Swords in Sigil

[Patrick Curtin]

So, due to the vagaries of our Hectic lives, it seems our RL game will be a while off. Meanwhile, I figure we can have some fun exploring Sigil, maybe finding a few things out as we go and broadening your characters in ways we don't hAve time for in real life.

Give me some idea what kind of urban adventures you like and I will see what I can do.

[Patrick Curtin]

Also I'd like you to think of five associates and five enemies you think your character would have. Fence, cop with a grudge, hooker with a heart of gold, romantic rival, etc.

[Gruumash .]

One friend and one enemy (more to come)

Pogo: a fence and information dealer the Mad badger goes to to fence stolen goods as well as get information on short term jobs that people generally need a knee breaker for, sometimes he is asked to stick around the shop to intimidate people he has dealings with. He generally likes Pogo but knows he is just as likely going to sell information on him as not so he keeps him at arms length.

Sir Basque de Hollis "the Lavendar Knight": A dandy type sell-sword exact opposite of the Mad Badger and they are at odds often. Don't like one another at all constantly trying to one up one another but there is a sense of fair play between them. They would never send someone else to do what they consider a job to handle between them. At some point they will cross swords and see who is the better man. Until then they keep an eye on one another.

2 down 8 to go

[The Mad Badger]

Durkal of the One-Eye: An embittered old half-orc mercenary. Hard nosed and cantakerous. He is a sometimes priest of One-Eye and if he does not answer then to the pits with him. The Mad Badger is not so religious and neither is Durkal so much at least not the regular line of hating other races and seeking to imprison them and the like. Durkal is a more live and let live motto which Old-Eye the orcish god seems to respect as there was a group of orcs with priests who came to give the old timer a hard time. Durkal not only sent them running but there was a gleam in his one eye and a glow to his spear which made certain they never gave him a hard time again. He is around when mad Badger's need is great but many times he has cast out the Karvok when he got a little too comfortable. Durkal is not taking followers or does he do services but he seems to have the One-eye looking out for him and in return he does speak the word even if perhaps it is heretical to many of the regular followers or those who seem to follow the path of Gruumsh. Durkal owns a bar and flop house where he has a statue of the orcish god behind the bar and nasty looking spear beside it. Mostly orc and half-orcs come to the bar but all seem welcome at the "The Iron Spear" a place where occasionaly there is a fight but mostly people come to drink and want to be left alone.

[Dungeon Monkey]

Excelent NPC's so far Mad Badger. I can work with this. Durkal's tavern, The Iron Spear would fit well on the border between the Temple district and Swordhold. It is a rather shady ward of the city, where shabby temples of unpopular gods mix with amoral mercenaries and a scattering of mysterious wizard guilds,

Pogo I would assume works in the same area, perhaps shaking down the cultists like Pulg in Lean Times in Lankhmar

The lavender knight would call Swordhold home, but likely hang with the mercenaries that claim noble titles from half-a-hundred worlds. They have a home tavern called The King's Marque and usually reside in the nearby boarding houses, plotting their vengence on whatever force or person dispossesed them from their cushy noble life.

[The Mad Badger]

Count Durivane Ledusteel: The patron of the Lavendar Knight and a hater of orcs. The Lavendar Knight is not as privy to the Count's inner circle and his true feelings but he was the one who hired the Lavendar Knight the first time they clashed and has since manuveered the two to strike out against one another and was frustrated when the Lavendar Knigth failed to use everything at his disposal to kill the Mad Badger. (ie. cheat or fight an unfair fight) The Mad Badger does not like the Lavendar Knight but he respects him. The Count he hates and loathes and the feelings are mutual. Many a time a hidden knife in the night has come the Mad Badgers way. Only to have the heads of those hidden knives end up on the Count's doorstep soon after. The Count is a powerful man a noble born to a long line of nobles he came to the Sigil seeking additional power. He hired the Mad Badger thinking him expendable and when the Badger saw he was betrayed he took the item the Count sought and had it destroyed to prevent him garnering more power to make him a force on par with the perhaps the Lady herself in Sigil. Probably the reason she saved the Mad Badger's life and outlawed open conflict against him in Sigl. The Count still seeks items of power in Sigilto allow him to rule with an iron fist in his own lands. He is a necromancer/enchanter mastering in fear related spells.

[The Mad Badger]

Hogustin: A blacksmith a the Mad Badger's go to guy for steel and occasionaly magic weapons. A dwarf the two would not natural seem like friends but they have been through the wars mercenaries. The Badger and the Hog as he was called hated one another at first but war makes strange bedfellows. In battle the Hog saw Kravok's value and they broke the ice after a brawl between them lead to a stand still. Laughing they bought one another a drink and were fast friends there after. Thier mercenary days came to an end when Hogustin lost his arm in battle to Comnell the Blooddrinker an orcish mercenary, he chopped off his arm and was seeking the final blow the Mad Badger waded through a sea of combatants to get him out and dragged the Hog out yet could not recover his arm. They have been friends and Kravok tells everyone about the one-armed blacksmith who has since replaced his lost arm with a cold black iron mechanical one to help with his blackmsithing. He is a blacksmith for the guild he and the Crimson Masque are a part of but he owns his own shop and sells stuff when not making weapons for their guild.

[The Mad Badger]

Comnell "Child Eater": As honorable as the Lavendar Knight is Comnell is the furest thing from that. Kravok is fortunate the Count hates orcs and refuses to hire this dirt bag. Comnell is everything wrong with orcs except he is smart and cunning and has a nasty streak that makes the Mad Badger look like a choir boy at times. Comnell takes any work that comes his way as long as the pay is right. He will kill anyone or anything and many times is known to eat his opponents after the battle ends. A known cannibal favoring young children of any race he does not discriminate most who hire him either known what they are getting into or learn to regret it. He weilds a wicked great sword called Eclipse. Believed to spur him into his blood rages where he attacks friend or foe alike. He wears black full plate mail that seems to have blood red viens coursing through the armor. A nasty customer who has clashed with the Mad badger more than a few times.

[The Mad Badger]

So I have 2 friends and 2 more enemies to go.

What is the name of our mercenary guild again?

[The Crimson Masque]

Well, as should be apparent, the Crimson Masque prefers amorous adventures above all else!!

He also plays a wicked mean lute and often has very rock-n-roll type adventures, which usually just end up being amorous adventures again.

On top of that, he likes to live the high life--you know, fancy meals, sublime intoxicants, stunningly-plumed clothes of wondrous fabrics--so he often has to hire himself out for non-amorous adventures. :(

As far as 10 NPCs go, well, first and foremost there is my old halfling sidekick, Fingers Took. He's awesome. I remember this one time, we needed to climb up a wall, so I hoisted Fingers up on my shoulders, but he still couldn't get up there (I think Patrick critfailed or something), so I got up on his shoulders and scrambled to safety. Actually, I kind of wonder why Fingers isn't here with the Badger and I...

As for the other nine, well, lemme think about it.

[The Mad Badger]

Ah Old Fingers Took: I think that was the Ambrosia Incident, we brought Took in because we needed a safe cracker. Now I think I argued that I could probably bust it open but you said it would bring the attention of too many guards. Anyways Fingers Took cracked the safe alright but he failed to disarm that magic mouth, man I hate those things ... hey didn't a magic mouth caused us a bunch of trouble this last time too? Where you the one who checked for traps that time too? I can't seem to remember. Anyways I do remember taking down like 6 guards and getting cut off from the group. You and fingers took off with the potion of ambrosia. I ended up leaping from a window to escape. Not sure what happened to Fingers you said he had a brave last stand type event. Yet I think I saw him wandering around the dives near where we live. Funny I think he was missing some of his fingers too. He might not be a friend now.

[The Mad Badger]

Vendola "The Chain Lady": A female kyton who is a mercenary she has crossed paths with Kravok and the Crimson Masque more than a few times and has enjoyed the events each time. Both of them know her intimately ... though not at the same time. She is a bit of a sadists and a masochist.

Which surprised the Crimson Masque perhaps a little bit. As for the Mad Badger ...well he and she have met on the battle field as allies and opponents. He defeated her once and she him which lead to amourous play afterwards. But the Bad Badger is not quite into the kink as she was and since then has avoided Vendola much to her chagrin. He respects her as a warrior just not into her scene generally they get along and has thrown a job or two their way.

[The Mad Badger]

Chargdor: "The Grey Hound": A hound archon who hired out the team for a job once or twice he is a rival to Vendola the Mad Badger has tried to stay out of their politics. A solid warrior weilds a massive Maul in battle and gives the Mad Badger a run for his money in the strength department. He is a dour sort and does not mix business with pleasure so he has kept the team at arms length perhaps because of their relationship with Vendola. But he has given good recomendaions for them for work. They talk if they cross paths and the few times where they ended up on opposite sides of a conflict they avoided fighting. The Mad badger thinks he could take him though he is probably not in a rush to find out.

[The Mad Badger]

Kiver and Dralluia: Frateral twins tieflings and said to be the bastard children of a powerful Balor or another demon lord from the Abyss. Nasty types who work for the Count on occasion they are usually go betweens hiring out unsavory types so the Count does not get his hand dirty. Kiver is the brother and has an unhealthy love for his sister who does nothing to discourage this. Dralluia in fact enjoys getting her brother jealous and loves causing trouble which the Crimson Masque found out about. Kravok needed to put Kiver in his place when he attempted to stab the Crimson Masque in the back while in the amorous throws of passion with his sister. Fortunately Kravok saw him trying to sneak into the private suite they had rented. One of the reasons the Mad Badger has a tendency to stick around when the Crimson Masque is off on his "private" Adventures. The Mad Badger did not kill the boy thinking he was doing him a favor but he left him with a mark on his cheek which he has not forgotten and neither has Dralluia since she loved his pristine skin. Needless to say they found the Count after that and have made nuisances of themselves ever since. Dralluia and her brother are skilled bards but also have skills in assasination have gone and trained under the well known Tabash Alcrin an assasin of some reknowned in a distant world called the Folg lands.

[Gruumash .]

So I think that clears me right?

bad guys: The Lavender Knight, The Count, Comnell and Kiver and Dralluia.

Good Guys: Pogo, Durkal, Hogustin "the Hog", Vendola, "The Grey Hound".

if you want me to add a few more just tell me I got all sorts of ideas.

[The Mad Badger]

Ah One more Carlmec: A sgt. of arms for the guidl they work for and Kravok's training buddy. When he first joined the guild Carlmec is the one who vets the new recruits. Kravok was the only one to last longer than 2 minutes and he did it on pure will. He did not know it at the time but he earned the respect of the old Sgt. a tough spriggan. The two have become friends and Carlmec keeps him abreast of guild news and gossip. In return the Mad Badger shows up from time to time to test out the new recruits for Carlmec and truly vet them.

Carlmec loves to pretend he is just a gnome and then surprises opponents by switching quickly to his large form. He dual weilds with a large khopesh and morningstar. One of the reasons Kravok was able to last so long he figured out his style enough to last a few rounds against the hard merc.

[Patrick Curtin]

Great stuff. I will go over the NPCs. I don't guarantee they will stay in the same configurations, but it is good to have some stroy seeds.

[Gruumash .]

Fair enough your sand box I am just playing in it. ;)

[The Crimson Masque]

Women I have slept with since coming to Sigil, a partial list:

Tatianna, the Shemitic sorceress, buxom and olive-skinned, she is insatiable. Outside of the boudoir, she is interested in some ancient magical artifacts that...well, I'm not really sure. We didn't spend much time out of the boudoir.

Sister Lucinda, the supple, vestal virgin (not anymore!) priestess who only ever thinks of helping others--excellent trait in a bedfellow.

Clarissa, the salty wench who works the weekends at the Shaved Medusa. Dark-haired and built like a mare, she's kind of a slut, really, but who am I to judge? Anyway, if it's on the street in Sigil, she knows about it.

Alyda, the hawt red-headed anarchist chick who occasionally swings by and plays me like a flute, getting me to do all kinds of things for her revolution and then never letting me touch her! We did do it once, when I first met her, but I was drunk and don't remember it! I must have her again!!!

Them's my friends.

[Gruumash .]

Did you take a look at what I added to Fingers Took? Sorry if I stepped on your toes there I just was in a creative mood yesterday.

Also I sorta mentioned you slept with a couple of other women: I did not mean to name names and all but the GM asked.

Take a look above if you have not already at Vendola "The Chain Lady" and Dralluia.

[The Crimson Masque]

Hee hee! Those are awesome!

As for Fingers, he's up to Patrick, but I would be sad to lose him as a friend.

Now I'll go read the ones I haven't slept with. Yet.

[The Crimson Masque]

I feel as if Gruumash.'s NPCs are so awesome that I don't even want to make any more NPCs. But, since they're all going to be women I have slept with, I will.

[Gruumash .]

Ah Shucks Doodlebug, you made me blush. But I think you are selling yourself short there a little. I love the Shemitic Sorceress (what is a Shemitic Sorcercess anyways?) Also Alyda I love the hook there.

I think you could flesh out Sister Lucinda a little, perhaps a reason why she was interested and perhaps continues to be interested in the Masque trying to save his soul perhaps? She could even be tied perhaps to a priest of the same church who is now an adversary of the Masque since he wanted to deflower Lucinda first and since she confessed her sins to him he now knows she is deflowered?

[The Crimson Masque]

"Shemitic" is Conanesque for Jewish/Arabic, I think.

Belit, Conan's hawt pirate love, is Shemitic.

I love the jealous confessor angle--his name is Brother Varnalium and he's a real loser! Always going on about moderation and penitence and chastity. Not like Sister Lucinda, she's so passionate.

I don't know if Sister Lucinda is interested in saving my soul. I know she's got her mind on my [beep! beep! beep!], though.

[Gruumash .]

Excellent I love it. The old Conan stories were great I loved Belit his pirate lover. I missed that she was a Shemitic. Very cool.

So I guess Brother Varnalium is one of your enemies. I can see the Crimson Masque needing to sneak in and out of the monastery where Sister Lucinda is stationed and he is always trying to have the temple guards catch him with Brother Varnalium leading them.

I am sure the Mad badger has helped on more than one occasion bonking some heads of the temple guards.

[Gruumash .]

I am thinking everyone else is super busy?

[Patrick Curtin]

Yah. Been a rough week all aeound

[Gruumash .]

Sorry to hear that oh Grand Monkey (GM), Hope the weekend brings nice things for you.

[The Crimson Masque]

Gruumash . wrote:

Excellent I love it. The old Conan stories were great I loved Belit his pirate lover. I missed that she was a Shemitic. Very cool.

Yeah, I reread "Queen of the Black Coast" recently. Otherwise, yeah, I wouldn't have known, either.

[The Mad Badger]

So are you going to start posting in our game or what Mr. Crimson Masque?

[The Crimson Masque]

Huh? What?

[The Mad Badger]

I was hoping to see the rest of yer frenemies.

[The Mad Badger]

I suppose I am being a little impatient sorry.

[The Mad Badger]

Hey how did the book buying go? Anything good at the church ?

[The Mad Badger]

Ah I feel some enemies coming today :) can't wait.

[Patrick Curtin]

The Crimson Masque wrote:

Women I have slept with since coming to Sigil, a partial list:

Tatianna, the Shemitic sorceress, buxom and olive-skinned, she is insatiable. Outside of the boudoir, she is interested in some ancient magical artifacts that...well, I'm not really sure. We didn't spend much time out of the boudoir.

Sister Lucinda, the supple, vestal virgin (not anymore!) priestess who only ever thinks of helping others--excellent trait in a bedfellow.

Clarissa, the salty wench who works the weekends at the Shaved Medusa. Dark-haired and built like a mare, she's kind of a slut, really, but who am I to judge? Anyway, if it's on the street in Sigil, she knows about it.

Alyda, the hawt red-headed anarchist chick who occasionally swings by and plays me like a flute, getting me to do all kinds of things for her revolution and then never letting me touch her! We did do it once, when I first met her, but I was drunk and don't remember it! I must have her again!!!

Them's my friends.

Lol if you like I can write you up an oPening scene with one of your friends. I'm leaning towards the anarchist

[The Crimson Masque]

Enemies:

Father Varnalium: See up above somewhere.

Tramora III: Misogynist, halfling noble with a hatred of peasants. We worked a couple of gigs together in the past and, man oh man!, was that cat unpleasant. I got sick of his shiznit and left him stranded in a pocket dimension. It was totally stocked with all kinds of nice comestibles and he was only in there for a week, but I guess time passes more quickly in there and he came out middle-aged and swearing vengeance. What a baby!

M'bulu: Troll drug dealer and pimp. I owe him money.

Lord Pelindyr: Aasimar paladin. He's mad at me because I did it with his daughter, his sister and his mother (not at the same time!). Oh yeah, and also 'cuz I accidentally burned down his house. Twice. I thought paladins were supposed to be the forgiving type?

Dulcinea: Wicked hawt sapphic feminist bard, possessed of a beautiful voice that can span three octaves (OOC--is that even possible?) and a virtuoso with a scimitar. She's always cock-blocking me, or getting me into positions where I think we're finally going to do it and then, at the last minute, she leaves me naked in the hallway, or tied to the bed, or whatever, and then takes off with the loot! You'd think I'd learn, but I only have a Wisdom of 8.

---

Sorry for the lateness, but I've been feeling pretty uninspired recently.

[The Mad Badger]

Looks pretty inspiring to me.

Well done good sir. Now we can continue with our regularly scheduled show.

[The Mad Badger]

Patrick is there a spot we can get common terms of Sigil I know berk but what other common terms are there?

[Patrick Curtin]

Sure. I am at the gym right now, but of you go to planewalker.com they have a Cager Cant dictionary. I like Cant, it enhances the game IMO

[The Mad Badger]

Excellent I will look that up so going forward I will try and use it more.

[Patrick Curtin]

Oh and DA: if you are interested I am almost through with both A wind through the keyhole and John Carter of Mars. Both highly recommended. I finished Ragnarok, and it was interesting, but not really earthshaking. Good insight into the ancient Scandinavian religio-social worldview.

[Doodlebug Anklebiter]

On ERB, I've gotten up to Thuvia, Maid of Mars. Did you see the movie?

[Patrick Curtin]

No, not yet. My access to theaters is very limited with my schedule

I would like to run a bit of a game with Tharks and a deserted ancient Martian city.

[The Mad Badger]

Ragnarok? Who is it by?

Do either of you guys like John Irving?

[Doodlebug Anklebiter]

Ragnarok is by A.S. Byatt. I only know this because CC told me in another thread.

John Irving rocks! Or, at least, he rocked, I haven't read anything by him since A Son of the Circus. I'm sure he still rocks, though.

And all his books are set in New Hampshire! Live free or die!

(I know, not all of them. But a lot.)

[Doodlebug Anklebiter]

Patrick Curtin wrote:

I would like to run a bit of a game with Tharks and a deserted ancient Martian city.

I think I first read John Carter last year or the year before and even after years of the 3E Monster Manual I still didn't make the girallon connection until I read about it on here. I think from one of the designers.

Did you read the second run of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

[Patrick Curtin]

Was that the one where Hyde killed the Invisible Man? If so, I skimmed it. That scene kinda burned itself on my memory cubes

[The Mad Badger]

Yes the comic League of Extraordinary Gentlemen has some tough parts especially the later teams. Hyde was not a nice guy.

But Alan Moore had a tendency not to have any glowing heros only characters with shades of grey.

I want to read those comics again.

[Doodlebug Anklebiter]

Patrick Curtin wrote:

Was that the one where Hyde killed the Invisible Man? If so, I skimmed it. That scene kinda burned itself on my memory cubes

Yeah, but the first issue, IIRC, takes place on ERB's Mars (there might have been some other Marses thrown in there, I don't recall) that is entirely in Martian.