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Completely understandable. A Dark Sun game was one of the first I tried to run here, and the amount of work required for conversion and creation was one of the hardest parts. Besides, Arakan was just telling me he has "Much better things to do than baby-sit a doddering old man and the band of half-wits that followed them around." I think he's trying to say it was fun, and I'll see you around the boards (and in any other games we may already share).
Death Becomes Us: Arakan jumps back with a start, but takes no time blaming someone else for what they now face, "Look what you've done with your complaining. They wouldn't have found us if you'd just be quiet." His irritation still directed at Danet. In the common act of self-preservation above all, Arakan jumps back to be surrounded by the rest of the group, drawing his widow's knife as he does so. With a quiet "Here goes nothing.", he calls on a little extra luck to try and see him out of this as he attacks the one nearest Morthak.
Deathly Death of Death:
Death... er, I mean, City of Death:
City of Death: Arakan turns on Danet with a weary sigh weighing heavy on his shoulders, "Would you just... shut.... up? I'm so sick of hearing you complain."
I apologize for any delays on my part. I am off this week, so will be limited in how often I can spend time on the computer. The next three weeks I am on a work schedule non-conducive to steady posting, so I will try to post when I can (could be as bad as once a week), but my player posts will be likely more frequent than my GM posts based on the amount of time each one takes.
Arakan starts when the half-giant speaks so brusquely at him, and changes his tone to be more placating toward the obviously larger and physically imposing man. "Whoa, look I am stressed about this whole situation. I'm trying to ensure that we do what is best to get everyone home alive. With everyone looking to me for decisions, I have become tense. I am just trying to help her realize how to accomplish the task she volunteered to undertake."
Bluff DC 18: He doesn't care if 'everyone' makes it, nor is it because he's stressed, as much as he just wants to placate Jaryx.
Arakan bristles whenever anyone gives him back the type of attitude he hands out regularly, especially someone new to him who hasn't really earned the right to snip at him like Jareen has. "Well, my dear, I don't portend to know all the details of the old man's talents, but I don't think you becoming unseen, makes you deaf. Maybe, while scouting, you could use more than your eyes, and try to listen to anyone speaking to him or about him. Or do your talents only lie with one sense at a time?"
Arakan takes the information Grea offers of the visitors, his mind spinning like he can do something with the information, but every word that comes to mind makes him sound like an idiot. He settles for an, "Ah ha, very interesting, they have rich allies it seems...." He just keeps nodding his head, mouth slightly slack-jawed, his eyes looking up in thought. Then it hits him. "It's a power struggle!" He says a bit louder than intended, before quickly clasping his own mouth, with wide eyes. "There are two rivals, maybe competing for favor, maybe each trying to enact some foul plan. The one had the kids, but someone from Tsalaxa has a deal with the raiders, and wants them as well. He orchestrated the caravan getting hit." He nods a little pleased with himself, before realizing something more, "So, we still need those kids, and even worse we said we could help free your people. Grea, when you scout, three important details we need; the name of the visitor, the location of two kids possibly in their own cage, and lastly.... how the prisoners are kept locked up."
Spoiler:
Arakan mulls for a bit, "Hey Jareen, if Grea is willing to scout, you said you could make at least one person unseen tonight, right? How long does it last? What do you say lady, you want to walk around inside for a bit?"
Arakan actually looks surprised, "Huh, didn't know you had any talents, but those sound like they could all possibly work." comes probably the highest praise the man has ever been willing to give the old guy.
Arkan nods with the obvious thought from the half-giant, yes he figured moving stuff would be the standard. He waited for other ideas all the same, "If we can keep them focused on eerie things happening in the camp, they may not pay much attention to the missing raiders. If we can build up enough fear, paranoia, and anger tonight, it may be enough tomorrow that four of us under the guise of being unseen could wreak more havoc. It's likely to be a long con." Looking at Jareen, he wonders, "Do you have any more tricks? Something we can use to go with our disruptions, to take some focus off of us, and add blame to someone or somewhere else? I can make things float around, small things. Cahel, you acting as some sort of common animal during the ruckus, could slip in unnoticed in other ways as well. Maybe investigate the prisoner situation and where and how they're all kept."
Pursing his lips, his eyes almost dance as he thinks, "Well, I don't know if that helps. I think any of us could spook them unseen. I was hoping you had some animal trick up your sleeve. Okay, we need to find out who the best candidate is to sneak in there and rile up some fear. Also, I need some suggestions on what you think would spook them. What would spook you if you thought you were near a haunted ruins?"
Arakan scowls at hearing the 'now what?' like it's starting to feel like his second name. He glances over the wall at the camp, back at the group, scowls even deeper. "We... we haunt them." He turns to Jareen, "Now, we know you can make someone unseen. We need someone that can also remain mostly unheard. Can you only ever disguise one person each time, or with more time here could you get more?" He looks at the path of the sun and twin moons, like it will tell him how much time they have to make this new plan work. "We need to make them... fearful. We need them to want to abandon the prisoners, abandon the camp. We need trickery and guile. How do we do this beyond the old man's way of making us unseen?" He has a brief instance of insight, "Cahel, can you talk to the animals at all? Can you spook them while unseen?"
Remember, we were also hired by our last caravan to return the caged children, and we were also somewhat still following the head taker (or by happenstance kept crossing paths with it. The new tribe members don't know about these last two though.
Arakan scrabbles up the wall not too far behind Grea, thankful that he didn't end up needing to ask for any help. Following her lead, he stays low behind what's left of the crenelations as they make for the door.
Arakan nods with Grea's assessment, as that's along the lines of what he himself was thinking. "I thought Jareen suggested he could make some of us non-visible. If that's the case, a few of us could go in and cause ghostly havoc as well. It seems we still need to get closer." This last he scowls and sighs while saying.
Arakan looks the structures up and down, "The doors staying buried could be to our advantage. If we fight from within or atop them, we could hold up better. Let's see if we can go up."
Arakan looks to the towers, "Given their fear over what lies within these ruins, we may find those towers left empty, and as such they would work as a perfect staging area. I say we move up to them, and consider pairing off into two teams, one to each tower." Moving closer toward them, Arakan tries to look for any signs of activity within, as well as keeping out of sight himself. "Stay low, and out of the middle of the lane." he instructs the others.
I have a spot open in the CotCT I'm running if anyone would be interested. They are near the end of the second book, and just hit level 6. Originally Dreaming Warforged had joined me, but then as you saw they decided to stop playing PbP, so I'm back to having a spot. I also have a spot in my Mummy's Mask game, where they are about halfway through the first book (getting close to finishing the second site). Bear in mind, I have some houserules that may not gel with some (posted in the Mummy's Mask campaign tab, and just hadn't put them in the campaign tab for CotCT yet). Please look at them before deciding, as they have been a deal breaker before.
Arakan wheels on the man, clearly already upset at his plans not reaching fruition, "Because ignorant people are a superstitious lot. They fear and confront that which they don't understand, and resort to violence and barbarism instead of choosing the route of learning." He calms himself, only slightly, but does not take the bite from his words, "Now are you going to shut your trap, and let us thinkers try to learn from our environment, or continue to batter us with your ignorance?"
Arakan takes a deep breath, before letting out a long sigh, "No, no more up. We get out of this place, and get closer to the camp. We have to plan along the way. This is the second one that has gotten us no closer to getting rid of the raiders." He scowls, grits his teeth and begins to storm out of the tower.
Arakan shakes his head, "No. There's no answers here. At least toward saving your tribesmen and removing the raiders." He looks at Jareen at this last, knowing the old man thinks otherwise about the value of the haunting visions. "We go north, look for an opening, overlook, balcony, or anything that grants us a kes'trekel's view of the encampment, then we are out."
Arakan manages to avoid the blow, but has a hard time pulling himself away from the comforts and luxuries of the scene. He has even taking to running from his assailant before his mind clears of the hookah fog he was indulging in.
Arakan tilts his head slightly, then groans, "Crap! Not again. Everyone look out!" But his warning comes too late for him to do much himself.
As they enter the large chamber, Arakan warns, "Avoid the center of the room. The weird hauntings seem to kick off whenever someone gets too close to something in here. Hug the walls... he looks at Jaryx, "meaning, walk closer to the wall than the center."
Rolling his eyes, Arakan acquiesces "Fine, yes, I guess it would take too long to check the whole place. We're already a few stories up, so we need to find the first balcony that lets us overlook the camp, or we skip looking for a balcony and head straight to the top. The top is easier to find, but may be riskier. Either way, we can't get a great look at ground level." Turning to Danet, he explains, "Besides, you yourself didn't want us going straight in the gate with an elaborate ruse, I don't see how going in the back without a plan is much better."
Arakan nods, "We're here for dual purposes. One to see if we can find something to aid in the fight against the bandits. Two, we need a nice view of the ruins and the bandit camp, ideally to be able to best map both for the sake of planning. A balcony or opening on the bandit side would aid us in that, but the tower top may better aid us in seeing all of it." He takes a deep breath and purses his lips, "That said, we won't find anything of use here if we don't look. So, I'm thinking we clear the whole floor before going any higher."
Arakan raises an eyebrow at Jareen, "Considering my desire is to stay alive as long as possible, I consider it a wise one to follow. Dead and knowledgeable does nobody any good." He shakes his head at Grea, "Sadly, from what I've seen you do, I don't think your self-healing will cut it as far as these things go. Yours is more self-manipulation type stuff. We would need something external." He looks at the two directions, and indicates which one he thinks is best.
Arakan stares at the old man like he has a tusk growing out of his ear, "Excuse me? What you mean to say is, thank you Arakan, for saving my ignorant, obtuse, crusty old ass once again. Right? Who cares what can be learned by some vision if you die in the process. This place is haunted, and they don't seem to want to play nice. Maybe learning stuff about this Sorcerer-king is why people don't return from this place. Let's just be careful, and not touch anything else. Clearly the dead don't want us to disturb them." To all the others he adds, "So, I was right in my assumption that healing counteracts the effects. If anyone else can stop them, it would be welcome, since I only have so much." That said he draws one of his healing fruits. Maybe if he can splatter it it will work the same.
Arakan warns the others, "I'm sensing that there's some life-force influencing magical energies abound. Be wary. It could be undead, or draining magics."
Arakan doesn't like all these random sounds or visions bouncing around between them. He tries to piece together the description of what they saw, with anything he knows.
As he tries to get a handle on what they are talking about, he looks over the newly entered room, feigning primal forces to look for auras while he does so.
Arakan looks around with a hint of panic. "From outside? Did the bandits see us?" He turns toward the stairs they just climbed.
"What? No! The voice... like we should tremble... because we heard the voice... the voice told us, to hear it, and tremble." He stammers as he tries to understand why he even needs to explain it. Even though only briefly, at least the distraction of having to spell it out for the half-giant, while the woman questions him, takes his mind off his own fears.
Arakan raises an eyebrow at Jareen for the very notion that he would bother sharing something he imagined, before he looks at the woman askance. "Not that it matters much, as it wasn't spilling secrets about what it is we may face, but it said something about hearing it and trembling, for what that's worth."
Araka goes wide-eyed, and looks at Djal, "No, I heard it too. No one else did? How was it loud, and unheard at the same time? I wonder if someone, or something is worried by our presence."
Arakan doesn't like the ominous look of the overwatching statues, and as such looks for any signs of a trap or movement from them. "It makes one wonder, whether these stand in homage of someone, or as a threat or warning."
Arakan gulps in the silence of the place, "We should... we should... hug one of the walls as we move around the interior. We present too easy a target across the middle. Let's go... uh... along the right wall." His sureness wavers a little as he considers the options, but he makes a quick decision for no other reason than to keep them moving. The longer they are still, the more things the mind conjures.
Arakan rolls his eyes at Djal's request, "Don't worry, I won't be far from the group if at all." Stepping into the expanse of the tower, he doesn't like the options. "It's never good to leave your flank open, let's check these doorways first." He moves in to have a listen toward each one, while looking for any signs of danger.
Seeing the dark beyond is the final straw for Arakan's nerves. His bravado wears off, and his voice is shaky as he begins to speak, but he clears his throat and continues. "With the darkened depths, I suggest that those with night sight should take the lead. Followed by us that need light. I believe Morthak and Djal, that your dwarven blood affords you that benefit? Can anyone else create light?"
In response to Djal concerns, Arakan offers additional reasoning. "If there's a hunter about, leaving our animals behind may also save us. The thought of an easy meal of kank may just keep the hard meal of armed travelers off the hunter's mind. Besides, the noise and draw of them could bring the hunter down on us if they were with us. Either way, they are a target I'd rather not be associated with." As they make their way through the abandoned streets, Arakan's silence is somewhat forced, mainly to calm his own nerves. He has no issue telling others what to do, or feeling like they should listen to him, but now he has to make them think he isn't scared s$!%less so they'll keep doing what he says. "Were here for two reasons. We want to find what this place has that scares or kills the bandits, and then, we want to use that against them to scare or kill them off." Looking at the courtyard, he worries, "There, we investigate the tower first. From that vantage, we may be better able to see the layout of the camp, and also try to spot any hidden dangers lurking in the other building across the way or in the courtyard itself." He hunkers down into the shadows as best he can near the building leading to the tower. "We would be better off if we travel with the intent of remaining unseen. Even a bad attempt is better than none at all." He adds to the two half-giants, fully expecting them to whine about how bad they are at hiding their immense bulk.
Arakan merely looks at Djal and shakes his head slowly, "Nope, no such luck. I'm guessing that whatever it is we may be looking to find in here, we're going to find it there." He indicates the taller buildings toward the center. "We may want to leave the mounts near the entrance. They tend to spook easy, and could make it harder for us to travel undetected."
Arakan has to convince them that his idea are still sound, even more, that a sneakier way of dealing with the raiders may be available. "Now, bear in mind. All we know about the ruins is that people go in, and don't come out. But we're talking about bandits that aren't necessarily known to be resourceful, or else they wouldn't have to resort to common thuggery. We do know that a large group of thugs can be a hard thing to overcome, but reports of hauntings based on not knowing what happens to people that go into the ruins is just raider speculation. If there is an enemy of the raiders within those ruins, there's also the chance that this enemy will want to help us in removing the bandits, and couldn't do it alone. Heck, it could just be sinkholes or old traps that people are walking into." He tries to summarize the whole point, "We don't know what's actually in those ruins, could be nothing, but we do know the bandits outnumber us by a long sight."
I have a spot (maybe two) open in the CotCT I'm running if anyone would be interested. They are near the end of the second book, and just hit level 6. HERE is a link to the campaign, if you want to have a look. You can PM me if you have any questions, or are interested in joining.
Arakan actually nods in agreement with Danet for once, not caring that the man yelled at Jareen. It's not like he hasn't done the same on multiple occasions. "Okay, fine. Then that's what we'll do. We use the ruins to our advantage. I take it you know which side of it they are all built up around?" He asks of Danet. "We enter the ruins from the opposite side. We adjust the plan as we learn more about either what's within or get a better look at the bandit's encampment all around." His mind made up, he wheels his kank around, and adds, "Let's ride. Our timetable has already been messed up more than we can possibly afford."
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