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 Roland Mohr The wizard hisses through his teeth behind his mask at the realization on who the mutant is, pulling the mask away from his face when he lays eyes on the amulet. "Sigmar's ghost.." His face is even paler than usual, worry etched into his brow and cheeks. He didn't feel he could look direa ctly at the amulet, and something about it just plain turned his stomach. "That is an artifact of magic most foul, for certain. That the poor lad fell to it..." He shakes his head, holding his mask over his heart.. at least until Donrod seems as if he is going to smash the piece of jewelry. He jumps forward, grabbing the dwarf's shoulder and pulling him back half a step. "No! You haven't any idea how the magic is interlaced into that amulet, and destroying it may unleash something daemonic!" He releases the dwarf, glaring at the amulet. "The boy is lost to us, and that is dire enough without reality sundering itself into the realm of Chaos itself." Roland adjusts his robe, sighing as he looks the boy over. "If we're to kill him, then allow me to perform his last rites, and do what I can to ease him out of his suffering. His father would want his son to experience some solace and comfort at the end of such misery, and actually proceed unto Morr's gates." In the interim, while the others discuss the boy's fate, Roland turns his magical senses and sight towards the amulet, trying to ken the function and form of the enchantments woven into the metal. If he can figure out how the curse has been formed, he might be able to unravel it safely. ima cast deathsight which is a TN 5 and i have enough bonuses i shoulda insta cast it but here's a d10 anyways [16:33] <Dyne> .roll 1d10 [16:33] <skybot> 10 (1d10=10) also Magical Sense vs 44: 1d100 17 John Dyne fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Jan 14, 2018 |
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Jan 13, 2018 23:33
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 Elise, ever the professional, waits to be sure the enemy aren't just feigning the retreat before going over to join the sad crowd at the mutant. Scratching her head at the ethical conundrum facing them, she spits and makes the sign of the hammer at all the mention of magic and chaos. "loving magic turns my guts. Uh, no offence, Mohr. Anyone talk to the kid yet? Or what's left of him, anyway." She squats down into the eyeline of the sitting mutant, snapping her fingers in front of it's face. "Hey, you in there? Still speak Reikspiel? You're Johan, right? Your father sent us to find you. You wanna take that necklace off? Just...put it on the ground there, ok? Can you tell us how this happened? Who gave you the necklace, and where did the beastmen come from?" Gossip (Johan) TN 44: 1d100 16 Not opposed to killing the kid and lying about it but would like to at least try conversation first, follow the wizard's lead on the amulet, explore the grove. thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 03:24 on Jan 14, 2018 |
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Jan 14, 2018 03:20
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also i'd like to state for the record that i'm glad this game is back and i look forward to be being drunken petty criminals who occasionally do heroics on accident with you all
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Jan 15, 2018 03:57
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 Mariano ManzanedoIt was messy, and he hadn't landed a single blow worth discussing. But he had no new holes in his waistcoat, and the mage had been kept unhindered. Mariano could call it a win, satisfiedly. A first step back. He brandished his sword, waving it in the salute of the duellist at his fleeing foes. "And should our blades cross again, pray you bring finer technique to our next bout! Or the same shall so occur!" He unstraps the cloth from around his scabbard, wipes down his rapier, and returns it home. It is only then that he notices the beast sitting in front of them--and what remains of the clothes he wears. It does not take an Estalian to put the pieces together, but an Estalian will do so faster, and he clasps a hand to his mouth. "Oh, no." He folds his other arm across his chest and walks carefully towards the mutant-that-was-Johan, shaking his head. "Oh, no no no. What in Myrmidia's name happened..." Chaos is not normally in his bailiwick. He focuses on the amulet, gears working in his mind, muttering to himself--and Elise, who is roughly at a height to hear him. "They kidnapped him to turn him into... this? It makes no sense. He could never hide mutation such as this. If they only wanted a great mutant they could have grabbed anyone. Did something go wrong? Or did he have the amulet already and it drew him to them?" He shakes his head. Slaying someone they are meant to return feels wrong... even like this. It does not feel like his decision, though he cannot argue with Donrod that it would be a mercy. He decides to wait, and watch how Johan responds to Elise.
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Jan 16, 2018 11:04
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Outside the Grove Johan continues to stare blankly as Elise talks, looking through her more than at her, but there is still a brief flicker of recognition in the mutant's eyes when Elise asks Johan to remove the amulet. Slowly, the mutant nods his head and clumsily removes the amulet with a clawed hand, dropping it into the mud. Unfortunately, nothing seems to change, as Johan continues to look as if he was in a trance. He doesn't seem capable of answering any of Elise's questions, but does appear to be easily controlled, doing whatever is asked of him. Which might explain why he suddenly stopped fighting after Donrod killed the Bestigor. Roland focuses on his magical senses, and sees strands of the wind of Shyish drawn to the amulet. Looking closer, he can also see a small amount of blood from the fallen Beastmen slither through the mud, before being absorbed by the gem in the middle of the amulet. If this is the amulet's power source, however, then the lack of reaction would mean this is nowhere near enough for the amulet to do...whatever it's meant to do. But the winds of Shyish are much stronger near the grove itself, where the Beastmen probably made camp, and Roland can catch glimpses of restless spirits floating above. Whatever is in the grove won't be a pretty sight, and the spirits do not look to be in a mood for talking. ___________ Johan can follow basic orders, but isn't capable of communicating. This also means he won't put up a fight if you want to put him down. Decisions for the Crooked Company: Kill Johan, or not? It's possible to try and use the mutant in a fight, but you guys seem too smart to do that. Focus on getting paid and leaving, or look into how this could happen? Being curious could put the company into danger, but even Border Princes know that Chaos is bad news, unless they happen to be corrupted themselves. Search the Grove, or leave it well alone? There might be money or other valuables in the Beastmen camp, or perhaps a clue as to what happened, but you will need to make a Willpower test. What should be done with the amulet? Smashing it could be dangerous, but you have no way to know until you try. Leaving it would mean it's someone else's problem, while taking it could draw unwanted attention, but give you more time to figure out what you should do. Finally, if you all decide to go do something else, what kind of job will the Crooked Company look for? (That is, what do you, the players, want to do next?)
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Jan 25, 2018 02:33
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"Ah, you poor unlucky bastard." Elise sighs and stands up, being careful to take a few steps away from the amulet before stretching out her arms and cracking her knuckles. She's keeping a straight face but this is obviously pretty unpleasant for her, like putting down a rabid dog that doesn't know any better. She looks around for someone else to handle the unpleasant business, but moves behind Johan with a drawn pistol anyway. "I'm no doctor, but I don't think there's much left of the kid in there. Who wants to handle it? Pistol shot to the base of the brain would be pretty quick, but I'm short on powder so if anyone else has an idea that'd be great." when it's done There's a small matter of sanitizing the battlefield - taking the heads, weapons, and any valuables of the fallen beastmen and putting them in the cart, mostly - to keep busy with before addressing the issue of the grove. "We can't just leave it, can we?" Half question, half request, all insincere. She knows they can't leave what might be an enemy stronghold unscouted, and so she gathers up her arms - sword and shield rather than the unwieldy halberd - and prepares to march against whatever is waiting for them. Kill Johan look into how this could happen Search the Grove take the amulet
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Jan 25, 2018 07:09
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Donrod Brightgrip, Runesmith Donrod grunts in agreement and readies his axe. "Ut. Best to be about it. Look up at your sky, boy, imagine home. Be over in a flash." -- "Now, what do we do with that piece of filth?" Donrod gives the amulet a stern glare. "I still say we should smash it, but if the fool wizard and the twig of an elf are too cowardly, we can bury it instead. Don't go handling it, mind. Use a stick or something." While the others might be considering the non-dwarf definition of the better part of valor, Donrod knows that it's 'covering the ground with the blood of your enemies and rendering their plots unto ruin, lo, for those filthy bastards deserved it, thus says Grungi.' It's in the book. "I'm taking a look in that pit of sin" he says, popping his neck on either side. "The lot of you are welcome to join me." wp test to search grove: 1d100 46 Give Johan a Merciful Death Be as Nosy as possible Search the Wooded Lair of the Great Enemy, and some beastmen too I guess Smash the Amulet or Bury it in an unmarked hole under a Large Rock
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Jan 25, 2018 10:58
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 Roland Mohr For a while, Roland is silent, staring out towards the grove with a horrified and concerned look on his face. He shakes his head to clear it of cobwebs and glances to the others. "The Borderlands are no stranger to death and restless spirits, but that grove.." He trails off, looking back towards the grove. "I sense much death and many restless spirits from the grove. The purple wind of Shyish is almost torrential there, and it flows towards and from the amulet as well." He tips his scythe down and hooks the tip of it through the chain of the amulet, hefting it from the ground before more of the beastmen's blood can be absorbed by it. A solitary bead of blood hurls itself through the air towards the amulet, to the wizard's disgust. "This malefic artifact seems to feed upon blood and death, something in abundance out here. To simply bury it would be irresponsible." Roland holds his scythe as far out from his body as he can, the amulet dangling from the blade. "Donrod, would you be able to craft a metal box to hold the artifact? Perhaps with the two of us we can ward it sufficiently to at least prevent its chaotic magics from doing further harm. I would like to be able to study it, and perhaps ultimately seal it and send it to Altdorf so it can be locked away with other such talismans." Merciful death for Johann Look into how it happened Search the grove Take the amulet - what do I need to roll to unravel its secrets SAFELY?
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Jan 26, 2018 00:12
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Attickus Attickus practically leaps out of the back of the wagon, wailing "Beaarrriickkuss!". He runs up to his precious bear, who is looking a bit banged up from the fight, and gives it an enormous bear hug. "Oh my poor baby what did those meanies do to you? Don't you worry I'll take care of you". He comes away from the hug covered in beastman blood. Hopefully it'll wash out. Noticing the weird blood sucking amulet that Roland is examining, Attickus shoots it a dirty look while he attempts to clean some of Bearickus's wounds with a flask of water. "Ugh that thing is far too dangerous. Not to mention tacky. I say we throw that thing in their faces and give them what for. I need to avenge Bearickus anyway" He sniffs, momentarily forgetting his natural cowardice in favor of bluster. Bearickus, unperturbed by his overly affectionate friend, sits down and starts to lick his wounds. He sniffs around but fails to notice anything interesting Bearickus sniffs! He fails womp womp http://orokos.com/roll/588791 = 41 vs 30 TN Kill Johan Investigate fashion faux pas Search the grove Take amulet with us
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Jan 27, 2018 08:08
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Mariano Manzanedo "I definitely do not think leaving that... thing here is a good idea." Mariano grimaces. "If the beastmen did not give it to the boy, that means he found it himself. It probably called out to him. It could do the same to another, and with enough time they could get around any way we could hide it here. If it is possible to destroy it safely, I would." He says nothing, but gives one last look at Johann before pulling down the brim of his hat and turning away. "I will help you search, Donrod. We must tear out this evil at its roots." Take the amulet Find a way to destroy it Search the grove
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Feb 4, 2018 05:16
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What happened to Johan was unfortunate, but there's no point in prolonging his misery. The mutant looks up at Donrod's command, and then it is over. As for the amulet, it is decided to hold on to it for now, until the company can find a more permanent solution. A small iron lockbox is fished out from the wagon, and Roland places the amulet inside, careful to never touch it directly. This should be safe enough for as long as the artifact isn't active, and the box itself can be warded or blessed once the company has the time and means to do so. Trying to figure what the amulet actually does would be a little trickier. Obviously just dunking it in blood was the worst idea, even if it was likely the fastest way. The safest (and slowest) way would be for Roland to think back to his time at the College to try and recall any relevant texts or magical theories he has read that could lend some insight into the workings of the amulet. Unfortunately, as the artifact was clearly corrupted with Chaos, a subject obviously not taught to students in the Colleges of Magic, it would be difficult to apply more orthodox theories to this particular item. The third option would be to partially ward or bless the iron box, allowing Roland to still glimpse at the strands of magic shifting around the gem embedded in the amulet without having to stare directly into a Chaos artifact. It would be faster, but if the wards were even just slightly not strong enough, there was a risk that the wizard wouldn't be able to handle it. ___________ Once you have some study time, you can either make an Academic Knowledge (Magic) test at -10, or a Magical Sense test at +10. The first is completely safe, but takes more time, while the second option requires that the box is warded somehow, and still carries some risks. ___________ Of course, right now the more immediate threat loomed just a short distance away. Steeling themselves the best they can, the Crooked Company heads into the grove. Inside the Cursed Grove The smell only gets worse as you make your way farther in, until you reach a small clearing in the middle of the grove. The small pond would probably have been pleasant to look at once, before the Beastmen set up camp here and left their mark. Bones lie partially hidden in the mud, and the smouldering remains of a bonfire sits next to a pile of...well, what counts for "food" for Beastmen. The winds of Shyish are like a maelstrom now, and if Roland dares to look above, he can see the restless spirits circling closer, becoming more and more agitated, as even those without magical sight can hear the faintest of whispers at the edge of their minds. It would not be best to linger. The sights, smells, and whispers do not get to Donrod, however, and so the dwarf is able to notice something strange. Some sharpened branches have been stuck in the mud as a crude pen, probably meant for Johan, but in the corner of the pen is a book. The book is completely unadorned except for a small indentation on the cover, as if something could slot into it. The obvious answer would be the amulet, but the indentation is too small. What's weirder though is that the book is resting on a pile of clean-ish hides, kept away from the surrounding mud and blood, despite Johan having lost his mind and Beastmen not being known for being good librarians. Meanwhile, Mariano and Elise both notice a out-of-place crate inside a ramshackle tent. Surprisingly, the crate contains bottles of actual alcohol instead of whatever the Drunken Goat inn back in town called "beer". There's two more crates scattered around, but both are empty. Prince Tibolino didn't seem to be aware of the small Beastman herd however, and if they didn't raid the town for these crates of booze, where did it come from? ____________ Everyone exploring the grove needs to make a Willpower test or gain 2 Insanity from the sights and the creeping spirits, with the exception of Donrod who already made their test. Also, Roland rolls an extra d10 when casting any of his spells inside the cursed grove, even if he'd rather just roll one die. It is also possible to try and loot the dead for extra stuff, if you like taking risks.
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Feb 13, 2018 00:35
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Elise gags at the smell and sights, hopelessly failing to keep her imagination from considering the depravity that occurred here. She tries to console herself that Johann would have been too far gone for much of it to have reached him, let alone bother him, but it's cold comfort. Willpower tn 40: 1d100 83 To distract herself she half-heartedly picks through the detritus looking for any other clues or valuables, but it's clear her heart isn't in it. Search TN 15: 1d100 46 "Hell with this, there's nothing here. Let's head back to town with the bad news." fluff to follow but I guess elise is on the insanity train, woo woo! thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 11:17 on Feb 22, 2018 |
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Feb 17, 2018 09:11
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Donrod Brightgrip, Runesmith After examining the "camp" (which was pushing it, but there are only so many words in any language) with a critical eye, Donrod immediately yanks a stick out of the ground and begins poking the beast-exalted tome, obviously reeking of evil, towards the remnants of the bonfire. "Stay out of the way of yon," he says, "some things are best not read."
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Feb 23, 2018 22:19
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Mariano Manzanedo "Or seen." Mariano's face is drawn and grim, and his eyes are abnormally hard. It is the look of a man who has seen it before. He bows his head, muttering a snatch of the Myrmidian prayer for the dead, but puts the whispers out of his mind. Don't Go Nuts TN 33: 1d100 27 He plucks one of the sharpened branches from the ground, examining it briefly, before using it to enter the tent without having to touch anything. "Ho! This is certainly out of place." He grasps the crate, hauling it out into the open with a rattle of glass. "These did not come from the town." He hefts one bottle to take a look at the label, tossing another to Donrod. I'm a man of many spirits. Do I recognize anything on the label? "I would have this examined before drinking, but since the beasts appear to have been drinking it themselves, it is at least probably not deadly." He resolves to ask the wizard about it later, when he's not preoccupied with... this. In the meantime he hefts up the crate, walking it out to the wagon. He comes back shortly, taking a note of the look on Elise's face, and nods. "Agreed. I think you and I have done as we can." He claps a hand on her shoulder, steering her out of the grove. Not loving with that book, though I kind of want to. I'm definitely taking the alcohol--even if it turns out to be undrinkable or otherwise contaminated, it serves as a clue. We can see if anyone in town knows where it might have come from.
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Feb 24, 2018 01:35
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Roland Mohr Roland stares up at the swirling vortex of spirits, his face strained and his teeth bared. So much death, so many restless spirits.. this was a focal point of Shyish in a land lousy with it. The ghosts were agitated, and with every right to be; leaving things this way would be incredibly dangerous. He inhales slowly, closing his eyes and turning his senses inward so only his witchsight is active. There had to be a focal point for their agitation, some source to their pain; was there a ritual he could use to soothe their souls? Some wrong to set right that would put them to rest? He had to try. As a wizard of the Amethyst College and as a devotee to Morr, easing troubled spirits and preventing incursions of undeath were his primary job. Insanity vs 58: 1d100 19 Can I see anything with my magical senses and training that would point towards a cause or source of the furious undead here? If not, I'ma gonna have to ritual this bitch.
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Feb 24, 2018 04:59
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Inside the Cursed Grove A few moments after being pushed into the bonfire, the book catches alight and starts to burn. Who knows what knowledge that book could have held? It could even have been an important clue as to what had happened here, but that opportunity is lost forev - Wait, nevermind, the burning book is bleeding out from in between its pages. Good riddance, although every member of the company feels a slight shiver down their spine as the blackened book begins to curl up. A closer look at the bottle's brand reveals that it comes from the Empire, and while not particularly fancy, it would still likely costs a bit of coin to import it to the Borderlands of all places. Come to think of it, the alcohol served at Tibolino's hall also wasn't so bad, but no one caught a glimpse at the brand back then. Well, either way, the crate is property of the Crooked Company now, and is safely stowed away onto the wagon as everyone prepares to get the hell away from here. Everyone except Roland. The spirits were still restless and the winds of Shyish tumultuous. While giving the dead a proper burial was no longer possible (it was a bit difficult to tell what part belonged to which body), it would be irresponsible to just leave before doing something to help put the spirits at rest. And during Elise's failed attempt to find anything valuable, the spirits had become more agitated, hovering over the former soldier until she left their remains alone. Directing his witchsight to where Elise had been digging through, Roland is able to see a large amount of Shyish coming from the bodies, which is expected, but also from something small laying next to the pile of remains. Opening his eyes, he sees a heavy-looking blade, its use obvious by the stains around its edge. With a bit of help from the others, the company is able to cover the remains with the hides from the Beastman's tent and branches from the nearby trees, and set it alight. Burning the remains should help calm the spirits somewhat, although they would likely still carry some resentment towards the blade. Destroying the blade and tossing it into the fire might be enough, or Roland could always perform a ritual to make certain, although the area was still charged with the winds of Shyish. Heading Back to Town Once Roland finishes up with dealing with the dead, the company quickly sets out back to town. The trip back along the road is uneventful, with the only other people you meet being a small group of traders and their wagon, who make certain to steer clear of the company. Eventually, the town is in sight, but as you draw closer you notice some activity at the gates. It appears several of the guards are putting up more stakes with fresh Orc heads mounted on them, with Gildemeister Tibolino, still clad in armor but with none of the fur or jewelry he wore before, directing his men on the most visible places to place the stakes. The Prince himself looks exhausted, although he lights up for a moment when he sees the company approach, until he notices it's just you and no one else. "I take it you have bad news, then?"
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Mar 15, 2018 23:33
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Driving the wagon is a good way to keep one's mind from wandering too much after a dismal encounter like that. Elise pays some attention to the passing traders, but keeping your distance from armed bands isn't exactly suspicious behaviour Perception TN 30 (50 vs Hearing): 1d100 64 Nothing unusual here I guess Back at the town Elise nods in support of Mariano's story. "We bought back a few heads for your walls, to make the bastards think twice next time." She hauls the head of the biggest gor out of the wagon and spikes it down on an empty stake. It takes some wiggling to get the horns at a good angle, and she strikes up a conversation with the watching guards. "So, uh...you get these orc attacks often?" Gossip (guards) TN 44: 1d100 23 hoping to find out about the military situation of the town in general thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 08:38 on Mar 22, 2018 |
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Mar 16, 2018 06:51
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Mariano Manzanedo Mariano hops down off the cart, a heavy bundle over his shoulder and a grim look on his face. He checks to make sure Gustav isn't within eyeshot, and sets it down near Tibolino, revealing Johann's burst armor. "Yes, ser. I can only apologize." He looks up. "The kidnappers were Beastmen. As soon as they spotted us in array outside their camp, they set upon him. We were too late to save him." He gives a very grim smile. "None of them survived to have the satisfaction, however." He straightens up, pulling the bottle out of his coat. "As to why Beastmen would go to such trouble to kidnap the boy, we found no sign. There was a book, but considering that it bled when we burnt it, I think it best we did not check to see if there were answers inside. We also found these, however." He hands the bottle over to the Gildemeister. "There were several crates of the stuff, most all gone. I thought it very strange that Beastmen would have such a thing down here in the Borderlands."
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Mar 18, 2018 07:33
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What a horrid book and what a horrid place, he is definitely not painting this. Who would want to see a bleeding book? Disgusting! The nobleman is glad to be away from the thicket and the book. Attickus gossips a bit with the merchants they pass on the way back to town, but doesn't discover anything important. Rolled perception for Bearickus and gossip for Attickus, both failures  Bear: vs 30: 50 http://orokos.com/roll/605314 Attickus vs 49: 59 http://orokos.com/roll/605307 and vis versa for dyne, AALLL FAILURES Attickus perception: vs 17 = 35 http://orokos.com/roll/606399 Bear gossip vs -10 = why Xun fucked around with this message at 03:46 on Mar 21, 2018 |
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Mar 19, 2018 05:43
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Donrod Brightgrip, Runesmith Donrod runs an appraising eye over the local lord's armor (only passable quality, but impressive for such a place) and does what little he can to soften the blow of the news. "'Tis no comfort for the loss of a son, but those responsible for his death have been sorely punished and their works put to ruin." After a moment, he adds, "I am Donrod Brigtgrip, Runesmith, and I will sift the gleam of truth from whatever force besets this place."
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Mar 27, 2018 02:46
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Roland Mohr As the others search the clearing and prepare to leave, Roland makes his way around the campsite, speaking prayers to Mohr and making the sign of the raven. His circuitous route finds him the focal points of where the shyish manifestation is coming from, and after a moment of calculation, he centers himself where they would cross together. He feels the purple wind of shyish harry him and his hair and robe react to the invisible winds; the wizard closes his eyes and inclines his head, his hands loose at his side. His lips move rapidly as he begins to utter phrases of power in an arcane tongue, slowly raising his arms in placation to the spirits above him. The spirits above shriek in resistance to Mohr's ritual, but purple tendrils of energy drift lazily from the sky above, entwining about Roland's arms. His hood flutters behind him as he slowly lifts off of the ground by the power of his magic, his arms spread wide as he continues to forcefully incant. His fingers spread towards the sky, and the ghosts cease their wailing one by one. He turns his face towards them, tracking their movement as he speaks again in Reikspiel. "Good has triumphed this day, o spirits of the departed! Chaos has been beaten back, and your sacrifice has not been in vain! Thy mortal form shall not stir, and thy desecration has been undone! Go! Go through Morr's iron gate, for the eternal rest you have rightly earned and are so deserved awaits! Thy work upon this earth is done!" With a heavy, metaphysical sigh the clearing calms, and the weight of what has happened lifts. The spirits, grateful for their penance, simply vanish. Roland lands ungracefully and stumbles, throwing his arms out to steady himself. He drops to his knees and plants his hands in the mud as he stoops forward, his face haggard and skull-like from his efforts. The visage of death fades quickly, and he shudders as if beset by chills. For a moment he stays on the ground, breathing raggedly, before slowly clambering to his feet. "It is done. The spirits that were here are now at rest. Someone.. someone fetch me a large stick. I have tired myself." --- Even back at the fort, Roland still looks exhausted. He keeps his part of the meeting short and terse, and explains his ritual for calming the restless souls that plagued the glade. "Your son will find his eternal peace, resting within the gardens of Morr. No longer will his spirit or his body be used by the evil forces that vex this land. I am terribly sorry for all that has been lost, and even moreso for the young lad. I pray you find strength in the knowledge he knows peace." Once his part is played, he excuses himself with the box containing the amulet, intent on resting before turning a scholarly gaze to the terrible contraption. Calming Ritual vs 8: 3d10 19
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Apr 13, 2018 19:02
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During the Trip Back to Town The merchants clearly want nothing to do with the company, although Elise doesn't notice anything strange about them. It was just a good idea in general to stay away from armed, bloodstained travelers, really. Attickus and his bear try the direct approach and attempt to make small talk, but the traders refuse to respond. They did seem a bit afraid, but then, bears aren't exactly common in the Borderlands, and a bear trying to gossip is just plain weird. At the Town Gates At the sight of the bundle of Johan's broken armor, Tibolino's face turns grim as he mutters under his breath, "Isn't that just how the world works, huh?" After both Mariano and Donrod explain Johan's fate, and Roland assures that his spirit has safely moved on, the Prince eyes the head of the Gor fixed to the stake. "Well, at least they paid in blood for what they've done. You all have my thanks for what you have done for me and my people. I am especially grateful towards your wizard, as priests are rare in these parts. But I can't help but feel troubled by the fact these creatures had set up camp within my realm without my knowing." When Mariano brings up both the book and the bottles of alcohol found at the camp, Tibolino freezes up for just a moment, before dismissing his guards. "A book that bleeds, you say? Can't say I've ever heard of something like that, although I agree that it was best to destroy it. Nothing good comes from books, least of all a cursed book that bleeds. But your other mystery," He holds up the bottle of alcohol, "I believe I can help with. My Chamberlain, Dietrich, arranged to buy a large amount of this brand from a friend of his in the Empire a couple years back. I suppose I should check to see if any of it was stolen from under our noses, but there are more important matters to attend to for now. I still need to inform Gustav of the loss of his son, set up more patrols to prevent something like this from happening again, and there is also the matter of your reward. If you would prefer something more practical than money, I can open up my armory instead. And I must insist that you attend a feast in my hall in a few days time, to celebrate your victory." While the others talked with the Gildemeister, Elise talks to the nearby guards. Orc attacks aren't very frequent, but Tibolino is very active in sending out patrols to search out and hunt down roving bands of Greenskins before they can collect into an actual horde. It seems Tibolino was a mercenary himself for most of his life, and makes a serious effort at defending his realm compared to the average Prince. Some of the guards also seem to be veterans from the way they talk and carry themselves, although Elise is able to spot a few greenhorns mixed in their ranks as well. They can't really be compared to an actual professional army from the Empire, but they can definitely hold their own out here in the Borderlands. Back at the Inn Still exhausted, Roland makes his way back to the inn, retiring to the same room as before. Once alone, he gingerly places the iron box containing the amulet on a table. It would be better to do this in an actual lab, or even a well-stocked library, but both were in short supply in these lands. At least there was no ghost to distract him this time. ______________ Right, congratulations for clearing your first mission! Everyone gets 300 xp to spend on advances. Also, since you guys still have around 800 gold or so, you can choose to gain some equipment as your reward instead of more money, without having to test for availability. You won't find anything of master craftsmanship or anything super rare, however. You also have some downtime to figure out what to do next. I'm assuming Roland will use this time to study the amulet, but that still leaves everyone else. There is also the upcoming feast to think about. Do you want to attend it, or would you prefer to go off on your own to do something else?
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May 6, 2018 04:35
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Elise watches the Gildemeister walk away with a calculating expression. His men seem to respect him, and this isn't the worst town she's ever been to. Might be worth making a go of it here, she thinks. At the very least it's better than going home and getting her neck stretched. "I don't know about you lot, but I'm going to clean up and then get blind for a bit. It's starting to look like we're stuck here for a while, and I don't want to make a decision about how to spend the next stage of my life sober." True to her word she washes off the blood and dust of the day in the basin of water the inn provides, cleans and oils her arms and armour, and then finds such nightlife as the town provides. It's uninspiring - games of chance with the locals, trading news and rumors, then drinking to unconsciousness. Gossip (townsfolk) TN 44: 1d100 46 consume alcohol TN 20: 1d100 48 Gamble TN 30: 1d100 6 The next morning she's not quite sure how, but she seems to have made more money than she spent on booze. No new tattoos and she doesn't seem to have woken up with anyone she shouldn't have, so there have been worse nights. Her time until the next formal meeting is spent in drill and sparring, with a side order of putting the gruesome sights of the Grove out of her mind. Advancing WS, BS and WP by 5 for 300 xp not sure about equipment yet.
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May 9, 2018 13:19
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Mariano Manzanedo Mariano bows low. "Ah, it would be our pleasure, senor. Or mine, at least!" He redons his hat, and nods. "And I shall take you up on your offer. I am sure I can find something I am lacking." For the moment, though, what Mariano is thoroughly lacking is a bath. The rest of the day is spent returning himself to a modicum of respectability, and reflection on the battle. Certainly his defense had been up to snuff, but he was all too aware that he'd barely scratched any of his opposition. My form needs refinement, clearly. The problem of overwhelming numbers is still there... He thinks, and then grimaces. If my fencing master knew I had even thought about firearms he would spit on me... but there is no honor down here, anyway. And it's not as though I can find one here. For all of its other surprising positives, this town is certainly not rich enough to have a gunsmith. At the end of it, he decides to shelve the idea for a later date, and turns in early--and distressingly sober. = = = The next morning sees Mariano climbing to the Gildemeister's hall. A little questioning directs him to the man in question--the Chamberlain. He doffs his hat, quickly. "Good morning, senor Dietrich. Ser Tibolino mentioned you yesterday." He smiles. "I confess, I am new to this part of the Borderlands. I figured you for a man whose job it is to know things, and I was wondering if you could help educate me on the local lords?" Just a quick post, I am in fact still alive. Not sure what my advance will be yet.
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May 27, 2018 04:06
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 00:52 |
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Roland IS studying the amulet, and I will post his advances and some fluff later. I just got back from vacation and I am dead tired from the 16 hour drive.
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May 27, 2018 04:11
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