Mellany's page

Still considering what to add to this conversation. I'm glad Mirrender brought up the Freakonomics thing before I had Mell start an in character rant that equated to the same thing. I'm afraid it was getting... indelicate.

"It's not their face that's the problem," Mellany volunteers. "If this is the pleasuredom of the elite, anyone we send there needs to dress the part. Maybe we should use some of the 'Takers' blood money for new threads."

"The Starstone of all things? Are you serious? I want people to be able to live in this town without fear. I don't want to become some freaky avenging angel to do it."

"Of course we don't start bashing heads in on our first visit," Mellany says and promptly starts giggling. "Not even you, Jelani. We send a team in to scope the place out. See if we can find this Gull we're seeking. Ideally, we'd even lure him out of the Harlot before we start fighting."

"I've only heard rumors of pleasure houses with this kind of security," Mellany says seriously. "The powers beyond the 'Takers and Gulls won't take kindly to street fights breaking out in their favorite brothel."

Yeah, I was hoping someone else would have a more exciting idea than heading back to the safehouse. OOC, I'm still warping my mind around crazy high magic worlds where people use elementals for delivery boys. Too bad Mell doesn't have the knowledge skill to guess what they are.

"Just our luck," Mellany giggles nervously. "We didn't see the person who made the drop, but I'm sure their little flying servant will tell them all about us."

Once she thinks the thing has flown off, Mellany crawls out from her crate and snags the bag of coins from the kennel. "They'll be sending the Gulls after us when the 'Takers ask why their payment's missing."

"Uh, guys," Mellany says quietly from her crate. "Whatever happened to that fancy climbing rope? Maybe you could use that to get to the roof."

Mellany quickly searches the alley, but there doesn't appear to be much in the way of cover. Well, maybe she can hide in one of the larger boxes.

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

DC14

Distracted by an interesting geegaw in one of the street stalls, Mellany was a step behind her companions. She wasn't aware of the dogs until Cat started digging his claws into her shoulder.

"Fighting mad dogs, great way not to be noticed," Mellany says. Then she casts a spell to induce drowsiness in the hounds.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Initiative with Gunser's Help: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
She'll cast Sleep on the approaching dogs.

Sorry I didn't get the roll posted over the weekend. Mellany would want to go to the dead drop, but will stay out of this one if it's too late.

"We should also try to find out who this Siccero is," Mellany says. "It would be best if we could get to the drop before he, or she, makes the payment."

"I sincerely doubt that, Captain," Mellany returns Gunser's smile. "I think we should find out who is making the drops and why. They could be the Gull's confederates, or they could be victims. Either way, coin may be the key to breaking Kore's organization."

"You still don't get it," Mellany says with a grin. "Working girls will say things to clients they wouldn't share with each other. Of course it would be a nice change of pace to be a client." It's hard to tell if the look on her face is amused or serious.

"I take it you haven't been 'behind the scenes' at a brothel, Jelani," Mellany responds to his questions about the Silver Harlot. "A successful madame makes sure the only charm spells that are cast are cast by the house." She thinks a little more and adds, "Of course we've got a veritable store house of Silver Harlot knowledge right over our heads. You don't think the girls at the Lily know more about the competition than we could hope to learn in weeks?"

The idea of Jelani surprising people who think they've surprised him is more than a little amusing to me.

Ninja Baddie: *voice emerges from the shadows* Ha! Ha! I've got you now!
Jelani smash!
Ninja Baddie: Owies.

Besides, Mel never wins an initiative roll, so her getting extra action during the Surprise Round is a bit of a waste. I vote Jelani gets the sandals.

Mellany considers the notes then says, "Tomorrow may not be Gull Season. We may have an opportunity to get their real feed at the trough. If I'm reading the Knight's notes properly, we can get the 3500 that 'Siccero' is dropping off at the stockyards. That's coin they won't be able to share with their followers. And that we could give to those who need it."

OK, Mellany will take the +3 Cloak of Resistance. Which sandals are we talking about again?

Yeah, take the headband, Blast.

"Keep both entries open so the fires can breathe. Then burn the bodies on the rubbish heap. We'll do the neighbors two favors tonight."

"תעמדו בשקט, ספרקי!" Mellany shouts words of power to focus energy that will compel the firy creature standing in the doorway into immobility.

Hold Person DC15

Sorry, no Read Magic for Mel.

"Why don't these fools surrender when they have the chance?' Mellany mutters. She draws a sling and a stone from her pouch, takes a step towards the door, and flings the stone towards the retreating bird.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Mellany steps up behind Gunser. "The croc got you pretty bad, Captain," she says as she casts a healing hex on his wounds.

Healing Hex: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

"I've got a rude gesture of my own," Mellany says to the cloud as she puts her finger to her lower eyelid.

Evil Eye to reduce its AC by 2 for 6 rounds. Will save DC14 and it only lasts one round.

So we're ready for a new bad guy turn, yes?

Yeah, I'm good. I think we've had a meeting of the minds on some stuff that had been annoying me. I have to remember to let you all know when I'm getting peeved instead of suddenly announcing my departure.

I'm still in.

Critters with a natural fly speed can 'Run', 'Run' being the combat action of moving fastest with less care. Critters rendered into a gaseous form, while not being 'granted by the Fly spell', could be judged to have a 'natural' fly speed, or not, it's not clear enough to me to argue it.

I've already PMed Arkwright about this one, but since Gunser's brought it up here I'll share my thoughts. Arkwright told us we could determine the eagle used Gaseous Form to change. Having made my roll (my bad shouldn't Take 10 in combat) I looked at the spell description. The way the spell was called out, I thought there might be a clue about what we were fighting and how to fight it in the way the spell worked. The spell description in the PRD says the character in Gaseous Form is limited to moving 10 feet per turn and cannot run. I tried to point this out politely and got "Trust me."

I really, really try to avoid rules lawyering, I want to trust the GM to work his best to give his players challenging plots. However. this and the interpretation of the whatever effect allowed the knight two full turns in a row was pushing my trust past the breaking point. It was starting to feel like "you all get to be ineffective while I just frustrate you with cool effects by bending the rules."

Meanwhile, I have not been playing in good faith. I told Arkwright this in my PM, but feel you all deserve to know this. I've been trying to find a way to get Mellany killed off without breaking character. I'm not happy with the way characters have been retconned in and out of the game, so I took an extremely metagame approach to trying not to have that happen to Mel.

I'm upset, but don't know how I'd like to see this resolved. I feel the best course of action is putting this out there for everyone to consider.

Arkwright has been talking to me about whether or not I stay. One thing I'd ask of everyone before making my final decision: Could we agree to keep rules questions in the discussion thread? I can't keep track of what's going on in character when there are a half dozen posts between each action about how a rule should be interpreted.

That was the Spellcraft you asked for figuring out it used Gaseous Form. Which I was making sure I spelled out because this cloud may be moving faster than it should. Maybe it's just a matter of style, but I'm becoming annoyed by the use of "trust me" in your posts. I'm seriously losing trust. We're having to rules lawyer way too much to get anything done or get any meaningful information. I've tried, but there have been too many speed bumps in this game. I'm out.

Mellany chases after her companions as they pursue the gaseous shape. "Finish off the 'knight' quickly," she says. "The way it reacted to my spell, it's not a person."

Take 10 on the Spellcraft 10 + 9 = 19.
Check how fast the cloud's going. It's limited to 10 feet per round.

Mellany utters words of power in an effort to make the knight stop running. "ואני נתתי פני בכם, ואתם יהיו הרוגים לפני אויביכם: הם ששונאים אותך יימלכו עליכם; ואתם בורחים, כשזה לא לרדוף אותך."

Hold Person DC 15

"I've seen you and found you wanting," Mellany says as she gives the knight a baleful glare -- a glare that seems to hinder his ability to attack her friends.

Evil Eye Will Save DC14 or -2 to hit.

Mellany advances into the room behind Gunser, "You left that rubbish on your front step for an alarm when you already had a magic one? What's the matter, didn't trust the caster?"

"I hate to say it, but I think this stink is intentional," Mellany says. "Like they want to cover up something worse. I think the spell is to keep the neighbors from noticing. Getting a local kid to haul your trash away for a few coppers would be easier than the enchantment. Something's up with the rubbish."

"Teleporting when you don't know where you're going might be tricky," Mellany muses. "The Eight's ability to teleport sounds better as a trick to get us back to the Defiance if things get awkward. I say we try the well. It's less likely that we'll run into people who are just working girls or friends of friends than the tavern."

"Don't worry about it, Captain. I've been called that often enough and it was true long enough that I don't really mind. But I would like to think those days are behind me. Even if I do have to play dress up to get our job accomplished."

"Hmmm... That's an interesting idea, Taurven. Though it may draw people's attention if we don the black outfits too soon."

"That Thantor has eyes and ears," Mellany says when she catches the drift of the conversation. "Sufficient to know that Blast and his kin feel and bleed just like the rest of us. If he had the honor he aspires to, he wouldn't be parading with the 'takers." She laughs and looks at her forearm as if she could see the eight-pointed star through the sleeve of her dress. "Imagine me talking all high and mighty like that."

My intent is to escape their attention and let them pass. Duck into an alley or store if that's the best way to pull it off.

"Not here or now," Mellany says quietly. "Jelani would be real upset if we started busting heads without him. We'll have our chance to get them in their lair." She looks for a congregation of street folks to merge among to avoid the Tail-takers' notice.

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"You can follow, but stay out of my way. Please," Mellany says to Casey and Gunser when she emerges from getting dressed for her excursion. It's near dusk and Mellany's attire looks like she intends to attract attention and get hassled. "The 'takers hideout is a bar. I might be able to talk to girls who go to the bar on business. I'll need to gain their trust first, so I'm going to dress and act the part."

"But a new girl on the streets with two bodyguards, pimps, or companions would be out of character. So try to stay out of sight, but stay alert."

Mellany heads to the streets and makes her way to Thumbtown and from there to Bridgeside.

OK, time for some die rolls.
To get where she wants to go and learn the lay of the land: Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
To gain information: Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
And to convincingly play the part: Profession, courtesan: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

"I don't really have anything that would take me a week to prepare. I'd feel better if we had a little idea of what the streets were like around the bar. Running when you don't know where you're going is going to get you lost."

I thought we were an anarcho syndicalist commune.

"Duchess is it? I'll have you know the madame at the last house I worked at styled herself 'Duchess'. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Naboo. You've done way more than I would have expected from a stranger. Thank you. And beware of loose strings, Cat likes to nibble on them if you leave them unattended."

"Anyways, I think the Captain's hand will be as steady as any other's at the helm. Perchance the first course we should steer is learning who or what this Kore is before we go traipsing into her lair."

"We can track down stragglers and kill them off one-by-one easy enough," Mellany says thoughtfully. "But it won't do any good. In this town, bullies and cutthroats are ready made by desperation. Striking at their base would be unexpected and likely to result in fewer deaths in the long-run. If we can pull it off."

Mellany enjoys the meal. It may not be gourmet fare, but its simplicity is comforting. When Mirrender asks Mellany if she can sing, she starts laughing. "Heavens, no," she answers. "If I could have carried a tune, I'd still be in Shelyn's temple back in West Crown. No, that's not true and not fair to the priests. The temple of Shelyn has an uneasy truce, if you would, in West Crown. The noble houses let the heretic religion practice openly. The priests quietly gather and produce the artworks that delight the Rose and show them to the entire city so they can glimpse a little of the beauty Lady Shelyn promises. Whenever the temple gets a particularly fine piece, the nobles take an interest and launch a pogrom against the infidels. The pogrom lasts until the nobles 'liberate' whatever they wanted and a little more to pay for their trouble."

A wave of melancholy passes over Mellany's face before she continues. "Sometimes the nobles aren't interested in a piece of art. Sometimes one of the children the priests are training catches a noble's fancy. I... I don't know why the vice-mayor would have been interested in me. I wasn't much bigger than this wee one," Mellany gently pats the head of the child sitting next to her. "But for the good of the temple I had to 'run away' before his men came to fetch me."

"Oh, now see what I've done. Spoiled a perfectly fine dinner with a dreary story."

Time skip is fine for me, I'm waiting for Mirrender's response as well. I don't know what he wanted to accomplish with this side trip other than delivering stuff.

Mellany is not showing the others how or where to connect with the web. At least not yet. No offense, but I think it's prudent to protect the security of The Eight. Who knows what some crazy witch gossip will say?

Mellany joins the others in laughing at Mirrender's jest. "You know I'm okay because we met in jail? Just what kind of place is this?" She shakes her head with a grin and continues, "No need to answer that one, I can guess this is the kind of place, and people, I'd like."

"I'll join you on the web tonight, Aunty," Mellany says. "If Mirrender isn't detained by the orphans. No need to bother the others about my silly worries. The web will be abuzz with rumors soon enough if vampires start coming back."

"Well, Mirrender, do you have any questions for Madame, or should we be on our way to the orphanage?"

"Sorry, Aunty, I should have been clearer," Mellany says with a laugh. "I meant more vampires like the one Urgathoa turned the dwarf into, not more of the rats. Death, pestilence, and gluttony, plenty of those in this town, but I haven't noticed anyone who worships them. Except maybe the tail-takers, but I think they like tormenting people for the power it gives them not death for its own sake."

Mellany sighs. "My friends seem intent on starting a war against the tail-takers. I have no love for the takers, but I think we need to do more than start a war. I promised to help Mirrender take some goods to the orphanage when we're done here. Maybe that's a step, but it's such a tiny one."