I am going to bow out too. Thank you for the invitation. With no word from Valeeran and Anja departing, I would rather play this module from the beginning.
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We are following our badass barbarian into the Nightpeddler's tent. Before entering, Jacen casts Honeyed-tongue upon himself and Good Hope on the party. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
"He prefers a red and black raspberry liqueur commonly found in a spherical bottle called Chambord or The Purple Hooter Shooter by those out of earshot of the Nightpeddler." Jacen grins and produces a bottle. "Perhaps it will help us gain entrance if we come bearing a gift."
I relay the gathered information. What is "NP" and what is the certain type of liquor?
Jacen fills his belly with blueberry jam on fresh bread, hickory-smoked bacon and hard apple cider. The new day has washed away any lingering bitterness from their arduous journey. He leans in and whispers to his friends, "Before we meet Mister Purple, I'd like to gather information about him. Perhaps, he has a weakness we can discover. Or she. I'm not certain." If the group reaches a consensous, then he spends time learning about the Nightpeddler after casting Honeyed Tongue on himself to aid his efforts.
"Let's deal with the slaver in the morning. It's been a VERY long journey and my feet are killing me. I need a cool bath followed by a five course meal, a feather bed and 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep." Jacen winces in pain with every step and wanders to the nearest bathhouse shaking the sand from his clothing.
GM: Jacen interpreted that he was promised dinner and a room, not just pointed to the nearest inn and tavern which he didn't even introduce them to. He views the ungrateful merchant (a strong deviation from the module) as a cheat, since gave them little supplies or reward in exchange for a magical item and rescue from the elemental except safe travel.
"You promised food, water and shelter! The centaur provided none of these. Aren't you a person of your word?" He yells at the merchant for all to hear. "I knew he was a scoundrel." He curses underneath his breath. "Let's find a place to rest for the night. I'm feeling cranky." Jacen searches out the best innkeeper and bargains accommodations for the entire party after casting Honeyed Tongue upon himself.
Jacen is still fuming to himself. "I can't believe we just traded about trading a greatsword for an STUPID umbrella. What a rip! That son of a..." Then, he notices Terry's expression change as the drizzle rests on his face. "Okay, that is a LITTLE better." He waits impatiently for 10 minutes which feels more like 10 hours to him as he bottles up his anger before politely asking. "Terry, um, when you are done using the umbrella do you mind if I try it?"
Discontented and moody, Jacen remains seething in silence. I've never met a merchant that I couldn't sweet talk. He should be offering us a reward for our services not the other way around. He must be a retired bard turned merchant with decades of experience. Oh well, at least we're moving to shelter. "ah CHOO!" He wipes his nose again with a handkerchief.
His sunburned pale face turns a deeper shade of red. "That is exactly what I've been trying to...ah CHOO! Pardon me...ah CHOO!" Jacen sheathes his sword and wipes his nose with a handkerchief. The bulging vein in his neck subsides and his color returns to normal. "I must be having an allergic reaction. Please excuse me." He stands behind Terry with one hand on his shoulder, leans down and whispers in his ear. "Thanks for backing me up, but he's not worth it. Save your strength." He acts indifferent for the remainder of the conversation giving others a chance to persuade the centaur.
I'm not necessarily advocating killing the centaur "merchant". My attempts of Diplomacy and Bluff failed, so Intimidation is the next course of action.
"Smart enough to not anger a group of armed strangers. I've asked about your merchandise and you haven't offered anything specifically to sell. Will you take us to shelter or not? We can discuss business afterwards." What a prick! He is the second most arrogant person I know. Wait a minute. He could be a spy. The friendly smile vanishes and he starts to scowl... "You know what? I'm tired. Very tired. And I am beginning to doubt you are a travelling merchant at all. Tell us who you really are and take us to shelter now!"
Jacen draws his sword and readies to attack.
Jacen raises one of his earbrows in curiousity and thinks to himself for a minute before responding in a sarcastic tone. Although we didn't save his life, I'd expect him to be more grateful for our services. Oh well, let's proceeds bartering in this damn heat. He might have some "magical grapes" to make an unlimited amount of curative potions. He clears his parched throat and begin speaking earnestly as possible given the circumstance. "Do you have a divine scroll of curing such as Breath of Life or Raise Dead? These are very helpful when an ally is near death's door. Otherwise, I can use almost any wand. My funds are rather limited, but I doubt you have many customers in these wastelands. Nothing ruins a business faster than funds tied up in slow moving inventory."
"Please show us your wands, scrolls and potions. We dabble in both the divine and arcane. I'm sure you have a deal of a lifetime with a limited time offer in your possession." He says with a nod and a wink.
Before the centaur's approach, Jacen casts Honeyed-tongue upon himself and greets him with a firm handshake. "Well met again, sir. failed to introduce myself earlier. My name is Jacen, and my friends are glad to make the area a bit safer for the time being." Eric, what an odd name for an air elemental. That does not sound very Ignan to me. "Will you return us favor in kind? We are in dire need of a guide and seek shelter. The desert heat seems never ending. What do you know of the land? I hope there an nearby town or caravan to purchase some camels. Would you be so kind to guide us through this wasteland?"
Floating down to the ground thanks to Valeeran's feather fall, Jacen dusts himself off and sheaths his elven curved blade. "I'm much better now thank you. I don't think the elemental liked the taste of me. He spit me out after the first bite." He feels much safer standing between his hulking female companion still grasping sword in hand and strong magical aura from the wizard. His shoulders and head hang after the adrenaline of battle leaves his body. "Well done again. I was starting to get a bit dizzy like the time I drank a flagon of moonshine. I hope the centaur can guide us to a place of rest. We've been walking in the desert sands for days."
I'm a big fan of GM moderation and interpretation even if it goes against the letter of the law.
Jacen is flung into the air and twisting around in somersaults. His grip tightens around the adamantine elven curved blade and starts hacking at the Air Elemental's amorphous body. "Why won't you DIE!?!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ongoing effects: Haste (6 rds), Good Hope (9 min), Inspire Courage
A large rock slams into the back of Jacen's head leaving a bloody gash. He jerks forward from the concussive blow, flails his arms to regain his balance and shakes the stars out of his eyes. Jacen plants both feet firmly in the sand and grits his teeth. "Anja, don't you leave my side. Your sword is even deadlier now. "Let's bring it down! " -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ongoing effects: Haste (7 rds), Good Hope (9 min), Inspire Courage (@party), Bladethirst (@Anja 3 rds), Inspire Greatness (@Valeeran 2 rds from Lingering Song), Dirge of Doom (@ Air Elemental 2 rds)
FYI, Casting defensively and initiative rolls are ability checks which Good Hope gives a +2 morale modifier.
Jacen is running behind Anja and yelling at the elemental while waiving his sword. "This might be one long bad dream. BUT I AM YOUR NIGHTMARE!"
Dirge of Doom:
A bard of 8th level or higher can use his performance to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard's performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and the bard continues his performance. This performance cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Dirge of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect, and it relies on audible and visual components. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ongoing effects: Haste (8 rds), Good Hope (9 min), Inspire Greatness (@Valeeran 3rds from Lingering Song), Dirge of Doom (@ Air Elemental), Cacophonous Call (9 rds @ Air Elemental), Arcane Strike (1 rd)
"I can't believe we are actually doing this," says Jacen in exasperation. He pauses for a few seconds and then spies Anja's grin. "Okay, now I can." He yells hustling after Anja.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ongoing effects: Haste (11 rds), Good Hope (9 min), Inspire Greatness (@Valeeran)
He opens his mouth while looking up at the falling ice hemisphere "Ice, ice, baby...Very nicely done Valeeran." Jacen sucks on the ice chips for a minute and smiles at his companions taking great satisfaction in their victory. "Disaster avoided. Even if we could catch him, I think we should leave the centaur to his own fate. We still have not found shelter and it has been too long since our last rest. I vote we continue our journey away from the desert tornado. Just curious, but what did you tell it, Terry?"
Will do! My most recent character was killed by an huge air elemental. It could be Déjà vu. He rose from the dead and converted faiths from the experience. Darn it, I forgot to purchase a Raise Dead scroll. I know I was forgetting something!
Too tired to speak, eat or move Jacen simply ignores the centaur. His feet are completely covered in blisters, hands sunburned, lips chapped and brain felt like molasses from heat exhaustion. Most days, he would cherish a long conversation with a centaur. He would have likely inquired about his nocturnal behaviors compared to humans. Do you sleep standing up? Are centaurs monogamous by nature? What is your favorite midnight snack? However, the only present thought that crossed his mind was getting some sleep until he saw Terry speaking with a desert tornado coming straight at him. "Holy $hit! You can talk to it? Think stupid. Think fast. Do something! Arcane words rapidly leave his tongue as his hands move in strange gestures. Courage and hope return to his heart as he spreads an inspiring message to his companions. "Fear not friends. I have faith in Terry and Valeeran that they can calm the storm and we shall be safe from harm.
Inspire Greatness:
Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher can use his performance to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels the bard attains beyond 9th, he can target an additional ally while using this performance (up to a maximum of four targets at 18th level). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the bard. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components. Good Hope: School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]
Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets one living creature/level, no two of which may be more than 30 ft. apart Duration 1 min./level This spell instills powerful hope in the subjects. Each affected creature gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. Good hope counters and dispels crushing despair.
My apologies. No new activity from this Gameplay was posted to my campaign page for the past 10 days.
Sweat drips from every pore of his body. His pale skin would look beet red if it was not for the shade provided by his clothing. He removes his armor to keep his body temperature lower. fail
His tongue licks his lips every minute to keep them from cracking. Blisters pop inside his boots making every step taken feels like two as fatigue begins to set in.
"These boots were NOT made for walking...on desert lands. I sure could use a nap under a palm tree and a cold coconut drink."
"As much as I'd love to retort the usefulness of bards and their value to society, my throat is dry and lips are parched. Terry, will you be able to refill our waterskins using one of your orisons on today's journey?" Jacen removes his left boot, dumps out a handful of sand and dons the rest of his hot weather outfit. "I'd french kiss a camel right now if I could ride it for a day. Damn this heat. What do you think comes first? A poisoned oasis, sandstorm or quicksand? I'll help Anja spot any natural hazards.
"Sounds like your list is growing. I better start writing this down. When there are so many people to kill, sometimes you forget how the revenge started." The auburn haired, hazel eyed, pale skinned man with sharp cheekbones wears a green tunic displaying his family crest, a red hand in front of a split tree. He polishes his matching signet ring on his grey cloak and unbuckles brown leather shoulder straps bearing the weight of his gear. "Walking in the desert is much easier with the right clothing... or less of it." Jacen glances at Anja with quick wink and kneels down to removes a wide brimmed, sandy colored hat from his backpack. A short burst of arcane words straighten the previously wrinkled hat as it floats perfectly down on his head. Hopefully we'll find a some camels before we arrive. I can't dance very well with blisters on my feet."
Thank you for inviting me. Character sheet is ready for audit. No hard feelings if mistakes are found. I'm looking forward to joining your story! Revisions: I swapped out Power Attack feat for Combat Reflexes and reduced my wealth level to from 8th to 7th at 23,500. I also added wands and swapped out Perform Oratory for UMD. Alignment to chaotic neutral.
I am pleased to present Jacen Torn, 9th level half-elven bard (arcane duelist). I think he would fit nicely in your group. I actively post as seen from my other aliases. I can bump him to 10th level with your permission and used average HP but will roll if selected. |