Carrion Crown Blues: Broken Moon

Game Master Kartari

*Does happy dance of happy welcoming!* (^_^)

Wishin' every one all'a very bestest!

Thanks!

Ok, I fought together with people that had animal companions before. The Magus thinks

All of their animals had a thing to do in order for them to see you as an ally, even if their handler wasnt around... his mental monolouge continues

The Arctic tiger Sir Pounce demanded a regular tribute of hams, tubby rubs and funnily enough coffee. Pretty easy to achieve. The Magus reminiscens

The Irriseni dire bear sarge? Qlippoths beneath bugger my lovelife, I still feel my liver from losing that drinking contest. Victor remembers with a degree of dread.

That way too intelligent velociraptor Professor Pounce? Unrelated to the aforementioned Sir Pounce, I swear different people just come up with the same naming conventions indepenently of each other...
I mean, reading him Galtese philosophical treatises on liberty was actually rather chill and relaxed. He tried pretty hard to get literate himself, but just couldnt do it.

He looks at Sunnys large friend who is currently tanking some sun on a nice looking rock.

I have a precognition that it will be hugs.

*In reply to Victor's post*

Chauncy will more be a mode of transport or something useful to shove a pole-arm through a bad guy kind of thing. Yes, they might be called on a bit more than that but myself, as a player, am still feeling out the ropes when it comes to animal mounts and companions. They aren't usually my 'Bag'.

Chauncy is there more because the original inspirational fantasy art image from V Segrellise has a warrior/barbarian riding a giant snek... ^^;

Much cheers to everyone! (^_^)

Aleks now has an updated story and personality as well as full stat sheet, I just haven't bought all of my mundane items yet!

He ended up being more utility focused than I initially expected so that is not the highest priority for him followed by depuffing and buffing!

Okay, Brias is ready for inspection!

Sorry for the delay; I was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer number of options for gear. I worked out his backstory, spells, and hexes weeks ago, but I froze up when actually picking the stuff he would carry around.

*Nods*

I know, right?

Is always hard pickin' tha' shiny whut ye think ye might need. At the higher levels there's just so much t' choose amongst.

Wishin' every one all'a very bestest! (^_^)

Thanks for the "ease of perusal" posts and updates, candidates!

I'll set the final decision date to Sunday, July 23, which is in exactly three weeks from the time I am now posting. I'll be on vacation from July 8-16 (I'll try to peek in, but no guarantees), so this should give us all adequate time. I've asked all the current players to message me their choices by Saturday, July 22nd, the latest, which should give me a day to give a final review and announce the decision.

And no worries if you've not gotten 100% of your mundane gear worked out. Though you should have completed back stories and all stats including gear all worked out in your profiles, of course, if anyone wants to reserve maybe 25 gold or even 50 for the time being in order to figure out a few mundane things later, that should be fine. So if you wanted to make very minor gear changes even on game start day, like "Oh I forgot to buy a compass...", I'd be fine with that. As long as you're not making significant changes.

Best of luck!

Have a great holiday!

I was reading through all the backstories and got excited about them so I figured I’d put together an easy list with a one line description of each character!

Aleks Vane: A haunted human psychic endlessly seeking vengeance for a long past horrible wrong.
Brias: a “human” witch healer who helps all those who seek him in the Shudderwood taken aback by the changes to it.
Fulk the Red: A half-orc draconic sorcerer who has been cast out of every home he knew searching for a place to belong.
Idari-lucien: A Tiefling Wizard taken in by the Green Faith on a new mission.
Mauhul and Halmash: An Orc Shifter chosen by the god of death to protect their sanctity joined by a corrupting Worg
Professor Rokannon: A human wizard who has long served as an academic exclusively pushed by the death of a friend to do field work.
Smaranda Zografu: A Dhampir Monk who’s early life in the slums of Ardis harderned her well past the point that would break many others.
Tristan Luckbringer: A human bard of Desna safeguarding the forest for travelers of all sorts.
Victor Vladimirovich Khrabrov: A human magus with a blade under the influence of the Abyss.

Lots of really interesting concepts, Good luck everyone and have a good holiday GM!

Those are each compelling selling points, thank you Aleks, :)

Feel free to PM if you should have any questions about Mauhul or his "wolf" and good luck all

Thanks, Smaranda! And nicely done, Aleks. :)

*Walks in carrying a sheaf of papers.*

*Coughs a little*

Ahem.

Contestedant tha' firstest.

Ye is jus' walkin' along an' ye comes across a poor little ptortis on its back. Lil' flippers...

*Peers at papers, absently scratches her blond mop..*

Here, does Ptortises has flippers...?

*Shakes her head gathering her thoughts.*

Ahem. Ye sees a poor lil' pturtle lyin' on its shell. Lil' flippers wagglin' in'a air. Whut is it ye likely ta' be doin'?

*Finshes looking at the papers she's been holding and casts her large, blue eyes towards the arranged characters expectantly.*

(^_^)

Idari-lucien's blue eyes look up at the approaching blonde. The Tiefling's mouth turns from a smile to a frown, as she begins oration an apparent test question to those being recruited.

The Wizard reaches into his haversack, producing a large volume and begins paging through it.
Little ptortis, little ptortis. I knew that I should have purchased the Scroll of Comprehend Languages!

”Depends. How hungry am I?”

Sunny skips closer to Idari, leaning in a little.

Is okeys. As long as ye be knowin' what tha' critter wiff tha' legs an' a shell is kind'a lookin' like. She offers, obviously trying to be helpful. She looks to everyone.

So, a turtle is like, uh, a lizard? She frowns as she tries to put words to critters to help describe the shape.

But is got a big shell on they's back and tummy. She glances at the gear people have on display. Like they's wearin' a shield thingy

How about that? No one's into 'Sword and board'. Interesting

There's the type whut swims around in'a ocean an' then there's tha' type whut walks about on islands. She tilts her head. They's kind'a slow... She steps back.

"Any who. Whut is it ye be doin' wiff tha' critter there, wagglin' up at ye?

Sunny simply nods at Fulk's reply. Aye, Kin does be eatin' a big ones sometimes. Not a lot nor often, though. They's lots'a things in'a ocean an' islands ta' be havin' fer vittles. She frowns a little.

Ye in't hungry. An' tha' lil' critter wouldn't be more'n a snack at tall. (^_^)

No stress. No hurries. Just some impromptu interactions to help build character. (^_^)

Aleks pauses a moment taken aback by the young woman’s question and strange phrasing. He ponders and after her clarification realizes that she appears to be referring to a turtle. After another breath he pushes his disheveled hair out of his face to look Sunny up and down. He cocks his head to the side quizzically appearing to take in the girl and understand the question.

”If I were to come upon a” he pauses a moment to recall Sunny’s expression then continues ”Ptortis” imitating Sunny’s enunciation of the word ”I would take the time to lift it and carry it back to the shore, all life no matter how insignificant must be protected.” he finishes a flicker of kindness shining past the deep fatigue that normally plays across his face. His compassion for life standing firmer even than his quest for vengeance or struggles along that path.

Brias looks up at the elf woman and furrows his brow as he follows her words.

"A turtle? Yes, as Aleks says, cruelty is wrong, and we do not kill when it is not necessary."

The orc huffs. "Life is precious, indeed. Whatever I need do to ensure I live, I will do. I may not hunger now, but I will soon. You say it is small, not good eating. I say every morsel counts. I would pocket the turtle and continue on, or I would feed it to my wolf, for he hungers always."

Sunny nods and smiles at Aleks, Brias and Mauhul's reply.

(^_^)

"Okay, sure. If the wolf is going to eat it, then, yeah. Dog's gotta eat."

Sunny frowns at something between Brias' and Mauhuls' comments.

Iz that one'a them two words fer one thing sort'a thing, then?

Shifting the scene a little...

Smaranda sees the struggling creature from a long way away, at first trying to puzzle out what she was seeing (is that a beetle? no, too big), then pondering what to do with it. She does so without neglecting what she was here for, why she was walking ahead of the caravan, eyes darting to the sides and above as she looks for danger - even as her mind turns the questions over.

Should she pass by and ignore it, let nature take its course? Should she flip it? Should she pick it up? It was too small for a meal, but perhaps it would grow bigger?

Smaranda glances back, to where the wagons of the traveling troupe are slowly trudging, laden with the props and the tents and everything they had.

Lidia would know what to do with it.

Smaranda defers decisions to others. :P

kn nature untrained: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Oh, a Ptoris? Is it male or female and also what time of the year is it in terms of their mating cycles? The Magus asks

If I recall correctly, they very frequently make new shells, which sell for a pretty penny, and the males can be induced to discard their current shell and make a new one by showing them an attractive Ptoris female! Their shell colors are particularly vivid if they absorb various heavy metals or other toxic polutants in them, meaning that they essentially act as a decontamitant! They are great for undoing damage to enviromentally ravaged areas. Very useful little things! And one shouldnt eat them unless one wants to have some heavy metal poisoning! The Magus rattles off a somewhat sensical world salad

Uh, what was the question again?

Sunny 'Ooohs' and 'Aaahs' at Victor's exposition. However, she does look thoughtful for a moment.

I dun't remember them pturtles sheddin' none, though. Like, they's crabs whut do that. Then again tha' world truly be an amazin' place. (^_^)

Shifting the scene a little...

Smaranda sees the struggling creature from a long way away, at first trying to puzzle out what she was seeing (is that a beetle? no, too big), then pondering what to do with it. She does so without neglecting what she was here for, why she was walking ahead of the caravan, eyes darting to the sides and above as she looks for danger - even as her mind turns the questions over.

Should she pass by and ignore it, let nature take its course? Should she flip it? Should she pick it up? It was too small for a meal, but perhaps it would grow bigger?

Smaranda glances back, to where the wagons of the traveling troupe are slowly trudging, laden with the props and the tents and everything they had.

Lidia would know what to do with it.

Smaranda defers decisions to others. :P

Well t'is an' interestin' thought

(^_^)

Shaking his horned head, as he replaces the volume into his haversack, Idari-lucien proceeds to calmly step to the apparently injured (and most likely miserable and embarassed) turtle. Assessing it's situation, the Arcane Warden gently kneels down (slowly reaching into his Chirurgeon kit) to begin administering some turtle aid.
Heal(Wis): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18

The turtle shell is connected to the turtle. Check!

The Tiefling's gentle administration allow an anxiously awaiting turnover turtle to tout its tuckuss by to the tiny hole it crawled out from....

Watching his patient progress away, the Tiefling stands and smiles at the excitable blonde.

Sunny frowns at something between Brias' and Mauhuls' comments.

Iz that one'a them two words fer one thing sort'a thing, then?

Brias absently scratches at his neck. "Yeah, probably," he replies

Sunny gives a little bounce and claps her hands.

Yay! I is leanin' sum in'! (^_^)

Then she blinks, gasps...

Oopsie

And scrambles to pick up the scattered papers she'd been holding.

It weren't a real pturtle. It was one a them, y'know, thinkin' games, like. (^_^)

Just a plausibly deniable bump.

A row of clay turtles of various wetness levels is arranged in front of a puddle. Smaranda's thin arms are caked to the elbows, and the girl is thoroughly engrossed in her work, a deep frown of concentration creasing her face.

The unfinished turtle in her hands is almost done, just the neck and head need to be attached. She blows a sharp gust of air upwards, momentarily shifting her dark hair out of her eyes. Nearby, a frog watches the proceedings from under a fern leaf, its tongue flicking out every now and then to catch one of the many buzzing mosquitoes.

The time of reckoning is nigh... :)

I'm expecting an active weekend BTW, so the announcement will probably be posted Sunday night rather than earlier (in US Eastern Time, that is).

A row of clay turtles of various wetness levels is arranged in front of a puddle. Smaranda's thin arms are caked to the elbows, and the girl is thoroughly engrossed in her work, a deep frown of concentration creasing her face.

The unfinished turtle in her hands is almost done. Just the neck and head need to be attached. She blows a sharp gust of air upwards, momentarily shifting her dark hair out of her eyes. Nearby, a frog watches the proceedings from under a fern leaf, its tongue flicking out every now and then to catch one of the many buzzing mosquitoes.

The tanned Elf watches from the shallow for a while. Slowly drifting closer. Eventually, when the dark-haired lass doesn't move away, Sunny steps up onto the bank settling in and beginning to help fashion the little clay pturtles. She is doing her best to find the happy medium between what the real creatures look like and what the clay is capable of holding the shape of. (^_^)

So... extra points for people who can guess the literary references from when Pturtle and ptortis appeared. Bonus points for naming the author.

Extra bonus points for references about the turtle on its back. Which film and Director. Extra EXTRA bonus points for the literary work, which was the inspiration and its author.

It's the question on the replicant test from Blade Runner (dir. Ridley Scott) that makes the replicant shoot the test-giver in the opening scene, with Blade Runner being of course a loose adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. No idea about ptortises

I was actually thinking of a scene from one of the Odysee science fiction books, a character finds a potato beetle on its back, and rather then squashing it turns it back on its feet, watching it fly away and saying "if in doubt in favor of the accused".

The time of reckoning is nigh... :)

I'm expecting an active weekend BTW, so the announcement will probably be posted Sunday night rather than earlier (in US Eastern Time, that is).

Nice!

The Decision

Drum roll please!

...............

Congratulations to our two new PCs, who are...

Brias and Fulk the Red!

Brias and Fulk, please feel free to dot and post in the Discussion thread when you get a chance. Welcome aboard!

Everyone else, this was truly a very tough decision. A few of you came very, very close in the final tally. Happy adventuring to you all, and I hope to game with you another time!