Aersten Vidsun's page

Yeah, I'm sorry we didn't get more time together. But I appreciate the time spent. Best luck to all of you in your other games, and fair skies until we meet again.

I'm gonna defer my decision, as I feel Paddy and Hedy have a larger investment, if that makes sense. That said, I'd like to find a way to keep going. I really like the character you helped me put together here, and I'd like an opportunity to play him out some.

I'm sorry about that, this past weekend was not great for me, and I just found myself in a spot where I wasn't really sure how to add to the scene.

Aersten follows Paddy up the gangplank, backing Paddy's play but ready to step in if the dwarf's seeming effort to out-drink Cayden himself causes more trouble than it solves.

When Aersten returns to the others, he jerks a thumb to the ship at the end of the northern quay. "There, that one is the Nereid," he says. "Shall we?"

Int: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Aersten dismisses Paddy's addled response, too horrified at Aerin's idea of them lighting the whole dock on fire. "Uhh, Aerin, even for a pirate town, that's a bit much. The watch would..." Aersten's eyes go wide a moment. "Hold that thought. No lighting anything on fire while I'm gone." Then, he heads over to the most bored-looking city watchman he can find. "Hey, which one of these is the Beckoning Nereid?"

"Midunno, but 'ow many orcs can dere be?"

"Ask Koldukar," Aersten quips. "So this guy, we think he might be on one of those two ships. We feeling lucky on which?" He gestures to the closer one that's on their side of the harbor.

Hedy, that was here.

"Sounds good, sir." And with that, buoyed by the Chaplain's confidence, Aersten follows the man down the pier to engage in a little discreet snooping.

As Aersten stands there peering at the far piers, Murillo comes aboard and calls to him. The young Ulfen's head snaps around to report. "Evenin' sir. Nothing to report as such. We're all quiet, but I'm awfully curious what's goin' on over there," Aersten points out the two ships at the west end of the harbor. "I had half a mind to try'n get a closer look, but that could be the kinda nosy that gets a guy into beaucoup trouble. Trying to figure a pretext for goin' wandering," he finishes with a smirk.

Ditto!

Not great, just the base +1 from my Cha. It's the one Cha skill I have no investment in. OK, let me think of another plan...

Does there seem to be enough activity on those piers that I could casually stroll by and take a look-see? Possibly under some pretext (if pressed, I'll go with "got sloshed and headed to the wrong pier").

Sorry I've been a bit incommunicado; being cooped up together has really taken a toll on my family, and it's kind of been a drain.

Aersten patrols the deck, doing his best to keep those on watch prepared. "Just be ready, folks. I don't know exactly what the Captain's plans will end up being, but there's a good chance we could find ourselves very busy very fast, okay?" He peers around, his enhanced vision helping to cut through the shadows to some small extent, but the chatter among the crew making it hard to focus.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

It sounds like we've got all the bases covered here; I'm a little unsure where to put Aersten's attention. In the absence of a better idea, I was thinking either accompany Paddy and Aerin (or head there under his own power), or keep an eye on things on board the ship.

Aersten throws a few coins around, buying drinks and listening to what comes of it.

Does this Quince have a stake in the outcome of this struggle, or is he just staying over here, same as us?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Well if you're gonna have 0 ranks in Stealth, you should at least have Perform, so that this can be your stealthiness! :D

After ACP I clock in at a +4, so not nothing, but Batman I'm not. :)

I'm thinking stealth is probably the most fruitful approach, my 2cp.

Maybe my check is good enough for the following question, or maybe it's already part of Murillo's, but I'm curious, what would the "going rate" be for a cut on something like that, and what cut did Felnas and Quince agree to?

"Ready as I'll be, Captain."

The Ulfen nods as the captain outlines her intent. "About what I figured. I'll keep some ears peeled. Mine, others, I ain't picky," he grins as he heads off.

Diplo for Gather Info: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

"How much do we like this Felnas fellow, or dislike Quince?" Aersten muses out loud. "We lookin' to rescue the one from the other, or just get the treasure, no questions asked?"

I am ready to treasure hunt. Personally I like that type of mix, one time out we do pirate stuff, next time we solve a mystery/hunt for treasure that type of thing.

That is a very okay mix with me.

Sorry for my extended absence, I was slow getting back on track after the holidays, then just as I was getting my head together, BOOM! Someone shoots the little hamster running paizo's web server. I couldn't log in until I thought to clear cookies for paizo.com.

Let's go find us a shipwreck to raise/loot!

Given that the captain guy ended up naked, I thought the sword "not being magical" was just phrasing. (We're still doing that, right?)

Sorry, this week kind of sucked a lot of energy out of me. Getting caught back up now.

Happy New Year! Lousy way for it to begin,but on the plus side its got to get better.

I like the optimism there. :) Sorry for my own slowness, all the family stuff I mentioned really did a number on my free time. I'll go check Gameplay and post as appropriate.

GM, feel better, and Happy New Year to everyone.

I'm sorry, I thought my intent was clearer from context than it seems it was. It was absolutely not my intent to sell Plunder without Murillo's say-so. I thought what I was doing was lining up a buyer on Murillo's behalf, so that when he's ready, all he has to do is smile nod gruffly, and money changes hands.

EDIT: no way Murillo would smile, even I know that.

Aersten grins a troublemaker's grin. "'Course, we screw this up, and instead of eatin' waffles, Waffles might well be eating us!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 +2 for Paddy's aid?

Aersten shrugs. "Dunno. Better'n some, worse'n others. Just keen to see old Waffles gone and turned into coin in our pockets before some kinda calamity happens. If that's Murillo's job, no harm in us lining something up, makin' things easier for him, eh?"

Aersten seeks out the dwarf quartermaster. "Oi, Paddy. Will the captain already have a plan for how to do this, or should you and me maybe look for a buyer for baby Waffles?"

I'm partial to the little dogs myself. :)

/IDEA

It just can't be that hard to make a cookie cutter in the shape of a Sarenite holy symbol, can it?

Grats!

And also, deepest sympathies! :D (The Boy in question is 11 going on 28, so I can relate a bit.)

No problem. All part of "'tis the season!"

No joke there. In addition to the holidays, I have my anniversary, and my older son's birthday. Kind of a full dance card here. :)

Happy Holidays to all for you, for any and all things you might celebrate.

Aersten takes the amulet. "I hope so as well," he says, grinning as he examines it. "I don't have to do anything with it, do I? It just does its thing?" He slips it aorund his neck, then tentatively taps his chest. "No, I can feel the difference already." Focusing back on his shipmate, he nods gratefully. "Tak, Aerin." Nodding at the bit of carapace inside the amulet, he asks, "Is there a market for this sort of stuff, or did you pick that up yourself? I've kind of been hoping the former; increases the chance someone's gonna pony up for old Waffles."

Still idly examining the back of his neck with his fingers, he muses out loud, "Huh, feels almost like Mother."

Also, I was picturing the influence check as representing a handful of strategic conversations scattered throughout the day, although now that you protest I think the idea of the captain just following someone around the entire day talking to them as they try to do their job is kind of hilarious.

Having my boss that interested in what I'm doing generally sets my attitude to "Hostile-" for like the rest of the week. :)

@Aerin, it'll just have to be the +1 for now, I don't have the scratch for more.

Hedy, just curious, on the crew influence checks you just made, what're the +5s for that you threw on the end? I'm still ramping up on this and I want to make sure I don't miss anything.

I'll be looking to get one of those indifferent riggers' attitudes improved. By the way, what effect does the crew's attitude level have? Is it just a general gauge of ship's morale, or is there a mechanical benefit?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"C'mon Marisan, I don't care how you do it or why you do it that way, as long as it's done right."

If you all could give me a few items you would each like to have created I will make a list so that Aerin will have items to work on in her downtime.

First thing that comes to mind is an Amulet of Natural Armor, please & thanks! :)

"Don't waste yer time, b'y. I'd beat ye twice ova. Hahar!"

"Wasn't even where I was going with this," Aersten says as he shakes his head. "I had in mind more we get other folks doing it, bet on who beats who."

That said, I the player think it'd be closer than that between us. :)

"Paddy, hear me out. After we get old Waffles squared away, start a betting tournament for an eating contest with the meat?"

The way these INT checks are going, Waffles could beat the entire crew in a game of chess, then eat the ship!

(cut to Waffles beating the pants off all the officers at Trivial Pursuit)

Aersten glares at his game piece, totally devoid of wedges."It's no fair, I keep getting Arts & Literature!"

Int: 1d20 ⇒ 3

If Operation Landshark at Sea blows up in our faces, I will write a thousand times, "I will not take hazardous cargo aboard the ship unless and until I have thought it all the way through."

Hedy gives a half frown "Yes Padrym. A drug for the Waffles and waffles for the crew. Except I am doubting we have any bananas... hmmm..."

"Ma'am, we get old Waffles to a buyer, I'll get us bananas for waffles, and leftovers enough to choke a kraken," Aersten says. "Of course, I think Mother told me they're partial to coconuts... but that's no matter right now. Really it's just making sure our cargo don't eat us."

Paddy looks over his shoulder to reply to Aersten as he keeps walking. "Y'ever 'eard of a pancake? Its like dat, but bedder."

Aersten looks very interested. "I had pancakes once. You make a bold claim, Paddy..."

"I have a waffles recipe that includes bananas and rum, if you want to try it, Aersten"

Aersten nods intently, seeing the captain's fond reminiscence as she speaks. "Sounds great, Cap'n. As soon as we've made sure we've got current business addressed, of course."

"Yis b'y. Waffles."

Aersten blinks twice, his serpent-like pupils going wide for a moment. Then shrugs. "Um, sure. Okay."

"What is waffles?"

I don't think Aersten had a broad exposure to that sort of thing growing up.

Uh, also, sooner or later someone's gonna have to feed that thing...

How many days out of port are we again?

"'ey, dat ain't bad me b'y. C'mon, let's get 'er done." Paddy replies, quite impressed with the viking's clever idea.

Upon reaching the Captain, Paddy says
"Oi Cap'n, ye figure ye can make somethin te keep ol' Waffles sleepin'? Ye's de alchemist an all."

Aersten tags along. He must've missed it the first time, but upon hearing the name, ponders out loud, "Waffles?"

Paddy tries to get Aersten's attention.

"I needs a 'and securin Waffles. Care te 'elp, b'y?"

"We gots te figure hout 'ow te keep 'em sleepin fer a few days. I ain't got much fer ideas, but may'aps ye do?"

Aersten furrows his brow, as he tries to think about the situation. "Hmm. Not like we can keep him on the grog, can we? That prob'ly makes as many problems as it solves. Cap'n knows alchemy, right? What're the chances she's got somethin' to keep him..." Aersten lolls his head to one side, eyes shut and tongue out.