Reknar is still trying to signal someone around who he thinks may be serving drinks, but he does answer Jacobus - "Isn't that exactly what pioneers do? Taking their families into unruly lands, looking for a place to carve for themselves?" - he pipes in without skipping a beat.
Kryolani reaches behind him, and without looking lifts a bottle of brewed spirits from a passing vendor in exchange for some small amount of coin, and passes the beverage to Reknar. "Well someone certainly has to. Folks like us do need to come first though. Secure the safety of the eventual township and all that. Stoke the home-fires. Lay in a few kegs," with a nod towards the ranger, "civilization doesn't come to the wilds on it's own, so I hear. If some bandits out there want to try to turn over a new leaf when we move in, fine. I'll greet them with open arms, but my sword will be loose in it's scabbard when I do it." The sorcerer considers the thought of personally clashing blades with a slight frown, "Not literally, of course. I'd light them on fire, personally, if things came to that. But you get the idea."
Reknar's smile grows impossibly wide when Kryolani presents him the drink - "Since you are now my best friend" - he jests - "I am henceforth siding with you on any opinion forwarded in this debate" - then laughs out loud.
"Seriously though" - he adds, taking a long drink, and offering it to the sorcerer so he can partake from it also - "Thanks for the drink - I owe you one. And look... On bandits and whatnot, I am really not trying to advocate some sort of pacifist way here, and there are about one or two people in the world I trust, so my weapon is always loose on its scabbard anyway" - he nods, now slightly more serious - "If bandits chose that path, they need to be ready for whatever comes their way - they make a choice, they deal with the consequences and that's that. However, I am no paladin, so I never said I am available to give them a choice"
Jacobus Varadin wrote:
Reknar wrote:
Jacobus Varadin wrote:
He looks at everyone around, "Now just think of your own families; would you tell them to go and live in a place where the law was not followed? Where their safety was not a priority? Would you?"
Reknar is still trying to signal someone around who he thinks may be serving drinks, but he does answer Jacobus - "Isn't that exactly what pioneers do? Taking their families into unruly lands, looking for a place to carve for themselves?" - he pipes in without skipping a beat.
"Yes and no. Pioneers do go into non established regions and try and tame the area but pioneering is a temporary status at best. And a very dangerous one I might add. You or I and whomever is selected by the Swordlords will be pioneers, yes. But the idea is to establish something more permanent, some sort of civilization. Only then can you lure a critical mass of people and establish a town and eventually a city"
He smiles as he pulls out a book, "It's all written out here, in 'The Manual of City-Building', an enlightening read if there ever was one."
"I am not an expert, and I am not trying to play Devil's Advocate here" - Reknar ponders - "Actually, I've already spoken more today than I have in the past month" - he chuckles - "However, aren't there some nomadic tribes that actually manage to constitute nations without permanent towns or cities?" - and seems to be making an effort to remember something he had read somewhere.
"Lucian, tyou would be scolding me right now, wouldn't you" - he thinks to himself, remembering his scholastic friend.
"Anyways, honestly I am with you" - he follows up towards Jacobus - "If I go out in the wild and establish any sort of order in my turf, even if it is only around my campfire, anyone stepping in better be playing by my rules, and that's that" - he nods - "Though... That is probably what these bandits have done. Bad luck for them, right?" - he finishes with a good nature pat on the man's back.
The lawyer calls over a food vendor who's been shilling some kind of hot, meat-like substance in a bun, and orders a round for the adventurers that have gathered for the conversation. He carefully counts out a small handful of silver to cover the price.
"Now that was a good idea" - he bows to Kryolani, grabbing a couple of buns - "But I'll chip in" - he adds, putting forth the silver coins he believes should make up for his share of the payment, then gobbling down one of the things in two bites - "Light" - he offers - "But tasty, at least in my book"
"I daresay you've had good luck with the bandits then. Many can be viscous, dangerous fools, mistaking cruelty and self-obsession for freedom. The mercenary seems to know, many of them would as soon leave a victim dead in a ditch than alive to tell the tale. I'm not a fan of romanticizing their ilk. I won't argue the point about nobility, though. We are just as mortal as the next man, or woman, and just as prone to failure and foolishness."
"Never said I fell in love with all of them, but you won't find any argument from me against your words also" - Reknar shrugs - "Heck, I'd even toast to the 'we are all just mortal' part, if I could find something to drink" - but continues on smiling - "I for one am certainly prone to foolishness every once in a while"
The splash of water does interrupt his train of thought - "Guess I am not the only one though" - and he is not smiling anymore, but instead laughing.
Half naked from the waist up, Reknar stands halfway across the beach staring at it all with a smirk in his face - "Yep, them are two love birds, that's for sure" - shaking his head with a chuckle, and moving towards Jacinth as she addresses one of the sailors who just arrived - "And perhaps some rum?" - the man adds in a good mood.
Question about reading scrolls - are they subject to Arcane Spell Failure due to armor?
No one? :P
Because if not, I would like to have the Spider Climb one.
------
Reknar just shrugs and smiles as Nefertiti takes off to speak to a whale - "Beautiful girl, bur she's a strange one alright"
Turning back to the others, and making sure that all the loot is secured, Reknar's first order of business is setting up a secure camp where they will be able to spend most of their time, after retrieving their charges.
His second order of business is taking care of the giant statue - being particularly keen in rolling it all the way down the road, iif it can be made to gain momentum in such a way.
Otherwise he assists in making sure the area is clear, as well as the tunnel complex, and gathering food/water.
When they are gathered, he adds - "I'll be damned if we didn't do a fine job! Took the whole island single handed - you are all much tougher than you look" - he smiles.
It's only when Nef feels the call of her god in her head that she finally trusts that Hawanapoki is gone.
"I can't hear the demon in my head anymore! We did it! We did it!" With tears in her eyes, she kisses and hugs and swings everyone in reach, starting with Oren and Jacinth and then going to the others"[/b]
As Nefertiti celebrates Reknar stands there, polearm hanging from one hand, staring at the gore that was once Hawanapoki, and suddenly remembers all those they had put down to get here, what their lives might have been before coming here. Regardless of anything else, they had been human, reduced to shells...
He spat on the demon's remains - "Never again bastard"
Nefertiti Abdul wrote:
When she reaches Reknar, she leaps into his arms. "We did it, Reknar!"
Nefertiti's embrace shook him from his stupor, and he turned to regard her - "That we did" - the man replied, a smile creeping into his lips - "That we did!" - he added more forcefully, easily picking her up in the air by the waist - "Aaaaah, what the heck!" - he let out, planting a firm kiss on her lips, then holding her at harms length - "Had to be done!" - the smile turned into a laugh and a wink, as he eased the priestess back on the floor, to join in congratulating the others.
Oren Mitabu wrote:
Oren allows a smile to cross his lips as he sees the others begin to celebrate. He hadn't quite allowed himself to relax as he again detected for magic, afraid this was simply an illusion he was witnessing. "It can't have been done that quickly. Stay on your toes. Reknar struck deep, but I'm doubting the demon is done just yet."
"Maybe..." - Reknar replied, his eyes scanning the area, suddenly aware it might not be over yet.
Ai Kane wrote:
With a touch of disbelief, Aikane asks "Is it really dead? Dispersed? Gone? I'm not quite sure what the correct term is..."
Shaking his head, he slowly enters the foul chambers to look in the pool searching for any indications of trickery. Could this be a trick of some sort...
He gently pokes at one of the cold iron arrows in the pool.
"Be careful" - the warrior warns Ai Kane, as he follows the rogue protectively, looming behind his companion
Immediately before entering Reknar will zap himself with the wand of Shield as usual (with 1 min duration shouldn't be an issue), and also use his Tactician ability, to grant Escape Route to the Team ;)
"And here we are..." - Reknar growls through gritted teeth - "The thing about this being our doom and all" - he speaks at the demon directly - "Is that I can't allow that - these are my people see?" - he smiles - "And if you want to get to them, you'll need to get through me first! And you'll find out just how hard that can be! I wanna see you try!" - he finishes with both a threat and a challenge.
Swift Action: That was my Cavalier Challenge - the effect being +2 to damage, and -2 to AC against it. It means also, for everyone (due to Order of the Dragon), a +1 circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls against the target of his challenge whenever Reknar is threatening the target.
After his words, the seasoned warrior moves forward in a Blur, the bardiche trailing behind him and to his left, held in both hands. It produces a grating noise and a trail of sparks at it drags across the floor, then Reknar lifts it and swings hard diagonally from top left - "Hmpf!" - the man grunts with the effort.
"Done and dusted" - Reknar pipes in - "Smooth as a young girl's bo..." - he seems about to say something, but stops short with a grin - "Never mind" - and proceeds in strip searching the ones they just defeated, and the area beyond them.
Not enlarging myself right now Ke'ahilani - we're too cramped :D
Just before pushing through, again the Shield wand was in Reknar's hand, and again the shimmering field came into existence, layering his protections.
"Back!" - Reknar roared, at Oren's words - "You know the drill ladies and gents, make them come to us, and pay for every inch!"
Plan for Reknar is stepping back to Nefertiti's spot, and make a stand there, so he will wait for the spot to be vacant ;) If not, he stands where he is.
I could use both the Displacement and Blur potions, or just one of them :D
Reknar was getting prepared to start gathering some loot - "Finally something worth a couple pieces of gold" - but then raises an eyebrow with impatience as the menehune begins playing the harp, and when the door begins to rumble he smiles - "Good thing you suddenly decide to get all participant Aikane - it seems you may have a couple of interesting things to say and do after all"
Knowledge (Religion):1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
As the skeletal creature reveals itself, the man immediately prepares his weapon, but does not attack as it does not seem to be going for their throats right away - "I've seen these before - crypt things meant to protect tombs, graves and.... Well... Crypts" - he chuckles - "They usually only attack if attacked, but can put up a fight, and teleport people away in random directions. That one is nasty" - he whispers to those around him.
"It is just a beast" - Reknar reasons - "It will attack, and we will be ready for it" - he adds, bardiche clearly placed to react - "And if it does not... Pepper it from here"
His wand springs from its wrist sheath, and he zaps the magical protective into effect, then putting it away, and readying his weapon.
Zapping Wand of Shield.
Poised for AoO if it comes up.
Even looking at 18, 18, 14, 12, 11 and 9, I stand with Bret - my preference definitely goes to point buy (though I admit I don't like the 15pt one) - I usually allow 25 pt with restrictions. I feel it offers versatility, even to fighters ;)
"If he's before a closed door with someone on the other side, he needs someone with a strong armor to open it" - Reknar chuckles - "But that's up to the captain"
Reknar steps into the middle of the room, to make sure he is in plain view of both the walls to the north, and the passage to the east, on guard for any possible hostiles - "Lets make a quick search"
We could pick a set of linked scenarios and have fun with them. I don't want to commit to more than 3 in a row right now, but I wouldn't mind doing some serial PFS GMing, linking some scenarios with good story together to make them more awesome.
Hmm
Those posts are also on my favorites, and I like the idea Hmm :D
Well, I've already began flexing my GM muscles, and if indeed as it seems my games decrease in the near future, I may try my hand at GMing a second one on the boards.
It is always good to have 'new blood' in games, since we sometimes fall into certain routines when playing with the same people for a long time (as an example, in my home group, we have started to move out of the comfort zones for each one of us only very recently).
That being said, I DO have my short list of people to invite if I get to GM any further around here ;)
As for PFS, that is exactly it, and I have checked those same posts that suggest scenario sequences for a sense of continuity, and they are in my favourites.
My concern is more towards what Oren has pointed out within the scenarios themselves. Kill this > rush, rush > speak to that > rush, rush > kill those > rush, rush > done. But then again, I think you are absolutely right - on the boards it is actually possible to keep the same PFS group from one scenario to another (as opposed to when playing around an actual table), and I would invest in that.
Though more and more, I don't think PFS works for me... Most people just want to rush through the scenarios, get their XP and... Move to the next one.
RP is usually something residual, and continuity from one scenario to another is not valued. It feels like playing a computer game.... An MMO maybe, maybe not even that :P
"Either I am getting used to these insidious thoughts the pervert keeps placing in our heads, or he is starting to lose imagination" - Reknar chuckles, shaking some of the images away, but not all of them...
:D
How long will the Enlarge Person last? 5 minutes?
"You're up again" - Reknar nods at Aikane, standing outside the tunnel, and noticing the closed doors - "Seems like the perfect spot for a trap" - he winks at the Menehune.
