Mended Wall's PBP for beginners (Inactive)

Game Master Hoary and Wizened

You are certainly the one to roll I think, Illiam. And it looks like the dice gods no longer hate you. You may well have succeeded w/o aid another rolls, we will have to await our GM's return.

Then given your luck Illiam, you may find the correct bit which reads:-
"You seek the cure for Blackscour. No such thing. Sucks to be you."

Chillel, you might as well roll to aid another while we wait for Mendedwall's return. I can't imagine he'd give us a DC higher than 21 for a necessary check at level 1, but...

Well, at least you didn't set anything on fire.

So, Chillel wasn't any help this time, but we did get a successful aid another check from Baradim, who also speaks Sylvan. I have all of the other languages covered (again, except for that annoying celestial bit), so hopefully that will do it. If not, I say we have Kairon take a crack at the celestial portions.

I seem to have taken over your role as hated by the dice rolling program. :(

We must get there eventually.

Can I offer a [b]suggestion to Mended Wall.[b]

If this second roll does not do the trick, can you have us each make, say, 4 rolls in succession. We are going to get there eventually, and we may save a couple of days waiting for everyone to make rolls.

So, Chillel wasn't any help this time, but we did get a successful aid another check from Baradim, who also speaks Sylvan. I have all of the other languages covered (again, except for that annoying celestial bit), so hopefully that will do it. If not, I say we have Kairon take a crack at the celestial portions.

This is it. In order to find the requisite entry, Elven in combination with Sylvan was required. You'll see why in a bit. I'm actually so pleased that Illiam was the one to get such a high roll! The dice algorithm taketh away, but the dice algorithm also giveth. :) I'm going to narrate the discovery of the requisite entry here shortly, and THEN there will be some decisions that need to be made. Oh! The decisions that will need to be made. :) Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

:D Okay people, have at it. You are all in the same room, all have heard the relevant entry read aloud in its entirety (thanks to Illiam's discovery and Baradim's voice). It's all about you all now. Now I get to let off the gas, and become the passenger. You all are in the driver's seat, and I'll be reacting to your posts wherever necessary. :) Loving it! This is how great tales of adventure are born!!! Man I love this game. :) :D

Edit: OH! Almost forgot, it is currently 2:00 PM in the game. So there are still a handful of daylight hours left to do whatever it is you feel like doing. :)

Ok, first of all this is a reminder for myself. If I'm using Google translator for Ignan I'm using Lithuanian until further notice. (Can't remember/find what I used originally!) If anybody happens to know what I originally used please let me know!

Well, at least it sounds like my abilities will come in useful for the cure! :)

Also it sounds like my accidental burning of the book helped us find what we needed! Yay! :)

Ok, first of all this is a reminder for myself. If I'm using Google translator for Ignan I'm using Lithuanian until further notice. (Can't remember/find what I used originally!) If anybody happens to know what I originally used please let me know!

Well, at least it sounds like my abilities will come in useful for the cure! :)

Also it sounds like my accidental burning of the book helped us find what we needed! Yay! :)

I mean it almost looks like the GM looked at character abilities and made a couple of characters super important, right?!

...

I mean it almost looks like the GM looked at character abilities and made a couple of characters super important, right?!

Hahahaha! Funny! - But at the same time sobering, if it means my character is supposed to be super important or something, no pressure right? Yikes!

MendedWall12 wrote:

...

I mean it almost looks like the GM looked at character abilities and made a couple of characters super important, right?!

Hahahaha! Funny! - But at the same time sobering, if it means my character is supposed to be super important or something, no pressure right? Yikes!

Well, Dolok is a valer, his master is the only blacksmith in town, a man that recently acquired the disease, and Dolok is capable of producing arcane fire at will. So... yeah, he's pretty important. That should be sobering for Dolok! He needs to stay alive, and accomplish some very important tasks in a very short period of time, in order to save his homeland and his master. That's sobering stuff, right? But that should all serve as a motivational fire (the metaphoric kind) for Dolok to do everything necessary. Onward to acts of heroism!

... Well, Dolok is a valer, his master is the only blacksmith in town, a man that recently acquired the disease, and Dolok is capable of producing arcane fire at will. So... yeah, he's pretty important. That should be sobering for Dolok! He needs to stay alive, and accomplish some very important tasks in a very short period of time, in order to save his homeland and his master. That's sobering stuff, right? But that should all serve as a motivational fire (the metaphoric kind) for Dolok to do everything necessary. Onward to acts of heroism!

Sobering yes! But I LIKE it!

By the way, your compliments on me running an 18-year old teen are appreciated! I'm actually a 46 yr old bachelor! Haha!

But I bet you're an 18 year old pyromaniac in your heart. :D

But I bet you're an 18 year old pyromaniac in your heart. :D

Literally LOL! Hahaha!

Did you have the thing about fire bringing out the ink planned ahead of time? If so, I'm really glad I brought up the idea about how Dolok could accidentally do that. Also really glad he happened to roll that 1 right after, otherwise, who knows how long it might have taken.

Did you have the thing about fire bringing out the ink planned ahead of time? If so, I'm really glad I brought up the idea about how Dolok could accidentally do that. Also really glad he happened to roll that 1 right after, otherwise, who knows how long it might have taken.

Well, yes and no...? I had the idea of the faded Elven note that was hard to see being the only actual reference to Blackscour in an otherwise Sylvan entry, which is why Chillel or Baradim needed to aid. The pyrotechnics, and the subsequent ash removal, just provided a good narrative window to that being revealed. That's called on-the-fly GMing. :D Again, I'm so glad that Illiam was the pivotal character in that situation, it almost makes up for all the terrible rolls earlier. Hopefully his dice luck is improving.

@ Mended:
It seems to me like at least Dolok being a "live-in-town" valer might actually know at least what is the local custom when someone dies (bury, burn or otherwise?)& might even know what has been done w/the bodies of the people that have died?

EDIT: Or lacking the previous he might have an idea of who to go to, to find this out?

@ Mended:

It seems to me like at least Dolok being a "live-in-town" valer might actually know at least what is the local custom when someone dies (bury, burn or otherwise?)& might even know what has been done w/the bodies of the people that have died?

Completely agree, if you want Dolok to chime in with that info, please do. The cemetery is actually on the downside of the hill outside the palisade near Sharvaros Vade's tower. Lady Cirthana would have been master of ceremonies for all the funerals, but Dolok would certainly know that it is the custom to bury people in the cemetery.

Completely agree, if you want Dolok to chime in with that info, please do. The cemetery is actually on the downside of the hill outside the palisade near Sharvaros Vade's tower. Lady Cirthana would have been master of ceremonies for all the funerals, but Dolok would certainly know that it is the custom to bury people in the cemetery.

ok, so who would we need to see to get permission to dig up the bodies? Or would we need to make it a clandestine mission at night or what?

MendedWall12 wrote:

Completely agree, if you want Dolok to chime in with that info, please do. The cemetery is actually on the downside of the hill outside the palisade near Sharvaros Vade's tower. Lady Cirthana would have been master of ceremonies for all the funerals, but Dolok would certainly know that it is the custom to bury people in the cemetery.

ok, so who would we need to see to get permission to dig up the bodies? Or would we need to make it a clandestine mission at night or what?

;) Those are questions for Dolok to be asking in-character... :) He is, remember, an 18 year old pyromaniac. It's possible he's not terribly familiar with all the hierarchy of power in the town. He might be inclined to think first of the Sheriff, Deldrin Baleson, or the halfling Magistrate, Vamros Harg.

It would also be reasonable to ask Lady Cirthana first, then ask her who else you should get permission from.

It would also be reasonable to ask Lady Cirthana first, then ask her who else you should get permission from.

It would be very reasonable. :)

Just to fast-forward the group selection a bit out of character...

We need Scipio, Illiam, and either Chillel or Baradim (or both) to go to Roots and Remedies.

Kairon and Dolok should be in the other group.

Goruck should probably be in Kairon's group, as he's supposed to be protecting him.

I'd say the second group could use another local, so, since Baradim is the one who read the passage, I'd say:

Scipio, Illiam and Baradim go to Roots and Remedies.

Kairon, Goruck, Dolock and Chillel go to to the church and then maybe to the tribunal (too bad, I kinda wanted to meet the sheriff)

Baradim and Chillel could switch, if they want, but they should figure out why in-character.

I have no problems with that split-up, except to note that Kairon in gameplay expressed a desire to go to Laurel's, to go over the ingredients. And I must say being that with him being the healer type that would make sense. I'm not sure if Scipio needs to go to Laurel's, other than that he's carrying the book, but the list of ingredients could (and probably should) be copied down separately.

Yeah, switching Kairon and Scipio might be a good idea if Kairon was willing to be the one carrying the book. I also intentionally put Scipio and Dolock in separate groups, because (I think) they're the two with the highest diplomacy, so some additional shuffling might be in order. Goruck, of course, would also have to go with Kairon, so the Roots and Remedies party is getting pretty big...

If Kairon has to go to Roots and Remedies, we might as well all go, I think.

The magistrate's is then right across the market from there basically ...

The benefit curse both? of being able to post from work ... A desire for the others to hurry up and post! Patience Dolok!

Ok, so it looks like Kairon wants to go to Roots and Remedies and wants Scipio and Dolock to both be in the other group. This means that Scipio will not be carrying the book, unless we all go there first. We still need Illiam and a Sylvan speaker to go to Roots and Remedies, so...

Kairon, Goruck, Illiam, Baradim and Scipio, Dolock, Chillel? Again, Baradim and Chillel could switch. Either way, I hope Laurel is in a friendly mood (even when she sees Illiam again), because there's nobody in that group who is likely to pass a diplomacy check.

I'm going to say that I (out of character) think that if Kairon goes to Roots and Remedies, the whole group should go, and maybe we can split up after that. Dolock and Scipio need to be the faces of the two groups.

Since I am Laurel, I can tell you right now, there will be no diplomacy check necessary. Her every motivation is to cure this disease. If you show her even the slimmest chance to do that, she is going to aid you in every way possible within her power. Same goes for Lady Cirthana. Really, the same goes for Kreed too as far as that goes. If Kreed gets credible evidence that the illness will not only wipe out his lumberjacks, but also possibly has some sort of necromantic witchery involved, he's going to want to help too.

Ok, but I still think that if we're sending Kairon + Goruck + Illiam + (Baradim OR Chillel) (and maybe Scipio too if he's going to carry the book) all to Roots and Remedies, we might as well all go. That is, unless we're going to send a couple of the locals off on their own as messengers.

Ok, but I still think that if we're sending Kairon + Goruck + Illiam + (Baradim OR Chillel) (and maybe Scipio too if he's going to carry the book) all to Roots and Remedies, we might as well all go. That is, unless we're going to send a couple of the locals off on their own as messengers.

That was kind of my imagining of it. Dolok could easily go to Lady Cirthana all by himself really? If before he goes everyone sets up a "let's meet here at this time..." situation, he should be good. Plus, I mean, it's a small town, there are only so many places someone could hide. :)

Edit: Might be, when Lady Cirthana finds out what you've found out, she comes running to Laurel's as fast as her lady legs will carry her. :D

Historically speaking, Goruck's primary duty is to guard Scipio (as funny as that seems), right? I could go to Laurel's alone, and have it make sense; Illiam's concern over the ingredients list certainly justifies his going along, too.

Got plenty of players to declare their own motivations, though -- Kairon's mind is made up.

We need Illiam and somebody who speaks Sylvan going along (and Illiam will insist on this, if necessary). We don't know which languages Laurel speaks, so we need to have the ability to translate the page for her. Part of not being a trustful character is not assuming that others will trust him, at least when he's telling the truth.

Must Illiam go to Laurel's? I notice Illiam keeps putting himself in that group, so he must either want to or think he needs to go. I don't see the need for the book to go to Laurel's necessarily either. I would like to think that Laurel would believe/trust Kairon as to the list of ingredients if we can just copy that down for him? I could go to Laurel's if the party still feels a diplomacy would be needed there, but based on what Mended says I don't think so. Maybe both Scipio & I could go to the magistrates? Combined diplomacy check in case one rolls low?

Historically speaking, Goruck's primary duty is to guard Scipio (as funny as that seems), right? I could go to Laurel's alone, and have it make sense; Illiam's concern over the ingredients list certainly justifies his going along, too.

Got plenty of players to declare their own motivations, though -- Kairon's mind is made up.

Funny from the perspective that he looks like he can take care of himself, but he is also the only son of a rich ex-noble family with wealth and resources...

Illiam is perfectly founded in his desire to be with the book as well as somebody that knows Sylvan. If Laurel doesn't know those languages, she's probably going to want to copy the recipe into a language she understands anyway.

Must Illiam go to Laurel's? I notice Illiam keeps putting himself in that group, so he must either want to or think he needs to go. I don't see the need for the book to go to Laurel's necessarily either. I would like to think that Laurel would believe/trust Kairon as to the list of ingredients if we can just copy that down for him? I could go to Laurel's if the party still feels a diplomacy would be needed there, but based on what Mended says I don't think so. Maybe both Scipio & I could go to the magistrates? Combined diplomacy check in case one rolls low?

Funny from the perspective that he looks like he can take care of himself, but he is also the only son of a rich ex-noble family with wealth and resources...

Illiam is perfectly founded in his desire to be with the book as well as somebody that knows Sylvan. If Laurel doesn't know those languages, she's probably going to want to copy the recipe into a language she understands anyway.

And anyway, I've stated that this is Illiam's thinking. If anyone wants to convince him otherwise, they'll have to do it in character. I'm basing this out-of-character discussion on what we know about in-character motivations.

There is also the added idea, that Illiam mentioned in character, that if anybody in town has the ingredients for the cure it would be Laurel. For those that are worried about contracting a disease called "Necrotic Death," learning about how quickly a cure can be made would absolutely be a top priority. Especially for a paranoid distrusting halfling who might want to try and find the ingredients on his own! :D

On another topic, I'm wondering how long it took to get word out of the Blackscour, decide to send the envoy, and for them to get there. It seems like there should be more damage by the time they get there if you can only survive 7 days with it.

There is also the added idea, that Illiam mentioned in character, that if anybody in town has the ingredients for the cure it would be Laurel. For those that are worried about contracting a disease called "Necrotic Death," learning about how quickly a cure can be made would absolutely be a top priority. Especially for a paranoid distrusting halfling who might want to try and find the ingredients on his own! :D

That is also part of his motivation, yes.

Very important! It didn't say that they would die in seven days, but that the cure doesn't work if they've had it for seven days!

I wondered if that was clear enough, this gives me the opportunity to point it out. Also, Illiam, your last in-game post says Illiam hands the book. He doesn't have the book. Scipio does. It would be very nice of Illiam to loan Kairon the ink and quill, but I'll have to bot Lunarinus giving him the book.

Illiam was reading the book and he picked it up and was going to take it back himself. Kairon stopped him, but he should still have been holding it at that point.

Wait wait wait. The book couldn't possibly have been in Scipio's pack if we were all trying to read it.

Read this post, and my bot of Lunarinus that immediately follows.

Read this post, and my bot of Lunarinus that immediately follows.

Oh, I did miss that one. Nevermind.

I don't think he would have had time to finish wrapping it and putting it in his pack, though.

End of the work day for me everybody. I'm going to have a bit of time to check back in, in about an hour, for about sixty minutes, but after that I'll be out again till tomorrow morning.

Game on!!

MendedWall12 wrote:

Read this post, and my bot of Lunarinus that immediately follows.

Oh, I did miss that one. Nevermind.

I don't think he would have had time to finish wrapping it and putting it in his pack, though.

You are of course allowed to think whatever you want, but since I'm the GM and I said he did, it happened. :D That's the fun of being the GM. Unlimited cosmic power! Itty bitty living space.

How many edits was that?? lol

And props for the Aladdin callback! Ha!

And props for the Aladdin callback! Ha!

I wondered if anyone would catch that reference. I dated myself there probably, eh? Oh well, I wouldn't be the worst person I've dated. :D

I missed it, but I think that it's technically a reference, not a callback, because it's from a different work. You could also call it an allusion, if you want to be literary about it. Unless of course if was a quote, in which case none of those other terms really apply.