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No need for the apologies, its clear I've been a bit behind recently as well! Moved over the last week, been taking me time to adjust/situate myself while still maintaining the ol' 8-5. Things are settling, should be back in the groove this weekend! Can't wait to get back to this game!
Yeah, Upstate New York + Boston haven't had that same warmth ;) Glad to know things are getting better, Hal, no worries if it takes some extra time. I am on a bus now returning home, likely won't get back in until past midnight. Expect a post tomorrow, likely late afternoon, all!
Starting a week-long vacation and heading to upstate New York this week - my posting here will be erratic at best until next Sunday. Stay warm everyone, Spring is almost really with us!
Post should be coming up late tomorrow, will keep everyone up to date if plans change!
Tapping into her inner psychic energies, Halcyon holds the letter in front of her. Eyes blank, the oracle spies brief insights into the letter's history. Letter’s Content (refresher):
Halcyon: The first brief moment you see has a man’s hands writing the letter in a dimly lit room. As he drags the pen over the paper, the grooves of the wood distort his words slightly. He bends the paper in thirds, and it disappears into an extra-dimensional space.
The second scene is at the warehouse, though before the auction took place. Augustine directs the staff as they set up chairs and the food. Nearby, behind the counter, the bartender nearly slips. He looks at his feet, leans down, and picks up a sealed envelope. Quickly, as if to hide his mistake, he brushes his footprint off. Then, he nods to two of the staff nearby stuffing papers into identical envelopes, waving the one he found. “Think you’ve dropped one, friends.”
Busy day at PAX today, post should be up tomorrow!
And with that we are back! Raphael is likely away and without network, so I can play catch-up with him later. For now, let's wrap up the scene / the rest of your character's day. Feel free to use the rest of the day however you wish after you are done with the auction house scene. You likely have enough to time reach out to any known NPCs, perform some actions should you need to.
You know, I'm not too sure myself, Ember. I've been saying it "Kam-Pree." Not quite sure, he was supposed to die (pretty explicit in the book) but you all did well distracting the doctor. Yeah, three doppelgängers will be quite the task. Luckily you know what two of them look like! Oh wait...
One more day, that's all I should need! Started on the post but a friend had a bad break-up and I had a free shoulder that I offered to be leaned on. Look for it maybe around 10PM tomorrow night, assuming all goes well!
Post will likely be up tomorrow evening! Thank you all for your patience!
Thanks for letting us know, Raphael, we might need to make a couple adjustments to the plan for that, but luckily things will be going into individual downtime shortly and that shouldn't affect everything too much. We might need to do some lightning fast catch up when you come back. The alias caught me off guard, I was briefly wondering why Marcus would focus on Bellerose and not Beatrice until I realized it was you, Raph.
At this point in time, everyone can advance officially to fifth level.
I should be easing back into posting by the end of this week. I'll likely do some sort of wrap up and push towards getting back into a downtime scenario to gain some steam on. If you have any final goals or things to do (talk to anyone remaining, investigating either active scene, et cetera) let me know via PM so we can move forward as cleanly as possible.
I appreciate the heads up, Raphael! So I am going to put this game on a brief hiatus, as I try to catch up with some life events. It will likely go until late-February. I've recently had some changes in the job situation as of late (good changes, but burdensome ones) that have me unable to post reliably. If you share some other games with me, you've probably noticed this inactivity across a few of my games. Over this week, I had to drop a game I was playing due to these changing time restraints. This game (both as my first PBP and as a homebrew campaign) is very important to me, and I want to do everything I can to maintain it until some sort of rightful conclusion with you all. I am hoping with a week or two to get everything in order I'll be able to return to DMing in a way that fits my schedule and is good for you all. I'll keep you posted as the gears start turning and this train starts rolling.
Post incoming tomorrow! Thank you all for your patience!
I'd say that any characters leaving won't arrive until just after the combat ends. It would take a minute to get there, and these events are happening more or less congruently. It also makes it so you all are less able to interfere with your new fifth level abilities. In the meantime, Evelynn, Estelle, Beatrice, Lucia, and Sinclair are still around. I'd allow a short conversation with one of them prior to entering that we can conduct now.
Sorry for the late update, this one proved longer than I expected, and my week shorter than I anticipated. Please forgive any grammar mistakes - I think I've found most of them in my post-posting round of edits, but these posts now have me a bit past the usual time I head to bed.
Augustine dashes to the stairs, reaching out from them to touch Guillaumine briefly on the shoulder. “C’mon! Kill it, hurry!” With the host’s touch, Guillaumine feels a surge of energy, feeling, rather, believing that she can take on this plant.
Jean-Christophe lingers on the stage, though does not wait to act. With the last of his divine energy, he heals those nearby himself. As his prayers are vocalized, Guillaumine’s bones are healed, and some of the spymaster’s wounds stitch together.
Jean-Christophe’s divine magic also heals the assassin vine. Across the plant, small buds form, previously cut from the plant. Despite this, the vine continues to attempt to hurt the doctor.
Despite it's best efforts, the Assassin vine untangles itself from the doctor. As it writhes on the floor, it once more begins to crawl towards Guillaumine. Previous Rounds: Round Two (bolded are up!)Round One
Raphael gives his opinion, agreeing with the dwarf and ratfolk’s identification of the vine. “The species isn’t local. Murgleis may have the rare specimen, but much more common in Tizona. Transporting an assassin vine would be quite the dangerous affair.” Raphael:
Let us say you know of the Ecology, and Special Abilities listed in the Assassin Vine entry. In addition, you know this to be a smaller specimen than the average Assassin vine.
Initiative:
Surprise Round + Round One Combat Rolls:
for
The vine loosens from the spymaster, until finally, it is free of the elf entirely. Vine wrapped around her, Guillaumine tumbles off the stage, falling onto her shoulder. Quickly, the plant attacks the doctor, lashing out at her, twisting her around the ground by her arm. Surprise Round
The doctor's bones feel as though they are breaking as the small plant focuses it's attention onto her. Released from the spymaster, the plant shows little hesitation to attempt to maim Guillaumine, quite uncharacteristic from what has been seen thus far. The doctor struggles vainly in order to free herself. Round One
To Raphael: Watching the scene unfold, you cannot help but think that the Doctor intended to trip and fall. Why she did this, however, you haven’t an idea. She appears in very real pain at the moment.
Preparing for an upcoming post, should be up in the next few hours assuming no distractions pop up.
Raphael cuts the last string, careful not to agitate the assassin vine. With the vine largely distracted by Guillaumine, the lawyer is able to make the final cut without causing an injury to the spymaster. Only a few stray branches wrap around Luc Gardinier’s organs, and most dance through his intestines rather than his heart or lungs. All in all, considering what’s been done to him and what’s been inside him for Gods know how long, the spymaster seems set to make a recovery. Provided that he isn’t further harmed during the removal of the vine, the doctor is confident that he will survive this encounter. Jean-Christophe breathes a sigh of relief, but stares at the plant still with concern. “We need it away from the Spymaster, he is at death’s door already.” Augustine focuses away from the surgery, instead pivoting to Reyes to check up on the bomb. "She could've handled it, you needn't endanger yourself like that. What'll happen to that when you let go, huh? Did you think that far ahead?" Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable).
Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs.
The assassin vine further stretches up the Dwarf’s arm, reaching her shoulder. It seems the branch has extended as far as it can. As it’s creeping slows, it begins to tug and squeeze Guillaumine.
By some combination of miracle, magical enhancement, and a practiced, honed hand, Guillaumine manages to cut the string that pulled a branch towards the spymaster’s heart. Now free, it loosens slightly, though remains intertwined with his veins and arteries. Liberated, the heart begin to pound, his pulse strengthening in its freedom. The vine slacks, expanding from a tight knot in his center mass to a loosened, tangle that begins to curl out from his body towards Guillaumine. A single thread is now all that binds the assassin vine to the spymaster, pulling a tendril towards Luc’s left ribcage. Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable).
Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs. For Guillaumine:
You may attempt to make an escape artist check to get the vine off, or another check or action to do it should it be reasonable. With it’s newfound sway over you, the vine is imparting a -15 penalty to your heal checks made as part of the surgery.
Y'know, huh, I don't have a good response for that one, Marcus. Sorry about the delay again, all. The pre-semester rush of everyone wanting to have everything perfect before classes begins is putting a huge strain at work, and I only get a couple hours each night after the subway and putting some food together. Been picking up my games slowly, hoping to have this up and running again properly either tomorrow night or Friday. I'll keep you all posted, but I should be able to hold myself to that one.
Happy New Year all! I'm afraid I jinx'd it by saying something, but getting a post up tomorrow is my first goal for the New Year. Halcyon's card readings have been surprisingly on-point these last two years, so long as the cards drawn aren't "The Liar," "The Sickness," and "The Betrayal," I'd be honored!
Post should be up tomorrow! Compared to the rest of this winter vacation time, I have a surprisingly free New Year's Eve!
Sorry about the delay, everyone, the post-finals season is when our workload picks up like crazy. Going to be a brief pause for family and vacation until a bit after the third. Might be able to get something up if a day frees up, but we will see. Everyone have a happy holidays, and if I don't make a post before it happens, a wonderful new year :)
While the doctor cuts a string secured to Luc’s rib, the branch around her wrist crawls up her arm, and wrestles her movements. Free, the emaciated branch slithers back, joining the tangled mass at the spymaster’s stomach. The Doctor’s arm jerks in place, struggling to remain still and keep a steady hand. When the vine pulls, she can feel it at her shoulder, and when it constricts, it brings a sharp pain to her wrist that extends to her elbow. Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable).
Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs. for Guillaumine:
You may attempt to make an escape artist check to get the vine off, or another check or action to do it should it be reasonable.. With it’s newfound sway over you, the vine is imparting a -10 penalty to your heal checks made as part of the surgery.
If Halcyon can use skills from he new occultist class, she could get an instant weal or woe reading on going through the looking glass. Yes. Additionally, you have that new spell list to work off of. Sorry I didn't get to responding too this earlier. Half my games I am now caught up with and ready to keep playing, hopefully will make it 3/4 by the end of tonight with this.
Sorry about leaving unannounced, I'm recovering from a small crisis (hopefully quarter-life and not midlife!) that happened during the Thanksgiving weekend, and haven't been able to justify spending time that wasn't at work or with family. Things have mostly returned to normal, I'll be trying to play catch up this next week for all my games, starting with the ones I am a player in. I aim to get the ball on this back rolling by Wednesday. Again, I really can't apologize enough, I should've made this known, I hope something like this doesn't happen in the future. On a good note, we may soon be a five-man party once more. You'll hear more from the player shortly, I hope :)
I was thinking about that. See d20pfsrd Hero Points page, as I'll be referring to the terminology in that article. Heroic Fortune is a strong spell, mostly as Hero Points can be spent in a myriad of ways. I'll allow it, but I will limit the uses of Hero Points as follows:
It took a minute for everyone to prepare their resources for the final stretch of the surgery. Verrill used his time to create an extract, handing the vial to Guillaumine, promising it to help steady her hand. Raphael and Jean-Christophe alternated prayers, preparing the doctor to the best of their abilities, and channeling their powers to mend some of the wounds of the spymaster. The bishop states he has all-but exhausted his spells and healing talents between the surgery and assisting those wounded by Pascal’s earlier assault. Raphael admits the same. As Guillaumine’s hand approaches the vine’s new lair, loose, thin branches creep towards her, knotting around her wrist as she begins the procedure. Collected and calm, the doctor’s focus was not marred by the vine’s slight interference on her operation. With a careful cut, the doctor cuts the first thread. The branch pulled by the string withdraws back towards the central cluster, loosening its grip over Luc’s liver. The rest of the assassin vine keeps its stranglehold on the spymaster. The vine’s grip tightens slowly on Guillaumine. Circulation somewhat strained, she can feel her quickening pulse on her wrist and numbing fingers. Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable).
Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs. Guillaumine:
You may attempt to make an escape artist check to get the vine off of you. With it’s current sway over you, the vine is imparting a -5 penalty to your heal checks made as part of the surgery.
You may attempt other rolls to free yourself provided they are logical and reasonable.
Post coming tomorrow! I wanted to post yesterday, but my entire 9+ hour bus-ride was without a wireless connection due to a broken cellular receiver on the bus. If everyone could update their character profile with their fifth level choices (skills, spells, class features, HP et cetera), it would be much appreciated. Shortly, I'll be introducing a Google Spreadsheet consisting of skill rolls and saves I'd like you all to fill in for your characters. It'll help save me some time when writing some posts. I'll keep you all posted to that as I roll it out. Now that my Thanksgiving break is over, I should be able to go to a twice/thrice weekly posting schedule. Thank you all for your patience this past week and a half :)
Behind the Screen:
While initially stunned at the turn of events, the bishop begins another prayer when Guillaumine asks. The doctor looks for the string that anchors the vine inside of the spymaster. The thin twine, soaked thick in blood, appears almost natural within the body. Guillaumine counts three of them, one twisting around his lower right rib, another pulling a large vine towards his heart, and a third tight string by his collar. Raphael points out a fourth, a nearly hidden string that pulls a smaller branch back towards the spymaster's spine. The troll oil stops the bleeding. Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fragile, Stable).
Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs.
“An exchange of information for my safety!” he replies to Seth, “a trade I am willing to make.” As Gaston approaches with rope in his hands, Tuner offers his arms forward with a smile. He returns back to Seth’s question. “Defending it, of course, though mostly to buy time, friend. Our fellows have likely long since escaped, several hops out, I’d wager. Fruitless to follow, I’d say.” Gaston ties the man’s wrists together tightly, ushering a sharp cry from the prisoner Mako barks. He sniffs, looking around the warehouse, spending a few moments by each crate repurposed as a seat. The dog barks a few times more. . To Halcyon: The mirror seems to still be active. It can be used as a portal to the realm between mirrors, and thus other mirrors in the vicinity. The three thugs carry mundane gear, not even having potions on their person.
Whoever these people are, it seems that their regular number aren’t too well equipped.
Mako sniffs around, barking out a “no,” though continues to follow his nose. “Smoke, sweat, beer, chemicals. Many smells, many people..”
At this point, everyone sans Gill can advance to 5th level. When the surgery is done, you too will advance, Good Doctor.
I'll be getting a post up late tonight, I have a long bus trip and should be able to write a word or two.
Noted above, I accidentally mistook the damage roll as the attack roll. I will adjust the narrtive as I post later on tonight.
I'm going to make the executive GM decision here and try to limit what we say about politics here on this discussion board. It's been a long week, no matter which way you voted at a local/state/national level. I wish I could have mustered up the energy to make a proper post, but I've felt rather drained these past few days, though not just because of this exhausting election. This campaign has a LOT to do with nationalism, national identity, classism and racism. Those are the main themes of the game, and I think I've at least touched upon all of them in some way, and soon, they will play even more prevalence in the story. There are both a strong left-wing/right-wing factions, neither which can be labelled "good" or "bad" here. Even further, your character is not an extension of your political views, I want to make that clear here, that no matter your political allegiance, as long as it is in character, it is accepted. When Raphael was still a player, he was planned to have a large role in shaping the country's stances in many regards through his court cases. While perhaps not known to all, his character was fairly state-aligned, and the conflict that brought to the party is one of the reasons I chose him. Everyone, however, is to play a part in shaping their country: that was and remains a main focus of the game. Halcyon's major clientelle, and how she advises them, have already made some changes to the story. Who Guillaumine decides to assist (and equally important, who she doesn't) can have a huge affect on those in the city (and already both friends and enemies have been made for her). Marcus sees more of the every-man than anyone else, and can shape the average Roland person's mind (though I've yet to touch on this too much). Seth, while sometimes taking missions of those outside the city, will soon need to pick and choose which jobs are more important to him, and his involvement could mean saving or killing thousands depending on his interests. Let's try to keep the politics in-game, there are plenty here. I don't want to alienate anyone, I also want this game to be a place free of stress, and to keep Roland a fantasy away from reality for all of us. I'll have a post up these next couple days. Wish I could devote more time to you all, you are great players which I have GREATLY enjoyed playing with for almost two years now.
Combat Rolls, Public:
(dice+BAB+Dex+WF+Magic-Nonlethal-TWF+Flank)
With wit nearly as sharp as his blade, Marcus lunges forward with his rapier. Both his comment and weapon seem not to affect his foe, as renewed with confidence after his strike, the mace wielding man deflects the attack. Seth however, even using the blunt edge of his blade, returns a strike that send his foe reeling. The mace wielding man yells between grit teeth. He glares at the mirror. “Oi! ‘Nother blade by our side’ll be ‘preciated!” No response. Turning his attention to Marcus now, he pivots away from Vincent, closer to the mirror. The man grins widens as he lands the balled head on Marcus, crushing the Kitsune’s shoulder (). Inflated with his two successful blows, he calls to his ally behind him. “Hell with the Man, Tuner, two o’ us’ll give ‘em hell, aye?!” His ally seems less convinced of a victory. Again, he deliver a strike more attempting to ward off his assailants than anything else. Gaston is able to reach his target’s flank, though wasn’t afforded enough time to strike with his rapier. Had not the oracle been able to speak to the dog, Mako may have abandoned any tactical nature to join the battle. With her instruction, Mako guards Halcyon's front. Vincent, either cursed with misfortune or poor at taking people alive, fails to harm his foes. He takes a misses a cut at Tuner, only to take a quick step and fail to knock the back of the first thug’s head. Vincent seems to grow irked over his lack of success, dropping one knife to the ground, preparing to draw another. Previous Rounds:
Round One
Round Two
Round Three
Post coming tonight! I need something to distract me from the state of affairs! Hope everyone who voted could, regardless of opinions!
Guillaumine expertly drags her scalpel across the spymaster’s chest. Treated with troll oil, the wounds hardly bleed, after the initial cut. With a careful hand and assistance from Raphael, the doctor pulls back the skin, exposing the bulk of the assassin vine within. While the plant entangles with much of innards of Luc Gardinier, it is clear that there was external tampering to place a focus upon it’s interaction with Luc’s heart. Thin twine wrapped to his ribcage pull at one of the branches off the main vine, dragging it towards the organ. While the entangling branch chokes at the heart, its smaller branches twist at the arteries and valves, nearly making knots of his inside. The vine wraps around the spymaster’s liver with one of it’s smaller branches, climbing to his ribs and wrapping around it like ivy. “Gods,” Raphael murmurs, “you would think this would be enough. Why even bother with the bomb?” Patient Condition: Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable).
Patient’s heart, liver, and intestines are all grappled by the assassin vine. A timed Alchemist bomb with an unknown discovery on it has been placed within the tangled vine’s core. Active Ailments: Malnourished (Unhealable Non-lethal damage, fatigue), Ability Score Damage. Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs.
Vincent circles opponent, moving closer to the center of the battle. (dice+BAB+Dex+WF+Magic-Nonlethal-TWF)
Had the bodyguard not been trying to kill his target, perhaps his attack would've been successful. Previous Rounds:
Round One
Round Two (Bolded have acted)
Seth marches through boxes, Marcus mere steps behind him. Half a dozen boxes have been removed from the scaffolding to serve as seats around the central mirror. There were bits of clothes lying on the ground. Weapon sheathes leaning against containers, their blades elsewhere. The faint smell of spilt beer. There were more people here recently. There were three men, but only two remained after Vincent’s opening attack. Directly in front of Seth, a young man, maybe twenty, held a large, metal club in his hands.
The young man with the club glances at the mirror, then Seth, then back to the mirror. Taking a chance, he swings his weapon at the mercenary, landing a blow that dents Seth's armor, and nearly knocks the wind out of him. Almost surprised his attack managed to hit Seth, the man back up a couple steps as he taunts. "F-Fancy blade only fer show, ain't it?" Nervously moving toward Vincent, the other man, "Tuner" the was other called him, drops his bow and draws his shortsword.
Fearing Vincent after so quickly taking out their third, Tuner doesn't slice at the bodyguard so much as he tries to fend off Vincent's attacks. Halcyon grips her staff, making her way to the battlefield carefully. Mako growls behind her, lacking the composure to stay silent as the battle begins. Out of sight, muffled curses can be heard as Gaston tries to navigate the darkness to join Vincent's flank.
Work got a little crazy for me this week, things should begin to return to normal for me by Thurday or Friday. I'll see if I can get something by tomorrow, but if not, Friday is what I am aiming for.
A scream gives away Vincent’s assault. While the start of a loud curse word rings through the warehouse, it is quickly silenced by the bodyguard’s second attack. Round One (bolded have acted)
Update coming likely tomorrow night or Saturday afternoon!
Guillaumine: The gently moving mass inside Luc resembles an assassin vine, a carnivorous plant that can animate nearby plant life and gathers nutrients from corpses. You recall that the plant is generally much larger than what is within the spymaster, and it typically less passive than the specimen before you.
With a glance, you notice that it seems that the vine has been carefully pruned, the hand-shaped leaves missing, removed from the tangled plant.
Behind the Screen:
Patient Condition:
Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable). Taken 1 lethal during surgery.
Active Ailments: Malnourished (Unhealable Non-lethal damage, fatigue), Ability Score Damage. Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs. Guillaumine begins the surgery, bringing the scalpel to Luc’s abdomen. The dwarf drags the blade against the flesh, slightly to the elf's left, not quite a midline incision. The bishop is quick with the troll oil: the body hardly bleeds. Raphael, using the doctor’s retractors, parts the flesh. A cluster of bloodied vines tangle amidst a mess of intestines and organs. While the cut only provides a small window into Luc, it is clear that whatever it is, it alive, reacting to the light as the spymaster’s innards are revealed. The roots twist, wringing the intestines, smaller vines pulling organs closer to it’s core. Thin threads seem to pull parts of the vine to certain organs: strings pulling towards the appendix, the small intestine, some reaching up out of sight, perhaps to the liver, lungs, or the heart. It appears to be a strange trellis for the vine. It is difficult to discern what is the spymaster and what is this implanted object. So deeply rooted with the viscera, the vine almost appears like a strange organ in its own way. Were the vines not slowly curling, entwining deeper to his insides, perhaps it would even trick an untrained onlooker. The ratfolk alchemist, sickened, jokes as he prepares the medication. "Ah, he, um, must've swallowed a black seed?"
Main Objective:
Safely remove implanted object with Luc Gardinier
Side Objective(s): ??? Patient Condition:
Patient Status: Unconscious (Fighting Off Death, Stable)
Active Ailments: Malnourished (Unhealable Non-lethal damage, fatigue), Ability Score Damage. Active Medication: Troll Oil (Automatically Stabilizes, 50% chance to end a bleed effect each round), Various pain reliefs. Guillaumine prepared to make the opening incision. Never before had she used her equipment on such an affluential person. The spymaster! A councilman!
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