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Just a reminder on the roles: the various roles give bonuses to the teams based on certain stats. Demagogue: CON or CHA
Awake, online, fed, got my materials, and am catching up with the excellent RP you guys have been doing. Bear with me. Player To-Do List:
"No. Let's just call a spade a spade shall we? Groups of people are stupid. Irrevocably, inexplicably, 100% Grade-A stupid. Something about the Mass Mentality and relinquishing all rights and responsibilities to intelligible thought to the rest of the group... It is this same mentality that allows the current regime to hold and maintain it's (sic) power. " Boy, howdy.
OK, things are stabilizing, and I generally have a little time available on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. It seems best to me to focus on keeping one of my games running, so I think I will put Flintlocks on hiatus and focus on this game. It's pre-written, so I don't have to dither around figuring out what to do. I'll put a post up next week, when I get home from house-sitting and have my materials.
OK, things are stabilizing, and I generally have a little time available on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. It seems best to me to focus on keeping one of my games running, so I think I will put this game on hiatus and focus on Hell's Rebels. That's pre-written, so I don't have to dither around figuring out what to do. I'm going to make this game inactive this weekend and hopefully resurrect it sometime in the spring. Sorry about this. It's utter misery for me, believe me.
I am not dead (yet), but drowning. Updating pbps is on my schedule for Thursday, 21 september. I will post at least something in all active pbps, and schedule an hour 4x/week to do pbps after that (sat/sun/tue/thu). To my players: sorry for the delay, and thank you for your patience. To gms and other players: feel free to bot me if I am holding up the game.
I am not dead (yet), but drowning. Updating pbps is on my schedule for Thursday, 21 september. I will post at least something in all active pbps, and schedule an hour 4x/week to do pbps after that (sat/sun/tue/thu). To my players: sorry for the delay, and thank you for your patience. To gms and other players: feel free to bot me if I am holding up the game.
Oh, for HP, you can roll or take avg.
By the way, I had to review the thread to sum the XP. You guys are doing some really lovely RP and writing - well done!
Just did XP - go ahead and advance your characters to level 2.
OK, it's that time, folks! Time to start our Rebellion Sheet! I put a link to the sheet in the campaign tab, right up front, so it will be easy to find. You have a couple of things to do before we can get rolling on the Silver Raven's rebellion activities. 1. Determine FOCUS (p. 21 of Player's Guide). 2. Determine OFFICERS (p. 23 of Player's Guide). We still need to wrap up this scene and treasure, etc, but I wanted to remind you that we'll be doing this tracker thingie and that you have things to decide as a group. You can do them IC or OC - IC would be really cool!. So refresh yourselves on the Player's Guide and start thinking about your character's ideals and strategies.
Some grisly exploration by Ben at Valexia's direction reveals another boot- mate to the one on the dismembered and rotting leg. A bit of rinsing in the storm sewer water cleans them right up, resiliency being a characteristic of magical apparel. Korva bows to the group. "I Korva - you know that." She beckons to the shadows, and more tengu creep into the light, bowing to the group as they emerge. "Jay." "Maggie." "Treep." Korva, who seems to be the leader, explains, "We are Fushi sisters, and in your debt. Don't have much. Nan brought cargo here. He is dead; you avenged him. His things are yours." She directs her sisters to light the torches and lamps that dot the little underground lair. They do so, giving slight caws of dismay at the destruction in the bunk area. Finally, they all gather around Chough's body, discussing how and where they can possibly bury her. The formerly dark area where the tengus hid proves to be a storage room filled with crates and barrels. A satchel sits atop one of the crates.
A soft glow seems to emanate from the crocagator's belly to Valexia's enhanced vision. Ben looks at Chough's body. It seems to be a large, muscular, bipedal bird with sharp claws at the ends of wings and feet. Knowledge(nature) DC 11:
This is a dire corby, some weird cross between bird and human. They have vicious tempers. They are not the same as tengu. Knowledge(nature) DC 16:
Dire corbies often live underground, where they cling to cliffs with their strong claws and use huge leaps to pounce upon their prey. And they certainly see adventurers as prey. Knowledge(nature) DC21: Dire corbies have been known to put their own eggs in the nests of tengu to avoid the work of raising a young one. They eat the swapped tengu egg.
Some time later, Cambino slips into the room, closely followed by Zoe, Marea, and Serana. The little room starts to feel quite claustrophobic with so many occupants, but Godlas seems to quite enjoy the company. Domenico, Sense Motive DC10:
Serana is giving you significant stares, but does not interrupt the gathering to talk.
In a bare-bones room at the local dottari barracks, an injured man reclines and answers the questions of the guardsmen. He waves away all healing until his captain arrives, bringing with her a priest of Asmodeus. Once he is healed and whole, the bearded man insists upon reading the document the dottari scribe has created, dictating a few changes before signing his name to the complaint. He waits with ill grace for the arrival of another dottari, who sketches pictures in accordance with the plaintiff's directions. In the end, she produces a parchment with three likenesses, one of which is distinctly feline. The injured party shoves past his own captain and the cleric on the way out to the carriage. Once the red-and-black garbed party is gone, the dottari relax and discuss the incident. They all gather behind the illustrator, who skilfully adds a line here and there, a wart, the bump of a broken nose, leaving the images essentially as dictated, but significantly distorted.
Cambino slips into the Lush Leech and looks for his fellows, spotting them at the rear table in a winy cluster. He invites himself over, pulls up a chair, and whispers intently for a few minutes. Marea facepalms.
<3 Crazy days. Enjoy them/survive them! :)
Korva's bright eyes flit from speaker to speaker, then she cocks her head at Valexia. "Throw?" she asks, holding out her hands to catch the rations, then tossing them to one side, into the darkness. She turns to Ensis, beak dipping to nod at him. "Yes, Chough became... wild. Angry. Violent. We could do nothing with her. We hid here, together, and hoped we could stand against her. Afraid she would throw us to bad lizard. We understand." "We stay quietly if we cannot leave, but we need food and to be outside some. We are quiet. We go out at night and get what we need if we can stay here. Maybe pay for rooms?" She cocks her head again, waiting, and watches Ensis with one eye. "Food good." A low, muffled call comes from the darkness, and Korva motions for silence.
Please forgive my disappearance. I've had to start a third shift job to make ends meet, and have been picking up extra work there in addition to dealing with my clients. When I am awake, I can rarely think. I've told the night job that they need to find another contractor to handle the extra work permanently, but I'll fill in until they do. Some nights, I'm done by 4 am and am actually human the next day. I'll try to get some posting done and keep the plates spinning, at least, so you guys can RP.
Best of luck to you and the missus! I'm sorry I have been pretty spotty myself; I picked up another job and am getting adjusted to full third shift. I've been in a fog for nearly two weeks. We'll roll on with decisions and RP but not do anything hugely important until you get back.
"Gator dead?" There's some low muttering. "You leave now, then we leave. Swim away now that gator is gone." More muttering. "We not kill Nan. He brought us here, was going to take us further. Not his fault ships were stopped." Another voice pipes up, "Ships can go now?"
"Then go 'way."
Ensis is attempting Diplomacy right now, which takes a minute for a standard check. They are going to chat for a minute to establish goodwill. If anybody wants to do anything besides Diplomacy, you have a few posts to pop in and wreck up the place. Otherwise, you can join in the conversation and Aid Another on the Diplomacy.
A bright eye appears between two of the boxes at the very edge of Ensis' vision. "You kill Chough. Why we trust you?"
The body of the pale alligator sloshes gently in the waves of the little pool. The body of the savage bird-thing oozes blood into a puddle near the half-eaten corpse. Dee moves towards the southern arch, speaking soft words but unconsciously flexing and knuckle-cracking in a manner designed to scare anyone. Ensis also moves forward to try to see into the room, while Ben runs right up in front of Dee to see what's in the bottle. Spoiler:
Ensis sees nothing in the dim light beyond the doorway, beyond a lantern smoking on a table and a scattering of black feathers on the floor. A voice from the dark croaks, "Go 'way!"
There are the sounds of a flurry of motion from the dark southern doorway, then alarmed squawks, which sound suspiciously like words. "No kill!"
A tiny vial clinks across the floor, rolling to a stop at Dee's feet. From the dark doorway comes the sound of somebody falling over furniture and cursing, then a chorus of "Shhhhh! Shhhh!". It grows quiet.
Dee's first kick sends the feathery menace spinning away, to pouf heavily onto the stone floor, feathers awry. Its bright eyes dull as its breathing gurgles to a stop. From the southern doorway, a few muffled cries of dismay drift to the party's ears.
The sword-bright pain attracts the tattered creature's attention. With a cough of pain, one arm nearly severed, it nevertheless turns upon the one who inflicted the pain and gamely attempts to dice him with its claws. Its screeching has subsided to a series of choking caws.
Everyone is up.
Valexia's shot flies wide of the gruesome scene as the unnerved diva cannot bring the bow to bear steadily. Bertom
Ensis lays open the creature's side with his cut. A huge flap of feathered skin falls away from its torso, revealing the delicate musculature of its ribcage. Just as the blood starts to run and the ribs begin to split along the line of the cut, Ben's bomb explodes in the bird-thing's face, shredding its beak to tatters and blinding one eyes. Screeching in rage, it digs its fearsome claws into the unfortunate alchemist. Not content to strike and release, it bunches its fists into the flesh and does its level best to tear Ben open. The smell of burning feathers and blood and the sound of its crazed screams fill the cavern. dmg to Ben - 11 hp:
Valexia is up. Once Valexia has acted: Bertom 17
Cambino bows, cracks open the door, listens for a moment, then scampers through. Qareen hesitates. "I came her to consult with Master Kelvyre. He is a great scholar, unappreciated in this land."
The creature looks at the bright blades and chooses the "easy" target, springing at Ben, who holds his clay flask.
With a tremendous spring, the muscular creature launches itself through the air at Ben, beak open and both claws extended. It swipes at him with both claws.
Some doubtless vital bones crunch beneath Dee's bare feet, another of Valexia's darts sticks into the alligator's snout, and Ensis brings his sword down on the creature's head like the wrath of the heavens. The pale alligator thrashes for a moment before all the parts of its body realize it is dead, never having had the chance to drag its prey into the pool and drown it. Ensis' leg slips free from the now-slack jaws, decorated with his own blood. There's a moment of silence as the creature falls still, then a hideous screech rings out from the direction of the bunkhouse. A heavy, feathered form steps forth and croaks, "Ou ill fren!" All its feathers stand on end as it opens its beak in another shrill scream that rings through the cavern. New init!:
Spoiler:
Round 2:
The swordsman's blade strikes true, but its force is somewhat dampened by the thick scales that protect the beast from snout to tail. Automatically lashing back at the last person to strike, it snaps at Ensis with great jaws, scraps of meat still stuck between its huge teeth, before swinging around to lash its tail at Bertom. bookkeeping & analysis:
Alligator has hit Ensis for 5 hp and grabbed, starting a grapple as a free action with no AoO. It cannot move because attempting to move a grappled enemy is a standard action, so it's out of actions this turn.
The rogue dodges the whipping tail, but the noble swashbuckler is less fortunate, as the jaws snap tight onto his leg and do not release.
As Dee leaps upon the dock, a rotted board gives way under the force of her landing and martial maneuvers. She keeps her balance with some fancy footwork, but looks more like a drunken high-kick dancer at a bawdy house than the lithe, dangerous fighter she truly is.
With a tiny shake of her head, Quareen declines the flask. "Graciously spoken. And should you need another reminder, I am happy to oblige." A tiny smile softens her rejoinder. "You are welcome to take a seat and rest yourselves, my new friends. Stay as long as you like; though I have only one guest room, and the lady has claimed that." Godlas waves to the odd assortment of chairs, with varying sizes, finishes, and comfort levels between them. Some look child-sized -- or halfling-sized -- while others look sturdy enough to seat a minotaur. Cambino offers full wine glasses to everyone, then drifts to Theo's side, a slightly worried frown on his youthful face. "What of the others, milord? They will be waiting for you in the tavern. Or maybe not waiting and walking into a herd of dottari. Do you want me to fetch them here, or take word that all is well? One person may be able to slip through the streets unnoticed where a crowd would raise suspicion."
Ben's bolt skips across the mailed snout of the great beast, the ricochet nearly parting Ensis' and Bertom's hair.
Bertom's slim rapier slides between the armor plates and deep into the creature's vitals.
The creature thrashes as the arrow sinks into its armored side, hissing its annoyance with jaws agape. Large as it is, it moves quickly and seems quite powerful.
Party Initiative:
Combat is joined! Up now: Bertom
bookkeeping:
The noose pulls tight just a second too late to trap the big reptile, but, infuriated by the teasing and dimly seeing potential prey at the edge of the pool, the pale alligator shoots towards the edge of the pool.
A hiss from a dark alley proves that Cambino has not, in fact, left the guards to their own devices. He beckons them to follow as the sounds of approaching dottari grow louder. In a squalid street, he pauses to pull open a slanted set of double doors, revealing a set of brick steps down into a basement. As everyone crams into the stairway, he murmurs, "Close those doors." Once the outer doors are closed, he opens the inner door - a rough, low one - and steps through. A crockery mug whirs past Cambino's head to smash against the wall beyond as he ducks with practiced ease. "Milord, I've brought guests. Sorry to drop in unannounced," Cambino says blandly, unfazed by the strange greeting. "You're always welcome here, young scamp!" A wheezy voice bellows the welcome. "And bring your friends. New people are always interesting." A pale, wrinkled man reclines in a low chair near a smoky fire. One leg is propped on a footstool while the other seems to be missing from just above the knee. Across him from the fire, a humanoid figure rises suddenly, drawing a veil across its face as it backs into shadows. Its eyes glint red from where it stands, otherwise wreathed in darkness. Cambino bows and ushers everyone in to the low, cramped room. Chairs and low tables are scattered oddly around between bookshelves. Great empty spaces gape between the sparse books. Cambino bows again to their host, who does not rise. "My lord, these are my... friends. There seems to be a spot of trouble in the streets, so we thought it would be good to take shelter for a few minutes." He turns to the party and bows. "My lords, this is my teacher and mentor, Godlas Kelvyre. He taught me everything I know." Godlas beckons the group in. "Welcome. Don't stand on ceremony. Come in and have a seat. Cambino, fetch wine. You know where it is. New friends, please don't blame me for the vacancy between young Cambino's ears. I did my best to fill it." Though the invalid is elderly and rather rotund, his eyes are sharp and clear. He looks the newcomers up and down curiously. The figure in the shadows neither moves nor speaks.
Bertom gently shoves the strange snare so it floats out into the pond, anchored by Dee and Ensis. Valexia ruffles the surface of the water near Ben's contribution of a stink bait rag, while Rexus uses the same spell to be sure the scent lure stays squarely in the middle of the noose.
After a few moments, a pale form drifts slowly towards the disturbance, barely seeming to move yet never wavering from its relentless course. Suddenly, the rag disappears in a geyser of teeth and water! The snout of the alligator erupts right into the noose, and Dee and Ensis see their chance. They haul on the rope to draw the noose tight around the beast's jaws. But the creature reacts to the feeling of the rope with feral alacrity.
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