Shadow over Riddleport

Game Master Joana

Braddon and Phillip pass each other like two ships in the night, and the halflings step onto the flatboat, perching on the edge near the railing. The last on, they are likewise the last off on the opposite shore, waiting for the ferry to clear before stepping up onto the dock.

The lights of Free-Coin twinkle in front of them as they disembark. It is already well dark, and the streets and restaurants are full. It takes a stack of silver for Phil to ensure a table on the cobblestones at the Lone Hippocampus.

----------------------

In the meantime, Braddon makes his way down the alleyway to the back door of the Gold Goblin. Letting himself in, he finds the kitchen warm and redolent with the aroma of meat and gravy. Undoubtedly, the staff is gathered upstairs for dinner. Counting back, the half-elf tallies up the number of meals he has had thus far today. On the other hand, the stairs to the basement remind him of the reason for his return and the prisoner exchange that is scheduled for this evening. On the third hand, if he had it, there's the matter of Samaritha and the news he's not supposed to know about....

Where to, Braddon?

Kneeling beside the seated Samaritha, Gristav guessed, experimentally empathetically, "Sam. You were close? He was the one who understood you? But... weren't you, about to go..?"

"Only up to Windward!" she protests. "I'd still be in Riddleport. But he told me he didn't intend to stay. When the cards told him it was time to move on, he'd go back to the road. He didn't want to ... mislead me. But I didn't think it would be so soon."

Gristav wrote:

Kneeling beside the seated Samaritha, Gristav guessed, experimentally empathetically, "Sam. You were close? He was the one who understood you? But... weren't you, about to go..?"

"Only up to Windward!" she protests. "I'd still be in Riddleport. But he told me he didn't intend to stay. When the cards told him it was time to move on, he'd go back to the road. He didn't want to ... mislead me. But I didn't think it would be so soon."

"If he's still on Saul's business, surely you'll see him again? Regularly? Irregularly, but often? I lost the note with Tendal, but what did it say? What could it say, left in his room, and not yours? Haphazard. Even a second, sealed note, could have been, more discretely done."

"Whatever it said, or the other... If as I surmise you weep for the instant of pain of a suspected loss, perhaps you should reason: the loss has not occurred yet. Do we weep for Winter's cold, in Autumn? Or do we hold faith and hope for Spring?" Duty done, Gristav felt, and, failing to form a phonetic fabric, half-rose to whisper more closely to Samaritha, "I envy him."

Rising completely now, Gristav made for the door, slowed by Samaritha, as the anchor of his attention, even as he elaborated, "And having said that, I think I'll open the door..."

While the smell of food doesn't have the draw for Braddon that it usually would, the promise of people does. Braddon makes his way upstairs keeping an eye out for Malkith and Daynadrian with whom he captured the scribe, or Gristav and Snake with whom he addressed the General.
When he arrives at the table, it is Saul he addresses though.
"Uh hi. Has the prisoner been taken away yet? Did Gristav tell you? Or Snake? Or anyone?"
Braddon glares around the table. "We're handing the scribe over to the General. Uh, now. Ish."

Braddon finds only Saul, Bojasc, and Snake at the rather bereft table. Saul quirks an inquisitive eyebrow at Snake. "First I've heard of it. What's the plan to get him out without attracting unwanted attention? Darkness is one thing, but I can't imagine the man will toddle off to Shoreleave quietly. They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I wouldn't care to test the adage with rumors the Gold Goblin keeps a secret dungeon."

Gristav opens the door to reveal Tendal, waiting with a scowl. "Really," he says as he strolls back into the room, "Miss Beldusc is a grown woman and ought to be treated as one, not as a spoiled child who needs constant care and comfort." He offers the paper back to Samaritha, who nods it toward Gristav.

The letter reads:

Herr Vankaskerkin, Herr Felden:

Some information has been revealed to me regarding Scarlet Lil. At the moment, wisdom dictates that I look into the matter alone: A single traveler asking questions will attract less attention than your whole staff. It seems likely that I will have to leave Riddleport, at least for some time. If I do not return, I will endeavor at least to send word whether my investigations bear fruit.

Your servant,
Malkith Deraythen

Thusly ensconced, Phillip endeavors to ensure that while Ethel is gifted the best view... he retains eyes upon the street without needing to crane his neck. When server comes he seeks a glass of port for himself, asks if Ethel wishes for apple wine and finally settles upon the salmon in lemon butter for sustenance.

Idle banter flows and ebbs, before Phil catches Ethel's hand and seeks eye contact to impart a truth "For the record... before we step within the House... my intent tonight is for pleasure. My eyes may rove, and we will take the tour... but I will not be seeking any other angles." holding a few moments to make sure that the words are heard and believed.

Gristav opens the door to reveal Tendal, waiting with a scowl. "Really," he says as he strolls back into the room, "Miss Beldusc is a grown woman and ought to be treated as one, not as a spoiled child who needs constant care and comfort." He offers the paper back to Samaritha, who nods it toward Gristav.

Reading the letter, Gristav argued automatically, as though one, the other, or both were old habit with him, "I saw a wound, and did not know depth or poison. I did not know. You did not care, until the door closed. I'm sure you make a very good factor, but don't try to tell me, how to be a friend."

Apparently finishing the parchment in that instant, Gristav turned it to face Samaritha. "He has sight we lack", he comforted, speaking of Malkith, "We have to respect that, and his choice. He's wiser than I, but that's no great praise.", the half-elf hinted at humor, hoping it helped. "You'd know better than I, do you trust his judgement?" She would answer positively, or neutrally, and Gristav felt faint guilt at using Mother's methods.

"Then hope for Spring."

"I think it's time that the persons to whom this note is actually addressed saw it, hm?" Tendal confiscates the parchment. "You were saying there's dinner upstairs?" With a sweeping gesture that invites them to accompany him, he heads for the staircase to Saul's office.

"We'll be along. There's stew for ten, and time for another conversation. Or two.", Gristav says, looking away from Samaritha only an instant, and that only to look back at her, punctuating, "I said, I had a confession to make. But if you need to catch up on your reading?"

"For the record... before we step within the House... my intent tonight is for pleasure. My eyes may rove, and we will take the tour... but I will not be seeking any other angles."

Ethel smiles back. "I'm getting a little nervous," she confesses. "Do you think it can really be that much fancier than the Dragon's Hoard? I feel like everyone will know by looking at me that I'm just a shop girl from the sticks who has no business being there." She lowers her voice to a more conspiratorial tone. "I don't even know who Nabin is. Do you?"

Giving Ethel a reassuring pat upon the hand "No more different than we are in normal clothes against what we wear tonight I would expect. Less people, more fanciful cloth drapery... but the same beating heart I would expect. You will be fine." before chuckling at her question and returning the conspiratorial tone "Not the slightest clue..." and winking.

"First I've heard of it. What's the plan to get him out without attracting unwanted attention? Darkness is one thing, but I can't imagine the man will toddle off to Shoreleave quietly. They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I wouldn't care to test the adage with rumors the Gold Goblin keeps a secret dungeon."

Braddon shrugs.

As Snake takes in another spoonful of stew, he turns his attention to Braddon. Staring at him with his typical stoic expression for what seems like an eternity, he finally responds with, "Who?"

"We'll be along. There's stew for ten, and time for another conversation. Or two.", Gristav says, looking away from Samaritha only an instant, and that only to look back at her, punctuating, "I said, I had a confession to make. But if you need to catch up on your reading?"

"Actually," Samaritha gets to her feet to follow Tendal, "I could do with dinner. I've barely had a quick bite since breakfast. And it is my last night here." She waits a moment to see if Gristav will follow.

"What's that?" Tendal queries her. "Are you leaving us as well?"

Despite her recent mood swing, she draws herself up with pride. "I've been accepted for an apprenticeship at the Cypherlodge," she informs him, "starting immediately. The Cyphermages are doing research on the shadow in the sky out over the harbor and got approval to bring in some new apprentices to do the grunt work. That's me. I'll be moving myself up there in the morning."

"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. Well done, Miss Beldusc. I trust you've informed Mr. Vankaskerkin?"

"Not yet," she replies, looking a little nervous. "I only just arrived from Windward District. I do hope he won't think me ungrateful. He was tremendously kind to put me on staff, knowing I was hoping for a position elsewhere."

Giving Ethel a reassuring pat upon the hand "No more different than we are in normal clothes against what we wear tonight I would expect. Less people, more fanciful cloth drapery... but the same beating heart I would expect. You will be fine." before chuckling at her question and returning the conspiratorial tone "Not the slightest clue..." and winking.

She laughs. "Well, as long as we don't have to pick him out of a crowd to be allowed into the place...." She takes another sip of her wine and glances out onto the street at the pedestrians passing through the pools of light illuminated on the cobblestones by the street lamps. "Phil, now that I won't be going back to Betta's ... have you any ideas what I'll be doing with my days?"

Gristav wrote:

"We'll be along. There's stew for ten, and time for another conversation. Or two.", Gristav says, looking away from Samaritha only an instant, and that only to look back at her, punctuating, "I said, I had a confession to make. But if you need to catch up on your reading?"

"Actually," Samaritha gets to her feet to follow Tendal, "I could do with dinner. I've barely had a quick bite since breakfast. And it is my last night here." She waits a moment to see if Gristav will follow.

"Perhaps, I'll get away with it.", Gristav grins like a goblin. "If I can't confess..." He gestures her to exit first, taking a moment to take charge of any room key or other loose lose-able.

-----

"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. Well done, Miss Beldusc. I trust you've informed Mr. Vankaskerkin?"

Were you ASLEEP?! She came to tell her friend, first..., Gristav wrinkles his brow toward Tendal, but does not speak, not over Samaritha's reply.

"Not yet," she replies, looking a little nervous. "I only just arrived from Windward District. I do hope he won't think me ungrateful. He was tremendously kind to put me on staff, knowing I was hoping for a position elsewhere."

"I expect the only true problem, and of course, we're all celebrating, is the absence on Moonday. There are, other pretty faces, to be found, but none, like yours."

Gristav looks about for Hero.

As he moves further up the hall, Gristav continues the duty of calling the residents to dinner, knocking on each door, to be sure.

"Who?"

Saul grins. "Believe he means Larur's friend, the bearded half-elf." He turns his attention back to Braddon. "I've not seen him yet this evening, but Master Taphodarian here tells me he's responsible for our bountiful feast so he ought to be in the building somewhere." Saul nods at Piccolo who has totally been there eating stew the whole time, although I forgot to mention him when Braddon entered the room :P.

The gnome affirms Saul's statement. "I believe he went to speak with Mr. Felden."

"Oh. No idea," he simply responds as he returns his attention back to eating his stew.

Braddon nods.
"Yup. Gristav. Just something Phillip mentioned when we were fighting for our lives against those evil cultists this morning."
Braddon nods at Snake while addressing Saul.
"Snake was great. I got separated from him and Gristav during the battle and by the time I found my way back they'd taken out most of the thugs. Mister Snake is a man of many talents," Braddon says as he rubs at his vanished wound.
"That's why Id like him to help me deliver the... prisoner."
Braddon turns back to Snake.
"Let's go. We'll grab Gristav on the way."

"On the way where?" Tendal asks, walking into the dining room. He has a folded parchment in his hand and is closely followed by Samaritha.

Gristav takes the room key, lying on the bed where the note was presumably laid, and exits the now-unoccupied room, closing but not locking the door behind him. Distracted by Samaritha's news, he neglected to keep his firefly dancing, and the bored kitten has wandered off somewhere. Keeping an eye out for the wandering Hero, he moves on toward the last two doors. Having seen Phillip depart with his companion, he doesn't expect to find anyone there, but Thuvalia stalked back toward her room earlier; she may well still be within. He knocks gently, and a moment later, she opens the door.

"Oh," she says, looking disappointed. "You again. Have you been pacing the corridor all this time?"

"Oh," she says, looking disappointed. "You again. Have you been pacing the corridor all this time?"

"Well, all some time, but this time? It's unclear what this time is, unless you mean, 'now'. I'm not pacing, now.", Gristav said, standing, smiling. "Dinner's upstairs. Malkith's gone, Sam's leaving, the kitten is at liberty, somewhere in the house..." He gestured, wand-like, with his staff toward the established absence of Malkith, the fading presence of Samaritha, and the suspected, supposed, stomping-grounds of the hirsute, hidden little hunter.

Into which he walked, watchful and wary. "Don't worry, I'll go first!"

Braddon nods.

"Yup. Gristav. Just something Phillip mentioned when we were fighting for our lives against those evil cultists this morning."
Braddon nods at Snake while addressing Saul.
"Snake was great. I got separated from him and Gristav during the battle and by the time I found my way back they'd taken out most of the thugs. Mister Snake is a man of many talents," Braddon says as he rubs at his vanished wound.
"That's why Id like him to help me deliver the... prisoner."
Braddon turns back to Snake.
"Let's go. We'll grab Gristav on the way."

Snake finishes up and places the spoon within the bowl before turning to Braddon, looking at him with curiosity. "Why do you need me?" he asks candidly. "Isn't this yours and the ramblin' man's idea? I don't even recall this conversation ever taking place between us and the general. 'Course, I probably wasn't listening; especially if it was Gristav talking," he says without a hint of a smile.

"It's in our best interests, first, to get out of the prison business," Saul answers for Braddon, "and, second, to convince the Gendarmes that we're good citizens. Can't get the fellow out of here fast enough to suit me. Go along with them, just in case there's trouble; Desna willing, there won't be, and it will just be a quick stroll down to the docks and back," Saul instructs Snake. "Oh, Tendal," he greets the mage cheerfully. "Just being cheered by the prospect of losing a tenant: the scribe in the basement suite."

"Hm, it's quite a day for losing tenants," Tendal responds cryptically, handing the parchment he holds to Saul as he moves past him to take a seat and dish him up a bowl of stew.

"It appears perhaps the count is four.", Gristav says, entering, somehow ahead of the unusually-deferential Thuvalia. Taking a bowl, he passes it to her, and steps aside from the crock. "A relative exodus. I'm not certain where the kitten is. I'd cautioned him against the basements, but I don't think he was listening." Filling a bowl, and taking a spoon, Gristav exits.

...headed for the basements.

Snake shrugs, rising from his chair and pushing it in. Looking to Braddon, "Ready when you are, bub."

In the basement, Gristav stops any followers, and says, "I'm going to be talking. Neither of you will want to be there for that, so... go fetch a bag, rope, cloth... I don't know, put your imaginations together."

Continuing into the darkness, Gristav shades the bowl lighter, and smooths the curve of the dining-room spoon.

Finding Weatherby, Gristav puts the bowl just under arm's length from the cage in which Weatherby is being kept, and then steps well out of range of the staff's possible punishing arc. "In case you might imagine it a trick, to break your arm, or similar", he says levelly. "Or if you think it poisoned, or drugged, I'll take it up, and eat of it until you think the rest safe."

"I don't intend ill will. Yet I can't do much, to work weal. And I confess to some confusion, where exactly that may be, which side of this, history, or the angels, are on. But this, is true: You are about to leave here, and you can do it fed, or famished. And if fed, water will follow. Because it's important to have choices."

"Phil, now that I won't be going back to Betta's ... have you any ideas what I'll be doing with my days?"

Ethel's question gives Phillip a moments pause before he lets the facetious air that oft clouds his countenance slip and responds with a serious question "The Wasp adores free choice and personal freedom... I would not be a party to choosing for you milady. Listen to your heart, head or any other part that holds sway... as long as it is your will... then I will be proud of you."

Braddon's eye's follow Samaritha as she enters the room.

Braddon nods to Snake as Saul speaks. "It won't take long."

However, the rush Braddon was in seems to vanish as Snake rises.

"Who's lost?" he asks Tendal with a worried voice. He glances around at the empty seats as if looking for someone, but his gaze quickly rests again on Samaritha.
"Are you okay? I heard... nothing."

"It appears perhaps the count is four.", Gristav says, entering, somehow ahead of the unusually-deferential Thuvalia.

"Four?" Tendal asks, swiveling around in his chair to question Gristav. "My count was three."

"Who's lost?" he asks Tendal with a worried voice.

Thuvalia enters the room behind Gristav and takes a seat. "Daynadrian is missing," she announces, filling a bowl. "The elf," she explains, in case they had forgotten.

He glances around at the empty seats as if looking for someone, but his gaze quickly rests again on Samaritha.

"Are you okay? I heard... nothing."

Her eyes and nose are a little red, as if she may have been crying, but she quickly smiles. "I'm fine. I'm actually ... better than fine. I," she glances nervously at Saul at the head of the table, "I've been accepted as an apprentice at the Cypherlodge. I'm ... one of the three ... or four? ... who are leaving," she trails off apologetically, much of the pleasure of making the announcement quelled by the awkwardness of this being the first her employer is hearing of it.

"Daynadrian is missing," she announces, filling a bowl. "The elf," she explains, in case they had forgotten.

"Missing?" Tendal snorts. "Last I heard he was doing 'research' at the brothel. 'Absent without leave' is more like it."

Snake raises an eyebrow at the well dressed man's words. "Research at a brothel, huh? Yeah, okay. Obviously he wasn't hired for his fine skills at deceit," he says with obvious sarcasm.

"The Wasp adores free choice and personal freedom... I would not be a party to choosing for you milady. Listen to your heart, head or any other part that holds sway... as long as it is your will... then I will be proud of you."

Ethel nods ruminatively. "I'd like to do something to help your work. After all, if I was going to do something respectable, I might as well have stayed with Betta. But I don't think I'm ready to go into Rotgut and...." She flutters her fingers, not wanting to be too explicit about Phil's morning activities, lest someone overhear.

Languidly stretching as he regards passers by Phillip answers "Just as a Varisi scarf has many colours, there are many ways that you could ingratiate yourself in our work. But the first might be the most and least important of all - on Sunday the Goblin will hold a Varisian Caravan night. Be there beside me with ears open to listen, eyes to watch and voice to entertain... and from there we will see what opens to us."

"Dayn!?"
For what may be the first time, Thuvalia has Braddon's attention.
"He went where? Research?"
Braddon turns on Tendal and Snake.
"How do you know Shorafa hasn't captured him in revenge? She said he was trying to poach her street kids. He helped me get the letter that pinned Lil. And the scribe. He's done heaps for this place. We have to find him. Who else is missing?"
He looks to Samaritha, screws his face up, nods and looks back to the others somewhat frantic.

"He was at breakfast this morning," Tendal says dismissively, "and it's only just now dinnertime. He's not a child with a curfew. If he hasn't turned up by morning, there'll be time to start to worry."

"Malkith was here at breakfast, too," Samaritha murmurs.

"And if he hadn't left a note," Tendal reasons, "I'd assume he was an adult going about his own business before I'd jump to the conclusion he was in danger and in need of rescue. I mean, I haven't seen that halfling fellow since breakfast: Why aren't we all concerned about him?"

Braddon is a lackey and won't continue the next book if no other character does. But if anyone else stays on, especially Tendal, it'll be easy to transfer Braddon's loyalties. Assuming he stops being charmed ;-)

And while I considered making him an urban ranger, Braddon is just a core ranger with favoured terrain urban and favoured enemy human, which I always keep forgetting. So he won't have issues outside civilisation. I'll just take new enemies and terrain over the next couple of levels :-)

Tendal isn't so specialized that he cannot function in the wilderness. He likes his fine things, and would be forced to make disparaging remarks, but the idea of the effete snob in the wilderness makes me happy.

Tendal also doesn't think that there is anyone qualified to figure out whatever is pulling starmetal down from the sky and disable it without it blowing up and/or pulling down something worse.

So that's a wizard, a ranger, and a magus heading to Skymetal Island. Mark and Javell, any ideas what kinds of PCs you'll be rolling up?

Mark and KRNVR, votes on Lil's fate?

I'm looking at a Slayer tentatively. Going ranged. I only know a little bit about them so will have to see once I can get a better idea of the mechanics.

Or a warpriest. I've got one in mind that might be interesting to roll with.

I do have a ranger that I ran in an SD game years ago. It was therealthom's game. He was pretty fun. But he's the one I'd switch to Slayer for those rogue benefits. There are a couple of talents that will come in super handy.

Depends on what Mark wants to roll with. I'm pretty flexible in running whatever. Except arcane. Not really an arcane fan. I like Snake, don't get me wrong, but arcane is my least favorite by far. I don't mind it too much at higher levels(had a 17th level dragon disciple that was pretty dang fun at the time) but at lower levels it's just a freaking beating.

So that's a wizard, a ranger, and a magus heading to Skymetal Island. Mark and Javell, any ideas what kinds of PCs you'll be rolling up?

Gris will be taking Larur's papers to his brother, as was agreed. He'll be striking at Lil when the opportunity presents itself in character, but perhaps only roll the dice if there's agreement out-of-character. There's the slim hope Bojasc rants that killing the dwarf was all Bojasc's idea, to get Lil out from under that cloud. But Lil's marked for death, both this current day and in future, Violent Accidents will plague her.

"I have that feeling." [/Badger]

So if that absents Gris from the Island trip, or from the party going forward, ThornRune might need a new toon. One wonders how much of 'the party' is still 'the' party.

Mark and KRNVR, votes on Lil's fate?

I've felt I had to abstain, given Gris' powerful motive for outright immediate revenge. He's put the other's changes of heart down to magic in some cases, perhaps greed in others, perhaps the tangles of all the claims on Lil's person, or civil restraint as discussed.

It's just a restraint Gristav does not feel at the moment.

But OOC, I see the grandeur of the established recurring villain. I'm enough of a writer to know how good that can be. I'm just also enough of a roleplayer that Gris will play through. And hopefully enough of a team player that good arguments might talk ThornRune around.

Gris, not much for talking just now. (And if THAT's not a clue...)

So, I'd try to abstain in any vote. Is that fair?

Apologies for being a bit out of circulation over the last week - we lost a team member from work, so it's taken some adjustment and mental reconciliation.

I'll go with Mark's vote on Lil's fate - which is for her to escape at some point and become a recurring theme in our future. She serves for a decent antagonist in the shadows, and gives a counterpoint to the games to come.

As for what to play moving forwards - I'm easy. I'd be happy to take up the healeresque role if needed, or could take a skills / combat route as well. Even happy to be Mr Beefcake in the front line if desired :)

So Javell - roll with what you feel like and I'll flow round the edges :)

I will say that someone probably needs to play a healer of some sort. No Arnando to pay a quick visit to once you get away from town.

I don't know if it helps at all from a meta standpoint (Gristav is never likely to be entirely cognizant of the facts of the case as he has little reason to trust either Lil's word or Bojasc's), but Larur's death was entirely an impulsive act by Bojasc. Lil instructed him to make sure no one stumbled onto the truth about where the Gold Goblin's profits were going, and when Larur confronted Saul about the money, Bojasc killed him to keep him from asking more questions.

You know, I think I could roll with a warpriest in this one. Either that or a battle type cleric. Either way I want him to be melee oriented. I'll ponder it and see what I can come up with.

Given we want to beef up our martial prowess - my consideration to supplement Javell's Warpriest is a Skald - worshipper of Kurgess and Darechaser.

He can then dance on the front lines as needed, buff the party a bit as well as take some of the healing load.

Oh a skald sounds awesome. Chants, droning hymns, cool long form poems, a bit of berserker and a lot of hard drinking.

I gotta say, I agree with Tendal. A Skald is pretty dang cool. I'm in one game with a Skald(I joined about 6 or so months ago) and the other pc's get to ride off the back of the Skald's rage powers if they so choose. It's pretty dang trippin'. That's the only time I've ever been witness to what a Skald can do. I was shocked when I learned that my character(dwarf paladin) could gain the benefits of rage too. I'm like, "Seriously?! Cool." I mean a dwarf paladin with raging benefits?! Doesn't get much better than that, folks. :)

Noice :) - I'll progress the concept a bit more then. I'm casting him in the vein of 'big fun' and 'large ham'.

Lol! I love it! Oh man that sounds so dang funny.

Looking forward to this!

Hey Joana - should we assume building around Level 4? - or is that a bit forward?

Can confirm, Children of the Void starts at 4th level.

(It occurs to everyone but Braddon that..."

LOL :-)

If we have agreed that we want Lil to escape, you guys are eventually going to have to cut me a bit of slack to allow it to happen. She had her chance to defeat you guys straight up and didn't manage it.

Fair enough. Seeing how Braddon is in the way anyway, he's not going to force his way through him. Or follow. Snake's not stupid. No way he wants to fight that guy. :P

All she has to do is ask Braddon to help the party and she'll be fine. :-P

Edit: You have no idea how much I hate myself now after that last post. :-)

All she has to do is ask Braddon to help the party and she'll be fine. :-P

Edit: You have no idea how much I hate myself now after that last post. :-)

LOLOL.

This is a mess!

Tendal, protection from evil is only able to suppress the charm effect for the duration of the scroll, which is 1 minute. Charm person is an hour per level. Your best bet is to keep Braddon away from Lil until her spell wears off so she can't make further requests of him.

Greetings fellow raconteurs - many apologies for the radio silence for far too bloody long. Work has been... probably the hardest stretch I've ever done. I'm writing this at 11:20 pm staring at probably another couple of hours work before I can contemplate seeking slumber.

Much stress and pressure, plus our lads are getting larger and interesting in their own ways (good, bad and indifferent). None of this of course is an excuse, but I've nary been able to find the headspace for much creative of an eve - which has obviously driven into the PbP space as well.

I'm not sure when / how I'll come out the end of it, but owe all you good sorts better than I've been giving you of late. I'd like to say give it another few weeks and see how I'm travelling... hopefully the door falls down a tad to more level and stable footing.

Cheers,
Your eminently replaceable conniving con

You want to roll your own Will save this time, Braddon? I failed for you last time around. You get a bonus +2.

Yeessssssssss excellent....

Strike her down in anger...

Except not really, right? Because she's on contract for Season Two?

Because if we're striking in anger, Gris is en queue.

I've been explaining his NOT doing so as a sort of leaving it to Fortune, what with the Lethal Accident spell hanging.

As an illusionist, she should have cast invisibilty already. If not, we'll just get another protagonist. :-D

Let's call the gameplay thread there. I plan to post an epilogue this weekend that will serve as a bridge to the action in the next adventure.

Everyone check your Wealth By Level, if your character is sticking around. New PCs will come in at 6000 gp. Returning PCs can equip themselves up to the same level; there will be adequate explanation for any extra spending that needs to be done in the epilogue. If somehow you happen to have more than 6000, you can keep the overage.

WOOT LOOT!!!!

scrolls on scrolls on scrolls on scrolls on scrolls...

Joana. Thank you.
And thank you to the rest of you too.
Over 200 pages and over 8 years I have been honoured to game with you all. You have brought me hours, weeks of fun and laughter, and always the desire to see "What happens next?"
You have gotten me through hard days of work, and been there the rare moments I've had time to be bored. Reviewing old posts has always been a pleasurable passtime.

Thank you all.

And I am so looking forward to the next few years of gaming with you all.

Expectations management:

The end of the school year is running me ragged right now. Particularly with Mark unavailable and his future participation still in question, I have no intention of getting a new thread underway until after Memorial Day/PaizoCon (June, in other words).

I still owe you a wrap-up of this thread that will happen ... sometime.