you managed to slay one of them. However, the other one managed to get in a lucky shot and hit you in the back. You stumbled away and managed to evade him. Unfortunatly, you were near death. As you tried to get to somewhere that you could get healed, you heard a male voice singing in the distance. That voice was coming closer. You settled near the trail and noticed a gnome walking down the trail, singing. You called out for help and then fainted as he noticed you.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Priarpus,

Spoiler:
Wanderlust had always been in your blood. So was respect for life and a burning desire to see wrongdoers punished. Unfortunatly, wandering mistrels are often dealt with harshly if they speack out too much. So wander you must to keep your skin intact until one day you become strong enough to do something about it. Having heard some juicy rumors about a band of adventurers that had once dealt with wrongdoers and helped the area of Cillamar about 700 years ago, you decided to learn more. As you headed that way, you came across an injured woman (Idiah)with an arrow in her back. You managed to save her, but you lacked the healing power to bring her back to full health. You managed to flag down another traveller who was able to help her some. With Idiah a bit better, you took her to the nearest town which was (luckly) Cillamar. The guard let you all in and suggested the Inn of the Slumbering Drake. Lady Chauntessa took you both in and called on a favor to get someone who could heal (Merian Benvalla) to assist you. While you wait for someone to assist your new found friend, you headed to the tavern for some drinks and song.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Merian Benvalla,

Spoiler:
No sooner had you gotten into Cillamar and were settled in when you recieved a message from a Lady Chauntessa requesting that you come to the Inn of the Slumbering Drake. She needed your help with a sick person.

Do you go there?

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

I figure that today and tomorrow will be getting you together and pointed in the right direction. But I will try to get you all into the thick of things as soon as I can.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Priapus, A chubby pseudodragon looks up from his slumber, yawns, and then observes your and listens to your music. A commoner near you observes that and smiles. "It is not often that someone can rouse Ixnay. You must be good!"


Female Human Fighter 1

Idiah's eyes slowly open. The world looks fuzzy and indistinct, and very close to her face. She knows she is lying on her stomach, but all she can feel is a sharp pain that goes right through her back.

Singing...last thing I remember...someone singing...someone small...and he, he helped me up; and then we were at a wall, and there were guards. A town...and then a woman's voice? she thinks, before she closes her eyes and lets her thoughts drift with the pain.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Priapus,

Ixnay the pseudodragon stands up slowly and then streches, nuzzling against a patrons leg for a scratch behind the ear, which is quickly granted. Ixnay then slowly walks over towards you as if it is too much trouble to fly.

Ixnay - Think of a large, spoiled housecat with wings and you have the personality of Ixnay.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Idiah wrote:

Idiah's eyes slowly open. The world looks fuzzy and indistinct, and very close to her face. She knows she is lying on her stomach, but all she can feel is a sharp pain that goes right through her back.

[i]Singing...last thing I remember...someone singing...someone small...and he, he helped me up; and then we were at a wall, and there were guards. A town...and then a woman's voice?[i] she thinks, before she closes her eyes and lets her thoughts drift with the pain.

~you feel a comforting hand on your good shoulder~ Rest, brave one. You are safe here. I will watch over you. My name is Lady Chauntessa. But for now the only thing you need to do is sleep, oh brave one.


Female Human Fighter 1

Idiah listens to the comforting voice telling her to sleep. A dim memory from her past wells up: her mother's voice, long ago...she pushes the memory back into its darkness and lets her mind go blank as she falls into a deep sleep.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Idiah wrote:
Idiah listens to the comforting voice telling her to sleep. A dim memory from her past wells up: her mother's voice, long ago...she pushes the memory back into its darkness and lets her mind go blank as she falls into a deep sleep.

~Lady Chauntessa walks over to a chair and sits down, picking up a book that she starts to read, occasional looking up to check on you~

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation

Heading to bed. Sleep well everyone!


female human oracle of battle 4

Merian makes her way quickly to the Inn of the Slumbering Drake, hoping that her meager skills will be of some assistance to whoever is in need of aid. I pray that Lady Chauntessa has called for a true healer as well, she thinks, but with your strength, Lady, I will do what I can.


Male Underfolk Spell Thief 1

DM Sharoth (and Kael)

Good morning.

Spoiler:

Kael and Brother Seamus have come to town looking for any trace of slavers, and we're trying to keep a low profile: rather than ask a bunch of questions, we're keeping our heads down and our eyes and ears open.


DM:

Spoiler:

Sorry, i have no backstory yet. But i am here.

Aldan can be discribed as a tall slender male, long white hair (well groomed), green eyes, and white robes with red and gold trim. To his right side he carries a book, backback and crossbow carried on his back, and what appears to be a 'walking stick' in his left hand.

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Brother Seamus wrote:

DM Sharoth (and Kael)

Good morning.
** spoiler omitted **

(~grins~ Well, this is a old fashoned dungeon crawl, so why not start everythingat an Inn. Right?)

Brother Seamus and Kael,

~the guard at the gate greets both you and Kael polietly, having seen many an adventurer come through here. He then suggests heading to the Inn of the Slumbering Drake, located over that-a-way (~pointing in the general direction~) He does suggest that you two ignore the town drunk, Arien~

Dark Archive

Male Dungeon Master and Lord of all Creation
Aldan wrote:

DM:

** spoiler omitted **

Aldan can be discribed as a tall slender male, long white hair (well groomed), green eyes, and white robes with red and gold trim. To his right side he carries a book, backback and crossbow carried on his back, and what appears to be a 'walking stick' in his left hand.

Aldan,

~the gate guards smile as they notice you~ Hello there sir. Yous be wanting to enter Cillamar? If so, then let me suggest the Inn of the Slumbering Drake. Best damn inn around. It is over that-a-way. ~pointing in the general direction~


M Gnome Bard/1st

I will offer the little Dragon some food and a nice scratch behind the ears.

" A little one just like me."
~smiles big~

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