A ship on a dark sea. It wheels toward me. Its prow a gaping maw filled with countless sharp teeth. In the mouth of the ship, peering out as from between bars, Scarlet Lil, neither afraid nor uncomfortable in the ship's jaws. A horned man with red skin and barbed tail approaches the bow and offers the crook of his arm. As if accepting an escort to dinner, she wraps her hand around his elbow and steps out of the ship's mouth.
In both of the major descriptions of Asmodeus - it doesn't explicitly mention a tail:
Asmodeus may take any form he chooses, yet in the depictions of his faith and visions of his worshipers he appears as a tall, muscular man with red skin, dark hair, short black horns, arrogant features, and hoofed feet.
In art Asmodeus is frequently shown as a red-skinned human with black horns, hooves, and a pale aura of flames.
Considering both of those visions call out three features - red skin, black horns and hooves... and Malkith's has red skin, horns and a tail... *shrugs* none of us have Knowledge Religion anyway, so our characters aren't drawing that sort of bow without exterior consultation or a couple of picture books.
The barest reading of the vision has Lil neither afraid nor uncomfortable - and Malkith didn't call out the vision in his first note as being one of doom and gloom for Lil - instead explicitly stating I fear that the wretched Volo might not be Scarlet Lil's sole agent.
Phil's thoughts is that it's simply referring to another tiefling she's in league with.
Gristav doesn't have Kn: Religion, and I don't google while in character, but Gris lives in that world, and can make the error of reading that for Asmodeus, and Lil leaving the Calistrian path.
He makes a lot of errors, we've seen. Most of them are mine.
He just keeps trying.
I guess you're right, it's just a tiefling. You know who has a catalogue of tieflings and their features? Shorafa, who even might have been starting that conversation, with Gris. Or just flirting, or maintaining the persona. We may never know.
Digest:
Shorafa: bring Lil to me
Braddon: she's evil and I hate her
Snake: fine by me
Dayn: ... (and why?)
Philip: make it worth our while
Gris: Make it right with Saul, he's afraid of you, and it'll be as easy as coming to a party. Lil might be lost to you, if she's switched teams.
Shorafa: no deals, good day
Snake: you all hate Lil
Gris: I don't hate her, but bringing her to mother is harder than to justice. The odds would be against us in these four ways, and... sounds like fun.
As I said upthread Phil and Mark have no issues with anything Gristav's said apart from the blurting of the vision.
Had you rephrased this:
"You imagine her your heir.", Gristav gambles. "I apologize for speaking to your motives, but the prophesy has already been spoken: She will leave the Teeth of Araska in company of the Red Horned Man. I fear, that precludes, her future service to you. With you. Beside you."
to something like this:
"You imagine her your heir.", Gristav gambles. "I apologize for speaking to your motives, but the situation seems clear. She's left without word, maybe with a man, maybe she's given up on Calistria. I fear, that precludes, her future service to you. With you. Beside you."
That would have all of your intent without the gribbly secrets. You get to cast your long bow, we get to keep our big face cards close to our chest where they belong.
As I said upthread Phil and Mark have no issues with anything Gristav's said apart from the blurting of the vision.
Had you rephrased this:
"You imagine her your heir.", Gristav gambles. "I apologize for speaking to your motives, but the prophesy has already been spoken: She will leave the Teeth of Araska in company of the Red Horned Man. I fear, that precludes, her future service to you. With you. Beside you."to something like this:
"You imagine her your heir.", Gristav gambles. "I apologize for speaking to your motives, but the situation seems clear. She's left without word, maybe with a man, maybe she's given up on Calistria. I fear, that precludes, her future service to you. With you. Beside you."That would have all of your intent without the gribbly secrets. You get to cast your long bow, we get to keep our big face cards close to our chest where they belong.
Well done. Hindsight trumps forethought. I'm only as smart as I am, in the time I have to work on posts. (And I play only this game, how you others run multiples... well, I'm in awe.)
Working on a post, I either wind up more embarrassed, or making progress.
Edit: Seriously? You're going to steal her toys? With Saul and Dayn as examples? You're trying to make me feel better, aren't you? About being such a fool? :)
Edit: Seriously? You're going to steal her toys? With Saul and Dayn as examples? You're trying to make me feel better, aren't you? About being such a fool? :)
Yes (to the second question), though he does plan to give them back at some point.
Let's see if there are any words exchanged in the corridor before arriving back in the reception area.
Watching the latest Gotham, "What the Little Bird Told Him", and for some reason at 33:38 (As Hulu reckons), I find myself in Riddleport.
I'd say more, but who knows where spoilers lie?
Just an OOC reflection on the IC forward plan - I know the big pointing plot arrow is directing us away and onwards towards Lil and retrieval.
But it's been near two years of build-up since the last fateful casino night at the Goblin closed... and both Phil and I are invested far too strongly in the next night at business to risk missing it. It plays into so much of what Phil's been built up to be in game.
I don't want to be the Debbie Downer, nor the one that stops Braddon from pursuing his righteous closure of the massive Lil arm that he's been following for the same two years... but it looks like it 'may' come to that...
So...
So the Cloud is not in port. (And no, Gris isn't going to walk about with a sandwich board, "Need passage! Don't tell Shorafa!")
And returning Goblinward, Gris spots Pip heading to the Harbormaster's, and discretely conjures himself a grown-up Daynadrian escort. It shouldn't surprise anyone, that Gris is doing all the talking, and Dayn is playing an eye-rolling Silent Bob.
'Say, 'Pip', isn't it? Would you convey my regrets, at the briefness of our meeting, and ask, if she might please attend the Goblin's next opening? It's sure to be a success, with her support.'
Then Dayn taps Gris' shoulder (the part out of Pip's vision), and points elsewhere, with hand and eye. Gris' eye follows, and Gris excuses them both.
No, no way to get word to hide the youngling Dayn... Still, a Desnan might risk that.
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Yeah, we are supposed to be about for the next casino thing. Braddon could be talked into delaying. Or, quite simply, the GM says that the only ship we can get will leave Moonday and the problem is solved.
'Cause that's what Joana does- solve all our problems for us, right? ;-)
Gristav - just keep in mind what your Bluff score is... and what Pip's Sense Motive is likely to be...
True that. Plan A was at greater distance, if you speak of the illusion. If you speak of the invitation, it would be entirely sincere.
I'd rather the diplomat do the diplomacy, of course. The swordsman the fighting, witch the spelling, etc.
If Gris isn't lying, Pip can do what, gut-check?
Hypothetically - if Pip saw you with 'makeshift adult Dayn' he could squint his eyes and see if he thought something was up (Sense Motive to get a 'hunch'). If he closed the distance he'd also be able to press the issue via addressing the 'mute clone' directly (to which a Bluff would likely be needed to cover his lack of speech) or even just throw a pebble from a distance / set one of Shorafa's kids to bump into Dayn / etc (which would provoke the silent image to be revealed); or he could pick up on the degree of concentration Gristav would need to be showing to project the image... or any number of things.
It's a 'clever' idea, but it's not a functional and practical tool to achieve it's goal. At least not without being sold (to use a wrestling term) by a more guile-based character (and I'm speaking mechanically here). Shorafa likely has enough intelligence and nous to understand whether there are other parties in Riddleport capable of lifting the curse (as well as spies enough to keep tabs on them) so she'd not be taken in too far on it... though all is IMHO.
How do we get our characters to where they could have such a conversation?
I don't mean physically.
Technically, your characters can't have such a conversation. Phillip (unlike Mark) doesn't have ranks in Spellcraft or Knowledge (arcana) and wouldn't have any insight into what Gristav's spells can or can't do.
Nothing personal, Gristav, but your plan sounds like your trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Sounds like a lot of work for nothing, really.
Simply my take though. *Shrugs*
Gristav ought to be the expert in what his own spells can accomplish. Concentrating on a spell is a standard action. Obviously, Gristav hopes he won't be in combat while encountering Pip on the street, but even if we're not in combat rounds, it means that, while concentrating to maintain his silent image, he cannot use skills such as Appraise, light a torch, or do anything of similar mental effort, and he can't move faster than 30 feet in a round. Gris knows as much, without a Knowledge roll, as part of the process of mastering the spell enough to scribe it into his spellbook.
If Gristav wants to attempt the ploy, he's free to do so, while being aware of the limitations concentration enforces on him. He'll basically have to appear very interested in Daynadrian, as they stroll along leisurely. He can speak as a free action.
He'll also have to take into account the reaction of any possible bystanders if he conjures an illusionary elf in broad daylight. It's not likely to be just him and Pip on a featureless plane.
Hadn't intended to enter and sing rudely in the hallway. Had intended to walk the streets singing. Less rudely.
But role-ing onward. Could have fireflied, rather than turning up the sconces? Maybe the dwarf's come to his window?
Hadn't intended to enter and sing rudely in the hallway. Had intended to walk the streets singing. Less rudely.
Ah. Thing is, this isn't exactly a quiet neighborhood. It's near the docks, the Gas Forges, and the arena. If his goal is to attract anyone's attention, he'd end up in the inner corridor anyway.
If it helps, we don't have to assume he's singing at the top of his lungs, just loud enough that if Larur is behind any of the doors he passes, he'll recognize the tune. :)
For lighting, it's your call. Gristav would know that the gaslights exist, for the use of non-dwarven visitors and in emergencies, and the use of the sconces would provide a wider radius of light than prestidigitation will. Gristav's firefly only provides dim illumination in a single 5-foot square.
Re the sleeves of many garments: The item has recently been the topic of much heated discussion in the rules forum, then a FAQ, then an even more heated discussion of the clarification. For what it's worth, I side with the FAQ: While the sleeves can make you appear to be wearing, say, a cold-weather outfit or a swarmsuit, they won't grant you the mechanical benefits thereof.
You can decide if you think they're worth the price quoted based on that interpretation.
Phil's interest in them is wholly and primarily from a disguise perspective, so no issues there :)
Braddon wants to head back to the ferry, then across to the docks, to find that boat that Gris and Phil have procured for our imminent departure. ;-)
You're more likely to catch Gris, who's going to explain these things take time. It'll be a perfect counterpoint to when the Cloud's crew point you out as the guy who booked passage, days ago.
"How prescient. Related to Malkith, as well?"
:)
I keep meaning to tell you that Gristav reminds me of Lord Peter Wimsey. :)
"Your narrative style," said Parker, "though racy, is a little elliptical. Could you not begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end, and then, if you are able to, stop?"
"I'll try," said his lordship, "but I always find the stopping part of the business so difficult."
I'll have to go read that, not currently in my head. Dashing sort of fellow, the hero of the narrative, I'd guess? :)
Braddon, here comes Gris with a ship! :)
Heading away for the (Aussie) weekend. Expect Braddon to quieten down in about 12-18 hours for a day or two. :-)
Have a good time. :)
Stop making me think. :P
The guest-room doors can't self-lock because Braddon and Malkith were able to open the door on Oliver and Ananda. So unless Ethel got up to lock the door, it should remain unlocked.
Good time had.
Back for more. :-)
Laptop crapped out on me and posting on an I pad is blergh. Will post tomorrow
I hope you're not catching AK's ill luck with laptops, Mark.
Me too! - this is the second one that's fried in about 3 years... so not too bad I suppose. More distressing that it happened at the start of the weekend, so I didn't have a chance to bring home my work laptop as a workaround. My eldest was more upset "Does that mean you won't be able to play games for a long time?"...
"Lesser men aspire to the sort of mayhem Braddon accidents into."
I love this quote. Permission to steal it, thanks? :-)
When I wrote it, I mentally gift-wrapped it.
Enjoy.
:-)
Dang, Braddon! I can't believe you went back and linked all those links. There is NO WAY I would even bother. That's just WAY too much work. You're a better man than I am, bud.
I would've simply said: "Long story. Not important."
It was easier than it looked since I just went over my old posts for that time and mostly linked to them.
But when 2 days ago is two years ago, I find it useful to go back and read stuff again. Joana just has so much detail, who knows what clues we've missed over and over again. :-)
There is indeed a mountain of information seeped into the thread over the years.
Braddon - Mark thinks your idea of checking Lil's hideout has merit... it's just Phillip has an overinflated sense of opinion as to what Shorafa should be capable of.
"Although, were we to bring a whole tart-silked bed through the front door, while the stage and staging were being assembled, people might get the wrong idea of what sort of show we're planning."
Probably be good for business, though. :)
We could sell tickets
Giving a pregnant pause in thread just in case Snake's got a word to stick in edgewise.
Braddon - are you following the Cricket World Cup?
Not a sports fan, very unaustralian of me. British parents and cousins, so I don't mind soccer. Still don't follow any of it and my perverse avoidance of television ensures a lack of knowledge of even some of the most basic sports trivia.
I'm aware we had one of the best cricket teams in the world... 10 years ago. And being a QLDer I am aware we finally lost our 7 year run in the State of Origin footy. That's pretty much everything I know about Aussie sport in those two sentences. :-)
Heh - I'd wager my leanings towards supporting the Blackcaps (NZ) probably make me more unaustralian than it might your general disinterest ;)
Joana - FWIW I legitimately only just made that connection. A tip of the hat and a well played to you!
I still know as much as Braddon :-)
I still know as much as Braddon.
That Captain Teach- that wouldn't be Edward Teach by any chance? :-)
And that Fearful Jewel... wouldn't be a Black Pearl perhaps? :-)
I admit to making liberal use of a Pirate Name Generator and Pirate Ship Name Generator for NPCs and watercraft not specified in the AP. :)
I can honestly say I'd have never caught on to that.
The only one that stands out to me is "Pip" - the character from Great Expectations.
Snake and Braddon can always keep a weather eye for Billy Dagger and Bellamy if you care to.
Yeah, that's a good idea. Will keep an eye out for those guys.