Hi folks,
Real life has caught up with me and I can't dedicate as much time as I'd like to gaming so, unfortunately, I'm leaving the game at this point. I've enjoyed playing and wish you guys a great game!
Search Posts
Alynbrand leans against the wall with a frown. "I'm no friend of Chelax rule but this isn't my town. The only fondness I had for this city is buried and her likely murderer is now dead taking any answers with him. And you lied to me, to us... So you're going to need to give me some better reason than your love of Korvosa to get my sword involved in this mess."
FYI - I'll be on the road from Thursday (tomorrow) through Tuesday. I may have a chance to read but probably won't be able to post... so please feel free to NPC my character as necessary.
"Kur-Awk is confused, but happy Lamm is sent to painful afterlife where imps will eat his privates."
Alyn offers a terse alternative, "Revenant?"
Alynbrand examines the ring, his look grim.
He stalks over to Lamm's body while drawing his sword. He pulls the corpse up and addresses it - living eyes to dead ones. He growls, "You got off easy." He tosses the corpse towards a corner, away from the water's edge, and hews off the head with a single stroke as it falls. He wipes the blade on a scrap piece of cloth before re-sheathing it. Alyn looks at the ring for awhile, silently debating what to do with it. He places the ring on the only finger in will fit - his pinky.
Alyn nods, "Agreed. But let's try to figure out what we're looking for in the water before we kick him in. We've only got one of him to toss in." Another thought occurs to him, but he hesitates mentioning it for several reasons... "Richter. You knew Lamm from before, right? In his circle, did you ever run across a girl name Isolde?" He describes a woman in detail, it is clear, he was fond of her.
"Hold off on dumping him. If he does have something in the water we want - records, treasure, whatever - we may need his body as a distraction for the shark.... The gnome talked about how when they delivered stuff to Lamm, they brought a kid who never came back. That can't be a coincidence."
Alynbrand bites back the sharp retort he had in mind for the massive Kur-Awk as he sees the despondent man collapse. Well, hell... His mood oscillates between irritation and compassion. The cooling corpse may have been the only person who could have provided a logical reason for why she was dead. Looks like I'll never know. He gives Kur-Awk privacy, moving away quietly and looking about the room. Where are the riches? What was he trying to shoot? He has a suspicion probably shared by the others. He goes to speak with them quietly as they file in so as not to disturb the grieving giant. "Gotta figure there's a shark down there. I'm wondering if Lamm fed it the children to keep it distracted so he could retrieve his treasure from the water. I'm not seeing much of value up here."
Without hesitation, Alynbrand shifts his blade fractionally and slams the flat of the blade across Lamm's shoulder, attempting to stun him. "You don't get to die yet. I have questions and you'll give me answers." Standard:
"What is this? You expect me to remember every wench I've had shived for her finery boy?" Alynbrand responds flatly, "Wrong answer. Try again." and races around the corner to get in striking range of Lamm.
Something doesn't seem right here. Alynbrand treads cautiously, expecting the floor to give way or something else. "Three weeks ago, Lamm. A woman named Isolde was knifed and her ring sold - by you. I need to know if you had anything to do with her death... and why."
Alynbrand holds the gnome over the hole a moment longer, "Well sharks need to eat too, ya know." Almost with regret, he places the gnome and chair back on the floor. "I'm going to leave you to answer my friends' questions now. When I get back, if they say you've been unhelpful..." he casts a meaningful glance at the hole. Alynbrand then climbs down through the hole to catch up with, and possibly warn, Kur-Awk. Having seen the barbarian's efficacy with the hammer, he thinks It would be fairer to warn the sharks. Below the dock, he hisses "Kur-Awk! Wait up."
The time ticks away in his head, particularly with Kur-Awk already in the water. Alynbrand grins unpleasantly at the gnome, and rubs his hands together. "Right. Looks like the lady has run out of patience. Since you're holding out on us and not being useful..." He picks the bound gnome up, chair and all, and carries him over to the hole in the floor. He looks down at the dark ocean below. "Can you breathe water? Let's find out. I don't think the crabs will mind one way or another; every creature deserves a good meal."
Alynbrand taps the boning knife against the gnome's cheek to get his attention and says, more for the kids' benefit than the gnome's, "You eye those kids again like that and I will take one of those beady little eyeballs right out of your skull. If you're a 'manager' then I'm your mama. And yeah, I WOULD hurt 'old Hookshanks'. I'm hard-pressed to find a reason NOT to hurt you."
Alynbrand smiles at the mage's assessment. "I think we want the gnome alive - in case Lamm eludes us. Though I wouldn't object to him being 'softened up' a bit. I'd prefer if we had information on what we can expect in that boat and beyond... but I'm willing to risk a blind assault."
Alynbrand leans casually against a vat, playing with the rusty boning knife and eyeing the gnome speculatively.
Seeing that all the threats have been handled, Alynbrand grabs a chair and drops the unconscious gnome in it. He pulls out some rope and looks at the group. "Whoever is skilled with knots ought to tie up this slippery little fellow. If the kids can't provide answers, we'll need to question him... and we may have to get 'creative'. Get your poker faces on." He hunts around the fish gutting room until he finds a rusted boning knife and places it on another chair in front of the unconscious gnome. Finally, he looks at the felled Giggles, saying to no one in particular, "Is he dead or just going to have a hell of a headache when he wakes up?"
Alynbrand races down to the well-concealed door at the end of the dock. Without slowing he slams his shoulder against the door, attempting to wrench it off its hinges with a single powerful blow.
Alynbrand hears enough to know there is now a hostage. Chances are the kidnapper won't try to escape out the front door seeing as it packed with his fellow vengeance-seekers. Every rat has an escape tunnel. Alynbrand sprints around the left side of the building, gambling there is a back door onto the dock along that side.
Round 1
If you'd be so kind as to tell us where the 'magical retcon buttons' are... I'm sure your players would be very happy to quest for a few of those! :)
Alynbrand tries to hide his grin at the astute observation of the herculean fighter.
Alynbrand observes the empty street and doesn't like it. He comments quietly to no one in particular, "Lamm probably has watchers stationed around the area. If we're unlucky - archers as well. Scouting unobserved is going to be tricky. We may want a couple people in position to rush that door and knock it down in case they raise an alarm."
Kiradia, I've done a bit of online reading to bone up on Harrow points but it seems that the possible uses vary based on the cards drawn and module being used. Could you just give us some quick bullets on how we can use them here? I get how we acquire and 'spend' them but the exact effects are what I'm wondering about. So far, I've seen:
Alynbrand curtly nods his thanks and sweeps up a glass of wine, raised in a small toast, "May your predictions prove wrong." He takes a small sip from the glass and nods in approval at the vintage. He sets the glass down carefully and rises. "Right. Shall we go get Lamm now?"
"I would be perfectly willing to do a reading for all of you..." Alyn nods, pulls off his sword, and sits, saying: Varisian: "I'd like to know if Isolde was tied to Lamm in some way. If the cards can answer that, I'd be grateful."
Alynbrand glances over his shoulder at the hilt of the greatsword strapped across his back. "This blade looks clumsy but I wield it precisely, Miss. I've never cut down a child and I hope I never have to. Unfortunately, battle is often a confused mess... hence the phrase 'fog of war'. In a shadowy room with barely discernible figures, in the split second you have to make a decision, how do you distinguish the seasoned Halfing cutthroat from the 12 year old boy? I can only say this... assuming this comes down to a fight, I will do my best to leave the innocent alive." He lapses into a sudden silence. For the moment, it seems he has used up his store of words.
"A blade in the ribs kills whether it's held by a 12-year-old or a 20-year-old. If children can be saved - good. But I make no guarantees about any that try to kill me."
"I was not suggesting you were an idiot," she grins shyly, "we need to work on your self esteem. Just don't try to wrap me in wool. I may not be good at inserting pointy metal things into people, but I can handle myself..." Alyn chuckles lightly, "When you paint with a broad brush, you coat the innocent and the guilty." He shrugs dismissively, "But if it makes you feel better, I promise not to stop you from walking into rooms chock full of Acid-Vomiting Devil Monkeys. Feel better now?"
Alyn raises an amused eyebrow at Taisha's assessment then glances over his own build and that of Kur-Awk thinking muscle brained idiots? He notes drily, "No doubt 'present company excepted' was just resting on your tongue."
Rolan smirks at Alynbrand's words, "Well then, I guess we shall have to find you an underling to wring out like a dishrag. Tell you what. You hold him and I'll make him wish he was dead." Alyn returns Rolan's smirk with a wintry smile of his own, "I can live with that arrangement." "But you know of these frustrations as well, for word on the street has it that Gaedren has wronged each of you, too." Casually leaning against a wall, Alynbrand frowns with disappointment. "Ah. I was hoping perhaps your harrowing skills, not street whispers, had led you to me. So far, I know only that Lamm sold some jewelry I prize. How he got it is the answer I need before I'll know if he crossed me personally... though I suspect, from the tales being told and the hard looks around this table, that Lamm is mired in this as far more than a fence who doesn't mind selling blood-smeared goods. Whether he's wronged me or not, he sounds like he's been breathing for far too long." Alyn quietly proffers his opinion, "Reconnaissance is a good idea. If Lamm is this slippery, he'll probably have a backdoor out. To snare a rabbit, you need to know where it might run and trap its routes. Regardless, scouting will be safest with faces Lamm doesn't know. It would be best if our scouts were either well-disguised or totally unfamiliar to Lamm."
Alynbrand seems unperturbed by Rolan's sour look. "We?" He shrugs and looks at the mage levelly. "I don't recall asking anyone to risk their ass or help with Lamm's capture. Just your forbearance in not killing him until after I can ask him a question or two. Of course, I may get what I need from his underlings. If so..." He smiles, "kill him in your own good time."
Alynbrand notes the vehemence of the responses from the people around him, and finds them oddly amusing. "You know more of Lamm than me. I don't know for certain that he's wronged me; he could be just another link in the chain. Before you squash, pulp, or kill him in some creative way... I'd appreciate a chance to ask him a couple of questions first. Questioning him after death is more problematic." He nods at the lay priest's introduction, "Alynbrand." He taps the hilt of the greatsword slung over his shoulder as a fit answer to the question of his profession.
Alynbrand eyes the far taller bald tribesman and his gear, remarking "Nice hammer."
After stopping by a familiar Varisian bakery to break his fast with a hard roll and tea (and learn a bit about Lancet street from the talkative baker), Alynbrand meanders through the city. He visits no less than a dozen shops, doubling back on his course frequently to visit shops he missed earlier. He watches the crowds, looking for anyone following him. He passes Lancet street a few times, getting a feel for the neighborhood. If anyone is following him, Alynbrand doesn't spot them. He really isn't expecting a tail or to spot one, if one exists. Anyone who had the skill to sneak into my room while I'm asleep, pull my sword, and leave a note on it could have killed me in my sleep... If this is a trap, it's ridiculously elaborate. As evening approaches, Alyn wends his way back to the Lancet street and approaches the house without hesitation.
Alynbrand smiles at the odd appearance of the card, perched precariously as it is on his greatsword. He snaps the card up, examining it carefully. Its message is even more intriguing. Though Alyn is far from certain that Lamm is the architect of his woe, that name is his only lead for the moment. Alyn dresses quickly, catching a whiff of fading perfume that is a bittersweet reminder of what's been lost. He ignores it as best he can, (there is far too much bitter and too little sweet just yet) and heads out the door quickly and quietly opting to do a little reconnaissance before this curious evening meeting, pocketing the strange card as he goes.
Testing my cheat-sheet:
============================================
============================================
============================================ Standard:
Standard:
============================================ Standard:
============================================ Standard:
Standard:
============================================ Standard:
Standard:
Everything seems to be running a'right.
Well, you certainly have enough eyes to do it. :p
Fixed. Chelaxian added, 1 CP removed, and Intimidate roll typo fixed.
Edit: Testing the avatar which looks like Richter after a long night worshiping Cayden. LOL! Nice!
dotting and... Alynbrand is ready to rock!
Kiradia, I use Hero Lab myself. If you give me your email addy, I will send you his file. :)
I have only anecdotal evidence to offer but... I'm playing in one group with 8 players right now that jumped up from 6. The slow-down in terms of action, cross-talk, and combats has been very pronounced. Ironically, I think the RP has also taken a hit. Due to the general slow-down, people watch the thread less and interact less hoping that the DM can speed things along. I'd say the game is 'languishing' though that is certainly due to a variety of factors not just the group size. There definitely seems to be a point where the logistics of running X players starts to impact the DM's ability to play NPCs and flesh out the world in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, you're going to have to figure out what X is for you. I know I can't run 8 players. I find 3 or 4 the right number for me. Your mileage will no doubt vary. :) If this is your first go at running a PbP, I'd suggest starting with a size you feel confident you can manage. It is quite a bit different than running an IRL game. But if you really feel like taking a swing at 8 players, I'm happy to play along. It seems like there are enough DMs in this group that if you need assistance with some of the thankless logistical tasks, we can lend a hand.
Kiradia: Your character concept is fleshed out very well and fits the traits you have picked nicely. I am wondering how your character feels about Korvosa and it's people as a whole? Being a Varisian you probably would have been on the recieving end of descriminitory remarks by the Chelaxian sectors of the city. Also, why exactly do you think Isolde was murdered by Lamm? If you wish to leave that up to me I can certainly work with that, but if you had a specific concept in mind I would like to hear it. You ask interesting questions... color my intrigued. :) Alynbrand sees Korvosa as somewhat emblematic of his experiences with his uncle and his own people. There are good, bad, and apathetic people everywhere. While he may harbor a grudge towards his uncle (bad), he really can't blame his people (good/apathetic) for not supporting him... particularly since he didn't exactly wow them with his 8 CHA. :) Most people will 'go along' with the crowd because it is just easier. Expecting normal folks to buck the prevailing leadership is not reasonable. So, while Alynbrand would dislike being discriminated against, he wouldn't blame the 'followers' so much as the leaders within the Chelaxian community who 'set the standard'. His thoughts would generally be something like "The people are probably mostly fair-minded. If we could change their leadership we could change how they behave." Under his very pragmatic warrior veneer, Alynbrand is a closet Don Quixote, willing to do the right thing despite the odds. That's why I went with Lawful Neutral with Good tendencies. Having said that, there is only so much abuse he'd take from Chelaxians before he'd start snarling at them. He isn't a full-time "turn the other cheek" kind of fellow. :) I'm happy to leave the Lamm mystery to you. I run and play in mostly sand-box style games so I'm happy to adapt to whatever plotlines you throw my way. One idea that might be interesting... is that Isolde was one of Lamm's children or associates. She could have hidden that fact from Alynbrand possibly because she wanted to start a new life with no ties to her sordid past or perhaps fear that Alynbrand's feelings for her would change if the truth ever came out. If you want to make her actions REALLY heinous, she could have used her position as a cleric to find kids to 'pimp' to Lamm. If she decided that she wanted to turn over a new leaf and called off their arrangement, Lamm might have been tempted to kill her to keep her silent. My only 'firm' thought on Alynbrand and the mystery of Isolde's death is that he will pursue the matter to the bitter end to discover the truth. He doesn't expect it to cast Isolde in a bad light, but if it does, he will still follow the lead to uncover what happened and why. Switching gears here, I was thinking about Rellen/Taisha's comment about male players/female characters. I do have a female character, similar to Alynbrand in terms of skills, that I can offer as an alternative if you'd like to mix up the party more. She was built as an edgy, slightly bitter, Paladin assigned to a crappy city to 'teach her humility'. I think, with just a bit of tweaking, she could fit into Korvosa and your adventure. If you like the Fighter angle more than a Paladin, I could swing her that way as well. Her name is Udaya Udas and I'll drop a link to her in the thread so you can take a look at her backstory and particulars. If you sample the 'recent posts' on her character sheet, you can get a really good feel for how I play a 'tom boy'. If she appeals to you, just let me know and I will tune her to the standards of your game, drop her level, and tweak her to fit. Oh, one final thing, just answering a question you had at the top of the thread. I am a very regular poster - at least once, but as often as 4 or 5 times a day depending on how busy work is. Also, I'm not new to PbP. Thanks again, very much, for considering my character(s) for your game! And sorry for the Wall-o-Text!
I would love to run a female Summoner - to be clear I am a guy. Any objection to... me running a girl? I am, trying to get some experience at writing women. I'm assuming that this question was at least partially addressed to your potential fellow players as well. The answer from me would be "Hell no, I don't have a problem with that." :) I play female characters quite frequently on this board and IRL.
Hi Kiradia. Here's a possible fighter for your game. His background is spoilered on the character sheet. In answer to your question - I have neither played nor read Crimson Throne, so the adventure is entirely new to me. :) Thanks for giving him a look-see! |