Yep, is done.
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Yep, and appreciated. I…didn’t really post as much as I wanted to, just finding the time to keep up is often the hardest.
I felt this was coming. This is the last game I was in too… Oh well, thanks Heaman for all the work that went in to your homebrewing booklets. I’m sorry if my inability at the outset to use Roll20 slowed things/created inertia. Was fun while it lasted, Sarn was a fun character to play. Thanks also to Smiles-a-lot, Albion, Mishima and Daniel (and Elbowtotheface) for playing. If I may, I might post a little piece here about my thoughts about the health of a PbP. I’ve noticed that we generally desperately under-utilise the Discussion tab, and although this is most likely a function of mostly being time poor (either because of the necessities of RL or having too many games running or running in in addition to those real life necessities) a game really needs the characters to be interacting alongside the main narrative. Characters should be conversing, quibbling, questioning, helping, advising, ignoring, harassing, teasing, assisting etc each other, and this can be done as if it were its own space that might not need to exist in the same timeline. Without this we are playing insular characters that react only to gameplay posts that are by and large functional rather than narrative or social. I know we hardly have time to post most days, but maybe we need to give our games a bit more, as counterintuitive as it seems. I dunno, just been thinking a lot about the nature of the medium, although I also wonder about the ubiquity of ChatGPT and just how happy I am that everything I post here is grist for some AI wordmill. Then again the last time I said that to someone (in a PM) they never posted on the boards again…
Nor I. Until Nilelane, ever the pragmatist, mentioned it. And given that we are a very small party (Eddrikk and Terion notwithstanding as GMNPCs) we kinda need to be…pragmatic.
Sarn blinks rapidly, wondering how the situation got ao out of hand so quickly. ”Uh…Vik, this is Nillalani, the shadowy personage I so rudely gave away but moments ago. Nil is…good at finding high places to lurk in.” Sarn thinks very quickly, and talks in hushed tones. ”You make an excellent point Nil. It is incredibly frustrating to have goblins before and goblins after. I feel this could be remedied, and swiftly. What say you Vik? We needs must slay some goblins. Quite close ones too.”
Sarn blinks, clearly puzzled. ”Why not…what? Er…which?”
Sarn nods a curt thank you and takes the proffered rag. He looks at it for a moment, before turning to his compatriots. ”I think a rest is in order, at the very least so Din and I can replenish our magic and miracles. But I am also aware that time here is not on our side. Our goblin friends are both here and below. Our prisoner remains a threat to our concocted story. A spy lurks somewhere. The dwarves will necessarily return from their knife eared mistress to bother us again.” Having detailed his worries, Sarn looks to each of his allies. ”What say you? Rest? Press on and down? Or leave this place and regroup entirely?”
Sarn frowns. ”To be honest, I have forgotten…There was mention of coin, and to be sure, an equal share shall be yours!” he finishes brightly. Seeming to consider the introductions made, Sarn ambles…nearer the “thinking” goblin. ”What-ho gobby! How’d the “pass” coming along?” he offers with what he imagines is his most winning yet nonchalant smile.
Sarn nods. ”We-ell, let’s see, it’s quite simple really. We rescued a gnome a little ways off, and fought off and killed some bandits who captured him. After returning him to his village, the gnome hired us to investigate this place. We’ve killed some bandits, met some rather interesting dwarves, some goblins and seen some scaly-kind folk, who all seem to work for a lady with knives for ears. Except Eddrikk. He doesn’t work for the lady. He’s one of us.” Sarn continues, warming to the task. ”We’ve made a compact with the goblins (after making the dwarves think we were the bandits who we killed earlier’s replacements) to eradicate the scaly ones, however there may be a spy nearby, who may have told some other goblins down underground that we are not their allies, as they attacked us when went below. Now we have returned to…clear up this matter of confusion.” Sarn frowns. ”Also we had a prisoner, but I’m not sure where he is…”
Sarn shifts a little. ”Oh. And Eddrikk. ” he says, indicating Eddrikk.
Sarn nods safely at this most seemly of outcomes. Striding up to the “new” human Sarn makes some difficulty out of trying to stow his shield or his sword and improbably at one point has a sword and mace in either hand. Finally with only sword in his left hand he proffers his right to Vik. ”Well met. I am Sarn Ket. This [here indicates Din, Nilelane and Terion each in turn] is Dinn. Nillalani and Terryon.”
Sarn remembers something…pertinent. He fixes the thinker-goblin with a solid look. ”Your friends didn’t ask to see a pass. I don’t think they are in the mood to see one given last time they attacked us on sight…”
Satn’s eyes boggle. ”There’s a spy? Where?!?” The priest whirls on his heels, looking around. ”Mayhap the spy is in league with the other goblins below who attacked us!”
I’ve been posting, but I admit, after we lost Eddrikk immediately and then Terion who was the most active in terms of pushing us along as ersatz party leader, I’m a bit out of sorts.
Sarn looks from the new human to Din and then to Eddrikk, valiantly trying to understand…many things.
Sarn grits his teeth, for the moment annoyed that Eddrikk thinks Sarn is so stupid as to not know which way he and his companions need to go. Obviously we must ascend! Sword and shield in hand he leaps the stairs two at a time…
”Eddrikk!?!” Sarn calls out unnecessarily, throwing caution to the wind…
Sarn nods his agreement. ”Those goblins above either lied or are wrong about…something hereabouts…”
Sarn nods, but is still perturbed. ”How far back? There are now goblins ahead of us, and goblins behind”
As far as I’m reading, we haven’t decided yet. Sarn has offered two potential options as the last post. Stay or press on. Now the spell is clarified, either is ok, but Sarn is worried that pushing on into “home-turf” could be bad got us/aid the enemy. Given Terion’s uncharacteristic absence we are both stuck for direction as he is, after Nilelane’s scouting, generally the point-man and is really the only fighter.
Sarn nods at Nilelane’s suggestion. ”A ruse is good. Mostly we are banking on ruse after ruse at this point.” Sarn pauses for a moment to ponder. ”We could yell out that the dwarves are attacking us!” adds Sarn, warming to the plan and completely neglecting to understand that none of his party speak Goblin nor might the goblins understand “ack, Dwarves!” when yelled in pseudo-fear.
Sarn peers back the way his group has come. ”My goddess’ protection lasts only while I stay in the one spot - we should decide whether to stay and take advantage of that or press on.”
Happy to wait. But also wouldn’t want to post for Terion. Having said that, here is a cheat sheet for Sarn: 1: Use eyebrows expressively, possibly overreacting to a misunderstanding of vernacular.
Sarn watches in amazement as Nilelane’s light drops, then the rogue herself runs past him. Without waiting for an explanation Sarn begins to call on the aid of his deity…
”Gah!” Sarn bats at an errant moth with his flaming torch, casting eerie leaping shadows that enlarge and then shrink the shadow of the earseeking creature.
Peering in, Sarn frowns at the rack. ”I do not want to meet whatever was chained here…”
Seeing the stiffening of stances and the readying of shield Sarn interprets quickly. ”So…not rabbits, then?”
”Ah. Rats. The goblin’s version of rabbits. Throw fire at them, that should give them pause.”
From his place at the back Sarn clears his throat and listens again. Hmm, must have been a…no! There! Some…thing. ”I hear something. Clkk…squeek…chggg. Very strange.”
Squinting ahead in the poor light of his torch , Sarn get’s ready to meet the friendly rabbits Nilelane has evidently found. Conies for breakfast!
Sarn looks at the rusted equipment, running his hand over the anvil and poking about at rusted tools on the wall. He remembers the clang-din of Brother Xerpikas’ smithy, and smiles a rueful smile, both happy at the remembrance and sad at the loss of agency this ruined centre has experienced. Reverie finished, he carefully steps back out into the corridor and resumes his rearguard.
Sarn looks in briefly in between nervous glances back up the corridor. His eyes widen briefly, before he sniffs. ”Fools cooked on a fire down here. Don’t they know there are all kinds of diseases in a dungeon?”
As rearguard, Sarn carries his torch in his right hand, sword in left, occasionally half turning and raising the torch to peer, thus slightly less blinded, behind him. By Vauw’s pendulous and possibly perilous teats - I do not like this… ”No goblins behind!” he calls from time to time.
Ok, looks like Nilelane scouting with light as discussed. Then Terion/Din/Sarn. Terion has a lantern. Sarn has torches. Eddrikk stays watching Stevi.
We will have schrodingers dwarf... he is deemed at the tent with Stevi UNLESS the player shows up. In which case he was there all along bringing up the rear guard. Yep, that’s what I was thinking. Or something like “Stevi got away so I hustled here to tell you guys.” Or something a little…darker. But I guess neither of those cast Eddrikk in a great light, but they do tie up the “Stevi conundrum”.
Ah yes, the Discussion thread. Where I said I’d take the discussion. And then…didn’t! Yes, great idea - let’s leave Eddrikk with Stevi for the moment until we hear further from Elbowtotheface.
All right folx, points of order: 1. The Stevi Conundrum: Not sure what to do here. He’s a massive liability if we take him with us or leave him bound as someone might find him this raising the alarm, or he frees himself for possibly same result. Though I guess once were in I guess we can consider the alarm raised! 2. Marching Order. Perhaps Eddrikk first if he has some kind of dark/infra/ultravision? Though our human need for lighting will probably destroy that… Does Nilelane want to scout ahead? Be rearguard? I guess the only real cautious thing I would do is put Din in the middle. Sarn is happy to go front or back, if at the front he can go behind Eddrikk with a spear or two abreast with Terion if there is room. 3. Lighting. Sarn has 6 torches. Also a flask of oil.
Sarn shakes his head. He clearly suffers from trying to stay in character and yet relay important information to Terion without the goblins cognizance. It appears his eyebrows will be doing most of the heavy lifting. ”I think we go now. It wouldn’t be… [eyebrows raise, eye squints jes a little] “useful” for us to wait…in case [eyebrows again] “something” happens to ruin our amazing [eyebrows] “alliance”.”
So…is Diplomacy/Intimidate a 2d6 morale check with a Charisma modifier?
Seeing as negotiations are complete, Sarn exits the tent, sword sheathed and shield stowed - sauntering as upright and barrel-chested as he can in his chainmail to fully impress the short goblins. Apparently, talking with your chest puffed out and your shoulders held so high that your neck disappears is “heroic”. “Wise move lads. But I don’t want you lot at my back when we defeat the scalyfolk so you come at least part the way in. Show us the map now!” Sarn bellows, one hand resting meaningfully on the pommel of his sword and squinting one eye to appear mean.
Hidden in the tent, Sarn’s eyebrows raise in estimation. It sounds like a good plan, so far.
Sarn crouches near Din, head cocked to an angle clearly supposed to aid in better hearing.
Sarn’s eyes flash open and he muffles a small cry, before working out his surroundings and nodding to the dwarf. ”Oh, thanking you Eddrikk!” he whispers. Sarn rubs an sore shoulder, cracks a few kinks out of his spine then sniffs and grabs his sword and shield.
Tenting it. For as much as Sarn loves his life outside the temple walls, old habits die hard. And so do mosquitoes.
Sarn nods companionably. He was happy to have had a good meal and to have avoided conflict. ”I feel tired now after a good meal, thanking you Terion. Methinks we need to keep an eye on Stevi, he’s an appointment to keep with Master Noose and we wouldn‘t want him to miss it. And being sleepy, I feel I can’t watch the lad nor keep safe from nocturne’s goblins. I am happy to take an early morning watch…”
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