The Damned Troop (Inactive)

Game Master BugbearDM

Sorry about the delay, I started college just last week and I'm struggling to get into the rhythm of school again. I'll try to get a post in by Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Portia wonders who in the Hell is this Vellexia chick!? (Unless she's a Spoiler from 'Wrath of the Righteous,' in which case Portia is much happier 'Not' to know.

Why did Miriani roll Sense Motive? I reread that post and I'm not sure what you were going for.

She totally is (roughly the 3rd most powerful individual there, after Nocticula and Shamira), although this version is basically the ABysses main producer of Reality TV Shows, and Alyushinyyra has Abyssal plasma devices replaying the most "hilarious" things in the city.

You definitly dont want to miss her version of "Honey Poo-Poo" The Omox who thinks it is an Aasimar girl (and brutally murders anyone who doesnt play along).

A succubus with some wizard* levels (*as far as I remember - I GMed it about four years ago) and some influence in the city. In fact, she cannot be compared with Shamira or even more with Nocticula, she has no divine spark, she does not give divine powers to her followers (and she does not have any followers btw), etc. But she's quite an interesting character. And Rorek's version is just hilariously cool! .)

I recommend swapping her levels in wizard for levels in enchanting courtesan/Seducer, or anything else that makes use of her CHA as casting stat. She was mythic 4 or 5 iirc, but did not have divine spark mythic ability.
Our GM turned her audition into "The Abyss got talent" and the party managed to murder or enslave the competition (Marilith power metal Drummer girl did he drums for the party, in exchange for surviving), getting points for murder creativity from the Mafia-themed Greater Babau Lord, and then even managed to murder said Babau-Mafia-Boss by exposing him to his anathema, pineapple Pizza. Basically, wotr goes off the rails power wise in act 4, if not earlier, so for us act 4 was a series of hilarious insane encounters which typically had social solutions or aspects.

In the CRPG she leads the cities nobles, informally, and can actually become relatively friendly (joining in some fights and teaching your armies wizards thassilonian lust magic) if the main character is a demon and succesfully dates her.

But yeah, Shamira and especially Nocticula (probably hardest fight in the game, optional though) are massively more powerful as encounters, although you only get to fight them on trickster or demon mythic paths.

Lorewise, Vellexia is, among the "nobles" more of a Primus inter Pares, and kind of a foil to Shamira because the latter is not seen as actually a Succubus by the more nativist inclined Demons, while Vellexia most certainly is one.

I had a bunch of Abyssally linked PC who mostly profited from it, Rorek is my experiment of "you f$*!ed with the Abyss and you now get f@*&ed back", on a fairly massive scale.

Possible dumb plots to get the Zebub:

--Straight up buy him because Vellexia is going to host some Mazmezzian envoys relatively soon, irrespective of actual negotiations. A Fly Devil is pretty tasty for spider Qlippoths after all. Roreks Bluff aint great though.

--Cunning plan two: Inspect prisoner holding facilities, drop hints of horrible plan, subtly sabotage cages etc. triggering slave uprising.

--Straight murder the higher ups on some made up pretext and claim possession of the place in Vellexias name. Which is frankly how business negotiations in the Abyss work more often then not. Label the whole thing an "attitude and morale improvement effort" (as far as Rorek is concerned, Vellexia is at her most terrifying when she speaks in Human resources language), joink some slaves as recompense, walk out like we own the place. Vellexia can truthfully claim that she gave no such order, and could probably be like "well dear whatsyournameagain-Kalavakus? What can I do if random adventurers, one of them impersonating a very dead former employee of me, randomly murder some of your employees in order to gain my favor? Have you tried looking as fabulous as me? If you put this rotten burlap sack over your face you will be making a step in the right direction for this! You coul also just buy it back from me, I am all ears!"

--Variation: Rorek pretends to be under Ntropas control

Why did Miriani roll Sense Motive? I reread that post and I'm not sure what you were going for.

To see how much I suspected the Schir demon knew.

Rorek is a treasure.

while Rorek is an evil character, you are all like, formally invited to clown on him. Heck, you probably get brownie points with Vellexia if you do so with style.

Roreks plan right now:
--Check armory, possible too:
A) Get an idea how many demons are there in total based on how many weapons there are.
B) Mabye kill a local leader other he good old question of "whose is bigger", axe afficionados would understand. Get more information by having some pre fight betting going on. If you think that you dont typcially murder-challenge someones master at arms before a negotiation, well, its the Abyss, you actually do.
C) convince Ntropa to OK probably fatally prank a slave with the old "false hope at the last moment" thing, giving me leave to "prepare a prisoner escape" while madly giggling to myself.

I'm good with this.

Portia is setting up a moment where you can get a good look at the prisoners under a reasonable guise while she talks about blah-blah-blah. We'll see how it works -- but it feels like a Django Unchained gambit.

We think alike yeah, Django unchained, but I plan on shooting first, also, if we initiate hostilities, we should try to bluff that Ntropa has us under "suggestion".

Sorry about the delay, I've been swamped in college homework. I'll try to post something tomorrow.

Suits me, I have more time to come up with hopefully fun shenangians :).

Oh, if I go too much into "main character" territory, just send me a PM.
It is a delicate balance between keeping the game "pushing" and being a total glory hog, and I frequently get it wrong.

I think everything is fine now. I assume that there will be other situations and in them other characters will come out on top.

I'll be here cutting hamstrings so Rorek can splat em.

In terms of characterization, what would be your characters themesongs?

Rorek probably:
Rammstein Haifisch

Could there be any other choice?! .... I think not!

2nd choice, distant 2nd

Here is mine

Here is mine

.

When I was
A young Rogue
My father
Took me to a Dungeon
To see a Devilish Hound
He said, "Son when, you Level-up
Would you be
The steeler of the booty
The Abyssal and the Damned?"
He said, "Will you, defeat them
The Demons
And all the fiendish monsters?"

If Ntropa takes the group to the Keep, who's going where? Portia and Rorek are basically obligated to go with her (barring a really good persuasion check) but she's probably not gonna notice if not everyone tags along.

Also sorry for not posting, I've been swamped with work and college homework.

Briggi will keep our wizard from eating the prisoners.

I 'm with portia

Rorek is absolutely delighted by her company :).

Miriani thinks that staying together is a good idea. She's not ready to get gang-shanked in the Abyss.

Rorek is totally fine to be at the center of attention! Especially if it has more CHA then he does.

Tariq won't be left here alone. No, no, no.

Anyone up for some teamkilling?

Sneak attack on Tariq. Bleeding strike: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 161d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (5, 5) = 19

Yeppers!

Teambuilding by killing is great!

Expect a post tonight. Sorry for the delay.

There we go. Once again, sorry for the delay, college homework has been atrocious. I'll try to make it a goal to post once every other day. Thanks for sticking around!

I'll try to get here in the next couple days -- exhausted at work and starting DMing a new home campaign this Friday means this is back burner.

Miriani will join in in estimating numbers and keep watch to track which types of demons are around. With special emphasis on checking exactly where their joints are.

Hello! Briggi here. I have e-mail troubles and can't get onto my main account but i haven't dropped off.

To the Damned Troop,
I’m sorry for not posting as often as I had promised to in the past. You would all be well within your rights to either leave or at least ask for an explanation, and the fact that you haven’t is something I’m grateful for. There are a few excuses I have (too much homework, tired from work, etc.) but the real reason is rather basic: I’ve lost motivation. I don’t have the same drive that I did when I started this game, and I’ve been very tempted to call it quits.
But I can’t do that. Not when you guys have already stuck it out this far with me. To give up on you now would be unfair. So I’ve decided that I’m going about this in a different way: rather than treat it like a game, I’m gonna treat it like a story. I’m throwing out my old notes and starting off this idea fresh.
If you guys can be patient for just a day or two more, then I promise that by this Sunday at the latest, I’ll have a new post for you guys, and I’ll start taking this game more seriously. And I’ll make sure to involve you guys in some proper action.

Thanks again for staying,
BugbearDM

Hello! Briggi here. I have e-mail troubles and can't get onto my main account but i haven't dropped off.

Alrighty! I'll make sure to remember that this account is the character one.

Problems sorted

To the Damned Troop,

I’m sorry for not posting as often as I had promised to in the past. You would all be well within your rights to either leave or at least ask for an explanation, and the fact that you haven’t is something I’m grateful for. There are a few excuses I have (too much homework, tired from work, etc.) but the real reason is rather basic: I’ve lost motivation. I don’t have the same drive that I did when I started this game, and I’ve been very tempted to call it quits.
But I can’t do that. Not when you guys have already stuck it out this far with me. To give up on you now would be unfair. So I’ve decided that I’m going about this in a different way: rather than treat it like a game, I’m gonna treat it like a story. I’m throwing out my old notes and starting off this idea fresh.
If you guys can be patient for just a day or two more, then I promise that by this Sunday at the latest, I’ll have a new post for you guys, and I’ll start taking this game more seriously. And I’ll make sure to involve you guys in some proper action.

Thanks again for staying,
BugbearDM

You know, I'm fine either way. This wouldn't be the first or the last time this happens. I have mentally given up on this game a while ago. But I can always rejoin

I am always happy for more antics and shenanigians.

I think GM has the "first combat about to happen" blues, I got that in the adventure I am running as well.

My advice is, use stock enemies and dont fear it.

Action movie rules? The cannon fodder is there as smoke screens and warm up for the boss fights

I will be glad if the game somehow revives. It was a hell of a promising start.

Things will be quicker if we can post in any Initiative order.

Basically if it would be

Init:
Miriani
Tariq

BBEG

Rorek
Biggi

Mooks

Garridan
Portia

Then players do not have to wait on other players, if that makes sense.

Works for me

I can't do it.

I tried in the beginning but I just don't have the time or energy to continue this.

I can leave this campaign up if one of you wants to take over as DM, but otherwise I'll delete it. My time running this campaign is over.

I'm sorry.