Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

Let's go for old sheet. That one seems the most amusing :-P

"I think we might have to talk to Erevenywg a bit about language, else she will only be able to talk to sailors ...," Illthir sighs softly. She wasn't sure if she felt responsible enough for this responsibility! With a splash she raised her voice and called out today over the sheet. "We are on this side Erevenywg! Well Scarlet at least."

"But Blood-ee-anne-gus says 'tree-thumpin', leaf-eatin', knife-eared, stick-flingers' are 'always playing for the other side' so I thought I should be on this side of the curtain, and since we were doing teams--and Noom-maul-are, Zo-consanty-ev, and Dur-gan-far-wall-cur are all giving me a lot of room." says the statuesque fey woman calls in response.

Zokon washes and being a good gentleman and all, only peeks a little at the lovely ladies and then does his retreat with his clothes..

"Yeah yeah. Erevenywg, get over here. The guys are getting embarrassed."

Durgan regards Erevenywg with some amusement and just a bit of aesthetic appreciation.
So she's not a nymph, or I'd be blind. Is that right? Or is that dryads? Well, fey can be dangerous as we have found out, but I think this Erevenywg seems to like us.
Durgan gets out of the bath, dries off, and begins getting dressed.
"See you all at dinner," he calls. Then he goes off to find Lady Vsevolod and see what he can do to repay her for her kindness. Some accounting? Examining joists and rafters? Organizing the contents of a pantry or root cellar?

After that was taken care of Illthir got dressed and roamed around the building, looking for the lady of the house. Or at least the one that had greeted them. Who knew - maybe there actually were a play? She wouldn't want to miss that!

Illthir and Duran find the lady in two-story chamber the size of a barn with two seats set into it off to one side and stage off to the other. Lady Vsevolod is sitting in the smaller of the two mini-thrones watching Igor with a Goldilocks wig on embracing a horrible little aberration stitched together from taxidemic leftovers. The creature is dressed like a nobleman. Igor tells the thing in a higher pitch than his regular voice that he loves it and that it should not leave while stroking its ears, antenna, and head ridges. The hideous little creature has a slate board hung around its neck by a bit of string. With a stub of chalk it writes that Igor should wait for its return. Igor pulls a cord that drops the curtain on the scene. There is a sudden commotion behind the curtain as the strange players change costumes and prepare for the next scene.

Durgan contemplates how best to use his considerable array of skills to help here. He doesn't like being on stage, but can do many other things.
Profession (Stage Manager)?
Profession (Theater Critic)?

Then he sees the empty larger throne, looks at the story being acted out, and figures out what is going on.

He moves next to the smaller throne and points at the ground. "May I sit here and watch the show with you?" he asks kindly.

*sniff, sniff* "Oh, are you done already? Let me have Igor show you to your rooms first. We don't usually have so many guests. I would have Igor put the play on during dinner, but then there would be no one to cook, and serve, refill drinks, and keep the fire in the main hall going."

"I am a skilled cook, perhaps I can assist with the dinner preparation. It is the way of my god, Abadar, that one should earn their keep. And I enjoy putting my skills to use."
If his Traveler's Any-Tool can be sharp knives and sturdy cooking pots, or if the manor house has a kitchen that counts as a Masterwork Tool, then Durgan's Profession (Gourmet Chef) is +8.

Igor eventually turns up (unexpectedly of course, and dressed like an idealized blonde shepherdess) to escort the party to their rooms. He takes them to a quiet hallway with a row of small drab individual chambers barely large enough to stretch out in with a tiny slit of a window high up on the wall.

"Thethe are your chamberth," Igor says waving his shepherd's crook at the drab hall of small stone chambers. "I've prepared the firtht eight for you. Mr. Arbalathti and Anguth will be thtaying in the guardhouse with their fellowth. I apologizeth for their thmall thize, but thith part of the keep wath onthe a monathtery."

He blinks and looks at the party's marching order. He seems to do a quick head count and some calculations on his fingers before shrugging.

He looks at the person in front. "Oh, forgive me, I mutht not have provided you with enough towelth for your bath."

"I am a skilled cook, perhaps I can assist with the dinner preparation. It is the way of my god, Abadar, that one should earn their keep. And I enjoy putting my skills to use."

If his Traveler's Any-Tool can be sharp knives and sturdy cooking pots, or if the manor house has a kitchen that counts as a Masterwork Tool, then Durgan's Profession (Gourmet Chef) is +8.

"You can cook! Oh good! I'm a bit tied of 'Igor's Surprise Stew' too many wobbly bits that look like tubes. Unfortunately, part of the reason the screen change is taking so long that he's cooking a feast for tonight."

Alia is reluctant at first, and Erenvywegs comments don't help to comfort her, but eventually she enters the bath as well - still holding on to her Estoc.
__________________

After having been shown to the rooms, Alia would head outside again, hoping to spend a little more time on the small sculture she was currently crafting, and intended to leave here as way of thanks.

"This is my room, eh? Normally I'd see the Company's quarters, but I'm still on a job."

Scarlet follows Alia as she goes.

"Dinner ith therved." announces Igor. "Pleathe attend in the great hall acroth the courtyard. Walk thith way."

Tactical Map updated. Some people have already taken their seats around the benches.

--Bath--

At Erevenwygs reply Illthir thinks - Well that's nice of them! - and snorts to herself. The skald scoots a bit to leave some room for Alia and her sword before replying. With a doubting glance at the blade she decides that maybe it is best after all if the fey was on the other side. With a small shrug she drops that topic and instead goes for a compliment. "Mmm-hmm-hmm! You are getting really good at common!"

"But 'Blood-ee-anne-gus' gave you the nasty and long words. 'Tree-thumpin', leaf-eatin', knife-eared, stick-flingers' should be just 'elf'! Much better." Illthir sinks back into the bath. A small step towards towards restoring inter-party harmony perhaps?

But on the topic of elves... Alia had seemed quite preoccupied lately. After making sure she's decently hard to retaliate against Illthir splashes some water at the pureblood. "A bit over-equipped for a splash battle don't you think? Hih!"

--Play--

Mhm. Mhmhm. Not exactly what she had expected. Nope. Her feelings were a bit conflicted but she let heir hosts almost childish joy infect her. After all - 'when in Absalom...'. And Se felt like Igor's heart were in the right place! If he weren't so distinctive, he could probably even have a career acting. Not cooking though, by the sounds of it. "This looks nice. Which tale is it?"

--Rooms--

"Thanks!" She wasn't thrilled about the size of the rooms but a bed - maybe even a soft one - was really enticing. And then there were this other thing. Hmm. Who were the last to leave the bath...? It would probably be appreciated to go back there with an extra towel!

Durgan whispers, "Illthir, I think the tale is that of Lady Vsevolod and Lord Vsevolod. I could be wrong, but I think he left and she is waiting for him - re-enacting his departure who knows how often."

--Play--

"Oh - ow..." That tugged on her poor heartstrings. She even felt a little bad for lying to the young Lady. Dwarven dog hybrids probably didn't have any spot in this tale! She took a closer look at the Vsevolod in question to try and gauge her emotional investment in this play.

Sense Motive?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20

--Feast!--

Food! Hopefully Durgan made and not some mix of ... tubes. Hopefully! Illthir takes a seat by the fireplace where she could continue her lowkey spying on their host. And try and keep an eye on Erevenwyg. And the mercenaries. Oh my let's hope everyone remains calm!

Great hall? Umm I hope i'm not under dressed, I guess I need to get some good clothing to lug around with me as well.

Zokon proceeds to the great hall with just a dagger up his sleeve

"Thankyou Igor." he says with a smile

--Rooms--

"Thanks!" She wasn't thrilled about the size of the rooms but a bed - maybe even a soft one - was really enticing. And then there were this other thing. Hmm. Who were the last to leave the bath...? It would probably be appreciated to go back there with an extra towel!

People tend to look like they have come in from the rain after a few moments of standing next to Igor when he's speaking--especially if he has to say something like 'ethpethially.'

--Play--

"Oh - ow..." That tugged on her poor heartstrings. She even felt a little bad for lying to the young Lady. Dwarven dog hybrids probably didn't have any spot in this tale! She took a closer look at the Vsevolod in question to try and gauge her emotional investment in this play.

She seems very invested and has gone through a couple of lacy hankies.

Great hall? Umm I hope i'm not under dressed, I guess I need to get some good clothing to lug around with me as well.

Zokon proceeds to the great hall with just a dagger up his sleeve

Everyone else currently in attendance seems to aiming for 'clean and functional' aside from Lady Vsevolod who is wearing an expensive evening dress (different than the one she was in while watching the play).

"Thankyou Igor." he says with a smile

"Thir." Igor says, and smiles horribly.

Somewhere in a windowless stone room deep inside the keep a meeting breaks up, its participants scattering like leaves in autumn, but their plans seem set like old masonry.

Somewhere else in the keep there is one who would bring these plans to an end. They need only find the means.

The Great Hall

The doors open. A heroically proportioned blue dwarf warrior strides in, flanked by more typical-looking dwarves.

"..."

Map updated.

Durgan would like to 'bless' everything with Purify Food and Drink before eating or drinking, but I think something else might be happening now.

Durgan would like to 'bless' everything with Purify Food and Drink before eating or drinking, but I think something else might be happening now.

Durgan can still get a start if he wants. The best place to do that would be in the kitchen to get it all before it is served, otherwise Durgan will have to wander up and down the hall in a sort of slow repeated benediction. Remember that it might have spell resistance, and gets a Will save to avoid the effect.

Unattended non-magical items don't get saves and are always considered to have failed saves. SR? I guess it would apply if the object was in the possession of a creature with SR.
If Durgan went into the kitchen and the cookpot was a fiendish mimic with SR and saves he could be in trouble. Or if the stew itself is really a Black Pudding. But no, he will just bless his own food and drink (once it's in his possession), and that of any neighbors who ask. He'll bless any refills he gets.

Unattended non-magical items don't get saves and are always considered to have failed saves. SR? I guess it would apply if the object was in the possession of a creature with SR.

Maybe it is a creature with SR.... ;) Just stay away from Igor's useful parts table.

"Bro!" Scarlet gets right up. "How are ya doing? It's been a while, huh?" Scarlet runs right up to him. "I would have come back sooner, but I got a job protecting an elf and man it's been a while!"

Pause.
Scarlet's skin gets even more red with embarrassment.

"Sorry. Um. Reporting for duty."

Or, you know, maybe it's not non-magical ;)
Alia is quite confident in her usual dress. After all, an elf is never under- or overdressed. She is dressed precisely how she means to be dressed.

When the heroically proportioned smurf blue dwarf wanders in, Alia tenses up a moment - Scarlets report did little to help her relax.
Alia had grown accustomed to Scarlets presence - but she was well aware that sooner or later the job would need to be re-evaluated...with the map lost to the Stag Lord, Alia didn't even have an idea where the keep was that Scarlet was hired to escort her to.
Possibly, her brother and superior wouldn't approve of the contract...and what THEN?

With a roar the dwarf leader grabs up his sis ter in the sort of hug that might require first aid for bruised ribs when it's done.

"You're back! I almost couldn't believe it when Warbeard told me. And you're back just in time too, the company's got a comission!"

"Great! Where are we goin'- Well, I gotta check with my charge, I've been bodyguarding her. That's Alia." Scarlet points at the elf. "She's looking for... somewhere. But there's this Stag Lord that's been making a mess around here. And I've been getting weird nightmares, too."

Scarlet is elated to see her brother, but she's also torn by her duty. Her word is bond.
Also, she's rambling.

Serena takes a seat next to Durgan. Noticing what the dwarf is doing, Serena leans over to request that he include her food in the blessing. If he agrees, she nods her thanks before saying a prayer herself. Just to be extra safe, she casts rite of bodily purity on herself.

Wherever he is seated Zokon eats up while intently listening in to the conversation between Scarlet and her bro Commission? I thought we were the commission?

Durgan will quietly say "Of course, Serena" and subtly purify her food.
I have heard that at least once in Golarion's history a host has poisoned their guests. Had I prepared the spell to detect such... my new friends might not keep my company after seeing my reaction. As it is, I can be safe without having to mete out justice.
He observes the interaction between Scarlet and the new dwarf, and awaits further explanation.

Alia waves at the blue dwarf when Scarlet points her out, somewhat insecure about proper protocol to follow, then inmediately feeling somewhat foolish about her waving and stopping it.

Why is the site's text green? Is it spring again? ;) Tried posting yesterday, but couldn't get the site to connect.

Alia waves at the blue dwarf when Scarlet points her out, somewhat insecure about proper protocol to follow, then inmediately feeling somewhat foolish about her waving and stopping it.

The dwarf stares at Alia (or at least in her direction) in a very strange way--as if someone had just stepped on his grave.

"We leave tonight undercover of dark to avoid the Movoni patrols. Everyone eat all you can. Those who come with us won't be any home cooking after tonight for a long while." He says it to the hall in general.

More dwarves pile in to the hall and the Blue Beetle shakes off his momentary fugue, pats Scarlet absently on the hand and seeing Durgan heads toward the cleric. He claps the other (non blue) dwarf on the shoulder mid-purify. "Servant of the Gold-Fisted, aye?" he says. "If you are looking for wealth, and a job you could do worse than hitch yourself to the Company of the Sapphire Scarab."

Durgan looks the other dwarf in the eye, then responds carefully, "Yes, I serve Abadar. I'd have to know the nature of the commission. My kind has a real problem with brigands and bandits. I'm not much use to you if the Gold-Fisted withdraws his favor."

Site is down for updates right before the big convention.

"Oh, big mission, huh? Well, we'll talk about the details later." Scarlet returns to her seat. Food first, thoughts later.

Uhum. Well this was unfortunate. Illthir sighed and continued to eavesdrop on the blue 'dwarf'. Well technically it wasn't eavesdropping since he was quite loud. Err anyhow! They hadn't tried to recruit the company yet and it seemed as if they already had a mission. Well hopefully it could still be one of those one stone two bird situations!

The skald hoped that the situation would resolve somehow and continued to poke at her food. After a while she switched to looking at Durgan with pleading eyes. Hopefully the cleric would understand!

Zokon approaches Scarlet "What big mission do the sapphire scarab have? I thought they have moved into this area so we could hire them?" he asks as a plea for knowledge

"Oh yeah, I should ask." Scarlet washes down her goblet of water and approaches her bro.

"Hey Bro, where is the Company going next? What's the big assignment? I was telling them that they could hire you, but if you're busy...." She scratches her head.

[B]"Oh right, you weren't at the counsel. We've signed a contract to head into the Stolen Land and whip a bunch of dregs into a fighting force so that our employer can carve himself out a proper river kingdom. That's him now." He points to the doorway.

A nobleman steps into the doorway flanked by a pair of uniformed guards. Their heraldry is familiar to Numalar and Zokon.

Knowledge (Nobility): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Well, this certainly shines a different light on the Lord Mayor's veiled message.
"Hmm."
Durgan says nothing, but he is seething inside.

Knowledge (nobility): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Serena notices the three men enter but says nothing.

Somewhere in the keep a rather unobtrusive-looking man hits another man sharply on the back of the neck. The other man goes limp, and the man who hit him drags him off into a secluded garderobe.

Igor's little patchwork friend rolls out a large silver tureen on a cart.

"It ith my culinary mathterpiethe, Tojbatharrirge." Igor beams. "I got the rethipe from an old text about the Printhe Zeech of Redhand."

Igor's assistant unfurls a pair of tremendous wasp wings from its chitinous back shell, and buzzes above the cart so that it can deploy its lobster-like claw to lift the lid off the tureen revealing a large sea creature that appears to be a cross between a big turtle and and a crab, with flippers instead of legs, a beak, and two pincers. The thing (the thing on the cart, not the thing buzzing above the meal with the tureen lid) seems to be stuffed with lizardy-looking streaks.

"Ah, I see..." Scarlet notices the nobleman but doesn't really care. "Hmm, looks like you have a job, then."

Scarlet sits back down and talks to Zokon. "So that guy hired my Company to train some ruffians into a fighting force. Or something like that. Bah! I wanted you guys to talk to him first." She sighs. "But a contract is a contract. So I'm with Alia until she deems my duty complete."

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Does making the check give you one fact? If so, Durgan wants to know 'Is it safe to eat?'
"Fascinating. A Tojanida. Where did you come across this being? They are not native to this realm. If summoned, they normally vanish back to their home plane if seemingly killed. It takes powerful magic to bring one truly into our world."

Talking to Scarlet "We need to find who they are training, if it's the bandits? That could be bad for us? We need to know who they are contracted to and what happens if the person dies? If i'm correct Hotspur is looking to train a murdering bunch of bandits and is a bad man, thus my last statement."

Does making the check give you one fact? If so, Durgan wants to know 'Is it safe to eat?'

It gives you the aquatic, extraplanar outsider bit and all that that includes.

"Fascinating. A Tojanida. Where did you come across this being? They are not native to this realm. If summoned, they normally vanish back to their home plane if seemingly killed. It takes powerful magic to bring one truly into our world."

"Ah, but it ith not jutht a tojanida you thee. It ith a thmaller verthion of Printhe Zeech'th mathterpiece tojbatharrirge. The tojanida ith thtuffed with bathilithk thteakth, each of which ith in turn thtuffed with tangy arrowhawk breathtth which are in turn each thtuffed with an entire boned thtirge with three oliveth impaled on itth probothcith. I kept a few of the probothcitheth for Thrapth to help the little thing thmell better. Thith ith a thmall one of courthe the original had to be hauled out on litter tethered between two large manticoreth." Igor beams again this time brighter and even more horribly.

"Oh? I wath about to refill your goblet thir, but I thee it ith full again. Well, Bon appetit."