We also have the fact I can begin making things for us to use as well.
Yeah, to be honest with you, I'm not concerned at all about the momentary lower level of 'wealth'.
It is just something to be roleplayed out and part of your 'ass-whipping'. :)
I'll be working on a turn recap today.
Game on!
+8 Skill Points (2 Class, +3 int, +2 background, +1 favored class)
+12 Diplomacy (1 skill rank)
+9 Knowledge (arcana) (+1 skill rank)
+7 Knowledge (planes) (+1 skill rank)
+7 Knowledge (nobility) (+1 skill rank) (bs)
+7 Knowledge (engineering) (+1 skill rank)
+8 Linguistics (Strix) +(1 skill rank)
+9 Spellcraft (+1 skill rank)
+6 use magic device (+1 skill rank)
We are using background skills light...
How about you all take 1 extra skill rank per level to be used on a profession and/or 'hobby' skill thus giving you all something else that you do besides just adventuring.
Please adjust your skill ranks accordingly (others as well).
Questions?
Game on!
I would think it would be OK to send letters to the Red Jills. I would also expect the Jills to be extra careful for the next couple of days but I think they'll trust the 'underworld pact' they made.
"Deer Red Jills. I hashaved met yoo on the dark roof last nite. I trooly hope you are all well. Well plaid. I no how hard it is to find fences for some of the itemz. I wood be interested in making you an offer for some - or all - of them. Death to yoor enemies, of witch I aint 1. Caleb"
Caleb took the letter to Tillia. "What do you think? I spent hours on it. Maybe we can open up some more peaceful avenues of communication, bring them in more slowly." He looks a little sheepish "I'm not all that good at the written word.
What is 'buying Lore'?Basically it is a cutdown knowledge skill, used for a specific purpose only. Was hoping to spend my 'background point' on it this level.
+6 HP (class)
+2 HP (constitution)
+1 Bab
+1 Will
+6 Skill Points (4 Class, +1 Human, +1 Int)
+1 Acrobatics, Climb, Knowledge (History), Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth
Bleeding Attack feat
Fast Movement (+10 ft), Ki pool 4,5 (+2 Wis, +1 Trait), Ki Strike (Magic)
What is your background skill rank used in (profession-barrister or something else?)
Game on!
Figure given his background Caleb is probably borderline illiterate. Books are a luxury he didn't have.
What is 'buying Lore'?Basically it is a cutdown knowledge skill, used for a specific purpose only. Was hoping to spend my 'background point' on it this level.
Yeah, that would be an appropriate use for the extra skill rank.
Game on!
No, these extra skill ranks cannot be used for any 'listed' skill except profession and craft (non-adventuring craft, craft-tattoo is Ok while craft-alchemy is NOT).
It's meant to flesh out your skills that are NOT used for adventuring.
Game on!
Forgot what we were and weren't using as far as acceptable background skills.
Changes:
*No HP bonus for toughness (didn't take it and missed that fact).
*I kept the rank in knowledge (nobility) but made it one of the missing favored class bonus points
*I added a rank of knowledge (religion) for the other missing favored class bonus point.
*Added profession (magic instructor) as my back ground skill point to represent taking on an apprentice in Sasha.
*I added the misdirection spell to my spell book (forgot to do that before).
*Got my familiar updated (10 hp, +1 Nat armor Bonus and Intelligence Score, and added Deliver Touch Spells).
Turn 065 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
, pass
, 1 supporters
, fail
, fail
, yes
, low morale
We missed that third action we have... since we didn't get things together to use it for anti-Jill operations, how about making an extra gather info check with that? It'd be very unlikely for us just not to use it for anything.
** Morning at the coffee house, basement
Beginning his morning as always with a slow dance of stances and forms, the monk allowed his mind to wander as his body followed the familiar patterns of motion. Tripped to his waist, wearing only baggy trousers and the sweat of a hard exercise, Eirik faced opponents conjured by his imagination, lacking proper sparring partners.
Again, he wondered how he had been trapped in the role of active protagonist instead of the open-minded neutral observer he had thought he’d become. And the recent lesson on humility had been another surprise, but no doubt necessary simply because of its unexpectedness. One should not fall into the trap of overestimating oneself. The price had been dear in terms of enchanted items, but quite possibly worth paying.
Thrush in the Thicket, into Rising Moon, into Shake Dew from the Branches. The parry flowed smoothly into the twin kicks, barely clearing the furniture, but Eirik had spent enough time in the building to have the room’s dimensions memorized.
Things were progressing, although not quite the way he had hoped they would. The very visible rescue had done wonders for the recruitment efforts, but naturally it had also made the government more aware of them, to take them more seriously. They were yet not a threat large enough that the Paracount would mobilize all his forces to find and catch them, but the day would come. If they continued being successful, it would come.
Low Rising Wind, into Tower of Morning, into Moon on the Water. Third kick followed by falling into a high defensive stance, followed by dropping down to do a sweeping kick to known the legs from under an opponent – this time coming perilously close to catching the leg of a misplaced stool and sending it flying.
Annoyed, the monk banished the distracting trail of thought and focused anew on the forms. Oak Shakes its Branches, into Rolling Boulder, into Folding the Air. A series of punches performed to perfection.
The familiar exercise brought his teacher into mind, and his parting words, urging him to seek out the master’s old associates. Well, he had tried, hadn’t he, but his master hadn’t exactly let it be known that the Archivists had been disbanded with extreme prejudice. Outlawed and hunted down, until none remained who would admit being part of the group. And their crime? Preserving old relics and documents. Although, people holding onto conflicting versions of the past would no doubt be irritating to someone who sought his right as a winner to rewrite history.
The Grapevine Twines, into Reaping the Barley, into Ribbons in the Air. A series of grapples and joint locks that looked ridiculous without an opponent to bear the brunt of the blows.
The monk’s dance ended in a low guard position, legs bent and spread, hands held before his chest, palms lightly pressed together. It was time to push his boundaries. He banished thoughts of plans and plots from his mind and concentrated, eyes closed. Breathing, in and out. In, gathering the force of life suffusing his body. Out, allowing the exhalation to carry anxieties and worries, fears and hopes, from his mind. He could feel himself sinking deeper into the trance, feel himself becoming ever more aware of the minute shiftings of energy in his body. The Ki his master had thaught him about, but that had ever stayed elusive to his conscious control.
’Guide, never force.’ The though, the memory, echoed in the stillness of his mind. ’Accept, never question. Surrender, and guide the flow.’
Another breath of air, and something happened. For the first time, Eirik could feel the energy shifting, following not his conscious commands but nevertheless flowing how and where he wished. Surprise and triumph flashed through his mind, yet did not touch him, flowing past like droplets of water on a film of oil. He could feel his palms and the soles of his feet growing warm as power pooled into his extremities. One last deep breath and he risked opening his eyes. Yet his concentration held.
He stared at a bundle of wood before him, three solid planks tied together and leaned against the wall, with two heavy stone blocks on the ground keeping them in place.
One last breath of air, drawn in and held, and suddenly the monk moved. Lightning of Three Prongs, revised. Three heavy palm strikes on the planks. He felt the heat suffusing his hands reach out into the wood, through the wood.
He opened his eyes and blinked in surprise. The top plank was unmarred, but the second and third were cracked where his palms had struck. ”Well I’ll be…” Eirik murmured, feeling the gathered energy disperse back into his body as surprise eroded concentration. A successful Ki strike, his first, and more. A deep strike, conducting shock inside an opponent’s body through skin or armor, to crush organs and rupture blood vessels. As nasty a technique as one might imagine. But, Eirik had to admit, effective. And perhaps necessary in the days to come. He stood staring at the planks for a moment before he shook himself from his daze and returned his thoughts to plans at hand.
Perhaps it was time to give locating the elusive Archivists another go, he thought, ending his morning exercise with a comprehensive set of stretches. He didn’t expect to make fast progress with the task, but if there were any Archivists alive, there would be one place they wouldn’t easily abandon. No, he had considered this before, but had always lacked either the time or the urgency to begin what he expected to be a slow process. But with the revolution going as it did… the Ravens didn’t yet take up all his daylight hours, but he didn’t quite dare return to his regular life either. He had taken the cautious path in distancing himself from the Temple – he still thought that as a move worth making, he didn’t wish the Brothers any guilt by association with a rebel – but now it seemed certain that the Dottari hadn’t in fact gotten a good enough look at them earlier. Or they were holding tight to the information, something Eirik didn’t feel likely.
His mind made up, the monk headed down for breakfast, and perhaps a session with one of his new companions with a flair for disguises…
** At the Alabaster Academy
Wearing his clerical robes of white and gold, his hair dyed a few shades darker brown and his small braids unwoven, Eirik strode through the University’s front door, wondering why it had taken him so long to finally visit the place.
For a moment he stood silently in the vast main hall, taking in all the details. In its years of glory, the Academy had been a marvel of the academic world, he had learned, and even though it was now well in decline the signs were still there to be seen. High arched ceiling, magnificent windows – many of stained glass, statues standing in lonely vigil along the corridors, grand tapestries on the walls, the alabaster ornaments that had given the institution its name.
But the alabaster was more grey than white now, despoiled by the soot residue of a city lighting itself to keep night at bay. The stained glass windows had signs of old damage, partly repaired with clear glass where painted panels should have been. Only a few students walking the halls, when once the building had been full to the rafters. A few brighter spots on the walls even suggested of paintings removed and never replaced. A sign that the Academy had been forced to liquidity some of its assets to survive.
Eirik was well familiar with the reason for the Academy’s downfall. Indeed, he wagered he knew as much about it as anyone, barring the people involved and the Academy’s faculty. For he had taken a couple days to peruse the case files, all that he had managed to lay his hands on, during his first week in the city. After all, the Temple Hill Slasher case had been a rarity. A real serial killer, and one that had been caught, tried and punished according to the law. He had even managed to find the case’s prosecutor’s notes, and had spent several thoughtful hours on those pages alone, reading and pondering what could drive a man into such depravity.
He shook his head, banishing the trail of thought. Be that as it may, the Academy had never truly recovered, still carrying the stigmata of its past faculty member’s sin. Perhaps it was testimony to the surviving members’ stubbornness and guile that the Academy had survived at all – people were wont to find someone to blame, and after all those murders, there had been plenty of guilt to go around, more that could be piled on the actual perpetrator’s shoulders.
Noticing a pair of students heading his way, the monk hailed them to ask for directions, noticing their interest in his official robes. But that much he had expected – he was a difficult man to disguise, with his height and build and bone structure. So he figured he could at least try to encourage people to remember his clothes and what those made him, instead of him as an individual. One of the young men answered Eirik with few words and a pointed finger and the monk nodded his thanks and moved on in the indicated direction. He passed several class rooms, some with their doors ajar so he might peek inside. Clearly, classes were still held, but most the students were few and far between. But he heard the tones of enthusiasm, love, and grim determination in the voices of the masters imparting their wisdom on the pupils. Yes, they might be down, but by gods they were not beaten yet.
A few minutes later he came to the closed doors of the Academy’s library. Without hesitation he shouldered the heavy doors open, blinking to adjust to the dim lightning. The weather was cloudy enough that the tall windows offered little illumination, and few laps were lit. No open flame was present in the chamber, of course – ever-present dust, vast amounts of paper and parchment and leather and candles or torches were a match made in bonfire heaven. The room was open to the high ceiling, though a balcony suggested the high bookshelves were not limited to the ground floor only.
Closing the door behind him, Eirik made his way to the desk close by to the door, meeting the eyes of the young man sitting behind it.
”Welcome... your reverence,” the man said, hesitating at the sight of the robes. ”Forgive me, but you are not a student, yes?”
”Brother Sterke, please; I’m not here in any official capacity,” Eirik answered, seeing some of the tension leave the man’s posture. No, barristers in their official role were not welcome guests here, he thought. Even after all these years… and why not? If the city hasn’t forgotten or forgiven, why should these people? ”I’m here on a purely personal business… I have been told the library can be used even by non-members for a fee? I confess, study of history is a great passion of mine, and while your Academy has always looked in other directions, your collections even on a secondary subject are no doubt extensive.”
The man brightened noticeably. ”Ah, indeed, membership in our Literary Society can be purchased for a small fee. Would you be interested in a single day pass or perhaps joining for the semester?”
”Semester,” Eirik said firmly. ”Now that I have the time to study, I expect to visit regularly. May I assume the use of a study chamber is included in the membership?”
”You may indeed – and although we have only a limited number of such rooms… well…” the man gestured at library, almost devoid of student, and sighed heavily.
”I understand,” Eirik said, joining the man in a sigh of lamentation. ”It is a sad fate that has befallen your Academy, but the fact that you have soldiered on for all this time speaks highly of you. I cannot imagine it having been easy, at least not immediately after the… unpleasantries.”
”No… a bit before my time, you understand, but…” the man shook his head. ”Enough about that. History, you said? Any particular topic?”
”Political history, although I wouldn’t mind learning more about this city’s past. I imagine if anywhere, that knowledge would be found here.”
The librarian nodded, not needing to consult his indexes. ”Yes, I think we do have some sections that you will find interesting. I do regret I need to ask for the membership payment before I allow you in. The collections here are quite rare and…”
”I fully understand,” Eirik said, reaching for his money bag. ”Let us get that formality out of the way. Oh, and may I ask for your name, Sir?”
”Lurcon. Lurcon Thrune, at your service” the young man said, smiling, fortunately missing Eirik’s reaction to the family name.
...
Great post; I'll keep your 'wishes' in mind as the story develops to see how we can fit that in.
Game on!
+5 HP (class)
+1 bab
+1 Ref Save
Bonus Feat: Dodge
Feat: Improved Initiative
+1 1st level spell per day
+4 skill points (+1 heal, +1 perception, +1 stealth, +1 knowledge religion)
+1 Profession point = craft, paintings
+1 HP (favored class)
Rowan will need a new weapon and she'd like to pick up a shield as well.
I think I got everything to level up. If not, please let me know.
I've been on the road all day today. Was stuck in the mountains for 3hours on a highway without mobile coverage because of an accident. It's good to be home.
Sorry Fabian, I kinda lost track of replying today due to a longer work day throwing me off. I will get something up in the morning.
+6 HP (class)
+2 HP (constitution)
+1 Bab
+1 Will
+6 Skill Points (4 Class, +1 Human, +1 Int)
+1 Acrobatics, Climb, Knowledge (History), Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth
Bleeding Attack feat
Fast Movement (+10 ft), Ki pool 4,5 (+2 Wis, +1 Trait), Ki Strike (Magic)
What is your background skill rank used in (profession-barrister or something else?)
Game on!
Rexus pulled out the mithral key, “Well, what do you think?”
Eirik had leaned forward in his chair the moment the Order was first mentioned. "My master sent me here to make contact with his old comrades in the Order - I do not know the identity of the people in question, and the means of establishing contact he shared with me were obviously no longer valid by the time I made my way here;" the monk said. "I for one am more than interested in taking part in this."
[b]"Do either of you have any current information about the museum? Is it abandoned or in some use? Who owns the building?"[/ooc]
Action 1
Tillia read through the note and nearly sprayed it with the mouthful of water she had just begun to swallow. She managed to turn her head away so she didn't ruin Caleb's work and sputtered a bit. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she gained control of herself and turned back to Caleb, "I'm sorry about that Caleb, I didn't expect it to read like that..." she hung her head in shame as she realized she just insulted him again, "I meant...I think we need to work on your writing skills, assuming that you didn't mean it to read like that." Her expression became desperate as she tried to find a way to appropriately apologize and kept coming up short. Finally she asked, "Do you want me to help you re-write this so it reads better?"
Action 2
The low morale was becoming a serious problem, so serious that their entire rebellion was in danger of simply collapsing in on itself. She'd been thinking on ways to improve this and came to a few conclusions. With her thoughts in order she gathered the rest of the leadership and said, "We need to do something about this, morale is terrible and we're in a great deal of danger as a consequence. We need to find a way to improve the morale and fast. I've had a couple of ideas but I don't know that we can manage them. The first is one of us needs to find a way to personally raise the morale of our followers, a morale officer of some kind. The second is some kind of major victory of some kind, whether that is taking out the Reed Jills for that humiliating defeat, or managing to bring a large influx of people into the movement." She looked at the others in concern, "Does anyone else have ideas or suggestions?"
Action 3
Tillia listened to Rexus and Laria discuss the possibility of his mother still being alive and the organization that she belonged to still existing in the city. "I must admit that I'd love to meet her, the knowledge she has access to would quite possibly be invaluable. This could also be the kind of coup that we need to help turn morale back around. Where and what is Hocum’s Fantasmagorium? I've never heard of it before."
You've all noticed that we are on a 'relaxed schedule' so just post when you can and I'll update when appropriate until the new year.
I think I have everyone's leveling up information except Vandomir (vacation).
Please roleplay out (or tell me) about the equipment/weapon situation because all the weapons you were carrying have been 'confiscated'.
Questions?
Game on!
OOC: Assuming the group sends Forvian and the Calistran Priestesses to 'gather information', the next day the group discovers that:
The structure was the passion of a struggling stage magician and salesman named Braedan “Hocum” Azperex. The man had the building constructed a year after the Chelish Civil War ended, with the goal of “bringing whimsy and joy back to Kintargo.” His plan was to have the Fantasmagorium serve as a museum of fantastic oddities and “authentic” magical phenomena.
His charm and showmanship transformed the bizarre concept into a minor success for many years, but when the exhibits (many of which were either grossly exaggerated or utter hoaxes) began to lose some of their novelty, the Fantasmagorium struggled to make ends meet. It finally went out of business 20 years ago, and Hocum died not long thereafter—the building has remained shut down and something of an eyesore ever since.
-----------
MAP
I'll also provide a rough map of the outside of the structure with the turn recap.
TEAMS
If you upgrade your teams, they can do other actions (sabotage, covert action), which is what I think you guys want the teams to do (i.e., stake out the place, determine strengths, potential weaknesses, etc.) These actions will become more important as the story goes on. Everyone (including me) should review the Player's Guide every once in a while to be more familiar with those rules.
In the Raven's sheet, I have a fourth team listed (other than tengus, Calistran priestesses, and Forvian/s team). Is that a mistake? Did we recruit some other team?
Questions?
Game on!
"Yeah, sure. I never got much book-learning. I was thinking of saying 'if you want to dress up as us and mug dottari and citizen societies, feel free' but it just doesn't sound like something you say in the first letter." He perked up, suddenly inspired "Hey - do you read Elven?"
"You can only jolly people along for so long, you know. It might buy us a little more time, but we need some victories." Caleb agreed.
Since Caleb already has two teams that he is in charge of, I gave this one to Eirik.
Please review the updated Raven's stats and let me know if you have any questions.
Game on!
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but it is possible we've been too secretive. When we met the Red Jills, they didn't know us. We're not a rebllion - hell, we're not even a gang at this stage."
He looked at the ceiling "I have to believe that there are people willing to fight THRUNE, if we can just find them and tell them. I think... I think we need to change. I think we need to change our focus from secrecy to recruitment. Yes, that means THRUNE might find us - but at least then we'd have done something. At the moment we're just inconsequential!"
"Tillia, Rowan - you've both tried appealing to people through their better nature. I know Eirik and I have suggested strategies as well. Laria's contacts have really helped us stretch the reach of our strategies. Tillia, your strategies should be working. None of it is enough. We're all doing what we're comfortable with - not what we're best at."
"Here's my suggestion - we drop this 'well-rounded secret gang' idea we've got. We run this like a vice ring. Yeah, don't make that face, the strategies work. We'll need to reorganise again once we get too big - but at this stage that's a problem I'd love to have. The vices we'll be peddling are freedom, revenge, independence and frankly whatever else gets people on board."
"I'll run around talking to people. Try to buck up the ones we've got, try to spread the word in the wider community."
"Tillia, you're going to be in charge of spying on those we recruit, or are looking to recruit. I thought you were too soft for it, but you worked out what was happening with the Dancers when I was clueless. Plus, you can go invisible and have a friend who can fly. You're perfect - only way you could be better is if you could read minds."
"Eirik, your knowledge of rebellions, and the way the law works, means you're perfect for coordinating strategy. I think you take over Tillia's job."
"Vandomir, your position gives you an ability to recruit people none of the rest of us could touch. You've done a fantastic job keeping everyone safe and well, but we're bleeding support too fast for that to matter."
"Laria, your connections also give us the ability to get more people. I think we need to push them harder, but stay with them."
"Rowan, you're going to be the firefighter. Whatever it is we need focus on, you're it. At the moment that's going to be recruitment, but at some point it'll change. I'm guessing Eirik's going to tell you when. You still get called boss, but don't worry about keeping the gang together, or long term strategy - you concentrate on whatever the problem of the day is."
Caleb looked at the kid, and at the others playing along. "Look Rexus. Of course we'll go. But I don't want you to get your hopes up. Yeah, she might be there - but she probably isn't. I hope she is - if you want to pray about it, I'm sure Rowan, Eirik and I are happy to help. Might be good if we all joined in." he looked around meaningfully
"But I've had enough of almost dying. If we're doing this, let's do it right. New weapons for everyone - I'll take the whip. More vials. Some sort of smokescreen in case it goes bad and we have to run. Everyone who can't heal takes a potion or something. Anyone know of anything that can let people see in the dark - that'd be useful? Let's take that potion we've been saving. Those of us who can stealth, do. Backup outside the door - doesn't have to be great weapons, but enough that if we run into trouble we're home free. Tillia, can you do your funky warding on Eirik and me - even if we have to get scrolls."
"I'm going to try to buy some of our weapons back from the Red Jills, assuming I can negotiate the price. They usually only get about 5 silver to the crown, so if we offer 6 they might be interested."
I'll adjust the teams once you guys come to an agreement. Look at what each team can do once it is upgraded to make your decisions.
The bonus action is (for now) ALWAYS recruitment, led by Rowan (so both strategist and sentinel contribute). If we make it, we'll get a serious number of recruits. A couple of weeks of that should get us out of trouble and back up to rank 3.
The problem with this is the way the rules are written there is only one 'recruitment action' permitted per phase (week). You also get additional supporters for 'public displays' of power.
My reading is the Strategist grants an additional action and +2 on that action
So if we get 2 actions, and we want to (say) secure a cache and recruit, then make sure the recruitment is the additional action.
My back of the enevelope calculations suggest we're at +11 now (and that's because of the -2 from the previous event). This should get us higher. Too high, actually, but we have no way of knowing it is the dice rolls killing it.
Action 1 con't.
Tillia nodded and took out a quill and ink to begin rewriting the letter on a fresh sheet of paper. She didn't really change the content so much as fix all the spelling and grammar problems. As she did she nodded at Caleb's question, "Yes, Elven is one of the languages I can both read and write in. Is there anything in particular you need?" Her words don't interrupt her writing in the least.
Action 2 Con't.
Thinking over Caleb's suggestions Tillia finally replied, "While I'm finding I rather like working on strategy I can give spying a try. Keep in mind I can't be invisible for very long, nor can Saliina understand any language but draconic." She grinned a bit naughtily and said, "As for reading minds, well , I can't do that...yet. I'm sure there's a spell out there for that."
"I need to bring something else up to all of you, we need to get some more equipment, what little decent stuff we had was taken by the Jills. Obviously that means spending some of our precious money but I am willing to throw all that I currently have into the pot. Something else to consider is that I finally have the skill to begin creating items on my own. It would help if we had someone capable of casting the spells that I am unable too as this will increase the rate at which this can be done and the reliability of the process."
Action 1 (retroactive):
Rowan was angry. Angry at the Red Jills but more so, she was angry at herself. What kind of leader was she if she couldn’t even keep herself or the others safe? To keep herself from silently stewing in her thoughts, she focused on healing everyone’s wounds. This was something she could do well and would keep her from sulking. When Eirik thanked her, her cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment…he should be reprimanding her, not thanking her.
As the others discussed the Red Jills, Rowan immediately agreed with with Eirik and Tillia. In her mind, the gang was a plague on the already oppressed citizens of Kintargo and shouldn’t be allowed to continue. However, she pushed her own feelings aside as she recognized that more unnecessary violence may not be the way and the citizens may be caught in the crossfire. For those reasons, she kept her mouth closed for the moment.
Action 2:
Rowan had no disagreements with what everyone was proposing except when Caleb said she’d still be the boss. ”I don’t need to be the boss. I don’t even think anyone knew I was the supposed leader of the Silver Ravens. I think that someone else needs to be known as the Silver Ravens’ leader and I need to get out and talk with the people directly. The rose that I carry in this tin is still blooming, see?” The warpriest removed the lid and everyone saw that her rose was still in full bloom even though it should have already wilted. ”Milani will keep it in bloom to show that she supports us and the people need to see that. The people won’t support a change without hope that it will succeed. I’m not surprised that morale is low because hope is fleeting when things get difficult. Even mine has been shaken with this last defeat.”
Action 3:
Rowan looked at the key and was encouraged by the hope of finding new allies. ”I’m all for checking out the Fantasmagorium but I won’t be of much help without a new weapon.” Again feelings of shame and anger pushed their way to the front of the warpriest’s mind as she was reminded of why her weapon was missing. This time to combat the negative thoughts, she focused on Milani and reminded herself of the struggle her goddess had gone through in the past. Milani knew that fighting oppression was never easy and that there was always something to be learned from failure. ”I plan to visit my mentor and see if she can help me with this need. Can we postpone visiting this place until we’re better prepared? Maybe send the tengus on some reconnaissance first?”
Tag everyone
Action 1
"Yes, Elven is one of the languages I can both read and write in. Is there anything in particular you need?" Her words don't interrupt her writing in the least.
Eirik glanced at Caleb's note over Tillia's shoulder and swallowed a chuckle. "If it won't help, it not likely to harm, as long as no-one backtracks the messenger to us," the monk said. "Might be worth the shot, and if the Jills decide someone else is watching them for who knows what purpose... it can only help us.
Caleb sighed "I thought this was pretty clearly us. I figure if we'd caught someone sneaking through our tunnels, and ambushed them, and then they claimed to be coming to hire us, we'd have taken their stuff and thrown them out as well. I think it's worth trying actual diplomacy, when there's no-one bleeding out. Their leader is obviously human enough to care about her followers - if that was their leader, of course - and merciful enough to let us go. I don't think they're bad people."
"I know this is going to be hard for an Abadarian to accept, but... the poor, especially the non-human poor, are treated pretty badly. If they have an opportunity to strike back at the humans that oppress them, I can see they'd take it. I mean, I can see that most humans - even the rich ones - aren't that bad, it's just THRUNE, but I had the advantage of being able to pass."
Caleb shook his head "No, if we can just convince them that THRUNE is their real enemy, we'd have them onside. It'd help if the rebellion made some statement like 'all sentients are equal', but I realise at the moment we're just fighting for the 'lesser of two devils'. I still think we might be able to bring them around."
"Tillia - when you say you can't be invisible for long, is that because you don't have the power, or you just don't know the spell yet?" Caleb asked, carefully.
"Rowan - it sounds like you're suggesting we switch jobs. I can't be boss, because Vandomir thinks I'm dodgy and Eirik disapproves of my methods. I think Vandomir is too... " Caleb hesitates, looking for a word "Noble? Tillia might be a little too young. Eirik is going to run into ethical dilemmas. If you're not boss, then I think we'll need to do some sort of collective, or elect Salina."
"Hell, I'll check it out if Tillia can make me invisible." Caleb was back to his cocky self "We have to rearm, no question there. If we're just buying normal items, should be pretty fast. I'm not sure how fast Tillia is at making things, though."
"Maybe we need to spend this week regrouping and rearming."
@Fabian: How many actions to change all the positions? Should we just 'start again', or can we take a week off?
I'll let you do that for 2 actions meaning you have 2 more actions left (3 +1 strategist).
Turn 066 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and.or suggestions?
Game on!
Turn 066 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
Was the ‘corrected’ letter sent to the Red Jills? If so, please briefly describe how.
I would think it would be OK to send letters to the Red Jills. I would also expect the Jills to be extra careful for the next couple of days but I think they'll trust the 'underworld pact' they made.
If there is a standard method (neutral go-betweens, say), then Caleb will do that. Otherwise he'll try to hire (and warn) another Yellowjacket to take it - along with a BIG bunch of flowers (it's a great camouflage).
If none of that works, then he'll deliver it himself, in disguise, in yellow jacket, and run at the first sign of trouble.
Action 2
"I would use a few coins to get another pair of knives, but as I mostly use those as a distraction rather than as weapons, I don't mind too much. But on the topic of magical items... we need to check out balance sheets," a great joke, that, even an underground criminal organization having to tally its expenses even if no tax collector would ever see the books, [b]" but if we can afford it, I'd love to get another pair of those protective bracers. Unless Caleb's plan manages to buy our items back."[b] Assuming the Jills didn't just decide to keep and use what they had stolen that night.
Action 1:
“Rowan - it sounds like you're suggesting we switch jobs. I can't be boss, because Vandomir thinks I'm dodgy and Eirik disapproves of my methods. I think Vandomir is too...” Caleb hesitated, looking for a word, “Noble? Tillia might be a little too young. Eirik is going to run
into ethical dilemmas. If you're not boss, then I think we'll need to do some sort of collective, or elect Salina.”
"If you need someone in name only then you can consider me as the 'boss' but I think everyone can agree that it isn't something I excel at. I think my talents are better used elsewhere. Yes, I can be a figurehead but I think that we should continue to make decisions collectively."
tag?
Let's assume that Caleb gave the 'corrected letter' to a courier of sorts but you all haven't heard back from the Red Jills yet...
So no 'old weapons' for now so I want to read about your embarrassing moment. :)
The Dog Lover song has slowly taken root but not enough to bother any of the Thrunes just yet.
The Fantasmagorium is in the Red Roof District, a pretty run down neighborhood you've all visited before (location of Fair Fortune Livery). People come and go here without much scrutiny.
TREASURY
I've been 'avoiding' this question because I didn't want to get bogged down with micro-managing stuff but I think it could lead to interesting RPing so...
The only guidance we have is the minimum treasury (10 times current rank or 30 gp for the current 3rd level), which must be kept in the 'coffers' otherwise there is supporter loss (2d4+rebellion's rank).
However, it doesn't seem like much.
Assuming that the rebellion's level is roughly equivalent to the PC level, how about saying the rebellion consumes 1/10 of equivalent character wealth level per week.
Therefore:
a 3rd level rebellion (15-19 supporters, 3 teams) consumes 300 gp/week;
a 7th level rebellion (55-74 supporters, 4 teams) consumes 2,350 gp/week; and
a 12th level rebellion (330-474, 6 teams) consumes 10,800 gp/week.
Too much?
Thoughts?
It was with a heavy heart that Rowan left the Wasp’s Nest to search out her mentor. She knew exactly the look that would be on Elsbeth’s face and the warpriest wasn’t looking forward to telling her that she’d failed. She failed in keeping her friends safe, she’d failed in keeping herself safe, and she’d failed in that they’d lost precious resources. Now she was going back to Elsbeth with her tail between her legs.
Even though Rowan was brooding as she made her way through the streets of Kintargo, she still kept an eye on her surroundings and made sure that she wasn’t drawing any unwanted attention. She made her way back to the brothel and ended up having to wait in Elsbeth’s room for her to return.
It was obvious that Elsbeth was surprised when she saw Rowan waiting. ”What happened?”
Rowan started to tell her mentor what had happened and how she had failed to notice the Red Jills and how she had failed to protect the others and how she had ultimately lost her weapon. As she recounted what had happened, tears silently streaked down her face. Rowan was embarrassed and felt shame for her failure. Her tears were the only way her body knew how to express those feelings.
She didn’t know what she was expecting from Elsbeth other than a look of disappointment. Rowan knew that what she wanted was a hug and for Elsbeth to tell her that everything would be ok. However; as the warpriest was recently learning, things rarely went as you hoped.
Elsbeth’s face definitely reflected disappointment and there was no hug for Rowan. Instead the Milani cleric tossed Rowan a black scarf along with a sparring weapon and said, ”We obviously have a lot of work to do. I seem to have failed in your training. Tie that over your eyes and then get ready to defend yourself.” Elsbeth's words amplified Rowan's guilt and a knot of dread formed in her stomach but she didn’t dare disobey her mentor.
Three hours later, a very bruised and sore Rowan made her way back to the coffeehouse. Before she left Elsbeth had handed her a new morningstar. ”This is the only weapon I can spare and it comes with a condition. You are not allowed to heal yourself in any way after our training session. Every ache and every bruise will serve as a reminder that you have to be more vigilant and wise if you are going to combat oppression.” Since Rowan agreed that she deserved this pain as penance and because she was grateful for the weapon and additional training, she mutely nodded her acceptance of the condition. She had to admit that trying to defend herself while blindfolded had made her more aware of what she could hear and smell when she couldn’t see. Hopefully this would help her perceive danger in the future.
There is the action:
Earn Gold (Black Marketeers, Merchant Lords, Merchants, or Peddlers): Roll a Security check and multiply the result by the team's tier. The result of this check is how many gold pieces the team earned for the week. Add this result to the Silver Ravens' treasury. If you roll a natural 1 on the Security check, you still earn gold, but your Notoriety score increases by 1d6.This would give 1d20+bonus (currently 3) times 1, 2, or 3 (currently 1).
Supporters also donate gifts; you guys already received a potion.
I would think it takes money to support the teams. We assume that supporters keep their regular jobs but do the team members have other jobs? Maybe 1/10 wealth per week is too much.
How about 1/10 wealth per month?
a 3rd level rebellion (15-19 supporters, 3 teams) consumes 75 gp/week;
a 7th level rebellion (55-74 supporters, 4 teams) consumes 600 gp/week; and
a 12th level rebellion (330-474, 6 teams) consumes 2,700 gp/week.