Churchmouse's page

Presented by one of my other aliases, as this hook is still active in my game and I don't want my players finding out....

I'm using Saul Vancaskerkin and parts of "Shadow in the Sky" (1st volume of the Second Darkness AP) in my Hell's Rebels campaign. In short, I've decided that Saul escaped Riddleport after the early events of that adventure and resettled in Kintargo. Having learned that he needed assistants he could trust, Saul's brand of evil took on a more lawful bent. Sadly, he died, but the soul anchor beneath the city allowed him to retain his past memories...and now he's back in Kintargo as a gambling devil who's bought up Clenchjaw's and turned it into a gambling hall.

Also, Blosodriette eluded my PCs and is now allied with the devil Saul, taking the place of Old Scratch from "Shadow in the Sky." My PCs didn't attend the grand opening of the gambling hall, so there hasn't been a showdown yet.

I'll try to report back to this thread if/when that happens.

OK then. Thanks for running the game while it lasted. I'll forever remember this as the campaign where I rolled nothing but natural 1s for attack rolls. :)

Please mark the campaign as inactive when you get the chance.

Are we just in an end-of-summer/start-of-a-new-school-year lull?

Perhaps recruiting a couple more players would breathe some life into this game.

Mouse continues to watch the proceedings from the shadows, too weak to efficiently open a crate. She tries to figure out if the inspectors are suspicious of the Black Scepter and its cargo for some reason.

Sense Motive (Hunch): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

The orc blood that doesn't boil (or even exist) in her veins is stirred nonetheless when Churchmouse catches a glimpse of dwarves waiting on the dock.

Moving close to Ashes (but within earshot of Ulark), Mouse grouses:
{Orc} "Damned hairy midgets, always got their fat little fingers tryin' to grab someone else's gold! And these three look like they're paper-shufflers of some sort--pathetic! Any idea what they want, Ashes?"

"I didn't shoot no monkeys," Churchmouse says, a bit grumpily due to lack of comfortable sleep. "Shoulda shot the Gillpuss we saw, though, but we thought he was bein' civil to us. Said we could take whatever we needed as long as we sailed with the next tide."

Knowing that she is considered too weak for anything that requires heavy lifting (and rightfully so), Churchmouse allows other members of the crew to carry the wounded crewman to the halfling doctor. Disgusted at her awful performance during the raid, the girl sulks alone, examining her crossbow to see if there's something mechanically wrong with it to have caused her shots to miss so horrendously.

No, it's not the crossbow--it's you! she thinks bitterly.

She'll sulk up on deck if the moon- and starlight's bright enough to help her see intruders; otherwise, she'll sit in a corner of the crew's quarters.

So...any chance we could speed this up? We've been in combat since June 20th and are still only halfway through Round 3; that's over a week per round.

Seems to me that folks should check in and post more often when we all know we're in combat, not less often.

Mouse tries to forget just how bad her last shot was as she reloads her crossbow and takes another shot.

I'm assuming our guys are likely providing cover for the gillman musketeer from where Mouse is sniping (the stairs leading up on deck), so I'll target one of those fleeing toward the rail (assuming they didn't already escape; if so, she'll target the musketeer and take any penalty).

light crossbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 for piercing damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

OK, twice might be a coincidence, but I'm sensing an alarming pattern here....

Good guys up again?

I hope Mouse's misfire didn't take out half of her own crew!

ROUND 2 ACTIONS

The smile slips from Mouse's face moments later when a musket fires and Marius reels from the bullet! Churchmouse reflexively lets out a startled yip, even though the gun isn't as loud as a firing cannon. Then she returns fire, moving a ways up the stairs to target Marius's attacker.

light crossbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 for piercing damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Well, on the bright side...I no longer have to feel guilty that she didn't get close enough for Point-Blank Shot or sneak attack to be considerations. ;P

I'm hoping the stairs will give her some cover from gunshots and missile weapon attacks, though.

I guess that depends on whether or not you get a splinter in your butt every time you roll over, Mouse thinks with a grim smile as Marius climbs the stairs to the main deck.

Mouse rolls out of her bunk (5-ft.-roll?), moves to her weapons, and gathers them up quietly.

Since we're in the tropics, I'm assuming she wouldn't be wearing her armor while sleeping (AC 15/15/10).

Churchmouse, sweating, grunting, and occasionally cursing under her breath, does her best to roll the heavy water barrel along the almost non-existent trail toward the beach. She might not be very strong, but she's got loads of heart and determination.

"That went well," she gasps with a crooked smile to her comrades. "An' no sign of even a single monkey. Easy as pie!"

I like that plan. Devious. Plotting and we get to apear to be good guys. Il talk to you about it and we can just keep the good party members in the dark.

Ha! Make sure there are no Mouses skulking in the shadows first!

Mouse is a follower, so she'd likely go along with anything. But then again, she'd probably blab to Ashes, since she doesn't seem to do anything without his input/approval. Gnolls also seem like a tall task to a wimpy 1st-level character like her.

Uh-oh.... Now it's on...like Monkey Kong??!!

Churchmouse positions herself behind a water barrel, puts both hands against it, and starts pumping her twiglike legs, trying to get up enough momentum to start the heavy barrel rolling. It's rather comical to watch and it's uncertain if the slip of a girl or the water barrel will come out victorious, but eventually Mouse gets the thing moving slowly in the direction of the beach.

With the strange humanoid departing, Mouse skulks from the treeline, bow still covering the water where the croc-thing was last seen. She makes her way slowly to Hug.

"So...what'd he say?"

Mouse continues to draw a bead on the mini-croc, wishing she understood the words being traded by Hug and the blue-skinned fellow.

Just letting you all know I'm still here and paying attention.

Churchmouse keeps hidden and keeps her bow trained on the little croc-thing. She's dumbfounded as Hug and the blue fellow seem to bark and yip at one another.

Churchmouse trains her bow on the pool of water, ready to shoot the smallish croc should it attempt to prey upon Ulark. And my food and water! she realizes upon further consideration.

From hiding, Churchmouse marvels at Ulark's bravery and Salt's dedication to the job and making sure at least some of the gathered water is safe.

Fitting an arrow to her shortbow, Mouse takes aim at the reptilian snout but holds her fire. The big lizard isn't eating the light blue person yet; maybe it won't eat the crew, either.

Readying a shot on the reptile if it attacks someone.

What Sallentine said (and Marius, too). I'm usually on top of things when there's a new post, but Mouse isn't a 'take charge' character...at all.

"Somethin's comin'...maybe a dinosaur*!" Churchmouse hisses to the others while abandoning the casks and taking cover behind a nearby tree away from the approaching...whatever.

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

* Or possibly a smoke monster.

Churchmouse looks up briefly at the mention of splitting the party but then goes back to work filling water barrels. As she works, the girl sings another of the annoying ditties she picked up gods-know-where.

"Silly monkey, you smell so funky, stay up in yer tree!
Naughty monkey, butt red 'n' chunky, don't toss yer poop at me!"

Churchmouse immediately moves next to Salt, proving that one thing she's good at is taking orders. She also strings her shortbow and plucks an arrow from her quiver so she'll be ready for any unexpected trouble.

"Ronson says 'Don't shoot the monkeys'," she quietly reminds herself aloud.

If the trail's wide enough, I'd suggest going two abreast with maybe a 10-foot space between ranks. Since Mouse is a ranged combatant, I'd prefer to have her in the middle of the party. She's also kinda so-so in terms of Perception (+3).

Quick Question: Are the NPC pirates accompanying us inland or staying on the beach?

{Orc} "Thanks, Ulark. Sorry to be a pain in the arse, but Ashes always told me: 'Stick with what ye're best at and try to cover up yer weaknesses'. Kinda hard when yer biggest weakness is bein' weak."

Mouse offers Ularks a rare smile (It ain't pretty) and tries to make a muscle where her bicep should be. Alas, nothing. Handing the big half-orc her food and water, she scurries to a sunny part of the deck and examines the fletching on her arrows to make sure they're serviceable.

Still not brave enough to speak with the captain himself (other than to answer when he addresses her), Mouse immediately scurries over to Ashes to make an inquiry.

{Orc} "Hey, Ashes--What'd the cap'n mean 'bout the Lastwater natives bein' able to live in the shallows? They merfolk or somethin'?"

Mouse also hits the galley to fill her waterskin and pick up a couple days' rations to be safe. Then she wanders the ship briefly, an annoyed expression on her face. Finally, she works up her courage and approaches Ulark.

{Orc} "You seem plenty strong. Would ya carry my food an' waterskins fer me? They slow me down an' get in my way when I try to fire an arrow. I'll pay ya a couple silvers...an' I'll give watchin' yer back priority with my snipin' if things get dicey."

Mouse is pleased to see the sails of the Order of the Sun's ship diminishing in the distance. Overhearing Salt's comment to the gnome smuggler, Churchmouse goes about her business without comment, not wanting to give away that she's aware of the gnome's subterfuge as well.
She breaks into song.

"There she sails away, my love
O'er the shining sea.
Can't help but feel I'm better off
With her so far from me."

No internet access for me until Tuesday. Happy Easter!

Mouse squirms uncomfortably when the Knight Commander picks out her to question about the stolen egg. The rest of the crew know that this is the way Mouse acts when anyone besides Ashes tries to talk to her...but the Knight Commander's unlikely to know this.

"Ain't seen no dragon egg," the scrawny sailor replies, technically telling the truth.

Mouse just sits on some stairs, making herself small and watching the proceedings with suspicious interest. She tries to determine if perhaps the Order of the Sun is up to something sneaky or sinister.

Mouse has a -1 modifier to Cha; also, in-character she wouldn't be bold enough (yet) to speak up to a Knight Commander, so she'll stay quiet and let the other crew PCs Aid Another on Ulark's good roll if they'd like.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Mouse glares at Ulark and almost grows enough of a spine to tell him to piss off...but then goes all jellyfish again, turning her eyes toward Ashes to see what the Second Mate has to say on the issue.

Churchmouse listens intently as the captain spells out the two choices before the crew of the Black Scepter. Then she looks up at Ashes and asks in Orcish, "Which one you want me to vote for?"

Churchmouse dutifully unloads her crossbow and returns it to her locker. It's not as if she doesn't have several daggers hidden on her person if things go south.

She shirks her duties just long enough to take a quick peek to see if the Order of the Sun's ship is gaining or if the Black Scepter seems to be pulling away.

Churchmouse scurries off to fetch her crossbow and bolts. Then she helps Marius secure the cannons.

"Ya really think the cap'n'll forbid us to fight iff'n the Order's ship can catch us?"

"Could be. Depends on the egg, my little friend, and it's condition. How much would you give for a live griffon egg?"

[In Orc] "Me? Nuthin'! I'd rather scramble it up an eat it before it could grow up an' eat me!"

After a bit of a pause, Churchmouse says, "I'm gonna go hunt some rats down in the bilges. Just send someone if ya need me to do somethin' fer ya, Ashes."

Churchmouse eventually scurries her way back to Ashes, as always.

"Ya think the gnome's cargo could be eggs, Ashes?" she asks quietly in Orc. "That's what I thought I heard the gnome say. There much gold in eggs? Could it be some sort of monster eggs, mebbe?"

Churchmouse finds some job to occupy her time and attention close to the gnome so she can scope him out and do a little of her usual eavesdropping.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

While Churchmouse dutifully cleans the cannons and checks their fuses and firing mechanisms she sings a song to pass the time. The ditty's half stolen from a bard in a dockside tavern and half Mouse's own words.

Hear the mighty cannons boom
Heralding our target’s doom.
As the other ship sinks into a watery tomb
Her crew wish they’d never left their mothers’ wombs.

Earlier....

Churchmouse nods when the Second Mate gives her her marching orders. "Ain't got me no adamantium dagger yet," Mouse whispers back in Orc. When the slip of a lass votes for ship-raiding and gold-plundering, no one who's been on the ship for any amount of time is surprised: it's common knowledge that the little runt's vote belongs to Ashes.

******************************************

The Second Mate sends Churchmouse to clean the cannons, still hopeful that one day the weakling girl will get over her fear of the loud bombards and learn how to fire one. En route to this task, she utters a brief phrase in passable Orc to Ulark and Hug as she passes them, not waiting long enough for them to trap her in a conversation before scooting on her way.

In a shadowy corner by some stairs lurks Churchmouse (aka Mouse, aka Rat, aka Ashes' Shadow, aka "Hey you!"), crouched down to make herself even smaller than she already is. She's looking about frantically to see if her abductor/savior/mentor/overlord--Second Mate "Ashes" Gorh--has returned from shore leave yet. Mouse doesn't leave the ship unless ordered to by Ashes (usually when he needs her to spy on someone or steal something for him). Spotting the mighty half-orc lounging near the far rail, Churchmouse scurries in his direction, never fully coming out of her crouch. When she reaches the Second Mate she cowers behind the barbarian's thick legs.

"Whatcha wants me ta vote fer, Ashes?" she asks in a whisper, using the Orc tongue.

Ahoy!

Just checking in with a couple of questions.

1) What would be an appropriate choice for a bonus language for Churchmouse?

2) Her backstory has her joining the crew of the Black Scepter when one of its pirates hauled her back there after a raid. Can you give me a name for this fellow?

Looking forward to the game!