After the display, Satinder looks visibly releived. Finally, a real number. If only those rats thinned the ranks a bit more to improve my chances…
When Satinder’s turn to select a token arrives he eagerly plunges his fist into the pile, yanking out a token and clutching it to his chest, as if almost expecting someone to steal it from him. Only after glancing around to ensure the token was truly his did he glance down at the number he had chosen.
He couldn’t help but overhear the rapport building between some of the other contestants. He was accustomed to being the odd man out, being the bastard son of a corrupt Chelaxian nobleman. Now without a house, or family, to return to, he did feel an odd sense of longing for some sort of companionship. He wasn’t quite sure how to deal with these new feelings, so he tried his hand at some conversation with some of the others, no doubt coming off out of place and awkward.
He wasn’t much of a drinker, but after the evenings events, he felt a drink would do well to calm his nerves. He listens in on the group at the bar, debating the cause of the conflict at the token ceremony. He preferred not to dirty his hands with religious fallacy, harboring much malice toward the great lengths at which his father went to appease Asmodeus. As that conversation changes course, he idly follows the few who sought answers from the three who questioned the priests. Something about Haffazz reminded him of Khord and for reasons he couldn’t quite understand, Satinder began to take a liking to the dwarf. He addressed the dwarf in common, keeping his voice low.
”You seem to not want to be bothered with idle chatter. I assume you’re a man who respects strength. You want to delve the depths of the sands beneath this city to claim your share of the power many thought lost to those who might seek it…?”
Noyte sings the next set along with the band, before quitting for the evening. The next performer is very good, and Noyte watches trying to pick up some pointers for when he might sing again. Too bad it's not a dead crowd tonight. I'm sure they would appreciate my songs. .
Number: 718
Perform: Singing
Between sets he walks about the place, asking for critiques, and song choices that he should learn, and if they have any mortally sick friends.
In Osiriani, "819." Vathan replies looking around for the buxom Halfling nurse and orders,
The Gnome Musketeer is genuinely surprised with the politics of the lottery. The news down in Sothis sounded like this process was very organized and simple. He does not know what to make of the day, so he people watches unless Rasim has a topic of conversation.
"Just a sec," Rasim mutters to Vathan, before going over to Haffazz Bronzebeard. He smiles and nods to the dwarf in greeting."Hey, you crafty bastard. Can I buy you a drink?" If the dwarf concurs, Rasim leads him back to the bar and Vathan.
Zanac hears a familiar voice from behind him and spots a group of contestants chatting with the dwarf from Isaac's group. Noticing the half-elf there he quickly ordered another ale and carried his half-empty glass and the new full glass over towards the table, giving Kaina a parting nod as he moves away.
As he approaches the table he greats the group already there in common. "Hello my fellow adventurers. Say Sal, I promised you a drink, did I not?" he asks with a grin, holding up the full glass of ale. "Andoran Ale. It's a personal favorite of mine." Assuming Salomae takes the drink, Zanac turns towards Haffazz and continues, a gleam in his eye. "Say, you look like a man interested in enjoying yourself. How about some friendly competition? I'll bet I can down as many ales or drink of your choice as you can."
Everyone remember to roll a d1000 for your number. Byron you can keep 42, but remember - you chose it.
Byron nods to Salomae and Ryuu as he passes by them to pull up a seat next to Isaac. He talks but not at Isaac, asking no questions but merely spouting a few musings, letting Isaac ether take it or leave it.
"I guess the game was a good introduction. At least there we both knew we were trying to mask ourselves, hide what we are. In a way it's more honest, knowing about a lie."
Byron slides a bottle his way.
"For a good night, that won't lead to a rough morning. Good people are rare, and rarer still that they be rewarded, even if just a bit. Please accept it... For what it's worth, you may have me just believing that half-orcs are the best of both worlds. I'll stop bugging you now."
After Byron hears his response he kindly forfeits his seat at the bar. Checking back in with the bartender making sure his coins are still good enough to cover anything the half-orc needs. Then he rejoins Salomae and Ryuu.
"I'm sure everyone in this bar is ether bugging these guys, avoiding them, or trying to figure out their weaknesses. I would just wish them guys luck but I have a feeling their just going to respond 'If fate deems it' or something to that effect."
Fourth Stage
The remaining 24 examinees are taken to Zevil Island. Each one of them is given a card with a number that represents the badge number of his target. Every one of the applicants must get the badge of his target while protecting his own. A target's badge equals to 3 points, and keeping one's own badge is also 3 points, while any other badge is worth a single point. To pass this stage one must get a total of 6 points by anyway they can.
". . . Fate is a funny thing, after all. Could be our paths will never cross again."
The dwarf spits a spray of mead across the table as he erupts in sudden laughter. It takes several moments for him to gain control of himself. " . . . Yes . . . Hah hah ah, yes maybe fate." he hammers his fist on the table several times as he falls back into laughter. "Yes, fate is indeed a 'funny' thing. In your ridiculous ignorance, you are closer to wisdom than all the others."
To haffazz bronzebeard
perhaps because you were asked obviously. Your performance out there means people are curious. Me, I have seen so many loud, bad tempered dwarves who like to think they are important it's nearly a cliche. So I don't care who you are. But my friend here is, so why not answer.
"Come now. Are you so young and spoiled as to think, you get everything you want just because you desire it. Do enjoy growing up."
”You seem to not want to be bothered with idle chatter. I assume you’re a man who respects strength. You want to delve the depths of the...
"Strength, son, is just posturing. True value comes from knowing. If you know, that is true power. It defeats swords, magic and armies."
"Just a sec," Rasim mutters to Vathan, before going over to Haffazz Bronzebeard. He smiles and nods to the dwarf in greeting. (In Orisiani) "Hey, you crafty bastard. Can I buy you a drink?" If the dwarf concurs, Rasim leads him back to the bar and Vathan.
"Any drink I don't pay for is a good one. But my ass has settled here quite comfortably. Even so much payment as a walk across the bar is too much for me."
Zanac turns towards Haffazz and continues, a gleam in his eye. "Say, you look like a man interested in enjoying yourself. How about some friendly competition? I'll bet I can down as many ales or drink of your choice as you can."
"Drink as competition. So sad. Why not enjoy the flavor. Are you so eager to drink yourself stupid, or" He raises his hand to his forehead in mock surprise, "maybe it is a ploy to get me to sh** out my guts for you? Transparent." he takes a long swig out of his mug.
As Ryuu listens to the dwarves words he realizes the dwarf is much more than he lets on.
Indeed, my old master always taught me that knowing the enemy, his strengths, weakness, knowing his heart, was more than half the battle. You are a wise man indeed good dwarf, though you seem content to let many think somewhat differently.
as he speaks Ryuu bows.
@Byron
Isaac responds only with a brief nod and continues to stare into his drink.
"Drink as competition. So sad. Why not enjoy the flavor. Are you so eager to drink yourself stupid, or" He raises his hand to his forehead in mock surprise, "maybe it is a ploy to get me to sh** out my guts for you? Transparent." he takes a long swig out of his mug.
And here are the numbers:
Byron Swiftwater/Golem 0042B - 42
Noyte Ruo - 718
Ryuu Rossburg - 344
Zanac - 64
Kaina - 522
Orcen Faust - 777
Satinder 'Tinder' Phandros - 120
Rasim Kader - 885
Thorin O'Connel - 691
Robert Melechant - 93
Vathan - 819
Graxzos Khar-Bulkhet - 678
Salomae Amsel - 230
We have 13 applicants, and frankly not a bad one in the bunch. This process has done exactly what I wanted it to do, filtered out those who were only slightly interested or had less time than they anticipated. Plus, you all now have a good idea, both socially and combat-wise what kind of game I plan to run. I assume, if you like what you see, you are still around. <smile>
I'm excited to continue. I hope you all are as well, but everything I needed to do to prepare is done. I can't really continue until I have the adventure (I really thought I'd have that by now) But I don't want to keep anyone hanging, so I am starting the 48 hour clock early. Please finish and finalize any crunch for your character including gear. Friday at 2PM the lottery will be called and I will announce the final players. I wish I had time to split the adventure and let everyone play, but state testing starts in my school soon, and I am starting the rehersal process for my next play. Busy, busy.
Interact with the current NPCs and each other. Anyone who has yet to post a character (lurkers listen up!) This is your last chance. So far this has been tremendous fun, and we really haven't even started yet. Let's keep it up!
"Drink as competition. So sad. Why not enjoy the flavor. Are you so eager to drink yourself stupid, or" He raises his hand to his forehead in mock surprise, "maybe it is a ploy to get me to sh** out my guts for you? Transparent." he takes a long swig out of his mug.
Sorry, I rolled a sense motive before posting. It was high enough I didn't feel the need to call for a bluff, but I may have jumped the gun. Please do so, beat a 27 and we'll ret-con the response.
In the future, if you plan a bluff, roll it in post. I will usually just set a reasonable DC if you don't to keep the post flow smooth.
"Drink as competition. So sad. Why not enjoy the flavor. Are you so eager to drink yourself stupid, or" He raises his hand to his forehead in mock surprise, "maybe it is a ploy to get me to sh** out my guts for you? Transparent." he takes a long swig out of his mug.Sorry, I rolled a sense motive before posting. It was high enough I didn't feel the need to call for a bluff, but I may have jumped the gun. Please do so, beat a 27 and we'll ret-con the response.
In the future, if you plan a bluff, roll it in post. I will usually just set a reasonable DC if you don't to keep the post flow smooth.
Byron and 0042B sit further down at the bar and watch some of the other people talk to each other, finding himself admiring a few of them. This adventure had already brought surprises.
Something he had said earlier came back to him.
Sometimes I feel like the greatest adventure we take is not in tombs or castles but in finding the limits of our own selves."
Byron felt a lump in his throat that he had suppressed with his smile. Something that gnawed deep down in his self. This feeling dredged up when he inadvertently caught 0042B on fire.
He looked over at the golem which had already set out to cut up Byron's dinner into bite-size pieces. Byron choked out a response "Mom... I'm sorry I killed you."
0042B's head swiveled "-Assurance- presumption incorrect, self was safe from destruction."
Byrons vision got blurry, now he was no longer looking directly at 0042B, but beyond it, back to someone he never got to know "No... Mom, I'm sorry I killed you."
The golem grabbed the back of the gnomes chair, sliding it close to it. "Your mom is proud" The golem said, in what was the first time Byron could remember it giving an ambiguous response.
|
He sat at the bar debating going upstairs to hunt down that strange woman for questions but after a few drinks decided against it. Those three had their own game going, and he didnt want to get involved... well at least not unless she asked him too. The lovely red haired half-elven lass suddenly sat at the bar unoccupied and honestly looking entirely lonely. He shrugged and moved to a seat beside her.
"Awful brave of you to be jumping out there to give that wizard a bit of aide there lovely. You here for Fortune or Fame?" He asked glancing at her but certainly not getting too close and personable at the moment. "Either way toast to our fortunes?" He asked offering up the top of his wine bottle to her glass.
Zanac shrugged. "Ah well, didn't realize I was that easy to read. Most people have issues judging a Catfolk's expressions," he half bowed to the dwarf. "Well played sir. I'll leave you to your drink."
Zanac turned away from the dwarf and grinned at Salomae. "Well of course we will eventually. I just want to find out ahead of time. It's simply natural curiosity."
"Any drink I don't pay for is a good one. But my ass has settled here quite comfortably. Even so much payment as a walk across the bar is too much for me.""Just a sec," Rasim mutters to Vathan, before going over to Haffazz Bronzebeard. He smiles and nods to the dwarf in greeting. (In Orisiani) "Hey, you crafty bastard. Can I buy you a drink?" If the dwarf concurs, Rasim leads him back to the bar and Vathan.
Rasim laughs. "Alright then, maybe later," he says in Osiriani, heading back to Vathan. He plops back down next to the gnome. "If we both get picked, we're going to need a couple more people at least. Seems like we both like to keep a distance from our enemies. Maybe we should find a big brawny warrior. A spellcaster would be nice too, I'm sure we'll need magical expertise in there." Looking around the bar, Rasim tries to size up the other would-be tomb raiders, thinking back to their displays during the rat battles. "Which two would you pick?" he asks Vathan.
Graxzos, seeing that Salomae's attention has become engaged elsewhere, grins, winks at her, and heads up to the bar. "ANOTHER!" he roars. He takes the offered tankard and greedily slurps, foam frosting his beard. He looks around the bar for any likely looking musicians and, when he spots them , he demands, "You lot know 'The Romancin' Rhyme of Cayden Cailean?'"
Regardless of whether or not the song is familiar to anyone, and whether or not anyone plays or sings along, Graxzos hauls himself onto the seat of his bar stool and declaims, "A TOAST! For some of us go into the graves soon. And don't we all, soon, too soon, aye, don't we all go down into the graves. But while we're here there's sun and music and laughter and the warm arms of women and men what be pleasin' to the eye! So a toast, I say, and on with the song of the greatest of men!" He chugs the rest of the tankard, hums the opening bars of the song, and begins to sing in something that (on a good day) could be called a melody.
"Ooooooooooohhhhhhh a hero there was once, so lovely and lean,
The lasses were all just a-twitter.
Yes, he'd wooed the milkmaids and also the queen,
And on dark nights he'd made her titter.
Alas that this hero should pass from this world!
He was on a dark night last seen;
Then he faced Aroden's rock,
Such a bold, brash young gamecock--
Now he's the best god, Cayden Cailean!
He woke the next morning upon a far shore,
Enveloped in tingly caresses
For it seemed he'd spent the night with a goddess all right,
Fair Calistria, clad just in her tresses!
Our hero climbed upright, though not as he should:
Poor lad's man-bits were still dangling out.
And though Calistria tried,
With fire in her eyes,
The Drunk God's 'brain' knew that she he must flout!"
The song goes on (if no one stops him) an impressively long 17 further verses, detailing the Accidental God's mostly accidental romantic liaisons with the rest of the major pantheon, and some of the minor, during the three days in which Cailean was completing his apotheosis. Naturally Shelyn is the next verse, and from there the verses get more and more comical; it's amazing what a seemingly focused goddess like Iomedae gets up to on the weekends. From the stricter good gods the song moves into the creepier (but no less appealing to the still-drunk Cayden) gods: Nethys, the song claims, can be quite a lover, but only if you get him on a good day. The song concludes with a broadly comic rendition of Cayden's time spent (mostly in anatomical puzzlement) with Achaekek.
When his song is finished, the dwarf collapses against the bar stool, spent, with a happy grin on his face.
Satinder was taken aback by Haffazz’s profound reply to his question. Knowledge is power… Not the knowledge one gains by endlessly studying a spellbook, but knowledge that can only be gained through experience. Not the experience of endless training in a sheltered manorhouse courtyard, but the experience of living a rich and purposeful life. Maybe this is what The Voice had been promising—ultimate knowledge…
Satinder caught himself as he realized just how absurd a path his thoughts had taken. Rich? Purposeful? These were not the virtures of life for one such as him. Rejection, bitterness, futility, sorrow—these were his bedfellows.
Scoffing at the ludicrousness of it all, he simply walked back to his seat, thinking his secret, selfish, obsesssive thoughts.
"Come now. Are you so young and spoiled as to think, you get everything you want just because you desire it. Do enjoy growing up."To haffazz bronzebeard
perhaps because you were asked obviously. Your performance out there means people are curious. Me, I have seen so many loud, bad tempered dwarves who like to think they are important it's nearly a cliche. So I don't care who you are. But my friend here is, so why not answer.
Robert smiles you misunderstand. I don't care what you were doing. If it's important, I'll find out one way or another. If you think that means being spoilt, then you have a lot of learning to do.
"Tough to say," Vathan replies to Rasim. "I wasn't really paying attention to the others, more the rats."
He sips his drink, "I agree but the arcanist would also need to be significantly knowledgeable. Knowledge is power. Fighting the rats really didn't demonstrate any of that. What about you? You see any good talent?"
example:
"That gnome with the golem looks quite interesting. Surely he must be knowledgeable to have constructed such a machine. As for the others, it's hard to say. Most seem to be warriors. I think that northerner is some kind of priest," Rasim says pointing to Robert. "I saw him tending to people earlier. I don't know if Avistani can be trusted though. What do you think?"
"Well, we can't have enough gnomes," Vathan replies to Rasim with a wry smile. "He would need to be knowledgeable or something, because the rats kicked him around a bit."
He surveys the Blue Macaw, "which northerner do you think is a priest?"
"My pleasure. And I'm sure there will be 'cause I have no plans on dying anytime soon and I doubt very much that you'd go down easily yourself. Not to mention I doubt that solidly built fighter over there would let anything happen to ya." Zanac says, indicating Thorin with a tilt of his head and a wink towards Salomae.
As a random toast gets called and others join in Zanac looks at his still half-empty glass and shrugs. "What the hell. Hear Hear!" he calls out and downs the remainder of the ale in his glass, coughing as he realizes that might have been a bit too much. "Whoops. Now I remember why I never tried that before," he says with a self-conscious grin.
If you guys would do me a favor, post with 'character completed' under your alias when you are finalized. I'm going to check the math today.
Character Completed.
Also, the drawpack I chose was "Attached" which gives the GM the ability to choose what Zanac is attached to, however might I suggest something along the lines of a ball of yarn? ;)
Should I just set aside gold for the gadgets we talked about earlier?
Also do you want a full background write-out? I know I have alluded to some things but they aren't written in my bio.
"Wisdom is life's boon and curse, for it's only learned through mistakes made by yourself and others," The young man tells the dwarf, shaking his head. "...Hmm, perhaps that was slightly too profound of me. I really ought to continue to play the fool. Better to be underestimated than over," He says, grinning before leaving the dwarf, fingering his stone.
"Well, I do hope that my luck will be like this number," He comments mostly to himself.
Should I just set aside gold for the gadgets we talked about earlier?
Also do you want a full background write-out? I know I have alluded to some things but they aren't written in my bio.
Yes to spending gold for gadgets. Remember to take Craft (gadget) if you want to take gadgets. All gadgets count as masterwork, so pay for mundane version of item, then 50gp for masterwork portion, no more than +2 circumstance bonus, result is considered 'fragile' future gadgets will require time commitment as well.
Yes also to full background. Let's get everything on paper, it doesn't mean we can't come up with more later.
Character Completed.
Also, the drawpack I chose was "Attached" which gives the GM the ability to choose what Zanac is attached to, however might I suggest something along the lines of a ball of yarn? ;)
No problem with attached. I am going to make you choose, and I want a bit of backstory about why it is so important to you. Also, I expect the item to be out and visible, an obvious and integral part of your character, not something buried in a pack and forgotten.
No problem with attached. I am going to make you choose, and I want a bit of backstory about why it is so important to you. Also, I expect the item to be out and visible, an obvious and integral part of your character, not something buried in a pack and forgotten.Character Completed.
Also, the drawpack I chose was "Attached" which gives the GM the ability to choose what Zanac is attached to, however might I suggest something along the lines of a ball of yarn? ;)
Works for me. I'll roll something up then.
character completed
For traits I chose
-Rich Parents (I know it's popular but I really feel it fits, plus Byron's pretty frivolous so it won't go far.)
-Inquisitive Archaeologist, because his mom was so involved with Archaeology Byron is intensely interested in it.
Drawback
-Naive, because he is pretty much a child.
Hope I fleshed it out much better for you, if you have any questions then let me know.
|
Now that the list of Osirion gods has been posted, I'm unsure how I'd want to develop Kaina's faith. I could either have him interested in only actively worshipping the Lawful half of the pantheon, if there's clear grouping of which ones work for the head god (not clear if that's going to be Horus or Ra) and which ones work against him; or I could have him personally prefer the Lawful and Good gods, but feel obligated by his perceived destiny to advance them all, regardless of disliking the Evil and Chaotic ones.
Character completed.
Will finish ryuu's rough points when I get off work tonight.