Drindall's Keep: Battle for the Sky

Subcypher Chatroom RPG

The place where role players come to play! If you want to start an interactive war, chat with real citizens of the town, or find other uses for your faction, this field can accommodate those desires. As with anything else, please try to keep your role playing appropriate... but you're still welcome to have a little fun!
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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

Exploring the Castle
The group uses downtime between assignments to look around their new headquarters.
17:55 <Tikvah>: I don't want to do the next big mission until everyone is here.
17:55 <bookworm>: Right
17:56 <bookworm>: We could explore the castle for real this time
17:56 <Skid>: Is there anything in particular we want to explore?
18:02 <bookworm>: Is Moontide coming?
18:10 <Tikvah>: Moontide will not be joining the session.
18:10 <bookworm>: Let's poke around the base then
18:10 <Tikvah>: OK.
18:11 Tikvah is now known as Tikvah_GMing
18:11 bookworm is now known as Victor
18:11 Skid is now known as Gromit
18:11 Arkan is now known as Greystone
18:11 <Gromit>: So we're off to poke around the castle.
18:11 <Gromit>: Check all the closets for skeletons.
18:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Where do you want to start?
18:13 <Greystone>: At the bottom.
18:13 <Gromit>: In the dungeon?
18:13 <Gromit>: Seems as good a spot to start as any.
18:13 <Victor>: I want to go back to my room for a minute
18:13 <Victor>: Forgot something
18:16 <Greystone>: We can start in our room.
18:17 <Gromit>: Okay.
18:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ok, You each get a small, small room with a bed and a chest at the foot.
18:18 <Victor>: Okay, then I check over the bullet boxes
18:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: What about them?
18:19 <Victor>: Are there markings?
18:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a marking from the maker. A common bullet making company based in the capital city.
18:20 <Victor>: Okay
18:20 <Greystone>: Where did we leave off?
18:20 <Greystone>: Are we at the castle or...?
18:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.
18:20 <Gromit>: We left off after visiting the tavern and learning that the alchemist is crazy and disturbing, and that The Count tends to cover for his men if they happen to annoy the local peasants.
18:21 <Greystone>: Ah, that's right. I was sitting in the corner, writing a letter while y'all were talking.
18:21 <Greystone>: I don't know about you, but I want'a meet that alchemist.
18:21 <Victor>: "Well I guess we'll be summoned when they want us. If they want us anymore."
18:22 Gromit chews a few candies.
18:22 <Victor>: "Shall we look around? Haven't actually had a chance to yet."
18:22 <Victor>: "Only been here to sleep so far."
18:22 <Gromit>: "I'm sure we could learn a few things. Lead the way."
18:22 Greystone shoves his paper into his jerkin.
18:23 <Victor>: Have we been told what kind of rooms are around at all?
18:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: Only the introduction when you arrived.
18:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Also you were told to stay out of the upper stories.
18:24 <Victor>: Right
18:24 <Greystone>: So if we are ever called to the upper stories, we will have to ask the way.
18:24 Victor leaves his hat this time
18:25 <Victor>: "I guess let's be methodical and take a floor at a time."
18:25 <Gromit>: "There's always a dungeon."
18:25 <Victor>: Is this the highest we should be going? Our floor?
18:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yeah.
18:25 <Victor>: Then we'll work down
18:26 <Victor>: Explore the rest of this one first
18:26 <Greystone>: In that case, that makes sense.
18:26 <Victor>: I'm looking for a library specifically, if you want to know that.
18:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ah.
18:29 <Greystone>: I assume there's a kismet workshop.
18:29 <Gromit>: I think that's the alchemist's domain.
18:32 <Gromit>: Is there a library?
18:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: The Count probably has one in his quarters.
18:33 <Victor>: There isn't a castle library?
18:33 <Gromit>: Books are expensive in this era, I suppose.
18:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: No? Books are expensive. Why would you let all the common folk go rifling through them?
18:34 <Victor>: Because I didn't realize that
18:35 <Victor>: Were books still rare in Victorian times? I thought that was our reference
18:35 <Gromit>: It's well before that if we're kicking around with swords and bows.
18:35 <Victor>: I'll check my notes
18:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: 1600s.
18:35 <Victor>: Oh right
18:35 <Victor>: So a city won't have a library either?
18:35 <Victor>: How are we supposed to find out things
18:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: Maybe, but not a public one.
18:36 <Victor>: Ah
18:36 <Gromit>: Ask people and bribe librarians.
18:36 <Victor>: Well I guess let's see what there *is* here then
18:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: The floor you are on has kitchen, servant's quarters, guard room, guard's quarters, entrance hall, and stairs going up and down.
18:38 <Greystone>: Ookook immediately recommends we check out the kitchen.
18:38 <Victor>: Yes he would
18:40 <Victor>: Anything of interest Gromit?
18:40 <Gromit>: Everything in a kitchen is of interest.
18:40 <Victor>: You can lead the expedition, I'm (bookworm) distracted a bit at the moment
18:40 <Greystone>: Ookook: You could try to sell the bullets to the cook.
18:40 <Greystone>: Ookook: Maybe I could find something to accompany Phil.
18:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK, stop playing for the absent characters.
18:42 <Greystone>: I apologize, it just came to me, and I had to put it in. =P
18:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: What do you want to know about the kitchen?
18:43 <Gromit>: Actually, I don't see any need to check the regular living spaces, besides to tour through them quick to get a feel for the building, and note any locked doors on this level.
18:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: There aren't any locked doors on this level.
18:43 <Gromit>: Huh.
18:43 <Greystone>: Then down we go.
18:45 Greystone heads to some stairs going down.
18:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: The stairs go down into a hall, with one door on each side and a ladder going down at the end.
18:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Oops, I messed up.
18:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: The servant quarters are in the door to your left, not the ground floor.
18:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: The door to the right is sturdy wood with iron bands, and a sloppy sign designating it as "The Lab".
18:48 <Gromit>: "So this is our stop. You first."
18:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear some grinding noises within.
18:48 <Greystone>: ! *Metal Gear Alert Sound*
18:49 <Greystone>: The question is, will the alchemist take unkindly to an intrusion?
18:50 <Gromit>: "You're about to find out."
18:50 <Gromit>: "I mean, I'm sure they'll be delighted."
18:50 <Greystone>: ["Hi, we're here for no reason."]
18:51 <Gromit>: "Can we try drinking your potions?"
18:51 <Greystone>: ["We'd just like to poke around your lab and and say hi for no reason."]
18:51 <Greystone>: ...
18:51 <Greystone>: Yeah.
18:51 <Greystone>: I'll open the door, but you do the talking.
18:52 <Gromit>: Right. Well. Only one way to learn new things.
18:53 Gromit puts on his best helpful assistant face and straighens his uniform.
18:54 Greystone knocks on the door labeled "The Lab", in a polite, courtly fashion.
18:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear some muffled shouting, but you're not sure if it's directed at you.
18:55 <Greystone>: Well, now we are guards investigating some shouting. Perfect.
18:55 <Greystone>: ^_^
18:56 Greystone (attempts to)opens the door.
18:57 <Tikvah_GMing>: It swings open, revealing a vast room cluttered with tables covered in vials and various instruments. Some book shelves line two of the walls.
18:58 Gromit steps gingerly inside.
18:59 <Tikvah_GMing>: The whole room is filled with a thick layer of steam. You see something small dart towards your feet. Somewhere from the room a voice yells at you to "Catch it!"
19:00 Gromit dives and tries to put his helmet over it.
19:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a speed check.
19:00 <Gromit>: !roll d20 1 effort
19:00 <Dicebot>: Gromit, 1 effort: 15
19:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: You trap it successfully under your helmet. Some angry squeaking comes from underneath.
19:01 Greystone remains in the doorway with silent intent to block any exiting of whatever "it" is.
19:01 <Gromit>: "Got it!"
19:01 Gromit looks around for the voice.
19:01 Greystone glances for whomever yelled.
19:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: A figure emerges from behind a large stack of papers. It's a woman with frizzy hair that looks a bit singed, and a long coat that reaches almost to the ground. She barely glances at you, but lifts up the helmet and plucks a large squirrel out from underneath. "Got you! Now if only I could find the..." Her speech trails of into mumbling as she shoves the squirrel into a cage and open up a giant book lying on the table."
19:06 Greystone is more than willing to stand where he is until she notices him to speak to.
19:06 <Victor>: Does she have any artificial limbs by chance?
19:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not that you can see, but she is wearing a long coat with sleeves and gloves.
19:06 <Victor>: I was hoping I could call this episode "Half Metal Alchemist"
19:06 <Victor>: I felt clever
19:06 <Gromit>: "Hello, ma'am. We were sent down to assist with an experiment?"
19:06 Gromit lies.
19:07 <Greystone>: -_-
19:07 <Greystone>: ...
19:07 <Greystone>: -_-
19:07 <Greystone>: >=|
19:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a deception check.
19:07 <Gromit>: !roll d20 1 effort
19:07 <Dicebot>: Gromit, 1 effort: 12
19:07 <Victor>: Were you making faces at him or me?
19:08 <Gromit>: Both seems appropriate.
19:08 <Greystone>: Seriously Skid.
19:08 <Greystone>: Wait, no, bookworm.
19:08 <Greystone>: You know, what, yes, both.
19:08 <Greystone>: BOTH.
19:08 <Gromit>: You could run now before she looks up.
19:08 <Victor>: I know it's dumb, but like I said I'm trying to name them like a TV show would
19:08 <Victor>: They love pun references like that
19:08 <Greystone>: Well, I'm no better. I love terrible puns.
19:08 <Tikvah_GMing>: She pauses and blinks at you. "Oh. Uh... was that today?"
19:09 <Gromit>: "I was told it was. Unless you'd like us to come back later...?"
19:09 Greystone says nothing.
19:09 <Greystone>: (Still.)
19:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: "There should be a vial of camphor root around here somewhere. Find it for me, will you?"
19:10 <Gromit>: "Yes, ma'am."
19:10 Gromit looks for the bottle by scent.
19:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check.
19:11 <Gromit>: !roll d20
19:11 <Dicebot>: Gromit: 16
19:11 <Greystone>: Alright, who is most likely to know what a vial of camphor root looks like?
19:12 <Greystone>: I'm thinking Victor with all his traveling around.
19:12 <Gromit>: Anyone who embalms corpses.
19:12 <Greystone>: But Gromit's looking at the moment.
19:12 <Victor>: Yeah probably me if it's a plant
19:12 <Gromit>: You have knowledge: botanical?
19:12 <Victor>: Not specifically, but my primary business is trekking through forests
19:13 <Greystone>: Yeah, Greystone and Victor are likely to know something about plants and their edibility/uses from trekking through woods.
19:13 <Greystone>: Just don't taste the Camphor root.
19:13 <Greystone>: I know your habits Gromit.
19:13 <Greystone>: Camphor is not to be used internally.
19:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: You smell camphor coming from a table a few feet away. You also smell a faint whiff of something that smells like... a pig?
19:13 Gromit gets distracted from looking for the camphor to examine the pig smell.
19:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's too faint to tell much. Several weeks old, at least.
19:14 <Gromit>: And not like bacon, but live/dead pig?
19:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.
19:15 <Gromit>: Okay.
19:15 Gromit gets the bottle, and makes a mental note.
19:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: You pick up the bottle. You also see a diagram sitting on the table next to it with a familiar sword artifact sketched in.
19:18 Victor surveys the room if he's not being instructed to do something
19:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: In one corner of the room is a large wooden cabinet with a bar across the door. Beside it is sitting a complicated contraption made of glass tubing.
19:20 Gromit gives the bottle to the Alchemist.
19:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: She takes it and holds it next to a picture in her book, comparing the two. "Marvellous. Fantastic. Just what I was looking for." She seems to remember that you are in the room and looks up. "I don't need anything else right now. You can go."
19:21 <Gromit>: "Yes, Ma'am."
19:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: She takes the squirrel and the camphor and shoves them both into a large pottery container.
19:22 Gromit absconds.
19:23 Greystone bows, and withdraws.
19:23 <Tikvah_GMing>: The alchemist doesn't seem to notice your departure.
19:23 <Gromit>: "She seems nice."
19:24 <Victor>: "I didn't get the creeps we were described."
19:24 <Greystone>: "I have no complaints."
19:25 <Greystone>: "'The Creeps' are not common to warriors."
19:25 <Gromit>: "It smelled familiar though."
19:25 <Victor>: "Like werepig?"
19:25 <Victor>: Oh I couldn't ask that, you didn't mention pig.
19:25 <Gromit>: "Like werepig."
19:26 <Victor>: "Hmm..."
19:27 <Gromit>: "Not pointing any fingers of course."
19:28 <Victor>: To the next floor?
19:28 <Greystone>: Yiss.
19:29 <Gromit>: "Onward."
19:29 <Tikvah_GMing>: The next floor down has some storage rooms and another ladder going down.
19:30 <Greystone>: I love storage.
19:30 <Greystone>: But I love ladders more.
19:30 <Greystone>: Onward!
19:31 <Gromit>: Ladders seem the place to go. Rooms full of crates are for fighting in.
19:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: You descend into a larger, more open room. There is a locked door in front of you, and on the same wall towards the left is a hall. Another hall lead to the left.
19:34 <Greystone>: o.0
19:34 <Greystone>: We lost.
19:34 <Greystone>: Fork. Me no know what to do.
19:34 Gromit pushes Greystone in a random leftward direction.
19:34 Greystone looks down the hall on his left.
19:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: The hall to the left seems to lead to the dungeon. Cells line the walls on both sides.
19:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: They seem to be empty.
19:36 <Gromit>: All of them? Clean? Skeletons chained to the walls?
19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: Empty, some old straw on the ground, no skeletons.
19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: One of them is used for storing cabbages.
19:36 <Greystone>: lol
19:36 Greystone looks down the hallway in front of him.
19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: It leads to an open area, more natural cave than carved room. The floor is rough, and gradually is covered in water. It extends as far as you can see. You can just make out a sort of island in the gloom.
19:38 <Greystone>: ...?
19:38 Gromit tastes the water.
19:39 <Greystone>: Ooo.
19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check.
19:39 <Gromit>: !roll d20
19:39 <Dicebot>: Gromit: 12
19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: It tastes like mud, snakes, and garbage.
19:39 Victor snaps a flare
19:40 <Greystone>: If we find a Gollum out there, I'm challenging him to a riddle contest.
19:40 <Gromit>: "Snakes."
19:40 <Victor>: We're in a cave now?
19:40 Victor examines the ceiling
19:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear a creaking sound from above you and something falls into the water.
19:40 Victor immediately pulls his bow
19:40 <Gromit>: How far out is the island?
19:40 Greystone steps into the open area and takes a good look around.
19:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: About 50 feet.
19:41 Gromit wades out into the water to test its depth.
19:42 <Greystone>: Fifty feet? I can swim that far with armor.
19:42 <Greystone>: But why would I?
19:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see anything unusual. The water is over your head about 20 feet out.
19:42 Gromit swims for the island.
19:43 <Gromit>: And here we see the investigative technique called "Having a full HP pool."
19:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it.
19:43 <Victor>: What's on the ceiling?
19:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: Cave. You can't see where the object fell from.
19:43 <Victor>: Is anything moving?
19:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.
19:44 <Gromit>: !roll d20 1 effort (might)
19:44 <Dicebot>: Gromit, 1 effort (might): 4
19:44 <Greystone>: This is a bit of an odd find under a castle.
19:44 Victor shoots a marked bolt into the island
19:44 <Greystone>: {Oh wait... I remember this from a Redwall book.}
19:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: You manage to make it onto the island.
19:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's about 15' across, and seems to be made of garbage.
19:45 Gromit pokes around for dead people/animals.
19:45 <Gromit>: And/or food.
19:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: You smell burnt hair and camphor.
19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, your bolt hits the island.
19:46 <Victor>: "What is it?"
19:46 <Victor>: Call to Gromit
19:47 <Gromit>: "Experiments end up down here. I wouldn't swim in it."
19:47 <Victor>: "Oh."
19:47 Victor marks a new bolt to override the one he shot
19:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK.
19:48 <Victor>: Can I unmark something without making something else btw? I don't remember
19:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you want to.
19:48 <Gromit>: Anything beyond the island?
19:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not that you can see.
19:49 <Gromit>: Actually, anything overhead? I'm looking for a garbage chute.
19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a hole that has been roughly carved into the ceiling.
19:50 <Gromit>: Ah-hah.
19:50 <Gromit>: What's the freshest garbage directly below it?
19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: It is the source of the smell, and looks like a pile of black slime with lumps in it.
19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: It's bubbling.
19:52 Gromit considers tasting it, bur refrains.
19:52 <Greystone>: So we wandered into the garbage dump. Tell no one.
19:52 <Gromit>: "You can learn intimate knowledge about a person by going through their trash, good sir. This is detective work."
19:53 <Gromit>: "But I think I've learned what I can for today."
19:53 <Greystone>: "..."
19:54 <Greystone>: "Do you know how many people are in this castle?"
19:54 <Gromit>: "Do you know how few of them boil squirrels in camphor?"
19:55 <Greystone>: "I would hazard a guess of one."
19:55 <Gromit>: "...I hope not many. Waste of a good squirrel."
19:55 <Greystone>: "..."
19:55 <Greystone>: "True."
19:56 Gromit swims back to shore.
19:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: You make it to shore.
19:57 Greystone coughs.
19:57 Gromit shakes some of the water out of his armor and decides that's enough exploring for a night.
19:58 <Victor>: "Did we decide what we want to do about this explosion situation?"
19:58 <Victor>: "I'm still off balance from the reception we got."
19:58 <Gromit>: "Lie low for now. Mark an item in the lab in case we need to make a run for it with all the intel we can gather."
19:59 <Greystone>: "Ask Drindall some questions when we see him next."
19:59 <Victor>: "As I said, I'm not sure we have the leverage now to demand disclosure like we had planned."
19:59 <Victor>: "But my feelings on it haven't changed. Just my perception of our current situation."
20:00 <Gromit>: "No, but we have the means to have several things disclosed if desperate need arises."
20:01 <Victor>: "I guess we'll see where things go."
20:01 <Victor>: "Sleep well."
20:02 <Gromit>: "With my door as locked and barred as I can make it."
20:02 <Victor>: "Indeed."
20:03 Victor offers a marked bolt to each party member as they go to their rooms
20:03 <Victor>: "Just in case. If you want."
20:03 <Gromit>: "Good plan."
20:04 Greystone takes the bolt in his hand.
20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you roll something wrong you'll just show up in their room in the middle of the night.
20:04 <Victor>: Do I roll at night?
20:05 <Gromit>: Only if you do something that takes skill/focus, usually.
20:05 <Gromit>: And I'll only probably hit him with a chair for doing that.
20:05 <Greystone>: Well, I guess if you leave active bolts around, then you have to roll to sleep. =P
20:08 <Gromit>: Okay. That's my exploring done.
20:11 <Gromit>: That it for the session?
20:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: Sure.
20:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone gets 1 XP.
20:11 <Gromit>: All right.
20:11 Gromit is now known as Skid
20:11 <Victor>: Oh, so the ammo wasn't marked.
20:11 <Victor>: In response to the list you posted Arkan
20:12 <Skid>: And we have to figure out why Drindall's agents are building monsters and blowing up cities.
20:12 <Victor>: I wish we had gone around that corner
20:13 <Skid>: To the storage area?
20:13 <Victor>: In the hideout
20:13 <Skid>: Ah.
20:13 <Victor>: To find whatever information we were supposed to
20:13 <Victor>: We wouldn't be so lost
20:13 <Victor>: And confused
20:13 Greystone is now known as Arkan
20:13 Tikvah_GMing is now known as Tikvah
20:14 <Skid>: Probably plenty of info in the lab. Just need a chance to go through it while the alchemist is out.
20:14 <Arkan>: Yes.
20:14 <Skid>: And take a level of Knowledge: Mad Science.
20:14 <Victor>: Yeah, we will understand what happened eventually
20:15 <Victor>: But we could have had ideas now
20:15 <Victor>: And I would have preferred that
20:16 <Arkan>: We came in the vents, we stuck to the vents. Infiltration 101.
20:17 <Arkan>: The confusion is confusing.
20:17 <Skid>: Next place we go to we can revise our looting protocol.
20:18 <Skid>: Also, if we have to flee /here/ we need to figure out how to hit the armory on the way out.
20:19 <Ark>: ...
20:19 <Skid>: Be efficient, be polite, have a plan to loot everyone you meet.
20:20 <Arkan>: Light-fingered rogues.
20:20 <Arkan>: Kill. A plan to kill everyone you meet.
20:21 <Skid>: And then loot them. It's the murder-hobo way.
20:21 <Tikvah>: I think we found the villains in this story. :P
20:21 <Arkan>: Like a professional-what?!
20:21 <Arkan>: You dastard!
20:22 <Skid>: A professional adventurer?
20:22 <Arkan>: Greystone would have no part in such tactics of theft.
20:22 <Skid>: It's not theft if they're dead.
20:22 <Skid>: It's just free stuff.
20:23 <Arkan>: Well, yes.
20:23 <Arkan>: Bounty from a fallen foe, slain in noble combat.
20:25 <Arkan>: I do appreciate the TF2 reference.
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Arkán Dreamwalker
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Post by Arkán Dreamwalker »

My apologies to Moontide. =P
Today is the first Sunday of the month, so judging by past experience, I'll be in session about 7.
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Woody
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Post by Woody »

Are we going tonight? I'm sure a few of my compatriots are interested in that barbaric sporting event that's happening right now.
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Tikvah
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Post by Tikvah »

We are skipping tonight's session since some people won't be there.
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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

The hypothetical scheming that took the place of last week's session, for the record.
17:45 <bookworm>: I won't be paying much attention tonight
17:47 <Tikvah>: Well, Moontide's not gonna be here, so we could skip.
17:47 <bookworm>: I'd be great with that
17:47 <Tikvah>: OK.
17:47 <bookworm>: But don't do it just for me
17:48 <bookworm>: I don't know if we have any more messing around to do though
17:48 <bookworm>: To wait on the real stuff for when everyone's here
17:48 <bookworm>: We're at a good waiting point
17:48 <Tikvah>: Would you be OK with skipping, Skid?
17:48 <Skid>: Yes.
17:48 <Tikvah>: OK, then let's skip tonight.
17:48 <bookworm>: Okay
18:19 Woody joined #Gowers
18:19 <Woody>: Waiting for Ark?
18:20 <Tikvah>: We actually cancelled because Moontide isn't here and bookworm is busy.
18:20 <bookworm>: We need everyone on to start the next chapter
18:21 <Tikvah>: It would be preferrable.
18:25 Arkan joined #Gowers
18:26 <bookworm>: Arkan do you mind waiting a week?
18:26 <bookworm>: Moontide can't come tonight
18:26 <Arkan>: Well, I can wait.
18:30 <Arkan>: Are people down for a filler session?
18:30 <Tikvah>: I can try to whip up a one-shot.
18:30 <Tikvah>: Give me a second.
18:30 <bookworm>: We didn't have any other poking around to do so we were going to just wait
18:30 <bookworm>: But if there's an actual one off mission sure
18:31 <Arkan>: Well personally, I'd like to make friends with the alchemist.
18:31 <bookworm>: We just left her
18:32 <Arkan>: Yes, after quite a short interaction.
18:32 <Arkan>: I liked her.
18:32 <Skid>: You don't object to the creation of monsters that occasionally terrorize the villagers?
18:34 <Arkan>: Alchemy is an ancient and venerable art. Though its practitioners tend to be outré.
18:36 <Skid>: I have reservations. Especially when we're not entirely sure where the materials come from.
18:37 <Skid>: Maybe we should ask the villagers if any children and/or dogs have gone missing.
18:39 <Skid>: ...or coworkers.
18:39 <Skid>: Wait. We already know guards go missing. The guy in the bar mentioned it.
18:43 <Arkan>: Perhaps everyone else got a creepy vibe, while I merely latched onto one of my favorite character types, the eccentric.
18:46 <Skid>: They are a fine character type to admire from outside their blast radius.
18:49 <Skid>: Meanwhile, we're in the position of knowing far too little while being far too involved.
18:50 <Arkan>: I suppose we could always kidnap the Count.
18:50 <Skid>: Assuming his power level is under 9000.
18:51 <Arkan>: I don't think the GM would like it if we did that.
18:52 <Skid>: That's never a reason not to do something.
18:52 <Tikvah>: I wouldn't like it because we'd have to start the campaign over when you die.
18:52 <Skid>: That said, we kinda need to meet The Count first.
18:52 <Arkan>: But fighting the GM and trampling their intended story route has been a tradition of gamers for decades.
18:53 <Tikvah>: You did meet him once.
18:53 <Tikvah>: When you returned from getting the Trillsword.
18:53 <Skid>: True. But we didn't learn a ton from it.
18:53 <Skid>: In fantasy universes, bigger titles tends to equal being better at combat.
18:54 <Arkan>: Die? We have a teleporting sniper, two Incredible Hulks, cleverness and kismets. I think we could pull it off.
18:54 <Tikvah>: And yet you are only at the rank of an average mook.
18:55 <Tikvah>: There are people more powerful than you in the Count's employ.
18:55 <Arkan>: If you mean social status, then yeah.
18:55 <Skid>: Yeah, assuming he's under level 6 and we have the home field advantage. Levels go up to 10 though, and he is very much in his own castle.
18:55 <Arkan>: Well, we have trampled anything in our way so far.
18:56 <Arkan>: Greystone has yet to take damage worth speaking of in anything.
18:56 <Skid>: Levels past 6 are a whole other game to beat. You can't even hit level 7 without training or effort.
18:57 <Skid>: And that's without them having skills.
18:57 <Arkan>: We have effort to spare.
18:57 <Arkan>: But, yeah, I guess we could get more powerful than we are, and the challenges could be harder.
18:58 <Skid>: We were running near enough to dry at the end of that last mission. One more combat encounter and things would have gotten ugly.
18:58 <Arkan>: We did pull off our stealth mission, and we are already inside the castle. I'll bet we could manage something in the dark of night.
18:59 <Skid>: Probably. But I wouldn't aim directly for the count.
18:59 <Arkan>: The records I read didn't seem to record you taking massive damage.
19:00 <Skid>: I spent pool points. Was down to below half health and had emptied every other pool.
19:00 <Skid>: We want more power, which means we need weapons, intel, and allies.
19:00 <Arkan>: Every time someone was like, "We don't wanna take on a boss fight without everyone here," I didn't say anything, but I was wasn't worried.
19:01 <Arkan>: And pool points, kismets, and edge.
19:02 <Skid>: See, the issue is that Cypher system characters have high power but low stamina. If you hit an enemy fresh, while knowing its weak points, victory is smooth. If you have to trade blows for any amount of time to figure that stuff out on the fly, you quicly lose the advantage.
19:04 <Arkan>: Did Skid write those rules himself?
19:05 <Arkan>: Talking TO someone in the third person. Now that's weird. I should do that more often.
19:05 <Arkan>: lul
19:05 <Skid>: I created a trimmed down version. Monty Cook Games created them originally, but it's a 400 page rulebook.
19:06 <Arkan>: So the Subcypher System is your Casual Variation.
19:06 <Skid>: Yes.
19:08 <Skid>: Also, any combination of skills and effort can be replaced/enhanced by assets, so if we do fight the Count, I want to do it on a battlefield we pick, after we understand him.
19:09 <Skid>: And preferrably with weapons he previously owned.
19:09 <Arkan>: I've always loved your stuff, the way your mind works. Roll to Dodge:Planet of Hats was one of my favorite experiences.
19:18 <Arkan>: *Greystone tends to his equipment*
19:30 <bookworm>: Yeah I can't play tonight guys
19:30 <bookworm>: If we still were going to
19:31 <Skid>: We're just scheming.
19:32 <Arkan>: In a purely hypothetical manner.
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Post by Arkán Dreamwalker »

bookworm wrote:The hypothetical scheming that took the place of last week's session, for the record.
17:45 <bookworm>: I won't be paying much attention tonight
17:47 <Tikvah>: Well, Moontide's not gonna be here, so we could skip.
17:47 <bookworm>: I'd be great with that
17:47 <Tikvah>: OK.
17:47 <bookworm>: But don't do it just for me
17:48 <bookworm>: I don't know if we have any more messing around to do though
17:48 <bookworm>: To wait on the real stuff for when everyone's here
17:48 <bookworm>: We're at a good waiting point
17:48 <Tikvah>: Would you be OK with skipping, Skid?
17:48 <Skid>: Yes.
17:48 <Tikvah>: OK, then let's skip tonight.
17:48 <bookworm>: Okay
18:19 Woody joined #Gowers
18:19 <Woody>: Waiting for Ark?
18:20 <Tikvah>: We actually cancelled because Moontide isn't here and bookworm is busy.
18:20 <bookworm>: We need everyone on to start the next chapter
18:21 <Tikvah>: It would be preferrable.
18:25 Arkan joined #Gowers
18:26 <bookworm>: Arkan do you mind waiting a week?
18:26 <bookworm>: Moontide can't come tonight
18:26 <Arkan>: Well, I can wait.
18:30 <Arkan>: Are people down for a filler session?
18:30 <Tikvah>: I can try to whip up a one-shot.
18:30 <Tikvah>: Give me a second.
18:30 <bookworm>: We didn't have any other poking around to do so we were going to just wait
18:30 <bookworm>: But if there's an actual one off mission sure
18:31 <Arkan>: Well personally, I'd like to make friends with the alchemist.
18:31 <bookworm>: We just left her
18:32 <Arkan>: Yes, after quite a short interaction.
18:32 <Arkan>: I liked her.
18:32 <Skid>: You don't object to the creation of monsters that occasionally terrorize the villagers?
18:34 <Arkan>: Alchemy is an ancient and venerable art. Though its practitioners tend to be outré.
18:36 <Skid>: I have reservations. Especially when we're not entirely sure where the materials come from.
18:37 <Skid>: Maybe we should ask the villagers if any children and/or dogs have gone missing.
18:39 <Skid>: ...or coworkers.
18:39 <Skid>: Wait. We already know guards go missing. The guy in the bar mentioned it.
18:43 <Arkan>: Perhaps everyone else got a creepy vibe, while I merely latched onto one of my favorite character types, the eccentric.
18:46 <Skid>: They are a fine character type to admire from outside their blast radius.
18:49 <Skid>: Meanwhile, we're in the position of knowing far too little while being far too involved.
18:50 <Arkan>: I suppose we could always kidnap the Count.
18:50 <Skid>: Assuming his power level is under 9000.
18:51 <Arkan>: I don't think the GM would like it if we did that.
18:52 <Skid>: That's never a reason not to do something.
18:52 <Tikvah>: I wouldn't like it because we'd have to start the campaign over when you die.
18:52 <Skid>: That said, we kinda need to meet The Count first.
18:52 <Arkan>: But fighting the GM and trampling their intended story route has been a tradition of gamers for decades.
18:53 <Tikvah>: You did meet him once.
18:53 <Tikvah>: When you returned from getting the Trillsword.
18:53 <Skid>: True. But we didn't learn a ton from it.
18:53 <Skid>: In fantasy universes, bigger titles tends to equal being better at combat.
18:54 <Arkan>: Die? We have a teleporting sniper, two Incredible Hulks, cleverness and kismets. I think we could pull it off.
18:54 <Tikvah>: And yet you are only at the rank of an average mook.
18:55 <Tikvah>: There are people more powerful than you in the Count's employ.
18:55 <Arkan>: If you mean social status, then yeah.
18:55 <Skid>: Yeah, assuming he's under level 6 and we have the home field advantage. Levels go up to 10 though, and he is very much in his own castle.
18:55 <Arkan>: Well, we have trampled anything in our way so far.
18:56 <Arkan>: Greystone has yet to take damage worth speaking of in anything.
18:56 <Skid>: Levels past 6 are a whole other game to beat. You can't even hit level 7 without training or effort.
18:57 <Skid>: And that's without them having skills.
18:57 <Arkan>: We have effort to spare.
18:57 <Arkan>: But, yeah, I guess we could get more powerful than we are, and the challenges could be harder.
18:58 <Skid>: We were running near enough to dry at the end of that last mission. One more combat encounter and things would have gotten ugly.
18:58 <Arkan>: We did pull off our stealth mission, and we are already inside the castle. I'll bet we could manage something in the dark of night.
18:59 <Skid>: Probably. But I wouldn't aim directly for the count.
18:59 <Arkan>: The records I read didn't seem to record you taking massive damage.
19:00 <Skid>: I spent pool points. Was down to below half health and had emptied every other pool.
19:00 <Skid>: We want more power, which means we need weapons, intel, and allies.
19:00 <Arkan>: Every time someone was like, "We don't wanna take on a boss fight without everyone here," I didn't say anything, but I was wasn't worried.
19:01 <Arkan>: And pool points, kismets, and edge.
19:02 <Skid>: See, the issue is that Cypher system characters have high power but low stamina. If you hit an enemy fresh, while knowing its weak points, victory is smooth. If you have to trade blows for any amount of time to figure that stuff out on the fly, you quicly lose the advantage.
19:04 <Arkan>: Did Skid write those rules himself?
19:05 <Arkan>: Talking TO someone in the third person. Now that's weird. I should do that more often.
19:05 <Arkan>: lul
19:05 <Skid>: I created a trimmed down version. Monty Cook Games created them originally, but it's a 400 page rulebook.
19:06 <Arkan>: So the Subcypher System is your Casual Variation.
19:06 <Skid>: Yes.
19:08 <Skid>: Also, any combination of skills and effort can be replaced/enhanced by assets, so if we do fight the Count, I want to do it on a battlefield we pick, after we understand him.
19:09 <Skid>: And preferrably with weapons he previously owned.
19:09 <Arkan>: I've always loved your stuff, the way your mind works. Roll to Dodge:Planet of Hats was one of my favorite experiences.
19:18 <Arkan>: *Greystone tends to his equipment*
19:30 <bookworm>: Yeah I can't play tonight guys
19:30 <bookworm>: If we still were going to
19:31 <Skid>: We're just scheming.
19:32 <Arkan>: In a purely hypothetical manner.
WAT. That was very hypothetical.
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Post by bookworm »

That's what I said. If it wasn't explicitly clear, that was banter between Arkan and Skid as players, not Greystone and Gromit. It's not part of the story it's just for reference for other players as players.
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Post by Arkán Dreamwalker »

bookworm wrote:That's what I said. If it wasn't explicitly clear, that was banter between Arkan and Skid as players, not Greystone and Gromit. It's not part of the story it's just for reference for other players as players.
Yes I know, but nonetheless that was so hypothetical that I don't consider it worth noting.
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Post by bookworm »

Not in direct relation to the current game perhaps, but I think in general it's a worthwhile look at some of the player-level musings that go on in a campaign. And it gives some insight into the rule set which is always valuable.
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Post by Tikvah »

This session was interesting, at least. We tried to enter the Inn, and encountered a lonely monster in an abandoned warehouse.

Skid, Moontide, bookworm, Arkan, and Alan each get 1 XP.
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Post by bookworm »

The Lonely House
Before the team departs on their next mission a mysterious figure presents them with mysterious gifts.
18:26 <Skid>: Okay. Let's do this. Whatever this it.
18:26 Tikvah is now known as Tikvah_Gming
18:26 Skid is now known as Gromit
18:27 Moontide is now known as Ookook
18:27 Arkan is now known as Greystone
18:27 bookworm is now known as Victor
18:28 Woody is now known as Alan
18:30 <Tikvah_Gming>: Ok, is everybody ready?
18:30 <Victor>: I guess
18:30 <Gromit>: As I'll ever be.
18:30 <Tikvah_Gming>: Well, that's sounds enthusiastic.
18:31 <Victor>: We're not enthusiastic at the moment
18:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: ..Sorry?
18:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: That's too bad.
18:32 <Victor>: Yeah we're kind of disillusioned right now
18:32 <Victor>: Hopefully this next chapter changes that
18:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: Well, you are summoned to Finn's office for a mission briefing.
18:34 <Victor>: The next day right?
18:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.
18:34 <Tikvah_Gming>: Bright and early.
18:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: Finn is sitting behind a desk in his office on the second floor. He gives you a nod as you enter.
18:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I want to start this out by saying that this is a chance to wipe clean the slate so to speak, after your last mission. The Count has given you a chance to prove your skill."
18:37 Victor says something in his mind
18:38 <Alan>: "Sir, it's my conviction that we have already done so. We have carried out our missions as instructed. What happened on the last mission was simply not our fault."
18:38 <Greystone>: (What even did happen.)
18:39 <Alan>: (Precisely)
18:39 <Greystone>: (I was there, of course, but geez.)
18:40 <Gromit>: "Are there particular conditions that should be fulfilled on this mission, that the Count considers particularly vital?"
18:42 <Alan>: "After the debacle that was last time, you may understand why we wish to know /all/ the facts"
18:44 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The count isn't as young as he once was, and now that he cannot go with his men every time they go on a mission, being weighed down by age and responsibilities, he likes to be kept up-to-date on what is happening. You were intrusted to be his messengers, and come straight back as soon as your part was fulfilled. When you chose to delay and come back the next day, the count wasn't pleased."
18:45 Greystone makes an affirmative grunt.
18:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: "But the count is willing to forget that upon how well you complete this mission. If you perform well, there may even be a raise in store for you. You are all very skilled, and we would hate to see you go."
18:46 <Victor>: "Our "part" was clearly stated to be sure we were not caught. Delaying departure was part of "fulfilling" it. But I understand the misunderstanding and we of course want to set things right."
18:46 Gromit jabs Victor in the ribs.
18:47 Victor raises an eyebrow
18:47 <Gromit>: stoparguingwiththemessenger
18:47 <Victor>: I'm ready to move on, but not without making it clear I don't concede to their impression of events.
18:47 <Victor>: I don't appreciate inaccurate slander of my work ethic.
18:48 <Tikvah_Gming>: "We have found the person behind the monster attacks on the village you passed through. His name is Justin Crendall. He is a skilled fighter with a dangerous kismet, and has been behind dozens of monster attacks around the country. Currently he is in hiding in the village of Vaughan."
18:48 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Your mission is to capture him and burn his laboratory to the ground. Vaughan is in the Count's land, so you have full authorisation to take any actions neccesary to apprehend this criminal."
18:49 <Alan>: "May I inquire as to what exactly his kismet does?"
18:52 <Tikvah_Gming>: "His main kismet is levitation. He can pick up heavy objects from a distance and throw them with ease. This is very dangerous in combat. We're not sure if he has any more kismets, but it wouldn't be surprising since he is an alchemist."
18:52 <Tikvah_Gming>: "He is currently hiding in the residence of Robin Choku, a salesman who sells quack medicine to the locals."
18:52 <Victor>: "This mission is more to our skillset. We won't disappoint."
18:53 <Gromit>: "Though to be specific, when exactly does The Count expect us to report back by?"
18:54 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The amount of time it will take to capture Crendall is dependant on many things, of course. As long as you're back within a week there won't be any problem."
18:55 <Gromit>: "Excellent."
18:55 Victor is surprised Ookook hasn't reacted yet
18:55 Ookook is confused on why Victor would expect me to react.
18:56 <Victor>: Reread our mission objective
18:56 <Victor>: "Live capture is imperative?"
18:57 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Yes. We want to question him and hopefully find out details of his crimes. He may have had accomplices, and we want to find them if possible."
18:57 <Victor>: "If we engage but find it impossible to subdue him alive, are we to let him go then?"
18:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: "If you have no other option than to kill him or let him go, then you can kill him to prevent him from doing further damage."
18:58 <Victor>: "Understood."
18:58 <Victor>: "The armory wouldn't happen to have some sleeping darts?"
18:59 Greystone mutters something about the alchemist.
18:59 <Victor>: @Ookook: We burn down the lab
18:59 <Ookook>: Yeah.
18:59 <Ookook>: Oh.
18:59 <Ookook>: I get it now.
18:59 <Victor>: Lol
18:59 <Ookook>: I just forgot my personality.
18:59 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Unfortunately not. Besides, we would need to know his weight to sedate him effectively and not kill him."
18:59 <Ookook>: We could measure his height and then guess he weight using a formula.
18:59 <Gromit>: "And do we have a drawing of this guy to go on? Maybe a sock with his scent on it"
19:00 <Tikvah_Gming>: "We know that he is fairly short and has bright red hair."
19:02 Greystone speaks up. "Is he merely wanted in interrogative condition, or reasonably intact as well?"
19:03 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Try to avoid injuring him if you can, but we just need him alive and able to talk."
19:04 Greystone nods.
19:06 <Gromit>: "Then I'm ready to go."
19:06 <Ookook>: "As am I"
19:06 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Depart as soon as you want."
19:06 Ookook smiles at the thought of burning something to the ground..
19:08 <Greystone>: "Let's stop in on the alchemist and see if she has anything in stock for subduing, or that she can quickly whip up. The alchemist in my homeplace always had things of the sort, but he was a bit of a specialist. You never know what any given alchemist knows or doesn't know."
19:08 <Ookook>: "Maybe we should talk to the innkeeper to see if he has any helpful info."
19:08 <Greystone>: "Worth asking in."
19:10 Ookook travels to the Alchemist
19:11 <Greystone>: So does Greystone.
19:11 <Tikvah_Gming>: You go down to the lab's level. The door is shut and there is a guard standing in front of it.
19:12 Ookook knocks on the door.
19:12 <Greystone>: Aye caramba.
19:12 <Tikvah_Gming>: The guard nervously clears his throat. "Umm, the alchemist is out right now. You probably don't want to go in there."
19:13 Ookook frowns
19:13 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I was stationed to make sure nothing gets out while she's gone." You hear a soft scratching on the other side of the door.
19:13 <Ookook>: "I suppose we should go talk to the innkeeper now instead?"
19:13 <Victor>: "Do you know for how long?"
19:14 <Tikvah_Gming>: "No idea. Could be a few minutes, could be hours."
19:14 <Greystone>: Well, if hours is the max, we have a week, I can wait.
19:15 <Greystone>: Could turn up nothing useful of course, but worth checking.
19:15 <Tikvah_Gming>: The guard looks relieved to have other people with him.
19:16 <Greystone>: lol, I'd be happy to keep him company then.
19:16 <Victor>: "Does this door frequently need guarding?"
19:17 <Tikvah_Gming>: "It depends. Sometimes it hardly ever happens, but when the alchemist leaves in the middle of a big experiment sometimes we have to guard for days."
19:19 <Ookook>: "Is the alchemist just hoping for what ever experiment that went horrible wrong to settle down in there?"
19:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I think she's looking for something to pacify it."
19:20 <Tikvah_Gming>: As you are talking you see the alchemist hurrying down the stairs with a large bag in her hands. It's wriggling and you hear frantic squeaking coming out of it.
19:21 Ookook hopes the alchemist isn't feeding a cute animal to the monster inside.
19:21 <Tikvah_Gming>: She pays no attention to you, but goes to the door and peeks inside. "Thomas... Thomas! I brought you a tasty treat!"
19:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: She tosses the bag inside and steps in after it, closing the door behind her.
19:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: You hear a crash and some hissing.
19:22 <Gromit>: "...so the inn sounds promising."
19:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: Then the alchemist laughs. The guard looks visibly disturbed.
19:23 <Ookook>: "I not sure I trust what this alchemist might give us."
19:25 <Ookook>: "I might get fed to Thomas next"
19:25 <Ookook>: "Though a monster named Thomas can't be that evil."
19:27 <Greystone>: "Alchemists tend to be scary, but they do good work."
19:27 <Greystone>: "The results can be variable of course."
19:29 <Ookook>: "So should we go to the inn now?"
19:30 <Greystone>: "Depends whether she has a moment for us or not."
19:31 <Ookook>: "We could go to the inn, then come back when she is less busy?"
19:31 <Greystone>: Not a bad plan.
19:32 <Ookook>: "Let's go."
19:32 Ookook makes his way out of the basement
19:34 <Greystone>: To the inn/tavern for gossip!
19:35 Ookook heads to the inn, and opens the door.
19:35 <Alan>: Sorry
19:36 <Alan>: Got distracted
19:36 <Alan>: What did I miss?
19:36 Gromit put Alan in charge of talking.
19:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: You head towards the Inn, but when you arrive the Inn looks deserted. The sign is gone, and all the windows are dark.
19:36 <Greystone>: What the?
19:36 <Gromit>: ...'kay.
19:36 <Victor>: The inn sign is gone?
19:36 Gromit tries the door.
19:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: It's unlocked.
19:37 <Gromit>: "...age before beauty?"
19:38 <Victor>: Who's that directed at?
19:38 <Gromit>: Anyone I'm implying is old and ugly.
19:38 <Ookook>: The oldest person in the group.
19:38 <Victor>: In theory, but who did Gromit say it to
19:38 <Gromit>: You.
19:38 <Gromit>: Let's go with you.
19:39 <Gromit>: "But I'm not picky. Someone go in who isn't me."
19:39 <Victor>: Is anyone looking at us like "what are you doing?"
19:39 <Alan>: I go in
19:40 <Tikvah_Gming>: This room is definitely NOT the tavern you were in before. It seems to be an empty warehouse, with a few small windows letting light sift into the empty space. Near the center is a small table with a figure wearing a long coat and a hat sitting behind it.
19:41 <Tikvah_Gming>: He's faceing towards you, but you can't see his face in the gloom.
19:41 Ookook follows Alan in.
19:41 <Ookook>: "What happened to the inn?"
19:41 <Ookook>: "Or do you still sell drinks here?"
19:41 Ookook walks closer to the figure in case he is hard of hearing.
19:41 Victor is outside waiting the result of his looking around
19:43 <Tikvah_Gming>: The street looks the same as it always does. Some people hurry past, no-one seems concerned by the lack of tavern.
19:43 Victor drops a marked bolt beside the door and steps in behind the others
19:44 <Tikvah_Gming>: As you approach you notice that there is an old china tea set sitting on the table. The figure is wearing a simple mask, made of some sort of rubbery substance. It looks up, and the mask bends into a smile.
19:44 Ookook smiles back.
19:44 <Tikvah_Gming>: If anyone wants a reference for this mask, here:
19:44 <Tikvah_Gming>: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... te_001.JPG
19:45 <Victor>: Excellent thank you
19:45 <Victor>: Always good to be able to visualize
19:45 <Greystone>: NO I DO NOT THINK I WANTED A REFERENCE.
19:45 <Ookook>: "Dear Sir, is this still an inn?"
19:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: The creature gestures to some old chairs sitting around the table. You notice that there aren't arms coming out of the sleeves, but tentacles.
19:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: Roll a fear check.
19:46 <Greystone>: Wat.
19:46 <Ookook>: !roll d20
19:46 <Victor>: !Roll d20 trained
19:46 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 2
19:46 <Dicebot>: Victor, trained: 11
19:46 Gromit sets his dice down with a "1" pointed up and leaves the area.
19:46 <Greystone>: !roll d20
19:46 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 17
19:47 <Alan>: !roll d20
19:47 <Dicebot>: Alan: 16
19:48 <Greystone>: Skid gets five stars for that post.
19:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: Ookook, Take defensive action and you debuff your diplomacy.
19:49 <Ookook>: I flee in terror screaming like a confused pidgin.
19:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: Victor, take a defensive action.
19:49 <Victor>: Really?
19:49 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.
19:49 <Victor>: Shadow man is level 5 scary
19:50 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.
19:50 <Victor>: Wow
19:50 <Victor>: Alright then
19:50 <Gromit>: And he hasn't done anything yet but smile.
19:50 Greystone watches the pidgin flee in terror.
19:51 Ookook regains his composure outside and cancels the debuff.
19:51 <Greystone>: Gesturing to some chairs is a friendly gesture.
19:51 Ookook reenters the room carefully.
19:51 <Ookook>: "Smiling is the friendly gesture."
19:52 <Alan>: "Hey, tentacle folks! How ya doin?"
19:52 <Victor>: Define "flee" please
19:52 <Gromit>: Exit stage left, pursued by bear?
19:52 <Victor>: Do I have to completely exit the premises or simply retreat
19:52 <Gromit>: You're barely inside the door, are you going to run laps around the edges of the room?
19:52 <Victor>: That's what I'm asking
19:52 <Tikvah_Gming>: You can hide behind someone if you want.
19:53 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Take cover"
19:53 <Tikvah_Gming>: You can run laps if you want.
19:54 <Victor>: What I'm saying is can I back out of the doorway and feel better or do I have to get 100 feet away from the building
19:54 <Tikvah_Gming>: Outside the door is fine.
19:54 Victor backs outside
19:54 <Gromit>: How do you feel about sharing space with the thing that eats inns and likes it?
19:55 <Ookook>: Maybe he is a first responder.
19:56 <Ookook>: Come to give first aid to the inn who was sucked into a pocketspace.
19:56 <Victor>: /bookworm notes that Discipline training has yet to help Victor pass a fear check, making it not only a frustrating failure of a skill trait character/backstory wise but also an infuriating waste of XP player wise
19:56 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Howdy." The creature speaks, it's voice is low, and a little bit scratchy.
19:56 <Greystone>: It has been a longstanding truism of mine that nothing that says "Howdy", can be very dangerous.
19:58 <Alan>: "What's happened here?" I ask the creature
19:59 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I don't understand. Would you like.. a spot of tea? Tea.. is common in social gathering."
20:01 <Alan>: "Yeah, cup'a tea'd be lovely"
20:02 <Tikvah_Gming>: The creature picks up the dusty teapot with a tentacle and pours some 'tea' into a china cup. He sets it down in front of you.
20:03 <Tikvah_Gming>: It looks like it was tea at one point, but who knows how long he's been sitting waiting for visitors.
20:03 <Alan>: I cast a questioning glance at the others
20:03 <Greystone>: {Did we hallucinate an inn?}
20:03 <Ookook>: "Gromit would you like some tea?"
20:04 <Gromit>: I'm outside.
20:04 <Ookook>: {Then I didn't say that}
20:04 <Alan>: "May I ask what you are?" I say to the creature
20:04 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I'm so.. happy that you.. came to visit me."
20:04 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I.. am House. That is my name."
20:04 <Ookook>: "I'm happy to meet you, House."
20:04 <Greystone>: I examine the interior. Does it look stripped, or like it's been empty for years, or wrecked or...?
20:04 <Tikvah_Gming>: I looks like it's abandoned for at least a decade.
20:05 <Tikvah_Gming>: House has about as much dust on him as the table.
20:05 <Greystone>: And we thought our LAST peradventure was confusing.
20:06 <Victor>: I the player have an idea what's going on, but I'm not sure if Victor would think of it
20:06 <Victor>: I need to consult with the GM
20:06 <Ookook>: "Do people visit here often?"
20:06 <Tikvah_Gming>: "No. They stay away.. when the Inn is not here."
20:06 <Alan>: "Is the Inn alive?"
20:08 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The Inn is not alive. It is.. a house. One that is not alive. I am House. I am alive."
20:08 <Ookook>: "Will the inn come back here?"
20:09 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Yes. Soon people will walk in that... door. And they will see Inn.. instead of House."
20:10 <Ookook>: What makes people see you instead of the inn?
20:11 <Tikvah_Gming>: "When the Inn is.. here, they see the Inn. When it leaves, they come... to visit me."
20:11 <Tikvah_Gming>: "You are the first that have come.. in a long while."
20:11 <Ookook>: "I'm glad we got a chance to visit you."
20:12 <Ookook>: "Do you happen to know anything about Robin Choku or Justin Crendall?"
20:12 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Those names.. are unknown to me."
20:13 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Would you like... a gift? I'm so glad.. you came to visit."
20:14 <Ookook>: "You have very kind. I would greatly appreciate a gift."
20:14 <Greystone>: "Where has the Inn gone?"
20:14 <Tikvah_Gming>: "To a... different town. They will come back... soon."
20:15 <Tikvah_Gming>: He turns and opens a chest that was sitting behind him. He removes several items and turns back to you.
20:16 <Tikvah_Gming>: House hands Ookook a simple copper telescope. "This is... the "Farmer's Delight" I hope you... like it."
20:17 <Ookook>: "Why thank you"
20:17 <Greystone>: {Tentacles...?}
20:17 <Greystone>: {...}
20:17 <Greystone>: {:/}
20:18 <Tikvah_Gming>: He turns to Alan. "Would you.. like a gift?"
20:18 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Would any of you like a gift?"
20:19 <Greystone>: "I would not refuse a kind offer."
20:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: "This.. is the 'Persona Viridis' I hope... you like it." House hands Greystone a smooth, silver opera mask.
20:19 Greystone gives a small courtly bow.
20:19 <Victor>: Have I shook it off yet?
20:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.
20:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: Everyone can move how they like.
20:20 Victor steps back inside and cautiously watches Ookook examine his gift
20:20 Ookook looks at Victor through the telescope.
20:21 <Tikvah_Gming>: Ookook, as far as you can tell this is a telecope that seems to have no actual telescoping ability, but any human you see through the lens is replaced by a llama. Who knows where House acquired this.
20:22 <Victor>: When Ookook lowers the telescope, does he still have his eyes?
20:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: Yes.
20:22 Victor steps up to the table
20:22 Ookook is slightly horrified
20:24 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I will give you "The Baker's Conscience" Please... take good care of it." House offers a pair of leather gloves to Victor.
20:24 Victor accepts it and touches his hat
20:24 <Victor>: "Nice to make your acquaintance."
20:25 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Nice.. to make your.. acquaintance."
20:25 <Ookook>: "Thank you for this transformative gift, dear sir"
20:27 <Greystone>: Ookook, ask him what it is for. He isn't likely to be offended by the question from a monkey.
20:29 <Victor>: Alan and Gromit want something?
20:29 <Gromit>: I'll pass for now.
20:29 <Victor>: For now?
20:29 <Victor>: You think we'll ever see him again?
20:29 <Ookook>: "You may not get a second chance for nifty items."
20:31 <Gromit>: "I'm willing to gamble on not every single one of us owning an incredibly cursed item during this mission."
20:31 <Victor>: I considered that might be what's happening
20:31 <Greystone>: As did I.
20:31 <Victor>: But I decided it's more likely we just stumbled onto lonely Lovecraft Santa Claus
20:31 <Victor>: And want to indulge his eccentricity
20:32 <Greystone>: {"Lovecraft?"}
20:32 <Victor>: Isn't he the one with tentacle folks?
20:32 <Ookook>: {Yes}
20:32 <Ookook>: {Sorta}
20:33 <Alan>: "I would love a gift"
20:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I will entrust you.. with these. They are.. "Beaver Fever." Don't.. drink them." House 'tentacles' Alan a knee-high pair of leather boots.
20:33 <Ookook>: "What is my telescope best used for, House?"
20:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: "If you are.. a farmer.. it will show you what.. you love best."
20:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Llamas."
20:33 <Tikvah_Gming>: "So you can.. see beauty where.. there is none. If you are.. a farmer."
20:37 <Victor>: "That's wonderful. And these?"
20:38 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The 'Baker's Conscience' will show the evil in.. your soul."
20:39 <Greystone>: !roll d20 creature knowledge
20:39 <Dicebot>: Greystone, creature knowledge: 7
20:39 <Victor>: "Only mine?"
20:41 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The conscience... of the baker.. will tell you."
20:41 <Victor>: Read person...?
20:42 <Victor>: Not sure if it's exactly what I want to do but can't think of another
20:42 Alan quit
20:42 <Tikvah_Gming>: Ok, roll for it.
20:42 <Victor>: !Roll d20 effort
20:42 <Dicebot>: Victor, effort: 11
20:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: He seems friendly, as far as his rubber smile can tell you.
20:45 <Victor>: That's what I thought that does. Good to know, but not what I was going for
20:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: Sorry, I gave you the wrong info.
20:46 <Victor>: ?
20:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: He seems to genuinely want to give you this gift.
20:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: I should have given you more though.
20:46 <Victor>: Is there a roll that processes the actual "what" a person says, rather than how/why they say it? If you get what I mean
20:47 <Victor>: Like a "use context clues to get a better understanding" type thing
20:47 <Victor>: Of the actual message given, more than the intent behind it
20:48 <Greystone>: I think that's what read person is.
20:48 <Victor>: Read person shows the intent 'he's being sincere in what he says' or 'he's trying to trick you'
20:48 <Victor>: I was looking for something that would be 'this is what he meant when he said that'
20:48 <Tikvah_Gming>: I'm not sure about that.
20:48 <Victor>: I'm not either
20:50 Greystone has been examining the mask. "What is the course of this item?"
20:52 <Tikvah_Gming>: "When you talk.. to others while wearing... this, their persona is reflected.. back at them."
20:53 <Greystone>: "Did you make these?"
20:54 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I made... some. Others, I have.. found."
20:55 <Greystone>: "You have traveled then?"
20:57 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I travel.. at the same time as the Inn. To the same places. But not.. while it is there."
20:57 <Greystone>: "And what do you do in your travels?"
20:58 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I collect gifts... and wait for guests."
20:58 <Victor>: Alan probably asks about his if that's all that's left
20:59 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Beaver Fever... will never let you stand on coals."
21:00 <Greystone>: "Have you seen many strange creatures in your travels?"
21:01 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Many.. that are strange.. Many that think.. I am strange."
21:03 Greystone grows earnest. "Have you ever come across a creature with an abnormal white streak down its left side?"
21:07 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Not.. that I recall."
21:07 <Tikvah_Gming>: "My.. apologies."
21:08 Greystone sighs and places the Persona Viridis in his backpack.
21:08 <Victor>: Have I?
21:09 <Victor>: I assume it's a backstory thing so probably not, but have to make sure because if it jogged his memory Victor would mention it.
21:10 <Greystone>: Victor can have it working in the back of his mind for a while. We can address any possible remembrance by him later.
21:11 <Greystone>: "What are you yourself?"
21:12 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I do not know.. in human terms. I don't think.. there is a human word.. for me."
21:14 <Greystone>: "What do you consider yourself?"
21:15 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I.. don't know. Possibly like.. Saint Nikolas, who gave gifts.. to people. He and I have.. much in common."
21:17 <Victor>: Ha!
21:17 <Victor>: Called it!
21:17 Greystone takes a seat.
21:18 <Greystone>: "How old are you?"
21:18 <Tikvah_Gming>: "..."
21:19 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I don't... remember."
21:20 Greystone leans back. "Well, is there anything I can tell you?"
21:22 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Why does.. everyone always run when they.. see me smile?"
21:23 <Victor>: Awww!
21:23 <Greystone>: "Well, you seem to be wearing a mask. People tend to be put off by such things."
21:24 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Would it be better.. if I took it off?"
21:24 <Greystone>: "Possibly."
21:24 <Gromit>: Maybe if the room was less gloomy and evoking as sesnse of imminent murder.
21:25 <Greystone>: "It depends on whether what is beneath is pleasing to human sensibilities."
21:26 <Tikvah_Gming>: He reaches up and removes his mask. Around the edge of his face are small tentacles. In the centre is a mouth that looks like this:
21:26 <Tikvah_Gming>: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... terrae.JPG
21:27 <Ookook>: "I think I understand why you wear a mask."
21:27 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I thought smile would make me seem more.. friendly."
21:27 <Ookook>: "It does."
21:28 <Ookook>: "Definitely."
21:29 <Greystone>: "It has to be the right smile though. The one you were wearing strikes humans in a way they would call, 'creepy'."
21:29 <Greystone>: (Any eyes?)
21:29 <Tikvah_Gming>: There are two eyes on stalks, like a crab.
21:29 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Maybe.. a different mask?"
21:31 <Greystone>: "That might help."
21:31 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Thank you.. for your advice. I will be sure to follow it."
21:32 <Victor>: I think Gromit should get a gift
21:32 <Victor>: This guy's genuine
21:32 <Victor>: Just odd
21:32 <Gromit>: I think I'll still pass.
21:32 <Victor>: :(
21:32 <Victor>: I'm sad for him
21:33 <Victor>: He just wants to make people happy
21:34 <Greystone>: "It is a difficult issue though. I think the only friends you are likely to get are the brave humans. Which is not a bad thing."
21:35 <Victor>: "Do you switch with the inn regularly? We may see you again."
21:36 <Tikvah_Gming>: "I go where.. the Inn goes. When it is.. not there."
21:37 <Victor>: "You don't control it you mean?"
21:38 <Tikvah_Gming>: "No."
21:39 <Tikvah_Gming>: "The Innkeeper likes... to travel."
21:39 <Victor>: "I see. Then we'll just see you if we see you I guess."
21:39 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Indeed."
21:40 <Victor>: "Farewell House."
21:40 Greystone gets up.
21:40 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Good bye. I will see you.. someday."
21:41 <Tikvah_Gming>: He turns towards Gromit. "I hope next time.. You will accept my gift."
21:41 <Victor>: Awwwww!
21:43 <Tikvah_Gming>: Well, shall we break here? I think you're done talking with House.
21:44 <Gromit>: Seems like a fine place to break.
21:44 <Greystone>: A fine place indeed.
21:44 Greystone gives the courtly gesture of farewell and shoulders his backpack. "May you find such fate as you deserve."
21:44 <Tikvah_Gming>: "Good fortune to you." House raises a tentacle in fairwell.
21:44 Victor touches his hat again and exits
21:44 <Ookook>: "Bye Bye!"
21:44 <Greystone>: We have exited the house then?
21:45 <Greystone>: The "not-inn" that is.
21:45 <Greystone>: Or not-in.
21:45 <Victor>: Yeah let's stop just outside and we can have reactions to start the next session
21:45 Ookook exits House's house
21:45 <Tikvah_Gming>: Ok.
21:45 Gromit is now known as Skid
21:46 <Tikvah_Gming>: Everyone gets 1 XP. and whatever items you got.
21:46 <Victor>: That was awesome Tikvah! Great job!
21:46 Tikvah_Gming is now known as Tikvah
21:46 <Victor>: I really felt confused then disturbed then intrigued in real life by your descriptions and that persona. Excellent GMing
21:46 <Tikvah>: I'm glad you liked it.
21:46 <Tikvah>: It was an entertaining encounter to build.
21:47 Greystone is now known as Arkan
21:47 Ookook is now known as Moontide
21:47 <Arkan>: Yes, it was most good.
21:47 <Skid>: I now feel sad about a lonely squid leech.
21:47 <Victor>: You should
21:48 <Victor>: That is a truly haunting character
21:48 <Victor>: In the proper use of the word
21:48 <Arkan>: Is it a squid leech?
21:48 <Arkan>: I still am not perfectly certain that he is good, but I like him.
21:49 <Victor>: I really hope we see him again eventually
21:49 <Victor>: And really really hope when we do he's in a nicer mask and reports people aren't scared of him anymore
21:49 <Victor>: That would be awesome story development from this encounter
21:49 <Arkan>: I'm going to bring him a mask next time.
21:50 <Skid>: And maybe some lamps?
21:50 <Skid>: A couple houseplants perhaps.
21:50 <Arkan>: Trouble is, wouldn't you be scared of a guy in any mask, however nice?
21:50 <Arkan>: With tentacle arms?
21:51 <Skid>: Gloves. We can get him gloves.
21:51 <Victor>: You me? Or you Victor?
21:51 <Victor>: Victor has dealt with guys in masks before
21:52 <Victor>: Wears one himself on occasion
21:52 <Victor>: http://theshadowpaws.weebly.com/DK_VHoutfit.html
21:52 <Arkan>: That is to say, the general populace. Wouldn't any given child or NPC be scared of this guy?
21:53 <Arkan>: Surely.
21:53 <Victor>: I think it really would depend on the mask
21:53 <Arkan>: WHO TRUSTS A GUY IN A MASK?
21:53 <Arkan>: The poor devil.
21:53 <Victor>: He could come to be seen as a friendly clown or something
21:53 <Victor>: Masks aren't always off-putting
21:54 <Arkan>: And I can imagine the the horror when it accidentally gets pulled off one day.
21:54 <Victor>: Yeah
21:54 <Victor>: But that's different
21:54 <Victor>: The mask itself could work
21:55 <Arkan>: Hrm.
21:55 <Victor>: I have to go
21:55 <Victor>: Good job again Tikvah, really enjoyable one!
21:55 Victor quit
21:58 <Arkan>: Well, that guy certainly knew how to give useless descriptions of what his items did.
21:59 <Skid>: Only thing you can do is try rubbing them on every monster we come across to see what they do.
21:59 <Arkan>: Wat.
22:00 <Arkan>: And then the one clear one seems to be the most useless thing ever.
22:00 <Skid>: Unless it exclusively makes /humans/ look like llamas.
22:01 <Skid>: Then it would make a solid shapeshifter scanner.
22:02 <Arkan>: I suppose that there could be monsters somewhere who imitate humans.
22:02 <Skid>: Or statues. Or illusions.
22:02 <Arkan>: Or, if it works on non-humans too, then we would have an anti-invisibility tool.
22:02 <Arkan>: Like that troll we ran into.
22:05 <Arkan>: In both of which cases I give Tikvah props for one of the most amusing and creative tools I have ever encountered in an RPG.
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Tikvah
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Post by Tikvah »

This next session will probably be more plot heavy, so it would be good if everyone can make it.

Also, if people want to start earlier, I would be able to start at 6pm PST.
_____________________________________

This session went well. We have gone to find the rogue alchemist's lab, and have instead found a orphanage guarded by a unicorn.

Skid, Moontide, bookworm and Woody each get 1 XP
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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

Title TBD, Part 1
18:25 <bookworm>: Did you say House was wearing a hat?
18:26 <Tikvah>: Yes.
18:29 <Tikvah>: An old tricorne.
19:03 <Skid>: Welp.
19:06 <Skid>: Do we wait, go without, or cancel?
19:07 <Tikvah>: I would have to do some serious changing of the mission to go with this many people.
19:07 Woody joined #Gowers
19:07 <Tikvah>: Well, I guess we can go with this.
19:08 <Skid>: All right. We've got an evil lab to burn down.
19:10 Tikvah is now known as Tikvah_GMing
19:10 bookworm is now known as Victor
19:10 Moontide is now known as Ookook
19:11 Skid is now known as Gromit
19:11 Woody is now known as Alan
19:12 <Victor>: "So..."
19:12 Victor steps off the doorstep
19:12 <Victor>: "..."
19:13 <Ookook>: "Let us go find the lab, and BURN it to the ground!"
19:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: Are you ready to travel to the town of Vaughan and seek out the rogue alchemist?
19:13 <Ookook>: Yes.
19:13 <Gromit>: Yes.
19:13 <Victor>: Really?
19:14 <Victor>: I figured we'd have a minute (at least) of "what the heck just happened?"
19:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: You can do that if you want.
19:14 <Victor>: It would seem appropriate
19:15 <Victor>: Unless I'm the only one losing his mind
19:16 <Gromit>: Might want to test out the other items.
19:16 <Ookook>: Weird things happen all the time don't they. It is not like non-human are new.
19:16 <Ookook>: There is literally a non-human in your party.
19:17 <Victor>: "weird thing" is how you describe a phase shifting building?
19:17 <Victor>: Have you encountered this concept before?
19:18 <Ookook>: That part is a little strange.
19:18 <Gromit>: ...that bit is weird.
19:19 Victor takes a lap around the not-inn
19:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you recall, the tavernkeeper in the capital that you traded information with looks very similar to the keeper of the tavern by the count's castle.
19:20 <Ookook>: Maybe, House is wrong, and there is really a bunch of innkeeper clones that run the inns.
19:21 <Ookook>: That would have advantages of insuring constancy of service across different members of the chain of inns.
19:22 <Gromit>: So you want to try disassembling an innkeeper next time we're inn?
19:22 <Victor>: To be sure about our mindset here, do we have any idea this kind of thing is a thing, or are the characters as taken off guard as the players right now?
19:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: It doesn't seem entirely impossible for the tavern to move around with the same technology as the portals you travel with, but you haven't encountered it before.
19:23 Victor continues around the building
19:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: It looks the same as the tavern, but you see no lights inside.
19:24 <Victor>: It's the same building as before from the outside?
19:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes.
19:24 <Ookook>: Maybe we should try climbing in through a window?
19:24 <Ookook>: Because there could be a portal in the door.
19:24 <Ookook>: That takes us to pocket space inn.
19:25 <Gromit>: I think this is the default building now, we won't find out more until the portal turns on again.
19:25 <Victor>: Was it the same building from the inside?
19:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: No. It was about the same size, but the window placement was wrong and it was all one room.
19:26 <Victor>: Can we see in a window?
19:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: When you look in a window you see darkness.
19:27 <Victor>: "I'd like some time to process this..."
19:28 Victor presses a hand against the wall
19:28 <Victor>: "But we're on the clock."
19:29 <Ookook>: Maybe we can think about this while we travel to the soon-to-be-burn lab.
19:30 <Ookook>: I hope it is a fireworks lab.
19:30 <Ookook>: That would be fun.
19:30 <Gromit>: I think that's the last place we blew up.
19:30 <Alan>: We have to be sure to hurry back after we burn it ;P
19:30 <Victor>: We didn't blow that
19:31 <Gromit>: But it blew.
19:31 <Victor>: Yes but be careful with your statement
19:33 <Ookook>: But if we blow up this lab we don't have to feel bad about hurting the folks who live in the city, because it is remote.
19:33 <Ookook>: and full of bad people, I assume.
19:33 <Victor>: "Let's go take a prisoner I guess."
19:34 <Victor>: How long is the journey?
19:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: If you leave now you will arrive around 4 o'clock in the evening.
19:35 <Victor>: How are we traveling?
19:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: Horseback.
19:35 <Ookook>: Not portal?
19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: There are no portals in out of the way mining towns.
19:36 <Victor>: Let's start out then
19:36 <Ookook>: I suggest we leave now.
19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright.
19:36 <Victor>: Sometime on the way
19:37 <Victor>: "Does someone want to try on these gloves? I'm hesitant to myself."
19:37 <Victor>: "Not because I'm worried they're dangerous... but I'm not sure I want to see "the evil in my soul.""
19:37 <Ookook>: I'll try!
19:37 <Ookook>: If they fit me.
19:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: They fit you well enough.
19:37 <Victor>: "I was hoping it would be you."
19:37 <Victor>: "I don't imagine you have much evil in you."
19:38 Ookook tries on the gloves.
19:38 <Ookook>: On to my hands. (Not my feet, even if they would fit there.)
19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check, Ookook.
19:39 <Ookook>: !roll d20
19:39 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 7
19:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't notice the gloves peering into your soul, but they do leave chocolate stains on everything you touch.
19:40 <Ookook>: Yummy.
19:41 <Ookook>: "Do you want to try them on now?"
19:41 <Victor>: "..."
19:41 <Victor>: "I'm not sure."
19:42 <Ookook>: "Victor, I doubt that you have any true evil in your soul either. After all you're on my team."
19:42 <Victor>: "I don't believe I do, or at least hope, but..."
19:42 <Victor>: "It's still unnerving."
19:43 <Alan>: Remind me of my gift?
19:43 <Victor>: Boots
19:43 <Alan>: What do they do?
19:44 <Victor>: You "don't drink them"
19:44 <Victor>: They "will never let you stand on coals"
19:46 Victor takes the gloves back
19:46 Alan puts on the gloves
19:46 <Victor>: Ah okay
19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Soo.. What happened there?
19:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Do you want to battle for the gloves?
19:46 <Victor>: Wait was Ookook actually leaving chocolate?
19:47 <Victor>: Or did only he see that
19:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone saw it.
19:47 <Victor>: Okay
19:47 <Ookook>: "We are never going to starve."
19:47 <Victor>: Alan puts them on
19:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alan, roll a perception check.
19:48 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized
19:48 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 15
19:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: You get the same effect as Ookook. The gloves leave smears of chocolate on anything you touch.
19:49 <Alan>: Wow. A 21 gets chocolate?
19:50 <Victor>: Could be all it does
19:50 Gromit tastes the chocolate.
19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: It tastes like chocolate with a hint of leather.
19:50 Victor takes the gloves back
19:50 <Victor>: Is there chocolate on the fingers?
19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: There doesn't seem to be chocolate on the fingers of the gloves.
19:50 Victor frowns thoughtfully and puts them back in his bag
19:50 <Victor>: "Let's do this job."
19:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Are you ready to arrive at Vaughan?
19:51 <Victor>: I am
19:52 <Ookook>: As am I.
19:52 <Gromit>: Yes.
19:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: You arrive at Vaughan. It's a small town, located near a mine. The main street looks tidy and prosperous. You can see at least five different blacksith shops lining the main street, interspersed with various other shops and buildings.
19:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a bustle on the street as people return from the mine.
19:56 <Alan>: I stop one of them and ask if they've heard any rumors about an alchemist in the area
19:57 <Victor>: I don't think it's a secret?
19:57 <Alan>: I know, but we don't know where exactly he's holed up
19:58 <Victor>: Yes we do
19:58 <Gromit>: Just going to generally tip people off that we're after him?
19:58 <Victor>: No don't ask about him
19:58 <Gromit>: How about we want to hire the services of an alchemist.
19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: "An alchemist? Are you looking for the one that's selling the purification potions?"
19:59 <Victor>: "We're looking for the shop of Robin Choku"
20:00 <Gromit>: Yeah. Let's do that.
20:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Robin.. Choku?" They look mildly confused. "If you're looking for Robin, you want to head to the old castle West of town. She lives there."
20:01 <Alan>: If he's selling stuff, it's hardly unusual
20:01 <Gromit>: "Though, purifying what, exactly?"
20:02 <Victor>: Don't say your soul
20:03 <Ookook>: "The gloves prove that our souls are already as pure as chocolate. What could be more pure that chocolate?"
20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Purifies anything poisonous. It's an amazing potion. You can pour it on the most poisonous mushroom in the world and it will taste like sunshine."
20:04 <Victor>: "Amazing!"
20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Robin started selling them a few months ago. They've been selling like crazy."
20:05 <Victor>: "I'm sure they have."
20:06 <Alan>: "I'd love to grab a couple of those before we blow the place", I whisper to Victor
20:06 Victor nods to Alan
20:06 Victor wonders if they want one for the same reasons though
20:06 <Gromit>: "And where can we get some good mushrooms?"
20:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You could try the herbalist shop."
20:09 <Alan>: Everyone ready to head to that castle?
20:10 <Gromit>: I think so.
20:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright.
20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: You head west of town, about 1/2 a mile away you reach a stone fence with an iron gate in it. A battered wooden sign hanging on the gate reads "CHOKU" Through the gate is a large grassy yard, with tall oak trees lining the fence. On the far side is an old, run down castle.
20:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a rope hanging by the gate that seems to be connected to a bell.
20:13 <Gromit>: Moat and drawbridge?
20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: No moat or drawbridge. Even in its golden age, this castle was a small fort at best.
20:15 <Alan>: So, are we going stealth, or posing as customers?
20:17 <Victor>: We need to confirm our target is here
20:18 <Alan>: So ring the bell?
20:19 <Ookook>: I agree.
20:19 <Victor>: We can't ask if he's here though, he's hiding
20:19 <Victor>: Just keep your eyes open I guess?
20:19 <Gromit>: We could ask. If they let us in we can look for clues.
20:19 <Ookook>: Let us first come in peace, before we tear the place to pieces
20:20 <Ookook>: We should check to see if this place is also an army base like our last target.
20:20 <Victor>: Oh yeah, I replaced that busted pistol when we got back to base btw
20:21 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK.
20:21 Ookook rings the bell.
20:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear a distant ringing sound across the yard.
20:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: After a few moments, the gate swings open.
20:24 <Ookook>: I look to see who the opens the gate.
20:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see anyone near the gate.
20:25 <Gromit>: Yay. Haunted.
20:26 Victor steps in
20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a path worn through the grass to the castle.
20:27 <Ookook>: It could be that the rope just opens the door as well as rings the bell.
20:37 <Ookook>: Maybe with some sort of time delay device in between.
20:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check.
20:28 <Victor>: !Roll d20
20:28 <Dicebot>: Victor: 17
20:28 <Ookook>: !roll d20
20:28 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 1
20:28 <Gromit>: !roll d20
20:28 <Dicebot>: Gromit: 14
20:28 <Alan>: !roll d20 specialized
20:28 <Dicebot>: Alan, specialized: 12
20:30 Ookook freezes with fright
20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone but Ookook spots a large white unicorn grazing in the yard.
20:31 Ookook tries to flee but stumbles and falls on to my face. My cymbals make a clattering sounds as they land.
20:31 <Victor>: Is that unusual?
20:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: Unicorns are rare, but not unheard of.
20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: It raises its head and gives you a startled look.
20:32 <Victor>: Have I seen one before?
20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.
20:32 Victor whistles softly
20:33 <Gromit>: Anyone got animal handling?
20:33 <Victor>: Shut the gate
20:34 Ookook looks at the unicorn through the telescope.
20:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a unicorn.
20:35 <Ookook>: "It is strange that a unicorn would stand to live with someone like Robin" I speak quietly as to not be heard by the unicorn.
20:36 <Victor>: Are they sentient or regular animals?
20:36 <Alan>: "Perhaps it is Robin?" I whisper
20:37 <Ookook>: "If it was Robin, then I would see a llama through the telescope, because humans are llamas in the telescope."
20:38 <Ookook>: "Unicorns are creatures of goodness."
20:38 <Ookook>: "They are smart enough to know what is good."
20:38 <Gromit>: "So it's going to eat us."
20:38 <Ookook>: "Also, this unicorn is likely the source of the purification potion."
20:39 <Victor>: The "purification potion" is snake oil
20:39 <Gromit>: Eww.
20:39 <Victor>: We already knew that
20:39 <Ookook>: Unicorn can make a poisoned food pure.
20:39 <Ookook>: If they have a unicorn it is likely real.
20:40 <Ookook>: Unicorn horns still work to purify even if they are not attached to the animal.
20:40 <Victor>: We'll see
20:40 <Victor>: I'm going by our briefing information
20:40 <Victor>: But we know how that went last time
20:41 <Ookook>: So likely Robin is going to slaughter this unicorn and use the parts in his potion.
20:41 <Victor>: Her
20:41 <Ookook>: That makes Robin a very evil man.
20:41 <Victor>: Woman
20:41 <Ookook>: I thought it was strange for a man to be called Robin.
20:41 <Gromit>: Except wouldn't Robin need to have done that already?
20:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: The unicorn is still watching you.
20:41 <Gromit>: Other properties of Unicorns: Shapeshifting. Robin may be the unicorn.
20:41 <Alan>: Can we save the unicorn?
20:42 <Victor>: We don't know it needs saving - we just got here
20:42 <Victor>: We can't go stealing people's pets
20:43 <Ookook>: Unicorns are pure good.
20:43 <Ookook>: It would never be here if it was willing.
20:43 <Ookook>: Because this is a bad place.
20:43 <Victor>: We don't know that
20:43 <Gromit>: That's making some serious aligment assumptions.
20:44 <Ookook>: Alright, Unicorns are pure good is the same way that explosions are pure good.
20:44 <Ookook>: They are good, but still might hurt you in some cases.
20:44 Victor moves forward
20:44 <Tikvah_GMing>: Towards the castle, or the unicorn?
20:44 <Victor>: Down the path
20:45 Ookook looks from afar to see if the unicorn looks sad.
20:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see some toys strewn in the grass beside the path. As you near the house, you hear children's laughter coming through an open window.
20:46 Victor stops
20:46 <Victor>: "This complicates things" frustratedly to Gromit
20:46 <Ookook>: Robin must be capturing children and putting them in her potions.
20:47 <Ookook>: Though that sounds more like the recipe for poison than a cure.
20:47 <Gromit>: Well, let's buy some and test it out.
20:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ookook, roll a read person check to see if the unicorn is sad.
20:48 <Ookook>: !roll d20
20:48 <Dicebot>: Ookook: 10
20:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: You can't really tell if it's sad. You aren't very good at reading unicorn expressions.
20:48 Ookook looks at the children through the telescope.
20:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: You cannot see any children. You only hear them.
20:48 Ookook puts the telescope to my ear to see if I hear llama sounds.
20:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: You do not hear llama sounds.
20:49 <Victor>: I meant complicates the capturing this guy part
20:49 <Victor>: Can't just break into a brawl around a bunch of children
20:49 <Gromit>: Can't break children with a unicorn watching.
20:51 <Ookook>: With my heart of chocolate, I can never break children.
20:51 <Ookook>: (unless it was with a very big explosion.)
20:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: The door at the end of the path is closed. It's made of wood, and appears fairly new.
20:51 Gromit knocks very politely.
20:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear some muffled footsteps approaching.
20:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: The door opens and you see a rather short woman with greying hair. She is wiping something that appears to be flour off of her apron.
20:54 <Alan>: "Robin?"
20:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: "That's me."
20:54 <Alan>: "We've heard amazing things about your... shall we say products? We're very interested."
20:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Did you want to buy a potion?"
20:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Or are you looking to adopt a child?"
20:57 <Alan>: "You make children too? That's amazing!"
20:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: "What? I have no idea what you're talking about."
20:58 <Gromit>: "I think we're after a potion. I don't trust the monkey's parenting skills."
20:58 <Ookook>: "I do not trust my parenting skills either."
20:59 <Ookook>: "The last time I was put in charge of taking care of a child, the child took my job as court musician."
20:59 <Alan>: "Yes, we're something of a mercenary band. We're looking for some defensive magic."
21:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Of course. Right this way." She leads you through the entryway that's strewn with shoes of various sizes into a side room. It's mostly empty, save for a large cabinet against the wall and a large set of shelves filled with uniform glass bottles.
21:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: They appear to be filled with an almost clear substance that reflects rainbows when it comes into contact with light.
21:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: She doesn't reply to your statements, but does look mildly alarmed.
21:03 <Gromit>: "You must get a lot of business if this stuff is as good as everyone says it is."
21:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: "We've been doing well now that word is starting to get around."
21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: She takes down a bottle. "15 silver coins per potion."
21:05 Gromit looks around.
21:05 <Victor>: Does that seem cheap for what it is?
21:06 <Gromit>: For a purify-all? Yeah.
21:07 <Alan>: "May I ask how you can afford to price this stuff so low?"
21:07 <Ookook>: I don't think it is that low.
21:07 <Ookook>: I only have 10 silver coins.
21:07 <Ookook>:
21:08 <Ookook>: [my inventory only has 10 silver coins in it.]
21:08 <Victor>: You should have more. We'll work it out later
21:08 <Gromit>: We could split the cost.
21:08 <Alan>: "I'm an aspiring alchemist myself, and from what I understand, this should be quite expensive to manufacture"
21:08 <Ookook>: "Not if the unicorn can just bless the water, making a purify-all"
21:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Well, most of the townsfolk started out buying it as a favour, so I didn't want to charge so much. I can't bear to raise the price now."
21:09 <Alan>: "Still, you must be a master alchemist to create this"
21:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Oh, no. It's all thanks to Wikolia." Before she can continue the door opens and about 8 children between the ages of 4 and 5 burst in and run to Robin, spear-headed by a child yelling that "Dennis melted my new doll! I'm going to melt his face!"" Robin gives you an embarrassed look and tries to hush the children.
21:11 <Alan>: "Wikolia?"
21:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I'm sure you saw her as you came in. She's a unicorn."
21:11 <Gromit>: "Woah."
21:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I don't know why she decided to help us. It was the children that convinced her."
21:12 <Gromit>: "I'll chip in 5 silver. Anyone else?"
21:12 <Ookook>: "I'll chip in 5 silver as well."
21:12 <Victor>: We only have to do 3 each
21:13 <Ookook>: [Can we spend Greystone's money without him being here?]
21:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: [No.]
21:14 <Victor>: He is here
21:15 <Ookook>: [Greystone's player is not here. So Greystone is in stand by mode.]
21:16 <Victor>: [Yes. But he is here in-world.]
21:16 <Tikvah_GMing>: [You still can't spend his money.]
21:17 <Victor>: [Of course not, but when he's back if he agreed to split it it would retcon to 3 each in the story]
21:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: [Sounds fair.]
21:17 <Ookook>: If each of us 4 pay 4 each then that is 6 silver, and we can get back the extra is change.
21:17 <Alan>: (I thought you guys said this stuff was snake oil?)
21:18 <Gromit>: (Sure, but we want to test it. No point in kidnapping if the target is a fraud.)
21:19 <Victor>: (Other than it giving us another strike with the boss you mean?)
21:19 <Alan>: Alright, I'll chip in
21:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: (You do remember that Robin is not the target, right?)
21:19 <Victor>: Yes
21:19 <Ookook>: (I didn't)
21:20 <Victor>: >_>
21:20 <Victor>: You were going to attack an orphanage operator?
21:20 <Ookook>: No.
21:20 <Ookook>: Because I not going to attack a unicorn.
21:21 <Ookook>: Because unicorn are on the side of good.
21:21 <Gromit>: And they're extra-lethal horses?
21:21 <Victor>: "Of course we noticed such a majestic creature. How did you come to acquire it?"
21:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Acquire it? I just told you that the children convinced her to help."
21:22 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If you don't believe me, ask her yourself."
21:23 <Victor>: I asked about that earlier...
21:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: [Sorry, I missed your question among all the other stuff going on.]
21:25 <Victor>: "I'm sorry, we need to go tend to something. I'm sure we'll be back."
21:25 Victor gives Gromit however much left to get one potion
21:26 <Gromit>: "Anywaaaay. Let's do business."
21:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin shoos the children out of the room.
21:28 Ookook gives Gomit my share of the price.
21:29 Alan does the same
21:29 Victor stands by the doorway
21:31 Gromit trades for the potion.
21:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: She hands you the potion and puts the money into a jar in the cabinet. "Pleasure doing business with you."
21:33 <Ookook>: (Shall we go test the potion?)
21:33 Victor opens the door
21:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: You hear a loud boom coming from outside, followed by children screaming.
21:34 <Gromit>: "That's our cue, I suppose."
21:34 Ookook smiles
21:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin rushes out towards the yard.
21:35 Gromit follows.
21:35 <Victor>: What is in my immediate sight from the doorway?
21:36 <Victor>: Doing a quick visual sweep
21:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: You see a bunch of excited children looking upwards.
21:36 Ookook looks at the children with the telescope.
21:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: Clinging to the wall about 20 feet up is a young child, screaming unintelligibly at the crowd of children below. One of them looks particularly angry, and is yelling as well. The other children have stopped screaming and are watching in curiosity.
21:38 Victor quickly steps backward, back inside
21:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin sighs, and goes to disperse the crowd of children.
21:38 <Gromit>: "So these kids are... special?"
21:39 <Ookook>: "It appears that they can cause explosions."
21:39 <Ookook>: "Which means they are the superior kind of child in my book. I hope none of them are hurt."
21:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Sam, go get Justin." She tells on of the kids, who scurries off.
21:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "They are special."
21:39 <Victor>: Are there stairs anywhere?
21:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not anywhere near where the child in clinging.
21:40 <Victor>: I'm inside
21:40 <Tikvah_GMing>: Not that you can see.
21:40 <Ookook>: "Do you want me to help the child out of the tree?"
21:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: The child is on a wall, and doesn't seem to need help.
21:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: She is not using her hands to hang on at all.
21:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: "All of them have ended up with kismets, one way or another. This can make them.. difficult to take care of, so they end up here."
21:42 Victor looks into whatever the closest room is
21:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: You find a kitchen.
21:42 <Victor>: Stairs?
21:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: Nope.
21:43 <Gromit>: Cruuuud.
21:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: Some children who look very startled to see a strange man looking into the kitchen.
21:44 <Gromit>: Is he bald and in a wheelchair?
21:44 <Victor>: She means me
21:45 Victor returns to the doorway to the outside
21:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: After a few minutes, Sam comes back leading a child of about 10, with flaming orange hair.
21:45 <Victor>: Literally?
21:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: No. Just an expression.
21:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin looks relieved. "Justin, can you get Anja down again?"
21:47 Victor clears his throat at Gromit
21:47 Gromit pulls Victor off to the side.
21:47 <Victor>: "We need to go."
21:47 <Gromit>: "Oh, really."
21:47 Victor nods at the redhead expectantly
21:48 <Victor>: As in indicates to him, for Gromit
21:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: Justin sighs. "Again?" He lifts a hand towards the child and concentrates. She looks startled as she floats away from the wall and down to the ground.
21:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: The rest of the children disperse to find a new form of entertainment.
21:49 Victor curses under his breath
21:49 <Gromit>: "Yeah, I gathered that."
21:49 <Alan>: "Psssst. Justin"
21:49 <Alan>: To the others
21:49 <Gromit>: "So, time to look for a new job?"
21:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: [Can we break soon? it is getting late.]
21:50 <Victor>: I want to as soon as we get away from the house
21:51 <Tikvah_GMing>: Justin goes back into the house.
21:52 Victor motions for the group to gather and starts across the yard
21:53 <Victor>: Are you gathering?
21:53 <Gromit>: Yes.
21:53 Victor leads everyone briskly away from the house, stopping outside the gate
21:53 Victor curses over his breath
21:53 <Victor>: "We have a problem."
21:54 <Victor>: *To Be Continued*
21:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone gets 1 XP.
21:54 Tikvah_GMing is now known as Tikvah
21:55 Ookook quit
21:55 <Gromit>: We're supposed to kidnap a kid from a unicorn-guarded orphanage, that won't even burn properly because it's a castle.
21:55 Gromit is now known as Skid
21:56 <Tikvah>: Well, there are some good wooden beams in there.
21:56 <Victor>: Unless there's some twist to this, Victor's done after this mission
21:56 <Victor>: Not even because of the kid, he was fed up before that reveal
21:56 <Skid>: After?
21:57 <Victor>: After whatever its conclusion is
21:57 <Victor>: Not necessarily after completing it
21:57 <Skid>: So that's two votes for going rogue.
21:58 <Victor>: We'll discuss to start next week
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Tikvah
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Post by Tikvah »

Due to a lack of players tonight's session has been cancelled. We will try again next week.
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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

The nonhypothetical scheming that took the place of last week's session.
18:02 <Skid>: I think most of us need to die on this mission.
18:06 <Skid>: And by most of us, I mean at least Victor and the mission target.
18:07 <Tikvah>: Oookay.
18:08 <Skid>: I'm specialized in forensics. Making it look like people died is something I should be fairly good at.
18:08 <bookworm>: What do you have against me?
18:09 <Skid>: That you have the most powerful mobility kismet. So if you're dead, The Count won't expect it when you use the teleport beacons we place to rob him blind.
18:10 <bookworm>: Ah, you mean 'die'
18:11 <bookworm>: While we're waiting, question Tikvah:
18:11 <bookworm>: I probably checked on this clarification before, but don't remember
18:12 <bookworm>: Marking "an item" for teleportation
18:13 <bookworm>: Does that mean I can't touch the ground and go to that spot?
18:13 <bookworm>: How strict is the terminology
18:13 <Tikvah>: It has to be a solid object.
18:13 <Skid>: I'd assume all you'd need to do is leave a rock there or something if you couldn't mark some dirt.
18:14 <bookworm>: A brick wall?
18:17 <Tikvah>: The whole wall or just one brick?
18:17 <bookworm>: Either. A house is an object? Compared to the ground
18:20 <Tikvah>: But it's too big to tell for sure where you would land.
18:21 <Skid>: Carry a pack of "I'll be back." stickers.
18:21 <bookworm>: Well that was my follow-up
18:21 <bookworm>: I assumed I would go to the touched spot, not actually 'the touched thing' in the event it's something big like that
18:22 <Skid>: Not hard to work around.
18:25 <Tikvah>: Technically you could mark a stone in the house's wall or something, so yeah, you could mark a house, sort of.
18:25 <Tikvah>: It would still take a turn.
18:27 <bookworm>: So the reason I can't just touch the ground is because I would be trying to mark the globe
18:27 <bookworm>: That makes sense I just didn't grasp the distinction before
18:27 <bookworm>: But like Skid said I could just drop a rock
18:27 <Tikvah>: Yes, you could.
18:46 <Skid>: The only thing I wish is that we could get our hands on a reasonably powerful weapon or artifact that would end up in The Count's vaults of good stuff.
18:47 <Tikvah>: But then you still wouldn't have it.
18:47 <Tikvah>: The Count would.
18:47 <Moontide>: But then bookworm could teleport to the good stuff vault.
18:47 <Moontide>: And teleport back out with all the goodies.
18:48 <Tikvah>: There are reasons why that wouldn't work, but I won't tell you.
18:51 <Skid>: Guess we'll have to settle for the lab.
18:52 <Skid>: Or we could all die in this mission and go find other jobs.
18:53 <bookworm>: I already said I'd go back to my own practice
18:53 <bookworm>: It's not low profile though, if we're supposed to go into witness protection
18:54 <Skid>: I guess we need to make sure nobody is following us around.
18:55 <Skid>: Find bigger, better people who aren't evil and give out jobs?
18:56 <Moontide>: Maybe House gives out jobs.
18:56 <Moontide>: He is clearly a powerful being since he had all those artifacts.
18:56 <Skid>: They're not terribly powerful artifacts.
18:57 <bookworm>: Depends on how you define powerful
18:57 <bookworm>: The word you might want is useful
18:57 <Skid>: They don't seem to leave craters.
18:57 <Moontide>: We have only tested two of the items.
18:57 <bookworm>: Conjuring chocolate from the ether is pretty powerful in my book
18:57 <bookworm>: Creation of matter from nothing
18:58 <Tikvah>: Maybe it's simply stealing the matter from somewhere else.
18:58 <bookworm>: That would still be very impressive
18:59 <Skid>: Eh, portals are common civilian transportation.
19:00 <bookworm>: Being common doesn't make them not major powers
19:00 <bookworm>: Teleportation is serious stuff
19:00 <Moontide>: We could start a travelling sideshow where we show off all of these artifacts.
19:00 <bookworm>: Victor isn't a performing type
19:00 <bookworm>: I like that you're thinking of all options though
19:01 <Skid>: Anywaaay. We need to do something about the unicorn tribe that either sufficiently impresses the count or gets us safely out of his reach.
19:02 <Skid>: And preferably gets Justin out of his clutches as well, since anything that hurts his grand plans probably helps us in the long run.
19:02 <Moontide>: We could adopt Justin
19:02 <Moontide>: That would keep him "safe" with us.
19:03 <bookworm>: You're assuming they know he's a kid then?
19:04 <Skid>: I'm not sure how they'd find out about him otherwise.
19:04 <bookworm>: They could be flat out lying to us again, but they could have just been acting on incomplete information
19:04 <Skid>: Even if he's an evil gnome instead, he might be a better boss than the kind of intel we've been getting since.
19:05 <Moontide>: Maybe we should have Justin wear the gloves to see his soul is good.
19:05 <bookworm>: I was literally just thinking that
19:06 <Moontide>: I should try looking at him through the telescope to be sure that he is human.
19:06 <bookworm>: But they said "We know he is short"
19:06 <bookworm>: Not he's a kid
19:07 <bookworm>: And
19:07 <bookworm>: "He is hiding in the residence of Robin"
19:07 <bookworm>: Not he's living there because it's his home
19:08 <Skid>: Which would have to be being intentionally vague.
19:08 <bookworm>: It sounds more like incompetent intel to me
19:09 <Skid>: How would that be incomplete? What spy is going to miss that the place is a special orphanage complete with unicorn?
19:09 <bookworm>: It's a bizarre thing to be vague about for intent of getting us to do it without realizing what it is
19:09 <bookworm>: We're going to realize as soon as we're here
19:10 <bookworm>: If they wanted to mislead us why not outright lie
19:10 <Skid>: Good question.
19:10 <Skid>: Unless they're checking to see if we'll blindly obey orders.
19:11 <bookworm>: I suspect they may be operating on third party information
19:11 <bookworm>: Given to *them* intentionally inaccurate
19:11 <bookworm>: They could be the ones being played
19:12 <Skid>: Could be.
19:12 <Skid>: Guess we should meet Justin. And test our unicorn juice.
19:12 <bookworm>: We will do both of those for sure
19:13 <bookworm>: After an in-character conference
19:13 <bookworm>: We should speak with the unicorn herself also
19:14 <Skid>: Right. Are we starting the session soon?
19:14 <bookworm>: We should wait for the others maybe
19:14 <bookworm>: This is important information/decisions
19:15 <Skid>: But it's already late-for-late to start.
19:15 <bookworm>: Right, I meant wait another night
19:15 <Tikvah>: Missing almost half the people.
19:17 <bookworm>: I think we need them here, this is very story centric stuff
19:18 <Skid>: Yeah, maybe just call it this week. Going rogue is a big decision.
19:19 <bookworm>: Well we wouldn't actually act on that already this week
19:19 <bookworm>: We need to gather info to make the decision
19:19 <bookworm>: But they should be a part of that
19:19 <Tikvah>: OK, if you guys are alright with that, then we will postpone till next week.
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Arkán Dreamwalker
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Post by Arkán Dreamwalker »

Tikvah_GMing: If you recall, the tavernkeeper in the capital that you traded information with looks very similar to the keeper of the tavern by the count's castle.
OH. I thought you just slipped up and used the same NPC description twice.

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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

Title TBD, Part 2
19:03 <bookworm>: Did you catch up Arkan?
19:04 <Arkan>: Yes, indeed I did, fair comrade.
19:04 <bookworm>: Good
19:05 <Arkan>: It seemed that Greystone would not have been likely to say anything much in the circumstances mentioned, so I am grateful that my absence did not seem hinderious to the plot.
19:06 <Arkan>: So, I have outlined the situation as follows.
19:07 <Arkan>: A. The Keep's information is faulty.
19:07 <Arkan>: B. The Keep found out that a Justin Crendall was responsible for various monster incidents around the country and sent us to apprehend him and destroy his means to create more havoc.
19:07 <Arkan>: C. The Keep's information is correct: Crendall is a skilled fighter and caused said incidents, the medicine is quack, and the unicorn is deceived or evil.
19:07 <Arkan>: D. Drindall, or others working under him, have ill-intent toward the aforementioned persons for some reason.
19:07 <Arkan>: E. This could be some kind of test. Such an idea would be very unlikely, as why would a count bother with such tests of retainers, but if Drindall is working against the Mitan Empire, for Drostan, without consent from the royalty, then he would need some very reliable people of I. good skills II. good morals III. and IV. trustworthiness/loyalty.
19:08 <Arkan>: Our missions have seemed to be covering these in order, if we believe that this mission represents the test of morals.
19:08 <Skid>: F. It's a test, but to test that we have good skills, follow orders, and have no morals, or at least ask no questions.
19:09 <Arkan>: There are also various combinations with Drindall's people deceiving him as a variable.
19:09 <bookworm>: I don't think it's a test; but if it is how do you pass?
19:09 <bookworm>: Follow orders no matter what comes up
19:09 <bookworm>: Or realize there's a problem and abort the mission
19:09 <Arkan>: E or F, bookworm is asking.
19:10 <Arkan>: If it is one of the aforementioned of course.
19:17 <Arkan>: Also, from what Robin said, word of the purported cleansing potion, while having started to spread, is largely known only to the locals.
19:17 <Arkan>: How did the fact not only reach Drindall('s people), (A thing not in and of itself remarkable, as an official is going to have a very active news/spy network within his realm, he would be foolish not to) but reach him(/them) in the form of "This thing is snake oil."
19:18 <Arkan>: It is a peculiar discrepancy. While there may be people who either know or believe that the concoction is fake, they certainly seem to be in the minority.
19:18 <Skid>: I'm not eager to throw down with a Unicorn.
19:20 <Arkan>: Neither am I, especially as the monkey seems very convinced of the Chaotic Good affiliation of unicorns.
19:22 <Arkan>: It certainly seems unlikely for such a rare creature to be involved in a "Music Man" operation.
19:22 <bookworm>: Who is afraid of unicorns?
19:22 <bookworm>: I can't find it
19:22 <Arkan>: Find what?
19:23 <Skid>: People tend not to be afraid of unicorns because they are good creatures, but they are large horses who tend to have a pointy thing on front and possess magical powers.
19:25 <Arkan>: Unicorns vary with mythology, but the ones I am most familiar with are creatures of great magic, very rare, very elusive, wild, and powerful, and most assuredly something to be respectful of.
19:26 <Skid>: I fear unicorns because the ones featured in Dwarf Fortress were bloodthirsty killers.
19:26 <bookworm>: Someone's bio said they are afraid of unicorns
19:26 <bookworm>: I thought it was Ookook but don't see it now
19:27 <Arkan>: I do seem to recall that now that you mention it, but I cannot find it either.
19:27 <Arkan>: But judging from Ookook's actions regarding the unicorn last session, I think we can safely say it was him.
19:30 <Skid>: And we do have to look at the possibility of this becoming a fight with actual children if everything goes wrong.
19:33 Tikvah joined #Gowers
19:33 <Tikvah>: REALLY sorry guys.
19:33 <Tikvah>: I was trying to make in in time.
19:34 <Tikvah>: But that obviously failed.
19:36 <bookworm>: Is Moontide coming?
19:37 <Tikvah>: I don't know.
19:37 <bookworm>: We could just talk for a little tonight
19:37 <Skid>: And test out our potion.
19:37 <Skid>: Get me some poison mushrooms.
19:38 <bookworm>: Arkan did Greystone put 2 in for the potion?
19:39 <bookworm>: Or 3
19:39 <bookworm>: Whatever it is
19:41 <Tikvah>: The potion costs 15 silver.
19:42 <Skid>: ...I feel like we aren't making enough money at this job.
19:42 <bookworm>: We've only been paid once
19:42 <bookworm>: We just got here
19:44 <Arkan>: I don't think Greystone wanted any part of the potions.
19:47 bookworm is now known as Victor
19:47 Skid is now known as Gromit
19:48 Arkan is now known as Greystone
19:48 Tikvah is now known as Tikvah_GMing
19:48 <Victor>: Picking up outside the gate:
19:48 <Victor>: "We're being played all over again aren't we?!"
19:48 <Victor>: "The "quack salesman" is a woman selling a legitimate potion."
19:48 <Victor>: "There was no mention that the place we're supposed to immolate is full of children."
19:49 <Victor>: "And oh yeah- we weren't informed that our target was ONE of those children!"
19:49 <Gromit>: "We're not sure it's legit yet. Get me some poisoned mushrooms and I'll give it a go."
19:49 <Victor>: "I'm holding onto slight suspicion, or maybe it's just desperate hope, that the kid could be a disguise, but I'm not anticipating it. This looks bad."
19:49 <Victor>: "I assume we're in agreement to abandon the kidnapping portion of our charge?"
19:49 Greystone pulls out his sword and rests the tip on the ground, his hands resting on the pommel. His usual thinking position.
19:51 <Gromit>: "Well, if we don't kidnap him, assuming he's actually a valuable target, The Count will just send someone else."
19:51 <Victor>: "The child, if he truly is one, is clearly not a villainous alchemist setting his creations to destroy villages. That was our reason for apprehending him. If we find the suspicion is unfounded we have cause to change the plan."
19:51 <Victor>: "The Count surely doesn't want it to become known he ordered abduction of children. We will be thanked for abandoning the mission and revealing the mistake."
19:51 <Victor>: "And if we somehow are reprimanded after explaining ourselves and they *had* still wanted us to go through with it clearly it's not a business we want to be associated with anyway. They fire us moments before we would have quit; no loss."
19:51 <Victor>: "So either way, whether this mission was assigned in error or in earnest, the right play is to back away."
19:51 <Gromit>: "Ehh..."
19:52 <Gromit>: "You know that bit where the guard at the pub mentioned that mercenaries who get on the Count's bad side tend to... disappear?"
19:52 <Victor>: "I can make myself disappear."
19:52 <Greystone>: "No."
19:55 <Greystone>: I only recall that the alchemist did some things to guards... or something.
19:56 Greystone actually speaks up. "I would like to put in that we were ordered to destroy his laboratory, not his residence."
19:56 <Victor>: "It would appear they are one in the same."
19:57 <Victor>: "If we're taking the instructions as genuine."
19:57 <Victor>: "But I'm leaning toward the idea they didn't know what they were really sending us into."
19:57 <Victor>: "Too much is off."
19:59 <Greystone>: "A laboratory is a room. A residence is an entire structure." Greystone responds irritably.
20:00 <Victor>: When they're connected, burning one is as good as the other
20:00 <Gromit>: "So we go back, say it was an honest mistake, they throw us in jail and then send the elites down to turn this place into a smoking crater."
20:00 <Victor>: "Only if they really did want us to do this."
20:01 <Victor>: "If we decide we really think that we'll obviously adjust our reaction."
20:02 <Victor>: "Everything depends on what we can figure out is actually going on."
20:02 <Victor>: "We need to meet the boy."
20:03 <Gromit>: "Fair point."
20:03 <Gromit>: "Do we tell them what we were ordered, if it looks like the situation there is genuine?"
20:04 <Victor>: "Probably."
20:04 <Victor>: "If we determine the orders are genuine but the target isn't."
20:04 Greystone makes an irritated grunt. "The structure is largely stone. It would be easy to only flame one room. In my-" Greystone breaks off. "In my experience it is not an uncommon practice even to torch a single room to purify from plague."
20:05 <Greystone>: "And also, the laboratory might be a separate structure on the property."
20:05 <Gromit>: "Or hidden away somewhere. That place might have an extensive dungeon."
20:05 <Victor>: "Are any of us able to detect magical disguises?"
20:06 <Gromit>: "Most disguises don't include a flavour component."
20:06 <Greystone>: "Quite so."
20:07 <Victor>: "Is active illusion something you could dissolve?" to Ookook
20:08 <Victor>: "I'm not sure the range of abilities you can hinder"
20:09 <Gromit>: He could probably hinder it, but it wouldn't dissolve.
20:09 <Victor>: Make it flicker?
20:10 <Gromit>: Yeah, make it easier to detect, or us better at detecting.
20:12 <Victor>: "Then we do that, and ask him about himself. Feel him out."
20:12 <Victor>: "It's a start."
20:13 <Victor>: "And... have him try on the gloves."
20:13 <Gromit>: "This is a weird list of things to talk him into."
20:13 <Gromit>: "Maybe just kidnapping him and putting him back later would be easier."
20:14 Victor shrugs
20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: Or you could "adopt" him.
20:14 <Tikvah_GMing>: But don't listen to my suggestions.
20:15 <Greystone>: GOOD LORD.
20:15 <Greystone>: We are errant adventures currently in a job of fighting monsters and such. We are in no position to adopt a child.
20:16 <Gromit>: "Anyway. Easy thing to do: Find mushrooms, see if I get poisoned."
20:16 Greystone turns to Ookook. "Could you find us some poison mushrooms, or other appropriate edible but poisonous substance?"
20:16 <Victor>: "If the potion is real do we want to waste it on that?"
20:16 <Victor>: "I'm pretty convinced it works without testing"
20:17 <Gromit>: "We don't need to use all of it."
20:17 <Greystone>: Do we have to use more than a little?
20:17 <Victor>: "It's made by a real unicorn. And if it is just garbage they wouldn't keep selling."
20:18 <Gromit>: "Well, if you're sure on that point."
20:18 <Greystone>: "Supposedly made."
20:18 <Victor>: "The unicorn isn't supposed, I doubt its contribution is."
20:19 <Victor>: "But we'll ask it."
20:20 <Gromit>: "And it turns out the unicorn has had the evil plot all along."
20:20 <Victor>: "Then at least we have answers finally."
20:21 <Victor>: "Which do you think we should speak with first?"
20:22 <Victor>: "We should also cross examine Robin, for information on Justin specifically"
20:23 <Victor>: "How long he's been here and such"
20:23 <Gromit>: "Robin, then the kid, then the unicorn if something still hasn't gone horribly wrong."
20:23 Greystone puts his sword away and removes his Persona Viridis from of his blackpack.
20:24 <Greystone>: I examine the mask closely for any markings or details.
20:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for perception
20:25 <Greystone>: !roll d20 perception
20:25 <Dicebot>: Greystone, perception: 2
20:25 <Greystone>: -_-
20:26 <Victor>: First one for you
20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: Well, you don't see any details.
20:26 <Greystone>: "I think we should speak with the unicorn first." Says Greystone, not looking up from his scrutinizing.
20:26 <Tikvah_GMing>: And you lose one of your extra recovery rolls for today.
20:26 <Greystone>: ...
20:26 <Greystone>: I keep ooking.
20:26 <Greystone>: *looking
20:27 <Greystone>: Ooking is Ookook's job.
20:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't notice anything.
20:27 <Greystone>: Well, I won't roll again then.
20:28 <Victor>: You already did
20:28 <Victor>: You can't just keep trying :p
20:28 <Greystone>: As long as you haven't died, it seems that one is entitled to risk 1s & 2s in the search for information.
20:28 <Gromit>: "Try licking it?"
20:29 <Victor>: Read person
20:29 <Victor>: While stifling a chuckle
20:29 <Victor>: !Roll d20
20:29 <Dicebot>: Victor: 20
20:29 <Victor>: Were you being serious?
20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, what are you trying to do?
20:30 <Gromit>: Licking it, it appears.
20:30 <Victor>: See if Gromit was joking
20:30 <Gromit>: Do I look like someone who doesn't put things in his mouth in the name of investigation?
20:31 <Victor>: But you know, I assume, it isn't something the rest of us should do
20:31 <Victor>: Or did you do that even without your kismet
20:32 Gromit licks the mask for pertinent details.
20:32 Greystone gives Gromit {this look [http://listofnow.com/wp-content/uploads ... sawyer.gif]}, and then silently holds out the mask toward him.
20:32 <Victor>: You have to answer me
20:32 <Victor>: I got a critical
20:32 <Gromit>: I was being absolutely serious.
20:32 <Victor>: That *he* should lick it?
20:33 <Gromit>: Sure. What's the worst that could happen?
20:33 <Victor>: Noted
20:33 <Gromit>: I mean, besides the obvious.
20:33 <Victor>: I wasn't thinking about what bad it would do, but what good you thought it would do
20:33 <Victor>: Do you not realize everyone doesn't perceive through taste like you do?
20:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll for it, Gromit.
20:33 <Gromit>: !roll d20 1 effort
20:33 <Dicebot>: Gromit, 1 effort: 16
20:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: It tastes like silver, with a hint of muskiness that reminds you of House's warehouse. Under that you notice a hint of... dirt. Clay specifically.
20:35 <Gromit>: Lovely.
20:35 <Tikvah_GMing>: Pretty high quality clay too.
20:36 <Gromit>: "Tastes like fine china."
20:36 Greystone retracts his arm. "Hrm."
20:36 Greystone stares at the mask.
20:37 Greystone sighs.
20:37 <Greystone>: "Eh."
20:37 <Greystone>: I put on the Persona Viridis.
20:37 <Tikvah_GMing>: There seem to be no affects.
20:38 <Victor>: You have to say something
20:38 <Greystone>: Yes I know. One step at a time.
20:38 Greystone looks up at Victor. "Talk to me."
20:38 Victor looks at Greystone
20:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: Nothing has happened yet.
20:39 <Greystone>: Well, if he wasn't looking at me when I said that, I will say another thing.
20:39 <Gromit>: "Hello, Greystone."
20:40 <Victor>: I was looking at you already, I meant I watched you for a GM cue, before acting
20:40 <Victor>: "It looks good."
20:41 <Greystone>: "'Tis his own blame; hath put himself from Rest; and must needs taste his folly."
20:41 Woody joined #Gowers
20:41 <Woody>: Sorry, I am too forgetful
20:41 Woody is now known as Alan
20:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: Greystone, the mask flickers, and seems to spread. You face now looks exactly like Victor's
20:41 <Victor>: How does he know that?
20:41 <Victor>: You mean we see that
20:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes, but he would see the flickering and spreading.
20:42 <Victor>: Does his voice change?
20:42 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.
20:42 <Victor>: "That's some gift."
20:43 Greystone does not move, but his hand twitches.
20:43 <Gromit>: "Welp."
20:43 <Greystone>: "Well?"
20:44 <Victor>: "It does what you likely expected."
20:44 <Victor>: "The first item to do so."
20:44 <Greystone>: "Forsooth."
20:45 Greystone rises. "Hm. No vocal alteration?"
20:45 <Victor>: "... Does it come off?"
20:45 Victor tenses slightly
20:46 Greystone reaches up and feels his... mask-covered face.
20:46 <Victor>: Are there still edges?
20:46 <Victor>: We may have a trap one after all
20:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: Yes. You can't really see them, but you can feel them.
20:48 <Greystone>: What does it feel like?
20:48 <Tikvah_GMing>: Similar to a real face, but there is a strange glossiness to it.
20:48 <Greystone>: I see.
20:49 <Greystone>: I remove the Persona Viridis.
20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: The mask flickers, and returns to its original shape.
20:50 <Victor>: Does he still have his eyes?
20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: Greystone appears to be intact.
20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: There are no facial features missing.
20:50 Victor relaxes
20:52 Greystone turns to Gromit. "You say something now."
20:52 Greystone puts the mask back on.
20:52 <Gromit>: "Greeting, oh hideous creature."
20:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: The mask flickers, and takes on the appearance of Gromit's face.
20:53 <Gromit>: "No, that's worse. Go back."
20:53 <Victor>: "Talk to the monkey!"
20:54 <Greystone>: Turns to Alan instead.
20:58 <Victor>: We need to see if Greystone turns into a monkey sized monkey or a human sized monkey or a human with a monkey face
20:58 Alan quit
20:59 <Greystone>: Drat it all. Victor, you say something.
21:00 <Victor>: "I agree, it was better before."
21:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: Nothing changes.
21:01 <Victor>: :o
21:01 <Victor>: No way
21:01 <Victor>: It's actually useful?
21:01 Greystone removes the mask. "It would seem that the mask needs to be removed before it can mimic another face."
21:02 <Greystone>: "It would also seem that this item activates when the other person speaks to me, rather than the other way around. House's words were slightly misleading."
21:03 <Gromit>: Huh.
21:04 <Greystone>: "I put this item back on, and then Gromit here made his hideous remark without me saying ought, so it would seem I but need to be spoken to to activate it."
21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: * Greystone turns to Gromit. "You say something now."
21:05 <Tikvah_GMing>: ???
21:06 <Greystone>: 1. Greystone turns to Gromit. "You say something now."
21:06 <Greystone>: 2. <Greystone>: Puts the mask back on.
21:06 <Tikvah_GMing>: Drat. Ignore that, it was my mistake. I read them in the wrong order.
21:06 <Greystone>: It was a very careful test.
21:08 <Greystone>: I feel very pleased with these stats, and I think I am going to hold you to them, mistake or otherwise. Anything which works without my character speaking suits me down to the ground.
21:09 <Gromit>: Eh, doesn't make a ton of difference.
21:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: I admitted my mistake, I will not rewrite the world for your convenience.
21:10 <Victor>: What part was the mistake?
21:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: Here, just have the item description.
21:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: A smooth, silver opera mask. When you put it on and start a conversation with somebody, the mask takes on the appearance of that person's face. (if you address another person, they must reply for it to count a a conversation and vice-versa.) The mask must be taken off to reset it.
21:11 <Tikvah_GMing>: There.
21:11 <Victor>: Right
21:11 <Victor>: That's what happened?
21:11 <Victor>: Where was the mistake?
21:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: Greystone put on the mask AFTER talking to Gromit. I thought it was before.
21:12 <Victor>: OH
21:12 <Victor>: Got it got it
21:12 <Gromit>: Anyway, still very useful.
21:12 <Gromit>: We might not have to kidnap the right guy at all.
21:12 <Greystone>: Taking advantage of the mistakes of the GM is a time-honored tradition
21:12 <Greystone>: BUT, I suppose we can let her go.
21:13 <Gromit>: You don't want the GM to take advantage of you in return.
21:13 <Greystone>: But that is time-honored tradition also.
21:13 <Tikvah_GMing>: I have the power to drop you in a pit of lava.
21:14 <Greystone>: Well of course you do, that's why it is traditional for the players to take all the rope they can, because they have their limitations and the GM doesn't.
21:15 <Greystone>: But it is all in good fun of course.
21:15 <Tikvah_GMing>: In any case, I have to go to bed.
21:15 <Victor>: Talk to Ookook now
21:15 Greystone proffers the mask to Ookook. "Let's see this on you."
21:16 <Victor>: No
21:16 <Victor>: >_>
21:16 <Gromit>: No?
21:16 <Victor>: "We need to see if Greystone turns into a monkey sized monkey or a human sized monkey or a human with a monkey face"
21:16 <Greystone>: [I am NOT making myself a monkey face. If we consider testing it on Ookook insufficient, then you can try it.]
21:17 <Gromit>: Besides, giving the monkey a people face could save us the trouble of kidnapping anybody.
21:18 <Greystone>:
21:18 <Greystone>: [Ookook that is.]
21:19 <Tikvah_GMing>: I think he would agree to this, so Ookook puts on the mask.
21:19 <Victor>: "Hi!"
21:19 <Greystone>: If you like after this we can see if Victor turns into a monkey sized monkey or a human sized monkey or a human with a monkey face.
21:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Ookook replies. The answer to your question is.. He turns into a monkey with Victor's face.
21:21 <Greystone>: I thought so.
21:21 <Gromit>: "Aaah. Ah. Hmm."
21:21 <Victor>: "Incredible."
21:21 <Greystone>: Just the mask changes naturally.
21:22 <Victor>: Was just making sure
21:22 <Victor>: Can't make him Justin though then
21:22 <Greystone>: Well, with enough dressing up...-wait, what?
21:23 <Victor>: Wasn't that what Gromit was getting at?
21:23 <Gromit>: Yes.
21:23 <Victor>: Because he's small
21:23 <Victor>: But he'd still have a tail
21:23 <Victor>: And monkey arms
21:24 <Gromit>: So only good from a distance.
21:24 <Victor>: Okay, I have to go
21:24 <Tikvah_GMing>: Goodnight.
21:24 Tikvah_GMing quit
21:24 <Greystone>: Those can both be hid under clothes... and gloves etc.
21:24 <Victor>: Maybe
21:25 <Gromit>: Yeah, need some manual disguise skill.
21:25 <Gromit>: Of course, we haven't tried wearing it somewhere besides the face.
21:25 <Greystone>: The face is the largest difference between a human and a sentient monkey.
21:26 <Greystone>: Besides the-good heavens the ideas you have.
21:27 Greystone is handed back the Persona Viridis and replaces it in his blackpack.
21:28 Greystone sits down cross-legged and ponders.
21:28 <Greystone>: To be continued next week.
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Arkán Dreamwalker
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Location: The Destiny Islands
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Post by Arkán Dreamwalker »

Note written by Greystone
Dear Ayissa,

I miss you. I have tried to be stalwart, but I find myself in a moment of loneliness. I have not had so much as a single friend since I set out, and it begins to wear on a man’s soul. Perhaps I will find some friends in my current co-workers. But I still hardly know what to make of them. There is a distinct avaricious trait in them all; even the monkey did not fail to obtain a keg in our latest excursion. I do not understand this insatiable desire for loot which seems to posses them. Taking some useful rightfully conquered resources is perfectly natural, but we cannot seem to be given a single task in which they will not search for anything which is not tied down.
They also tend toward a belief that they cannot be in err. While there is a strong natural propensity toward conceit or self-assuredness in the business of adventurers, and it is forgivable, it is a greater handicap among those serving as retainers.
The one known as Gromit has a peculiar propensity to taste all manner of objects in an effort to gain information about them. I hardly know what to think about such behavior, Ayissa.
As to our latest escapade, I hardly know what to set forth in regards to it. We were given a fairly straightforward mission to aid some of the more experienced troops in the apprehension of a criminal unit located in the capital. I felt some disgruntlement at not being included in the attack proper, but I made no murmur. Drindall knows nothing of my experience after all; we are still entry-level retainers, though having done a few missions we must be considered competent, at any rate, rather then the inverse. Drindall and I have run into each other in the past, but only in passing, we don’t really know anything of the other; we might as well have never met. After this last mission I wish I had more knowledge of him. I am unsure in my judgments, but I believe Drindall is willing to go against the king for the good of the country. If what he had us engaged in last mission was in fact an act to such an effect, I can only concord with his patriotism.
For in the course of our operation, we encountered, in the midst of other confusions, some persons dressed in the uniforms of the Mitan Empire. I can only speculate, that if the aforementioned persons were not the supposed criminals dressed for some mischief, then the Count had sent us on an assault against a Mitan base; likely a clandestine one.
I know my correspondences often meander, but this one feels positively like a patchwork quilt.
Too many things are unclear in my mind relating to this last excursion for me to put many details down here. If things become clearer in future I will relate them to you.

Until we meet again, I remain,

Your Greystone
~ Walker in Dreams
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Tikvah
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Post by Tikvah »

We continued exploring the orphanage. Finally.

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bookworm
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Post by bookworm »

Title TBD, Part 3
19:13 bookworm is now known as Victor
19:13 Skid is now known as Gromit
19:13 Arkan is now known as Greystone
19:13 <Victor>: "Cross examine Robin first you said?"
19:14 <Gromit>: "Sure."
19:16 Gromit leads the way back to the orphanage of doom.
19:17 <Greystone>: The what.
19:17 <Tikvah_GMing>: The children have all returned to whatever they were doing. Robin is talking with Wikolia.
19:18 <Gromit>: Is Justin amongst the children?
19:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: No.
19:18 <Tikvah_GMing>: You cannot see him anywhere.
19:19 <Gromit>: Odd.
19:19 Gromit waves to Robin.
19:20 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin waves back and returns to her conversation.
19:21 <Greystone>: Well Justin did seem to be living rather separate from the others.
19:23 <Gromit>: Hmm.
19:25 Gromit takes the wave as an invitiation and moves up to join the conversation.
19:26 <Greystone>: So are we going to more or less level with Robin, and ask her what she thinks is going on?
19:26 <Victor>: Not yet
19:27 <Victor>: After we make the rounds once maybe
19:27 <Victor>: Depending on what we hear
19:27 <Gromit>: I'm going to do a bit of roundabouting.
19:28 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin sees you approaching and greets you. "Back so soon?" Wikolia nods in greeting, but doesn't speak.
19:30 <Gromit>: "Hello! Sorry to bother you again, but I just realized that your talented children would interest our employer, Count Drindall."
19:31 <Gromit>: No point in hiding who we work for, if being ambiguous scares her right away, then that's a great clue right there.
19:31 <Tikvah_GMing>: "The Count? Why would he be interested in us?" Robin looks suddenly on edge.
19:31 <Gromit>: ...and there is is.
19:31 <Gromit>: "He tends to hire people with kismets."
19:32 Greystone keeps his face neutral.
19:33 <Tikvah_GMing>: "They're only children, Surely the Count wouldn't want children working for him."
19:34 <Gromit>: "No, but he might want to invest in educating that talent for the future. Are your children learning to read? Do mathematics? Dabble in alchemy, perhaps?"
19:34 Gromit watches for a reaction on the alchemy bit.
19:35 Greystone facepalms on the inside
19:36 <Gromit>: I should probably be making some sort of roll for this.
19:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: OK, do some sort of roll.
19:36 <Victor>: !Roll d20 read person
19:36 <Dicebot>: Victor, read person: 6
19:37 <Gromit>: !roll d20 deception trained 1 effort
19:37 <Dicebot>: Gromit, deception trained 1 effort: 14
19:37 <Victor>: You're not deceiving
19:38 <Gromit>: I'm concealing my intent, for the moment.
19:38 <Tikvah_GMing>: Victor, Robin seems a little nervous. Especially since you've started talking about the children.
19:39 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I teach them as much as I can. We've even managed to get some books recently."
19:40 <Victor>: "Where?"
19:40 <Victor>: I'm calling that out
19:40 <Victor>: If we can't get books because there uber rare there's no way a bunch of kids get them
19:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: "We bought them, using the money from the potions. A traveling merchant had a few old books."
19:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: "As a matter of fact, Justin has been using those books to teach himself some alchemy. He's quite the prodigy."
19:42 <Gromit>: "That's impressive."
19:43 <Gromit>: "Make any giant monsters?" *said jokingly*
19:45 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin laughs. "No, I'm sure we would have noticed if that were the case. He has built himself a little lab down in the basement where the other children won't break in and hurt themselves."
19:45 <Victor>: Called it
19:46 <Victor>: Somehow I knew to look for a basement
19:46 <Gromit>: Incidentally, how far are we from the village there were actual monsters in?
19:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: It would take about 5 hours by foot to get there.
19:48 <Gromit>: "Fantastic. Do you think he'd give us a tour?"
19:49 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I'm sure he'd give you a tour. I think he's down in his lab now."
19:49 <Gromit>: "Just point us in the right direction"
19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin turns and walks towards the castle. Wikolia wanders off towards a group of children playing with a ball.
19:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Follow me, I'll show you there."
19:51 Greystone follows
19:51 Gromit follows.
19:51 Victor follows
19:52 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin goes in through the main entry, into the kitchen and opens a door near the back. A set of narrow stairs leads down into the basement.
19:53 Gromit checks for traps.
19:53 <Tikvah_GMing>: Roll a perception check.
19:53 <Gromit>: !roll d20
19:53 <Dicebot>: Gromit: 19
19:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't see any traps.
19:54 Gromit descends.
19:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin leads the way down and you find yourself in a storage room. Amid the piles of crates and supplies, you see a roughly constructed timber wall, like a portion of the room has been recently walled off. There is a door in the middle of the wall, and you can see light underneath it.
19:57 Gromit knocks politely on the door.
19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Justin!" Robin calls. "Some people would like to see your lab." After a few moments the door opens and Justin gestures you inside.
19:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: He's wearing a very old set of goggles and leather gloves.
20:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: Robin excuses herself to go tend to the children and heads upstairs.
20:01 <Greystone>: Well.
20:01 <Greystone>: I go in.
20:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: The lab is very small. A small table is against the far wall, covered in plants, rocks, and some tubes of colored liquid.
20:02 <Gromit>: What's it smell like?
20:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: There is a strong smell of pine needles, with a hint of sulphur.
20:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: On one corner of the table is a very old book. The pages are tattered and several are torn or missing. In the center of the table is a small candle, above which is suspended a small pot.
20:02 <Greystone>: {Say... I wonder if this kid would be willing to give me a kismet for money instead of EXP.]
20:03 <Gromit>: Do you really want a kismet that a child made?
20:03 <Victor>: Hint: you don't
20:03 <Victor>: A kid wouldn't be able to make one anyway, even a bad one
20:03 <Greystone>: Oh come on. If he is as much of a prodigy as we are to believe, I think it would be of superior quality.
20:03 <Victor>: Not sure if serious
20:04 <Gromit>: "Hi, Justin."
20:04 <Gromit>: "Robin said you're an Alchemist. What are you working on?"
20:04 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Hello." Justin seems like he doesn't know how to handle a group of strangers in his lab.
20:05 <Victor>: I'm hanging back to not impose or crowd
20:05 <Greystone>: Me too.
20:06 <Greystone>: Sorta standing by the door in a non-threatening way.
20:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Right now I'm trying to follow the recipe in this book to make a special ingredient." He perks up a bit as he talks about his project. "I don't know what to call it, since that part of the page is missing. But if I can create it, I'll have one of the ingredients I need to make a potion that blocks your kismet."
20:07 <Tikvah_GMing>: "If I make a good one, the effects could last for days."
20:07 <Victor>: "That would be very impressive!"
20:08 <Victor>: "Have you had other successes so significant?"
20:08 <Greystone>: (!)
20:08 <Greystone>: It's not a success yet.
20:09 <Victor>: I said other
20:09 <Greystone>: Thus implying this one to be in the same set as 'other'.
20:09 <Greystone>: Although you could be saying "Have you ever succeeded at something of similar significance."
20:09 <Victor>: I'm talking to a kid
20:09 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Not really. Most of my experiments have been a bust, since I can't afford the proper ingredients."
20:09 <Gromit>: "So that book has some good recipes in it?"
20:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Some of them are quite good, but I can't understand most of it yet."
20:10 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Someday I'm going to make a potion that will take away kismets entirely!"
20:10 <Victor>: "Permanently?"
20:10 <Gromit>: "That's an... interesting goal."
20:10 Victor thinks he knows where this is going
20:12 <Tikvah_GMing>: "It would be great news for a lot of the kids here."
20:16 <Victor>: Yep
20:16 Victor rubs his temple wearily
20:16 <Victor>: This mission sucks
20:17 <Gromit>: I mean, I see why he's aiming for that. Some Kismet aren't desireable.
20:17 <Victor>: Not when you're looking to adopt
20:17 <Greystone>: Well, he seems a kid so far... why did they send us here...?
20:18 <Victor>: Cloudy information looks more and more likely
20:18 <Gromit>: Drindall wants to be able to shut down other Kismet users, or prevent himself from ever being shut down.
20:19 <Victor>: Really?
20:19 <Victor>: I didn't even go that angle
20:19 <Victor>: That's even worse if it's really the case
20:19 <Victor>: We'll definitely be having another conference
20:21 <Gromit>: I'm not on board with someone who goes with the kidnapping and arson plan before doing actual intel gathering, even if this is the best possible case.
20:22 <Greystone>: I don't think conferences will help. I want to just ask Drindall or his subordinate for a few answers, and then either quit or continue as results warrant.
20:23 <Gromit>: I don't think if we fail here we'll have second chances.
20:24 <Greystone>: Are we still on the first day, or the second? I think we have time to back and ask before our deadline.
20:25 <Victor>: "Do many people know of your work here Justin?"
20:25 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Robin, the kids I guess. I've gone to the chemist's shop a couple times to ask for advice."
20:26 <Gromit>: "Anyone else you can think of? Any strangers from outside town, maybe?"
20:26 <Greystone>: I unobtrusively try to detect any illusions or such.
20:27 <Victor>: Ookook is buffing whatever perception we need for that remember
20:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I haven't told anyone, but I haven't tried to keep it a secret either. I-is that a problem?"
20:27 <Tikvah_GMing>: Greystone, roll for it.
20:28 <Greystone>: !roll d20
20:28 <Dicebot>: Greystone: 13
20:28 <Greystone>: + buff apparently
20:28 <Gromit>: "Not specifically. There are a few rumours going about that monsters were being made here."
20:28 <Gromit>: "It happens."
20:30 <Tikvah_GMing>: This is the first Justin has heard of it. He is visibly shaken. "You mean like the monster attacks in the next village? They think I did that?"
20:31 <Gromit>: "That would be the one. It doesn't look like you have the facilties for giant monsters though."
20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Wh-why would they think that it was me? I-i don't understand."
20:31 <Victor>: "Have there been any accidents with your experiments?"
20:32 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Not really. Nothing that would be seen outside the orphanage."
20:32 <Victor>: Insight check
20:32 <Victor>: !Roll d20
20:32 <Dicebot>: Victor: 19
20:34 <Tikvah_GMing>: Justin isn't concealing anything. He seems very disturbed by the fact that people think he would do something like that.
20:35 <Victor>: And examination for an illusory personage
20:35 <Victor>: !Roll d20
20:35 <Dicebot>: Victor: 17
20:36 <Tikvah_GMing>: You don't notice anything unusual, Victor.
20:37 <Gromit>: Are you doing something in particular to check that? Rubbing his face or something?
20:38 <Victor>: Looking
20:38 <Victor>: It would flicker or something we said
20:39 <Gromit>: "I think it's traditional. You do alchemy. You're nearby. Villagers, torches, pitchforks."
20:40 <Gromit>: "In any case, you shouldn't worry about it right now. We're here to take care of that."
20:41 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Really? How?"
20:41 <Victor>: "We're not sure just yet, but we won't leave until we know it's okay."
20:41 <Victor>: "Hey!"
20:41 <Victor>: *trying to get the kid's mind off that*
20:42 <Victor>: "What do you know about those potions? Since you're a budding expert"
20:42 Victor smiles encouragingly
20:43 <Tikvah_GMing>: "My potions? Or do you mean Wikolia's?"
20:43 <Victor>: The healing potions, yes
20:43 <Gromit>: Well, they both heal different things...
20:44 <Victor>: Aww
20:46 <Tikvah_GMing>: The purification potions or the kismet blockers?
20:46 <Victor>: The first
20:47 <Tikvah_GMing>: "I don't know much about them. That's all Wikolia's doing. She uses magic."
20:47 <Gromit>: Wait, our previous target also blocked Kismets...
20:47 <Victor>: You just realized that?
20:48 <Gromit>: I realized it, just didn't start making a pattern.
20:49 <Victor>: "How long has she been here?"
20:50 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Just a couple months. A couple of the kids found her in the woods one day, and I guess she stuck around."
20:53 <Victor>: "I think we'll go talk to her for a bit."
20:53 <Victor>: "Don't worry, we'll be back"
20:54 <Tikvah_GMing>: "O-ok." Suddenly Justin seems to notice that the pot he left over the candle is still there, and starting to smoke. He pulls it off with a gloved hand and groans. "Awww. Rubbish."
20:55 <Gromit>: "Good luck."
20:55 <Tikvah_GMing>: "You too."
20:55 <Victor>: "Oh hey. Since you have an interest in the unusual,"
20:56 <Victor>: "Think you can tell me anything about these?"
20:56 Victor holds up the gloves
20:56 <Tikvah_GMing>: Justin looks up. "They're just gloves, aren't they?"
20:57 <Victor>: "Try them on."
20:58 <Greystone>: Ooooh.
20:58 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Alright." He picks up the gloves and puts them on, giving an exclamation of surprise.
20:58 Victor watches intently
20:59 <Tikvah_GMing>: "What is this? Are they magic?" He hold up his hands, and you can see the gloves dripping chocolate.
20:59 <Victor>: "I actually don't know."
20:59 <Victor>: "Seems like it"
21:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: "Huh. I've never heard of anything like it."
21:00 <Tikvah_GMing>: He removes the gloves and hands them back. "Maybe Wikolia would know."
21:00 <Victor>: "Ah, good thinking."
21:01 <Victor>: "We'll be back in a while."
21:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: "See yah."
21:01 <Victor>: I have to go
21:01 <Tikvah_GMing>: Alright.
21:02 <Tikvah_GMing>: Everyone gets 1 XP.
21:03 <Gromit>: Excellent.
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