Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Meanwhile, Nimpy returns, with visible reluctance, to his cramped, stinking box. Before he steps inside he turns to Dren.

"Captain Odenkirk is a monster. He has to die. I will help in any way I can."

The crate door shuts behind him.

The charge for making a cloak is 50 gp.

Two days later: noon of a pale blue day, clear and cold, with the wind from the southeast. Bald Sven is the lookout. Suddenly he cries, "Ship ho!"

In a few moments, everyone can see them; a group of small boats hugging the coast. Closer inspection reveals this group to be three one-man kayaks and a larger open seal-skin canoe with four men rowing. These vessels are closing towards the Frosthamar.

Captain Odenkirk stand at the rail and frowns thoughtfully. "Yutak. One doesn't often see them this far south."

First Mate Yngvi sidles up to the Captain. "We have the outnumbered, Captain! And there's nobody on that coast but a few sheep, and they don't tell tales, heh heh. I'll order the men armed so that we can -- "

The Captain doesn't look away from the horizon. However, his hand comes up in a backhanded slap. WHACK Yngvi is knocked whimpering to the deck.

Odenkirk does not raise his voice, or turn. But he has the crew's full attention when he says, "The Yutak are heading for us. We will see what they want. No man will raise a hand against them unless I say so."

(The canoe and its accompanying kayaks will be alongside the Frosthamar in a moment.)

Xenfal, finds a space so he can maneuver it it comes to violence.

The Judge moves to the far side of the boat and when he thinks nobody is watching, calls a small water elemental. The red eyed water creature proceeds to dive under the boat surfacing near the bow opposite the side that the canoes and kayaks are on, prepared to attack if so commanded.

This summons lasts 3 minutes if necessary.

Edmin hands over the gold and laughs at the Captain's threat to the crew member. "Effective use of resources Captain."

Was the Judge correct that nobody was watching? Judge's Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Whoops, looks like some random sailors were in line of sight. How many? 1d3 ⇒ 1 Who? There are 11 on board; 1 is the Captain, 2 the first mate. 1d11 ⇒ 9 That's Swine-Olaf. He gets a DC 10 Perception check to notice something unusual. 1d20 ⇒ 9

Checking... Swine-Olaf has an 8 Wisdom and has invested no ranks in Perception. So, that was a lot of rolling for nothing. He has strolled up right behind the Judge, but he's busy engaged in a vigorous excavation of encrusted deposits from deep within his left nostril, followed by a careful examination of same, followed by consumption of same with every sign of relish. So he's distracted and does not notice that the Judge is up to something.

(Swine-Olaf did not get his nickname for being fat. Even among the crew of the Frosthamar, a group not noteworthy for hygiene or delicacy, he stands out.)

Dren eyes Olaf and his hand slowly makes it's way to the handle of his new blade...his hand just brushes it casually before going to join his other hand behind his back...he finds that his mouth is watering at the thought of slowly slitting the man's throat and staring into his eyes as his life's-blood drains from him...yes he decides to himself, he will enjoy this...

As the boats come alongside, one of the men in the canoe raises both hands and calls in accented Talirean.

"I am Calls-Fire-From-Water! My chief here is White Tusk! We have come to trade! Do you have metal?"

hahahaha we do!!! frickin captain gonna try to take our money though, judge make this happen!

The Judge walks next to the Captain and waits to see how he responds.

If the Captain does not respond, Tohram quietly tells the Captain: We do not have much, but we do have some metal purchased specifically for this purpose. Basic farming implements, harpoon heads, and the like.

I believe we have some, I do not know what the final amount was, but believe we were thinking something like 100 or 200 gp worth.

I am less concerned about the Captain attempting to scam us. After all, either he or we should be dead before this is finished. If it is him, we can take the gold from his still warm corpse. If it is us, then hard bargaining makes no difference. Plus, the more advantages we give to him, the cockier he will become so that hopefully he will want to come to shore and have a nice drinking bout with our Champion of Darkness.

i put in 20

i put in 20

asking yet again is anyone keeping party loot?

I'm not. I have enough trouble remembering to keep track of my own loot.

We don't have a party fund or anything of the like and the captain took our trident so I am not sure if we have agained anything other than one seal pelt...

The Yutak clamber aboard. They are short, stocky men dressed in sealskin leathers and furs. Calls-Fire-From-Water does all the talking. He is a young man, but he wears a great many complicated looking ornaments around his neck and braided into his hair. You have the distinct impression he is some kind of shaman.

"Great chief White Tusk has dared the waters of you Metal People! He has come to trade for sharp metal!"

Chief White Tusk is a broad-shouldered Yutak with a particularly nice embroidered sealskin coat. He nods politely. It's obvious that he doesn't understand a word that's being said.

If you want to trade with the Yutak, you can -- they're sincere in their offer to trade. Someone needs to scroll back and find out just how much money you all chipped in, though.

You can also talk to the Yutak (although only through the shaman, because nobody else speaks Talirean Common). Alternately, you can attack them, kill them, and take their stuff. Or you can just ignore them, and we'll move on to the next thing.

It's probably a good idea if someone keeps track of party treasure. But if nobody wants to, then you need to decide who gets what. So, you made 75 gp from the seal hunt. Assuming 50 goes to Sir Edmin's cloak, who gets the other 25?

I guess I'm doing it. Edmin do you have your own money? Or are we spotting you. I can't go through right now to see what everyone did. If someone can do that it would be nice otherwise I'll do it late tonigh when I'm on a comp. If everyone could just post what they put in that would be great

and we want to trade. Assume xen is there to assist diplo and appraise

Dren eyes Olaf and his hand slowly makes it's way to the handle of his new blade...his hand just brushes it casually before going to join his other hand behind his back...he finds that his mouth is watering at the thought of slowly slitting the man's throat and staring into his eyes as his life's-blood drains from him...yes he decides to himself, he will enjoy this...

-

I did not remember Dren of the dark tapestry being so ... dark.

re - Yutak

I should have notes in ooc thread re party investments for the Yutak, I know I put money in as well. I am working in the Hamptons so I won't have access to my game notebook until late Sunday.

Re - party treasure

As for party treasurer, I would not mind helping and keeping secondary notes but I don't think I want to be the primary treasurer. I keep great notes BUT forget to look at them.

Zimu Humble brag!!! working in Hamptons! :)

Since we may be jumping around a bit how about we title this

Frosthammer cruise lines workshop
Team Evil - Intro to Business 101

For Appraise 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

DM may I may make a Know check to see how to properly address the Yutak, as well as a Know check to see if women in their society can address the men. If so, with Linguistics I will try to properly greet them and say 'we are honored by their coming to meet us and that we have indeed brought metal to trade. How fortunate of them to come seek us out.' I would also present the Judge as our 'honored leader.'

aid Diplomacy if Judge or Xen are taking point 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

On the day after the Seal Hunt/Edmin's New Clothes and the day before the Yutak's arrival.

Frosthammer cruise lines workshop - Arcane think tank

Cуровую will gather with Jax, Dren and the Judge in a secluded area, perhaps over a meal so it's not conspicuous, and describe to them in detail Killiketz, and mention this Lord Grrraupel, the Mountain That Swims, perhaps they will have pertinent Knowledge to share.

Cуровую may later ask the halfling as well but not until she has a better idea of what they are dealing with.

Anyone hear for Jax in the last week?

appraise 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Xenfal eyes the items that they may have brought with them, then he speaks.

diplo 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 + 2 = 33 assuming assist from ximu and judge

Yes, we do have some iron items to trade. We have a crate full. What do you have to offer us. We want nothing more than to make a deal to make us both happy and content. Let us trade, but we must do so quickly

He has always been this dark, the more time you spend with him the more you will appreciate how twisted he really is...imagine how his mind wonders when he doesn't have the voices to talk to...
He added 25gp to the Iron fund by the way.

Dren helps however he can with Zimu's information.
knowledge arcana guidance 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 = 21
knowledge planes guidance 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17

The Yutak have two sets of sale goods. First, they have a large sack of walrus ivory. Walrus tusks go for between 10 and 50 gp each, depending on size and quality, so they can "make change" for any reasonable amount.

The Yutak are interested in metal tools and weapons -- iron, bronze and steel. They have little interest in gold or silver, as these metals are too soft to be useful. They will trade walrus tusks for iron at 3 to 1. So, if you have 10 gp worth of iron stuff, you can get 30 gp worth of walrus ivory. (That's wholesale value in the North. If you hang on to it until you get back to southern Talingarde, it might be worth a bit more.)

Several of you were scrambling around a couple of months back to build up a cash fund against exactly this eventuality. That was clever! But you were kind of disorganized about it, so now you'll have to go back and find the posts where you did it. If you want to buy walrus tusks, just say "I invested 20 gp back in this post" and, voila, you can add 60 gp worth of walrus ivory to your inventory.

The average value of walrus ivory is 10 gp per pound, so if you buy 150 gp worth, you'll add 15 lbs. to your encumbrance.

I said the Yutak had two sets of trade goods. The second is something else.

Calls-Fire-From-Water lifts something out of their boat. It is a long, slender package wrapped in sealskin. Carefully he unwraps it. It is a straight, slender, six foot long rod or lance of ivory -- the tusk of some enormous beast.

The shaman lifts the long tooth over his head with both hands. "Behold the great victory of Chief White Tusk! White Tusk is a great slayer of beasts! Without fear is mighty White Tusk! From this he has taken his name!"

The Chief stands up straighter and his chest puffs out with pride.

Cуровую will gather with Jax, Dren and the Judge in a secluded area, perhaps over a meal so it's not conspicuous, and describe to them in detail Killiketz, and mention this Lord Grrraupel, the Mountain That Swims, perhaps they will have pertinent Knowledge to share.

In this medium, people seem more likely to respond when you either ask them a direct question or -- better yet -- task them with something. So "My character will huddle with Bob's character to discuss X" may get overlooked. "My character will huddle with Bob's character to discuss X. Bob, I think this would be Knowledge [Arcana]. I rolled a [roll]. Can you roll to see if you know anything?" is more likely to get a reply. I'm not sure why, but it seems to be so.

Cуровую may later ask the halfling as well but not until she has a better idea of what they are dealing with.

Sure. Just let me know.

The Yutak are interested in metal tools and weapons -- iron, bronze and steel. They have little interest in gold or silver, as these metals are too soft to be useful. They will trade walrus tusks for iron at 3 to 1. So, if you have 10 gp worth of iron stuff, you can get 30 gp worth of walrus ivory. (That's wholesale value in the North. If you hang on to it until you get back to southern Talingarde, it might be worth a bit more.)

Several of you were scrambling around a couple of months back to build up a cash fund against exactly this eventuality. That was clever! But you were kind of disorganized about it, so now you'll have to go back and find the posts where you did it. If you want to buy walrus tusks, just say "I invested 20 gp back in this post" and, voila, you can add 60 gp worth of walrus ivory to your inventory.

If only real world investments paid these dividends!

Guys check your posts from April 17 to April 29, I saw several mentions of iron supplies then.

I said the Yutak had two sets of trade goods. The second is something else.

Calls-Fire-From-Water lifts something out of their boat. It is a long, slender package wrapped in sealskin. Carefully he unwraps it. It is a straight, slender, six foot long rod or lance of ivory -- the tusk of some enormous beast.

The Chief stands up straighter and his chest puffs out with pride.

'Great indeed is the chief White Tusk, and clearly worthy he is of his namesake.'

Very quietly in Celestial to the Judge and Xen who are negotiating - 'Above all else, that rod must remain on board. Bargain, haggle, do what must be done. We can use it.'

Tohram, do you wish to purchase a few more Cause Light Wounds Scrolls for me to use on you?

** spoiler omitted **

Dren will pick up another alchemists fire to replace the one he has lost.
I believe we found a potion of poison and expeditious retreat. The poison should be held for potentially the captain or someone else we need ot be rid of.
The ER should go to someone slow like Edmin.
I will add 25 gp to the iron fund.
I will also add a scroll of protection from good.
That leaves me with 20gp.
Do we need any equipment for outdoors like tents and such?

Here is my post with the Iron addition.

You can trade individually with the Yutak, in which case it's easy -- just swap your iron money X for ivory worth 3X.

Or, you can bargain for that horn. However, I don't think you have enough money for it, even if you pool all your iron money and bargain collectively. Chief White Tusk isn't going to let it go easily -- he doesn't know exactly how much it's worth, but he knows it's something special, and it's a major trophy for him. So unless you have hundreds of gp worth of iron tools and weapons -- or can think of something else the Chief might want -- you're not going to get this by trade.

selling brefs hat would net 360 gp

My suggestion is that we use most of it to get a MW great ssword for Edmin and throw the rest into the iron fund

What is the count on that?

I put in 20

Sorry I was not better at that guys, I was only able to find some of them, I must have s[ent an hour last night. But to be fair to me I did ask about a billion times back then for a good count...so I only eel moderately bad

Xen would be willing to try to trade something else, but he does not have anything...we could trade them a single crate of weapons.

As it stands he trades for the Walrus tusks. Seems a waste of that Nat 20

As I mentioned on the other page, I had contributed 100gp to the total. Why doesn't each person check to see what they put in. That will be easier than one person searching hundreds of posts. Just jump back to early April and scan through your posts to see what you paid. Then I will negotiate. If we are far short, then it will not be worth trying.

judge we are all caught up now. And I don't think negotiation will go any better than may nat 20

Sorry, Cimu. I missed your first post about Lord Grrraupel. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 for a Planes check, assuming that would be applicable. Same roll for generic arcane too.

Worst case scenario, we kill them and take their stuff? Can Jax attempt a spellcraft check to see how powerful the shaman is? 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

judge we are all caught up now. And I don't think negotiation will go any better than may nat 20

Well, the nat 20 has made the shaman Helpful towards you. He's not going to hand over that incredibly valuable tusk, of course, but he likes you and he'll help you in any reasonable way that he can.

Jax, Spellcraft doesn't help much when he hasn't cast any spells. But okay: judging by the bone charms woven into his hair and the tattoos on his hands (1) he's not an arcane spellcaster -- his powers are clerical or druidical, and (2) he's at least as powerful as you are.

You know nothing of any 'Lord Graupel'.

Perhaps we offer a small case of weapons. Asmodeous knows we have more than enough.

Xen says to judge.

Or, you can bargain for that horn. -- or can think of something else the Chief might want

Let's get thoughts on this.

I'm up for bargaining for it. Perhaps just ask?

Hmmm - I can sell my Chain Shirt. All it does is weigh me down anyway.

We can give you whatever the captain is wearing.

Plus chain shirts are soo last season. You don't want people to talk now do you.

The Yutak only want useful stuff -- knives, needles, spearheads, choppers. A shirt of metal armor would worse than useless to them (though the rings might make pretty decorations, I suppose).

He has always been this dark, the more time you spend with him the more you will appreciate how twisted he really is...imagine how his mind wonders when he doesn't have the voices to talk to...

He added 25gp to the Iron fund by the way.

Dren helps however he can with Zimu's information.
knowledge arcana guidance 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 = 21
knowledge planes guidance 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17

Was Dren able to remember anything?

At the mention of the weapon, We were told to deliver the weapons, why endanger our mission for a small profit? This means nothing. meaning the Yutak and their trade.

Dren has an extra dagger he can throw in but that is it...

Dren, you got nothin'.

Okay, so three days seems like a reasonable period of time to resolve this. If you want to ask the shaman questions, try to figure some way to close the gap on the tusk, attack the Yutak, or something else, then post today. Otherwise, we'll say that everyone who chipped in "iron money" gets 3x that value in walrus ivory, and move on.