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Dotting interest
Thank you for posting this. Although I've been pbem/pbp ing for years it's great to see so much of this put out and codified. This will be even more interesting because I'm working on putting together my first PBP game and this is a great resource for me to recommend for my players
Dotting Interest
Interest Check -- Pathfinder CORE Campaign --Series of Classic Module Conversions (U1-U3, A1-A4, ??)
Quick note, I'm running into changing the attached character on Jezalane from another aborted campaign. As soon as it's updated, I'll let you know. The displayed background is correct. Wm
Interest Check -- Pathfinder CORE Campaign --Series of Classic Module Conversions (U1-U3, A1-A4, ??)
I've reworked Jezalane's background to tie her in to the area around the Azure sea but I'm fine with any adjustments you want to suggest. Jezalane Ki Nightfalcon was one of the three scions of the Nightfalcon Merchant House. She was raised the indulged daughter of wealth and privilege and despite being given every social advantage and a great deal of pressure from her mother, she prefered to spend her days exploring the deep woods with an eye always on the next horizon to becoming a “Lady”. Recognizing Jezalane was too obstinate to give into her mother’s desire, her father asked her Uncle Othlo to take her under his wing and so she set off on her first caravan. She traveled with him for a number of years, learning to be a factor for house Nightfalcon in many far off lands. One winter evening their caravan was attacked and scattered. Left on her own and believing everyone dead, Jezalane was forced to continue the journey on her own. As she made her way back to the city Zelradton where Nightfalcons maintained a charter house. While staying there she fell in with a local band of adventurers. She discovered that she liked the life and set about making her name, exploring lost ruins. One cold autumn, in a fallen tower of cyclopean origin she and her allies accidentally stumbled upon a priest of Mellifluer. The battle was brutal and bloody and in the end, they were forced to take their wounded and flee from the necromancer. Jezalane was amongst them. Falling back to the city of Hexpools, her allies gathered what warriors they could along with all the guards the city could provide and returned to the ruins to drive out the necromancer While her allies had been able to save her life and bring her back to with them, it cost her an eye and her leg. Sick from her wounds and cursing her fate, Jezalane took offence at a beggar obviously faking a missing limb and she assaulted him. Little did she know that the local beggars were devout worshippers of Zagig. In response to her actions, his priest called for her to be surrendered to face “justice”. She refused and was forced to try to flee the city. Unfortunately she was quickly captured and taken to the secret underground temple of the mad deity. What wealth and equipment she had was given to the beggar she had injured but the priest demanded that she makes amends to Zagig as well. She couldn’t say what inspired her but she snatched up a dagger and cut her waist length hair and tossed it into the alter brazier. The Insane God accepted her sacrifice and and more. By his grace she reborn whole in body. Whole in body but 14 years youngers. Despite still having the mind of a 24 year old woman, she found herself trapped in the body of a 10 year old girl. After that, she was given a bowl and set free. As she made her way back to her inn, every beggar in the city sought her out and and tossed a copper into her bowl as an act of devotion. When her allies returned they took her to a priory of Lirr which the Nightfalcon Clan had sponsored, for care. It seemed that Zagig’s blessing/curse was irreversible but the Sisters agreed to take her in. Whether it was because she no longer was the physically fearless girl she had been or Zagig had changed her in more than age, it soon became clear that she wasn’t destined for the physical life she had known before. After raging against the unfairness of everything that had happened, she came to realize that she no longer wanted that life. Crossing swords and losing limbs had lost it’s appeal. It was with this revelation that she turned to the priory’s library. Over the next 8 years, she read every book that the sisters had. She also learned to sharpen her musical skills, now appreciating all the years her mother had made her spend practicing. When she finished the last book, she took her leave from the sisters and lute in hand, went to explore the world. Traveling across the Azure Sea, the ship she was on was set upon and captured by pirates. She was given the choice of join or die, hence for a while she sailed under the skull and crossbones. While she found love in the arms of Avanestra, the first mate of the Wasp, it was clear she was unsuited for the buccaneers life so she returned to the mainland. Lute in hand she made her way in the world, sharing songs and news for her supper. It was a hard life but she enjoyed it. While on a trade venture for her Uncle Othlo, she made her way to the elvish city Courwood and her life changed. Staying at an inn called The Wayfairer’s Folly she saw an elvish musician played the most amazing music she had ever heard. Afterwards, Jezalane approached him and asked if he would teach her. He invited him to his home to display her abilities. As it turned out, he was Brolentae Halfhanded, the elvish master of Song and Stars and his home seemed palatial even to one who had been raised in the extreme wealth of House Nightfalcon. Knowing who she was performing for, Jezalane was intimidated and it showed. He wasn’t impressed with her Lute playing. For the first time since she was six, when she sang “Amanas Desna” her voice crack. She was heart broken. He thanked her and suggested some exercises but it was clear that she had failed. Brolentai invited her to lunch before she departed. Sitting with her, he stared into her eyes and recognized something in her and asked her to tell him how she came to be there. Slowly she told him her tale. He listen carefully, only interrupting on rare occasion and to ask for specific information. When she finished he helped her put away her lute and that was when he noticed her fiddle. It was an old traveling instrument of little quality that her mother had given her when she was little and had hoped to turn her into a “proper lady”. Brolentai asked her about it and then asked her to play. She tried to explain that she wasn’t as good with the fiddle as she was with the instruments she had already failed to impress him with. Even so, he insisted. She played a simple reel she had learned in the learned as her days as a bucuneer for no reason other than she liked the fingering. When she was done, Brolentae nodded. “For a mortal you have considerable talent but you lack focus.” He said. “More to the point you let fear hold you back. When you had failed and could relax you told your story with a poetic passion I didn’t think you had and when you played the three razors (a song he never asked how she had learned) you evoked the sea and the wind. Even so, mortals lives are so short I have doubts that I can teach you more than the rudimentary skills need to create music but if you wish, I will try.” With that sentence, her world changed Now, six years later she has taken leave to practice and master the basic skills he taught her. His instructions were to play until her fingers bled in joy, her voice bewitched an angel and her words changed the world.
Interest Check -- Pathfinder CORE Campaign --Series of Classic Module Conversions (U1-U3, A1-A4, ??)
This sounds really cool, I'll see about getting a character out for your consideration tonight or tomorrow. I had one character who achieved first level bard right before 2nd edition came out and made it redundant. I'd love to run a PF bard in these old haunts.
Dotting an interest. I'll submit something either tonight or tomorrow.
I'll go with it and put something together tomorrow. It's convenient (and I'm not sure if it's intentional) that Jezalane is a follower of Desna and well traveled. I should be able to come up with a travelling song. She might use your collection of coins to inform her choice.
Giving Aebin a look to let him know all is good she addresses Sanriel and Judaf. "Gentles, gentles, I beseech you, be calm. I by ignorance insult our guest and wished not but to make amends. In doing so I hoped to bring light to where my minds library lies in darkness." With half a grin she acknowledge Judaf's humor. "Unlike Master Sanriel, one of my missions is to teach and I will take measures to pass on this wisdom and insure that any soul who encounters a less restrained member of the Siabrae will not imperil their lives through ignorance." With a grin she turned back towards her protector. "Aebin, I assure you that our guest meant no threat but rather a stern but well deserved chastisement. I have no doubt that if he had intended harm, he would have acted rather then threaten. I for one am most grateful that he choose the gentler path. As he has already acknowledge the shared boundaries of hospitality, I would expect he will honor them." Finally she again addressed the skeletal druid. "Master Sanriel, I am grateful for your restraint and honored by your tutorage. Please name me a song or verse that would please you and allow me to make amends."
Sanriel, I appreciate your indulgence and I think you are right on the posting nature of this board. Be that as it may, lulls in posting are the bane of PbP games and so I hate to be the source of such in a game I enjoy.
When the Sibrae spoke up, Jezalane felt a chill run up her arm and suddenly her leg felt like collapsing. She made a mental note that beyond all the abilities she had heard of, they apparently possessed extraordinarily good hearing. Someone should instruct him, her, it? that basic courtesy held that while it was one thing to eaves drop (an activity she often practiced in), it was another to insert yourself into conversation you were not meant to hear. She slowly turned back to the gem eyed undead as she lost her cheerful smile and slowly walked over to him. "Master Druid, I assure you that that no one offered you any insult. I am well aware of what you are and what you have sacrificed for your cause. I merely made and observation of your nature to my friend as few of your kind are seen this far from the worldwound." "If any of what I said was inaccurate, amend my knowledge as I meant no offence and of greater import, I merely echoed whats is reported in Byriden's most famed tome, The Tragic Rise and Fall of Sarkosis. A book as I'm sure you are aware, is held to be the most accurate and complete in it's discussion of the Worldwound and the war to hold the hoards of hell at bay. If it's discussion on your nature is in error, advise me so and I will spread the word so that neither you nor your fellows are slandered nor misunderstood in days to come." "In the mean time, given you appear to partake in neither drink nor food, by way of apologie, might there be a song, story or verse from your days of flesh and folly that I might perform to restore you spirits and assure you of the welcoming hospitality of this finest of Inns?"
Jezalane look over to Aebin. "I wasn't concerned. I have no doubt that if someone," she paused "or something was to present a threat that you would deal with it posthaste. I was merely noting the unusual variety of some of the customers this evening and wondering if there was a story to be told. She flashed him a grin. "In the trade we call it gathering background information. Don't worry though, I'll give you another chance later on." "In the mean time, is Hal around?"
I'm asking for Hal as matter of continuity but am well aware his last update indicated he had doubts of his continuing. Likewise, writings Jezalane's performance will be very different if she is on her own then if she still backing up Hal so I wanted to give him an opportunity to chime in.
Sorry, the day's gone very long. Up at 6 AM and I'm off to bed at 4:30 AM and worked all day. 4 Hrs sleep then busy until 5 PM or so. I'll post tomorrow night. That's a deadline so this won't continue. Sorry about the delay but RL is playing hard.
Thank you. Sometime's it's hard to run someone with good knowledge skills when you're not completely confident you have access to the full scope of information. I'll try to get a post out this morning but it's a very busy day today.
Sanriel. Before Jezalane responds can you clarify something for me Since I had a pretty good Knowledge religion roll (High enough to Identify your species, I looked it up. I googled your species and and found a description. In the description it said, "they prevented the wholesale invasion and corruption of their land from demonic influence, but only at a terrible cost. They took the corruption into themselves." I read this that the corruption they took into themselves was demonic influence and this led to their undead nature. Am I miss reading this? I'm asking for my edification. Jezalane will is the soul of honesty and will go and address you. Admittedly she didn't count on being overheard but as far as she knows her description was honest and accurate. The reason for Jezalanes reaction is twofold; In Jezalane's heritage there is a very powerful demonic taint. Despite her not being evil, she detects as being minorly evil. Given your incredible powers of observation you might detect some or all of this. The second is that her history has given her a serious dislike and very healthy fear of undead and necromancy.
Pushing the oaken door open, Jezalane stepped into the Hopscratch. She’d only been back for a day but already it held an aura of safety for her. Casting her eye about the common room, she smiled. Part of that smile was for the number of clients sitting about but part of it was for the pleasure of being back. “Good afternoon Aebin. How are you this afternoon?” She inquired as she took in the new clientel. When she caught sight of Cyrielle offering a bowl to Sanriel she stops. The Siabrae‘s presence obviously disturbs Jezalane and she pauses to compose herself. She lower’s her voice and whispers to the large half -orc. ”I see that we have a rather powerful, demon possessed undead being offered lunch. Is there anything you wish to share?”
I'm still here but since Jezalane's last post had her arriving in the latter afternoon I've been silent. I actually plan on posting something today or tomorrow and am working on a entertainer post.
Do we have someone to work in the stables?
Guests in the Inn! I'm so glad. I'll be writing Jezalane's return in a couple of days as early afternoon.
I've tried 4 times to set up a character for this campaign with no success. I'll take this as a sign from the gods to withdraw my interest and wish everyone the best.
Tagging an interest. It's been many, many, many years since I played in the FR so it would be fun.
Dotting interest. I'm thinking either a Dwarvish Paladin or Bard. In a 6 person Party, Bards are worth their weight in gold.
**** Frustration ##### Understanding .....calm ;) Like Cyrielle, I understand. Real Life always trumps gaming. I'll keep an eye out for when it's time to write again. Hal, are you still with us?
Just to chime in, I understand the occasional delay in PBP games. It's part of the nature of the game and real life trumps all. Ideally there are enough players to cover the gap and keep momentum going. I'm still here and I still want to play.
I put up two post. To avoid clogging up the list I collapsed a couple of sub-chapters. I have to say writing the scene in the bath house was weird. When I started to write it, I had envisioned how it would go. After I started it took a left turn in Albuquerque and went the direction it did. I tend to be uncomfortable writing things of a sexual nature (that's for my spouse not for fellow gamers) so I usually fade to black. While I don't feel I crossed any lines (I'd call it PG rated at best) but as I said, I feel uncomfortable so if I misjudged, I apologize. The end result is I now have a villain who will reappear later on. ET, regardless of how my die rolls were, Mssr. Anrassio will find Jezalane eventually. At some point it will be an adventure in and of it'self. Feel free to use him as you well. All I know of him is what was written.
As the driver applied the whip she exhaled. She hadn’t realized it at first but there was something very, very dangerous about Mssr. Anrassio. It wasn’t the desire in his eyes, she’d had to deal with it her entire life. It was something else. Those eyes were cold, like there was something hiding behind a mask. Something hungry to be free, something clawing below the surface, something hateful, something... evil. “Darkness recognizes darkness.” her gram used to say. ”If you can see it, it can see you.” She went a bit mad with age and was fixated on the taint in the triplets. As crazy, as spiteful as she was, she wasn’t completely wrong. Andelain had joined the clergy, cloistered to keep away the darkness. Mardello had taken to the family business and despite how competitive he was, he had been the best of them. The only indication of evil in them was in her. The Fall of Pashow:
Acrid smoke swirled around them as the army of Cridor the Bloodless breached the south gate. Jezalane looked over her shoulder at Avanestra as they pressed forward. The Brunette grinned, her eyes gleaming in anticipation of the battle to come. “I’ll see you when this is done, be it here or in hell.” she laughed.
”Be safe” Jezalane replied. ”Here or in Hell, we’ll dance tonight.” Trumpets blared and they Cridor’s forces surged. Mad Feglin roared as he waved his glaive ”She’s ours till the dawn. Put them to the sword my loves and take as you will.” and their the flames of war and blood and lust filled them. Like hounds at a carcass they tore into the city. Any who stood before them they fell like wheat before the scythe. In the thrill battle, Jezalane lost herself and streets ran red. Her heart was pounding like a trip hammer as the as the gig bounced along on it’s two wheels. She had chosen the foreign quarter because it far enough away but she was beginning to regret that decision. If she traveled to too far it would give anyone following a better chance of grabbing their own transport and catching up. She needed to change directions and needed to do it fast. Leaning out the window she handed the driver a handful of gold. ”Keep going to the Foreign Quarter as quick as you can, no matter what I do. Understand? No matter what I do.” The driver nodded his assent and Jezalane gathered her things. As they rounded a corner she saw what she was looking for. Three stories, the Dancing Dragon was looked to be a good inn to stay at. It was situated in the middle of the block with lots of windows but a small door facing the street. It was a gamble but one worth taking. She counted to three and jumped clear. She hit the street hard and her ankle screamed in pain as it twisted on the uneven cobbles. (5 pts damage) The Dancing Dragon:
Rolling to her she grimaced and addressed the surrounding onlookers. ”They need to make those things safer.” then limped into the inn. She must have been a bit of a site as she rushed into the in. It was everything she expected and the bouncer gave her a curious look. This I don’t need. she thought. It was moments like this she regretted the fact that she didn’t lie. ”I think... There’s someone following me. she said as she fished out a gold. ”Is there an back entrance and can I use it?”
He considered for a moment, glancing through the door she had just come in from. "Keep your Gold" he said as his eyes softened a bit as he stood up and walked her through the kitchen to the delivery entrance. The cook staff looked up questioning but didn’t they didn’t stay long enough for questions. “Not my business but it you want to lose whomever is following you, I’d cover that hair. It’s rather distinctive.” He advised as he held open the door. With that he turned about and headed back into the inn. "Good Luck, if anyone come looking, I slow them down." he promised It dawned on Jezalane that he was right. She put her hair up in a twist and reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out her scarf. Looking both ways she pulled the scarf over her head and headed down the alley, away from the direction the gig bee headed out.
A few blocks later and Jezalane found a carriage that would take her towards the Ivy District. It was costly but she enjoyed the privacy. She felt secure, nestled in the seat, curtains pulled up. She sang a healing ballad before she looked at her ankle and was glad she did so. She could see the discoloration fading away and knew it had been ugly.
Walking amongst the Ivy:
She spent the afternoon wandering the Ivy District, enjoying the tree lined streets, wandering into the galleries and theaters. She wandered in and out of the pubs and inns learning which ones were the haunts of the performers and where the patrons were to be found. It was a pleasant way to spend four or five hours.
(+1 if he's someone who might find her sexually attractive) As wonderful as it was, she never quite relaxed, still haunted by the feeling that something was hunting her shadow. She didn't see anything but the feeling was still haunting her. By mid-afternoon she was hoofing it back to the merchant quarter, taking advantage of the chance to learn more of the city as she passed through the Ascendant Court, skirted the south end of the Petals and dropping down into the north end of the merchant's quarter. On more then one occasion the Blue Tower of Desna served as a beacon to guide her home and she stopped and offered prayers for her safe return before heading out to the Hookscratch Inn.
Jezalane wandered about the public bath. It was so different from the baths in Greengold. In their wisdom the elves had no modesty between the sexes but here it was quite different. There were separate entrances for men and women. Both equally grand marbled stairways into no doubt very similar facilities. This was an important feature for those from cultures where modesty was highly valued. She had changed into a demi-toga before she checked her cloths, lute and bag in after casting a cantrip (prestidigitation) to keep her items, dry and at a stable temperature. Then towel in hand she wandered down to the baths. They were incredibly hot, short of boiling but for a moment she doubted that wouldn’t be scalded. As she settled in she let her muscles relax and enjoyed the experience. When he had traveled with Otto had always sworn that nothing was as relaxing as visiting the public bathes of Absalom. Visiting the Public Bathes of Absalom:
Closing her eyes she began to listen to conversations around her. At first most of what she hears are squeals of shock as other women enter the pool. Eventually she begins to hear more and more conversations;
“I swear, Marda is getting more than pies from the baker over on Chain Street.” “The blonde?” “No the brunette with the scar.” “I swear, he said it would be a week before they had any ducks to sell.” “No he couldn’t tell me why but he said that there are places selling ducks for 2 gold or more!” “Dadelis the scribe was warned by the guild that if they found him making extra copies of documents again that they would ban him from the guild and see him in stocks.” None of this was overly exciting but it was a start. Eventually one of the bath attendants stopped by and asked if she wanted her hair washed. She she considered for a moment and agreed. It was a luxury she hadn’t enjoyed since the last time she has seen Avanestra some... some 4 years or so ago. Oddly enough, with Avanestra it had been a sensually intimate act but with a stranger doing it, it was comforting like the memory of one’s mother or in her case, a nanny. When she was done, she moved from the hot water baths to the cool ones. She lay there for a while relaxing and listening to more gossip, little of any apparent wealth. When she was done she wrapped herself in her towel and wandered toward the common area. While there were private spas for women to get massages and segregated steam rooms, there were some some communal facilities for those who weren’t offended by seeing members of the other gender wrapped in a towel or perhaps even nude. There were a some elves and gnomes here as well as a handful of halflings. A couple of half orcs, half elves and a half... she wasn’t sure what. Even so it was primarily occupied by humans and the vast majority of them were male. This didn’t bother Jezalane. If being a mercenary and a pirate hadn’t prepared her for being in mixed company, half a decade in an elvish city would have done so. She made her way over to where attendants were giving massages, choosing a notably attractive female half orc named Queenie whose hands were magic. Too magical for her to be eavesdropping. While she was getting a knot worked out of her shoulder a servant brought over a glass of chilled wine and he indicated that it had come from a portly man of middle years. “Mssr. Anrassio is known to be a very generous patron and from what I’ve heard, is not without some skill.” Whispered the masseuse. Jezalane raised an eyebrow and looked at her trying to discern her meaning. As she looked at Queenie she began to get a feeling she knew what was being implied, then to confirm her suspicions she looked about the room, paying more attention to the women. They were almost all very attractive and displaying a excessive amount of amenability towards the men who flocked around them. ”??? Oooooh. I see. He.. You... I see.”. Jezalane found herself breathless and wordless. When you’re a young, attractive female performer there are always those who make certain assumptions about your morals, your mores, your real profession and as a warrior and a pirate she had had more than her share of offensive propositions and she had always dealt with it but this was different. Despite herself she found herself blushing. It was the unexpectedness of it. Not here, not now. Perhaps it was the civility of it that made it more disturbing. It was embarrassing that she missed what was going on here. It was embarrassing that she mad missed what her Uncle had been referring to. Gods! she’d been naive when they had come through here. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Then she slowly let the comedy of the situation put a smile on her face. When she opened them she took the proffered drink and smiled in the direction of the Mssr. Anrassio. Looking in his direction she took a cool sip, enjoying the cold taste of ice and sugar. It was a bendalkavian ice wine, borne of frozen grapes grown on the edge of a glacier. It was good. ”Thank you Queenie”. She whispered as she rose to her feet and sauntered toward the merchant who was beginning to smile with anticipated success. As Jezalane neared he rose to his feet. ”Oh beauty of the day. Are you Calistria taken flesh? Come and let me show my devotion.” He laughed. Jezalane sat near him an amused grin lighting her face. ”Thank you. Your taste is delicious.” she flirted as she leaned forward hinting at her curves below. He’s eyes followed as expected. ”This is quite a surprise, nothing that I expected when I woke up this morning.” ”Do you like surprises?” he replied. ”I do. I love surprises and experiencing new thing. There’s nothing more wonderful than finding something that forces you to stretch your limits.” ” And you, Mssr Anrassio, do you like surprises? Do you like having your limits stretched?” she asked as she leaned and slowly ran a hand along his side, drawing his attention lower, toward her legs. “I do” he purred as he took a sip of his glass. “I do indeed.” ‘Then you I promise you I have a big surprise for you.” With that she activated the still active power of her prestidigitation and slowly a significant length of her toga started to slowly rise. Anrassio’s eyes widened and he choked on his beverage. Then he laughed. He leaned forward and whispered ”My dear, if that is really all you then I would indeed let you expand my horizons but I’m afraid you’re a little thin for my taste.”[b/] Jezalane looked down and realized that the force that rose from her loins was creating razor thin fold in her toga. It looked ridiculous. Jezalane sighed, closed her eyes and unleashed a dockside liturgy of curses in the back of her head. Looking up she smiled and then finished her wine. [b]”I apologize. I am not what you took me to be. When I realized what you thought me to be, I was embarrassed and thought to get out of this situation while exacting a little revenge. It was petty and I apologize”. Still chuckling Anrassio leaned back. ”My dear. I apologize for having mistaken your reasons for being here and for any embarrassment I made you feel. You are truly beautiful and I will admit that I will go to bed tonight regretting that I was wrong. That said, all you had to do was say no. If I may, I would suggest you be a little more discerning as to where you choose to present yourself.” The he paused and thought for a moment. “Might I buy you another drink and we can talk like old friends about the amusing way we met?” Jezalane wasn’t sure of anything at this point but she suspected he was trying for another bite of the apple. Either way, she knew that a civil as the offer was, accepting would be a very bad idea. Rising to her feet she put the wine glass down. ”I appreciate the offer but I think I best be on my way. Should we meet again let it be as strangers with no history of prejudice or preconception.” He rose to his feet as she departed back into the bastion of the women’s portion of the bath. She could feel his eyes following her and she was filled with the urge to bathe again. She wouldn’t, she needed to get out of there and she needed to get out of there now.
Her hair still wet and loose, Jezalane made her way back to the street as quickly as possible. Deep in her gut, she knew she was in danger. She tossed a handful of silver the attendant as she grabbed her stuff and took off. Crossing the street she hailed a passing gig and hopped in. ”The Foreign Quarter!” she yelled. ”Make it fast and I pay in gold.”
Have fun. The post I'm working is looking to be substantial so I'll be putting it out in chapters. As I said before, Jezalane is just wandering the town today and getting her feet on the ground so unless I roll a nineteen or twenty on a skill check, nothing terribly substantial is going to happen until she gets back to the Inn.
After her breakfast and arranging to meet with Hal an hour before they were to perform, Jezalane wandered out of the inn and into the awakened city. The morning was cool with the promise of a mild warmth to come. Pigeons and crow, finch and starlings danced through the air under the occasional white sky adapted to the ways and wall of man as they sought food and pleasure. Two dog fought over a bit of scrap in the gutter as a wagon overloaded with empty barrels trundled by. A mother led her two daughters, the elder playing sentry for the younger, along the the boardwalk, a basket full of the bread and vegetable under an arm. Getting her bearings she headed west along taking in the sights and sounds of the day. She liked cities, in their own way they were as busy and beautiful as any ancient forest or mountain glen. They even provided a strange degree of privacy and anonymity as one was like the tree hiding in the forest. She loved the diversity of people as they went about their daily chores. In a big city there was the added bonus of being a wide variety of races and nations to spice that pot. And then there were the buildings, the sites, the history. She had a lot to do today but first she had some prayers of offer. The Temple of Desna:
Turning upon the Wanderer’s Avenue she looked to the west. Reaching up to the sky like a azure finger was the Blue Spire of Desna. There weren’t many temples to the Tender of Dreams and most of them were closer to an waystation then a temple but the Spire was something else. Six stories high and capped with golden shingles, it’s blue walls were inset with sparkling crystal. The number of thieves that had learned the hard way that they were just crystals rather than diamonds and gems was more than the stars in the heavens.
Desna was the Goddess of travelers and wayfarers, not given to ostentatious displays and her temples reflected that. Banners and with stars, the moon or butterflies fluttered in the breeze. Surrounding the temple were a series of white walls that are covered in the writing of the faithful. As she approached she saw an acolyte selling sticks of colored chalk to the devout. She purchased a deep bluish stick and looked at the wall in front of her. Taking a couple of minutes to read what had been placed there before. “Not all those who wander are lost”, “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”, “I’m on the road to nowhere”, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” “We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” She didn’t think what she had to say would be as well said as some but it was the sharing that was the act of devotion, not the quality of the words. Looking for a space where she could write without obscuring too much, in elegant script she wrote. “My feet are stilled but in time the horizon will call and I will seek the dawn.” Then like so many, she brought the chalk to her lips and kissed it, held it at arms length and dropped it to the ground. “Desna guide my feet, lead me safely and find me home.”. With that she brought the heel of her boot down and rushed it, adding it to the growing kaleidoscope of color that covered the flagstones surrounded the temple. For a moment she thought of her journeys and her companions, those lost and those unseen. She raised her eyes to the spire and whispered “Desna, Mother Moon, Goddess of the North Star, Resplendent Goddess of Fortune; guide them guard them and please, bring the safely home.” With that she turned and made her way towards the public baths that lay so close to the aqueducts. .
Feel better.
Since I'm not looking for specific information but rather getting connected with the city, why don't I just roll and and you can provide information (and or XP) based on the results. Like I said, it's quite possible that much of what I learn may not be relevant in Pathfinder Adventurer terms but it will be information I can share, trade, pass on or use to put other pieces of information into prospective.
Jezalane started at Vincent's voice and turns around from Hals table. "Nice to meet you Vincent. That sounds good. A little ham would be great, maybe some bread and jam as well." She smiled. [/B]"I will admit to having a weakness to good bread with jam or butter."[/B]
Just to give you an idea of what I have planned for Jezalane (unless something more interesting crops up). She's going to be spending the next couple of days wandering the city gathering information (Diplomacy) to pick up rumors, news etc. After that I would like to have her spend half her day gathering information and half her day busking. For the Diplomacy checks this isn't a problem, they take a D4 hours. Busking is trickier. Performing is described as taking all day. If I only do it for 4 hours or so, how do you want to handle the mechanics? (a penalty on the die roll, a penalty on the results, a reduction on the amount of money earned.) Now if her gather information leads her to something interesting, she'll gravitate towards that instead.
Jezalane sits at the bar and watches the man whose name was apparently Vincent address the bouncer and Hal before he heads back to the kitchen. Not being sure if she has some how offended him or if this is his way with strangers, she shrugs and steps over to speak to the Bard. "Good morning. How are you this morning?" She asks. "I'm going to be spending some time wandering about the city. Do you want to get together at some point before show and rehearse anything or shall we again play it by ear?"
Waking up:
Dressed in her traveling clothes, with her harp secured to her back and her lute case slung casually under her arm, Jezalane paused outside the Hookscratch Inn and smiled. She remembered having stopped her for a night many years ago. She recalled, Otto saying it was the most interesting Inn the city held. “It’s like my mother-in-law’s mutton stew, while you might be able to find better ingredient individually, you’ll never find a better meal.” he had laughed.
That had been so long ago .... Like a memory walking in her own footprints she thought, and for a moment the lines from Walstret’s “The Haunted Stage” came to her. “It seems to me as though I've been, upon this stage before
She whispered them to herself and felt a spectre of melencholy. Was this foresight? Was she to meet her past in the Hookscratch or was she haunted by ghost of her own imagining? No matter one can rise to meet one’s destiny or one can be overtake in flight. Either way, there was no escaping what was already written in the Book of days so eyes open, she motioned to the boy carrying her belongings and wandered in. The scent of wine and ale danced with a ...rosemary spiced stew and pipe weed from south of the Doven. A pleasant enough greeting. Doffing the wide brimmed hat that had held the sun at bay she looked about, letting her emerald green eyes adjust to the dimmer light. Turning to the waif that trailed in her wake, carrying the balance of her possessions, “This will do.” she grinned and flipped him a silver luna for his efforts. Some how he managed to transfer her bedroll to his off hand as he snatched the coin from the air and made it disappear as skillfully as any prestidigitator. As he set her bags on the wooden floor next to an empty table, he tugged his forelock and bowed. “Anytime Miss and if you need, jus’ ask for Galin the Bray. I be at your service.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” she answered as he took one more glance around, pausing to consider the bouncer for an extra half second before giving into wisdom and taking his leave.
Even so when the light had flooded into her room, golden and warm in the early morning she was slow at rise. She lay there thinking of last night's performance and how well it had gone. Singing in a place like the Hook Scratch was very different from playing with Brollentti in The Thistle and Pike or the Two Roses in Greengold. It was livelier, more the sort of place she would have frequented in her younger days. She wasn't quite sure of her plans but she suspected that if they could keep up this level of performance, that Hal would be much more amiable to a 50/50 split. That would be a good incentive for her to stay here, at least until she found her feet, or Avanestra, or .... She smiled at that thought and slowly stretched. Bending her neck first to the left then to the right she finally was rewarded with the release of a small pop as it cracked. Then she stepped out of her bed and pushed open the window. The blue spire was brilliant against the pinks and oranges of the morning sky, it's golden spire shining like a second dawn. The cold morning air felt exhilarating against her naked skin and she enjoyed the moment. She closed her eyes and let her other senses reach out. The sounds of the street as the city came alive, the smell of bread baking, a slight breeze caressing her skin and the anticipation of her muscles waiting to move. She slowly started to move in the dance like moves that had served her so well (and so poorly) in her days as a warrior. Ritualistic moves to train the muscles to move without thought, posture balanced with power, speed with precision. As she moved she began to softly sing an aria from Artesia, one of her favorite operas. "I rise like a Lilly, seeking your whispered light
She enjoyed imposing music onto these exercises. Bringing beauty and peace out of training for war. The Sisters of the Sublime Thoughts of Air and Water would be proud. They had strived to teach her balance and to release her anger. It had taken years but it now seemed that they had succeeded. After half an hour she was sweating, both pleased with what she had acheived but always remembering what she had been. Reaching for the pitcher of water and towel she washed herself off. She could have done it with a cantrip but was enjoying the sensations of the morning. Glancing down at her left arm she could see the Revenge tattooed with it's sails whipping in the wind. The waves rocked it back and forth and for a moment she longed to be standing on it's deck again, navigating the Inner Sea. She ran the towel down the length of the arm again before turning her attention to her right. The Image of a scabbarded sword entwined in vines and roses made her smile. Unlike the wave dancer, the enchantment wasn't one that you would ever see in action. The roses growing around the long sword did just that, they grew. They were borne of her having turned from the path of blood and should she turn back, she would see them wither in equal proportion. It was a reminder of who she was, who she had been and who she aspired to become. She hoped that one day the sword would be lost, forever hidden behind the petals and thorns. When she was done, she sat down on the bed, combing her snow white hair. Braids in the front, wrapped into a crown that allowed it's length to flow down her back When she finished she dressed for the day; dark green palazzo pants, tucked into her calf high black leather boots with brass buttons and buckles. A white poet's shirt with a high necked collar and ruffled sleeves under a gold and black bodice and a knee length vest coat of matching green with gold and black trim. When she was done, she gathered her shoulder bag and lute and headed down stairs. She was humming to herself as she entered the common room and wandered over to the bar. Jezalane wanders down stairs into the common room. It looks so different in the morning light, empty, homey. Ms. Crimson isn't manning the bar but rather there was a man in a apron sitting comfortably in her place. "Good morning, I’m Jezalane." She smiles as she takes a place at the bar and sets down her Lute case. "I wish you the best of days. Might I have some breakfast and some tea?"
As we work the room between sets, can Hal or I use oratory/diplomacy in an attempt to aid the wait staff? If so, I've got a 19 at both so that should be successful.
Jezalane listened to Hal as he began to perform. He was a good singer and played his lute with a great deal of skill. As he moved into his first number she adjusted the tuning of Kuuru Usu to harmonize with his. On the next number she started softly, gently rolling her music in behind his, giving it deeper depth and more complexity. As the evening rolled on she let the performance take her over and slowly increased the degree to which her participation without in anyway overwhelming or diminishing Hal's performance. This was his stage and she was just backing him up. As she played, she looked around the room, taking in the audience; who were they, where were they from. What did they respond to, what were they looking for. Where she could she tried to slip little resonances into here chorus that might appeal to them. When Hal Played "The Ale Ran til Dawn" She added the cadence similar to "Durin's Drunken Reel" to appeal to the two Dwarvish bodyguards that were sitting by the bar. When she saw one of the mud covered boots start tapping, she knew she had judged it right. Recognizing the Varisian tattoos on the arms of a couple of sailors who requested "Across the Sea and Shore" she backed him up with the themes of "Amarana's Defense" which had been referred to as "the only song Varisian know by heart" because of it's the number of variations that were sung in the Varisian gulf. When Hal played "Myrimor Marched Away" she saw a look of sorrow misting over the eyes of an very elegant looking older woman as she fingered a ring she wore on a silver chain about her neck. Her features were cheliaxian so Jezalane took a risk. She backed Hal up with the passages from "Sharardin and Esthara", an cheliaxian opera about Sharardin, a knight who was thought to have died in the Battle of a Hundred Kings and Esthara, his betrothed's struggle to stay virtuous in the aftermath of his apparent demise. In the end after many struggle, Sharardin returned and the couple was united. Hal gave her a look when she started to do this and she drew his attention to the women. When they were done, the woman was teary eyed but smiling and when the hat was passed by her, Hal caught the glint of a number of gold coins being tossed in.
I'll put up a post at 5 PM EST with or without Hal. If that's the case can I assume he aids in my performance roll for determining the earnings for the evening? (As a note with a skills in performance of 15 and 12 he couldn't fail on an aid another check)
I've been PbPing for around 20 years (and playing table top for far longer)and most of the games I've played are on yahoo groups etc. They're usually storytelling based and not die rolling mechanics. This is even true for the few games I've hooked up with on these boards. I've also played a couple over at the Giant in the playground boards. I chose this campaign because it's concept appealed. I saw it as hopefully presenting a higher roleplaying opportunity then running about in some module. It also presented a chance to play a character of mine who I didn't expect to ever get a chance to run again. I had to make a bunch of mechanical changes to fit the game (She was a first edition Bard which mean really scary, not balanced but very very hard to achieve) Most of these changes meant eliminating her combat effectiveness but it's a fair representation of where I was going with the character after she became a bard.
I got access, I just didn't wasn't aware of it. This is my first game of the Paizo boards so I'm just getting up to speed. It's my bad. I'll check here daily as well as the in game board. I sent Hal a prompt. Wm
As I'm backing up Hal, I'll post after I see what he's doing. I'll keep an eye out and try to get my post up shortly after his. Also, given that he hasn't posted here, I'm not sure that Hal is aware you have been waiting for a performance check since Wednesday. I wasn't.
"As you wish." Jezalane smiled as she reached down and lifted her Lute case onto the table. With deliberate focus she opens undid one clasp after another. Finally she opened it up to reveal a two necked lute with a Cherry back. The necks were ivory with a bright silver frets and keys. Each held 12 strings in 6 courses, divided by register that ran across the spruce soundboard distinguished with three roses, Two in floral designs and the larger, central pattern was a a non geometric lunar motif of an elvish style. "This is Kuuru Usu. (Elvish for Rose of the Moon) she whipered with an endearment most women save for their children of lovers. "She was crafted for me by Dulcinar of Harifor. Unless you need the full range of the harp I'll stick to her. Let me know if you want fiddle or flute and I'll get them ready." With that she began to tune her instrument.
"Oh Gods above and below!" Jezalane exclaimed. "I don't know what I'd do if I got so lucky!" Pushing her ale away, enough of that for now she thought. "What's the plan for tonight and how can I make you more brilliant? I'm well versed in poetry, singing, the lute, the harp and the fiddle. I'm a fair hand with a flute but it's my weakest instrument so far. Set our course captain and I'll trim our sails."
"Oddly enough that's what Captain Porter said when he decided I didn't need to swim home." She joked. Raising her mug to Hal she smiled. "To Music!
Jezalane grinned and took a pull at her ale. "That's more than generous. Very magnanimous considering you've never heard me play or sing. It's even more than I could hope for if I was a hack or an apprentice. She paused for a second and the set her ale back on the table. "But I'm neither of those things." "I'll tell you what. I don't want to quibble and it's we're both looking at a pig-in-a-poke here. So I'll accept your terms for a week and at the end of that period we renegotiate. In the mean time, if at any time you wish, you can cancel this agreement and I won't complain. I'll even agree that if that is the case I'll neither sing nor play in the Hookscratch without your asking me to." "Does that sound fair?"
"The very best kind." She grins. Raising her mug in a salute she continued. "The names Jezalane and I wanted to offer you my services. You see I've just arrived with the tide on the Mocking Fool. I've been working my way here from Greengold where I was studying with Brolentae Halfhanded. He suggested that I come here for a couple of years to hone my skills so... I thought I would offer you my services if you need accompaniment or someone to sing duets with."
Jezalane looked up and smiled. "A pleasure to meet you. Please join me for and ail or whatever beverage you prefer." Looking him up and down she continues "There is much said of you in certain quarters. They say you are a man of ..." She pauses in search of the right word. "Of exceptional skill and ability."
I too have fond memories of the original AG adventures including a particularly viscous fight in an over sized kitchen. :) I'd be up to playing anything (including a bard). A Dwarvish Paladin could be cool. Actually an all Dwarvish party would rock. How many point build are you thinking. While I know this is just a interest check, I'm slow to build characters so a head start would be nice.
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