Dungeon World PBP play (Inactive)

Game Master Elsine

Please... help me The man says The things that madwoman did to me... he heaves several breaths as he desperately gasps for air, the wound in his chest healing

I can help you He says, deep green eyes pleading silently. Mark xp if you help him

Cast a Spell(Cure Wounds): 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 6) + 3 = 11
Healing: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Conwall, remain wary. I suppose Godslayer is too far. How long were you trapped, Ishvar?

Horrified by the scene unfolding across the marshway, Roshan shouts, "Belym, your knife!"

Belym moves to help the rapidly-healing figure to his feet. When Tom speaks his name, she freezes, the (ex-?)deity's arm in hers; at Roshan's cry, she appears confused. " What about it? I thought this was what you all wanted!"

Weeks The god says, turning his pleading face to you, a look of awe and salvation on his face She is insane, you have to stop her... he says, he rises to a crouch

Could I borrow your staff, sir Bonney? he asks, extending a weathered hand. Mark xp if you give it to him

Roshan has drawn her dancing blades and is clearing the distance to Ishvar in long, powerful strides. "That Thing needs to be contained and put to the question. Heed nothing It says. Favors to It are service to a dark God, even if our objectives temporarily align. At the very least, your vows to Iisac will be broken."

Francis has stopped to re-string his bow, but has not drawn an arrow. The sisters loose their blades in their sheaths.

Ron pulls the divine ore out of his pack and holds it in his left hand. He approaches the man, with Remorse drawn.

Roshan, how would ye contain a healed God? He turns to Ishvar (Ishtar?). Lord of lies, ye will get nothing from us unless until ye answer my questions. What feeds Einora's power?

I was waiting to learn who he was before beating him to death with the piece of ore. But he has been healed so that time has passed. Best alliance everz!

Larune watches from a short distance, visibly excited.

How did Einora contain a God?

My staff was destroyed in town when a building fell on it. I've not had one since :p

Discern Realities: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 1) + 3 = 10
What is about to happen?
Who’s really in control here?
What here is not what it appears to be?

Right, then he asks for your hand, and help standing

Not exactly the lord of lies anymore, am I, Sir Bucanero? the madwoman stole my power, using one of Kelos' altars. nothing is feeding her, she stole power, kept me as a living trophy he heaves another breath, as his chest continues to slowly heal.

Tom

What's about to happen?: His eyes dart everywhere, and his muscles are tensed. if things go wrong, he plans to bolt.

Who's really in control here?: even wounded, and unable to stand, Ishtar The Ishvar was a mistake on my part had a smug smirk on his face, and a certainty about him. Then Ron pulled out the ore... and his eyes went wide. you would say Ron is in control at the moment.

What here is not what it apears to be?" Even miserable, and laying on the ground, you can sense strength in Ishtar. he is playing up his helplessness, it would probably be a bad idea to let your guard down.

Belym quickly releases and backs away from the fallen diety. "So, if she stole your power, she clearly didn't get all of it." She gestures at his rapidly closing wounds. " What else can you still do? And I'm curious - were you always a diety, or did you usurp someone else before you?"

Insert this when he offers his hand.

A God should have more pride! Stand by your own power, I see your wound knitting on its own.

After Belym speaks.

I advise you bless us with what knowledge you can, Ishtar. We removed that dagger from your side and you stand in the mortal realm. We don't expect you t' fight along with us, but only fools would let you escape. Our leader will not hesitate... Tom warns solemnly indicating Ron with the last comment, You are close t' freedom, don't waste the opportunity.

He stands, straightening himself, wound closed, before he responds

I am still possessed of my preternatural strength, and endurance, as you have noted, Lady Felstone. I also suspect I still have the power to preform simple magic. and I was born, and have always been, divine, one of the legacies. he says in a cordial, and formal tone Pray, tell me, why does a dwarf like you march against Einora? and one of the Fair Folk as well? both of you Mark xp if you answer

Ask away, Sir Bonney, I would be glad to assist you in any way. he says with a smile that would seem genuine, if you didn't know better.

I keep my mouth shut. We're taught never to answer an Asmodean's questions. A lord of lies is no exception.

Roshan be like I'm coming! I'm not sure I can or want to roll H&S, but even if I wanted to metagame and act like Roshan might do something else, I'm not sure there's much else to do. Roshan wasn't playing around when she said she came out here to topple Gods. That didn't start being crazy.

Hack & Slash?: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 2 = 4

Exelantt. Maybe she'll get a chance to spend that 4th XP she might not have earned doing something the party probably didn't want her to do.

" To greatly shorten a long story, I'm currently separated from my clan, and your usurper's actions are directly threatening my new friends' homes. What exactly does one have to do to steal the power of a surfacer diety?" Belym replies - though she may be interrupted by Roshan rushing past.

Seems harmless enough, or it would without that rather sinister offer of xp :p

Ishtar smiles as Belym answers his question, and goes to respond before Roshan takes a swipe at him.

He responds by ducking the blow, faster than you would have believed possible (except maybe by Ron, or Conwall), and strikes you, barehanded, in the chest, with enough force to send you flying a few meters, before quickly resuming a normal stance. Please, I would prefer if you did not strike me. I don't want to harm you He says, in the most reasonable voice. He extends his hand A truce, until such a time as the pretender is destroyed?

What does everyone do?

And, as per the custom move, mark xp if you agree to the truce

Ron would agree if the rest of the party agrees. I'm not sure how this fictionally works with Roshan though.

There will be time for this Roshan. Ishtar, what would happen to Einora if the altar were destroyed?

I nod to Ishtar. A truce, until I believe you mean me harm.

Roshan lands first on her knees, but the momentum of the strike throws her into a roll. The shieldmaidens catch her and pull her up. The templar coughs before pleading to Ron and their companions. "Meaning we can do nothing against him until she is destroyed." They weren't going to understand how thoroughly he could abuse such a loophole. Roshan had a firm enough grasp on her own average intelligence to know Ishtar was presciently aware of infinitely more loopholes to abuse.

It was happening. Danyal was gone and the darkness was closing in and she would be left groveling in the rancid pits again.

Belym eyes the outstretched hand and scoffs. "You're literally an incarnation of treachery, aren't you? That's a deeper tunnel than I'm willing to dig. Best I can offer is that for now, Einora's a problem that needs dealing with, and you're not - yet."

It is not our place t' question the nature of Gods, Belym. Ishtar just is, Tom says, Einora has angered the Gods and openly defies them. Trying t' tame Ishtar is trying to tame the darkness in the heart of man.

I will respect the truce, though this dated meeting will make us targets for his whims. My support ends with not raising my hand against Ishtar.

Okay, so Conwall, Ron, and Tom can mark xp

I suppose your skepticism is to be expected, most days applauded in fact. he says Now, would any of you be so kind as to fill me in on the plan? And, to answer your question, Sir Bucanero, she would likely become very upset and try to destroy you with her not inconsiderable power. It is merely a siphon I'm afraid.

What does everyone do?

Belym glances at the others as an uncomfortable silence descends. After a few moments, she replies, " We were planning to pincer her stronghold. Half of us on a frontal assault, the other half sneaking in to destroy the altar, on the theory that would weaken her. If that's just an annoyance... Got any suggestions?"

Does that count for xp?

Though it seems we shouldn't waste time on the altar yet... Ishtar, what do you know about Aboleths, and Einora's connection to them? Tom says thinking, We should get any information we can, but part ways before this becomes even more dangerous.

Belym
Yes, I think it is

I am no tactician Ishtar says However, if you can beat the demigoddess into submission with the divine ore, I should be able to reclaim my power, and depart, eaving her nothing but a badly injured human.

When Tom inquires, he draws in breath, eyes going wide the... Aboleths? They are not, at least, not to me knowledge, connected to this. have you encountered signs of them? he asks, clearly unsettled.

We have reason to think they are influencing these events, vying for their return, Tom remains silent on anything prophecy or crystal scrying ball related.

" So that's two things that can frighten a diety. Interesting. And one of them did mention 'a girl'" Belym murmurs aloud to herself. " What exactly needs to happen for you to 'reclaim your power'? Assuming we somehow manage to get to her with the ore, what would happen next?"

Remind me - do we have just a single piece of divine ore, or multiple slivers?

Roshan has one sewing-needle-sized sliver.

Related question: does this swamp have reeds?

Maybe my quest should have been for divine ore...

I sigh, packing up and getting ready to continue on our way.

So I stab the demon queen with a needle of ore, Ishtar regains his full power, mops the floor with all of us? No thank you. We need to amend our truce. We'll agree to not harm you as long as you don't pose a threat to us or act aggressively towards us. You agree to not harm us as long as we don't act aggressively towards you? Agreed?

From the furthest part of the war party, the others can hear an exasperated sigh. Sure, it's the wording of your compact with the God of traitors that will save you.

Roshan watches the bank of the swamp for reeds to cut.

well, once she is beaten so badly she cannot hold onto the power any longer, it Should go back to me. If that doesn't work, we simply sacrifice her on her own altar, and I get the power back Ishtar says, before turning to Conwall Let's say aggression toward myself, or my agents on the material plane, if that is acceptable.

Totally has reeds, like where this is going, and there a a few slivers, say, a d12, that are sharp enough to constitute a dangerous weapon

Belym totally isn't the one to know this, but - Tom, Roshan, would it be possible to use the divine ore to bind even the God of treachery to an oath?

Roshan busies herself cutting and boring out a length of reed as well as harvesting the puffs at their tops and using single fibers to tie the fluff into tails on the ends of any slivers she has access to. It's work that requires time and concentration, but the blow darts produced may serve as a worthy second to Ron's lethal brick, if she doesn't pepper Ishtar's back with them first.

If it's possible to do this without Ishtar's notice, she will try... Actually, she probably tries even if she knows for a fact he's omniscient.

Spout Lore(Gods and Covenants): 2d6 + 0 ⇒ (1, 4) + 0 = 5
Roshan is certain beyond reason that nothing holds any God to Their word. (possible 5th XP)

If I wanted to communicate secretly with the party, what roll would that take? Defy danger charisma?

I smirk at Ishtar. Your followers will get no such protection, I'm afraid. And Ishtar, I know you're working out a way to find a loophole and betray us, regardless of the consequences for yourself. Are you familiar with the story of the frog and the scorpion?

He's not a genie, Cornwall. He has no need to follow any 'rule' to betray us.

I look back to Tom Oh, of course. Nothing stopping him from just betraying us whenever he feels like it...but he'd hardly be a quality "god" of deception if he just went ahead and stabbed us in the back without making it our fault. That's how these trumped up Asmodeans like to play.

DD+cha sounds good, and go ahead and mark the xp, Roshan

I suppose, due to my nature, I cannot convince you of my sincere lack of hostility. very well, let us continue on our way, we need to work quickly, before she consolidates even more power Ishtar says, beginning to march forward.

as he passes you, Conwall, he whispers to you I am no more a demon than you, master elf.

Ishtar, the reason I asked if you knew the story about the frog and the scorpion is that most people misinterpret the story. The frog agrees to take the scorpion across the water knowing that if the scorpion strikes he'll kill them both. He strikes. They both die. Many believe the story is about not trusting someone for whom betrayal is in their nature. I believe it's a story of a frog who tests the scorpion: If the scorpion is a creature so bent on betrayal that it acts even against its own nature, it does not deserve to live at any cost. The frog sacrifices himself to ensure that the scorpion's treachery is limited to one life. You can betray us and have that be your final act of betrayal, or you can sit back and let us help you. Your choice.

parley to convince him to play nice with leverage being the threat that his betrayal will mean his death: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 4) + 1 = 8

" So, we still have a question to deal with. Is it worth trying the pincer to destroy the altar, or should we all go as one group? And if we're all going together, do we use the frontal approach, or the back door?"

Love the spin on the parable, Conwall!

As the group interrogated the God of treachery, Ron states into the distance. Everything he knows of Einora shift around his mind like a jumble of unmarked puzzle pieces. What does she expect? Frontal assault or treachery?

Trying to trigger Battle of Wits.

Her bronze walls will be enchanted and warded. Belym is powerful, but even she may not be able to bring them down. Further, Einora seems fully aware of everything we do. Surprise is unlikely. Tell me Ishtar, if ye were at the brink of death, would her power weaken?

Tom tries to play something like this as a joke, I like your thinking Conwall, but in this case the frog would be carrying a fly across the river to become the scorpion only to bring it back! It seems like the frog is asking for it in that case!

We should probably abandon him now or test the divine ore before Einora.

Defy Danger(Charisma): 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5

Conwall

I am more than content to ally with you, Conwall. As I have insisted from the start, I do not intend to turn on you. You have done nothing to wrong me Ishtar insists, extending his hand We're on the same side of this conflict.

Ron

From your allies descriptions of the hells, it would seem to be the most inhospitable, deadly location in all of existence. it would be suicide to try to pass through, a seige of the brass walls would be much safer (a decidedly relative term in this instance), and therefore what she expects.

Well, of course she is aware, she is scrying us, it's not an uncommon spell, so simple even humans can do it. he says, and then recoils at your second question, before hastily answering No, my power is no longer tied to me, all that I have left is my deific biology, and what few scraps of power clung to my frame.

Tom

Can I get a DD+Wis?

Defy Danger(Wisdom): 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 2) + 3 = 10

[dice=Defy Danger(Wisdom)]2d6+3

Lucky, lucky

As you openly propose breaking a compact, and turning on an ally, you feel some power wash over you. it tries to seep into your skull, and though you fight it off, the feeling leaves you chilled. what do you do?

I shake Ishtar's hand hardily. I don't believe in his divinity and as such I'm not intimidated by him. I've killed demons stronger than he.

If she's watching us, there's no sense in doing what she doesn't expect. She can see everything. Unless that wicked little brain of yours has a better idea?

As much fun as the trip through hell would be, should we just press on the frontal attack? We have reason to think that a sneak attack on the altar won't help, so there's probably little sense in splitting the party.

Other than the demons that fled to find backup and are probably at our heels now. Plus scrying may have complications across planes and/or in hell.