[pnpgm] Game Update #104 - File #792 - Party leaves Fair grounds
Scott Adams
longshotgm at netzero.com
Tue Jul 13 09:05:55 CEST 2010
HT Alias/Player Character Name Type Status/Notes Sex
-- -----------------------------------------------------------------
R1.John Haight...........Arawn.............Druid .Normal/Alfar Ma
??.Chris Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma
R4.Tom Corckett..........Caladan...........Wizard Normal/Human Ma
W2.Marcel Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human Ma
W3.Ryan Torres...........Farseeker.........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma
--.Tobie Bonahoom........Fremea............Sidh....Normal/Faerry Fe
R2.Mark Murtha...........Kell..............Trader..Normal/Human..Ma
Do.David Sanders.........Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human Ma
R4.J H Hooten............Raban.Usherwood...Bard....Normal/Human..Ma
W2.Robert Maxwell........Strie'bog.........Bard....Normal/Human..Ma
W4.Wout Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human Fe
...Thomas.Magann.........Whitney...........Scholar.Normal/Human..Ma
R1 John.Stowman..........Will..............Hunter..Normal/Human..Ma
R4.Alex Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human Fe
R1 NPC...................Zhou Kiwat........Noble...Normal/Human..Ma
Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Tef'wo (Horse) Ben'dar,
Cover Story Info: [HD- House member, F-Foreigner, N-native non house]
Arawn aka Arawn as Teacher to daughter [F]
Ben'dar aka Bu Da as Horse expert [F]
Caladan aka Ca Lu as Guard/Archer [N]
Chion aka Capt. Chu Mai as Sailor Trustee [HD]
Farseeker aka Fu Sa as Guard [F]
Fremea aka Lin Mong as Noble child [HD] [Disguised]
Kell aka Swan as Trader [F]
Kiet aka Kiet Sunan as Zhou's servant [F]
Raban aka Toban Nu as Entertainer/Guard [F]
Strie'bog aka Sun Zhu as Entertainer [N]
Unali aka Tun Au as Zhou's wife [HD]
Whitney aka Whitney as Herbalist/Tailor [F]
Will aka Sun Tzu as hunt master [F]
Z'leyra aka Kakita Junami as Healer [F]
Zhou aka Zhou Wa as Baron Noble [HD]
Game Web Site - http://www.furvert.net/longshotgm/pbem/index.htm
Public posts/actions to pnpgm at abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list)
Private emails (not public actions) to longshotgm at netzero.com
Game Update #104 in sequence (file #782)
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Admin Notes: None.
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[Recap]
From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions]
Z'leyra will pick up what ammo she can. Upon hearing Will's
suggestion she seconds it "Good idea. It would be useful ....
GM: Ack.
From Wout: [Re: Actions]
My ramblings:
I feel an adventure centering around one of the other active
players would be preferable for the game.
From my own viewpoint many of the Marentia centered adventures
would be fun, especially those involving Aren or Farseeker.
Could well be a sideline.
But I also like the idea of mixing several storylines for
different characters. Might result in a very long and complex
adventure though.
No need to host another storyline around Unali. Would be fun,
but only if majority of the group favors this. I can wait.
Probably will stick around for another decade or so if you will,
Scott.
Basically: up for anything. Will join in.
GM: Ack. Anything. Right. Another decade? I was hoping to
kill you guys off a lot sooner. Oh well. That's my secret
agenda don't tell anyone.
From Will: [Re: actions]
Will speaking to Fremea
"I like your idea but Zhou is right we don't have the time...
GM: Ack.
From Alex: [Re: Actions]
Frankly Z'leyra is not yet ready to adventure back in her Kameri
homeland... [but her studies that would get her ready by having
her improve her other shamanic spells keep getting interrupted
by advntures :) ]. Before that sometime she would like to go back
to Ticasi to find out the cause of her father's death. This would
be after she has improved her skill with the Akasha spell to a
point where she isn't risking an abysmal each time she casts it.
So I do not (yet) vote for an adventure centered about Z'leyra's
past. Presumably she will continue to help her friends (in
adventures) and work towards establishing a College of Healng in
Sivas, Marentia.
So voting for now for #12 (Farseeker is due one), #1, and the
next five choices too close for me to call.
GM: Ack. 12 and 1. Right. If want to just find out the name
of the killer I do accept bribes sent through the central
office and my clerk, the soul daiva, will take his cut.
From Kiet: [Re: Actions]
"An excellent idea...though I think we would find it....
GM: Ack.
From Will: [Re: Actions]
"We could just bash his head in with one of there sticks....
GM: Ack.
From Z'leyra: [Re: Baroness]
At the moment Z'leyra cannot do anything for the patient other
than what her healing skills allow.
She doesn't <yet> have Regeneration. She ponders the possibility
of cutting out the growth and having someone cast Regeneration
immediately. Regarding Arawn casting Wisdom to seek an answer...
After mana recovery in the morning Z'leyra can assist with the
purification...She does have it at a very high EL. And could
cast luck...
And offer any ideas that her Healing skill would come up with.
GM: Ack. Who knows, clues may have already been around....
From Kiet: [Re: Actions]
"Hmmm...what we really need are some weapons dedicated to the...
GM: Ack.
From Arawn: [Re: Actions]
Arawn's eyes watered as he knelt by Rua's lifeless body. He
looked back over his shoulder to the others. "He refused to...
----------------------------------------------------------------
Arawn listened as Fremea, Kiet, and Will discussed the potential
fate of the Katai soldier. "I think it would be best if he is....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Arawn backs Zhou's view in regards to a stealthy return to the
magical detector site. "I'd have to agree with Zhou on this. ....
-------------------------------------------------------------
Arawn speaks quietly with Z'leyra and Zhou as they discuss the
baroness. "I'll ride in the carriage. It'll give me the....
If the baroness survives until morning Arawn will accept
Z'leyra's offer of magical assistance before casting Wisdom.
But if the baroness takes a sudden turn for the worse before
then Arawn is willing to cast Regrowth and Healing Mist on the
baroness if Z'leyra decides that she needs to operate immediately.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Arawn will go along with the suggestion and speak with the horses,
telling them that they are free now and to run toward the
mountains in the west.
GM: Ack.
From Kiet: [Re: Actions]
Kiet just looks at Arawn with a look that says "yeah...
righhhht"...and then says out loud "Killing him wouldn't....
GM: Ack.
From Arawn: [Re: Actions]
Scott, I agree with you that it would probably be best to wait
on Arawn's story (although I'm very curious as to what you have
in mind: ), allowing him to grow and maybe have a few things
unfold here and there over time.
Right now, based on what Arawn would seek to pursue currently
I'd have to vote for either Fremea or Kell's storyline, maybe
combining the two, as he promised to help them locate their
family. Next in line would be either the Great Forest, both for
clues/ connection to his home and to safely stow/research the
dark elf armor or to pursue aiding the oppressed Vong within
their homeworld. I understand that the latter would be an
extensive and dangerous campaign and likely not one the party
is ready for yet but thought I'd throw it out for now or as an
idea for sometime in the future as aiding an oppressed people
while simulataneously helping to end a threat to multiple
dimensions and countless people is something that calls to
Arawn.
Another option would be to find out more about Lymria, the dark
elves, and what they were really up to in the last adventure.
Also, as I'm sure you wouldn't mind bringing Xian back into
things I'll reserve a vote for that but ultimately will go with
whatever is decided.
So- 1st/2nd= tie between fremea and kell, 3rd= vong, 4th/5th=
Great Forest or Lymria/Dark Elves, 6th= Xian
GM: Ack. Hadn't thought of Dark Elves. I'd have to consider
how to add them. Ohh. Ok. I know how I could. Ok.
Done. Quick thought. So its possible. At least adding
them maybe not so much lymria at this point. Doubt I'll
do anything more Vong after this one as this was a 3 arc
adventure and enough of those bony heads. Course it does
depend on if you guys fail or not.
From Arawn: [Re: Reply to Kiet]
"He is young, naive and he was doing what he has been raised...
GM: Ack.
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[New Stuff]
[Julis 26th, 1634TH]
[Location: Middle Katai Plains, Shantou Province]
[ 20 Miles south of Shantou City ]
[ Old Shantou Carnival Grounds ]
[Time: 3:25 pm]
Will suggests investigating the bridge and seeing how the Katai
detect magic.
Z'leyra agrees to the suggestion. "Good idea. It would be useful
to see what Katai is using to detect magic with. If someone can
approach the bridge under an invisibility spell the item should
glow and they can take off with it."
Zhou speaks to the lack of time for exploration and the crunch
of Katai hunters who might be on their way.
Will turns to Fremea. "I like your idea but Zhou is right we
don't have the time... but later perhaps if I were to teleport
both of us back there.... With your mana sensing it should be
easy to find or as Z' said if both of us were invisible we could
just look for the glow." As he speaks he begins to flip through
his drawing pad. "I have a sketch of the bridge here but better
would be this tree just the other side of the bridge or...."
Arawn backs Zhou's view in regards to a stealthy return to the
magical detector site. "I'd have to agree with Zhou on this. It
seems far too risky at the moment. Even if we move on and some
return to the site later it could be dangerous. By the time anyone
teleports back it will likely have a new set of eyes watching it.
It might not be worth the risk. Likely we'll run into another on
our journey and hopefully we can secure it then."
-------------------
[Time: 3:35 pm]
Arawn's eyes watered as he knelt by Rua's lifeless body. He
looked back over his shoulder to the others. "He refused to
torture the children. That's why they imprisoned him... why he's
dead now," he said in a low and somber voice.
Arawn looks at the other Vong remains. "He deserves something
better than a mass burial with the other Vong. Chion, if you know
a good place to lay him I would appreciate it. If not, then I will
stay just long enough to bury him or start a funeral pyre and let
him burn before riding to catch up to the group."
Still kneeling, Arawn says a quiet prayer over Rua's body. He
wondered if his spirit would make it back to his gods and, if it
did, how would it be received. It seemed at least some of the gods
were darkly aspected but Rua's tale led Arawn to believe that not
all of them were. Still, he remained unsure as to whether Rua's
spirit would reject the Vong afterlife and asked Morrigan and
Payan for their guidance, to see if they would offer him safe
passage to a place of peace if such lay within their hearts.
Farseeker crosses his arms after he gives the axe back to
Strie'bog. He leans over to Ben'dar and whispers. "If he
wanted to save himself he'd torture them. I suspect there is
more to this story then we'll know. I just hope he," he nods
briefly to the Druid, "doesn't cause problems with getting
emotional with these creatures. Emotions in combat hinder
our success."
Zhou exhales heavily and waves his arm through his hand and
messes it up, a gesture he just doesn't do that often. He
turns to Arawn. "Fine. We don't have time for a funeral but
do what you must. Just be quick about it." He turns his head
and shakes it slightly. He wonders if ki'ama's insight into
the druid being a critical key role in this venture is a good
one. He wonders if the Druid will try to seek peace with these
invaders. He'll have to discuss this with the others when he
gets the chance.
The party returns to the discussion of what to do next and
what to do with whom.
The discussion of what to do with the Katai prisoner begins
to quickly wind down. Fremea suggests planting the scene to look
like the Vong attacked the bounty hunter.
Kiet nods his agreement, "An excellent idea...though I think we
would find it difficult to wound our captive in some way that
made it look like the Vong killed him. Their weapons are unique."
Will places his drawing pad under his arm and looks to the
Vong bodies. "We could just bash his head in with one of there
sticks making sure there is lots of blood on the Vong and the
stick and hope they don't know that it was supposed to do
something... special."
Arawn listened as Fremea, Kiet, and Will discussed the potential
fate of the Katai soldier. "I think it would be best if he is
simply teleported away along with the corpses. It would be a more
humane option," finding it odd to use the obviously racist phrase.
"He is helpless at the moment, to kill him now would be a stain
on our souls."
Kiet just looks at Arawn with a look that says "yeah...
righhhht"...and then says out loud "Killing him wouldn't stain my
soul. He gambled and attacked us, lost, and forfeited his life.
I just don't think it wise to leave him lying dead here. I
certainly wouldn't object to him just going away, but I also
wouldn't be disappointed if his lifeless body disappeared. He
attacked us with the intent to have us killed and, in my mind,
unfairly so...just because many of us have certain, er, skills."
"Dead, he'll never bother us again. Alive, even far from here,
he and his allies might someday return to plague us. The dead
rarely muster up enough energy to be vengeful. But I also know I
am in the minority about this...which continues to amaze me."
Farseeker can't help but grin slightly. "Following orders.
You follow orders and should you deserve no quarter for that?
If we just kill right out a man who is unarmed and tied up....,"
he stares right at Kit, "executed...," turning back to the
others, "then we are no better than the evil Chaos wizards out
there. I recall a town called Ilum." With that he walks
away and tends to his horse.
Kiet confused glances with a quizzical look at the comment
and has no clue. Caladan nearby leaning on his warstaff
clues him in. "Ilum was a small town where they held a guy
prisoner thinking him a spy for L'p'nth. They tortured and
eventually killed him. Turned out he was innocent and a friend
to the local noble. The noble took it out on the town and
many suffered from his bad cruelty until the King finally
intervened. This was a century or so ago. Basically when
one harms the innocent it can backfire greatly. At least
that is what they say is the moral of the story in the taverns."
Arawn replies quietly. "He is young, naive and he was doing
what he has been raised to believe is right, protecting his people
from the evils of magic. Not that any here agree with his view but
we have been raised and experienced things differently from him,
a luxury and a blessing to be sure. But I do see the logic of your
statement, if he is left here and not teleported away, something
I am willing to do if no one else will. I'd just rather not have
someone killed when they have already been rendered helpless. I
understand that, generally, life isn't black and white but each
decision, or compromise, we make leads us closer toward either
the light or the darkness. And unfortunately each compromise,
each step that leads us on the left-hand path makes it that much
easier to excuse a darker choice in the future. I'm just hoping
our group chooses to keep away from that path,"
Standing nearby Raban suddenly gets a flash of a memory. A old
man one of his first teachers in the Bardic ways. Sitting at
some tavern the old man told the very young Raban a story. A
story where the gods are always judging man and how they act.
He told of the alignments and how they are critical to the path
of life and the afterlife. "Everyone lies but not everyone kills
a person." The old man would say. "Our actions are result of
our free will but once we die it is out of our hands and in
the will of the gods and fates." Raban recalls those words
years later. Why the memory hits him now is not known.
As Kiet and Arawn argue over the destiny of the Katai bounty
hunter he stands nearby watching and hearing. He can hear the
two argue and knows what they are saying. The two are speaking
in Katai rather than Marentian after all. Sweat begins to
pour down his face. Silently, Chion walks near the wagon had
the prisoner. He glances over to the pile of Vong bodies and
estimated the distance to them. He begins to speak magical words
in Marentian in a dull whisper. As he does he whips out his sai
and slices the ropes of the bounty hunter. With one final word
he glances over his shoulder and grins. Chion, the bounty
hunter and about a dozen Katai bodies disappear.
As Kiet and Arawn continue to dicker over the bounty hunter's
fate, Caladan coughs once then again. Finally Caldan taps Kiet
on the shoulder and points. Both then realize that the prisoner
situation is over. They both realize that solves that issue.
Kiet shrugs and adds one more thing. "Hmmm...what we really
need are some weapons dedicated to the destruction of Vong and
Shadow. It's a shame I did not concentrate my education in such
areas."
Arawn turns to inspect the field. Chion was able to grab only
about a dozen bodies. Two were the bounty hunter and Rua
leaving 10 to go. But there are still it looks like 7-8
bodies. Since it has been decided a fire would bring more
attention quicker, Zhou has said its best to just leave them.
The locals can inspect them and maybe get a idea of the true
threat not from magic but from the Vong. Arawn is happy to
have at least offered a prayer over Rua's remains.
Arawn walks toward Zhou and Z'leyra and speaks quietly to them.
"I'll ride in the carriage. It'll give me the opportunity to
respond quickly if she suddenly takes a turn for the worse."
Unali happy with getting rid of the bounty hunter mentions her
vote was to send him away and it was done. She also tells the
others to have the horses set free. She asks Arawn and Z'leyra
to talk to them to convince them to head fast to the western
mountains. There is no doubt some village or people will find
them but they could be considered wild horses. At the very
lead it might be a day or two before they are tracked down to
the right people at best.
Before everyone disperses to do final tasks Unali addresses
the aprty. "There is probably more that we could learn here by
exploring all the bodies and various shacks, but it will take
time. We have a couple of hours left before nightfall, and we
would be wise to put some distance between us and this place,
before others come to check. Let's put the baroness inside and
see if our healers can keep her alive and maybe cure her. She
might still have some valuable information on our destiny, as
she has been in the area before."
With her ordered issued Unali climbs into the wagon and uses the
empty wagon, aside from the baroness, to dress into her Katai
noble clothing.
By now the gear of the horses have been stripped off. The
saddles are stacked ontop of the wagon and will have to be
sold quickly for funds. Arawn and Z'leyra head over to the
horses and tells them they must flee as quick as they can
tot he mountains. But first they should get some water from
the well and trough. They do so and head out soon enough.
It is clear none seem to have great loyalty to the bounty
hunters.
[Time: 3:43 pm]
The aarty mounts up on their horses or onto or into the
wagon. Many look around at the scene before them. Many
Vong bodies are left in the open. Looking west the horses
of the Katai bounty hunters are a glint of brown and black in
the distant west.
Many would prefer to hide the Vong but some realize that they
need to be a symbol for the fight to come. The party sits
and waits for Chion to return.
As the party sit and relax for the first time in awhile the
father comes out of the house and walks toward the wagon. Zhou
sees him and exits the wagon to meet him. Both men meet some
30 feet from the wagon and speak softly. Kiet becomes concerned
that the distraught man could do something so decides to hop off
the wagon and approach in a roundabout way.
Soon both men shake hands and separate. The father heads
back to the house while he looks over his shoulder to the party
one last time. Zhou a bit more pale in his face or just flush
from the heat heads back to the wagon and gets inside again.
Chion soon reappears and heads to his own horse and mounts up.
This sidetrip seems to have been a good and bad thing. While
it was only a quick hour and half visit they did discover the
Vong by Shu's information. Of course there was injury here on
the family and possible exposure. But by the time this is all
over some figure exposure will be inevitable.
The wagon turns east and heads to the dirt road. AS they near
the supposed guard shack the wagon stops. Farseeker, Ben'dar
and Kell do a quick search of the small building. It is quickly
confirmed this is a guard shack. A place to hold unruly and
drunks probably. This small stone building is only 50 by 30
feet with one door inside with a decent lock. Inside there
is only one room with a desk two chairs, couch and stand for
candle or books. Along the west side are 5 cells with iron
or metal bars. The cells are small and cramped being only 5
feet by 5 feet. They have nothing not even a bad inside and
sleeping would look difficult without slumping. Based on the
smell Rua's cell is found but nothing of interest is found
within it. A quick search of the desk finds no drawers but
nothing is of great value to take or learn from.
Remounting up the party heads to the highway. Upon reaching
it the road goes north to the bridge 3 miles and then another
17 miles further north is Shantou city. Kiet steers south
heading to Pamau.
Zhou glances at the plains out the window and the others often
look over to see if he'll talk. Unali, Fremea and Arawn are
curious as to what the father said. Eventually some 15-20 minutes
later Zhou finally speaks up. "He said he suspected who we were.
We were too unusual. Then when he saw the missing bodies that
confirmed it for him. " He waves a hand in the air. "He assures
me that he will not say anything. Since we helped to save his
kids he promised that. He told me his nephew had some ability
so he had sympathy for the arcane skills of magic." The rest
of the ride for awhile goes in silence.
Kiet sits on the wagon seat with Z'leyra next to him and knows
it will be a long trip on the highway. At least the horses
got some water and rest before they need to take the long trip.
It will be around 200 miles to the Crossroads town where the
highway goes south to Pamau and north on the east coast. Then
it will take another 60-80 miles to get to Pamau after that.
The road itself will speed the horse travel time greatly
and so Zhou wishes to remain on the road.
Actions? Comments?
Next Update...Friday...
GM: Thanks for the quick adventure votes. Six of 10 have already
voted (all but Ben'dar, Farseeker, Kell and Will). Right now
we have some good votes. If I have recorded the votes right
(let me know if wrong) then we have 4 with more than 1 vote
(2 for Xian's, Jordi's and Kell's). The most is 3 votes for
Fremea's so the any votes will go to hers if they remain to
have the most. Back in my table games if a vote was don't
care or any we just placed those votes for the ones who
had the most. So in this case the Any votes would go to
Fremea's by default unless the others got more.
GM: Schedule of Events
Current day : Julis 26
Days to Travel to Crossroads: 7
Julis 26 - 4pm to 8pm - c.10 miles then camp
Julis 27 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Julis 28 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Julis 29 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Julis 30 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Julis 31 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Augado 1 - All day - 30 miles travel to Crossroads
Augado 2 - 7am-3pm - 20 miles Arrive at Crossroads
Augado 2 - Day/Night - Likely stay in town overnight
Augado 3 - All day - 20 miles Travel to Pamau
Augado 4 - All day - 20 miles Travel to Pamau
Augado 5 - 7am-3pm - 20 miles Arrive at Pamau
GM: You can plan your down time (skills, possible magic even
in a land it might be detected) for those days above.
Keep in mind once in Pamau things might get busy after that.
There will be 2-3 small town and villages along the way
for supplies and a short hour or two visit if that but
likely not much time there. There will be some random
encounters during those travel days so I know you can't
plan for it but you may want to save some resources for those
days. I was going to do the first set of encounters for
this update but figure this is good enough for now. I
hope to do the first encounter Friday. But I MAY be taking
a brief vacation this weekend so may not get to a update
later in the week but we'll see. I may work on it early
like a day or two if I have time. Will do all the
natural healing and mana recovery as normal on the day
to come since no one wished magical healing. Deadline
for the IBT time if any will be when get into Crossroads.
That may be 2-3 updates from now. I should have a better
idea of this time next update.
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