Orpheus the Bold's page

Sorry to let you down, but I have to quit this game. I have been enjoying playing with all of you - but my real life has become busy to a point where I just don't have time to play a PBP anymore.

"What ... what happened? Did we defeat that dire wolf? Or does hell just happen to look like the place where I died?"

I see a brightly lit stage and a cheering audience at the end of a dark tunnel.

Ouch. I didn't know this is what you meant when you said combat was nearly over. (Needless to say that I am enjoying this more than my character currently does.)

I fire another arrow at the beast while I continue to sing.

What round is it now?
Have I shot my readied arrow into the wall yet?

I continue to sing my song. Between two stanzas I quickly pluck my bowstring to attune to its melody. I get an arrow out of my quiver and wait for the door to give in as I start the next stanza.

"Dear terrible monster
your fur looks so warm
oh my dear monster
if you wish us harm
we're going to skin you
and wear your fur - to keep us warm
for we are naaaaked
since you attacked"

Now is the right moment I decide, to drive away the fear with an uplifting song. So I start singing the most appropriate song that I know.

The song of the unprepared party startled at night:
"Oh terrible monster
who startles our sleep
oh terrible moooooonster
you better heed
that we might be naked
but not yet defeat
oh terrible monster
you better think twice
attacking at midnight
you heed my advice
for while we are naaaaked
our courage shines briiiight"

With the roar echoing in your ears, and the sleep still in your eyes, you nearly step in the fire as you rush toward the hall. Peering into the black hallway, you see nothing.

After giving an irritated look to the fire, I collect myself.

"Let's see what's causing this noise: Lights here here here here." Another set of four lights appears on the fingers of my raised hand. I point my hand firmly down the hallway as I release all four of them in rapid succession.

I make all four lights sweep down the hallway. When I notice them illuminating anything, I stop the first light and then the next one 5 feet further down the hall and so on until all of them are stopped with an even distance between them.

"Huh, is it morning already?"
Realizing by the sound from the western hallway that it probably isn't - or that at least if it is it isn't a very good morning - I grab my bow and arrows and run to where I can see into the hallway.

I know the chances are slim, but still I hope this will be the first real haunt I see here - and not just another out of place animal.

I agree with Thia.

"Alright, you are the one who recognized the insects, Elijah. If you aren't sure if they are edible, let's not take any risks." Somewhat disappointed, I turn away from the insect and begin to eat one of my rations instead. "By the way, " I say between bites, "what do you think is the deal with those insects? Maybe there is a greenhouse down that hallway. Perhaps we should check and make sure the door to the greenhouse is closed, lest we are visited by more of those insects during the night."

I peer down the corridor where the insects came from, trying to see if I can discern any open doors from where I stand.

After finishing my ration: "In any event, I'm not really tired yet. Mind if I join you for first watch, Aerrodin?"

I wonder how many days a barrel that is two thirds full could last the five of us.

I pull the arrow that didn't hit the wizard out of the wall. Then take that arrow and prod one of the insect bodies with it. "Do you think these are edible? We could roast them in the fire. We do have plenty of rations, but if we are stuck here for longer we will grow tired of the taste of rations quickly."

"I brought some cheese, rations for 50 days, and this barrel of water."

I check the barrel to see how much water is inside.

While the cleric cleans his instruments in the fire, I inquire about the wizard. "How is he? Will he be alright? Can your god grant you enough power to fully heal him? I would offer to help with a healing spell of my own, but as things are, I doubt that the wizard would want me to cast any spells on him."

After nearly having killed a man I am no longer in the mood for exploration. So I readily agree with the ranger.
"Yes, lets stay here until his wounds are healed. Exploring the house can wait."

When he makes his round and turns to me I briefly hesitate, but finally accept his offer and shake his hand. "Alright."

To the fighter I reply: "Thank you. Both for trusting me and for offering to protect me. I will do my best not to shoot anyone in the future."

I lower the lights so that the cleric can see better.

My attention still focused on the wizard, I reply to the cleric: "I know he isn't in a sane state right now, that's what gets me worried. He's a wizard. He is powerful. He is dangerous. He thinks I wanted to kill him. He wants to take revenge on me. He's going to cast a spell to kill me as soon as he gets a chance. "

I take a moment to consider my options.

Eventually I make up my mind and say: "Okay ... I'm going to put away my bow and make a fire. But you must promise me to watch him for me. Watch him - and if he starts to cast a spell, subdue him before he can finish it. You must promise."

You want a mercy kill from me, Vinnick?

I look around, unsure what to say or how to react.

"I ... I'm terribly sorry. The woman is right ... I didn't mean to ... I wanted to shoot one of the bugs." I finally manage to stammer.

It really is true. It really was an accident. I didn't intend to shoot the wizard. But it would probably have been better if I had killed him, if the cleric hadn't saved him. Now the wizard will want to take terrible revenge on me.

I take a few steps backwards, backing away from the wizard and the axe-wielding fighter. I mentally ready myself to shoot the wizard, should he start casting a spell.

At least the the others seem to believe me.

I take a step away from the wounded insect that is buzzing around my face.

I take a deep breath, praying to Erastril he will not misguide my arrow again, take another arrow from my quiver, close my eyes to attune to my bow's string again, then try to shoot the insect in front of me.

Sorry to keep you waiting.
The one that is wounded isn't in melee right now?

I wince when I see where my arrow has hit.

Oh, crap.
I totally mixed up the bugs, too.
I intended to shoot at one of the two that wasn't in melee yet.
Two critical fumbles in a row (one with the dice, one reading the initiative order).
Sorry, Vinnick!

Don't worry. Looking at my own luck with the dice it was probably for the better anyway.

Could you also roll knowledge checks for us to identify monsters in the future (together with rolling initiative)? This round it didn't matter, but if I had rolled a high result, I would have liked to know what I know before declaring my action.

I try to recall whether I have ever heard of bugs like those - but in vain. Nothing comes to mind.

I draw my bow and shoot an arrow at the third insect (the one that seems of average age).

Before releasing the arrow though, I close my eyes and concentrate on my weapon. I lightly pluck its string and listen to the sound it makes. Only when I am sure I have attuned myself to the music of the weapon, I open my eyes again and release the arrow.

To Vinnick I respond: "A wizard? Well, yes, in a way I am: I am a wizard of the stage, a student of the magical art that is the opera. But if you are talking about the bookish arcane wizardry, I must disappoint you: I only dabble in it. I know a stage trick or two, nothing more. About the ghosts, I don't know either, but I intend to find out." I gesture towards the staircase invitingly. "Do you want to join me? We might find a good book or a bed for you as well."

I frown at Aerrodin's remark, feeling almost insulted.
"Good sir, I am Orpheus the Bold. I am a man of the opera. I came to this place to research its history for a piece I am writing. But if you don't mind me asking: why the hell do you come to a spook house if you are afraid of disturbing the dead?"

"Yes, come in already. There might be ghosts in this house, but they can't be worse than the storm outside." I tell the newcomer as I gesture her to come inside.

Then I take a look around the newly illuminated room. "Ah, looks like I won't find a towel in here that isn't covered all over in cobwebs." I say, a bit disappointedly. I wipe the water from my face and wring it out of my hair and clothes, as good as I can without a towel.

"Anyone wants to join me in exploring this place? Might help us pass the time while we are waiting for the storm to end."

Better?

Why do I get this dreadful feeling when you comment my casting of a harmless spell like dancing lights with "Nice. I've been waiting for the first spell"?

I cast dancing lights into the room:

I hold up four fingers of my hand, palm facing inwards.
"Lights," I mumble. A glowing orb appears at the tip of each of my fingers, "here, here, here, and here." With each 'here' I mumble, one of the lights separates from my finger, escapes into the direction where I am pointing the finger and starts illuminating the room.

I take the piles of field rations and throw them into the house through the open door.

Next, I grab the person next to me by the shoulder.
"Someone help me to get the barrel inside!" I scream into his ear.

Then I run to the barrel, which I hope is at least half full from the rain by now, and start pushing and shoving it towards the door.

***

Once inside, I start looking for a dry piece of cloth I could wipe my face with.

Did those villagers ever tell my why they wouldn't go near the house, when they refused to bring me there?

"A ward? Considering all of us meeting here by chance, that wouldn't be a very good ward, eh? They are just afraid of their own ghost stories, as far as I can tell." I shrug and look up from my work for a moment. "Who knows if there is any true core to their stories? Maybe if we are lucky we find something inside and the long trip through the rain wasn't all for nothing."

I set down the barrel and start unloading its content (lots of trail rations) onto the porch.

While doing this I start a casual discussion with Elijah.

"So, Elijah, you aren't from around here, I assume? The villagers assured me nobody from around here would ever go near this place."

Finally seeing the house, my mood lightens. I start singing an aria, to forget the weather:

"Oh my house! Oh house of my dreams! Whenever I leave you, I close your door behind me. Whenever I return, I close your door behind me again. Oh my house! My most beloved House! Oh house of my ..."

I suddenly stop when I see there are people near the house. So there are people here after all. I knew it all along, those villagers were just trying to scare me and play tricks on me.

I shake my head as I get closer to them and the house.

"Hello friends. My name is Orpheus. Are you the welcoming party from the village? Here to see if I really walked all the way up here by myself? Well, if you are: congratulations, here I am. And in this terrible weather, too. You picked the best time to fool a stranger. But tell me, is there a stream nearby, where I can fill up my barrel? Or should I just let it stand outside in the rain?"

The party shall consist of

Orpheus the Bold- Bard, played by The Friendly Lich

Elijah Moore- Ranger, played by Githanis

Vinnick Varzel- Wizard, played by Rorek55

Aerrodin Mayweather- Cleric, played by JohntheVast

Thia Fighter, played by Feth

Sedoriku and the Paladin made by him will be on standby if any player leaves for any reason.

A gameplay thread will go up within the hour.

Awesome!

But seeing that we now have only one character who can heal: can I still exchange Remove Fear for Cure Light Wounds as one of my spells? (And also exchange that potion of CLW for another first level potion)

(Unless you prefer to have us be limited to a single fragile source of healing, for horror reasons. In that case I'll stick to what I have)

There is no way I would say no to buying food and water if you can tell me how you would carry them to the house.

None of the villagers would dare to drive a cart to the house, and you don't own a pony.

A single barrel of water weighs 690 lbs. Two are 1380 lbs total. and an additional one hundred pounds of food is quite a weight to bear.

I'll allow one barrel, empty, which you used as a container to carry all of your equipment, strapped to your back with lengthy leather strips, And you set it up outside to fill with water. Then you can add in as many rations as you can carry.

Is that fair?

And feel lucky. You are the only person who is getting away with that much food and water... you were the only person insane enough to /WANT/ to go to the haunted place

Yes, that sounds fair. I'm going to exchange one of the barrels for a rope and a grappling hook.

Concerning the food: Can I get 2 barrels of water and trail rations for 100 days into the house? (I don't want to carry these with me all the time, but maybe leave them in the common room or something)

Edit: back-story and shopping done, assuming it is somehow possible to get the stuff delivered to the doorstep for 4 SP or less. If not let me know and I'll change it.

Crunsh should be done (let me know if I forgot anything).
Fluff and shopping still to do.