Patcher inspired me to do this, so hats off to him for being the braver man.
Much like him, I ended up vanishing myself, towards the end of June / Early July. Those of you who I was playing with know that I gave you all notice when I left your games.
However, the people who I was running games for (other then 1 gent) were left mostly without a clue when I vanished.
Real Life got me, but in a very different way. You see, at the start of June I was informed that they were shutting down our company, and that August 5th would be the end. It then got worse when they finally cut our internet access off (net access I used to keep up with all the games I was in)
I of course applied to jobs but no one was hiring, so I got more and more stressed out. Thats when I started dropping from games.
It then hit me that I had no easy way to keep up with the games I was running. At this point I was about ready to pull my hair out of my head from the insanity. I had some trouble at home involving a roomate and our shared vehicle, had to get a new vehicle, and a bunch of other insanity.
Suffice to say, I had no urge to be social or in fact talk to anyone. I pretty much went offline starting at the time I stopped posting here onwards.
Now, I am returning to play but sadly not run. I have enough to time to play in one MAYBE two games at most, but due to circumstances involving my new job (YAY JOB!) I pretty much have about 2 hours a day outside of the weekends to do things. An hour before I head to work, an hour when I get home. The rest of the time is spent cleaning, cooking, sleeping, ect ect.
So for those who were in the 2 games I was running I am sorry. Real Life slammed into me like a mag truck and carried me off into a small slice of hell. Thankfully things are looking up!
Grinning slyly, Sal calls over a waitress and with her help setups a table and chairs. "Ok folks grab a seat, order some food or drink, on the house of course, and when I get this settled I will be back to discuss this opportunity!" Sal then runs off to speak with the guards who have shown up, as well as help handle the angry guests.
The waitress stands hear, and waits to see if any of you will order.
Ok you guys have some time to chat, discuss, or do anything else you wish to do. Feel free to mingle with the few remaining angry guests, get food, ect
*stares at the damage rolls* Ok so I am gonna advance this as you guys have absolutely destroyed these guys.
As their leaders fall, the Goons are quick to drop their weapons and are knocked out by the bouncers. The wizard lies unconcious, while the lady had been run straight through by Dzae, dead and bleeding. Most of the patrons have run off, and the few who stayed around were drunk and betting on the outcome of the fight.
As the crowd calms down a large amount of the patrons come rushing back in, demanding refunds and causing a huge ruckus. The bouncers take one look at you all, and quickly go to stem the rush of people.
At this time, Saul himself comes out from somewhere in the back, his face in an expression of shock.
He quickly looks around and upon noticing you all standing over the bodies of the fallen, he quickly rushes over and calls for a few of his guards to start binding the bodies!
"Gentlemen!" he begins, and then notices Trista. "And lady! Thank you for what appears to have been your quick intervention in preventing this heist. Once again people try to put down Saul, but fate smiled upon me! I am wondering..." He seems to pause for effect, a glint in his eye.
"I am wondering if you all would like to stay for a drink this evening to discuss a possible...proposition. I can always smell a good bet, and you my friends are a good bet."
Dzae is quick to move, and gets his knife stuck in the womans arm. She turns and stares right at the elf! Tozur meanwhile uses the confusion and moves into position behind a bouncer.
Marcellus slams his weapon into the goon, and knocks him out cleanly.
The mage, seeing the woman harmed, shouts and rushes forward, firing a spell at Dzae!
Magic Missle at Dzae, Damage 1d4 ⇒ 1
Khun Duhn slams his weapon cleanly into his target, and severs the mans top half from the rest of him! Trista moves up to where the wizard is and gets ready to assault him, as she declares divine judgement upon him.
Scratch continues to shout from his cage.
The bouncers move up, all but 2 threatening a target. They attempt to assault their targets individually. The 2 who do not move stand there, shaken in fear.
As you glance around you notice a woman standing with 4 men, and at an unseen command they suddenly close their eyes and turn away from the back of the hall.
Ok so I had to roll an actual D20 for this stuff, so I had Dzae who works with me sit down and be my "witness" so all these rolls are valid :P The things I do to try to keep up.
As you all close your eyes, you witness the following happen just as they close.
DM Rolls/Surprise Round:
Rolled 1d20 = 1 against Caster Level Check of 4 (3 total)
MISHAP! Wis Check 1d20 = 7 + 1 = 8 Pass.
Suddenly and without warning a man jumps out from a room and whips out a scroll, intoning a spell. However, the spell appears to fizzle and nothing happens. You open your eyes then as the woman Trista saw, along with the 4 men with her, draw swords. The woman then shouts out "All right folks! Drop to the ground and don't try anything stupid and we might let you live!"
The suddeness of this event stops everyone for a moment, and then the guards and yourselves get ready for action!
The four goons quickly fan out, each assaulting a different bouncer!
Goon 1 vs Bouncer 1 - Attack Roll (1d20+1 with Sap) vs AC 13 = 15, Damage Roll (1d6+1) = 3
Goon 2 vs Bouncer 2 - Attack Roll (1d20+1 with Sap) vs AC 13 = 17, Damage Roll (1d6+1) = 2
Goon 3 vs Bouncer 3 - Attack Roll (1d20+1 with Sap) vs AC 13 = 20, Damage Roll (1d6+1) = 7
Goon 4 vs Bouncer 4 - Attack Roll (1d20+1 with Sap) vs AC 13 = 7, Damage Roll (1d6+1) = 0 *MISS*
The above results for the attacks and damage rolls are WITH Modifiers, so that 20 is not a crit)
The guests in the room shriek, and Old Scratch starts rattling his cage, spitting out words in fiendish!
Alright folks your up. Post your actions, and include an ALTERNATE action just in case your first action would not be applicable. Hopefully you all can tell which icon is you, and I used letters and numbers to show who is who on the map. Hopefully you can tell that as well :O
Normally I would make the perception checks for you all but I felt like letting you all do it this time :P
DC 15 Sense Motive:
As you glance around the room you notice a woman standing with a few men off to one side. As you stare at them you realize they are starting to get very tense and appear to be looking around for something! Then you notice that they all have closed their eyes for some strange reason....
Once everyone has made their Sense Motive Checks and acted on them I will move along
Just gonna let everyone know that due to Real Life being an ass and me being slightly depressed, my posting is going to be erratic, if you didn't notice already >.>
Don't fret the game is not ending but it is going to be a tad slower.
On your first game of Skiffs you come away with your original bet of 1 silver plus an additional 2 copper! However on your second game you lose your silver fully.
Edgar:
Minimum it is
At the request of mixing all three drinks, the waitress looks at you strangely, and comes back a moment later with a foul looking concoction.
On your round of Poker, you manage to not lose terribly. Out of your 1 silver bet, you come away with 8 copper (losing 2 copper).
If you drink it make a FORT save please
Alexander:
Spins coming! I assume 1 silver for each bet since you were asking about using silver (the minimum bet is 1 silver)
1st Bet (#3) - 1d12 ⇒ 12: You get 1 Copper Piece as a Consolation Prize
2nd Bet (#7) - 1d12 ⇒ 3: Lose all
3rd Bet (#5) - 1d12 ⇒ 2: Lose all
4th Bet (#4) - 1d12 ⇒ 11: Lose all
You spend 4 silver, and manage to only come away with a single copper consolation prize. The head screams insults and its rather annoying!
You manage to actually play halfway decently, winning a hand. You could out of this with your original 3 silver, plus another 6 copper.
Dzae:
Before you call me on it, I did the math wrong yesterday, so the amount you win here is correct :P
On your first hand, Trista actually beats you soundly, and you lose the money you bet.
On your second hand however, you manage to convince your opponenets to bet high along with yourself, and you manage to double your original stake, coming away with your 5 silver and another full 5 silver.
Marcellus:
Copying Dzae kinda works actually, and you have a similar result as he does. Your first hand you lose to Trista, your second hand you actually break even, but on your third hand you manage to win a bit, and come away with your original bet of 8 silver, plus another 4 silver!
Tozur:
You manage to see a few people who match the description of the famous Cyphermages of Riddleport wandering the hall and partaking of the games and booze.
Gnome, human, he looks short. Also, the Researching the Blot campaign trait says I've already met the guy - and that he gave me the pass to come here in the first place. What does this entail?
Missed that part of the trait. Consider it a free pass in, no entry fee. They take the pass though in the fees place.
Remember folks you are converting you money to chips, so keep tabs on how much you converted and how much you have lost / won.
Tragershen:
Yup you got 2cp more then your starting bet, which means you got 2 of the Copper Hearts more
Nichelle:
On your first attempt at theft, you manage to snag 2 CP. However on your second you stop cold as you realize that one of the bouncers was watching and almost saw you.
How much did you bet on each round of Skiffs? I cannot tell ya how much you won or lost without knowning how much you bet!
Edgar:
Upon asking for a vodka martini, the waitress looks at you blankly. "So do you want a glass of elven red? Or a glass of white? Or an Ale?"
I need to know an amount you actually bet before I can tell you the results
Alexander:
Remember its chips, so I will assume you got a single Gold Eye
You place your chip on 9, and the croupier spins the wheel!
1d12 ⇒ 4
Sadly your number does not come up, and you lose your money. Unless you go and get some more chips you will face "The Devil's Mark"!
Illuna:
On Skiffs, you lose every bet you made fully.
On Ghoulette you are exactly right.
The games all around continue, a few people winning and alot more losing. Several are given the Devil's Mark and are escorted out, however they are quickly let back in by repaying the entry fee.
Feel free to continue, mingle, chat with folks, ect. Saul is seen wandering the hall flanked by 2 bodyguards.
The line finally moves forward enough that you all are able to finally see into the Golden Goblin, and are at the registration desk.
Just inside the main doors, two sultry beauties scantily clad and wearing faux bat wings, devil horns, and tails play the part of
alluring succubi. Both are employees of the Gold Goblin, and they cheerfully register contestants for the tournament and process entry fees. Armed guards stand nearby to either side of an immense treasure chest into which each patron’s entry fee is added. The guards are on hand to not only protect the money, but to prevent any overzealous admirers from trying to dare the infamous touch of a succubus.
Beyond the registration table is the hall’s game floor. Dozens of gamblers, waitresses dressed as succubi, and bouncers mill about the room, wandering amid tables offering various games while dealers shuffle cards, roll dice, and spin wheels. Moving through this throng are a dozen more of the barely clad, batwinged vixens serving drinks and batting coal-black eyelashes flirtatiously for tips. In the center of the chamber is a short podium atop which sits a massive gold chest affixed to the floor by similarly gaudy chains. On either side of it stands a barechested bouncer in the exotic garb of some foreign sultan’s court. Each stands with muscled arms crossed over his chest and with a naked scimitar of prodigious size tucked through his waistband. High above them, from the hall’s cloth-draped ceiling, hangs a brass birdcage within which crouches a small, bat-winged, pointy-tailed devilish creature that sulks as it gazes over the room and occasionally rattles the bars threateningly.
As each of you come up to the registration desk, you are offered a piece of parchment, which reads as follows:
I, _________________ , do hereby sacrifice my immortal soul and the worldly sum of 10 pieces of silver to the Devil to hold in escrow against his own stake of 10,000 silver coins in the gambling tournament being held at the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall of Riddleport on this Oathday, 14th day of Arodus, 4708 ar. I understand that my soul will be placed on deposit in the Hells’ deepest pit of Nessus. Furthermore, I understand that all winnings shall be catalogued in concordance of souls, to be represented by teeth, eyes, and hearts of the damned. By participating in the gambling tournament and beginning in the first pit of Avernus, my winnings shall earn my way deeper through the Hells on the following schedule:
Dis -- 1 gold eye
Erebus -- 3 gold eyes and a Badge of Dis
Phlegethon -- 5 gold eyes and a Badge of Erebus
Stygia -- 10 gold eyes and a Badge of Phlegethon
Malebolge -- 25 gold eyes and a Badge of Stygia
Cocytus -- 50 gold eyes and a Badge of Malbolge
Caina -- 75 gold eyes and a Badge of Cocytus
Nessus -- 100 gold eyes and a Badge of Caina
I understand that if I should lose my stake in the tournament I shall receive the Devil’s Mark and my soul shall be cast upon the rocks on the shore of the River Styx. I understand that if I elect to cash in my winnings before reaching the pit of Nessus I shall forfeit my soul and 50% of the cash value of my winnings for said early departure. If I am the first player to reach Nessus, then I am granted the redemption of my soul and the right to Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold in addition to collecting my winnings. In such a circumstance, all other players shall receive the Devil’s Mark and forfeit their souls.
This is I do swear.
Witnessed by: Old Scratch ____
Couple of checks you all can make if you choose. Also, it costs 1 Gold in total coin to enter the tournament.
Knowledge (Planes) DC 10:
The creature in the cage is a real live Imp!
Knowledge Arcana or Local (DC 15) in regards to the contract:
You realize that this is most assuredly a fake contract
Once each of you has paid your dues, and signed your contract, you enter the Goblin proper. The main hall is a massive room, with more then a dozen gaming tables spread out along the floor available for people to win, wager, and of course lose thier hard earned coin. Right now the tournament has not begun, and much of people already inside are playing cards and other games with no wagering. There are guards who patrol the floor, and several succi walking carrying trays for drinks. There are also roughly 17 dealers, one at each table.
As you all enter it seems that only a few more people are allowed entrance, and then the doors close as night settles, the darkness visable through the windows around the hall.
Once the darkness has fully settled outside, several employees enter the hall, carrying torches shaped like pitchforks carrying burning heads, and they light several large braziers, causing the room to take on a more inferal hue. A hush falls over the crowd as a short man climbs up to the central podium accompained by two of the "succubi". He stands before the large gold chained chest, with a demoness on each side.
The man himself is wearing what appears to be a formal suit, and his black hair is slicked back in an attempt to hide the fact that its thinning. His left arm however is the most unique feature, as it ends in a stump just above the wrist, and is affixed with a broze cap that has a large and odd shaped key on it.
Knowledge Local DC 10:
You recognize the man as Saul Vancaskerkin, the owner of the Goblin and host of this very tournament!
The man bows, clears his throat, and begins speaking.
“Welcome, one and all, to the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall and your chance to cheat the Devil and win back not only your soul but all of his gold as well. I am Saul Vancaskerin!” He says this last as he pats the large chest before which he stands. “I hope you found your reception by the Devil’s lovely temptresses suitably entertaining.” This is met by a general murmur of laughter and a few catcalls. “Let’s take this moment to thank Old Scratch himself for attending this event. Not only did he loan us these lovely, dark angels, but he also emptied the deepest vaults of Hell itself to provide the gold for this tournament.”
With this statement the man directs the crowd's attention to the creature in the birdcage. At the sudden attention, Old Scratch flies into a furious rage, banging on the bars and spiiting howling and screaming vile epithats in what has to be Infernal at everyone assembled. His theatrics are received by the crowd with guffaws and even a bit of applause. As the noise dies down, and Scratch calms down, Saul continues.
“Of course, he plans on replacing what he loses in gold with the souls of those of you who don’t win. The tournament rules are quite simple—as you play, you’ll earn more chips. And with those chips, you’ll be able to bribe your way out of the current Hell you’re trapped in, working your way down deeper until you get to Old Scratch’s treasury. Currently, all of you are Old Scratch’s prisoners in the first of the Hells, Avernus. If you want to work your way down to the ninth circle, you need to win games. Each time you win, you’ll be awarded a golden eye. If you come in second, you’ll get a silver tooth. And third place wins a copper heart. These bits of flesh and bone are what the devils use in Hell for currency, and they’re what you’ll need to pay in order to bribe your way into the next layer of hell. The first player to win a game after reaching Nessus not only keeps his winnings for that game, but also earns back his soul and the ten thousand silver coins that the Devil put up for this tournament. You can, of course, decide to cash out your winnings at any time you want, but if you do, or if you run out of money entirely... well, that means Old Scratch gets you.” Vancaskerkin grins evilly and the caged imp cuts loose with another profane tirade. “And that earns you the Devil’s Mark and an escort out of the game hall until the tournament is over. What, you ask, exactly is this Devil’s Mark? Well, it’s something too utterly horrible to even contemplate. The forfeiture of your very soul, it is. But I suppose I can show you what it is— gods know I more than deserve the Devil’s Mark. In fact, better make it two, girls!” With that, the two succubi accompanying him lean over and each firmly plants a kiss on Saul’s cheek with her ruby-red lips. When they pull away, their lip rouge has left clearly visible prints in the same shocking red on his cheeks. Saul beams as he cries out, “The Devil’s Mark, everyone!” which is greeted by a flurry of shouts, catcalls, and hoots. “Now, let’s cheat the Devil and take his gold!” which prompts one more rabid flurry from the imprisoned fiend above, and with that, the tournament begins.
Alright, so you all have time now to Roleplay AND Gamble! We are going to do this the easy way as there is no way to simulate poker and whatnot on the boards. However the Dice Games CAN be simulated IF You prefer (the ones marked DICE), so just announce if you want to try playing the actual game or just do the quick check. I would PREFER the Quick Play system (CHA or Prof Check) but its up to you guys. So, here are the games available:
Poker Bounder (Dice) Ghoulette (Dice) Golem Skiffs
Poker is Texas Holdem Style. The other games will be detailed in the spoilers below (The dealers will explain this if asked)
Bounder:
Bounder is unique among gambling games in that both the players and dealer use dice. The dealer gets three 6-sided dice, and each player gets two 20-siders.
To start, each player bets a stake (minimum 1 sp). Each player rolls his first d20, making his “point.” After all players have rolled their points, each player may double his stake if desired. Then the dealer rolls 3d6. Anyone whose point the dealer matches loses his stake. Then each player rolls his second d20. If the player’s two dice results are on either side of the dealer’s result—one greater than and one less than the dealer’s number—he “bounds” the dealer and wins an amount equal to the amount he bet. Otherwise, he loses his stake. If a player rolls a 1 and a 20 (or a 20 and a 1), he wins double his bet.
Ghoulette:
Basically Rhoulette. Can use a 12 Sided Die to Simulate. 12 Spaces.
To play, each player puts a marker and any number of coins on one or more of the spaces on the ghoulette wheel (minimum 10 cp per space). The croupier then spins Dungo until he comes to a stop. Dungo then issues an enraged insult at someone based on the particular topic he is looking at on the wheel. Any player who has coins on the subject matter of this insult is paid the amount of coins he bet in the next highest denomination—copper gets paid in silver (e.g., a 15 cp bet gets 15 sp), silver in gold, gold in platinum, and platinum in ten times the amount. If Dungo says “something nice,” each player gets a consolation
prize of the amount of coins he bet in the next lowest denomination, rounded down (e.g., a 15 cp bet gets back 1 cp). Then the croupier presses a button that tilts the edges of the wheel slightly inward, and all original bets (regardless of win or loss) slide into slots under Dungo’s head and into the coffer under the table.
A 12 is Something Nice, and cannot be bet on.
Golem:
Golem is a player-vs.-player card game similar to five-card draw poker, but with a “golem hand.” Golem is played in a series of games; one game must be completely resolved before the next begins. The player to the right of the dealer gets the amulet to start the night. The dealer deals five cards to each player. Starting at the amulet, each player can bet, raise one coin, or fold. Anyone who folds is out of the game, and can’t come back in until a new game begins. Next, each player may discard up to two cards and receive that many back from the dealer. These discarded cardsgo facedown on the center of the table. Another round of betting occurs, starting at the amulet. If, at any point, only one player hasn’t folded, he wins the pot—the house taking 5 percent—and the game is over. If at least two players are still in after all bets are called, those players reveal their hands. Then the dealer “ups the golem.” The golem hand—those cards discarded when players had the chance to draw new cards—is revealed, and if the player with the best hand beats the golem, he wins the pot, and the game is over. But if the player with the best hand does not beat the golem, that player must put into the pot an amount of coins equal to what’s already in the pot, and all cards are collected so that a new hand can be dealt for the players who were still in at the end. This continues
until someone wins the pot. The house takes 5 percent of the final pot, and then the amulet moves one positionto the right and a new game is dealt.
Skiffs:
Skiffs is a halfling gambling game played on a three-by-three board or set of boxes (the “lake”). Each player puts up in 25 tokens (“skiffs”). The dealer takes one skiff (the “racer”) from each player and then places the rest in a bowl called the “storm.” The storm is flipped over the lake in one smooth motion, so each of the skiffs falls into one of the 9 boxes. (If a skiff falls between parts of the lake, the dealer places it where more than half of it lies, choosing randomly between the two boxes if it isn’t clear.)
Since this cannot be simulated I am not going to put the rest of the rules up
To Gamble you have 2 options. Roll a standard CHA Check which I will compare to a table I have and dictate win, loss, and how big of a win it is! Or, if you have it, Profession Gambler is also an acceptable check. A single game of any of the above will take you about 5 minutes of time, and you must bet AT LEAST 1 Silver Piece.
Copper Hearts, Silver Tooths, and Gold Eyes are the chips you use to gamble with. Each one is worth 1 of the coin in its name (IE A Gold Eye is worth 1 GP), and to buy a badge costs the number of chips listed. IE Badge of Dis is 1 Gold Eye. You can exchange them at the counter.
So its all you guys now! Let me know what you wanna do, what you are planning, ect ect
The line finally moves forward enough that you all are able to finally see into the Golden Goblin, and are at the registration desk.
Just inside the main doors, two sultry beauties scantily clad and wearing faux bat wings, devil horns, and tails play the part of
alluring succubi. Both are employees of the Gold Goblin, and they cheerfully register contestants for the tournament and process entry fees. Armed guards stand nearby to either side of an immense treasure chest into which each patron’s entry fee is added. The guards are on hand to not only protect the money, but to prevent any overzealous admirers from trying to dare the infamous touch of a succubus.
Beyond the registration table is the hall’s game floor. Dozens of gamblers, waitresses dressed as succubi, and bouncers mill about the room, wandering amid tables offering various games while dealers shuffle cards, roll dice, and spin wheels. Moving through this throng are a dozen more of the barely clad, batwinged vixens serving drinks and batting coal-black eyelashes flirtatiously for tips. In the center of the chamber is a short podium atop which sits a massive gold chest affixed to the floor by similarly gaudy chains. On either side of it stands a barechested bouncer in the exotic garb of some foreign sultan’s court. Each stands with muscled arms crossed over his chest and with a naked scimitar of prodigious size tucked through his waistband. High above them, from the hall’s cloth-draped ceiling, hangs a brass birdcage within which crouches a small, bat-winged, pointy-tailed devilish creature that sulks as it gazes over the room and occasionally rattles the bars threateningly.
As each of you come up to the registration desk, you are offered a piece of parchment, which reads as follows:
I, _________________ , do hereby sacrifice my immortal soul and the worldly sum of 10 pieces of silver to the Devil to hold in escrow against his own stake of 10,000 silver coins in the gambling tournament being held at the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall of Riddleport on this Oathday, 14th day of Arodus, 4708 ar. I understand that my soul will be placed on deposit in the Hells’ deepest pit of Nessus. Furthermore, I understand that all winnings shall be catalogued in concordance of souls, to be represented by teeth, eyes, and hearts of the damned. By participating in the gambling tournament and beginning in the first pit of Avernus, my winnings shall earn my way deeper through the Hells on the following schedule:
Dis -- 1 gold eye
Erebus -- 3 gold eyes and a Badge of Dis
Phlegethon -- 5 gold eyes and a Badge of Erebus
Stygia -- 10 gold eyes and a Badge of Phlegethon
Malebolge -- 25 gold eyes and a Badge of Stygia
Cocytus -- 50 gold eyes and a Badge of Malbolge
Caina -- 75 gold eyes and a Badge of Cocytus
Nessus -- 100 gold eyes and a Badge of Caina
I understand that if I should lose my stake in the tournament I shall receive the Devil’s Mark and my soul shall be cast upon the rocks on the shore of the River Styx. I understand that if I elect to cash in my winnings before reaching the pit of Nessus I shall forfeit my soul and 50% of the cash value of my winnings for said early departure. If I am the first player to reach Nessus, then I am granted the redemption of my soul and the right to Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold in addition to collecting my winnings. In such a circumstance, all other players shall receive the Devil’s Mark and forfeit their souls.
This is I do swear.
Witnessed by: Old Scratch ____
Couple of checks you all can make if you choose. Also, it costs 1 Gold in total coin to enter the tournament.
Knowledge (Planes) DC 10:
The creature in the cage is a real live Imp!
Knowledge Arcana or Local (DC 15) in regards to the contract:
You realize that this is most assuredly a fake contract
Once each of you has paid your dues, and signed your contract, you enter the Goblin proper. The main hall is a massive room, with more then a dozen gaming tables spread out along the floor available for people to win, wager, and of course lose thier hard earned coin. Right now the tournament has not begun, and much of people already inside are playing cards and other games with no wagering. There are guards who patrol the floor, and several succi walking carrying trays for drinks. There are also roughly 17 dealers, one at each table.
As you all enter it seems that only a few more people are allowed entrance, and then the doors close as night settles, the darkness visable through the windows around the hall.
Once the darkness has fully settled outside, several employees enter the hall, carrying torches shaped like pitchforks carrying burning heads, and they light several large braziers, causing the room to take on a more inferal hue. A hush falls over the crowd as a short man climbs up to the central podium accompained by two of the "succubi". He stands before the large gold chained chest, with a demoness on each side.
The man himself is wearing what appears to be a formal suit, and his black hair is slicked back in an attempt to hide the fact that its thinning. His left arm however is the most unique feature, as it ends in a stump just above the wrist, and is affixed with a broze cap that has a large and odd shaped key on it.
Knowledge Local DC 10:
You recognize the man as Saul Vancaskerkin, the owner of the Goblin and host of this very tournament!
The man bows, clears his throat, and begins speaking.
“Welcome, one and all, to the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall and your chance to cheat the Devil and win back not only your soul but all of his gold as well. I am Saul Vancaskerin!” He says this last as he pats the large chest before which he stands. “I hope you found your reception by the Devil’s lovely temptresses suitably entertaining.” This is met by a general murmur of laughter and a few catcalls. “Let’s take this moment to thank Old Scratch himself for attending this event. Not only did he loan us these lovely, dark angels, but he also emptied the deepest vaults of Hell itself to provide the gold for this tournament.”
With this statement the man directs the crowd's attention to the creature in the birdcage. At the sudden attention, Old Scratch flies into a furious rage, banging on the bars and spiiting howling and screaming vile epithats in what has to be Infernal at everyone assembled. His theatrics are received by the crowd with guffaws and even a bit of applause. As the noise dies down, and Scratch calms down, Saul continues.
“Of course, he plans on replacing what he loses in gold with the souls of those of you who don’t win. The tournament rules are quite simple—as you play, you’ll earn more chips. And with those chips, you’ll be able to bribe your way out of the current Hell you’re trapped in, working your way down deeper until you get to Old Scratch’s treasury. Currently, all of you are Old Scratch’s prisoners in the first of the Hells, Avernus. If you want to work your way down to the ninth circle, you need to win games. Each time you win, you’ll be awarded a golden eye. If you come in second, you’ll get a silver tooth. And third place wins a copper heart. These bits of flesh and bone are what the devils use in Hell for currency, and they’re what you’ll need to pay in order to bribe your way into the next layer of hell. The first player to win a game after reaching Nessus not only keeps his winnings for that game, but also earns back his soul and the ten thousand silver coins that the Devil put up for this tournament. You can, of course, decide to cash out your winnings at any time you want, but if you do, or if you run out of money entirely... well, that means Old Scratch gets you.” Vancaskerkin grins evilly and the caged imp cuts loose with another profane tirade. “And that earns you the Devil’s Mark and an escort out of the game hall until the tournament is over. What, you ask, exactly is this Devil’s Mark? Well, it’s something too utterly horrible to even contemplate. The forfeiture of your very soul, it is. But I suppose I can show you what it is— gods know I more than deserve the Devil’s Mark. In fact, better make it two, girls!” With that, the two succubi accompanying him lean over and each firmly plants a kiss on Saul’s cheek with her ruby-red lips. When they pull away, their lip rouge has left clearly visible prints in the same shocking red on his cheeks. Saul beams as he cries out, “The Devil’s Mark, everyone!” which is greeted by a flurry of shouts, catcalls, and hoots. “Now, let’s cheat the Devil and take his gold!” which prompts one more rabid flurry from the imprisoned fiend above, and with that, the tournament begins.
Alright, so you all have time now to Roleplay AND Gamble! We are going to do this the easy way as there is no way to simulate poker and whatnot on the boards. However the Dice Games CAN be simulated IF You prefer (the ones marked DICE), so just announce if you want to try playing the actual game or just do the quick check. I would PREFER the Quick Play system (CHA or Prof Check) but its up to you guys. So, here are the games available:
Poker Bounder (Dice) Ghoulette (Dice) Golem Skiffs
Poker is Texas Holdem Style. The other games will be detailed in the spoilers below (The dealers will explain this if asked)
Bounder:
Bounder is unique among gambling games in that both the players and dealer use dice. The dealer gets three 6-sided dice, and each player gets two 20-siders.
To start, each player bets a stake (minimum 1 sp). Each player rolls his first d20, making his “point.” After all players have rolled their points, each player may double his stake if desired. Then the dealer rolls 3d6. Anyone whose point the dealer matches loses his stake. Then each player rolls his second d20. If the player’s two dice results are on either side of the dealer’s result—one greater than and one less than the dealer’s number—he “bounds” the dealer and wins an amount equal to the amount he bet. Otherwise, he loses his stake. If a player rolls a 1 and a 20 (or a 20 and a 1), he wins double his bet.
Ghoulette:
Basically Rhoulette. Can use a 12 Sided Die to Simulate. 12 Spaces.
To play, each player puts a marker and any number of coins on one or more of the spaces on the ghoulette wheel (minimum 10 cp per space). The croupier then spins Dungo until he comes to a stop. Dungo then issues an enraged insult at someone based on the particular topic he is looking at on the wheel. Any player who has coins on the subject matter of this insult is paid the amount of coins he bet in the next highest denomination—copper gets paid in silver (e.g., a 15 cp bet gets 15 sp), silver in gold, gold in platinum, and platinum in ten times the amount. If Dungo says “something nice,” each player gets a consolation
prize of the amount of coins he bet in the next lowest denomination, rounded down (e.g., a 15 cp bet gets back 1 cp). Then the croupier presses a button that tilts the edges of the wheel slightly inward, and all original bets (regardless of win or loss) slide into slots under Dungo’s head and into the coffer under the table.
A 12 is Something Nice, and cannot be bet on.
Golem:
Golem is a player-vs.-player card game similar to five-card draw poker, but with a “golem hand.” Golem is played in a series of games; one game must be completely resolved before the next begins. The player to the right of the dealer gets the amulet to start the night. The dealer deals five cards to each player. Starting at the amulet, each player can bet, raise one coin, or fold. Anyone who folds is out of the game, and can’t come back in until a new game begins. Next, each player may discard up to two cards and receive that many back from the dealer. These discarded cardsgo facedown on the center of the table. Another round of betting occurs, starting at the amulet. If, at any point, only one player hasn’t folded, he wins the pot—the house taking 5 percent—and the game is over. If at least two players are still in after all bets are called, those players reveal their hands. Then the dealer “ups the golem.” The golem hand—those cards discarded when players had the chance to draw new cards—is revealed, and if the player with the best hand beats the golem, he wins the pot, and the game is over. But if the player with the best hand does not beat the golem, that player must put into the pot an amount of coins equal to what’s already in the pot, and all cards are collected so that a new hand can be dealt for the players who were still in at the end. This continues
until someone wins the pot. The house takes 5 percent of the final pot, and then the amulet moves one positionto the right and a new game is dealt.
Skiffs:
Skiffs is a halfling gambling game played on a three-by-three board or set of boxes (the “lake”). Each player puts up in 25 tokens (“skiffs”). The dealer takes one skiff (the “racer”) from each player and then places the rest in a bowl called the “storm.” The storm is flipped over the lake in one smooth motion, so each of the skiffs falls into one of the 9 boxes. (If a skiff falls between parts of the lake, the dealer places it where more than half of it lies, choosing randomly between the two boxes if it isn’t clear.)
Since this cannot be simulated I am not going to put the rest of the rules up
To Gamble you have 2 options. Roll a standard CHA Check which I will compare to a table I have and dictate win, loss, and how big of a win it is! Or, if you have it, Profession Gambler is also an acceptable check. A single game of any of the above will take you about 5 minutes of time, and you must bet AT LEAST 1 Silver Piece.
Copper Hearts, Silver Tooths, and Gold Eyes are the chips you use to gamble with. Each one is worth 1 of the coin in its name (IE A Gold Eye is worth 1 GP), and to buy a badge costs the number of chips listed. IE Badge of Dis is 1 Gold Eye. You can exchange them at the counter.
So its all you guys now! Let me know what you wanna do, what you are planning, ect ect
The line moves forward a bit, and you can guess that you are almost within viewing distance of the entryway. The press of people is massive, this is obviously a crazy popular event.
The line continues to move forward, and you all can now see the entrance. Its being flanked on each side by what appears to be a women dressed as some sort of winged devil like creature.
DC 15 Knowledge Planes:
Its a Succubus. Nevermind that those are demons and not devils, it appears these folk do not care.
You cannot see inside however due to the sheer mass of people.
Every story has a beginning, and ours is no different. The day was like any other Riddleport day as of late. The sun was just sitting, the Blot hanging over the area like a dark omen from the depths, and the streets were just as rough as always. The city was in a bit of a hubbub due to the reopening of one of its gambling establishments, the Golden Goblin. While that in and of itself was not worth much of note, the fact that Saul Vancaskerkin, a man who for the last few years has been persona non grata in Riddleport for the last few years, is the one who bought the place and is reopening it.
Each of you start your journey here, in the seedy underbelly of the city, on your way to the Goblin. You are going there for a variety of reasons, and each of you has your own goals.
Alexander:
You arrived in Riddleport only a few days ago, and upon arrival saw a flier for the grand opening of the Gold Goblin, and their "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold" event. You were not sure about going, but then you met a girl named Nichelle, who you became fast friends with. Apparently she was here to investigate this event, and asked that you accompany her to the event. On the way there, Nichelle ran into another friend of hers, a Tengu named Edgar, and the three of you made your way to the gambling hall, where you now wait in line to get registered.
Edgar:
Arriving in Riddleport nearly a week ago, you have spent your time and money on booze, whores, and whatever else has caught your fancy. However, two days ago you caught wind of the gala reopening of a gambling hall called The Golden Goblin. Never one to miss a chance to gamble, you decide to attend the "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold" event. On your way to the hall you run into your old friend Nichelle, and a new friend of hers who she introduces as Alexander. She tells you that she is investigating the Goblin, and the three of you head to the event as a group. You are currently waiting in the registration line with Alex and Nichelle, and the line is moving very slowly.
Nichelle:
Your employers have given you very direct orders. "Watch the Goblin, and find out what is going on there." You have no idea why they want you to watch the Goblin, but orders are orders and you will do them as asked, for now. While in town, you made friends with a person named Alexander, who apparently is a fighter from out of town. Knowing that having a bit of backup for a mission is a good thing, you asked him to come along. However, on your way to the "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold" event at the Goblin, you also ran into your old friend Edgar Price. Knowing his love of gambling has gotten him into trouble in the past, you suggest that he joins your little band, and the three of you go off to the event. You find yourself standing in line with your two friends, waiting for registration.
Tragershen:
Upon arrival in Riddelport, you quickly hear about the Blot and the strange events happening in the city. While trying to decide where to begin your investigation you hear about the grand reopening of the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall, and its "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold" event. You quickly determine that your best bet as to finding out who the major players are in the Riddleport Underworld would be that event, as anyone who is anyone would be there. You quickly head there the night of the event, and find yourself in line waiting for registration.
Iluna:
Arriving in Riddleport, you quickly dive headfirst into the seedy underworld of the city, experiencing life to the fullest as it were. You find beauty in the chaos and danger of the underworld, and while in a seedy tavern one night you hear about the gala reopening of the Golden Goblin, and decide that you might as well try your hand at gambling to make a quick buck and see what all the fuss is about. You find yourself now standing in line, waiting for the registration to move so you can get in and win some cold hard gold!
You guys have a bit to converse wtih each other from now, and when I feel some time has passed we will get you into the tournament! The line is moving a bit slowly, you see, because everyone is gawking at the casino! And before you ask, yes I copied this intro from the other group :P But your spoilered stuff is unique. BE HAPPY
I am going to let Tozur make a stealth check to see if he was able to hide his motions against the perception roll. He is trying to carefully show his face to only 1 person, so that would require an active stealth check. In the future guys if any of you want to do something that may require a check (hiding, palming, ect) please make it just in case something like this comes up.
For Group 1:
To quote Fable.... And So Our Story Begins
There be the IC Thread. GET TO IT FOLKS!
Group 1 is, for reference:
Daze (Rogue)
Khun-duhn (Psionic Warrior)
Trista (Inquisitor)
Tozur (Magus)
Marcellus Alazario (Fighter)
As far as Group 2 is concerned, everything looks good but Alexander (Aron)'s character needs to have his backstory fleshed out more and whatnot.
Oh and those Proxy sites? Aint workin too great, but thanks anyway MeMori. They get me on the site to view it, but the instant I try to log in / move around they lock up.
Ah well. I can post from my phone if its important :P It will just be a pain in that ass. And we have a pair of breakroom PCs at work that I can at least VIEW the site on, and plan a posting.
Every story has a beginning, and ours is no different. The day was like any other Riddleport day as of late. The sun was just sitting, the Blot hanging over the area like a dark omen from the depths, and the streets were just as rough as always. The city was in a bit of a hubbub due to the reopening of one of its gambling establishments, the Golden Goblin. While that in and of itself was not worth much of note, the fact that Saul Vancaskerkin, a man who for the last few years has been persona non grata in Riddleport for the last few years, is the one who bought the place and is reopening it.
Each of you start your journey here, in the seedy underbelly of the city, on your way to the Goblin. You are going there for a variety of reasons, and each of you has your own goals.
Dzae:
You arrived in Riddleport a few days ago, looking for wine woman and song, in that order. What you found, however, were Quickwives, Cheap Ale, and bawdy sea chanties. On your second day in town you found a flyer for the Grand Reopening of the Golden Goblin Gambling Hall, and their gala event "Cheat the Devil and take his Gold." Upon getting some more information about this place, decided to both check out the event, and seek employment.
On the night of the event, as you started your way down to the hall, you ran into your very old circus buddy Khun-duhn, who apparently was also on his way to the event. You find yourself just outside the hall, standing in line to sign up for the tournament.
Khun-duhn:
Upon the visions and readings from the Wise Woman, you find yourself in Riddleport. After a few days of wandering around, you get wind that the Golden Goblin is finally opening, with a huge event titled "Cheat the Devil and take his Gold." You figure you would probably find your old friend Dzae there, and unsurprisingly on the very night of the event you run into him on your way there. You two decide to stick together, and you now find yourself in the line for the tournament with your old friend.
Marcellus:
You arrived in Riddleport about 2 weeks ago, and have been trying to find work since. You have done a few odd jobs, including one very disturbing job as a knacker to make a few coins. You never last, however, in these jobs, and usually find yourself at the local "shrine" to Cayden Cailean which is called the "Publican House". It is there, about 4 nights ago, that you heard about the Golden Goblin reopening, and its gala event "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold." You quickly decide that you may be able to find work as a bouncer there for the owner, and maybe could make a few coins in the tournament as well.
You head over there, and are currently waiting in line to sign up. You happen to be standing behind an elf and a duergar, who seem to be deep in conversation with one another!
Tozur:
Arriving in Riddleport about 3 days ago, you begin to search for any clues you could find about the blot, and about Trista. The Blot is a very very obvious feature, hanging over the city like a giant black stormcloud. After two days however you have started to run low on gold, and have not heard anything about Trista.
So, you decide to take your chances at a little gambling at the aptly named "Golden Goblin", with their premier event "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold". It also pops into your head that you may be able to find some people who know more about the Blot, maybe even a Cyphermage or two! You had heard that these mages were the penultimate source of knowledge in the city for magical things.
On your way to the Goblin, however, you run into an old friend, Trista! You and her quickly team up, she informing you that she is also hunting the reason behind the Blot! You both decide to head over to the Goblin, Trista telling you she is going to check it out for, of all things, devils!
YOu find yourself standing in line, behind a large human with a polearm, a duergar, and an elf. The elf and deep dwarf seem to be having a conversation...
Trista:
Once you arrived in Riddleport, only a day ago, you quickly began to search for information regarding the blot. However, the only thing anyone was talking about was this Saul character and his reopening of this Golden Goblin casino. When you hear the name you smile, thinking of your old friend Tozur, and decide that your best bet for finding information would be there, at this hall.
When you saw one of the signs for the event however, you quickly noticed that it was promising Devils, and that the event was titled "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold". Well, such a place is as good a place as any for information.
On your way to the event however, you ran smack into your old friend Tozur, almost literally. You two became like pea's in a pod, and walked together to the casino. It turns out that Tozur was in town to investigate the blot as well!
Once you got to the casino you joined the line for the event, and found yourself standing behind a human with a polearm, an elf, and of all things a duergar. Truly things are strange in Riddleport!
You guys have a bit to converse wtih each other from now, and when I feel some time has passed we will get you into the tournament! The line is moving a bit slowly, you see, because everyone is gawking at the casino!
A Primer on Riddleport Slang:
Many of Riddleport’s citizens have their own slang and jargon that they use in mixed company to hold conversations in front of others while not revealing what they’re actually talking about. Of course, in a city of thieves, the Thieves’ Cant loses much of its use, and over the years, the Cant has devolved into a wide collection of regional slang words that most folk pepper liberally (and without thinking) into everyday speech. Listed below are several of the more common bits of Riddleport Slang.
Abbess: A priestess or whore of Calistria
Bridge Monkey: Someone from Magnimar
Capp: A trusted lieutenant or henchman
Cattle: A group of Varisians
Cow: A Varisian
Church Work: Any lengthy job that is slow to finish or is otherwise drudgery
Dog Biter: A large rat, small child, or halfling
Earth Bath: An unmarked grave
Easy Lad: A male prostitute
Fancyboy/Fancygirl: A cyphermage (sometimes an elf )
Gendarme: A city guard
Grog-Blossom: A facial pimple, or an unsavory person
Hushman: A hired killer, generally one kept on semipermanent retainer
Kiss: To stab someone—“Kissed the snickersnak” is a phrase used to mean “Got murdered”
Laced Mutton: A prostitute (gender neutral)
Leaky: Someone who can’t keep a secret (“Don’t tell him about the heist—he’s leaky!”)
Lumber: A passenger on a ship (typically an unwanted or unwelcome passenger)
Pigeon: A person targeted by a criminal to be the victim of a crime, or a person that visits a prostitute
Pigmeat: A dead body, or someone who is about to become dead
Pump-Sucker: A dwarf (particularly one who works at the Gas Forges)
Quickwife: A female prostitute
Rathole: The mouth (especially a mouth that belongs to someone who is saying unwelcome things)
Rotgut: Liquor (particularly foul-tasting liquor)
Sideshow: A tiefling
Snickersnak: A small knife that can be easily hidden on a person’s body
Soaker: A priest of Cayden Cailean
Soggy Plum: A drunk
Whisker: A wererat
I have not seen anything about specific languages or skills mentioned. Its a port city so its pretty diverse, even if its full of pirates.
I could be doing this wrong, but I've got 12 (1d12, max at first level)+3 (from Con.) +1 (favored class). Is that right?
Nope thats right, for some ass reason I was thinkin you had a d10 haha. I am not all here today, brain is fried from work yaya me.
Just noticed you didn't list what favored bonus you took at level 1 though. Can ya throw that someone under like abilities or something? That way I dont do this again haha.
Fixed the skills, HP are right below all the AC stuff, encumbrance is under equipment. You are absolutely right about my thought process on the skills. I remember thinking that what I did was wrong, but I guess I didn't fix it. The two perform skills are really there for flavor, so I don't know if I'll ever drop a rank into them.
How does your Hitpoints reach 16? I can't figure it out. Everything else looks fine though.
You can modify that stuff as long as you can afford it.
I just realized the lack of healing as well. Guess no one likes to be the healz. Whats funny is Group 1 has no healing either. Their only "healer", just like yours, did not take Cure Light Wounds.
Alright time for me to go through everyone's sheets with a fine tooth comb for a Final Check (I have yet to do this so lets get crackin)
Group 1:
Daze (Rogue):
Approved, you are clear. I should know, I helped build the damn character haha
Khun-duhn (Psionic Warrior):
Completed Background needed and if you are going to connect yourself to Dzae need details on that. Beyond that, clear
Trista (Inquisitor):
Approved, Clear, ect ect
Tozur (Magus):
2 Things: 1 You are missing your description (not background though!) and 2, can you put your class skills on your sheet somewhere. Its just a personal thing I like to see. Otherwise, your good to go.
Marcellus Alazario (Fighter):
Approved thanks to Stuffage.
Group 2:
Edgar Price (Bard):
How much GP do you have left?
Can you do your encumbrance?
Can you list your bardic abilities, uses per day, ect?
Nichelle (Ninja):
Your good to go, Approved, Ect
Iluna (Godling):
Your skills dont add up:
3 per level
Acrobatics +4
Perception+4
Perform (Oratory) +4
Perform (Singing) +4
Stealth +4
So 2 of these have a bonus they should not have. I assume you are thinking that because Perform becomes a class skill that it gains the +3 Bonus, which is not the case. You still have to put a rank into it for it to get the +3 Trained bonus. If this is the case, you would only have a +1 to each Perform.
Where is your HP? Where is your Favored Class Bonus?
Otherwise you look fine.
Tragershen (Wizard):
Clear, Approved, Ect ad Naseum
Alexander Fellblade (Fighter):
Sort out the background and connection with Edgar.
And does Hero Lab not print out Encumberance? Cause I kinda want that somewhere on the sheet
Group 2:
Edgar Price (Bard) (Approved)
Nichelle (Ninja) (Approved)
Iluna (Godling) (Needs a bit more of a fleshed out background and appearence)
Tragershen (Wizard) (Approved)
Alexander Fellblade (Fighter) (Work in Progress)
I will get Group 1 started as soon as I can, its a bit hectic right now at work. We had 2 callouts, and 1 person on vacation, which means my ass gets to do 3 times as much work as normal. YAY ME >.>
