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 Liliana Absent-mindedly grabbing the brass mirror, Liliana gives it a quick once-over to make sure nothing sticky or crawling is adhering to it before tossing it in her pack. Reflective surfaces were sometimes handy for Azyr spells, and while it was hardly a mirror compared to the elegant silver-and-glass constructions of Ulthuan, it might still work. She also grabs the book, hoping it would contain clearly worded explanations in good penmanship about the child's powers. It would almost certainly just be insane ramblings and terrible poetry about sharks and shipwrecks, but at least it would be something to read that wasn't the bloody swamp field guide. Liliana pauses when she notices the lump under the infested animal skin, then carefully prods at it with her staff in an attempt to reveal it. "There's a... thing. Under the disgusting thing. Someone who already has lice come touch it."
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May 12, 2020 05:54
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 Cat Hogberry-Patch Hovering over Liliana's shoulder, albeit at a distance from the disquieting blobs, Cat hollers, "Hey Louis! Liliana wants you to touch summat gross for her! Get over here quicklike!"
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May 12, 2020 06:56
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 Greyleaf Greyleaf had been busying himself moving the corpses into compromising positions so that people coming to investigate the camp will just cross this off as an orgy gone wrong. The elf was busy combining all the half-empty winesacks and bottles into a few full ones when he was distracted by all the commotion. Was there a new
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May 13, 2020 17:28
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 Louis du Caralon The boy's head appeared almost immediately from the staircase. "Quoi?" Louis stepped over the louse-ridden pile of rags and poked around at it with the head of his polearm. He made a noble attempt to hook it with the pick side of the weapon's head and then shake the suspicious lump out from hiding, disturbing generations of fleas in the process. ilootthecorpse fucked around with this message at 03:41 on May 17, 2020 |
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May 16, 2020 09:58
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 Friga Grimsdottir Despite her less than typical upbringing, Friga can't help but feel an attachment to the carving tools. It might not be the same as smithing metal but runecrafting is an important part of dwarf culture, so she shoves the kit into her pack The carved teeth, however, are a little too close to cult paraphernalia, so she kicks them into a corner of the room. "Take care," she says to Louis as he approaches the rags, "we dun wanna find another mystical brat in there."
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May 17, 2020 12:24
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Louis' attempts to remove the pelt are successful, and a small coin pouch is exposed. Ignorant or uncaring of the lice on the bag, he snatches it up and peers in, seeing a handful of coins, a mixture of golden Karls and silver Franzes. Tying the pouch to his belt, he gives Liliana an eager thumbs up, and Liliana finds some relief that he isn't spreading the lice to her. With the mutants taken care of and the temple looted of all that can be safely taken, the group trudges back down the black sandy shore to find, to their dismay, that Jekil is still alive and energetic as he ever was. The man leaps to his feet when he sees the group coming from far away, and long before they make it down to him, he has the boats ready in the water and has a large, writhing sack tucked into the back of the boat he and Louis will be on. Jekil beams at the boy as he tosses him an oar, and he answers the question no one has asked. "Frogs and snails! This part of the swamp is full of them, and I found so many beautiful samples! I'll even let you guys keep a few as mementos or pets!" --- It takes another three days for Jekil to lead the adventurers back out of the swamp, during which time he regales them with further, immensely detailed stories and lectures about everything that catches his eye. Which, with Jekil, is practically everything in the swamp. The man is either incredibly studied and informed about his preferred environment, or he is absolutely batshit insane and simply on a permanent stream of consciousness rant. Much of his chatter is directed towards Liliana and Louis, though he speaks at length to practically anyone who seems like they might pay him a second of attention, even by accident. At the end of the trip, Jekil ceremoniously gives Liliana and Louis both a sack that ribbits softly and occasionally shifts as something inside moves. "It's been a real, real pleasure working with you all. I'm proud to have had you as my clients, and I'd like to offer you this as a token of my gratitude. Tell your friends!" Several hours later, back at Marienburg, dusk settles as the team finds their way back to either the inn where Roderick awaits or Lady Reiva's manor for some well deserved baths and rest. Go ahead and take 200 XP for the little adventure in the marsh, heal up, clean up, and decide whether you're checking in with one of your two patrons or heading right to the Doodkanal to find Baer and the Jolly Boatman.
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May 27, 2020 09:36
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Liliana Once it becomes evident that the shark-priest's diary contains nothing they didn't already know, Liliana tosses the wretched thing overboard. She spends the remainder of the trip trying to find her way to a quiet place inside her own soul, a place where she can't hear Jekil. It doesn't really work, but by the time they land she's become quite good at reciting magical formulae in her head to drown out facts about the Greater Red Spear-Leech's mating habits. She accepts the writhing, croaking bag without comment; when it becomes clear that Jekil doesn't intend to stop watching and waving until she's out of sight, she hands it to Louis instead of hurling it as deep into the swamp as she can. Later, when the group arrives at Marienburg, she gestures down the street meaningfully with her staff. "Weren't we supposed to meet that witch hunter or whoever he was? It's not that I care, but witch hunters are all very unreasonable and they tend to take this sort of thing personally. I would know, having ki-- having met another one." Took Keen Senses and Meditation.
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May 28, 2020 06:10
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 Ellie Liston Wounds: 10/10 Fortune: 2/2 Armor: 1 (All) TB: 3 Ellie is a little conflicted as the group parts ways with Jekil, she didn't exactly like the man, but she'd be lying if she hadn't found him to be a kindred spirit in some ways. Sure, he was more about studying the natural world and less about tearing apart people to figure out how they tick, but a crazed zeal for knowledge recognizes like. She was still somewhat annoyed that she'd been dumped into the swamp that one time, but graciousness at a job done well enough makes it so her farewells are at the least polite. As they meander down the streets, Ellie considers Liliana's statement for a moment, spares a glance off in the direction of Lady Reiva's manor, and then gives a begrudging nod. "Roderick is a fair hand at trackin' folk down, true. She picks at a missed spot of grime on her overcoat and shudders "Even if I would like to go soak in a fancy tub for a few hours... Probably best to get to telling him about all the heretic Shallyans and such." a brief sigh "A quick scrub at the inn will have to do, for now anyhow." quote:Advance in Str to get me to the lofty heights of a 2 SB and picked up Streetwise for +10 to charm/gossip targets when dealing with any crimeboy underworlders we come up against.
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May 29, 2020 09:45
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Cat Hogberry-Patch The boat ride is a hoot and a half, as Cat would say, and she half-pays attention to Jekil's nonsense prattle. It'll probably pop up sooner than later as her nonsense prattle, much to the chagrin of everyone else in their merry little band. The actual trip back to Marienburg bears this out as Cat absolutely mashes up anywhere between three and seven of the fun facts into some misremembered amalgamation creature. Cat says, "I ent eaten anything in hours'n hours and I ent thinkin' a bath'd go amiss either! I'm gonna go chit-chatter with Lady Reiva, yer welcome ta come with or not." Grabbed +10 Fellowship, putting Cat in the rather exclusive "has more than 50 fellowship" club.
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May 30, 2020 07:20
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Henri de Vienne picked up dodge+10 and my last wound for kotr With enemy attention diverted, Henri draws upon the deep discipline of a warrior born to hold still for the length of the boat ride. Thankfully, he is not called upon to intercept the boatman's improbable stream of swamp enthusiasm, and the knight alights on the dock with the others with as little haste as he can manage (of course, relishing the feel of firm ground beneath his feet.) Tipping Jekil a copper, he heads into Marienburg with the others. "I shall also be seeing mister Roderick. I would not want us pursued by the law -- or what passes for it -- so quickly on our arrival to Sigmar's country. Peut-être he can make something of what we have found." Examining the state of his armor with some distaste, Henri flicks away an errant piece of mud. "And I suppose I must find a blacksmith with an open sand barrel."
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Jun 1, 2020 06:10
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Louis du Caralon Louis let out a wide-eyed gasp of excitement when Jekil handed him the squirming bag of swamp meat. "Merci!" he bubbled, hugging the smelly burlap sack to his equally swampy chest. The boy was ready to follow Sir Henri on to the next chapter of their adventure until Cat mentioned Lady Reiva. Then all he could think about was a hot bath and gourmet cooking from her kitchens. He could hardly stop from drooling at the imaginary flavors of butter snails and meaty breaded frogs legs. It was too much to bear. Enough even to make him shirk his duties. "Eh, well, it is not safe for any of us to be wandering around alone, I think. So I will go with Chat to see Lady Reiva...for safety!" he blurted, unconvincingly. I grabbed +5 WS and another Wound
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Jun 5, 2020 19:45
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Greyleaf Greyleaf takes out his miraculously not completely trenchfooted foot out of his boot and pours out a pint of mud, and small, dead, snails. "A bath, and a chance of washing my clothes, such as they are, would not be a bad idea" Took +5 Agi and an useless skill towards Scout.
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Jun 11, 2020 01:49
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Upon their return to town, the group finds themselves passing the tavern where Roderick is to be staying first, and decide to check in with him before heading to Lady Reiva's. Why not? They're there already. However, upon checking in with the innkeep, they discover Roderick has already left for Altdorf in pursuit of the mage he had originally arrived to hunt. He left instructions for Henri to continue the investigation, and to find him at The Griffin's Victory tavern in central Altdorf once they feel they have come to a satisfactory conclusion to the case. The way the last sentence is written puts Henri on edge; the Witch Hunter obviously expects them to find this boy and do as necessary to secure the Empire. Some time later, at Lady Reiva's, her muscular manservant once again answers the door, his face stern as he looks down at Cat. His muscles have been freshly oiled, and in the torch light he sheens majestically. "You have returned alive. Alas, Lady Reiva is entertaining at a colleague's manor. She will return in the morning." He looks the group over, disgust forming on his face as the.. smells of the swamp hit him. "It would be remiss of me to deny you the opportunity to clean yourselves before entering for a more relaxing bath." He steps outside, pointing towards the right corner of the house. "The entrance to the servants quarters is in the courtyard beyond that corner. I will alert them that you will be coming, and you will rinse and perfume yourselves there. I will see to it a meal is prepared as well, but I apologize it will not be as decadent as you may be accustomed to on these premises. I refuse to use the Lady's best ingredients whens he is not around." He gives the group a stern glare before slamming the massive oaken door shut, and there is no mistaking the sound of the bar and bolt being secured. Once water is dumped over them and they are thoroughly sprayed with cologne, the group is lead to their quarters to be allowed an ACTUAL bath, and a chance to relax. Approximately an hour later, servants summon the adventurers to the dining table, where a meager meal of roasted chicken and potatoes is laid out. There are no fancy game beasts that have been encrusted with herbs or fantastic vegetables from Tilea or Kislev, but the meal is tasty and filling. The muscled servant does not appear for the feast, and once all present have eaten their fill, the servants quietly clean the table while opening the smoking room and game parlor, to allow a bit of entertainment before bed. At seven in the morning, as the sun peeks through the windows, the adventurers are once again roused by masked servants, and lead to the dining hall. There, gleeful as can be and obviously inebriated behind comprehension, sits the Lady Reiva, her shoulders being massaged by a still magnificently oiled Ernesto. She is draped solely in a thin, silken bathrobe, and she enjoys a glass of red wine as she laughs in a drunkenly girlish manner, swatting at the muscled man and covering her face with her palm. "Dear, please, you'll EMBARASS me!" She spies Cat and the others and leaps to her feet, oblivious to the movement of her robes. Ernesto quickly moves in front of her, tying her robe for her as she bats and slurs at him. When he steps away, a faint blush is seen upon his otherwise stony face. "CAAAAAAT, DAAAAAAAAARLING! I am so, so, SO SORRY that you and your friends were missed last night!" Tears well up in the woman's eyes, and as she reaches to take another drink from her goblet, Ernesto plucks it from the table. She fumbles for it for a moment but sniffs sadly, wiping at her eyes, being careful of her well painted nails. "Lord Hildebrandt had decided last night, of ALL nights, to host an OUTRAGEOUS party, and do you have even the faintest idea of the rumors that would have been abound had I missed it? The scandal, darling, the scandal! And yet the fat old idiot attempted to court me! ME!" She points to herself as she says this, unsteady on her feet as she does, and lets out a shrill laugh. "The old walrus could only DREAM of having a woman as RAVISHING as myself upon his arm, am I right, darlings?" She bats her eyes at Louis and Henri as she says this, before giggling once more behind her palm. "But, please! Tell me everything you have learned!" She tries to move towards Cat as she speaks, but trips over her high heels, and before she can bowl into Louis, Ernesto's arm is under her waist, keeping her from falling. Selena kicks her feet and squeals as he lifts her up, taking care with the bottom of her robe. He gently shushes her before looking towards Cat. "Lady Reiva has only just returned from Lord Hildebrandt's party. Please, allow her time to rest and sober up. As it is her wish, I will see to it your fast is broken as pleasantly as possible." Lady Reiva harrumphs but buries her face into Ernesto's chest, sighing contentedly. The man looks uncomfortable, but nevertheless marches off to take her to her quarters. True to his word, the following meal is extravagant, with all sorts of sausages, eggs from a variety of birds, and exotic fruits, some from as far as Lustria itself. Ernesto joins the meal partway through, now clad in his heavy armor, and he takes a seat to the right of where Reiva would sit. "Thank you for your patience, friends of Selena. I apologize you had to see her in such a state. It is.. unbecoming.. of a lady of her stature, but she is very insistent upon enjoying her parties to the fullest. I will see to it she is woken not long after noon, so that she can purge herself of her imbibed toxins. Until then, the majority of the manor, and its grounds, are open to you."
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Aug 29, 2020 06:05
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Liliana "Right. Well, while we wait for the, uh, toxin expellation, I believe I will go relax in the library." She resists the urge to add, "or whatever passes for one for among humans" on her way out. Maybe she'd get lucky and find a copy of something that talked about preternatural little mind-warping brats and how to kill them. At the very least, hopefully Lady Reiva would own something to read that didn't have an Ernesto lookalike and/or a woman with a torn bodice on the cover. She'd had quite enough of that already at breakfast.
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Aug 30, 2020 02:01
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Ellie Liston Wounds: 10/10 Fortune: 2/2 Armor: 1 (All) TB: 3 Ellie is a bit put out that Roderick has abandoned the lot of them to their task, but her mood quickly swerves as the group makes a quick exit from The Farting Goat and make for the nicer bits of the city where the Lady Reiva's home is. It would be incredibly easy to hold Reiva's manservant's distaste for them against him, but given that Ellie has been literally soaked through top to bottom with swamp water and stewed in it for a good while, she lets it go. Her patience quickly rewarded, after the non-nonchalant bucketing, by a steaming bath that she's content to soak in for as long as the house staff will let her before they get insistent. Their first meal in the manor is less extravagant as promised, but Ellie couldn't care less. Food was food and it was doubly food they weren't eating in a swamp. Entertainment arrives soon enough as well, the Lady Reiva making an absolute spectacle of an entrance before just as quickly disappearing off into her abode. Ellie lets a small smile slide onto her face as she glances over in Cat's direction across the table "So glad you made such an interesting friend while you were out and about having a wander." Come the morning Ellie finds she has little to do, so she spends a good amount of time scrubbing down her tools twice over, checking that her herbal poultices still seem fairly herbalish, and that her draughts are still air tight. With her equipment satisfactorily checked over and time to spare, Ellie takes Ernesto up on his offer of the grounds being, mostly, open and makes toward the kitchen in search of a pantry. Those Lustrian fruits had been a delight and she doesn't doubt she could think up a variant of her Mam's classic pie recipe, if she could just get another nibble or two in her.
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Aug 30, 2020 12:02
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Henri de Vienne Taking the lady's inebriation with stoicism (for what noble would be ever stoop so low as to notice another's shortcomings in their own household) and the man-at-arm's dedication with a nod, Henri hunts down an armorer and spends some time removing what is left of marshland's touch on his armor with the most used tools of the knight - the scouring pad, the sand barrel, and the polishing cloth. Satisfied that his accoutrements will not rust as he wears them, the knight re-arms and returns to join the rest of the party in order to plan their next move. "So we have a name, this Jurgen Baer." Hunting down a roll and sausage, he continues. "Très bien. It should not be too hard to knock a place to match it out of someone deserving. Scum always settle to the bottom." After considering for a moment, he adds, "We do know someone with experience in scum-handling, if we can bring that Osric out of his haze."
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Sep 1, 2020 05:34
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Cat Hogberry-Patch Cat takes it all in stride — after all, who hasn't had an aunt or five get all sauced up at the family reunion and just be all over the place? That's like every other day or so in Sauerapfel, so she dutifully withstands the bathing and pampering and tasty dinner and warm beds and very drunk auntiness of Lady Reiva in the service of her true aim: a real goddamn breakfast! And lo, her patience is rewarded. It is so very much rewarded. She manages to get a fair portion of everything on her plate, the impromptu tower of food wobbling a little as she takes carefully considered bites to not send it all flying. It's clear that she's considered diving in head first, but the thought of another bath is clearly too much to bear. Looking over at Henri, Cat says, "Huntin' man ent too different from huntin' birds and deer'n the like. Eyes are even bigger, so they make better targets. Y'just gotta flush 'em out and I'll do the rest, or I ent Cat Hogsberry-Patch!" A beat, then she says, "And that's who I am!"
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Sep 5, 2020 02:43
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Greyleaf Greyleaf was looking at the silverware offered to him at the breakfast table and was seriously considering pocketing more than a few, but considering how not awful his treatment in this place had been, he had with serious trouble decided against it. While the rest of the crew was busy debating about how to manhunt efficiently, something Greyleaf was racially disposed to, he was just busy shoving food into his mouth.
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Sep 11, 2020 12:40
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Louis du Caralon What a night! Louis had gotten not one, but TWO baths, he got to wear fancy colognes like a hoity-toity Nobleman, and he ate a whole chicken for dinner, although he was a little suspicious that Ernesto had taken the bag of swamp meat that he gave to the kitchen sculler and thrown it out. Still, it was an exciting evening, especially when the nearly-disrobed Lady Reiva fairly threw herself at him. He fancied the idea of become Lord Reiva, but Sister Kuhn had already professed her love for him in a letter, and chivalry demanded that he remain chaste and honorable! This hero business was tough. During breakfast Louis followed Cat's example and piled on a morsel of every exotic delicacy he could reach, resulting in a melange flavors with no consideration or palate or decency. "About what Monsieur Roderick wrote," he said around a mouthful of Lustrian eggs and Hockland pork pie. "When we find the boy, what should we do? The shark man said he can control our minds," he whispered with all the superstitious fear of an idiot peasant. "Are we going to...you know..." Louis winced and skewered strange bit of fruit with the tip of his knife.
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Sep 13, 2020 20:05
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I lost the plot for a bit, guys, but let's get back on the road! After quite some time recovering, the Lady Reiva joins her guests at the manor's table, a wet towel wrapped around her head. Even without makeup, she is a lovely looking woman, but she is obviously feeling the last night's revelries. The group brings the Lady up to speed: the cultists, worshippers of a god of predators, were primarily mutants who had been 'blessed' in a warpstone well. The child was to be dipped in the well, but at the last minute was rescued by the broken witch hunter Osric that they had encountered days prior. Among the detritus of the cult they found the journal of the head priest, Dahlbert the Maw, who had revealed that the boy was born to the cult seven years ago, and there had been no mention of the twin tailed comet birthmark in the priest's records. A month prior, the cult learned that a man named Jurgen Baer, a member of some organization beneath the streets of the Doodkanaal ward of Marienburg, sought a child similar to the one they had lost to the witch hunter. He was known to frequent the Jolly Boatman tavern in the Doodkanaal, and that is where the group finds themselves headed next. Reiva nods, wincing slightly as she does. "The Dead Canals.. how terrible. It's a disgusting hub of villainy, a haven for those who simply can't even dream of being civilized. The Black Hats and the guilds will have nothing to do with the area; it is utterly lawless, and the smell is utterly DREADFUL." She crinkles her nose and sips her wine, squinting at the table for a long moment in thought. "It is a twisting maze of alleys and rickety bridges and just... utter mountains of garbage. And all of the utterly poor people and the ruffians.." She shudders. "I wish you all the best of luck. Please, keep me posted; and be careful! The people of the Dead Canals are not kindly, friendly street urchins. Even -I- don't dare wander those taverns for a laugh.. poor Ernesto had his work cut out for him the one time I dared, and it certainly wasn't fun enough to warrant another visit." Re-equip, heal up, take another 500 XP, and we'll get right to the Canal. True to her word, the Doodkanaal is probably the most run down place imaginable, outside of Mousillon itself; it, infact, could very well be Little Mousillon, if any of the populace were Bretonnian. Manuevering through the region is both appaling and deadly, as it is little more than a maze of narrow streets and alleys, winding through jumbles of rundown shops and sagging homes. The stench of sewage hangs heavy in the air, and lining the streets are the grimy faces of the disheveled and desperate, their hands out for whatever help can be spared. But for every wretched peasant, there are an equal number of ragged looking toughs and brutes who stare at the group, judging and gauging their every move. Greyleaf has never felt more at home, and he knows the look well; the Dead Canals do not tolerate outsiders long. It'd be wise to find the Jolly Boatman sooner rather than later. A standard gossip test should get you on your way! It will be +10 for Greyleaf or anyone who feels they can pass as a rough and tumble thug. Which means Cat is at a -30.
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Apr 18, 2021 08:16
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how in the gently caress did i double post
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Apr 18, 2021 08:16
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Ellie Liston Wounds: 10/10 Fortune: 2/2 Armor: 1 (All) TB: 3 Between maintenance of her tools and waiting for the lady Reiva to join them, Ellie spends the better portion of the early hours of the morning remaining to her brushing up on topics long left to become rusty in her extended stay in Mousillon. Lady Reiva's warnings, in light of the group's explanation of their actions, puts Ellie in a slightly dour mood. "The people we're looking for never do pick sanitary places to stow themselves away do they..." She gives a brief glance down at her clothes, only just cleaned of the horrors of her dunking in the swamps. Nevertheless Lady Reiva had seen them off with a goal in mind, and it would be irresponsible to not follow up. Marching down toward the Doodkanal is almost nostalgic. The abhorrent filth of the place pokes at her memories. For a moment Ellie finds her gait adjusting back into the confident strut of a cocky pirate. It doesn't last more than a footfall or two though. Her appearance and mannerisms have had time to mellow, and while her current companions are much more dangerous than the old crew, you don't quite get the social clout benefit, of somewhat themed pirate garb , by just being in a motley bunch of adventurers. quote:Ellie might be Creepy but I don't know that you'd call her rough and tumble. Successful Businessmanga fucked around with this message at 15:00 on Apr 30, 2021 |
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Apr 18, 2021 14:51
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Cat Hogberry-Patch Looking for all the world like one of her many murderous friends had decided today was take your daughter to work day, Cat happily bobbles along with the group chattering about god knows what. Probably rating the various smells on offer and making completely off-the-wall guesses as to what's making them. Her fine, piratical hat droops over her brow and the sheer scale of the longbow versus her own diminutive height completes the look of someone who absolutely doesn't belong here and probably is an easy mark. Well, one out of two isn't bad. Pity for the people that assume both are true. quote:Cat wisely invests in even more stats, slowly closing in on finishing Targeteer and becoming a tiny little baby Assassin! Looks like about 600xp in stuff to finish out before I hop over, though I did get the kit from the pirates way back when.
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Apr 18, 2021 18:04
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Liliana Lady Reiva's library proved to be exactly the sort of place Liliana feared it would be. However, she did have a few proscribed tomes of forbidden knowledge, mostly acting as book covers for the particularly dirty volumes. Feeling distinctly unclean, and not because of the necromancy and daemonology, Liliana spends 15 minutes washing her hands before going to breakfast. Having already experienced the dead-eyed stares Reiklanders reserve for elven wizards barging into their shops, Liliana persuades Lady Reiva to give her some kind of letter of recognition so she can get her shopping done in less than 5 hours. Most people seem confused when presented with a handkerchief with "To my favorite wizardess, Lily! XOXO Lady R" and some kind of small caricature of Liliana drawn in eyebrow pencil, but it does seem to help a little. Now, wandering into yet another festering cesspit, Liliana considers and immediately discards the idea that she might be doing something wrong to keep ending up in places like this. Clearly it's the world that's insane. Pricking a finger onto the Witchstar pendant she'd picked up at a market stall, Liliana lets it spin and spin, staring through it into the distance and muttering in Anoqeyån. Her eyes glaze over as a thousand omens and visions pour into her head. Just as it begins to feel like too much, the blood evaporates into nothing but a coppery ozone smell. With a few untapped skeins of fate now metaphysically wrapped around her fingers, Liliana smugly scans the glaring crowds. Let them threaten and posture; she wasn't the ill-prepared student who wandered into Mousillon a mere few years ago. She was already a wizard far beyond these petty mortals and she would have the respect she was owed, even if it meant blowing a few people up. Especially if it meant blowing a few people up. Took Academic Knowledge (Daemonology) and (Necromancy) because I am a good person with good intentions. Also took Common Knowledge (Empire) and +5 WP, +5 Int. Turns out I WAS dumb and wrong about being done with this career, I just forgot how my sheet works. I still have plenty of attributes to go. Still gonna need some magical items soonish, hopefully I can pick up a familiar between adventures. Before we head into the Doodkanaal Liliana went out and bought some casting tools and ingredients from the homebrew. A broken mirror (1 gc), astrological symbol (1 gc), tuning fork (4s), iron filings (4p for 10), GC Hand Fan (1 gc), and a rabbit's foot (3s). Most of these are casting tools which aren't used up and just give me a choice of two rolls when I get Tzeentch'd. The iron filings are an ingredient that is used up and which will give me a little extra damage on throwing lightning at people. To celebrate our third consecutive sewer level, I'm going to remember to actually cast my reroll spell ahead of time. Using my astrological sign amulet as the tool and a drop of my own blood as the ingredient: Second Portent vs 75: 59, so that's 2 free rerolls for the next 3 hours.
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Apr 18, 2021 22:21
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Friga Grimsdottir Entering the Doodkanall, Friga takes a deep breath of the foul, salty air. "S'good to be out of that stuffy house," she exclaims with a grin. Spotting a group of ne'er-do-wells throwing dice on a nearby stoop, the dwarf saunters over to them. "Wotcher, lads," she says in greeting. "Me and me kin are lookin' fer a place to get hammered and to hammer some skulls, and we hear the best place for it is the Jolly Boatman. If ya'd be so kind as to point us the way, I'l return the favour by leaving ya attached to yer legs." She beams pleasantly at the ruffians. Taking BS +15, Command, Evaluate, Shadowing, and Streetwise, which completes my career. Rolling Gossip at 36 + 10 for Streetwise + 10 for "acting" like a thug, for a total TN of 56. Gossip vs 56: 1d100 40
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Apr 19, 2021 02:22
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Greyleaf Greyleaf feels like trying to find a bar in a small community can't be that hard. I mean it should have a sign above its door to let people know that they can come in and give the owner money for at-best watered down beer. He tried talking to some locals and asking for directions, but it seems there was some sort of language barrier between him and the local populace, which seemed to turn into an alleway brawl, repeatedly. Spent more exp towards Scout. Just need light armor and some trivial things (rope, manacles, net, shouldn't be hard to come by in a nominally a harbor town) Gossip +10 vs 37: 1d100 43
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Apr 20, 2021 23:44
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Henri de Vienne Strolling along with the others, Henri walks with a hand on a hilt and an air of affected disdain for whatever threat the local color could bring to bear. Seeing an opportunity, the knight adds, "It would really be in your best interests to move us along, oui? Let us be a different criminal's problem." Having finished Knight of the Realm, Henri has entered Questing Knight but has not yet taken the Vow, so no insistent dream-visions yet. Just ignore the hair, it's always looked like that.
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Apr 21, 2021 01:57
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 Louis du Caralon Louis marched dutifully long behind Sir Henri, whistling tunelessly without a care in the world. The boy hardly had a chance to feel homesick, what with all of the horrid bogs and rotten slums they'd been touring. The Doodkanaal felt especially nostalgic, and Louis was happy to see that at least Cat and Greyleaf knew how to enjoy the local potpourri. "Ah, just like home, but with more poo poo and less leeches." I grabbed up Hardy, +1 Wound, +10 Agility, and +5 Toughness with my XP. Now Louis has a very buff 19 wounds.
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Apr 21, 2021 21:06
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Friga's first contact seems amicable enough, and after a bit of possibly friendly ribbing about the expectations a Marienburg peasant has of the looks of a female dwarf, the poor man gives the dwarven woman instructions on how to reach the Jolly Boatman, which she relays to the rest of the party. Making their way through the narrow alleys and passageways of the Dead Canals, it takes the group a few hours of walking and careful hops across trash filled ditches to reach the Jolly Boatman, a ding-two story building that faces the canals themselves. It has a single, boarded up window, and above the door hangs a sign which shows a disreputable fellow making water. The interior is no more welcoming. It’s dark, with a few lanterns making a feeble effort to pierce the gloom. Surprisingly, the place is busy, filled with sinister men nursing tankards of ale and casting wary glances around them. Conversations are whispered. At the bar running along the side of the building is a thin, suspicious looking man with a horrible ruin where one of his eyes should be. He warily watches the group enter the tavern as he serves up ale and meat pies; behind him is a wooden sign, burned with the prices of the tavern's limited fare. Five pennies for a meat pie, and ten for a mug of the house ale. Among the rabble of the tavern are several distinct looking individuals. At one corner of the tavern sits an Estalian, with scars criss-crossing his face. He nurses a mug of ale, grimacing at each sip. Near the fireplace leans a young man with long, greasy black hair that hides his face, his hands shoved deep into his pants pockets as he chats up one of the waitresses. Finally, a corpulent man with blackened stumps for teeth sits upon a creaking stool near the bar, hungrily scarfing down a meat pie heavily soaked in gravy. None of the men seem more trustworthy than the rabble about them, but they all make eye contact with someone amongst the group. Time to ask questions and get leads! Maybe follow them! Or punch people! Who knows!
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Apr 29, 2021 03:36
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Greyleaf Greyleaf walks in bit after the rest of the group, blowing a blood from his nose onto the floor "Oh great, a bar with actual beer in it". The elf saunters over to the bar and starts chatting up the barkeep. After some completely unrelated small-talk he orders a 2 beer and pies and sits down to eat, the other meal placed adjacent to him. I'm going to try to do the stupidest thing and find an use for Secret Language (Thieve's tongue) and try to James Bond myself an informant.
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Apr 29, 2021 04:51
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Ellie Liston Wounds: 10/10 Fortune: 2/2 Armor: 1 (All) TB: 3 Ellie takes a moment to scan the room, considering her options, before deciding to approach the greasy child once he glances up from his clumsy attempts at flirting with the waitstaff. Once it seems she has the youth's attention properly, Ellie inclines her head in greeting "Ellie Liston. Lookin' for a certain man by the name of Baer, and you look like the type that keeps an eye on things. Reckon I might be able to whip up a little something to help you with your conquests if'n you can point me in the right direction." quote:I'd be willing to Trade (Apothecary) up a little something to help with the schmoozing if this guy can give me some actionable information.
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Apr 30, 2021 17:05
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Liliana Liliana frowns as she looks over the room of filthy peasants and criminals. Her talents were in magic, not speaking to her lessers, and yet it just kept coming up. How was she supposed to get anything other than a leer out of these fools? Wait... peasants are a superstitious and cowardly lot... Liliana grabs an empty corner table and, smirking, snaps her fingers. There's a bright flash of blue light over her head that congeals into a floating image of a crystal ball surrounded by rotating text: FORTUNES READ FOR COIN OR TRADE. 100% ACCURACY. CURSES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. NO REFUNDS. A small part of her thinks that no High Lord would ever admit to using the world-shattering power of magic for anything so petty as gathering information and coin via peasant sideshow. A much larger part of her think that the High Lords wouldn't have made it half this far at her age with the resources she has to work with. One day she WOULD be regarded as the greatest mage of all time, at least by people who didn't enjoy being struck by lightning. Phantom Sights (Fettered) vs 75: 27
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Apr 30, 2021 18:35
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 Louis du Caralon "Bonjour!" Louis popped down on a stool across from the glutton packing his face with pies. He gave the gravy-covered man a cheery smile and placed an ale down in front of them both. A free drink ought to be enough of an icebreaker in a place like this, right? These were Louis's people, after all. Or so he thought. "Ah mon ami, you are a lucky man! I am Louis, and this is my liege, Monsieur Henri de Vienne et Caralon." The boy paused to allow the rot-toothed peasant enough time to properly appreciate their importance, and then plowed ahead. "We are on a quest you see, and it would be to your honor to help us. Oui? Oui," he agreed for them both. "So, do you know a man who is called juerr...Jeru..erm, Jwergen...mierde!" Louis spat and rattled into a lengthy curse in Bretonnian over the ridiculousness of names in the Empire. "Baer!" he finally managed, quite loudly. "His last name is called Baer, like the beast, no? Do you know him?" Louis sipped his watery beer and smiled expectantly, perhaps a bit blind to the difference in culture between here and Mousillon. Gossip +10 vs 42: 84 Louis isn't a social butterfly quite yet 
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Apr 30, 2021 23:06
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Henri de Vienne Letting Louis handle the least-reputable of the disreputable, Henri instead gravitates to the most-reputable and gives a slight bow to the scarred Estalian. "Bonjour, monsieur, I am Sir Henri de Vienne et Caralon. While I cannot guarantee that I shall be doing you a favor, may you do me the honor of allowing me to purchase a fellow swordsman his next drink? I find myself tasked to hold a conversation with a certain regular drinker at this... fine establishment." charm: 1d100 55 Charm is vs 52 now that I actually have it known, so maybe buying this guy a drink gets me +3
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May 3, 2021 00:44
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Cat Hogberry-Patch Following along with the rest of the crew, Cat rapidly loses the plot and veritably floats towards the nearest (appalling, of course) pie and beer on offer. Thoughts of things like "asking about that thing we were supposed to ask about" or "asking if it's okay if I eat this pie" or even "who does this pie belong to, anyways?" completely escape her single-minded focus on sustenance. Everyone knows that Sigmar Says you should feed a starving halfling if they come in your door. Practically holy doctrine! The fancy-hats'll get on your case if you don't, right? Besides, what's the worst that can really happen? Talk to some people????? fellowship 56: 1d100 100
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May 6, 2021 19:30
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The Greasy One The first thing Ellie notices when she approaches the long haired lad is the smell coming off of his body; it's not unusual for peasants to be unwashed, but the boy takes it to a whole different level. It is likely he has never been formerly introduced to the concept of bathing. At first, he ignores the halfling, but when she mentions the name Baer, he groans and turns towards her. "You're talking about Jurgen, right? I know him. Last I saw him, he was talking to the owner of Reinier's Ropes. Seemed like the two of them were arguing; the merchant seemed awfully angry at the guy." He declines any of her concoctions, but introduces himself as Titus Fokkes, and suggests she steer any interested maidens his way. The Scarred One After the brief introduction, the down-on-his-luck Estalian peers up at the knight, his eyebrows raised as he appraises the the Bretonnian. After a moment of thought he downs what's left of his ale and sighs, leaning back in his chair and putting his scuffed boots on the table. "Lucian Kreso. Funny, to see a Bretonnian in this little bar." He chuckles, a finger tracing one of his scars as his stare bores a hole into Henri. "I know this Jurgen Baer. Scoundrel, through and through." He takes the offered beverage from Henri and downs half of it before speaking again, wiping froth from his tiny mustache. "There's an old cooper's on Bell Street, round the corner a bit from here. He likes to hide out there, tends to get.. uncomfortable.. when people go snooping." He takes another sip of his drink and waves his hand dismissively. "You got what you need. Go." He keeps his eyes cast down to his boots as he nurses the drink. The Fat One Alfons von Oosten looks overjoyed to have company, and he motions for Louis to sit as he greedily scarfs down another pie; before Louis can get much word in edgewise, he is pouring the beer into his gaping maw, exhaling heavily and almost gasping for breath, as if he has forgotten he also needs oxygen in addition to his food. "Ah, yes, yes! Jurgen Baer! Lovely fellow, great man. Not here today, but if you head on down Snijder's Way, he lives in the only house with a red door!" He pours gravy from the gravy boat on his table into one of his pies before shoving a forkful into his mouth, speaking as he chews. "Thanks for the beer, my good boy! Now, if you want to fetch me a pie, I might know more of Mr. Baer!" Everybody Else Greyleaf's use of the thieves' cant does nothing to ingratiate himself with the patrons of the bar, though it does seem to soften the bartender's gaze towards him. Cat finds herself able to sneak several pies without anyone noticing, but the wet sawdust that acts as a filler for the ground meat inside doesn't quite suit her appetite. Liliana's display briefly amuses the patrons of the bar, but as many can't read and even fewer understand allegory and pictographs, none approach her for their fortune to be read.
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May 11, 2021 04:15
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Liliana Annoyed at being snubbed but grateful at not actually having to speak to any of these idiots, Liliana shrugs and dismisses the magical image, then waves her traveling companions over to the table as they finish their conversations. Might as well put all the information together before they hit the streets again.
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May 11, 2021 04:22
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Ellie Liston Wounds: 10/10 Fortune: 2/2 Armor: 1 (All) TB: 3 Well practiced at being around many an unpleasant odour, Ellie takes a few moments after stepping away to allow the putrid stench of the young man to loosen its whitened knuckled grip on her senses. With a final exhalation, she joins Liliana at the table she's picked out, and lays out what little she's learned, once everyone is assembled. "Our Baer seems to be a bit of a trouble maker, from what the rancid lad by the fire says." she spares a last glance toward Titus, almost afraid the living oil slick will catch alight with how close he is to the fire. "Reckon paying a visit to the local cordier and seeing what fuss Baer got into with him might shake something loose."
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May 16, 2021 03:27
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Henri de Vienne Henri strolls up to the others, still radiating an air of disdain for the surroundings. "I have been told a tale of a barrel-maker's where our quarry sometimes takes shelter, on the Street of Bells." Giving a knightly sneer, Henri adds, "I do not truly believe it - ce n'est pas un gentilhomme - but I suppose that war is won on the march."
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May 20, 2021 05:40
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 17:13 |
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Liliana "Given the quality of our sources, it seems likely that at least one of these locations will be nothing but a waste of our time, but there is no way to say for certain. Allow me to put a finger on the scales of chance." Liliana draws 3 copper coins from her robe and rubs them between her hands, whispering an incantation. After a few minutes, she says "Left to right, heads for favor: shall we find a way to Jurgen Baer by cordier, cooper, or door of red?". She then flips each coin, which hang and tumble oddly in the air for a moment as magic twists the laws of probability. They each come to a sudden stop and fall flat to the table without bouncing, glowing faintly with residual blue magic. Consult the Omens (Fettered) vs 75: 16 64 30 You can divine the future in a limited way by reading the stars. When you cast omen, you can attempt to discover if the timing is favourable or unfavourable for an action you specify. The GM should secretly roll an Intelligence Test for you, with a (5×Magic) bonus. If it’s a success, the result of the omen (favourable or unfavourable) is true. If it’s a failure, the result of the omen is false, but you think it’s true (this is why the GM rolls instead of you). In either case, the GM should also secretly roll 2d10; this is the number of hours for which the omen holds true. Beyond that time, results are too difficult to calculate. The GM must determine, to the best of his knowledge, the true answer when adjudicating this spell. tl;dr Dyne needs to secretly roll me 3 tests with TN 59 and then either tell me the truth or lie depending on whether they pass.
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May 24, 2021 02:15
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