Dungeon crawls are a bit of a pace killer unless everyone is on the ball. Can work, but most of the time I notice a slow down.
Search Posts
I'm fine with play Curse of Strahd, but I am running it myself so I'll try to separate player and character knowledge.
If we do end up switching to a module, I wouldn't mind jumping in level to get some fun abilites.
"Come on kiddies! Let's get you somewhere where the ash won't stain you." He turns back to call at those heading to fight the fires. "Careful of rioters! The city doesn't just light half itself on fire without some help!" We really should stick together, but first the kids...
"Is this what folks mean by 'into the fire'?" Bas calls as Orion berates his sense of self preservation. "Let's at least stash the chitlins away where they don't have to burn away for their city, eh?"
"The city went to shit while we were busy with Lamm." Bas murmurs, trying to keep close. "I don't want to be shuttling these kids along with a riot going on. Should we head back to the tarot reader's place? Might be safe until this blows over, or at least until the day."
Bas ushers the children out as quick as they can, picking up one if need be.
"What the..." Bas, deciding it best not to be on his own in the middle of the night in the shady part of town, he rushes back to the others. "Guys, I think there's a fire nearby. We got to get the kids out of here, not sure how far it'll spread."
Dammit, where's a poorly timed patrol when you actually need them? Bas briskly walks to find the closest guards he can, hopefully someone Lamm wasn't paying off.
Bas's look of horror turns into one of relief as Orion produces his healing berries.
"I'm going to grab the guard. I don't think we want them walking in while we're handling drugged children and the contraband."
"Yeah, just watch you're...yah!" Bas feels a weird sensation soothing his wounds, and while the effect is beneficial, it still gives him willies. Divine Magic always did. "Thanks." he says,feeling the lif return to him. "Was about to pass out there." Bas walks over to the lifeless lamb, and gives him a tap with his shoe. "What now then?"
HP: 1/14
Bas's hand drops into his bag of regents and whips together another flask of alchemist fire. He lobs it!
Bas eyes the "fifth corner" with interest and lobs his alchemical fire at the sigils. "Destroy the symbols! Quickly!"
"F*ck, got something in my eye!" Bas mutter angrily as they arrive. AS he opens them and takes in the scene, he starts to get angry, hand trembling he pulls out a concoction that will burst into alchemical fire. "What the hell Lamm! What've you done with them!"
Bas stands at the ready, placing himself at one edge his crossbow ready and his hand in his alchemical bag.
Bas also pulls out his light crossbow, knocking an arrow. Never hurts to be prepared for a fight. Especially if you're in a drug den. Going after a murderer. Who has minions. Lots of minions. "Wish I had a second crossbow...
"Teddy bears, can you believe it?" Bas is still reeling over the discovery. It made sense, given the context of the toy factory, but what kind of man...no, what kind of monster? Lamm. Bas readies an alchemical flask of acid. "The door locked? I can try melting the hinges if so."
Bas can feel the bolts of magical energy dig through him. Reminded him of arcane duels back at the academy. He taps a few chambers in his alchemical bag. A dab of this, a bit of phosphorous powder, heated to crystallization. Bas pulls out a thunderstone and lobs it at the caster (Yargin) as hard as he can.
Bas will run over to Paddy, and kneel down, preparing to pick him up and drag him to safety.
Yeah, boards have been a bit wonky the past few days as I checked in on my phone.
Just a heads up, will be on a short family get-away. Should be back Monday to reliably post.
Bas knew how to duck out of the range of expanding flames. It's most likely the only reason he has braids still on his head.
Round 1 Bas pulls out his pre-made flask of alchemist's fire and lobs it towards Yargin (including Hookshank if he can, Radius of 5 ft so a 10 ft by 10 ft area attack.
I wonder if my rubbing this vial stopper is more suggestive than intimidating..." Bas wonders to himself, still trying to emulate the tuffs he knew back as a kid.
Finals are over and I'm currently competing at a national leadership conference. Should be back by Monday and resume a better frequency of posting now that schools out. Apologies for the lack of keeping you all informed. Up until now most free time was trying to fix metaphorically shooting myself in the foot on one final.
Front Door Bastard, eh? Well, at least it fit. Bas decided to go with an uncaring face, one that didn't take to much work to maintain. He doesn't say a word, but keeps one hand on his bag of alchemical components, just in case. It was odd, almost literally walking into a lion's den, but Paddy seems sure of himself, and to ruin the ruse now would be close to suicidal. Bas follows Paddy and the short man inside, hoping that this splinter strike wouldn't bite them in the ass.
Bas returns to Paddy's side, not wanting to leave the man alone as his stelathier comrades clambered up the building. "Not too familiar with this part of town, but are creatures of such kind common in this area? And Paddy, as much as I side with you on the err of caution, I feel we'd be stronger in our goal if we were all sprung a trap together, rather than be split like this. You and me won't be muscling past those guards, and it'll take time to reach the others should trouble spring up. Likewise the reverse is true, and we'll be ducks in the mud if we're ambushed."
"So what's your drink of choice?" Bas asks his comrades, patiently waiting for the stealthy Orion to return. "Ale is a fascinating staple, but spirits are wondrous at the right temperatures."
Bas shrugs. His braided hair bobs as he plays with the piercing in his ear, feeling the cool tips of the metal before he reached the part heated by his body. "More scouting could be helpful, but if we're trying to persuade our way inside, it wouldn't be very helpful unless we were still trying to stealth in. But I concede that more info unless we run out of time. Let's try not to burn the night hours while we have them."
Bas nods along. "Alright, if you're confident about it. Not sure a "secretly" crooked cop would need an entourage of escorts, but maybe it'll work." "Okay, I'm in."
"Think you can be brash enough about it Paddy? Also, that might get you in, but how do you pass off the rest of us."
"Not sure anyone working as a guard want to be ratted out as the kind who'll take a bribe. Would never find work again, at least if they aim to stay in town." Bas offers, the gears in his head humming along nicely. He needed that drink. It got him in his thinking place. "If we start a ruckus, we're gonna be fighting everyone goon in the place. The more we have to fight, the longer Lamm has to make tracks. Unless he's got something he can't leave here, he aint sticking around when someone's coming for his neck. No, I think maybe we take the bluffing route or at least go straight for Lamm's heart of operations. We won't pass as beggers with all this armor and weapons, but if we were running an errand for some prominent official, some fun on the hush-n-hush, that might pass if the guards can be skewed to it.."
Bas thinks on the suggestion. "I wanna be ready for a foot race if he bolts, but a bit of recon ain't gonna hurt no one. At least Lamm probably won't run if he spots you. You got my vote for a preliminary scouting trip."
Bas shrugs off the man's hand, and eyes him with suspicion. He takes a large gulp from his mug, his eyes not leaving Paddy's as he searches for whatever angle he's after. "Apologies, Paddy was it?." he speaks in volume, one that reaches every ear easily but does not raise above the normal timbre. "I don't know anyone at this table now, and frankly, the only thing that's keeping me from bolting is the look in some of your eyes, that hatred, the uncontrollable twitching of vein in your necks when ever someone utters...." Bas takes a deep breath and glances from person to person. "Gaedren Lamm." He pauses, letting the name of such a cruel and twisted man show on those who cannot mask their emotions well. He even finds his own fist clenching the mug unconsciously. "At this point, I'd best leave city or settle my affairs with the man. All I ask, is to find some kind of proof of my innocence before you take him to slaughter."
Bas moves back from the door, tapping it shut with a sweep of his foot. He lands roughly, letting the chair bear the weight of him. The bread he takes only a small chunk, dipping it into the mug that he has generously filled to the brim with wine. Drops roll off the cusp and onto the table, which he hastily tries to mop up with the scarf tied round his wrist. "I...." Bas finds his throat catching, his mind racing back to his deep shame, his humiliation, and his deeper anger. "I want evidence. Lamm deserves death, but dammit...I need evidence. I can't stand the stares, the way people whisper behind my back...." He looks up from his mug, as if finished talking to himself and now addressing everyone. "I'm in. Where's the bastard?"
Bas eases into the scene, giving a wary glance to his new fellows. His steps thunk against the floorboards and you can hear the faint clinking of glass from the bag he has slung around his shoulder. A hand rests on the top, gently tapping the smooth fabric, playing with the slight opening like a musician fingering the strings of their instrument.
He chuckles, a small smile spreading on his lips, though his back remains close to the wall. "This Lamm sure gets around, eh?" Bas cocks his head as he listens to the man named Paddy. "Not sure if anyone would volunteer to be the last to find answers after coming this way with barely a rumor. But I'll keep an eye on the door, if it eases you. The names Bas, by the by." Bas moves over to the door they entered from and opens it slightly, looking out to the street.
Relatives are almost all gone and I think I've recovered emotionally. Expect me back in posting form by the end of the week at latest.
Bas looks around, as if merely holding this note would draw the intentions of others, and quickly tucked it away. His business squared with the pub, Bas exits quickly into the night, pulling his long sleeved cloak over his usual vest-tunic. He was always one to keep his arms free, too many accidents could occur if something got snagged while he was mixing. Gaedrun Lamm.... Bas moves quickly, returning to his small apartment to retrieve a few items. His get-away bag, some weapons, even donning the scale mail that fit snugly against his sturdy torso. You could never be too careful, and Bas had a feeling something would happen tonight. A chance to clear his name....or a chance to tie up loose names. Bas heads to the noted location.
Bas was nervous returning to anything remotely connected to academia, even if it was just a bar. He could feel their stares, their sideways glances, the hushed whispers seemed to creep along his spine and he begins to sweat. He was an innocent and free man, but the prevalent opinion always weighed him down like iron shackles. Bas stares mostly at his cup, as his friend seems to be having a decent time. But he prefers to remain out of sphere of attention. "Right, Right. Keep it down will ya?" Bas takes large gulp of whatever's been distilled in his cup. Some kind of spirit kept bottled up and watered down. Maybe after a few more he'll return to his cheerful self, dancing on tables, pulling out his own ingredients and creating drinks so wild they'd hardly remember the night. He felt a stab of guilt laced with worry. That was what got him in this mess in the first place.
Just to keep you all in the loop, during the no-new-notification incident (where forum games weren't alerting folks to updates), I had a member of my family pass on. As such, I feel it fair to inform you that I updates might take longer than usual (which I know, is plenty long of a wait already) and if you feel the need to drop out of a game I'm DMing or drop me from a game I'm participating in, I understand. That said, I do hope to update within a couple days as I could use the distraction as the usual business of these events tend to warrant. Thank you for your understanding. Life moves on eventually. I just need some time.
Bas the artificer/alchemist is here, and (almost) ready to play. Imagine that college student uses his smarts to create his own alchohol, and he's good at it too. He's knowledgeable about his expertise, but is a bit brash of an fellow, calling thinking its better to put his honest thoughts out there than let it stew and spoil inside. |