GM Loup Blanc's page

Having found a doorway in, the scouting team sends for the others to meet them, and those who stayed behind with the speeder move along the same hidden route. Tal Passik eagerly comes along, his fingers clearly itching toward his weapons--spoiling for a fight. Joran begins working on the door, but the systems are old and many of the components are corroded; Jal steps in to help, and between the two of them, the locking mechanism is undone. The team pushes open the door as quietly as they can, and step inside as Vintressa confirms she's in position on a rooftop.

The interior of the building is dark and grimy, and the unmistakable scents of decay and disuse hit you like a wall. The door opens immediately onto a narrow corridor, almost certainly once used for maintenance. A few tiny creatures skitter away as you enter, dropping through the vents in the hatched floor or slipping into cracks in the walls. Old lighting systems struggle to come on as sensors notice your entrance, but most of them are broken, and the few that work flicker to dim life, barely illuminating anything beneath a coat of dust. It's unlikely that the lighting extends beyond this entrance, even if it's working, so it doesn't spoil your stealthy approach.

The corridor itself extends some twenty meters in each direction before turning inward toward the buliding's front. There are a pair of doors on either side of the corridor, all of them shut. Trevan can tell that the living beings he sensed wouldn't be in one of these rooms; they're in the main floor of the warehouse. Neither of the standing figures has moved.

Alright folks, apologies for the delay. I was also waiting to see if Rajuna had anything to say, but for now we'll move forward.

The Sheriff thanks the heroes for their assistance and willingness, and takes his leave, the goblin bouncing on his shoulder like a sack. The rest of the evening is spent cleaning up from the attack: setting things back to rights, carting corpses out of town or dumping them off the cliff, and mentally recovering from the peril. The people of Sandpoint are hardy and cheerful, though, and by nightfall the worst of the attack seems well over. At the Rusty Dragon, the nightly supper sees several townsfolk recount humorous moments from the attack; the crowd roars with laughter when one of the stable boys describes a goblin leaping from the roof only to impale itself on a pitchfork. There's pain lingering, for sure, but Sandpoint is still standing and, for the most part, quite well.

- - - - -

The 23rd of Rova

The next morning, those heroes staying at the Rusty Dragon come down to the main room to find Sheriff Hemlock waiting for them. He waves each of you over and offers to pay for your meals. "It's the last I can do, seeing as I'm about to ask for your help," he says. Very little of the mirth that spread back over the town the night before has lasted with this man; the smile he tries is more a grimace, and it quickly fades.

Those not staying at the Rusty Dragon are met by a member of the town guard in the morning, knocking at their door and waiting outside. They inform you that Sheriff Hemlock would like to speak with you at the Rusty Dragon Inn, and he expressed that it was a matter of some importance. They also somewhat uncomfortably admit they were ordered to accompany you there, unless you have pressing reasons not to attend.

I'll leave it here for now, so for your posts, feel free to describe whatever you do the evening after the attack, and describe your waking and anything you say or do on your way to the meeting. (Or, I suppose, you could dismiss the request.)

Alright, I was waiting to see if Callum had any input, but it's been over a week, so I'll keep this going. Sorry it immediately took this long! Last week was kind of nuts, but it looks like smooth sailing for the next couple weeks (even if that means fewer hours and less pay).

From their vantage point, the team hatches a plan and starts to enact it. Alaric, Jal, and Joran break off to sneak around the building, seeing if there isn't a back entrance they can use for a more subtle way in. Callum, Trevan, and Tal Passik hang back by the speeder; Trevan reaches out into the Force to try and detect anyone within the building, and Tal and Callum keep an eye out for potential trouble. Vintressa, meanwhile, says she's moving to an overwatch position, from which she can provide more information on the surroundings and lay down covering fire as needed.

Alaric, Jal, and Joran creep into an alley and approach the building as best they can, staying low and moving from cover to cover. At first it seems they may be out of luck, but near the other end of the building's rear, tucked into a dingy alley with barely any lighting--any fixtures that were once mounted are long gone or broken--is a plain durasteel door. It was probably a maintenance entrance, not even intended for regular personnel, but it's out of the way. The only question is whether it's secured. (Gonna need a Mechanics roll to get inside.)

Trevan opens his mind to the Force and probes at the warehouse, trying to see whether anyone is within. It takes some time, effort, and focus, but eventually he can sense beyond the thick walls of the building. There are four living beings inside: two standing, and two lying on the floor. Both of the standing figures have a vague sense of danger and darkness about them, but it's fleeting and weak--they aren't trained in the Force, and probably aren't even sensitive to its power. One of the lying people, however, has an aura of malevolence about them, a tinge of the Dark Side. It isn't powerful, not even as strong as a newly accepted Sith apprentice, but it is clear that this person is sensitive to the Force and full of dark emotions.

As far as potential trouble, none of the group notices anything out of the ordinary or dangerous. This district is run-down, but the rumbling of machinery is still present, and the occasional whine of a personal speeder is heard--usually from a street or two over, and none seem to approach the team's location.

Alright all, sorry again about the absence and delays. There were a number of factors--I've been in a weird place mentally, partly from having a new job with attached training that was draining on a few levels. That said, I think I'm good now, and should be for a while, so posting will hopefully be much more regular and better paced!

"Leader?" Sheriff Hemlock snorts at Efanydd's suggestion, but he steps toward Matoska and the goblin nonetheless. "I'm not sure I'd assume that just yet, but it's worth asking, anyway. We've got a couple of others, too. Between them, we might get a story that makes some sense." His tone is more than a little doubtful, but he gestures for the Shoanti to hand him the unconscious brute.

At the heroes' offers to assist in interrogating the goblin, Hemlock pauses for a moment, then shakes his head. "No, I think we'll be alright. I can't say I can hold a conversation in their language, but I know enough to ask the right questions and tell when I have an answer. And frankly, while you've done this town a service, I don't know most of you from this bastard." He gestures to the goblin; if he feels at all bad about the implication or rudeness of his simple truth, he doesn't show it. "As far as torture, well, I don't go that far in my work, and neither do any of my men." He gives a thin smile. "Like I said, I know enough of their language to do my job."

Then the Sheriff folds his arms and regards the party. "Although... I don't need your aid in questioning these goblins, but you've proven yourselves good folk, and capable. If I do need any help in making sure this is all wrapped up, you'll be the first I get in touch with."

Not really any more to add at the moment, although I do like the miniature debate that occurred up above--particularly that most of it was in Goblin. For here, just let me know if your characters want to do anything in particular today, otherwise just give me a post in Discussion that you're good to move to the next day. As far as Foxglove goes, he wasn't actually suggesting dinner tonight; he was hoping you'd come see him in a day or two. Of course, if anyone asks about dining with him this evening he'll graciously accept!

Okay folks, let's try and breathe some life back into this. I'm hopeful that things will settle down for a bit on my end and I'll have a more steady posting rate.

With only some hesitation, the SOE team decides that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, and Jal looks around the area for a speeder to boost. He finds a vehicle that will do the trick and doesn't have anyone immediately around, and within a few minutes he's back to the team and ready to go. The speeder isn't large or luxurious by any standards--finding something like that in this neighborhood is unlikely, considering most have already been stolen--but it fits the team and Tal Passik, and it fits into the Undercity well enough to not draw too much attention.

The trip to the warehouse is fairly uneventful, if a tad depressing for those unused to the dark and dirt of Coruscant's slums. Where there aren't glowing signs inviting people in to burn out their credits on vices, there's grime and dirt and hardship. The speeder passes more than one individual on a street corner who looks like they're soliciting clients, and one alley holds a group of grimy citizens squatted over a collection of odds and ends. As the speeder passes, a Jawa looks up and lets out a string of what are probably curses, judging by the raised fist it shakes--and behind its back, several items are pocketed by the others before they disperse down the alley.

Finally, the team pulls up about a block down from the warehouse where they suspect a meet may be planned. It doesn't look notably different from the other buildings around: all durasteel and duracrete, hulking and plain. There aren't even any windows built into the structure--not that they'd have let much light in to begin with. A couple of large doors are visible, the type that might be used for loading shipping speeders, but they're closed tight and likely locked--and in the Dacho District, any warehouse worth its contents has shipping doors nearly as strong as military blast doors.

The personnel entrances, on the other hand, are necessarily less secure, although they're usually locked and alarmed... at least when the building is in use and kept up. This one certainly looks abandoned, given the graffiti and dirt on its walls.

What now, folks? Feel free to make skill checks and/or ask questions about the warehouse and the surrounding area if you like. I can tell you that it's certainly not all by itself on a street--there are plenty of other buildings around. There also aren't a lot of people on the street that you can see, and none seem to be loitering specifically outside of this warehouse.

Hopefully it will gain momentum, yeah. My apologies for disappearing again--it happened for a number of reasons. I'd like to get this going again as soon as I can, although that may not happen for a day or two. Sorry for the continual slow pace, and here's hoping it changes soon.

"Good to meet you." Foxglove turns to smile at Efanydd, but his gaze returns to Sandra soon enough. "Yes, I came for the Festival. Nice to see some sights and be part of such a celebration, I thought. And then this excitement, well! I can't say I'm too sorry it happened, though." He smiles nervously and blinks as he looks away, as if suddenly very interested in the surroundings. "Good to hear you can meet me! Wonderful. I'm looking forward to it very much."

Shortly after Matoska ties up the tougher goblin and hoists it to his shoulder, wondering what to do with it, there's a call from the southern road. The heroes turn to see Sheriff Hemlock approaching, his sword sheathed once more and spatters of goblin blood across his clothing. He nods as he sees that everyone seems more or less well, and his eyes come to rest on the goblin's body. "That one alive? Good. Bring it to the jail, I'm going to see if I can't learn something about all this. Town seems cleared up for now, we've driven off the little bastards. Most of them fled south, some went up to Junker's Cliff and jumped off. Stupid, but saved us some work." He looks around at the other corpses and sighs. "Gorvi'll have his work cut out for him. My thanks for your help."

Ah, right. To get to the club, you took a speeder provided by your contacts with the SOE, probably a Constabulary vehicle to fit your cover. You could raise comms to call for another one, or flag down a taxi speeder, or even try to steal commandeer one if you like. A call to base wouldn't require a roll but it would add some extra time, and potentially be quite conspicuous depending on what kind of vehicle you ask for.

The Dark Side presence was in another direction, yes; the rendezvous point/warehouse you've identified is nowhere near that location. Also, I forgot to mention that if you want a speeder you'll need to tell me how you're going about getting one--could be as simple as trying to hail a cab or calling for one, or you might do something else. Whatever it is, give me a plan and a roll!

With only one goblin standing, the heroes move in to surround the creature. Rajuna casually drops down to finish off the goblin dog, while Gao delivers a powerful open-hand punch to the goblin, who reels on his feet but doesn't drop just yet. Matoska follows up with his own unarmed strike, a mighty kick that catches the goblin in the chin; it teeters on its feet, and finally collapses, sprawled out on the ground with its weapon clattering to the side. The group breathes easy for a few moments in relative silence--the sounds of danger elsewhere are all but gone, and it's clear even from this position that the worst of the gobiln raid is over.

Then there's a cheer and clapping from nearby. Anyone who turns sees a thin-faced man in somewhat foppish clothing, who's come out of his hiding spot behind the barrels. A wide, nervous grin is on his face, and he glances about as though expecting more goblins to appear from thin air even as he approaches. As he nears the group, though, he positively beams, and almost looks to be bouncing on his feet.

"Heroes! Heroes of Sandpoint and saviors of my life! What marvels you are." He grins, his eyes sweeping across the group and coming to rest on Shara. "Especially a mage of such skill and grace! A stunning voice and a mastery of phantasm. Who might have guessed that such beauty could also possess the mystical skill to so masterfully control a fight? How much greater are the strong warriors when they have such a muse at their side." He sweeps into a bow, his feathered hat flourishing off in one hand. "Aldern Foxglove, your humble servant. Words cannot describe my deep debt to you."

When he stands, the man suddenly looks nervous again for a moment, and licks his lips as he looks across the group. "Ah. I'm in town for a few more days, actually, staying at the Rusty Dragon? I would be honored if you would meet me there. The chance to talk with heroes such as yourselves would be incredible, and I could more fully reward you for, ah, saving my life?" He smiles and nods.

The human catches Jal's second credstick with a nod and a grin, and he quickly rejoins the other thugs while the team huddles to discuss things. Jal reflects on what he knows of the Barons and their turf in the area; he's been out of the loop for a little while, but HoloNet access is a wonderful thing for catching up. The warehouse is just beyond the edge of Loyal Barons territory, but that effectively puts it in a no-man's-land where the various nearby gangs muscle for control. The Barons are definitely the most dangerous gang in that mix, although the other two who might be eyeing the area--Kaul's Spikes and the Deader Crew--are nothing to sneeze at. It isn't open warfare in the streets, at least from what Jal's heard, but it's certainly the sort of environment where that could erupt at any moment.

For his part, Tal Passik listens in and nods as the team plans their moves, one hand resting on his blaster's grip. "Alright. We going by foot, or do you officers need a speeder?"

Ups and downs to both. It'd take about an hour to get there on foot, assuming you hustle and take some shortcuts through alleys and the like--I'll handwave knowing where those are given the team's makeup and skills. The speeder is quicker, but definitely more noticeable.

Actually, not to steal Matoska's thunder, but the goblin is still standing after Gao's hit, since he had to move more than five feet to reach it. You got a live one, lads!

"What was strange? How about they dropped out the window of a kriffing nightclub?" The human seems bewildered by Hugo's question. "That and they had two big bags or something with 'em. Like I said, we thought they was robbing the place. Although they didn't exactly look like the robbing type. Feeorin was real big. Maybe that's the point, though."

The thug looks at Jal and thinks for a moment--he seems to be weighing something, probably whether to try and get more creds out of the "constables" or not. After a couple seconds he reaches a decision and exhales heavily. "Well, now you mention it, I think Trig mentioned something funny about them bikes. Trig, what was it?"

The Rodian turns back to the team. "They looked like Baron swoops. I think I saw a Baron riding one of the orange one the other day."

The human raises a hand, as if to say, There you go. "There you go," he says aloud. "Bright orange and a Baron's bike. Can't ask for more than that from upstanding citizens like ourselves." He points down the alley; the direction lines up with the footprints Joran found and leads roughly towards the probably rendezvous point. "They took of that way, swung into the next alley across the way. Seemed like they was in a hurry."

The heroes seize on their momentum, continuing to bring the attack to the goblins. Shara raises her hand and unleashes another spray of prismatic energy, targeting the mounted goblin and its mount. The goblin itself shakes its head and seems unfazed by the spell, but its "dog" doesn't fare so well; its legs quiver, and then it collapses to the side, unconscious. The goblin rolls free and comes to a kneel, its polearm raised, and then Efanydd hits it with his own spell. The weapon wavers as the goblin sways on its feet, aware but confused and unready to attack.

Perspicacious Gao, beset by three goblins, retaliates against the one that injured him. His roundhouse kick catches the goblin's shoulder, crunching against the joint and causing its sword to clatter to the ground; his follow-up hit knocks the goblin alongside its weapon, falling senseless to the ground. At that moment, Rajuna dashes from his cover and slides behind one of the other goblins. It never sees the blade that sinks into its back, slicing through its heart and dropping it to the ground.

Finally, the aasimar once more move in more or less together, Matoska leading the way with a leaping knee strike that dazes the final standing goblin by Gao. As he lands on the far side, Uriel steps in behind, and his sword arcs through another goblin chest, ending the creature's life in one stroke.

The only remaining threat is the goblin with the polearm, still standing but dazed. Its eyes are unfocused, and it seems more or less unaware of its woeful predicament: its companions laid low, and its mount unconscious on the ground.

The party is up, although I doubt very much you'll have much trouble with this, seeing as there's one remaining goblin standing. Still, there's always a chance, so we'll play this out.

Okay, let's get this going again!

The human thug makes a pfft noise in dismissal of Alaric's threat, but the Rodian is quick enough to catch Jal's tossed credstick. They share a look, and the Rodian turns and walks back to the others while the human nods and leans against a wall. "Yeah, we seen something strange. Even given present company." He gives the group an up-down lookover and shrugs. "We was in this alley all night hangin' round. Don't ask what we was doin', 'coz I'm not gonna self-incrimplicate, officer. But we seen a couple strange fellas come out a window here, just drop out like poodoo. Had a couple swoops parked down the end there, big trunks on the back, like for moving something?" He shrugs again. "They come up and loaded something in 'em. That's when we decided to have a look-see, ask what was going on. Figured they was robbing the place and wouldn't want anyone blabbing about it, pay a little to keep us quiet, eh?"

He pauses then, and looks back at his comrades. Callum follows his gaze and picks out what the human's probably looking at: one of the thugs in the alley has a nice bruise across half his face that was probably put there earlier in the day, judging by the color. The human turns back with a frown. "Hope you're gonna bring them druks in. Walks there got in their face, and the kriffing Feeorin just lays him out with a punch. We don't need trouble like that walkin' round our streets, officers. Hope the law works out this time, eh?"

Alright, let's get this going again! It is indeed the enemy's action, and has been during my Internet and computer troubles. Also, I'll roll with it this time, but for future reference, keep in mind that surprise rounds aren't full rounds--you only get a single move or standard action. I'll treat it as if you guys just won initiative for this combat.

As the group witnesses the death of a faithful hound, they spring into action. Shara steps forward and unleashes a magic-fueled shriek, splitting the air; the mounted goblin clutches at its ears with a shout of its own, dazed by the assault. Unable to control its mount, it simply stays astride the creature as Matoska fires an arrow into the goblin dog's flank, earning a curious squealing howl from the beast. As Efanydd casts a protective spell, Gao dashes forward, sweeping low to strike a goblin with an open palm to the throat; the goblin gags and backpedals once before falling to its rear, coughing and stunned. The final two heroes prepare for the conflict--Rajuna slips into cover and begins prowling along the edge of the square, while Uriel steps forward and calls on divine power to aid him.

The remaining goblins on foot each chitter and move towards Gao, swarming the man who laid low one of their comrades. Only one manages to land a hit, slashing through one of the monk's sleeves to draw blood from his arm. The mounted goblin is still dazed in the saddle, but its mount wheels and rushes in to attack Matoska. The arrow in its flank seems to draw on its strength and speed, though, and the Shoanti steps back to avoid the snapping jaws.

The party is up! Gao, you take 2 damage.

And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.

Also sorry for the quiet week--my Internet's been giving me trouble all week, so I haven't really been able to get on or post at all. Hopefully I'll update later today.

Sorry for the delay--the last couple days of the trip were mostly on the road, and yesterday was my grandmother's birthday with accompanying dinner out.

When Alaric steps forward, a pair from the other group break off to meet him. It turns out to be a thuggish human with a scar across one cheek and a Rodian, both wearing the usual fashion for tough types in the Undercity, and each with a weapon on their hip--the Rodian has a blaster, while the human has a vibroblade. The human scoffs at Alaric's question, but he turns and listens to Jal when the crime lord steps forward--and eyes the credit chip with a sudden gleam of interest. "How 'bout you give us the chip first, then we talk what we seen or di'nt, eh?" The man's voice has the thick accent of the Undercity, but his interest is clear.

(Anyone who interacts further with these guys--beyond just giving them credits--can roll a new Persuasion check, or just aid Jal.)

Joran, meanwhile, begins searching outside the window for more clues. Soon enough he is able to find two pairs of footprints in the grime, caused by heavy steps--or someone dropping from a window to the ground. Following those prints, he finds another scant sign of passage, scraping in the dirt, headed down the alley toward the other opening--which would, indeed, be the way toward the Dacho District.

Sorry for the delays--final days of the trip were mostly on the road, and yesterday was my grandmother's birthday. Also, Sheriff Hemlock isn't present--he went elsewhere to deal with other threats--so I'll direct any comments toward him to Zantus, instead.

Father Zantus nods in gratitude as the party downplays their work so far, and he shakes his head at Efanydd's question. "There have been raids along the coast, harrying travelers. Occasionally a lone goblin or a small group try to steal something in the night, but no. Never anything like this." He pauses for a moment as he focuses on his holy symbol, and a burst of soft light and warmth spreads from him, enveloping each of the heroes.

Channel Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9 Anyone with wounds heals that much.

After his healing energy is released, Zantus looks around. "I should be alright here. I think the worst has passed, and I should begin searching for other townsfolk who may need my aid. Perhaps you should..."

Whatever Zantus was going to suggest is cut off by a shriek and sudden, frantic barking coming from north of the square, near the northern gate to town. The priest turns to look that way, and then back to the gathered warriors. "Go there! I need to stay here for wounded. Please, go!"

Normally right here I'd give you all a chance to talk and/or decide what to do, but because of the delay I'd rather move this along. Please forgive my assumption that your heroes will go check out the obvious sign that someone needs help.

As the six heroes round the corner of the White Deer Inn, they come into view of the town's North Gate and the scene taking place there. In the clearing before the gate, a burlier goblin sits atop a thin creature that looks like a cross between a rat and a dog; the rider wields a polearm similar to a halberd, but clearly made with improvised materials. This goblin is currently menacing an actual dog, which is crouched before it, tail and ears raised in aggression despite the wounds across its front. Nearby the heroes can just make out a thin man in a foppish hat cowering behind some barrels, watching with fearful eyes.

Even as the party takes in the scene, the dog snaps forward with its jaws, but it misses its foe, and the goblins seizes the opening. The polearm comes down and the dog's yelp is painfully short as the metal bites into its neck. As the hound drops, there's an anguished cry from the man behind the barrels, cut off by cheers from goblin voices--as four of the little brutes come out of their own hiding places, where they were doubtless cowering themselves due to the dog.

The party has surprise against this group of goblins, due to their focus on the combat and cheers afterwards. You're about fifty feet from them at the moment. Assume that between talking to Zantus and moving to this location, any minute-long buffs from the last fight have expired.

Following this round of belated updates--this week had some craziness, including my phone breaking--I'm letting you all know that I'm going on another trip, starting later today. This is very short-notice, I know, but I didn't know I was going until last night myself. My younger brother is still looking at colleges, but this trip also brings us near my older half-brother who I only get to see once in a great while. (Incidentally, he's the person who got me into RPGs in the first place.) His schedule happens to be open for one of the days of the trip, so I'm going along to get to see him.

Like I said, we're leaving later today, and I'll be back on this coming Tuesday. We're staying in hotels the whole time, so I SHOULD have wi-fi and time to post, but in case I don't, that's the reason why.

Following this round of belated updates--this week had some craziness, including my phone breaking--I'm letting you all know that I'm going on another trip, starting later today. This is very short-notice, I know, but I didn't know I was going until last night myself. My younger brother is still looking at colleges, but this trip also brings us near my older half-brother who I only get to see once in a great while. (Incidentally, he's the person who got me into RPGs in the first place.) His schedule happens to be open for one of the days of the trip, so I'm going along to get to see him.

Like I said, we're leaving later today, and I'll be back on this coming Tuesday. We're staying in hotels the whole time, so I SHOULD have wi-fi and time to post, but in case I don't, that's the reason why.

--Round 6--
Rajuna, that's honestly a house rule that I often use in Pathfinder, esecially for higher-powered games like this.

Rajuna spins as the last goblin he'd charged is cut down. The hunter focuses his eyes on the remaining enemy, the chanting spellcaster, and he leaps toward it with his knife in hand. His quick swipe surprises the goblin, and his dagger draws a thin slash across its ribs.

Across the square, Efan finishes a goblin with a casual stab of his rapier, and he quips about the creatures' habits and intellect. Sheriff Hemlock stares at him blankly for a few seconds, as though the elf were insane or a complete fool, and then he shakes his head and heads off down the alleyway, looking for any more trouble.

Matoska nods to the other warriors and also spins to attack the goblin spellcaster. Now ready for trouble, it cracks its whip out at the man, and the Shoanti feels a brief, sharp sting of pain as he leaps forward. It doesn't stop him, though, and his meaty fist strikes the goblin's stomach, causing it to grunt and nearly topple from its perch.

Then Uriel steps up, shaking his head clear from the mental assault--his divine blood and disciplined training steadying him against the gobiln's spell. Instead he steps forward with his sword swinging, and the goblin has barely time to shriek before its chest is opened by the sharp steel. It howls and clutches at its breast, and then collapses backwards into the fires of the wagon.

Finally, Shara and Gao move together to intercept one more goblin making its way toward Father Zantus, this one with a sausage between its teeth and a torch in hand. Gao's leap is overshot, but it distracts the creature long enough for Shara to plant her ranseur in its back. Sausage and torch fall to the ground, and the goblin itself soon follows.

There's a brief moment of rest in the square, with no visible threat beyond the burning wagon. Zantus hurries over and raises his hands with a chant, and streams of water appear as if from midair, pouring down on the flames. He looks to the six heroes still in the square and smiles. "Is anyone injured? I can heal you if you need."

Matoska, you take 1 point of nonlethal damage. Combat is over for now, so you can all post short conversations or such. It's obvious the overall attack on the town isn't over, but things seem to have gotten a bit quieter, and you're all getting a breather.

Sounds like you're ready to move on.

Having found everything they could in the suite, the team decides to head outside the building and around to the alleyway. Tal Passik comes along, although at the bar he mentions he'll catch up in a moment--he needs to pay what little tab he has from his time waiting here. This turns out to be good, because as the team leaves the club, a Duros in a constable's uniform approaches. "You left your IDs behind at the station," he comments. He holds out a small case, and as soon as someone takes it, he moves away again, off down the street as quickly as he came. Inside the case, sure enough, are security tags for the team, identifying them as members of the Coruscant Constabulary.

As the team finds the mouth of the alley, Tal Passik rejoins them, and they step into the narrow darkness between buildings. The alley is fairly long, though, and covers more than the space just behind the club. As the team moves down the corridor, they pick out a group of figures ahead--what looks like a half-dozen or so huddled shapes in the alley, some crouching, some standing. It doesn't take long to pick out some details and realize these are just undercity gangers or scum, and they don't look to have been waiting in ambush--although now that they notice the party, a couple of them seem interested.

No real way to sneak here, since the alley is open enough that it doesn't provide cover for the group, and while it's dimly lit, it isn't dark enough for real concealment. At this point you're making skill checks much like searching in the room; if your skill check would necessitate something existing in this alley that makes sense, assume it's there. You also may want to have at least one person interact with the strangers.

At this point, one way or the other, Father Zantus is safe, actually. Since we've been playing this kind of fast and loose, which I've been enjoying immensely myself, let's preserve everyone's actions and dignity. Originally one goblin attacked Father Zantus, and Efan assisted him in putting it down. Then another one attacked the old man, and Gao knocked that one out. Finally, Shara has just skewered another that took the opportunity.

Father Zantus may not be the hardiest or most badass old man himself, but he sure has some good bodyguards.

--Round 5--

Shara comes in fast to face the goblins at the flaming wagon, and she moves to help Uriel. Even as he cuts down one of his attackers, and the other slashes at the back of his legs, the woman thrusts her weapon forward, and the goblin howls as it feels the sting of the blow. An instant later, the sound is cut off as Uriel retaliates with his own blade, tearing out the goblin's throat.

Matoska, with a goblin on either side, tries to strike both. The heat and pain assail him, though, and his fist sails over the head of one goblin. His powerful kick, however, lands straight in the face of the one he already caught once; there's a crunch of cartilage and bone, and the little monster is sent tumbling backwards in a heap.

Rajuna dashes in, his swift feet carrying him toward the goblin still harrying Matoska. He plows in at speed, and though one knife misses the target, the other plants firmly in the goblin's leg, drawing a shriek of pain. Bear in mind that normally you can't full-attack, including TWF, if you move more than five feet--however, I'll allow a single attack from each weapon at the end of a charge.

His own attackers dead, Uriel moves also to assist Matoska. He plants his feet and brings his sword down, and as Rajuna rolls over the goblin he stabbed, it's crushed by the vicious chop.

Over in an alleyway, Efanydd positions himself opposite Sheriff Hemlock, catching the standing goblin between them. It has barely time to realize its predicament before the elf's rapier stabs in, catching it through one arm; it yelps and drops the blade from that hand. As the metal clangs on the ground, Hemlock swipes in with his sword, and the goblin drops limply to the ground with a bloody gash in its chest.

On the cathedral steps, Gao continues to assist Father Zantus. He spins his arms for balance and leaps, striking the goblin between the men with a pair of powerful kicks. The first knocks it off-balance, and the second knocks it down the steps with a thud, knocking it to the ground, unconscious.

At the wagon, the remaining goblin--standing on the edge of the fire--shrieks and continues its song. The whip in its hand cracks, and it raises a finger to jab at Uriel, who feels a sudden surge of horrifying mirth.

Round 6, the PCs are up! Uriel, you need to make a DC 12 Will save against hideous laughter.

Another, more thorough sweep of the main room in the suite pulls up another small clue: hidden in the bottom of a cabinet, behind some liquor, are two small hypodermic needles. They look disposable, the kind you'd use for a single injection--often employed by doctors, as well as less scrupulous "professionals" of other fields. The syringes you'd attach to the needles aren't here, but there could be trace elements of whatever agent they delivered... if you care to find equipment to analyze it.

So what's the plan, folks? Searching more around the room or outside? Heading straight for the potential location? Bear in mind you still don't have the actual IDs to claim you're with the constabulary yet.

--Round 4--

Seeing the others moving toward the fuel cart, Efanydd decides to assist the Sheriff as he moves to face a trio of goblins. The elf's long legs carry him close enough to raise his hands in an arcane gesture, and Hemlock turns his head before a second spray of color is unleashed in the square. When the magical lights hit their eyes, two of the goblins are stunned, and drop to the ground; their companion in the rear is quick enough to squint, and it remains standing. The Sheriff gives Efan a nod of thanks as he steps forward, his sword dipping to casually dispatch one of the fallen creatures.

Beneath the wagon, Rajuna presses a hand to his wound, and the familiar sensation of warmth and relief spreads across his arm. When his hand comes away, it's still bloody, but the gash itself is closed, and it no longer pains the man. He quickly checks the dog, but it's too late: the hound was likely dead shortly after the goblin slit its throat, and it now lies still in a pool of its own blood. Seeing there's nothing more to be done, Rajuna slips from beneath the wagon and begins moving toward the new threat.

Shara dashes toward the gouts of flame, ranseur in hand, but she pauses to take stock of the situation. Shara, you can post your standard for this round along with your actions for Round 5.

Uriel turns from the woman and shouts for her to run, but he doesn't have time to see what she does. Instead he makes for the flaming wagon, moving as fast as he can. He vaults over a low stand, and on the other side a goblin stares up at him, a half-eaten corn-rolled sausage in one green hand. In a flash of cold steel, the sausage rolls across the ground, a goblin head bouncing alongside.

Matoska turns to face the goblins, and for a moment, his mind is back to captivity, torture and pain and fear. But there's little time for a reverie, and the man quickly shakes out of his troubled past. Instead, he sprints forward, and uses that fear and anger and pain to his advantage. Perhaps it gets the better of him for a moment, though, for when the Shoanti reaches one of the goblins, his spinning kick is wild, and the goblin skitters back on all fours, staring at him in a mix of fear and amusement.

Still near the cathedral, Perspicacious Gao determines that it may be wise to assist Father Zantus, who's still struggling with his foe. The Tien man gracefully dashes up the stairs and sweeps one leg out to catch the cretin in the side; the blow catches the cretin off-guard, but it still stands as Zantus swipes at it again with his starknife. It screeches angrily and slashes at its new foe--but Gao easily backsteps out of reach, avoiding the attack.

The goblin by Efan and Hemlock is either foolhardy or just stupid--probably both--and it decides to press its attack, even though it's now outnumbered. It steps forward, scooping up its' fallen ally's blade, and then swipes with both at the Sheriff. Hemlock blocks the first with his shield, and the second slice is so off-balance and wild that the goblin tumbles face-first onto the dirt road, a muffled shriek accompanying the thud.

By the wagon, one goblin merely points and laughs at its immolated comrade, but the others begin responding to the new threat. A pair each jump for Matoska and Uriel--all waving torches in their hands. They try to tumble and duck into flanking positions around the men, but one each presents an opening; Matoska drives a foot into a green belly, and Uriel once more slashes a goblin into separate parts, more of their sickly dark blood spraying across his blade and arms. Even so, each of the warriors feels the bite of metal in flesh as the goblins assault them. Meanwhile, another goblin clambers to stand on the edge of the now-burning wagon: it looks somewhat different from the others, with armor of better quality and a whip in its hand, and it looks to be one of the creatures singing the goblins' song.

Matoska and Uriel each take 3 damage, and the party is up for Round 5!

Same here! Hahahahahahahelp

...Anyway, in answer to your question in Gameplay, Efan, I'll usually bot PCs if they're okay with it during expected absences, and if there's a particularly long unexpected delay I'll take over as well (although I usually try to give the benefit of the doubt and shoot a message first). That said, I forgot that Gao was busy this week, so I'll update shortly!

EDIT: Since it's come up and I don't know if I discussed it before, I tend to make rolls for the PCs as they come up to keep the game moving--things like initiative checks, saving throws if they're important for other events in the post, and attacks of opportunity. If you prefer to roll these yourself, let me know, but I find it can help speed things along and make it easier to keep track of things as they're happening--that way we don't have to retcon if an opportunity attack would have killed a monster that proceeded to deal damage, or figure out when exactly someone fell asleep, or that sort of thing. I'll try to leave as much in your hands as possible, but I find it can help things to roll for you when needed.

Sorry about the delay; I was going to post over the weekend, but I lost power for a period when I could.

As the Jedi contemplate searching for the Sith presence later on, Jal and Joran reflect on 5w 7s. Comparing that data to a map of Coruscant, at first it doesn't make sense: there's no single district in that grid sector of Galactic City, and it's mostly in a busy and fairly upscale section of the planet. Thinking on everything that's happening now, though, with the kidnapping and the backup rendezvous...

On a hunch, they check for areas five grids west and seven south of the team's current position, and that's where it pays off. That lands right in the Dacho District, a factory district they both know as a common area for back alley dealings and underworld affairs, with plenty of abandoned and unclaimed warehouses--although the source of their knowledge differs. There's even such a building located at a 5W7S position in the grid layout of blocks in the district.

Meanwhile, Tal Passik turns to the trio of Jedi. "Wait, so the Sith aren't involved here? Damn." He scowls and fingers the hilt of his vibroblade. "And here I was hoping for a fight."

Sorry about the delay--I was hoping to post Friday night or Saturday, but we ended up losing power at my house for that time.

--Round 3--

Shara steps forward even as Hemlock flicks the blood from his sword. With a graceful flourish, she plants her polearm straight through the goblin's chest, and the Sheriff nods grimly and presses the body down. Shara withdraws her weapon, and Hemlock kicks the goblin's corpse to the side. "I can hold myself fine, but the others," he says, looking around at the chaos.

Uriel looks about, and sees a goblin that's menacing someone on the ground near a stall. He rushes forward with his blade ready, and by the time the goblin hears his footsteps, it's too late. It turns just in time to catch a sword in the chest, and Uriel pulls it free to send the dead body sprawling. He glances down to see what prey this goblin had found: a pretty red-haired girl, staring up at him in shock and wonder.

Under the wagon, Raj's knives spin and flash, and the goblin is helpless to defend itself when they arc in. One stabs into the goblin's side, doubtless puncturing something vital within; the other slashes a rip in its gut, spilling blood and entrails to the ground. The creature falls to its knees, one hand still pressed over its ruined eye, and then it pitches forward.

Matoska laughs and berates the goblin he faces in its own tongue--which gives the monster pause, and it takes a step back. That's all the opening the Shoanti needs to leap forward, easily avoiding the fruit on the ground, and he brings his arms down in a mighty hammer swing. There's a crack as his heavy hands thump onto the goblin's skull, and its eyes roll up as it collapses to the ground.

By the cathedral, Efanydd thrusts his blade toward the goblin, but it's a high strike, and the green-skinned terror ducks underneath with a laugh. That's just when Zantus swipes in from behind, and while his blade only nicks the goblin, it's enough to send it chittering in anger and pain. Nearby, Perspicacious Gao leaps to assault a goblin who was approaching the pair--his foot knocks it off balance, and his elbow knocks it to the ground in a daze.

Everyone in the square is suddenly interrupted by the next development: a muffled booming sound accompanied by a massive gout of flame. Turning to look reveals the source quickly. It seems a group of the goblins have discovered a wagon of some volatile substance, and they've lit it aflame, now dancing about with torches in hand--except for one goblin, which is currently screaming and running as its own body is covered in fire.

"The fuel!" Hemlock shouts, pointing. "For the bonfire! Someone stop them before it spreads!" He moves to stop them himself, but a trio of goblins dashing down an alley catches his attention, and he turns to face that threat. "Shara, I need you to stop them," he says, just before dashing off to deal with the trouble elsewhere.

Round 4, and the party is up! The goblins at the fire wagon are roughly 50-60 feet away at most from each of you--there look to be perhaps a half-dozen of them.

Father Zantus's Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

No problem, I hadn't described it as clearly as I could have, and like I said, I'll typically tend at least slightly in you guys' favor in hedge cases.

When Jal mentions the possibility of a speeder being used, Joran considers whether this might offer another way to track the kidnappers. After a moment's thought, however, he realizes that probably won't work. At this level of Coruscant's undercity, only major speedways and intersections are likely to have traffic surveillance--and even then, the chances that they're in good repair and functioning order aren't great. Maintaining technological order in regions like this is an infrastructural nightmare, as criminals constantly tamper with or simply destroy the devices; add in how little most of the bureaucrats care about these districts, and it results in a saddening lack of surveillance.

As the team discusses the possibilities of who the real kidnappers may be, and what's going on here, they wonder what leads to follow. The Dark Side presence the Jedi felt earlier is certainly an option, but it feels like something's missing... After a moment, someone (or everyone) realizes. The chat log included a line that may have been directions: 5w 7s. This kidnapping already feels like it wasn't the most professional job in the Galaxy; maybe Jal's computer work already found the team the girl's location.

Normally as a GM I wouldn't point something like that out, but it wasn't at all meant to be a secret clue or anything, and I was worried it may have been overlooked entirely, which can be easy to do in the PbP format. Forgive me if it feels like I'm hammering you over the head with a railroad, and feel free to ignore this and check out the Dark Side presence anyway!

--Round 2--
Even within the few seconds of the chaos, the crowd has begun to break apart, and as six souls within those gathered for the festival join in defending the town, the square grows more and more empty. Perspicacious Gao steps forward and plants a square kick to the goblin under the stage; its head snaps back and crashes against one of the timber supports, and the little beast collapses in a heap on the ground as the monk turns elsewhere. Efanydd moves to aid Father Zantus, who seems a tad hard-pressed. The priest takes a clumsy swing at the goblin, who laughs as it ducks back--clearly Zantus is more a man of the cloth than of combat.

Elsewhere, Rajuna slips under the wagon and comes face to face with the goblin. It has barely enough time to give him a blank stare before his knife gouges into one of its eyes. The goblin shrieks and falls back, scrabbling on the ground; it's grievously wounded, but still alive. Nearby, Matoska recovers from the full-air drop kick that sent his attacker to the ground in a pile. Quickly taking stock of the situation, he finishes the downed goblin with another kick, then steps forward with a blow from his other foot. The standing goblin seems confused for a moment, as the Shoanti is still a few feet away--and then the apple Matoska kicked catches it in one ear, and it staggers backwards with an angry yelp. (That is, Matoska, the goblins were spread out too far for a five-foot step to bring you between them, but Rule of Cool and leaning in PCs' favor, you still did some damage.)

Shara moves to assist Sheriff Hemlock, spreading her hands before her. A spray of dazzling color blasts out, and while one goblin avoids the magic, the other is caught full on: its eyes widen in wonder just before all the strength leaves its body, and it starts to flop to the ground like a ragdoll. The Sheriff takes the opportunity to step out of reach of the still-standing goblin and spin, using the momentum to power a chop that hews the slumping goblin's head clean from the rest of its body. Uriel, seeing the roof-jumper unoccupied, moves in and slashes with similar strength; his blade splits the goblin's skull nearly from crown to chin, and he wrenches the sword free with a wet crunch.

Although the crowd is fleeing, for the most part, they haven't escaped entirely, and it seems there are more goblins about on the edges of the main square. Screams echo from streets and alleys, and not all of the townsfolk get away free and clear. The goblins in the square don't give up their fight, either, despite the sudden end that's met several of their number: whether emboldened by song, numbers, or simply foolish overconfidence, they fight on.

The goblin beneath the wagon, half-blinded and screaming in pain and rage, swipes at Rajuna with its rusty blade. The attack is wild, but it catches the huntsman off-guard in its ferocity, and he feels sudden agony as the ragged edge draws a fresh slash across one hastily raised arm. The goblin now facing Matoska has less fortune, as it shakes its head clear and tries to replicate his trick; its own kick has much less force, and the big man easily dodges the fruit sent his way. On the cathedral steps, the goblin facing Father Zantus cackles and turns to face the newcomer; its slice at Efanydd is quick, but his magic keeps him safe, turning the blade just before it catches him.

Casting their gazes about, those still fighting in the square can see a smattering of goblins here and there--movement on rooftops, a man in an alley beating one off with a broom, a pair of goblins trying to catch some butterflies. Although only a handful of the monsters are apparent in the immediate area, it's clear the attack is far from finished.

Rajuna takes 6 damage! The party is up as we enter Round 3!

Tal Passik looks at Joran as he asks, and after a glance at the bracelet, he nods. "Yes, she was. It was a gift from her father, I think. She wore it just about everywhere." The twi'lek's eyes narrow and harden, like shards of crystal. "So she was here. Any idea where the kriffing Hutt-spawn took her?"

He pauses and cocks his head. "For that matter, do you need to report this in or something? Or can we skip the paperwork and just go get the girl?"

Yeah, I'm fine with you taking your round two. Readying actions can get a little wonky, especially in PbP, and I'd rather give you a shot to post again than not.

Just letting you all know that I'm leaving for a camping trip for a couple of days with my family--I know, it's another short-notice absence, but it is what it is. My apologies, but if it's any consolation I may be able to post on this one. I'm not sure exactly what the situation at the campground will be, some have wi-fi these days and some don't, but if I get the opportunity I may even use my phone to get a hotspot and check in if I can. In any case, I'll be back on Wednesday, and I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks!

Just letting you all know that I'm leaving for a camping trip for a couple of days with my family--I know, it's another short-notice absence, but it is what it is. My apologies, but if it's any consolation I may be able to post on this one. I'm not sure exactly what the situation at the campground will be, some have wi-fi these days and some don't, but if I get the opportunity I may even use my phone to get a hotspot and check in if I can. In any case, I'll be back on Wednesday, and I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks!

--Round 1--

As more and more of the crowd realize what's happening, panic breaks out; Sandpoint may be a frontier town, but most of its folk are common people, ill-suited for danger like this. And more goblins are cropping up as the crowd disperses--a few more on rooftops about the square, and several springing out from alleys or down streets.

Shara points out the goblins she spots as she draws her ranseur, and Matoska cracks his knuckles in preparation for a fight. Rajuna draws his knife in the flicker of an eye, and just as easily begins to stalk through the crowd, moving slow and steady toward the goblin under the wagon. Perspicacious Gao dashes forward, mystic symbols wrapping about his body; he comes to stand by the stage, where the goblin looks up at him blankly. Efanydd and Uriel also use magic to bolster themselves, Efan to improve his defenses, and Uriel to better strike down his enemies.

Matoska, you can roll your charge attack since that's going to be triggered--for future reference, any time you ready an action, roll when you declare it to help speed things up, unless you'd rather I roll for you. Shara, I'm assuming you're functionaly delaying until after the goblins go; it doesn't make a big difference in initiative order, although it effectively gives up your first turn to be more effective on the second.

Goblins are a curious breed, equally dangerous and stupid, monstrous and, in their own way, quite amusing. The goblin beneath the wagon seems entirely caught up in licking the blood from its blade, and it doesn't register the man stepping forward with a knife in his hand. The goblin beneath the stage stares at Gao, confused, and then chitters and slashes at him; the swing is wild, though, and the monk easily dodges back. The goblin on the roof lets out a mighty shout and proceeds to leap full-force out from the high ground--it rolls with the landing and ends up in a sitting position, apparently unharmed but dazed. One from the alley dashes forward and scrambles onto a fruit stand; as Matoska charges forward to attack it, it launches itself at him, cackling even as its blade misses his flesh. The final goblin near the heroes also moves for the fruit stand, but it topples over a basket, sprawling the contents across the ground to create a rudimentary obstacle.

Elsewhere in the square there is fighting. Father Zantus has drawn a starknife, and is holding one goblin at bay on the cathedral steps; near the northern streets, Sheriff Hemlock is engaged with two of the creatures, his mace and shield keeping them wary. This may be only the beginning of an attack, however.

Round 2--the party is up! Technically I believe the readied and delayed actions would mean Matoska and Shara don't have actions here, but I'm willing to hedge that rule. Also, Shara, if you'd prefer, we can retcon that you cast a spell on the goblins coming from the alley the round before, because they aren't really bunching up any more than that.

The SOE begin sweeping the suite for clues, prodding and probing for information that may lead them to their target.

In the private room, Joran doesn't find much at first glance. The decor is tacky, but certainly serviceable for the room's expected purpose. There isn't much to indicate why the room might be called the Korriban Suite, beyond a vague red-and-black color scheme to the cheap tapestries and bedding. Upon closer inspection, however, there are a couple of interesting points. When he gets closer to the bed, Joran sees some slight indentations and mussing in the fabric--as though one or two people were lying on top of the bed not so long ago. As he searches around the bed further, he finds another clue: a thin wire bracelet lies on the floor, just hidden by the drape of the blanketing. It's the sort of accessory he recognizes from social get-togethers--the sort of accessory a Senator's daughter might sport...

On the terminal, meanwhile, Jal quickly accesses a backlog and discovers a hidden and partially deleted conversation. It was held over an anonymous comms server in one of the darker corners of the HoloNet, and while he can't recover all the details, or trace further data on the users involved, he recovers an important section of the exchange.

On a less physical side of things, the Jedi reach out into the Force, searching for traces of the Dark Side. All three feel the same faint disturbance: a mere trace of shadow in the air, lingering like an odor that might dissipate at any moment. Although it's definitely a Dark presence, it's nothing like the powerful user they sensed earlier. This is at best an apprentice of the Dark Side, and judging from the wavering weakness of the sensation, it's more likely a mere sensate who's tapped into that wicked power. It's certainly not a Jedi, but what it truly is...

For his part, Tal Passik moves to the window, drawing his blaster as he goes. He peers outside, his body hidden behind the wall; a trained recon glance, surveying without revealing himself. He doesn't say anything or make a motion, though, so it's doubtful he's seeing anything important.

I don't usually use maps for my PbP games--I personally find they tend to be more of a hassle for me than they're worth, and I prefer the theater of the mind for most encounters. That said, if people really want to have maps I can probably put something together, but it won't be anything pretty or fancy. I run every game I have on here in theater of the mind, using description and liberal allowance to deal with things like positioning, and I don't know that I've had any complaints about it; I tend to err in favor of the players if I haven't adequately described something, and it gives a little more power to you guys to flavor how and where you're moving.

Matoska and Uriel, if you want an interaction let me know, but I'm reading that we'd rather just move forward.
- - - - -

Afternoon quickly gives way to evening, and perhaps a half-hour before sunset, people again begin to return to the cathedral square, although not everyone. Most of Sandpoints locals are present, as well as a number of travelers, but some have chosen not to watch the consecration of the new temple. It's a more solemn affair than the celebration that most of the festival has evoked, although exciting in its own way. Just as the sun begins to set, Father Zantus takes the stage once more. Most everyone knows the plan for this event: the priest will recite the rare and beautiful Prayer of First Dreaming, only used at the most sacred and beloved ceremonies of the Desnan faith. For any worshiper of the goddess, this is one of the most profound moments of a lifetime, and even adherents of other religions may find interest in such a momentous affair.

As the sky turns a brilliant pinkish red and the sun burns orange, Father Zantus raises his hand and casts it down before him, apparently employing a thunderstone to announce the beginning of the event. A sharp retort like a crack of thunder slices through the excited crowd; the noise startles a stray dog that had crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep. The buzz of conversations quickly hushes, and all eyes turn to the podium where Father Zantus stands beaming. He clears his throat, takes a breath--

And a woman's scream breaks the silence. The crowd looks around, and a moment later another scream rises, and then another, coming from farther south in town, deeper in the heart of Sandpoint. Then more shrieks break out, but these are different--higher-pitched, tittering, and inhuman. As the crowd begins to break and part, several low shapes race by. There's a disturbing giggling sound, and then a painful yelp from the wagon. Anyone who looks over sees the dog collapsed to the ground, its eyes wide, blood spilling from an ear-to-ear slash across its throat. As the red wetness pools around its head, the raucous sound of singing begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.

Welcome to the first combat of the game, everyone! The goblins have won initiative, but they're wasting their turns in getting into position, killing dogs and causing mayhem, so the PCs are up. At this point the goblins all need to be spotted before you can target them with an attack, but you could also ready an action.

That's fair enough; I'd intended this as an opportunity to start seeding future interactions, relationships, and developments with NPCs. That said, I also wasn't able to post yesterday as I'd hoped to, so I'll swing us up to the plot, and those who wanted to do stuff in the afternoon can finish that in spoilers.

Ameiko grimaces at Shara's words, but she doesn't seem offended. "It's a hard relationship," she says, handing another bowl to a customer. "Father never saw Tsuto as more than a black spot on the family, a mistake and a dishonor. I don't blame him for leaving. I just wish things were better."

- - - - -

"Huh." Hosk frowns and considers Raj's story, then shrugs. "Can't say I've ever heard of a thing like that, but then, there's lots of danger in the world. 'Specially out toward Ustalav, from what I hear. Strange happenings, strange beasts. Makes me glad we don't have so much of that 'round these parts."

He turns to regard the goblin corpse, and the hunter's grin comes back to his face. "Goblins are pretty much the worst of it, far as I'm concerned. And the chief here, well, you're right. I didn't talk him in. This here is Chief Whartus of the Bonegrinders. They used to be trouble up and down the Lost Coast, attacking caravans, robbing travelers, burning farmsteads. That was about a dozen years back, the worst of it. I'd just come from Nirmathas, looking to open my own stable..."

The tale Daviren Hosk tells is a truthful one, although astounding in its details. He tells of a years-long war he waged--mostly on his own--against the Bonegrinder tribe, spurred mainly by the death of his prided stallion on his way to Sandpoint. It's quickly apparent that Hosk is a dangerous and competent hunter, having trained as a Nirmathi Irregular in his younger days, and that training served him well in his guerilla war against the goblins. The story weaves from heroic stands to gruesome raids, and the climax is his ambush of Chief Whartus in his own hovel, waking the goblin up just so it would see Hosk's face before the ranger plunged his sword through the chief's skull.

"...After that, I figured I'd made a good dent, decided to settle down. The mayor then offered me a reward for what I'd done, and I finally opened up my stable. The Goblin Squash." He nods down a street, presumably toward the building. "Stop by if you need a horse, lad. Men like us, we need the help we can get. I'd be glad to get you saddled up."

- - - - -

Come the height of the day, everyone in Sandpoint once more moves for the Cathedral grounds, where the second of the day's main events is set to take place. Father Zantus once more takes the stage to cheers, and he raises his hands. "When the world was young, and the gods had not yet mastered their ways, Desna fell to the earth." The beginning of the parable is familiar to every Varisian, as well as any who know of the gods; it's an old tale, common among Desnans and often retold to children across Avistan.

The story itself is simple and sweet: Desna is so wounded by her fall that she is forced to take mortal form as a butterfly, her wings crippled and broken. She's found by a small child, who gently picks her up and brings her to her home. At first Desna suspects the child is planning to keep her as a beautiful bauble, but it's soon revealed the girl is blind, and wants only to nurse the goddess back to health. During her recuperation, Desna speaks with the child and learns that she wants nothing more than to travel the world and experience all its wonders. So when Desna is returned to full health, she grants the girl her wish as thanks: the blind child becomes a magnificent butterfly, immortal and beautiful.

"So Desna brought the child out of doors, and held her up into the air. 'For your kindness, for your beauty, for your wonder, I grant you this. For all the days of the world, you shall fly free and joyous. You shall see all there is, know every wonder, experience every marvel of this world. This is your wish, and my gift to you.' And so, as Desna returned to the heavens and her fellow gods, she cast out her hand, and the butterfly... flew!"

With the final word, Father Zantus spreads his arms wide. On cue, a wagon in the center of the square is opened, and thousands of swallowtail butterflies swarm out into the air, a spiraling riot of color. The crowd lets out an enormous cheer, laughing and clapping as the beautiful creatures begin to spread across the square and beyond. Even as the gathered people disperse, many children begin to chase and wonder after the butterflies--never quite quick enough to catch them.

- - - - -

During the afternoon, you can participate in another event or speak with an NPC, if you like. I'll likely try to move us to the evening more quickly than I got us to noon, but if you want to interact with anyone or anything else, go for it! And if you'd like to have an interaction but don't have a leaning toward what or with whom, let me know and I'll send something your way. (I have ideas.)

Taking their leave of Karva Ando, the three who met with her rejoin their companions outside the Korriban Suite. One of the twi'leks from Karva's office comes along, just long enough to put in a code that unlocks the door. With a curt nod, he returns to his boss, and the SOE team enter the suite.

It's pleasantly decorated, with a little more furnishing than the room in which the team spoke with Tal. It has a similar table and chair setup, suggesting use for conferences, but also expands from there, including a small kitchen and bar area--stocked, although not as well as the full bar on the main floor. There's another computer terminal here, as well as a door leading to a small washroom, and another that leads to what's likely a private room for more sensitive... discussions. Most important, however, is the window at the far end of the suite from the entrance--a window that is not only unlocked, but slightly ajar.

There are a number of potential rolls you could make here for searching the room or looking for other clues; each character can roll one skill check of their choosing, so long as it makes sense, and you explain what you're using it for. (E.g., you might roll Use Computer to sift through the terminal, or Perception to check out the window area. If you think something could work, roll it!)

Hey everyone, I want to give yet another deep apology for my extended absence from the site. It started with a somewhat impromptu trip last week (my younger brother is looking at colleges) that left me with much less time and wifi access than I'd expected. I had really hoped to post regularly leading up to the weekend, but it didn't happen. Then this weekend was the expected absence from a paintball event, but I'd meant to start posting again as soon as possible after returning from that.

This week, I don't know that there's a tangible reason for my not updating so far, and I know that's really sh*tty but I'd rather be honest than come up with some other excuse. I don't know if it's just that I've been working on other stuff, or that I haven't had the mental energy, or what exactly, but I just couldn't get on here to update things. That's a really crappy place to be regardless, but it's definitely a bad place to be as someone running a game for other people (or playing in them).

In any case, it's come to a close, whatever it was, and I want to get stuff moving again as best as I can. I'm going to try and update everything intermittently throughout today, and tomorrow if I don't get to it all, so look for updates. If all the absences have killed the flow or your mood for the game, I fully understand, so just let me know, but I am really hopeful to be a better GM in terms of posting frequency. Thanks.

Hey everyone, I want to give yet another deep apology for my extended absence from the site. It started with a somewhat impromptu trip last week (my younger brother is looking at colleges) that left me with much less time and wifi access than I'd expected. I had really hoped to post regularly leading up to the weekend, but it didn't happen. Then this weekend was the expected absence from a paintball event, but I'd meant to start posting again as soon as possible after returning from that.

This week, I don't know that there's a tangible reason for my not updating so far, and I know that's really sh*tty but I'd rather be honest than come up with some other excuse. I don't know if it's just that I've been working on other stuff, or that I haven't had the mental energy, or what exactly, but I just couldn't get on here to update things. That's a really crappy place to be regardless, but it's definitely a bad place to be as someone running a game for other people (or playing in them).

In any case, it's come to a close, whatever it was, and I want to get stuff moving again as best as I can. I'm going to try and update everything intermittently throughout today, and tomorrow if I don't get to it all, so look for updates. If all the absences have killed the flow or your mood for the game, I fully understand, so just let me know, but I am really hopeful to be a better GM in terms of posting frequency. Thanks.

Ameiko sighs as well. "No, you're right. Call it like it is, Shara--he's a coldhearted old bastard, and he isn't likely to change any time soon. It's just hard, since he's the only one around, these days. Ever since mom died, and Tsuto... I haven't even heard from him in ages."

After a moment longer, the young woman seems to snap from her reverie, and she smiles and returns to handing out food. "As far as working with Jargie, I'm not sure that'd go over so well. 'Too many cooks' and all that. Besides, the more variety the better, and they say competition is good for everyone involved."

- - - - -

The hunter chuckles at Rajuna's joke, and he listens in respectfully--and with interest--as he tells his tale. He looks at the scars with grim appreciation, and nods along with the telling. "Sounds like the fey, almost. Heard tell of plenty of strange things out there. Takes a certain kind of fellow to go out in a place like that, looking to do something about the danger." He holds his stare for a moment longer, then extends a hand. "Daviren Hosk, by the by. I run the stables in town these days. Anyway, I figure that story earns you a look."

The man turns and looks around for a moment, then lifts the cloth from the object beneath--a large glass jar, over three feet tall and almost two across. At first, it looks like it's just filled with a sickly green liquid, but then Rajuna's eyes pick out the gruesome contents. A goblin corpse floats in the brine, the skull nearly split in two by an overhand chop, as well as some other wounds across its body.

Hosk's eyes are lit up as he looks on the corpse, a mixture of pride and hatred. He turns back to Rajuna with a wink. "You tell me how you made it out of your trouble, and I'll tell you how the chief here got into his."

- - - - -

No problem, Efanydd; you wrote a couple of excellent scenes of your own, so feel free to take a breather here for a moment. Same for Matoska and Uriel. We'll move to the next round of events soon.

- - - - -

Sabyl Sorn laughs with Gao at the translation, and nods. "I'd be happy to join you for some time. I'm performing a demonstration this afternoon, once the swallowtails are released; maybe you'd like to watch, or even demonstrate yourself? I'm hoping to take on another student or two, and today's a good opportunity to draw some interest."

- - - - -

As mentioned, I'll be moving to the next round of events soon, but I wanted to give a couple folks some more time to wrap things up here. My next post will probably be bringing things to that point.

Alright everyone, I'm back from my trip and should be good to post regularly this week. This coming weekend I'm away on a paintball trip, but until then (and afterwards) I should be good, so hopefully we won't have another really slow spell. I'm looking forward to getting this well and truly going, and thank you all again for sticking through the roadblocks thus far.

Alright everyone, I'm back for a few days here--this coming weekend I'm on a paintball trip, so I won't be able to post then, but I'm here for the week! Before I move things forward here, though, I'd like to take a day to check in and make sure everyone's still with us. We haven't heard from some folks in a while, and I know that's primarily on me for losing pace when the party was kind of split up, but I want to make sure everyone's here before you kick on. Just post in here to let me know you're still following!

Ameiko grins at Shara and hands her a full bowl. "If you want some food, at least take a full portion. I'm sure your uncle will understand." She laughs and hands a bowl to the next customer. "Besides, we have different tastes for seafood. Everyone knows Jargie has the best crab in town, and when we get lobster in it goes straight to him. I prefer the spiced fishes."

But Ameiko gives a soft sigh at the comment on her job. "It's going well, yes, and I love it, but... You remember how my father is?" She raises an eyebrow. "He hasn't exactly mellowed with age. I couldn't give two copper if he wants me to quit, but sometimes I wish my family weren't so..." She trails off and waves her fingers in a scrambled motion to make her point.

- - - - -

The man looks up at Rajuna and takes him in for a moment, then nods with a slight smile. "They say curiosity kills, but not half as well as a keen arrow." He glances at the children, and then back at Rajuna. "Normally, come festival day, it's two copper to look in the jar, one for the little ones. Or if you hit the target near center, you look for free. But for a man like you?" His eyes narrow almost mischievously. "Man with scars like that has stories. Tales of hunting and killing, and I don't mean rabbits in the woods. You tell me a tale, and you can take a look, if you like."

- - - - -

As Uriel and Matoska enter the competition, it's not long before things get fully under way. There are sixteen competitors, all told, mostly men from the town, but a couple of travelers join in, as does Savah Bevaniky, the woman who runs the town's armory. Straws are drawn to determine who faces who to start things off, and the competition is on--a double elimination tournament.

In the first round, Matoska is up against Jargie Quinn, the one-legged proprietor of the Hagfish tavern. Jargie isn't too big or strong, but he's scrappy and determined, and more from tenacity than anything he draws out the struggle for nearly two minutes before finally losing with a tired grin. Uriel finds himself up against Jesk "Cracktooth" Berinni, who owns the bar near the theater; the man looks like thuggish, but his demeanor quickly belies a keen wit and an easygoing personality. Still, he has some strength to him, and he's able to leverage a win after a bit of a struggle.

The second round sees Matoska facing Kit Sterglus, the second son of the fishmarket's manager. He's tall and leanly muscled from years of work hauling catches and equipment, and although Matoska is quite strong, Kit pushes back with more might than could be expected of him, and the surprising strength is able to eke out a win over the big Shoanti. Uriel faces one of the travelers to town, who'd lost quickly to Das Korvut the round before--he loses equally quickly to the aasimar, and strides off with a scowl.

In the third round, with only six competitors left, Matoska faces Larz Rovanky, the workaholic tanner. Larz isn't big all around, but his arms are thick and corded, and after a back and forth struggle he's able to defeat Matoska. Uriel goes up against a local tough who goes by Shard, a mercenary who helps guard the jeweler's store; although Uriel is doubtless stronger, he set his elbow in a bad position to start and isn't able to come back from the error.

In the end, the contest goes as expected, with Ven Vinder and Das Korvut locked hand in hand, eye to eye, in a mighty struggle for supremacy. Soon, though, things slow down, as the two men seem quite evenly matched. Their muscles bulge, and their faces redden, and neither seems willing to budge. A hush falls over the gathered spectators, and everyone looks on, wondering who will come out ahead. Finally, after nearly five minutes of mostly even fighting, Das growls, pushes, and falters. Ven lets out a slow grunt that becomes a cheer as he pushes his opponent's wrist to the table, and the onlookers erupt into applause. Both men rub their arms, clasp hands, and soon enough ale is being passed around to all the participants.

- - - - -

"You honor yourself with your humility," the woman says, bowing slightly. "My name is Sabyl Sorn. I own the monastery in town, the House of Blue Stones. It would be a great pleasure if you would come by. I don't have many students, or anyone to practice with, so it would be... well, an honor." She smiles, and shakes her head at the question. "No, I was born here, in Avistan. My father was an Erutaki, from the Crown of the World? In his youth he spent much time in Tian Xia, though, and learned from the masters there. He spoke fondly of that land."