Alright, Wednesday is here and the last PC, Barega, is up on the campaign page; another good PC from a new Dark Sun fan. I feel good about this already. :)
OK, stay tuned because I think I have some time this morning and I'll finish up turn 000 and we can start playing.
I still have to check the crunch from Ala'a and Barega but I'll do that later (probably tonight).
Questions?
@Hayato: this doesn't preclude you from playing; you'll just start a little later after you finish your PC.
And it starts!
Turn 000 is up on the gameplay thread.
Read the OOC.
Please remember that ALL posting goes in the discussion thread.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
EDIT: It's not letting me post on the gameplay thread. Until I get that fixed, the turn is below.
---
Valsavis was taking a break from a particularly intense bout with Xaynon, dousing his head with water from a nearby well when something struck him. He looked at the open pit where they trained and swore he could make out a distinct pattern in the sand. It appeared as if their footwork had created a series of lines which formed an unmistakable script. He made for higher ground, climbing one of the village’s few rickety watch towers and upon viewing the scene was struck dumb. A clear message was written in the sand, Day 40. Urik. Crazy Erdlu Herder. He called to the other gladiators to stop their fighting. They gave him odd looks, turning to regard Xaynon who, after some hesitation, waved them off. The fighters shrugged their shoulders, taking the opportunity to refresh themselves at the well.
After many moments spent piecing together its meaning he realized the message was from the old preserver, the man who had saved his life. Urik? In two weeks? It was a long moment before Valsavis drew breath. Fear, hatred, and sorrow raged through his body, his hands beginning to shake with adrenaline as the roar of surging blood muted his hearing. For some reason he knew that this man would have information regarding the attack.
He didn’t remember descending from the tower, nor did he recall how he had come to be in Xaynon’s hut. All he knew was that it was dark out when Xaynon opened the tent flap and interrogated him about his odd behavior earlier that day. He told Xaynon about how the old preserver had saved his life at the scene of the attack and how he had spent days innumerable nursing him back to health. And now he had received this message written upon the sands of their training grounds. It was a long while before the grizzled half-elf responded, but when he did he expressed understanding. “Here, take my bow, it has served me well and now, if the winds will it, it will taste the blood of those responsible for your torment.” The bow was very large, and had a recurve to it, making it very difficult to pull. It was carved from the femur of a mekillot and had been decorated with intricate lines and swirls, representing the fluxes of the wind. Notches ran all along its length, each one denoting a gladiator that Xaynon had put to death in the pits of Raam. He embraced Xaynon and lay down to rest, but sleep was long in coming. The next morning, he walked from the village, hoping to finally have his vengeance.
He left Salt View alone, weathering the stinging gales of Bremil Pass along the Nibenese Road before arriving at the peaks surrounding Dragon’s Bowl. From there he turned south, picking up the Great Road northward to finally arrive in Urik…
Great start!
And yes, I meant Merchant's Year although I think it's referred to as Trader's Calendar in an old supplement
BTW, I got the gameplay thread to show up but it's got everyone's 'dot'. I'll see if I can clean it up such that only the turn recaps are there. If I do clean it up and you need to 'redot', go ahead and do so but immediately delete your post.
Game on!
EDIT: They cleaned it but everyone should still be 'dotted'.
Valsavis post and Gbaji's story just kept reminding me of Spartacus.
Have you all seen that show?
Anyway, a couple of questions for Aubrey.
How old is Gbaji? When was he taken from his village (how old was he then)?
What about his sister? Older or younger?
Not sure of his age when he was taken as I'm not sure of half-gaint age categories, but he was just about a young adult - late teens equivalent. He was captured about five years ago. His sister is younger by a couple of years so she would be an adult now.
Haven't seen Spartacus, though I have seen the Kirk Douglas movie.
Not sure of his age when he was taken as I'm not sure of half-gaint age categories, but he was just about a young adult - late teens equivalent. He was captured about five years ago. His sister is younger by a couple of years so she would be an adult now.
Haven't seen Spartacus, though I have seen the Kirk Douglas movie.
I need to refresh myself on half-giant age groups myself but the information you provided was what I was looking for.
I'm trying to figure out where to 'cast' the NPCs you all have provided. I probably won't be able to use all of them in this first part but I want to follow up with at least one NPC and/or story line per PC.
I watched the first 2 seasons of Spartacus and they were great. Be warned that they are rated TV-MA and not for the faint of heart. Netflix just put them on for streaming so I'll probably watch the rest of the series.
I know it's ancient Rome (Capua actually) but some parts just scream Dark Sun, especially Balic.
Game on!
@Ala'a:
I checked your sheet and I'm good although I think you meant to have a light wooden shield as opposed to the heavy wooden shield but please confirm.
Game on!
So, i came up with a backstory for the psion, need to type it down and create an alias. No animal companion
Quick outline:
Lalali-puy, daughter of one of Uriks minor trade houses that lost a game of intrigues, the family was slaughtered or enslaved and separated as templars and rival houses took down the house. She was enslaved, suffered and developed some mental powers for protection she used freely to make her miserable life better. One day it failed though and punishment came along. Was saved by the benefactor who brought her out of the city to some nomads. Those taught her more about the way of the mind and she wandered around with them in the wasteland untill called back to Urik recently.Good start!
You do know that Lalali-puy is the name of the sorceress-queen of Gulg?
Was this intentional (and backed up in story)? If so, that's fine. If not, then you may want to consider another name.If you flesh her out by tomorrow (just fluff); you'll start with the rest of the group. If not, we'll fit you in as soon as we can.
Game on!
Wasn´t intentional, just found the name while crusing. Perhaps i can build it in still or just take another name. Should be up soon.
Rest follows!
...Turn 000 – The Summons...
Barega crept silently through the jungle, his small form nearly invisible in the undergrowth. His dark eyes scanned the trees and the forest floor as he moved.
He paused for a few moments to study a pattern of scratches on the ground, in order to satisfy himself that it had been left by an animal and not a man. The halfling reflected, with some satisfaction, that it had been a great while since one of the vile life-drinkers had attempted an incursion into this area of the borderland.
He resumed his march and his watch.
Presently, he felt a stirring. It was familiar, yet it took him a while to place it. It was the scent of copper, and of man-beast blood. A specific man-beast. It had been many years since he had scented this particular flavor on the air... not since his last encounter with Dhojakt, and with the strange man who had used the forbidden storms to drive the villain off.
Barega's hackles raised as he turned his attention more fully to the wind, and opened himself to its sending. The wind carried the scent and whispered voice of that strange man, whose inexplicable kindness had caused Barega so many troubled nights. And also other scents, the confused stench of a man-city, and that of a different man-beast, and of young erdlu. "Day 40. Urik. Crazy Erdlu Herder."
And that was all. The fickle wind changed direction, and the moment passed. The words were almost nonsense but the scents were not, and Barega was certain of the meaning. The most serious of his old debts was being called in, and he must leave at once. It would be a long journey to the fetid man-hive of Urik.
He swiftly completed the rest of his circuit, stopping occasionally to investigate a broken twig or depression in the earth, but moving with a new urgency. When his task was complete, he returned to his settlement. After stopping at his thatch-roofed dwelling to fill his pack, he made a final stop to visit Entrok, the village elder.
When Barega entered the house with his pack, Entrok knew at once that something was amiss. "My friend, what has happened?"
"The debt has been called," the younger halfling answered. "The wind blows east, I must leave at once. Horga shall keep watch in my absence."
"If it must be so. You have proven wise beyond your years, Barega, but I worry for you. It is not natural, for a person to cavort with these man-beasts so freely. Be careful when you are among them, and do not lose yourself in that accursed land."
"As you say. Though I do not cavort so freely as some!" Barega retorted, and erupted into laughter. The elder averted his gaze as his face blushed slightly. The two touched hands in parting, and Barega departed.
After he was well out of earshot from the village, Barega began to slow. He looked around himself, savoring the shades of green and brown, the scents, the faint moisture in the air. This may be the last time he ever walked in his forest -- at best, it would be a long while before he returned. There is a beauty and depth in the sand as well, but nothing is quite like home...
He jerked himself from his reverie. The sun was already low in the sky, and he had many leagues to cross yet this evening. He looked around himself a final time, spotting no predators or onlookers from the village. He grimaced slightly. His eyes lost their sharp focus for a moment, and then began to slide to the sides of his head. His flat nose elongated and hardened into a sharp bone-beak. His mottled cloak and small pack shimmered and sprouted feathers, as his toes grew talons.
This transition was momentarily unpleasant, but he was soon filled with elation as he took to the sky, being carried by the wind as he never could in his youth. An [Athasian raptor-vulture?] rose through the forest canopy, and swiftly headed east over the mountains and into the wastes beyond, its back soon warmed by the setting desert sun.
[Athasian raptor-vulture?]
Excellent! See, you have nothing to worry about. :)
An Athasian vulture it is.
Look into Terrors of Athas (from Athas.org) for a list of animals present in Athas.
Game on!
Rest follows!
Ok, I can work with this. :)
Please finish her out by writing a little bit about her personality, a couple of sentences on appearance, and finding a picture for me.
Feel free to respond to Turn 000 as I probably won't recap until Friday or Saturday. I'll just change Zazia's mumbling to:
“A young juggler, a burning elf, a halfling wind chaser, a half-giant brute, and an ex-slave girl now a master of the Way…”
Questions?
Game on!
Damn Tsuuto.
Ala'a had found her brother easily enough. The new council of freemen running Tyr didn't execute criminals with the frequency old Kalak had. As long as the crime wasn't too serious, most were given the option of working off their sins on one of the farms outside the city-walls, slaves replaced by even more desperate dregs from Tyr's shadows.
She'd used good silver to buy his remaining time, then rented a room off Shadow Square he could recover in. His idea of recovery had differed from hers - after leaving to buy bread the next morning, Ala'a returned to an empty room. She found Tsuuto hours later at the Rats' Nest, trying to cheat a table of caravan guards with some weighted dice.
Marek had been harder to find. A draqoman at the Caravan Gate said Marek had been through with a six-inix caravan four weeks earlier, but had left a few days later after emptying his packs. The caravan had headed east toward the wastes, but no one seemed to know if he was bound for Silver Springs or Altaruk after that.
Her scowl cleared a path through the throngs as she stalked through the Elven Market, hoping to find a skin of good scuppernong wine before returning to her room. Lithely weaving through the crowd, she kept a hand on her belt-pouch, expecting to feel a pick-pocket's fingers at any time. The hand that grasped her arm took her by surprise.
"Burning elf."
Something about the voice was strange, stopping Ala'a in her tracks. She turned, brushing her dark hair out of her eyes as she squinted in the early noon glare. The man before her was twisted, missing an eye and one ear. His hands were curled into useless fists, crushed, no doubt, on the steps of Kalak's ziggurat. She couldn't imagine how he'd survived since the tyrant's death.
"Day 40. Urik. Crazy erdlu herder," the beggar said, seeming to spit out each word as it crawled from his throat. He shook his head, eyes wild for a moment, then looked at Ala'a again. His eyes seemed to stare through her, but he smiled. "It is time to pay a debt ... for such a timely rescue."
Another brief smile, and the old cripple shuffled out, calling out for alms in a voice entirely unlike the one he'd just used. Ala'a stood for a moment, considering. She exhaled, long and slow, letting the hot knot in her stomach blow away like smoke.
She could do nothing more in Tyr. But Urik - she could do much in Urik. She smiled. Her steps were light - nearly a dance - as she pointed her feet toward the inn where she'd left her pack. Perhaps she'd buy a skin of scuppernong for the road.
"Yeah. He said, 'Day 40, Urik, crazy erdlu herder'. He made me repeat it so I wouldn't forget it."
"Mmm, uh huh," replied Gbaji absently, carefully stacking mud bricks in the basket. If they slipped while he was hauling them up the scaffolding he could fall, maybe taking the scaffolding with him. "So who was this guy, again?" Gbaji liked Fero. The kid was quick-witted and fast-talking - Gbaji wished he had some of that himself. The half-elf boy ran errands in this part of town, earning a few clacks for his mother here and there. Plus he didn't have a father, and this gave Gbaji some feelings of sympathy and kinship. Supposedly Fero's father had died a hero's death in the war with Urik, but Gbaji reckoned it was a lot more likely he'd just run off. Typical elf. Still, maybe Fero's mother told it that way so Fero wouldn't grow up bitter and twisted about it. She was a nice woman, always looked tired. It wasn't Gbaji's business anyway.
Fero scratched his unruly mop of black hair with grubby fingers as Gbaji hauled the basket on to his back. "Dunno, never seen him before. Old guy. Said you met in the Warrens." Gbaji snorted at this - he'd met a lot of people in the Warrens, and didn't want to see any of them again. "Oh yeah, he said, tell him 'Your father wold be proud'." Gbaji's foot froze on the first rung of the ladder. "Hey, isn't your dad dead? Hey, Gbaji?"
Gbaji was staring thoughtfully at Fero. Then he looked up at the scaffolding crawling with builders and the granary wall springing up behind it. Then he stepped back off the ladder, took the basket of bricks from his back and carefully placed it on the ground. "Yeah, thanks Fero." He reached for his shirt where it hung on a nail.
"Hey, you going somewhere? Guy gave me a five templar bit, said you'd do the same."
Gbaji looked sceptically at the boy at this blatant try-on - clearly there was something of his father in Fero after all. Then Gbaji shrugged and reached into his belt pouch, tossing the boy some ceramics which were expertly plucked from the air. "There, Fero, you earned it." He turned and began striding easily away from the building site.
"Hey, where you going?" Fero trotted after him.
"Urik?"
"What for?"
"I don't know?"
"Huh?"
"I owe someone a favour. He's calling it in."
"The old guy? Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"You're crazy!"
Gbaji stopped and looked back at Fero. A rare grin split his craggy face. "Yeah, I guess. See'ya Fero. I'll come back and tell you what happens."
Gbaji turned and pushed through the people milling in the street. Fero watched the half-giant go, head and shoulders looming above the rest of the crowd, until a potential business opportunity snatched his attention away.
"Hey! Mister!"
Two more excellent post!
OK, so I have a problem, a good problem. All four of you are great roleplayers/writers and you are quick about it. Good problem. :)
You will always have at least have 48 hours to post (after the turn comes out) and you all posted within 24.
OK, so I'll recap tomorrow night (Friday night).
This next turn will bring you all together so you'll be able to post 'with' each other.
@Hayato: This means that you have roughly 36 hours to finish your fluff and write your first post. Can you do it?
In the mean time, if anyone 'wants', I wouldn't mind hearing a little bit more about your trip to Urik.
Questions?
Game on!
By the way, Fabian, wanted to compliment you on your own writing. Nice stuff, looking forward to seeing more.
By the way, where are people based? I'm in the UK, I'm assuming the rest of you are in the US?
By the way, Fabian, wanted to compliment you on your own writing. Nice stuff, looking forward to seeing more.
By the way, where are people based? I'm in the UK, I'm assuming the rest of you are in the US?
Thank you. Stick around because there's plenty more. :)
Yes, South Carolina (US) is home for me.
Rest follows!
I've only had a chance to 'look over' your stats and I'll admit that I'm not as familiar with psionics as I should be but here a couple of preliminary comments:
- too many traits (only 2)
- too many feats
- the hero points that I use are minor (only add 1d6 to a d20 roll) and you can't use feats off of them
- magic items are not fully described
- too many powers and power points (I think)
Anyhow, let me once you are finished and I'll take a closer look.
However, work on your fluff and post. Finish them first and we'll tackle the crunch later.
Questions?
By the way, Fabian, wanted to compliment you on your own writing. Nice stuff, looking forward to seeing more.
By the way, where are people based? I'm in the UK, I'm assuming the rest of you are in the US?
Yes, I agree. Great writing by all. Just don't burn yourself out in the first week. As I'm sure most of you have probably encountered, in pbp most players start out posting pages and three weeks later it's all one sentence posts.
I had to restrain myself on Valsavis. When I write I feel like if I give one facet of the story explicit detail, then I must elevate the rest to that level of detail. It is challenging to reign myself in sometimes.
Yep, US here as well. Born and raised (and will probably die) in Maryland.
Yes, I agree. Great writing by all. Just don't burn yourself out in the first week. As I'm sure most of you have probably encountered, in pbp most players start out posting pages and three weeks later it's all one sentence posts.
I had to restrain myself on Valsavis. When I write I feel like if I give one facet of the story explicit detail, then I must elevate the rest to that level of detail. It is challenging to reign myself in sometimes.
Yep, US here as well. Born and raised (and will probably die) in Maryland.
This is not most PbP games. We all know the expectation of writing a couple of paragraphs a couple of times per week. Now we all have our busy weeks and this isn't a chore but I will 'crack the whip' if I see an issue with posting frequency/quality (without notice; I'm big on thelling peeople what's going on). And I have 'politely told people that their playing style was not consistent with the game expectations' and asked them to leave in the past.
All that said, I think you're all doing great and I have no doubts that this will be a great game.
Game on!
@Ala'a:
I checked your sheet and I'm good although I think you meant to have a light wooden shield as opposed to the heavy wooden shield but please confirm.
Game on!
I read past this earlier. It is supposed to be a heavy shield made of layered agafari, which I figured would be mechanically equivalent to darkwood. A heavy darkwood shield only weighs 5 pounds and has 0 armor check penalty.
Just to add another comment - Gbaji's healing fruit is a Cure Serious Wounds.
Rest follows!I've only had a chance to 'look over' your stats and I'll admit that I'm not as familiar with psionics as I should be but here a couple of preliminary comments:
- too many traits (only 2)
- too many feats
- the hero points that I use are minor (only add 1d6 to a d20 roll) and you can't use feats off of them
- magic items are not fully described
- too many powers and power points (I think)Anyhow, let me once you are finished and I'll take a closer look.
However, work on your fluff and post. Finish them first and we'll tackle the crunch later.
Questions?
1. Took a drawback, forgot to post it. Is that ok? Remembered reading it somewhere, maybe changed again?
2. Wild Talent converts to psionic talent when you have a psionic classOne other feat comes from a magic item, but since the heropoints work different, it´s obsolete anyway.
3. magic item desctiption: will do that, HL doesn´t post all of them automatically.
4. Took feats for extra powers and included the human powers.
Power points come from high INT and 5 from 2*psionic talent. Each time you take that feat you get one PP more.
Will be working on it, some things are probably subject to change, like the house name. I´m not 100% content with that.
I read past this earlier. It is supposed to be a heavy shield made of layered agafari, which I figured would be mechanically equivalent to darkwood. A heavy darkwood shield only weighs 5 pounds and has 0 armor check penalty.@Ala'a:
I checked your sheet and I'm good although I think you meant to have a light wooden shield as opposed to the heavy wooden shield but please confirm.
Game on!
Ok, but you only accounted a '+2' for your AC. Wouldn't a '+1 heavy shield' get you a '+3'?
Just to add another comment - Gbaji's healing fruit is a Cure Serious Wounds.
I'll make that change. Thank you.
1. Took a drawback, forgot to post it. Is that ok? Remembered reading it somewhere, maybe changed again?
2. Wild Talent converts to psionic talent when you have a psionic class
One other feat comes from a magic item, but since the heropoints work different, it´s obsolete anyway.
3. magic item desctiption: will do that, HL doesn´t post all of them automatically.
4. Took feats for extra powers and included the human powers.
Power points come from high INT and 5 from 2*psionic talent. Each time you take that feat you get one PP more.Will be working on it, some things are probably subject to change, like the house name. I´m not 100% content with that.
Here come comments:
1) Drawback is Ok IF it comes into play often enough so... maybe.
2) the free 'wild talent' you get is just like the other PCs (2 power points and choose one psionic talent (0-level power))
3) OK, just don't go wand/dorje crazy on me
4) again, the feats a human at 5th level get are four plus your 'class feats', which for a telepath would be 2 more for a total of 6 feats. Last time I counted, you had 9 feats.
Again, work on your fluff and post. We'll iron out the stats a little later.
Questions?
Game on!
Ok, but you only accounted a '+2' for your AC. Wouldn't a '+1 heavy shield' get you a '+3'?
Yes, should be +3. I forgot to update it after I decided to make the shield +1.
1. Can do without it.
2. From a DSP Psionics point of view it doesn´t matter if it´s wild talent or psionic talent. Renamed it.
3. Dorjes are lanis call to mind and force screen. Essentials^^
4. Overall 8 feats are shown:
-1 from human
-3 from level
-2 from psion
-1 wild talent
-1 class weapon proficiencies
I´ll link to non-selfexplaining magic items and spells.
Working on it right now, updating and posting some time later.
I'm going to be traveling the next two days and don't expect to be able to post at any significant length during that time. I'll be back and in regular posting shape Saturday night or Sunday. For reference, I'm in Missouri and tend to post between 10 and 11 p.m. Central Time (UTC -5).
I'm going to be traveling the next two days and don't expect to be able to post at any significant length during that time. I'll be back and in regular posting shape Saturday night or Sunday. For reference, I'm in Missouri and tend to post between 10 and 11 p.m. Central Time (UTC -5).
Thanks for letting us know. I will do the same if I'm delayed or away from my PC for any amount of time which will impact the game.
That being said, I will recap tonight as scheduled so you should be fine posting Saturday/Sunday.
@Hayato, the window is closing...
Game on!
Character is ready. Hope you can work with that.
Might still change the name of the house for a cooler one.
Can´t think of one right now though unfortunately.
Next is "gameplay post".
Since i´m in europe, i´m a few hours before you^^
Did you close the gameplay thread somehow?
Can´t dot with the character for unkown reasons, so it won´t show up under players.
Character is ready. Hope you can work with that.
Might still change the name of the house for a cooler one.
Can´t think of one right now though unfortunately.
Next is "gameplay post".
Since i´m in europe, i´m a few hours before you^^Did you close the gameplay thread somehow?
Can´t dot with the character for unkown reasons, so it won´t show up under players.
Yep, I can work with that. Good job!
Get that first post in because I have turn 001 ready to go.
I don't know what's up with the dotting issue but your main avatar (Hayato ken) shows up as both player and character.
Remember to post on the discussion thread (like you're doing now).
I'll take a close look at your crunch later today/tomorrow and get back with you.
Questions?
Game on!
The Dark Sun glared fiercely down on the wasteland, in the blazing heat not much moved. The few plants and animals living here were hiding in slits and fissures or curled up as much as possible. Not a single breeze stirred the dust and sands.
Yet, on a small slope in a field of rocks there was something unusual. Difficult to see between the glimmering heat and the reflections of obsidian shards littering the landscape, a figure sat on a rock.
Shielded from the sun by a sandy cloak, legs folded under the body to build a triangle, back straight and eyes closed, the figure seemed deeply concentrated, fully unaware of the surroundings...
The picture of a woman that gave the impression of being way too old and wise for her body and appearance popped up in the figures mind, followed by a vision of herself walking to a hidden small oasis, gathering some belongings and supplies for several days of travel to a large, crowded city, meeting some others and a crazy men with many kanks there.
With the picture of the city other pictures flashed through her mind, pictures of violence, armed men slaughtering women, children and other men in the night, screams and fires, her eldest brother being run through by a spear from behing while fending off an attacker from her...as her pulse began to rise, she quickly forced back her tranquility.
Lalali...it is time and you are ready. Go back and find your way!
With a sigh, the figure rose up and slowly began to walk the way shown to her in the vision....
Several days later she walked through the gates of that city, Urik. The last time she had been here she left tied up and collared, a slave being dragged away to the obsidian mines...she ignored all that bad memories, drawing in the scent of civilization and citydwellers, the scent of her past. In her mind, she envisioned the faces of those she was about to meet and their names, over and over again like a mantra.
Ala´a, Barega, Gbaji, Valsavis, crazy herder, Ala´a, Barega, Gbaji, Valsavis, crazy herder, Ala´a, Barega, Gbaji, Valsavis, crazy herder...
The Dark Sun glared ....
Alright, good deal, you came through. I'll change your post slightly because the message didn't say anything about who you were going to meet and it was an erdlu herder. No biggie though.
I'll PM you comments on your crunch today or tomorrow.
Game on!
Alright, great start everyone. :)
Turn 001 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
An angry sun rose, painting the ordered rows of Urik's walls and buildings a deep red. The wind howled faintly as dust blew over the shifting ridge overlooking the city.
A small patch of sand shifted. A few moments later, a shape pushed up through the earth, sand pouring off of it. The halfling stood, and sniffed the air. He stretched briefly and then shook his cloak to clear some of the remaining sand. He took a mouthful of water from one of his skins, and retrieved a bit of dried meat from his pack. He began to chew it thoughtfully as his eyes swept over the antlike bustle of the hive-city's inhabitants. He had not spotted any herds of erdlu over the past few days, but today was day 40.
* * *
Barega walked among the crowds in the market, searching. Suddenly, he turned on the elf-child beside him, baring his filed teeth in a something that could not be interpreted as a grin. The thief startled, and pulled his hand back from Barega's belt. "My mistake," he said.
The halfling licked his lips, and watched him move off.
Aha, yes, now he saw the erdlu. He thought he recognized that scent... He did not think a dozen constituted a herd, but it was the closest he had come, and he decided he would take a closer look.
* * *
Barega watched from underneath a cart across the lane, as the trader bawled and embraced his erdlu before handing it over to the immature human. Yes, this was probably the right place. But he thought he had noticed a few other of these creatures watching the herder. Dangerous looking creatures. Barega decided he would observe for a while longer.
* * *
He found himself looking at the eggs. It was past midmorning, the shadows shortening and the sun beating down. Leave it to these foolish Men, to wait for the heat of the sun before conducting their activities.
With a shrug, he watched the lane for a break in the traffic of feet, and then darted out from under the cart. He took a few ceramic bits from his pack, and crossed the lane.
"Hey. Man. Egg for eat, yes?", he said, extending his hand to the herder. It had been a long time since he had exercised the words of this language. He had almost forgotten them.
---
If the guy sells him an egg, Barega will poke a hole in it with a narrow flint spearhead and drink out the good stuff. (These are like orange- or grapefruit- sized eggs or something? If they are like a foot in diameter then I don't think he would try to do this, and he would just approach the guy and look at him instead.)
I'll add more later on as I see what other people are doing?
Barega is not able to read the words on the other egg, but can tell it is clearly unnatural. I think he would wait for one of the others to take it.
Gbaji looked around him. Urik was certainly imposing. And compared to Tyr, everything seemed to be very.... square. The towers, the gateways, the buildings, even the city itself. Tyr had its magnificent edifices but the place had curves and large parts that were ramshackle and temporary. Eveything in Urik looked like it had been carefully planned from the start, built to last, and maintained rigorously. As someone with a bit of building experience, Gbaji was impressed. And intimidated.
The plantations around Urik were lush and Gbaji could see the armies of well-drilled slaves in the distance. It made him uneasy to see how many of them were half-giants like him. Or maybe not like him - one of the caravan guards told Gbaji that Urik bred half-giants like livestock. The idea sickened him, but he decided to put it out of his mind. He was here for a reason, and worrying about things couldn't change wasn't part of that.
In fact, he was beginning to wonder why he was here. He'd had plenty of time on the road to begin doubting his purpose. Some half-baked message had led him on a long and difficult journey to a strange, dangerous city. For what? Did this even have anything to do with that night in the Warrens? And even if it did, what exactly was this all about? Had he misunderstood? This could be a waste of time. Or worse. He was feeling like a fool.
As Gbaji fretted, he absently cracked his knuckles. He looked around again. This was the place, supposedly - just outside the King's Gate, where the herders gathered - according to the peddlar who re-soled his worn-out boots. The gate itself was more like a fortress in its own right, with massive towers on either side (square, of course) and manned by hard-faced warriors.
There, by the tree - an old guy with a small herd of erdlu. He was just giving some elf the brush-off. Well, he maybe wasn't that crazy after all, but he was the only erdlu herder around. Gbaji breathed deeply. Maybe now he'd find out what was going on. He idly noticed the halfling crouching behind a wagon, squared his shoulders, and walked over.
"Greetings, elder. I'm Gbaji. I, er... I think I'm supposed to meet you here."
When the old guy offered him the egg, like that explained everything and saying it was from "You know who", he knew he had come to the right place - definitely crazy. But Gbaji's heart sank - he was still none the wiser. He came here for some stupid egg? His confusion began to turn to anger.
The halfling he had noticed before appeared at his knee. "Hey. Man. Egg for eat, yes?"
This was too much. "Listen, friend, I've come a long way to get this egg. You touch it, I break your face!"
The halfling he had noticed before appeared at his knee. "Hey. Man. Egg for eat, yes?"
The crazy herder nodded with his head and was about to give the egg to the halfling but then pulled it back. "No, you can't eat it." He shook it next to his ear, "See. Nothing inside."
He was about to get the halfling a real egg when the half-giant interrupted.
This was too much. "Listen, friend, I've come a long way to get this egg. You touch it, I break your face!"
The herder shook his head, "No, don't break his head. He's with you, right? The egg is for all of you but not to eat."
He looked around and conspicuously whispered, "It's got the message..."
OOC: I'm assuming the eggs are ostrich-sized.
The halfling took a step back at the enormous man's outburst, and looked up at him. The man's clothing was dusty and stained; his skin darkened from exposure to the sun and thinned from desert travel. Barega could believe he had come a long way. And for this empty, painted egg, with no yolk? He couldn't help but see humor in the situation.
He laughed. "Yes, different egg for me then," he said. "Ha!"
He considered the herder's words, and the symbols on the egg. And now this half-giant. All very peculiar, he could make little sense of any of it. The old man had been some sort of reformed arcanist -- perhaps they were magic symbols of the sort he had seen used to draw the will of the forest spirits? Best not to touch it.
Ala'a had spotted the half-giant her sixth day out from Tyr. The massive shoulders and latticework of scars on the brute's hide convinced her to keep her distance, but curiosity got the better of her - what was a half-giant doing on his own in the desert? Staying sunward and bit behind, she shadowed the half-giant until he made camp, then crept in for a closer look.
One of the Dawnchasers' rangers would have laughed at the half-giant's clumsy attempts to make fire, but he wasn't entirely clueless, she thought. He knew well enough to check the rocks around his campsite for vipers, and to drag his staff through the loose sand to check for blood-sucking cactus vines.
She briefly considered stealing his water while he slept, but decided against it. She had plenty in her own skins and knew of at least two oases between here and Urik. He'd die without the water, anyway, and she didn't need that on her head.
The thought of the stranded half-giant made her think of her brother, wandering in a desert of his own. She scowled, thinking of how he rejected her help in Tyr ... Well, maybe she could help this lost one. She had plenty of time to reach Urik. Making sure the half-giant stayed alive could make for an interesting diversion ...
****
Ala'a watched the half-giant goggle at the walls of the city like an aprig blinking at the sun. He'd made it and she didn't think she'd been seen, even when she had to set a rockfall to keep him away from a den of silkwyrms.
Like a blind baazrag, she thought, unwilling to admit she might miss him.
Spitting, she set off for the King's Gate, where the yellow-cloaked templars had been directing the traders and farmers coming through the Obsidian Gate. The stench of the city hit her as she entered but soon faded - she'd spent enough time in Nibenay as a child that the smell of fearful, sweating humanity no longer bothered her.
Spotting a group of elven kank herders at the edge of the market, she stopped to buy a skin of watered broy and gather news. The group were Silver Hands elves (a tribe with whom the Sky Singers were at least on neutral terms at the moment) and they were keen to sell their kanks and return to Silver Spring. Urik's relations with the elf tribes had never been good and appeared to be getting worse by the day. Word was House Stel had been fighting with the Water Hunters in the mountains to the west, as well as the Swiftwings in the desert to the south.
And perhaps murdering Sky Singers all the way in Nibenay ..., she thought as she paid for the broy and left before one of the Silver Hands tried to pick her pocket.
The elves had pointed to the far side of the market when she asked about an erdlu herder - their reaction confirmed the "crazy" part of the beggar's description well enough. She was still a dozen yards away when she spotted the half-giant from the desert, looming over wizened human surrounded by erdlu of various sizes.
Curious, she thought, then noticed a halfling dart out from underneath a nearby cart and begin gesticulating wildly at the herder. Curiouser.
Slipping up beside the half-giant, she got a good look at the egg the old man offered up to the mismatched pair. She recognized the designs on the shell as writing but the meaning was beyond her - Sky Singers passed their history on through dance and song, not scratches on old hides.
The halfling seemed to want to crack the egg, which caused the half-giant to threaten to crack the halfling. The herder put a stop to that by offering the little cannibal another egg, but his words caught Ala'a's attention.
"The egg is for 'all of us?'" she said, giving the half-giant and the halfling an appraising glance. "I suppose you two are here to pay off a debt, as well? The question is, are there any others - and can any of them read these erdlu scratchings?"
****
Ala'a had dealt with enough gate guards and templars to recognize the ego guiding the House Stel bullies. The one making the demands might have fewer brains in his head than the half-giant, but it would be his words that started a fight if there was to be one.
"Oh, you don't want that bird - look at how malnourished it is," she said, waving dismissively at Zazia's flock. "The whole herd has parasites - the elves over there bought the offal from this old thief and said it was riddled with worms. The one that was just here was trying to get his money back."
"You'd do better to buy a couple of fat aprigs, or wait til this afternoon. There's a caravan from Nibenay coming in with a herd of fat birds - I passed them coming in to the city. They should be here in a few hours."
"Oh, you don't want that bird - look at how malnourished it is," she said, waving dismissively at Zazia's flock. "The whole herd has parasites - the elves over there bought the offal from this old thief and said it was riddled with worms. The one that was just here was trying to get his money back."
"You'd do better to buy a couple of fat aprigs, or wait til this afternoon. There's a caravan from Nibenay coming in with a herd of fat birds - I passed them coming in to the city. They should be here in a few hours."
The guard's natural apprehension when dealing with elves was assuaged by the sensible advice. "Riddled with parasites, eh?" He turned to the herder, "Why you cheating oaf. I have a good mind to run you out of business if it wasn't that I have to resolve this and quickly."
Zazia was about to respond; his birds were NOT riddled with parasites but thought better of it. He slunk back and meekly continued to mumble, "Trnti is not for sale. No she's not." He stroked the erdlu's neck, "You're not for sale; are you now?" He continued cooing the large bird as the men from House Stel left the scene.
Zazia then turned to Ala'a, "You know nothing about erdlus. My birds are not sick. You lie like all your kind."
Just a note as I am heading to bed, but turns posted on Friday evenings will be hard for me to get something decent submitted in under the 48 hour time frame. Just the nature of the beast when you're a new dad. I'll try to get something coherent down tomorrow while the little guy is asleep.
Friday morning turns should be fine since that gives me all day Friday to work on it (I do 95% of my pbp play from work during downtime) and Saturday mornings should be good to as I can get something down Monday morning. I'm definitely chomping at the bit, going through some of these great posts.
The names and faces in her mind, Lalali-Re went through the city and out again untill she spotted the lone elf women and followed her in some distance, straight to the half-giant, the halfling and the crazy man.
Stepping up behind them, she introduced herself.
So this is where we meet. Welcome, companions on an unkown journey for redemption. I´m called Lalali-Re. It seems our mutual friend deals in many different affairs and places without prejudice. The tell-tale signs of a good trader. Will you show me that egg please?
Stretching out her left hand with palm open she smiled.
*****
Using the distraction Ala´a and Zazia made arguing, Lalali-Re concentrated shortly to say in a soft voice Those animals are not yours to take, since they are for somebody else, a lot more important than you. You might take them now by force, but will regret it later. We will be asked where the missing ones are and not able to hide anything there. Somebody would go searching for some guards of house Stel...two humans and a half-giant. Do you want that?
"And you are as slow-witted and ungrateful as the rest of your kind," Ala'a retorts, before softening her tone. "I don't really think your birds are worm-ridden. I was just trying to keep that one from being eaten. It seemed special to you. What was it's name again?"
ooc: Agreed; these are some kick-ass posts!
Either you guys are naturals for this type of game or you 'really' wanted to play Dark Sun. :)
On posting, my schedule is to recap on Wednesday night and on weekends and you'll always have at least 48 hours to respond. So you'll have to respond by Friday night and by Tuesday night, respectively.
IF we all post before that AND I have time, then I MAY recap at other times but the last thing I want to do is make this into a chore and have you think that 'Oh my god,I have to write 2-3 paragraphs today'. So just relax, enjoy each other's posts, and write your own.
What I found works best for me is to read the turn recap as quickly as possible and asks OOC questions to make sure I understood everything. I then take my time (a day) to think about what to write ad then write. However, if you have the time and inclination and want to do this quicker then go for it. The quicker people posts the more involved the turn recaps are.
PS: Don't forget to 'tag' people to get them involved. I firmly believe that PBP games are 'contagious' and one great posts calls for another.
Questions?
Game on!
OOC: @Lalali: I 'corrected' your earlier post. You did not know who you were going to meet from the message you received. You should read over (or at least) skim the turn recaps for little edits such as this one.
However, no need to fix your current post. I'll do that on the turn recap.
It seems you did not read Ala'a's earlier post. She's already dealt with House Stel guards so we'll 'void' the last part of your post.
-----------
IC:"...Will you show me that egg please?" Stretching out her left hand with palm open she smiled.
The herder gladly handed over the egg to the one. "You must be the Master of the Way, yes?" He neared her and tried to subtly smell her, trying to hide his action but failing in his attempt.
--------
IC: "...It seemed special to you. What was it's name again?"
Quickly forgetting the perceived insult, he beamed as the attention shifted to his hen, "She's Trnti and yes, she is special. Very kind and gentle. You noticed?"
Gbaji watched as the guards walked away. He'd been about ready to unleash his "Scary Face" but the elf girl had dealt with them. Typical elf - smart talking liar. Still, it was probably better than getting into a fight in a new town. And he had to admit, she'd done it skillfully. He winced as he thought about the half-giant - it had seemed little more than an animal.
A small crowd was gathering now - him, the elf girl, the halfling and now the human girl. And who was that young human man - Gbaji noticed he moved like a fighter - who was now approaching? All strangers.
He squinted at the erdlu herder, then at the others. "Are we all here for this egg?" He looked down at the halfling. "Er, sorry, by the way."
He looked back at the old herder. "So what's so special about this egg, and this erdlu? Trnti, you say? I knew someone called Trnti. Once."
I would not call myself master, more a student of the way.
Surprise became visible at Zazias remark and as he was getting a bit too close she shrank back a bit, then smelling at her arms and clothing.
Is there something?
Nonetheless she took the egg and examined it.
It reads “Agafari bowl. Abbin’s Shop.” Does that mean something to anyone?
The half-giant is right, do all your animals have names? And where did you get that egg from? Someone sold you the egg with the writing on it?