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[Axelhortsemchi]

((....you're not suggesting that Tarkus and Nico share some kind of otherworldly bond, are you? I wonder what that could mean for Val and Dreadstone. Or Quintus and Draco. Or even Muun and Sarm....

::whistles innocently:)

((Oh fuck, the only other characters I've played for more than a few weeks at a time were campaign villains. This doesn't bode well for Tiberious))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((flumph's actually suck less in in PF. they wrote a whole book to make some of the lamer monster not terrible anymore(misfit monster redeemed). Though I am wondering how you go from human>outsider>potential god>flumph.))

 

[KittenMaster]

((flumph's actually suck less in in PF. they wrote a whole book to make some of the lamer monster not terrible anymore(misfit monster redeemed). Though I am wondering how you go from human>outsider>potential god>flumph.))

<I was really depressed and had a Shinji Ikari moment.>

 

[ThLunarian]

((He's a flying spaghetti monster?

Um... back on track))

Thaddeus considers the elemental. "Then surely it would be trivial for you to provide the information we seek? Tell us where we may find your employer and perhaps we could make arrangements to reward your cooperation."

 

[KittenMaster]

<dat alignment tho>

"The door is at the other end of the room, and you will be close. I have lost confidence that you will be successfully resisted, so I will more than likely head to the sea upon my departure."

He addresses Stricia, "As for your fighting with your body... be like the water. That will improve you."

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone cocks his head slightly at this strangely eloquent water elemental's apparent lack of desire to engage in combat. "So... we good here then? You got no more beef with us?"

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'm actually waiting on multiple people to respond so the conversation doesn't cut off.

I'm mostly posting to tell Jackben to e-mail me.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Tiberious is unsure of what to say to the elemental, and while he likes the idea of doing battle with it, he shouldn't be killing something that has expressed a desire to not fight. Instead, he gives his thoughts on the elemental's advice to Stricia.

"I'm usually more prone to making disembodied heads than agreeing with them, but it's probably on to something. Being as swift as a coursing river is an important part of being a man, so integrating that could only boost your fighting prowess."

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Draco puts his sword away and joins the rest of the party, "Well, okay then... By the way, must people don't find disembodied heads beautiful. Its creepy looking at best."

 

[KittenMaster]

<Jackben is gone for three weeks over a confidentiality (he didn't even want to say even in e-mail), and he just told me his motivation for coming back to GAF has been hurt.

Needless to say I have some thinking to do.>

 

[Mike M]

<Jackben is gone for three weeks over a confidentiality (he didn't even want to say even in e-mail), and he just told me his motivation for coming back to GAF has been hurt.

Needless to say I have some thinking to do.>

((Well shit.

Jackben, hit me up on Facebook sometime.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'm thinking of just making the upcoming encounters non-encounters until Jackben comes back and just turn them into pure roleplay.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((That works for me. If Jackben's still keeping up with the thread, I'll have to triple down on Tiberious's RP absurdity for him))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((Ehh... I hope that doesn't include the boss. Other then that, fair enough if you wanna go that route, I suppose.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<It will include the boss.>

 

[Mike M]

((More than okay with RPing the boss. We can either have a dialogue boss or narrate the shit out of our characters without being at the mercy of shitty dice rolls.))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((I like being at the mercy of shitty dice rolls... especially against a new type of enemy(who has far more to worry about from shitty dice rolls then we do).))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((I can go either way. Sometimes the dice lead to funny situations (see most important punch of Tiberious's life -> nat fucking 1), but being able to purely narrate means being able to go real crazy/elaborate without getting stifled by a bad roll))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Jackben, we miss you, and if you stay gone then we will continue to miss you. Take care of yourself.

Pure roleplay narration can be far more exciting than using dice rolls, but the dice are very useful as checks against Mary Sue-ing, and they also prevent a single character from dominating combat. It usually works best when a single character has a challenge to overcome, or when multiple characters have different objectives.

That said, these are extenuating circumstances and KM's word is law here, so I'm fine with whatever.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Bare in mind that since the party could've come here before Rosewood, I decided to enforce a bit of openness and make everything in here with a level 6 party in mind, so you wouldn't really be expecting difficult checks anyway.

I can also just retool the boss encounter for another time.>

but being able to purely narrate means being able to go real crazy/elaborate without getting stifled by a bad roll))

<tbh I can live with less of Tiberius' silliness since the silliness hasn't really fit my campaign well at times>

 

[Azih]

((You know to be honest, I haven't been enjoying the game for a while now. Hate to abandon you guys but I think I'm going to bow out as well))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Jackben banned for three weeks, Azih not enjoying the game (I knew this dungeon ended up too long), real life issues on my end. I'm wondering if it'll be even worth it to continue at this point.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Disagreements aside, I've been enjoying it, and I'm sure most of the others have as well. No one will hold it against you if you want to scrap things, but if that happens, maybe someone else can run a campaign. You shouldn't feel stuck continuing a game you don't want to continue, but if there are things that can be done to keep you wanting to run it, they should be looked into. If the ship is sunk, I don't want to see us all disband and go our separate ways.

I'm starting to ramble, but if there's anything I can do to help, let me know. If you want to call the campaign, I'm willing to roll up one in place of it. If someone else wants to take on that role should it come to that, I'll stick around for that campaign too))

 

[Mike M]

((I'm in it to the bitter end. The last game was what finally got me writing after years of "thinking about it," which has had a pretty positive impact in my life. I owe you guys a great deal for that.

But if it's curtains, it's curtains. I'd be first in line for the next game if there was one, though. I'd consider running it myself if my knowledge of the mechanics weren't so poor.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I've been really looking forward to roleplaying Dorthlenne too.

If I had to do it again, I would avoid planning out a story (because I ended up planning out scenes for a lot of the NPC characters and I ended up too attached to them) and just have a more loose scenario where characters like Alf and Tiberius could fit more. I was actually thinking something like a Mayan-style temple full of mysteries (kind of like La Mulana) would be cool for this sort of direction.

If there is one thing I think ended up successful, it was pretty much anytime I placed you guys in a realistically constructed environment and adapted the rules to it. The Prison MGS scenario worked really well and I was looking forward to when there was going to be something else like that. Rosewood investigative stuff was fun for me too (dunno for you guys).

I can't say I was a good DM, so many mistakes were made on my part during planning that ended up with a highly railroaded game, and I am too inexperienced to have properly adjusted encounters.

I'm probably going to type up a summary of what was going to happen for the rest of the game.

If you guys really want to continue, then I will. There are parts I am excited for and I feel this dungeon is a bore.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((I'm going to hold off on any more long posts until the others have chimed in.

I'd like to continue (even if it means having to tone down Tiberious a little), but I can not overemphasize that you should at no point feel compelled or pressured into continuing it if you so not want to.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Don't get me wrong.

I don't feel pressure from you guys to continue.

I just feel pressured to stop even though I don't really want to.>

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((I'm all for continuing. But perhaps a short break might not be a bad idea, if you feel like you need it.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I think I at least want to continue with this no-battle idea, because right now I've been in a lot of positions where I only have my phone for internet, thus can't use Ditzie.>

 

[KittenMaster]

<Time for roleplay. I'm just going to pretend Stricia wasn't with you to begin with.

Anyway, in the dining room you find a +2 Lance and a Jousting Field Plate on the statue at the top end of the room.>

A macabre scene of war passes by you as you take yourselves to the opposite doorway. Leaving behind the battle, you allow yourselves to continue on into a stairway leading into the depths of the facility.

Travelling down, you ensure no traps will bring harm and within a short distance into the darkness, you find yourselves at a corner with a single door. However; a quick search reveals a secret room unveiling treasure that provides further loot in jewelry form.

<5,000 gold in loot>

The kobold trembles as it moves along, and you can't be certain whether it is terrified of something upcoming, or yourselves.

Opening the door, you find yourselves before a large chamber, a well hollowed room that allows a platform to overlook a huge chasm in the ground; stairs lead up to the metal platform to allow access to various rooms at the top. However, before you can confirm that it is safe to continue, a lone figure walks along the front of the platform; spinning a metal object in his left hand, an elven face looks upon you with a bit of blue eyed disdain.

After looking upon you from above his perch, he sticks the metal object into a holder at his belt, and begins saying to all of you as he props himself on the railing, "I see that I have guests! A sorcerer, a brute, a traitor, a half-breed who had clearly indulged in my formula, and a mangy mutt and his loyal animal companion. I see you are the ones that have piled a tremendous, not easily overlooked amount of damage to my place and possibly the laborers themselves." Pacing to the side with his hands behind his back, he turns his head as his body is to the side, "But these all amount to costs and replacements. Surely it was all a misunderstanding on your part, barging into an installation which I clearly did not want you to enter and finding your way in places where you shouldn't be like a child detached from a mother."

He turns to you once more, and holds out a palm in greeting, "I am Dorthlenne Variel. You have done much to gain audience, and what you have done has certainly not been unnoticed," He clasps his hands together audibly, "Now that you have my undivided attention, why don't we talk, shall we?" Leaning in, he places his hands on the railing, and with a sharp dip in his voice, he asks, "What. Are. You doing here?"

 

[ThLunarian]

((Holy cow you guys. I step away for one night and look what happens!

Right now we have four PCs, which is enough to work with (that's what we had for most of last game anyway). I'm all for fast-tracking this dungeon because we've been here for a while, but since it sounds like you still want to keep running KM, I hope we can go back to normal battles and such after this arc is resolved, even if Jackben is gone.

In terms of what happens next. I have an idea for a campaign that I'd like to run. It's kind of experimental but I'm hoping it would be fun. It's a completely new setting and continuity. Or, depending on when KM decides he's done (and that may not be for months, I don't know), I could also see myself taking on this specific campaign with these characters and seeing where it goes. That would only be if you all wanted to do that and only with KM's blessing though, since it's his game. I'm enjoying these characters and the overall plot is interesting and is giving me lots of ideas.

Anyway, just some food for thought.))

Thaddeus steps forward. "You know why I am here better than I do, sir. Why, pray tell, did you bring me here? And why are you smuggling dangerous monsters to the mainland? Surely a proud elf such as yourself would be loathe to join ranks with the lowly Drow of the Orphans."

 

[KittenMaster]

<Yeah, a new setting would probably be best, if only because I can see the sequel to this game being the MGS4 of the series and just retreading stuff.

I also thought about just getting our own forum to play on that way we won't have to worry about bans, and also we can run multiple concurrent games with different systems among other things.>

Seeing Thaddeus step forth, Dorthlenne answers without hesitation or thought, "I was very wrong about you, Thaddeus, though it should have been obvious to me considering you still wear the symbol of a dead god, one that happens to be a holy champion for the Keep military, but I digress and admit my mistakes..." He starts to turn once more, "But make no mistake, I always saw you as a potential hindrance and a liability from the beginning; I had assumed you were sent by the rebels to watch over us but instead I get worse. As for my lineage, as much as I would like to claim that I am beyond the barbaric racism that gives friction between the races, this elven body is simply that: a body."

Before anyone has a chance to interrupt, he begins to ramble, "I was once a human, but in continuing my work I decided that the limitations of my birth were sub-optimal. I opted to change to a more appropriate vessel which to continue my research and work, and an elven body was perfect. Their brains process information much more quickly than a regular human can, require not as many hours of rest allowing for more time for practical tasks, age much more gradually extending further possibilities for accomplishment, and finally they are much more likely to attract a mate. I'm sure one among you know this already."

"And yes, I am aware they are more frail. It is why I have hired laborers to make up for that. In essence the benefits greatly outweigh the little disadvantages."

 

[KittenMaster]

<I forgot to address the bit about the monsters. Will post more dialogue shortly.>

 

[KittenMaster]

His face lights up just as soon as it seems like there is a pause, "Oh, yes! You asked why we are helping smuggle monsters. We're not, I managed to convince the rebels that is their prerogative considering I have no means of naval transport to speak of. Not only that, the rebels have been supportive of my research, and, for reasons I will not disclose, they were able to make my longstanding project possible. It is purely for mine own benefit, had the Keep been able to provide the same benefits then surely your war against the rebels would be won."

"You see... military use of monsters are just the beginning of a larger scope of a grander change in the world as we know it. Just as with any technology, it is rarely ever developed in peace. War causes a significant rush to find new ways to gain advantage over their enemies, and often times those technologies become adapted to find civilian purpose. I'm sure most of you would agree, nearly all of you are equipped for battle with magical augments of some sort... the same magic used for dazzling illusions or, most recently, magical music. The same with these monsters... they are bred to have intellect on the level of most of us in this room, and with a little surgery can even develop the ability to speak common. These monsters were bred with understanding military conduct and following leadership in mind, but eventually I will personally adapt them to become like people ourselves, able to form their own civilizations and coexist with the two legged races of this world. A peaceful evolution of a science developed for violence-"

He then reaches his hand over to the metallic object in his holster, and twirls it spectacularly into his grip, pointing the elongated pipe at the party, "Unlike this particular invention I am holding now, whose only purpose will ever be to kill. I'm sure you must think this is one of those toy, wooden, miniature ship-cannons that you must have heard about, a cute improvisation of an existing idea to develop a new weapon if I do say so myself, but no. This is a proper firearm of my very own design and craftsmanship: A metallic build both for sturdiness and heat absorption, a barrel which rotates to line up bullets into the chamber as they're fired and can hold six bullets, more than enough for each one of you, and the bullets themselves are casings to hold powder, effectively eliminating the need to stuff gun powder into the chamber, reducing the damage to the weapon itself, and potential damage to yourself. As of right now, this is the single most greatest firearm in the world, if not the greatest weapon in existence, and it will never be anything more than a killing tool for you to enjoy. Operating this weapon is so easy that even the most feeble nobles and their children will keep them at all times."

<I've been sitting on all of this dialogue for way too long.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Now I''m doubly glad we're continuing on. I wasn't expecting magical Revolver Ocelot))

The party is finally facing down the leader of the facility, but Tiberious is confused. Based on Thaddeus's words, he was expecting a drow to be behind everything. Still, this is enough for Tiberious to add the elf to his image of invisible owlbear death squads ravaging a village. Now, this guy is there too, watching from a distant seat and applauding the bloodshed.

And then the man starts talking, losing Tierious almost instantly. The elf in his mental image becomes a man, then an elf again, and then a sapient, surgically mutilated owlbear applauding his primitive peers while waving around that silly little weapon of his. He is too confused to realize that the intelligence jab was probably directed at him.

The weapon talk is what brings Tiberious back into the conversation. "The greatest of firearms? Congratulations you weird species-hopping abomination! You made the strongest weapon amongst a group of tiny little super crossbows. Now I know you're full of shit, thinking a weapon anyone can use will rise to the forefront of weaponry. Hah! As if a point and click tool anyone can use will replace the prowess of true men capable of felling huge beasts and batallions of lesser men. And it has no style! No soul! How is a man to fight excitingly with such a thing? If anything, hoards of weak people relying on your little death pointer will make the skills of men who can counter them invaluable? You know what? If you dying here doesn't stop the march of such technology, I fucking welcome it."

"Oh, keep talking. I'm already thinking of weaknesses in your silly little weapon. For starters, you're really naive enough to think six shots is enough to kill all of us?" With this, Tiberious takes a stance not unlike a sumo squat, stomping a raised leg into the ground and waiting for the bloodshed to start.

 

[KittenMaster]

<There is an appropriate response to that taunt, and I am doing everything in my power to resist typing it up.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Does that response by chance involve firing several bullets at Tiberious?))

 

[KittenMaster]

Dorthlenne points the piped weapon at the man that questions the merit behind the weapon and places a finger on his trigger, "For your information, I only need five bullets. I highly recommend not ruining the discussion we could have by tempting me to shoot a non-vital."

 

[ThLunarian]

((Detect Evil during the monologue sound-off))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Dorthlenne doesn't seem to be inherently evil, or at least not the type of creature that has an evil aura>

<Give a sense motive>

 

[ThLunarian]

Sense Motive (1d20+10=27)

 

[KittenMaster]

While Dorthlnenne does not have an evil aura which to strike him down with, it is clear from his words that he comes off as chaotic, especially when agitated.

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((Do I need to roll spellcraft or something to ask him why he doesn't just get some druids to cast Awakening?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'll just have to ask for a suspension of disbelief on that one.>

 

[Mike M]

((Sorry to see Azih go, hope Jackben decides to come back : (

Only suggestion I have for streamlining is to swipe Lunarian's scheme of all players acting then all enemies acting during combat rounds. I thought that worked really well.))

Dreadstone stands impassive before Dorthlenne's insulting banter. It's nothing he hasn't heard before, and it takes far more than that to stir the tiefling to emotional and irrational action.

He carefully studies the room and his target, taking each detail into account. Dorthlenne is left handed. Given to dramatic flourishes with his weapon. Highly intelligent too, so it's unlikely that--

"...was once a human, but in continuing my work I decided that the limitations of my birth were sub-optimal. I opted to change to a more appropriate vessel which to continue my research and work..."

Dreadstone's train of thought derails instantly.

"Hold up," he interrupts, his planned speech about bringing in Dorthleene dead or alive withering on his tongue, "yer sayin' you used to be human? How's that even possible?"

 

[KittenMaster]

Smiling, he slowly holsters his weapon again and looks to the tiefling, "Now that is a secret I plan on keeping well hidden."

 

[KittenMaster]

<Actually I can probably come up with an answer to Draco's question.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((About to make a fireworks run, so posting Tiberious's next comments while I know I have time))

Dorthlene's bravado does little to intimidate Tiberious. The elf's overconfidence in his weapon is showing, to the point where Tiberious feels the gravest insult that can be thrown against a man of pride is appropriate.

"Your confidence is a refreshing sight, boy. Go ahead and save your rounds. It would be a waste to strike down the villain before you've had a chance to say all that you would say."

The irony of commenting on Dorthlene's overconfidence is completely lost on Tiberious.

((I can't wait until I get rage-inducing insults as a class feature))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

"Its not to surprising actually. With enough resources and the right magic, granting yourself a new body is certainly possible. Although the first one that comes to mind, requires you die first and there is not much control of what you end up becoming... On a related note, why not hire, or capture, some druids. I've heard they are capable of giving animals intelligence and the power of speech?"

 

[KittenMaster]

Deciding that the half-elf's question proves more worth answering, he declares, "Druids are not exactly a common commodity. Besides, we are well past where such magical intervention is needed and all that is necessary is for them to breed, resulting in child animals that pass down their enhanced traits. Eventually they'll be able to begin populating the world with their kind, and perhaps even integrate into society. Imagine, monsters and humanoids able to understand each other's perspective and not be slain just for being the other creature. Imagine the kind of empathy that can be gained, the emotions that can be shared! The potential is endless."