I enjoyed the ride! Thanks for running this game and inviting me along!
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If it isn't fun for your anymore, don't feel guilty about calling it quits. We all have our limits.
I’m still here and still interested. I’m fine with the slower pacing.
Ritti is horrified by the revelation but it is still somewhat eclipsed by her memories of the sickly fishy embrace of the disgusting hag. She steps away from the group for a moment to collect herself. She holds onto her sanity and her breakfast. She returns a minute later. ”OK. That’s all good to know. Let’s get dry and get moving.”
Ritti crawls out of the water looking like what she is... a waterlogged, skinny, redhead. Her boots keep the worst of the chill off, enough that she is able to drag the hag's corpse (none-to-gently) off the ice. It seems the thief is in 'professional' mode but her trembling isn't entirely due to the cold. She'd offer Torra some dry clothes but she dove in with her pack on so everything she's got is soaked. She busies herself searching the hag and the other creatures so she doesn't have to consider how close Torra was to death.
Ritti gulps the potion then dives into the frigid water and begins swimming down into the depths.
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:25 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:28/28 (30 Grapple) <- Pro Evil
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4): x
Effects:
Ritti grabs the potion in passing and sprints to the edge of the ice. She hyperventilates as she prepares to dive into the water.
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:25 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:28/28 (30 Grapple) <- Pro Evil
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4): x
Effects:
I'm also having fun and am happy to play on at a slower pace if that's your preferred solution. That said, if you are feeling too taxed and it's becoming a slog instead of fun for you, you have every right to step away from the game and shouldn't feel any guilt over that. I'll support your decision, whatever you choose to do.
Ritti abandons her desire to stomp on the hag a few times. Instead, she grabs the rope and lends Atsuko a hand at trying to drag the water-logged dwarf from the icy sea. If that fails, she wraps the rope around her arm and tries to use her body weight to get Torra out. When that fails, she offers a prayer to Irori and uses whatever strength she has left yet again to pull Torra free.
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:25 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:27/27 (29 Grapple) <- Pro Evil
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4): x
Effects:
The thief slides out onto the edge of the ice, flanking with Yuto to distract the hag’s attention and put Yuto’s advice into practice. Still furious, she delivers a flurry of punches and kicks aimed at putting the fish-wife down for good.
BOOM:
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:25 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:27/27 (29 Grapple) <- Pro Evil
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4): x
Effects:
Inspire Courage should also affect Ritti's AoO DAM, I believe. So green takes an extra 2 damage. It's not much but every bit helps. :) ALSO, can we make a knowledge check of some sort to figure out what kind of DR the hag has?
What caused the thief to suddenly snap out of the charm – the protective magic of her allies, the cold that was seeping into her bones, the spray from the sleet hitting her face, or Yuto’s words? Ritti wasn’t sure and maybe she never would be. But as she turns to see the fishy hag she’d been hugging like her mom… she is instantly horrified. She also knows she’s been used badly and that converts her horror into inchoate, icy rage. And rage frees her to act. Ritti hisses at the hag, ”I’m gonna break you, b!tch.” She step into the fishwife’s embrace one more time, grabs the shreds of her sodden clothing and headbutts the hag, trying to stun her... She follows that blow with a punch to the gut, another headbutt hoping to break all the sharp teeth in the hag's foul mouth, and a final palm strike to the throat.
BOOM:
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:25 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:27/27 (29 Grapple) <- Pro Evil
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4): x
Effects:
lol Naturally!
Ritti pulls away from her BFF, trying to console and reason with the fish-hag at the same time. ”It’ll be fine. I’ll be right back. I just need to explain it to Torra. Trust me.”
Ritti steps between Torra and her new friend holding up her hands, trying to play peacemaker and keep the mistake from escalating. ”Woah! Take a breath here, girls! The ogres might be a threat, sure, but she’s not with them. Come’on Torra, leave her be!”
There is something ‘motherly’ about the fish-woman’s lank hair, dead eyes, and sharp fangs. And given how the caravan suffers from the cold, Ritti is fairly sure this poor woman is freezing. A quick hug and brisk backrub to warm her up might be what she needs. Against all reason, sense, and sanity, the thief carefully steps out onto the ice and opens her arms to hug the horrid hag!
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:23 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:27/27 (29 Grapple)
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4):
Effects:
Ritti leaps and delivers a flying kick to the monster Yuto is battling, hoping to kill it quickly. ”They’re aqua-ogres! They might drag you into the water!”
BOOM:
Status: HP: 41 / 41 | AC:23 / T:20 / FF:23 | CMD:27/27 (29 Grapple)
Sanity Score: 39 / 40 | Threshold: 3 | Edge: 20 Stunning Fist (4):
Effects:
From her hide position, Ritti speaks quietly. "Not sure we can do that, Yuto. Seems like the caravan has to move around the edge of the lake, unless there is a trail through the trees. Whatever is in the water could come at the us at any time. Probably best to figure what we're dealing with before bringing the caravan close."
The thief takes a step back. ”If they’re at home in the water, you might want to head inland a bit.” Ritti moves around the corner of a dilapidated building and attempts to vanish from sight. She has no idea what is coming from the water but she’s reasonably certain – whatever they are – she wants to hit them by surprise and from behind.
Maybe Ritti endures the horror better than the others because of her conversation with Sandru days ago. She was braced for this possibility. She joins up with the others, ”I’m gonna hunt for supplies. If these folk left on purpose, I won’t find anything. If I find stuff… we’re taking it.” She leaves unstated the dire, logical, conclusion about what happened to the locals if valuables were left behind. ”I don’t think Inuliak said the last time he was here, only that he visited some time ago. Lookin’ at these huts, if he says it was half a year ago, the truth ain’t with him.”
Ritti ghosts toward the next nearest building on the opposite side of the path, hoping – and not hoping – for more than just an abandoned building. Maybe she was moving too quickly as an old board snaps beneath her foot.
Ritti has some concerns about leaving Inuliak anywhere near Ameiko but there is nothing she can do about it, at the moment. Recalling the numbing experience of punching one of the bison, she draws her butterfly sword and reverses it. The blade runs backwards along her forearm – concealed but ready to strike, like a viper’s fang. She slinks off toward the village in the comforting gloom of night, picking her way cautiously beside the path into the village.
Ritti sheds her winter jacket opting for better maneuverability and a shade more stealth. ”There are other possibilities. The townsfolk are hiding, dead, or undead which leads back to your trap notion, Yuto. Whatever the case, I’m up for a walk-around. The caravan should also be ready to defend itself.”
Ritti doesn’t have any words for the caravan’s guest immediately. Like Ameiko, Atsuko, and some others… she doesn’t like the feel of the man. She’d heard that rangers – in their element – were surprisingly stealthy. But this fellow didn’t seem a ranger. So, how’d he manage to sneak up on all their scouts? The obvious choice is his skillset is similar to Ritti’s or a ninja’s. That was concerning. And then there was the feeling of dishonesty and the lies… How could a local trapper have only visited Rimakak a couple of times? It wasn’t like there were a lot of places to trade out here. Even looking Erutaki meant nothing. Ritti had met a few people who could make you think they were your own sister. Maybe he was some odd hermit out here, but the better bet was he was in league with the necromancer… and that bet was weak compared to the very strong possibility he was an assassin, here for Ameiko. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. If they were using ‘Riddleport Rules’, they’d jump Inuliak in a group and stab him ‘til he stopped breathing. But this wasn’t Riddleport. Utter vigilance and paranoia were the way to go. So, yeah, Ritti doesn’t have any words for the caravan’s guest immediately… but she watches him constantly, looking for ‘tells’ in his behavior, how he moves, and what he watches.
When she can get a moment with Yuto alone, she conveys her concerns. She’s paranoid enough that she doesn’t use Ameiko’s name. ”I’m betting that fella is an assassin. We all need to keep one eye on your girl and three eyes on him. She goes nowhere alone, ever. Best if there are two people with her at all times. And they don’t leave her side, no matter what. If he’s gonna make a move, it’ll likely be in town. Tell your girl.”
No worries. It sounds like a misread on my part. I was going to jump in with a late post when I saw: Sandru, Ulf, Shalelu, and Ameiko all join Yuto as he goes to meet the man... I misinterpreted that to mean those were the folks engaging with the fellow and slow-posters like myself were off doing something else in the caravan.
I'm doing well, just waiting for this scene to play out since I'm not a part of it.
Yuto gives Ritti a lopsided grin "S-soft and welcoming? Ritti San, you are the only person here who can make 'stabby-ness' sound like a compliment.” ”I wouldn’t call it a compliment exactly,” Ritti responds with a smile, ”more of a useful skill… when we’re on the hilt-end of it. The next time some undead horror doesn’t attack us cuz of a well-reasoned chin-wag, I’m happy to put my blade away. Until then, stabby-ness is a virtue.” ”I-I think the real crisis here is the food. If this cold keeps up, we are going to run out of warm meals! I-I mean, how are we supposed to fend off an undead horde on frozen rations? Zombi stew? Even ghosts might pity us!" he chuckles nervously, rubbing his hands together for warmth "Let's do something to fix that disaster!" The thief becomes sober. ”Yeah… The caravan master said we’re coming to a village soon enough. With luck, we can pick up some supplies there. After that, I’m pretty useless as a forager… and if we stop to hunt, well, how much game would we have to bag to offset the food losses from the delay? It’s a thorny problem.”
Ritti poorly pretends to look shocked at Torra’s assertion and clutches at a non-existent set of pearls. ”Wha? People don’t like me? But I’m so soft and welcoming with just a hint of treachery, stabby-ness, and neck-breaky-ness.” She smiles broadly at the dwarf. It seems their life experiences had some similarities.
The thief considers the samurai’s words and pats him on the shoulder. She respected Yuto's optimism, even when she didn't share it. ”I’m very glad some of you have my back. I rely on that. An’ I’m not losing heart… I’m just tired of trying to skate uphill. This trip is hard enough without folks making it tougher on each other.”
Sandru: At the mention of the undead bison, Ritti unconsciously rubs at the spot where she was gored. She replies with a note of wry humor, ”I’ll give you that; Zom-bison was a first for me. That story is goin’ squarely in my journal.” She reflects on his, likely rhetorical, question. ”I never saw a undead in Riddleport but there were always rumors… people vanished by vampires, corpse-chewin’ ghouls, ghost pirates, an’ the like. But pirates and thieves are a superstitious lot, mostly. There’s a game I heard about called Two Lies and a Truth where you tell a couple lies and a truth and the other person has to sort out which is which. Way they'd play it in Riddleport, it should be called Twenty Lies an’ a Half Truth.”
Sandru: As Sandru seems to be flirting with the idea that perhaps Ritti is a human being, the young thief opts – with reservations – to share a truth. Her tone is sober and a little pained. ”After Riddleport… you’d be right to wonder why I still do what I do. All the obvious answers are true… I’m good at it, it’s what I know, yada yada yada… But the real reason I want to become the greatest lady thief in the world is I’ve got to make some bit of those old stories, those dreams, come true. When I go home to see my Mum and my family, I want to give them money, yeah, but I need to tell them of my grand adventures… because I can’t bear to tell my Mum the truth of what happened in Riddleport. It will break her heart.”
She gives the caravan master a cursory nod and immediately leaves, not trusting herself to keep her emotions in check.
Yuto:
"Ri-Ritti San, y-your insights and skills have been v-v-valuable to us so far" he says, his voice wavering but earnest "I-it takes time for trust to grow, b-but I believe actions speak loudly. D-do not lose heart despite the frigid coldness." Her smile is almost as bitter as the wind. ”Yes, my skills are valued, but I’m not. If folks don’t want to trust me, they never will, Yuto. What have I done – actually – to anyone here to earn this distrust? I don’t think I saw any of you folks before six weeks ago. I probably never stole from any of you, never broke into your homes, or anything. I’ve never even been to… Sandpoint, was it? Now, what have I done for this troop? I’ve scouted, spied, fought, bled, helped out, and given gear to make the trip easier for everyone. For that, I’ve gotten doubt and mistrust. If actions speak… those actions are speaking loudly to me.” Her tone softens as she regards the samurai. ”I know you mean well. I get that. But, in my experience, people don’t change unless they want to… and I’m seeing some folks who aren’t interested.” Sandru: The more Sandru talks, the more Ritti’s face drops. In part, it is the invariability of his opinions… the certitude of a man who’s convinced his beliefs are righteous. In part, it is what he doesn’t say, the questions he ignores, and the reassurances he doesn’t offer. Those clearly outline where Ritti stands with the caravan master. I am just an axle.
The rest of the conversation seems little better than a mummer’s farce but she plays it through until she can leave. ”Why did you decide to start stealing?” ”Books.” she says soberly. ”My village is tiny and up-mountain. Hard work, scratching a living during the warmer months and setting things by for the long winters. We were happy, mostly. I was a bit of a troublemaker. Just kids’ pranks really, nothing too bad. I had a lot of energy and a Varisian’s desire to wander and see things. Mum gave me books over the winter to keep me from climbing the walls too much. I read all these great stories about far away places, grand adventures, and such like. And there were dashing thieves in those stories with their exciting lives and spectacular capers and escapes. And I’ve always been quick… so I thought I could be one of those lovable rogues in the stories.” She pauses only briefly. ”What did I know? I lived in a tiny speck on the map with a dozen other families. So, one day, I leave a note for my family and I head out on this grand adventure expecting I’ll be back in a year with a journal full of stories and a backpack full of riches that I pilfered from charlatans and bastards across Avistan… I was 14.” A shadow crosses her face, ”I didn’t learn all the truths they left out of those books until I was starving, penniless, and trapped in Riddleport. Those tales never talk about bully boys breaking your ribs, guardsmen robbing you, ‘friends’ selling you out, Sczarni hunting you for working on their turf, the joys of gaol, how close you come to getting raped or murdered, or the friends who don’t escape one, the other, or both. The stories are silent on those parts.” She shakes off the bitter tone, verging into matter-of-factness, ”I didn’t want to starve or die in a gutter… so I learned. I learned how to steal to stay alive. I learned to fight to keep what I had. I learned how to scrimp and save enough to buy and scratch my way out of Hell. Falling into Riddleport is easy. Climbing out is hard.” She regards Sandru for a moment before excusing herself. ”Good day, Caravan Master.”
Sandru/Koya:
Ritti calls to her before she can escape, in part to delay the inevitable. ”Before you go… that’s something I wanted to talk to you both about. See, I’m good in this weather. My boots, well, they got magic a bit like your spell, I guess. Keeps me warm, makes it easier to walk across the snow ‘stead of trudging through it. I only wear this coat and pants because, well, I don’t want to stand out or give anyone a reason to resent what I got that they don’t. That’s bad for a caravan because we’re all in this together. As some folks have… gotten more comfortable with me… I’ve offered to lend my boots to them when I’m in a wagon and they ain’t. Not too many have taken my offer. Maybe they think I stole ‘em – I didn’t. Or maybe they think I’m doin’ something shady.” She trails off for a moment, considering an unvoiced alternate possibility. ”My point is, the path is getting colder and I’m not trusted – but you are. So, I was thinking, when I’m not workin’ that maybe you could, I dunno, lend my boots out to folks each day or night… so that everyone, every so often, can go for a long stretch feeling warm and getting the damned cold out of their bones. I think it would hearten people to know, they’ll get to escape the cold a bit in a day or a week. Might be something they can look forward to. How does that sound?” Sandru: Sandru looks at Ritti silently for several moments. "Look, I want to apologize again for how I've been treating you. You've done a lot for us, and I don't want to deny that. It's just..." He frowns, considering his words. "I've traveled through a lot of western and northern Avistan. Plenty of Taldans, Chelaxians, and other folks see Varisians and think 'thief' or 'liar.' The Sczarni are a big reason for that, but every time someone catches one of us in theft or something goes missing when we're around, it makes all of them nod sagely, telling each other 'Of course the Varisian was a thief. What else can you expect?" Ritti nods glumly, ”Maybe I haven’t gone as far as you, but I’ve seen my share of places, desperate times, and sczarni who’d steal the last coin out of a widow’s hand. I’m Varisian, too. I know how some people see us and I don’t like it, either.” She thinks for a moment, framing her next comment. ”When I met Miss Ameiko and you, I could have said I was an ‘entertainer’, an acrobat, or some other convenient thing… and with a wink and a nod, you’d have some idea of what I’ve done without words being spoken. Then we could all pretend I wasn’t what I am… But I didn’t do that. I told you straight up who I am because I’m a thief… but I’m no liar.” She lets the point stand before pressing on, more forcefully. ”You got every right not to like what I do. But give me credit for being honest and know that what I promised Miss Ameiko is just as true: I got ethics. I don’t steal from my allies. I don’t sell people out. I can keep a secret. And I’m not stealing from anyone so long as I’m with the caravan unless Ameiko says I should. I can’t change my past. I don’t know my future. But, for this whole journey, I’m NOT a thief. I just wish you’d stop treating me like a pit viper.” Ritti is breathing more heavily than she wished as her frustration and fears pour out. ”You look at me and I feel like I’m no different than a… a axle, to you. And like that busted axle we replaced and left on the side of the road, I wonder when my turn to be thrown away will come. If I get grabbed by some frost giant, will anyone try to save me or will the caravan just roll on? Shame we lost Ritti, she was useful at times. Well, she was just a thief, so no loss.” ”You are the caravan master. People respect your position, your views, and you. Maybe even more than Miss Ameiko, you set the tone for how folks should treat each other. They’ve seen how you treat me and that’s been the standard I’ve had to bear from nearly everyone. We met on the 28th of Lamashan. It’s now the 10th of Kuthona… call it six weeks and a bit. Only in the last week or so have many folks thawed toward me.” She wipes at her largely-dry eyes with irritation. ”Can you imagine how that feels? I don’t mind being punished for a crime I committed. That’s a risk of the job. But you’re punishing me for the opinions and biases of Chelaxians and Taldans probably made before my great-great-great grandmother was even born. You’re acting like the reputation of all Varisians is solely my fault. That isn’t fair.” Ritti lapses into silence, having run out of words.
Sandru/Koya:
Ritti had been preparing herself for an awkward two-person chat and now it was a threesome. She almost turns around and scampers away, but that would look… well… bad. She had some thoughts on Koya’s news. Unfortunately, her notions would likely undermine what she’d come to discuss with the caravan master. Maybe he’s right about me. But she couldn’t just say something useless like, ”Yeah, that’s a problem” and press on like it wasn’t a dire issue. ”Hullo, Miss Koya. Are you warm enough? If you're chilled, you can always borrow my boots. Warm you right up.” She liked the older lady greatly but she was also stalling. ”As regards that settlement, we should put out more scout patrols as we get close - looking for signs of trouble.” She takes a breath. ”I hope nothing has happened to that village and that we can get supplies. But, if something bad has happened to the village…” She stops, backs up, and starts over, ”In my line of work, sometimes all you got are shi… poor choices. You try to find the best you can in any situation, no matter how bad. So, I hate to say this, but if the village is gone, well… zombies don’t need food like we do. If we’re lucky, there might be supplies we can scavenge. Maybe enough to get us out of this area as quick as can be.” She looks down, unwilling to meet what she expects are judging looks. ”I’m sorry to put it that blunt but being squeamish about it won’t help. Like I said, I hope that village is fine.”
Yikes! Best of luck to you! I hope your workload decreases at some point, if only to save your sanity.
Ritti pipes up, "And the group split into four or five directions... It seems like someone was trying to muddle the trail."
"Near as I can tell, there's no big giant prints... So maybe something that flies swooped on them."
Ritti surveys the damage, "Well, seems like we have a choice of trying to track these folks down to see what's what or head back to the caravan for a chat with Sandru and Ameiko. They might want to ride past this one." She adds, "Ameiko did say we should learn about any threats.. so I'm leaning towards chasing them down."
Ritti wraps herself in some terrain-colored scarves. ”Trying to take my job, Chief? I’m not here cuz I’m pretty. Let me do the scouty stuff.” Fortunately, Ritti’s boots let her move along the top of the snow without having to plow through it so she easily outpaces the others. She answers Yuto ever-present question as she strides past him, "Yes, I'll be careful."
Ritti looks at the canted over wagon. She doesn’t have the skill to fix the damage but she can certainly help move the heavy bits and possibly even support the wagon as repairs are being done.
After the undead bison incident, Ritti tries to be more stealthy on patrols and is extremely watchful (some might say 'jumpy') at all times.
"Scouting groups work. I'm in." She looks to Spivey, giving voice to her concern, "Flying sounds fun and I'm of a mind to try it someday. An' it might keep you away from a lot of undead... but I'd worry about the fella who created these monsters. Might sound paranoid, but I believe in expecting the worst. If I was a necromancer, I'd have measures to take care of flying folk and godly folk. So... I'm saying... have a care about that." It was as close as Ritti could get to saying I'm worried about you.
"Scouting ahead is gonna be a bit more dangerous. Might need to send folks out in pairs. Just somethin' to consider."
"Could be a lone wolf... A witch or necromancer carving out their own spot, not working with anyone." Ritti considers the ramifications. "If so, we either turn back now or keep going fast, watchful, and sticking together like tanglefoot."
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