Avatar of Mitra's page

Mikhail Halancoun: 0
Ethaniel Tessarin: 1
Barnabas Wright: 0
Kergh the Dwarf: 1
Ariana Ddraig: 0
Oswald Turrill: 0
Kaynen Catesby: 0
Drisella DiAmonicia: 1

[dice=Init Mikhail Halancoun]1d20+1[/dice]
[dice=Init Ethaniel Tessarin] 1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Init Barnabas Wright]1d20+8[/dice]
[dice=Init Kergh the Dwarf]1d20+1[/dice]
[dice=Init Ariana Ddraig]1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Init Oswald Turrill]1d20+3[/dice]
[dice=Init Kaynen Catesby]1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Init Grumblejack]1d20 – 1[/dice]
[dice=Init Walker in Darkness]1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Init Drisella DiAmonicia]1d20[/dice]

[dice=Perception Mikhail Halancoun]1d20+1[/dice]
[dice=Perception Ethaniel Tessarin] 1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Perception Barnabas Wright]1d20+6[/dice]
[dice=Perception Kergh the Dwarf]1d20+2[/dice]
[dice=Perception Ariana Ddraig]1d20+4[/dice]
[dice=Perception Oswald Turrill]1d20-1[/dice]
[dice=Perception Kaynen Catesby]1d20+7[/dice]
[dice=Perception Walker in Darkness]1d20+4[/dice]
[dice=Perception Drisella DiAmonicia]1d20+3[/dice]

She = intelligent female-gender, status presumed higher than you the listener/reader (1)

cannot = as with English, a bit of ambiguity in this verb; can mean either "is incapable of" or "is not permitted to". The "not permitted" connotation is stronger than in English, though. Like, if an Infernal speaker were to say "you cannot cross the street when the light is red"? It would carry the implication that jaywalking is punishable by amputation or worse.

lie = are you surprised to know that Infernal includes many, many different words for "lie"? (2) The one used here means "to willfully and knowingly speak, write, or otherwise communicate a falsehood." This particular Infernal verb is very precise, and quite deliberately does not include incomplete truths, omissions, or statements that are deliberately misleading, as long as what is actually said or otherwise communicated is the truth.

(1) Infernal pronouns vary depending on the status of the speaker relative to the status of the listener. So, "I" and "you" have four versions each -- higher status to lower, lower to higher, equal status, and status-neutral (used when the relationship is not yet clear). Infernal third-person pronouns can have *ten* forms each for various possible combinations of speaker, listener, and object. This form implies that the writer or speaker is higher status than you, and so is "she", whoever "she" is.

(2)Infernal also has a number of verbs for "telling the truth". Most of them translate as "tell a half truth", "tell a misleading truth", "tell a truth calculated to distract an enemy or cause despair", and the like. There is a verb that translates as "tell the whole truth, clearly and plainly". It carries a very negative connotation and is usually used only in the context of torture, mocking a defeated enemy, beating information out of a captive or inferior, or judicial procedure. (3)

(3) The Infernal words for "torture", "mocking a defeated enemy", "beating information out of a captive or inferior", and "judicial procedure" are all derived from the same root.

Infernal is very, very rich in honorifics. Choosing the correct honorific is a major social minefield. If you choose one that's too weak -- like addressing the Ice Devil as "Great Fearsome Lord" instead of "Most Fearsome Lord", for instance -- it's an insult. Choosing one that's too strong is just as bad, because it forces the recipient to correct you. Instruction in Infernal spends a lot of time on this.

Words for relationships present particular problems for the translator. Let's consider... oh, "sex", "friendship", and "love".

You know how many languages have genders and cases for nouns? English doesn't, but German, Russian and Latin all do? In human languages, gender and case are often random -- like, in German, the knife is neuter, the fork is female, and the spoon is male. In Infernal, the cases have meanings: there's a case of violence that includes nouns of violence, a case of treachery, a case of deceit, etc. There are several words for "sex" in Infernal, but they're all in the cases of violence or deceit. The English word would translate as "consensual sex without trickery", and you'd need to use a prefix or an adverb to get that across.

"Friendship" is even worse. There's a transitive verb for "acting friendly towards someone", and you can use a particle to turn it into a noun: "the act of behaving in a friendly manner". But it automatically takes the case of treachery. "Friend" doesn't translate well either; the closest you can get is "comrade in arms" or "long-term ally", modified by the particle that indicates "that I don't (yet) have a reason to hate".

As for "love"... well, in Infernal transitive verbs of action that take a person as the direct object can take two forms, active and passive. Here's an example. In English, you can say "Alice murdered Bob" (active) or "Bob was murdered by Alice" (passive). In Infernal, "was murdered by" is a single word. You switch from passive to active (attack/was attacked by, eat/was eaten by) by adding or removing a single syllable. So, the English sentence "I must go now to be beaten by my master"? In Infernal, that's just four words.

With me so far? Okay, there's also a prefix for verbs that indicates choice or volition. So you can say "I run" or "I eat", or you can add the prefix and say "I choose to run" or "I decide to eat".

Right, well: there's a verb that means "to degrade, abase, or humilate". Love, in Infernal, is the passive form of that verb with the prefix of volition. So, "I love Alice" would translate as "I have chosen to be abased, degraded or humiliated by Alice".

Barnasbas never told the others the rdvz location.

Card 1 Mikhail and Kaynen Start: The wind has knocked over several trees and the riders must attempt to either jump them or skirt past them. (Jump DC Perception 20 / Jump 15)

Card 2 Continuing the chase the riders find the path winding into a hollow where branches hang dangerously low overhead. (Reflex 20 / Acrobatics 15)

Card 3 Bertram Start: Due to the torrential rain, the path is washed out by a recent mudslide and the footing has become dangerous. (Perception 15 / Ride 20)

Card 4 After regaining the trail the path winds through woods where thick fog covers the ground, hiding exposed roots. (Reflex 15 / Handle Animal 20)

Card 5 After pushing through the thicket of woods, the path curves around several hills and down into a ravine, the path is tight here and the riders must carefully avoid dangerous rock out croppings. (Escape Artist

Card 6 Near the end of the ravine, the rain water has pooled down and partially flooded the path. (Swim 1

Card 7 After pushing through the water the path rises up and the chase moves out of the hills towards Varyson. The area here is more open and a long straight away gives the riders a chance to sprint on their mounts. (DC12 Strength for trot, DC16 for canter and DC 20 for sprint)

Card 8 A sudden downpour combined with freezing wind causes threatens to overwhelm the riders unless they make a fort save. DC

Card 9 The lights of Varyston can be made out in the distance but the riders have to make their way over a long stone bridge that runs over a ravine with a river below.

Card 10 The outskirts of Varyston, farmlands and fields. The keep is well lit and other travelers can be seen.

Round 1: Mikhail and Kaynen Finish Card 1, Bertram loses his way along the path thanks to the mud and the horse stumbles throwing him. Bertram elects to guide his horse on foot past the mud field.

Round 2: Kaynen finishes card 2 and advances, Mikhail dismounts and leads horse will reach card three at the start of round 4. Bertram clears the mud field and moves onward into the fog enshrouded moor.

Round 3: Mikhail walks his horse through the undergrowth, Kaynen reaches the washed out path. Bertram begins to ride through the moor but catches himself on an exposed root causing the horse to begin to dangerously limp.

Ideas
- Jump a fallen log - Jump DC Perception 20 / Jump 15
- Race through low hanging branches - Reflex 20 / Acrobatics 15
- Washed out path - Perception 15 / Ride 20
- Patch of Fog - Reflex 15 / Handle Animal 20
- Narrow ravine -
- Rain filled gully -
- Path runs along a cliff -
- Bridge over a gorge -
- Trail splits off -
- Travelers in the distance -

                          A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT FOR THE BINDING OF LOYALTIES

Behold on this, the 25 Calistril, 2413 a perpetual Compact is made between Cardinal Adrastus Thorn (hereafter the Master) and those who would be bound to him as his acolytes (hereafter the Bound). Both the Master and the Bound shall hold fast and true to this Compact through all trial and tribulation. By blood and soul the Bound commit to the Compact and swear that it shall never be undone.

The Bound shall know and understand the Four Loyalties.

I. The First Loyalty is to their patron and god: mighty Asmodeus, first among the fallen, Prince of the Nine Hells, our father below. They shall do all that can be done to further his worship and his glory.

II. The Second Loyalty is to their Master: the High Priest of Asmodeus in Talingarde, he who is called the Cardinal Adrastus Thorn. They shall do the Master no harm, and shall obey his every commandment as long as those commandments do not clash with their First Loyalty.

III. The Third Loyalty is to their companions: the other Bound who serve alongside them. The Bound shall deal with each other fairly and honorably as long as doing so does not clash with their First or Second Loyalties. All treasure, wealth and reward garnered in their exploits will be equally shared with all of the Bound who aided in its acquisition.

IV. The Fourth Loyalty is to themselves: for Asmodeus is the Lord of Ambition. All who serve him should strive to become great and powerful in his service, as long as doing so does not clash with their First, Second or Third loyalties. By their weakness, ye shall know the unworthy.

The Bound swear that they cleave to and uphold the Four Loyalties even in the face of death and damnation. The Master swears that as long as the Four Loyalties are upheld, he shall reward the Bound as they deserve for their deeds.

Thus it is written, and thus it shall be.

We being of sound mind and free will do so swear. Let they who violate this Compact know all the wrath of Hell unending.

Signed,

______________________________

Mikhail: MW Black Breastplate
Barnabas:
Ethan: Black Leather Spellbook that has been enchanted with a Glyph of Warding. The warding can only be passed by the possessor scribing the infernal pentagram across its cover with a dab of their own blood. A bone stylus has been included. As well as a Spell component pouch.
Oswald:
Dris: Puzzle Box
Kergh: