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Slice of Life - The Lofty Echelons of Slavery. The Pontifex of Toil, one of the three grand high priests in the triumvirate ruling the United World Church, was a busy woman. She had always been a busy woman. For the last forty years she had been symbolically and quiet literally chained to an altar, like one of those people in distress from the romances of old. Truth be told the altar was more of a desk, carved from tasteful mahogany. The chain, though made from thick and heavy iron was at least padded around her ankle and was long enough to give her the run of the Factory-Cathedral where her 'office' was situated. All things considered, she could be much worse off. Currently she was pulling another twenty hour triple shift, fulfilling her roles as chief church bureaucrat (answering letters from devotees, the laity and important guild leaders alike), priest of Toil (overseeing important rituals and keeping in contact with her God, amongst other things) and acting as one of many backup power supplies to her city; through many ingenious mechanisms which to the untrained eye might look something like a giant waterwheel, lined with prayer.  She was being tended to by a small army of clerk-ics, all chosen for their skill at multitasking, and only through their constant effort was she kept alive. With unceasing ritual, she could probably keep going for many decades still, but that hadn't stopped the church from already training a handful of replacements should the need arise. The youngest of these, already running two businesses of his own in some far away place, was only five years old. The Pontifex considered the reports as she laboured. Memos from all over the world. Situation reports of monster attacks, noble and peasant uprising both and more land lost to the thrice cursed Forest. There was Trouble on The Rim, and for once there was little she could do about it personally. With a sigh and swift stenography she ordered the razing of a city, the blessing of a field and four different holy quests for her Paladins and Knight-Errants to perform, whilst also leading a choir of young Toil-worshipping citizens through some of the more difficult parts of an aria. At least the Harstian ironworks had been saved, the fallout from that would have been a nightmare. Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 21:51 on Jul 23, 2016 |
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Jul 23, 2016 21:35
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1B - No. 2C - Yes 3G - No 4 - It would be nice but we're flat broke. 5J
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Jul 23, 2016 22:33
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Roll: Accountancy Knowledge: Bureaucracy Outrail posted:--- Mr. Nemo posted:Can we not approach two of the options on number 5? HBar posted:Plan Outrail. Approach the Quackeen first and get the best deal we can from them, the steamboat and bureaucracy are secondary.[/b] Theantero posted:Hah, yeah I suppose it IS a tradition of this thread to try and squeeze as much utility out of accountancy as possible. Quackeen is sometimes known as the Goddess of Greed and would probably approve of the plan, as long as it benefits her in some way. The Boat Captain probably wouldn't mind you also working for the Church, as long as the blockade was cleared and his passengers could get to their destination safely, but might feel a bit ripped off if he where to learn that the Government was paying you as well. Think of it as the difference between getting help from a charity vs having to pay a government sponsored organisation to do the work they where already paid to be doing via your own precious imperial tax The Government would clasp you in irons, dissolve your organisation and disappear you to a work camp for the rest of your life should you attempt to cheat them in any way. There are ironclad rules regarding any conduct with the Bureaucracy. You have first hand experience with it, having spent most of your life as an accountant in the employ of the Ministry of Trade. The entire reason for your exile from Tukatt Hold and your subsequent venture into monster hunting is due to the fact that your former boss, Tariff Master Cranberry, was involved in some sort of corruption scandal. 5: Plan Outrail (Revised with knowledge checks) You could attempt to approach both the captain of the 'Reckless Charade' and Reverend Due of the Braavian Church of Quackeen and thus get even more money without sacrificing the contacts or reputation you would stand to gain from merely doing the former.
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Jul 24, 2016 07:24
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6: Contract with quacken, give the beurocracy a friendly heads up, and get friendly with the captain though so we can use his ship later as if we were pals.
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Jul 24, 2016 07:32
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Lets go with the Church and the Captain. The government can get notified in the appropriate way, including of any compensation form other parties.
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Jul 24, 2016 07:50
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Try and get contracts with both church and captain.
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Jul 24, 2016 10:04
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nothing to seehere posted:Try and get contracts with both church and captain. Yeah do this and don't get thrown in jail. We need a bug payday, we've been scraping by for ages and the crew need something other than Semi functional armour.
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Jul 24, 2016 12:14
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Also we have a big 30 wealth payment due in 6 months I believe from our loans.
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Jul 24, 2016 13:07
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Church and capt plus inform gov.
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Jul 24, 2016 13:28
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Nyaa posted:Church and capt plus inform gov.
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Jul 24, 2016 14:39
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Yeah, Church + Cap sounds like a good deal. Notify the bureaucracy of our dealings as is proper, as well.
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Jul 24, 2016 15:10
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ITEC Headquarters. Month 3, Week 2, Day Seven Morning. You finish up the last of the paperwork regarding your recruits, deciding to keep things the way they are for at least another month. Having delt with that, you head on over to the "church", to discuss a new and lucrative contract with Reverend Due.  "What brings us the pleasure of your company, Mr. Ironscript?" The merchant-priest asks as he sees you approach his stall in the marketplace where he usually plies his trade. His tone is polite and guarded. You suspect he still holds a grudge against you for your previous interaction, where you bested him in a contest of debate, but that is a private matter and this is business. As he is Cleric to Quackeen, you can be sure his personal thoughts will not negatively affect negotiations where money is concerned. You quickly explain the situation to him. About the monster in the river and how you are uniquely informed and prepared to tackle such a beast (though you at present have no idea what it actually is.) The good reverend is surprised, for this is the first he has heard of the monster, but a smile soon spreads across his face. "Of course, if you dispose of this creature in the Name of Quackeen you shall be justly awarded, for such is the way of the Goddess of Trade." He whips out a standard template contract from a satchel strapped to his robes, but you insist on writing one up from scratch.  Perhaps sensing an opportunity for a re-match, he accepts and thus the next two hours disappear into blur of minutiae the details of which are boring to a fault. When you at last sign the dotted line however, you can't help but feel that you've come out ahead. Aside from the [05 wealth] to be provided upon mission completion and full salvage rights, you secured your right to represent yourselves as agents of the Church for this mission and this mission only. Armed with this new-found authority, you make way together with Kvelar and Tommy down to the docks of Braav, where the 'Reckless Charade' remains moored. ---  A luxurious passenger ship, the 'Reckless Charade' travels up and down the length of the River Ennui, a route that takes it many months to perform. Smaller foes, such as Salmonsters, pose little threat to it as long as it keeps moving but it lacks any real instruments of war or hardened defences with which to fight off anything it could not simply outrun with its engines of metal and steam. The person whom is obviously in charge of the vessel goes by the name of Umrielyth Tanerveil The Darkness That Buries The Preciousness of Day And In So Doing Preserves the World.  According to what little you have been able to dig up, mostly from rumours collected by the rabble of urchins that seems to surround you wherever you go these days* Tanerveil is well respected amongst the crew as a very competent Sailsdrow, engineer, sommelier and singer. Talking to the Captain is a chore, for every sentence is a sonnet unto itself. However you soon learn xir desires nothing more than to leave Braav at first light, for every day The 'Reckless Charade' tarries is another where its passengers might get uppity and leave. You nod in understanding, "Why we would love nothing more than to help you get back on track, for a standard fee of course." You smile, and the drow tilts its head, placing a well manicured finger on the bottom of its perfect lip, the mid-day sunlight illuminating its face just so against the stark shiphull background. An invisible breeze flutters through its hair as the many studded belts worn over the torso-region strain and buckle to contain freshly oiled abs. ♫ Currency shall be provided / yet we are not a merchant prince / the funds aboard / they are divided / come from all that dwell within. | Slayeth thouh / within a day / or two at most / the monster / return to us / and ye shall find / more than gold is offered. You stare at the drow for a moment, until Kvelar prods you helpfully in the small of your back. "Right, well, if you would just sign here..." --- You have successfully negotiated to take on the mission to clear the Blockade, though a bounty had yet to be posted. You are now contractually obligated to do your best to permanently rid the River Ennui of whatever threat is causing this particular obstruction, in exchange for [02 +05 = 07 Wealth] to be paid upon completion by the passengers of the 'Reckless Charade' and the Church of Quackeen. Additionally, you can expect minor expenses such as food, drink and boarding to be covered by the Church for the duration of the contract for as long as you are actively pursuing its completion. Attempting to abuse the generosity granted you on behalf of Quackeen herself would not be a wise choice, however, so it is more of a convenience than anything else. Now all you need to do is kill the monster(s). If only you had any idea what it was. Fortunately you where recently blessed with a certain magazine, the contents of which will be invaluable to your expedition. [b posted:Mosters Monthly Beasts of The River Ennui[/b] post="461142151"] Four beasts catch your eyes as you leaf through the magazine, though there are many more besides that are less likely. ---- Boa Conflictor The Raging Serpent  Threat Level: Severe Type: Monstrous Animal Size: Huge A creature so fierce it its image adorns the cover of the very magazine you are reading. The aptly named Boa Conflictor seems supernaturally drawn to conflict of any sort, and its mere presence is bound to increase tensions in the region surrounding it, for wherever it makes its nest it is sure to menace the Empire and all who dwell within. They are known to travel through water and over land alike, but prefer the safety of the river or other waterways whenever possible. Their main source of sustenance is sentient humanoids though they will absolutely go after anything else that dares tread into their domain. Its serpentine body is massive, powerful and strong and its bite contains a potent venom known to enrage. They are able to both lunge and constrict, and all care should be taken to avoid being caught in its grip. Fortunately for us monster hunters however, it is not particularly tough for its size. The scales, whilst relatively strong for snake scales, will still break to a dedicated piercing assault and chip easily when blunt trauma is applied. The weakest point on the entire creature is a spot roughly in the middle of the upper jaw, which it bares just before attacking. Striking here with spear, arrow, javelin or (if you are feeling especially suicidal) sword, is sure to ruin its day, if not kill it outright. The prospective hunter should be especially careful when the body of the creature is obscured, by muddy water, undergrowth or what have you, for it is then very difficult to tell how long it might be and how far it might threaten with its reach. This is because they are likely to be coiled up tightly, waiting for an opportune moment to spring their attack. Aside from their natural senses (sight being the worst and hearing the strongest), they seem to be able to perceive prey from heat and perhaps most curiously, anger. For this reason, it is best to cultivate a calm and determined nature before setting out on the hunt. The Imperial Monster Hunting Guild Entente recommends a wall of pikes backed up by archers to take down one of these massive creatures from the shore. Should resources fail you or the monster track you down unprepared, be sure to stay away from its mouth and tail, attacking it preferably from the flank alongside its body, or if you somehow find purchase, on its back where it will have difficulty hitting back. The venom-glands are prized by alchemists for their contents, but otherwise there is little of worth taking from this monstrous snake, unless you have a penchant for snake eating. --- River Troll The Sudden Death  Threat Level: Medium Type: Monstrous Humanoid Size: Large River Trolls are, if you hadn't already guessed, a subspecies of the Troll genome that inhabit the River Ennui. They care little for civilisation, but thankfully do not actively seek out to destroy it. They move through the water as gracefully as fish and very rarely tread onto the dry soil, for their slimy flesh would quickly dry out in the harsh light of the sun. We have reason to believe they are intelligent, as they have been seen to use tools and even weapons on occasion and have some rudimentary understanding on the comings and goings of the Imperial Army, but so far no efforts have been made to communicate with them. Their main method of attack is simply grabbing their foe in their huge, clawed hands and pulling them underwater, slowly crushing the life out of them and then feasting on the soon to be water filled entrails. If presented with an actual challenge, they will swipe, punch, bite and stomp or throw rocks and other debris as their environment permits though they have been known to disengage if the threat proves too dire. Hurting a River Troll is another matter entirely, for they are most often protected by the water they are submerged in. Arrows are nearly useless, unless you somehow goad one onto land. Spears, pikes and javelins have a better chance of piercing the thick skin to hit its vitals, but axe and sword seem to work fine as well. That is to say, until the wounds you inflicted regenerate in front of your very eyes as thick sap envelopes the affected area, hardening in moments and making it twice as tough as before. Only quick and merciless slaughter can even hope to put one of these creatures down for good, and the carcass should be brought onto land and burned afterwards to ensure it does not simply come back to life, as has been the final realization for many novice hunters throughout the years. The sap is useful to alchemists, their claws can make decent bladed weapons and the seaweed that adorns their hides is edible if not very tasty. --- Siren The Allure of the Sea  Threat Level: Small Type: Monstrous Humanoid Size: Medium Sirens, Succubi, Mermaids, Harpies, water-nymphs. A beloved thing has many names, and there are few sailors who have not heard the stories of these dangerous and very intelligent monsters. Sirens are intelligent, nomadic, herding creatures travelling in schools much like fish. Though able to speak the Imperial Dialect (at least when above water), and argue with logic and reason, they disapprove of the Empire in principle and purpose and have been known to attack Imperial Citizens for anything they perceive as a slight towards their inscrutable ways. Their swiftness below water is unparalleled and they are able to stay submerged for far longer than any of our researchers have been able to count; though said researchers suspect that the answer may be 'infinitely'. Able to use weapons, advanced tactics and manipulation of mind and body, these seemingly frail creatures are not to be underestimated. Their song has been known to confuse the senses, even to the point of driving people mad, though curiously Drow and Dwarf seem wholly unaffected, though Duck and Gnome and most other prominent Imperial Species can fall prey to this supernatural effect. In battle, they will attempt to drag their opponent under the waves, where their skill at swimming will undoubtedly see them the victor. Be vary of their long claws, sharp teeth, strong tail, mind-addling song, deadly sea-forged or scavenged weapons and last but not least their unknown number. Never assume a Siren is alone, for they most likely are not. Should you be forced to engage a siren in hostility, be prepared for ambush and go for the vitals a Soldier of the Imperial Army would strike down any ruffian or bandit standing in the way of Imperial Progress. Though the monsters share most of their anatomy with the creatures of the sea, the organs function much the same as they do on you or I, and are roughly in the same area to boot, protected by the same flimsy layer of flesh that holds us all together. Sirens have a tendency to collect memorabilia from their terrestrial conquests, hunts, expeditions and life in general and seem to have the ability to construct both tools, jewellery, art and weapons through some unknown means. Thus a Siren once defeated can be a good source of wealth, should a buyer or collector of the Wyrd be found. The weapons, dubbed 'sea-forged weapons' by the Guild, seem to function best in the water, where the shape of their form can cut with unnatural grace, though they work well enough on land for these implements to be worth holding on to. As for the flesh of Sirens; we cannot comment on the taste. Though they themselves claim to be delicious. --- Oni Brachyura The Lonely Crab  Threat Level: Low/Seasonal Type: Monstrous Animal Size: Gargantuan These giant creatures live mostly in lakes, or in still coves by the sea. Fiercely territorial, you will never see more than one at a time except during the mating season which we believe to only occur once every ten to twenty years. This is also the only time you might see them elsewhere, such as in the River or, more alarmingly, towering over the ruins of your childhood village which they have trampled in their urge to get to the nearest body of water. They are more likely to attack large river going ships or infrastructure than to notice the slings and barbs of massed infantry, but should you provoke its ire the massive claws will probably be enough to skewer you, no matter what armour or defences you have managed to equip yourself in. With legs the size of tree-trunks ending in points harder than steel, it could also happily impale you with its footsteps. The mandibles can likewise crush masonry and the upper shell is at least a meter thick. It has no supernatural attack we are aware of, but then again it doesn't really need it. If you are to slay an Oni Brachyura, for whatever reason, strike it from below with the keenest edge you can muster directly in its centre, for this is where the armour is weakest your only hope of penetrating with conventional means. The Imperial Army recommends siege weaponry, preferably catapults, to crush it and maim it, rather than attempting to pierce the armour, though weak points can be found in the joints where the shell does not fully extend. Traps of the crushing and exploding sort could also be used to some effect, though they would have to be large indeed to make a dent in such a creature or hinder its ensuing rampage. For all its size, the crab shell is not especially useful to armour smiths as the creature relies more on bulk than toughness to withstand injury. It tastes, unsurprisingly, of crab. --- Thus enlightened, you may begin your briefing, the gearing of your recruits and the final preparations of your bounty hunting expedition. [Travel Gear Summary] Your rations are provided for you by the Church of Quackeen for this mission. Your supplies are provided for you by the Church of Quackeen for this mission. Your equipment is nearly adequate, in need of minor repairs. Your Owlbear cubs are adequately cared for. [ITEC Inventory] 05 x Bottles of FOOF 03 x Flasks of highly pressurized acid. 07 x Ethereal RimRose Cupcakes. 01 x Pouches of Flash-Heat-Powder 01 x Large Bag(s) of Flash-Heat-Powder 01 x ##Nåzom Stegėth## A Masterwork Siege Arbalest 01 x Koboldian Plate Armour fit to either You or Kvelar. 01 x Koboldian Crown of Leadership. 01 x Crate full of Ultra-Bright Torches. 01 x Monster Cage Wagon 01 x All Purpose Horse-Drawn Adventuring Wagon Common Riding Horses for all ITEC members including horses with which to draw your wagons. An assortment of broken or semi-repaired wooden training axes. An assortment of wooden training swords and shields. An assortment of Koboldian Leather Armour in the making, not yet finished. --- 1: Before you you leave, you must decide what to take with you and what to leave behind. You are keen to give ##Nåzom Stėgeth## a spin, though you have yet to fire it, and you cannot be sure it will be of use against whatever it is you are up against. Write-in. What do you take with you, what do you leave behind? Do you wish to change anyone's equipment? See the [recruit post] for information regarding current ITEC outfitting. Editors Note: You could for example, outfit yourself or Kvelar in the new Koboldian Plate Armour, though neither of you are skilled in its use. A reminder must also be given here, that armour is not strictly on a scale from Bad -> Good. Each and every type of armour offers protection from damage, but the type and the strength of deflection and absorption differ wildly between them. If you are to bring ##Nåzom Stėgeth##, you will have to dedicate most of the All Purpose Horse-Drawn Adventuring Wagon to its glory, which might limit the amount of loot you are able to return with. Likewise would bringing both it and the Monster Cage Wagon limit your speed, for you would have to stick to the Imperial Roads lest you damage them and their heavy cargo. --- 2: Do you want to leave anyone behind? Write-in. Editors Note: Skvababt is requesting time-off from monster hunting to finish working on the suits of Koboldian Leather Armour. --- 3: How do you wish to engage the monster, how do you wish to prepare? You believe the Blockade is situated roughly half a day out, where the river slims after passing the docks of Braav and its sister city of Fehgis on the way to Tukatt Hold and Karg. (Roughly three hexes north-east of Braav on the map.)  A: Attempt to convince Captain Tanerveil to bring you aboard the ship, so that you may defend it on its way across the river. Likely to succeed, especially if you bring ##Nåzom Stėgeth##, but could backfire horribly if the monster(s) decides to go for the passengers or the boat itself rather than your crew of mercenaries. You would travel much faster however and if you survive without the 'Reckless Charade' sinking or its passengers dying would probably earn a bit more fame, at that. B: Wagon-train. You'll travel slower but at least you wont have to worry about a bunch of civilians dying. The blockade should be close enough that you do not have to worry yourselves overly about missing out on the bonus from Captain Tanerveil, as long as the fight is short and you make all due speed home. --- 4: Is there anything else you want to do to prepare, questions you want to ask or something else you need to be made aware off? Write-in. --- *You can't even tell if they are local or if they are the same ones you met over in Harst, though you doubt its the latter for they would have no real means of travel. -- Party Thoughts: Konnie: Lets take the boat, bound to be more opportunities for profit aboard... Tommy: I dunno, too much collateral. Better stay on the roads. Kvelar: Aye, as there be no telling what we might be facin' best stay out of the water lest it drown us 'for we can counter it. Abigail: Aw, c'mon! A boat fight would be awesome! Just put the arbalest at the prow and pew pew whatever comes out of the water!! Khami: Fight sea on land; land at sea. Forever strive to deny your foe their birthright. Johakim: Land. Definitely. We couldn't even begin to keep track of all those passengers if a fight broke lose, which it will. How are we supposed to defend a literal boatload of people against any number of unknown monsters?? Skvababt: Oh, me? Why, I'd love to immerse myself in the water with you, Mr. Ironscript. Mhm. Though leaving now might damage the leather... Owlbear Cubs: Hoot Hoot! [Love us! Feed us!]
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Jul 24, 2016 18:28
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Err...has no one actually seen the monster causing the blockade? Can we ask around before just assuming it's something we read on a magazine?
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Jul 24, 2016 19:01
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Mr. Nemo posted:Err...has no one actually seen the monster causing the blockade? Can we ask around before just assuming it's something we read on a magazine? Yeah this. Are ships just dissapearing? I think we fill a smaller boat with
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Jul 24, 2016 19:21
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Missing DetailsMr. Nemo posted:Err...has no one actually seen the monster causing the blockade? Can we ask around before just assuming it's something we read on a magazine? Outrail posted:Yeah this. Are ships just dissapearing? Correct. On both accounts. The details of the previous attack went missing somewhere between the first rumours and your conversation with Captain Tanerveil, but the short of it is, (and the dock-master can confirm it viz a viz cross checking against the shipping schedule), that the last shipment from Karg never made it to Braav, and there has been an unnatural amount of flotsam floating downstream as of the last two days. No witnesses, or even bodies, have been found as of yet. Understandably, those few with the means to do so aren't to keen to go upriver and check. The captain confirmed his suspicion that (a/)monster(s) was behind the attacks with the help of an on-board cleric, but the divination did not reveal anything else of importance. From reading through the Magazine, which is the largest collection of information about such matters that you know to exist, and from the few clues you have to work with, you can deduce that one of the four monsters presented in the above mentioned articles is responsible. Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Jul 24, 2016 |
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Jul 24, 2016 19:31
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Eat Cupcake, scout
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Jul 24, 2016 21:05
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1. Take: 02 x Bottles of FOOF 01 x Flasks of highly pressurized acid 01 x Ethereal RimRose Cupcakes 01 x Pouches of Flash-Heat-Powder 01 x ##Nåzom Stegėth## A Masterwork Siege Arbalest 01 x All Purpose Horse-Drawn Adventuring Wagon Common Riding Horses for all ITEC members including horses with which to draw your wagons 2. Skvababt 3. B, Wagon Train
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Jul 25, 2016 00:01
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HBar posted:1. Take: Voting this as well Seems ok to me.
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Jul 25, 2016 03:15
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hollylolly posted:Voting this as well +1
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Jul 26, 2016 15:37
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Plan HBar, I guess. Even if I'm a bit leery of leaving Skvab behind here. Piercing weaponry is good against Sirens, the Boa, as well as the Trolls (should we get them above the water).
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Jul 26, 2016 15:43
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ITEC Headquarters. Month 3, Week 2, Day Seven Afternoon. A few hours pass as you and your troops get ready to head out. Most of this time is spent securing ##Nåzom Stegėth## to your adventuring wagon and figuring out how to bring everything else along as well, without sacrificing security, stability or emergency firing arcs. [ITEC Travel Gear Summary] 02 x Bottles of FOOF leaving 3 behind. 01 x Flasks of highly pressurized acid leaving 2 behind. 01 x Ethereal RimRose Cupcakes leaving 6 behind. 01 x Pouches of Flash-Heat-Powder leaving a Large Bag behind. 01 x ##Nåzom Stegėth## A Masterwork Siege Arbalest 01 x All Purpose Horse-Drawn Adventuring Wagon Common Riding Horses for all ITEC members including horses with which to draw your wagons Your rations are provided for you by the Church of Quackeen for this mission. Your supplies are provided for you by the Church of Quackeen for this mission. Your equipment is nearly adequate, in need of minor repairs. Your Owlbear cubs are adequately cared for. And so at last you take off, mounting horses and wagon both to travel northwards along the river, hoping to intercept the monster responsible for the blockade before any other monster hunting company even gets wind of the problem. Skvababt waves you off as you ride out of Braav, urging you to bring 'something nice' back for her. The memory of her smile and laughter shall keep you company well into the evening hours though you have no idea why. As the sun crosses the sky, preparing for nightfall, it paints the landscape around you in a warm, golden light. Riding then as you are at the time at the top of a small hill, you have unparalleled view of the land in front of you, with the mountains of Tukatt Hold in the background over the River Ennui, surrounded as it is by evergreen forests and farmland and, far in the distance, outlooming even the mountains themselves, the Rim.  As you do not particularly wish to fight an unknown monster in the middle of the night, you set camp and wait for the morrow. --- A dream Elsewhere, elsewhen?  Not an ounce of sleep since they left port, more then a day ago. There had been a party. Truth be told it would have continued longer still, had not the veil of wrath descended. It all started with a minor scuffle, some noble or other upset about a minor transgression. But it escalated. Swords were unsheathed. He had to intervene.  His justice was swiftly delivered, the would be duelists clutching broken hands and wounded prides upon the floor, but that was not the end of it. All over the ship, it seemed everyone was on edge. The head-chef had locked himself in the pantry, after a waiter had threatened him with a cleaver due to one snide remark too many. Two drow were at each others throats over the etymology of the word 'arachnid'. Children were disobeying their parents left and right. In short, anarchy reigned. Never one to be discouraged, he walked among the irate passengers dispensing judgement and punishment alike. Yet soon he found himself overwhelmed, accosted by a a group of duck-teamsters who had had quiet enough, thank you very much, of the low wages and the long hours shovelling coal into the hungry furnace. They battered and pushed him with their winged arms, picked up a table and hurled it at him. They shouted and screamed and poured all manner of illegal insult towards his person. He shattered the table with a single stroke, sending splinters flying across the ballroom deck. Furious, he rushed into the meleé, all concern for proper conduct long since lost.  So occupied were all on board with all the un-aired grievances of life, they had not noticed they were under attack. The ship started listing as a muffled explosion rocked their world. The man clutched his head, wet with blood both his and others. What had he been doing? All around was carnage and despair. Of those who had not already been run through, some came to their senses. Others, mad with rage, attacked the oncoming water, each other or the ship itself. The man grasped for the amulet that hung around his neck, willing himself whole that he might see his task complete. Thus bouyoed by the recovery of wits and wounds he made his way about the ship to save those that he could. Not long after he had lifted a piano of off a drowning child did the wall beyond him break; a massive form as quick as lightning smashing into him with power beyond reason. Stumbling to his feet, greaves soaked through with the rising water and head aching from the assault he looked out the hole and saw nothing but the misty autumn mountains in the distance; not a foe in sight. Yet a foe there was, and the world shook once more, the water-going-vessle breaking apart at the seams with all the luxury accoutrements spilling into the lonely river below. Or was it up? Falling sideways into a wall, he decided whatever side gravity was on, it was not his. Valiantly he threw himself to the floor or wall, climbing to reach any sort of safety or stable ground to get his bearings and then the beast was upon him.  On the road to Harst Month 3, Week 3, Day One Early morning. You awake with a start to the sound of grumbling. You are sweating. Abigail is staring daggers at Johakim, even though they usually get along just fine. Tommy looks upset about something. Khami is still sleeping, though from a glance he looks fine. Kvelar rolls his eyes at the hubbub. Morale is in shatters and you haven't even found the monster yet, though you have a feeling it cannot be too far off.  Stop your grumbling and get your things in order! We've a monster to slay, riches to obtain and glory yet to be won! You yell, and something about your tone makes them pay heed. --- 1: You have made camp on a hill overlooking the River Ennui and though the vantage it offers is grand for a tourist or seer of sights, it will not aid you in finding the monster below for you still have a ways to go. An hour, maybe two of riding? Hiding behind some bend beyond the trees. You can feel the hairs on your back stand up already, as if in protest of the sweat that pours from your brow. How do you proceed from here, what is your plan of battle? A: Plan Tommy Approach slowly along the river, though keep the cart some ways behind, as to safeguard ##Nåzom Stegėth## that it may pierce the hide of whatever monster comes up to gobble at those in front. B: Plan Kvelar Approach slowly along the river, looking for some hill or glade on shore what offers a better defensive position with view of the water. Set up ##Nåzom Stegėth## there and either wait for the monster to show up or lure it there via some other means. C: Plan Abigail Rush forward, screaming and beating swords and axes upon shields; making as much noise as possible to tell the tale of your coming. When the monster emerges, charge it! Feast upon its blood! D: Plan Write-in. Write-in. --- 2: Is there anything else you wish to do? To prepare, to say, to ask? E: Write-in. --- [ITEC Pre-Battle Summary] Overall moral is in shatters but stabilizing. You are unhurt. You are somewhat rested. Your armour is in need of minor repairs. Kvelar: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour has been pierced by shrapnel and requires light maintenance. Fights with Axe and Shield, but has a hand-crossbow as well. Abigail: Is unhurt. She is rested. Her armour requires light maintenance. Fights with a quarterstaff. Tommy: Is unhurt. He is rested. He fights with a great club. Konnie: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour has been pierced by shrapnel and requires light maintenance. He fights dual-wielding daggers. Khami: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour requires only minute maintenance. He fights with an iron chain. Johakim: Is unhurt. For more information, see the recruit post. Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Jul 28, 2016 |
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Jul 28, 2016 21:53
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Oh great, we're fighting a monster which emits a low-level agitant I guess A
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Jul 28, 2016 21:58
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nothingtoseehere
Nothingtoseehere fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Jul 28, 2016 |
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Jul 28, 2016 21:58
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b
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Jul 28, 2016 22:00
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C
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Jul 28, 2016 22:05
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A
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Jul 28, 2016 22:16
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A E - Make a morale boosting speech as best we can, tell our guys that their emotions may not be their own. What has been recognised can be controlled.
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Jul 28, 2016 22:32
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A seems logical and also I want to see everyone argue about who goes in front. 
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Jul 28, 2016 22:33
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A It is the plan that allows us to use our sweet crossbow that does NOT involve too much standing around and camping. Now, normally I'd be all for Kvelar's camping strat, but since our enemy is apparently using some sort of AoE Berserk attack I do think that waiting would be self-destructive in this instance.
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Jul 28, 2016 22:49
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"Their song has been known to confuse the senses, even to the point of driving people mad, though curiously Drow and Dwarf seem wholly unaffected, though Duck and Gnome and most other prominent Imperial Species can fall prey to this supernatural effect." Maybe? Two drows arguing about etymology sounds par for the course. B
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Jul 28, 2016 22:55
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B then C to lure it out. How many people know how to use this giant crossbow of ours?
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Jul 28, 2016 23:24
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Nettle Soup posted:A
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Jul 29, 2016 01:01
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By the River, On the Road To Harst Month 3, Week 2, Day Seven Afternoon. Many strange things lurk in the shadows of our world, and some may stir emotion or bring frenzy to those unprepared. Be wary of your feelings. Control them. Make sure they are your own. Abigail, are you truly mad? What troubles you, Tommy? A few hours ago we were all excited for adventure, why should we now quiver in our boots? Your short speech is met by a murmur of agreement and soon you are once more on the road. You can't help but feel restless, like staying still would allow the latent anger to take hold. Better to expend it with boots to the ground you reason, rather than hand to throat. You head downhill, closer to the river. Tommy and Kvelar at the front and the rest of you some ways behind, next to the cart bearing most of your gear and ##Nåzom Stegėth##. The decorative engravings of cupcakes still shimmer along its frame and more then once you catch yourself admiring the handiwork in the imagery of Skvababt and the Owlbears. It is around this time this time that you realize that no one has actually ever fired the device, but at least Konnie was cognizant enough to bring a pack of four heavy iron javelins with you to the battle, so that you would at least have something to fire.  That they resemble the top part of a fence that was crudely vandalized in the middle of the night is probably a coincidence, and besides with your budget of exactly zero you are glad to have anything at all. You are certain your masterwork machine will fire them, less certain of how well they will fly. You hope they are enough. An hour passes. The river is calm but your spirits are not. The morning sun lazily traverses the sky, sometimes resting in the clouds. There is a chill in the air, but it is entirely natural. It is late autumn, after all, and soon all the land will be covered in snow. You look over to Abigail, riding beside you with a scowl on her face. Even though your speech calmed tempers enough to ride without issue she is still visibly affected by whatever is going on. When you ask her about it she just shrugs, tells you its nothing. You have half a mind to scold her for her insolence, but something else takes priority in your mind.  Behind a bend in the river, covered by the spruce and pine of the forest around you lies a shipwreck, no more than a few days old. It looks to have suffered a minor fire, mostly cosmetic, but the damage to its hull is so significant it cannot be anything but a monster attack, and a large one at that. The ceiling is entirely caved in and what few walls remain standing have huge holes smashed through. You can hear weak groans coming from nearby, presumably survivors? Other then that the forest and river are eerily quiet.  [ All of ITEC is currently represented by Thorgrims Icon, though ##Nåzom Stegėth## has one as well for your convenience. 1: Debris litters the area, flotsam the river. You move a bit closer and see the broken form of a man lying in a dry pool of his own blood outside the battered ship. The ship is large, at full capacity it must have taken a hundred passengers, maybe two? And precious cargo besides. They cannot all have perished instantly and the body outside has been brutalized but not eaten. You could enter the wreck and attempt a rescue, or you could ignore it and all inside, continue forward and look to slay whatever is responsible. A: Investigate the wreck. Do you take any special precautions, who enters, who stays behind? B: Ignore the wreck. Keep going following Tommy's plan as best you are able. --- 2: Is there anything else you want to do? C: Write-in. --- [ITEC Pre-Battle Summary] Overall moral is low, but improving. You are unhurt. You are somewhat rested. Your armour is in need of minor repairs. Kvelar: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour has been pierced by shrapnel and requires light maintenance. Fights with Axe and Shield, but has a hand-crossbow as well. Abigail: Is unhurt. She is rested. Her armour requires light maintenance. Fights with a quarterstaff. Tommy: Is unhurt. He is rested. He fights with a great club. Konnie: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour has been pierced by shrapnel and requires light maintenance. He fights dual-wielding daggers. Khami: Is unhurt. He is rested. His armour requires only minute maintenance. He fights with an iron chain. Johakim: Is unhurt.
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Jul 29, 2016 13:56
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A. Have someone Mount Nazom to fire at anything at the weack site.
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Jul 29, 2016 14:21
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Swedish Thaumocracy posted:Boa Conflictor Seems about right based on the dream and our morale Perhaps set up ##Nåzom Stegėth## on the shore, then lure it out by having Abigail absolutely wind someone up until they want to kill her?
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Jul 29, 2016 16:48
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Party Thoughts and MiscOutrail posted:How many people know how to use this giant crossbow of ours? ##Nåzom Stegėth## is a Masterwork Siege Arbalest. You have never fired it and don't really recall anything about how it was made either, but you do have some intrinsic understanding of how to use it. Reloading is semi-automated, you place ammunition is the designated container and the internal mechanisms do the rest. Aiming it is done via a series of hand-cranks or wheels, but seems a lot easier than it should be for a machine out of heavy oak and iron. Aiming is 'smooth' and 'stable', the bow doesn't really sway or bob in its frame. For best results you probably need a dedicated spotter, but it has sights for the operator as well. You fire it by pulling the lever. How could it be anything else? In short; it is easier to use than its non artifact equivalent, but it is still a Siege Arbalest and not a hand crossbow. It will fully occupy whoever is tending to it, with the user essentially mounting it for the duration of the battle, rendering them incapable of riding or using their gear or equipment lest they 'get out'. Theantero posted:So, uhh, how well can we swim? The river is full of monsters as is the wilderness. You grew up in a mountain fortress, and though there were pools and wells, swimming in them wasn't high priority. That said, it is still a skill that all good imperial Citizens should learn, and so you did. You are an adequate swimmer, nothing more, unless you took a special interest in the activity as a child at the expense of some other hobby or skill. --- Party Thoughts: Konnie: "Wrecks bound to have all kinds of items just layin' about, in need of "liberation" if you get my meaning. (you don't.) Tommy: "I dunno boss, smells like a trap. Monster can't be far off." Kvelar: "Aye, there might be people left alive, but there is the monster to consider. Mountin' a rescue now is invitin' death, better to finish our hunt and come back." Abigail: *grumbles angrily* Yeah lets check out the wreck. Might be something in there to fight. Khami: "Some tombs are found, whilst others remain hidden. Sometimes we make or own." Johakim: "My medkit doesn't have the supplies of an entire field hospital, but I'll do what I can if there are any survivors. I'll tell you right now though, there won't be any if we wait."
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Jul 29, 2016 17:11
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Tell Konie it is always good to libarate and tell him to work on that. Tell tommy and kevlar to keep watch. Tell the rest to work on the rescue.
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Jul 29, 2016 17:16
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A. We go to the wreck, look for information about what might have caused this. Johakim and Konnie search the wreck for survivors and things in need of extra liberty respectively. Abigail comes with us in case there's something in need of punching. Kvelar gets on the arbalest. Tommy and Khami stay with him.
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Jul 29, 2016 17:22
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A: stay behind on the siege arbalest, send a few others to rescue who we can. Info is always good.
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Jul 29, 2016 17:30
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maxhush posted:Seems about right based on the dream and our morale Yeah, based on what we know, the Psionic(?) Anger Snake seems like the most likely culprit. Inform our team of this conclusion. It likes to hide and do ambushes. Thus, depending on how smart of a beast it is, that person lying in the sand might be mere bait. So thus: Plan A, with following specifics: It's weak to Blunt and Pierce, so send Tommy to investigate. Konnie has the best eyes of the team, so send him as well (he is liable to see it slithering in the flotsam before anyone else. Khami should go too, so that he can hopefully cain its mouth and keep it from biting anyone. The rest stay behind, with Kvelar manning the arbalest (he probably has the best aim of anyone present).
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Jul 29, 2016 18:03
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