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Excalibur: a NeoGAF Pathfinder Play by Post Campaign
- Thread starter KittenMaster
- Start date
Axelhortsemchi
Member
Not wanting to let the keys get away, Leo hopefully succeeds in seizing the monkey so that it can be relieved of its keys.
Code:
[url=http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=65500]Grapple : 1D20 + 16 = [15]+16 = 31
[/url]KittenMaster
Member
<I'm just going to say, for the sake of continuity that it got away.>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((That's going to depend on whether I can use Oratory or Diplomacy. It's the difference between +10 and +4))
KittenMaster
Member
<Technically perform doesn't really do anything useful on its own, it's mostly used to augment other skills for the Gladiator class (or for classes like Bard). Go with Diplomacy and how well I think the animals would respond to the roleplay portion will take care of the performance acting part.>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((That makes sense. Diplomacy shouting it is!))
With the monkey gone before he could get a chance to grab it and the rest of the animals panicking over Dreadstone's arrow shot, breaking up this forced breeding ring became a bit harder. Sure, Draco can probably pick the locks, but in their panicked state, the animals might attack him and his friends on release. If they're really freaking out, they might attack each other. The party has already tried subterfuge and strongarming, which means that it's time to try and calm the animal prisoners down.
Leo takes a few breaths in and out. As he paces the room to find a good, central position for addressing all the animals, he motions for anyone with their weapons still out to put them away. Once he's satisfied with where he's standing, he launches into a manly speech of peace.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Dorthlene Variel is dead and your time of being locked away and forced to breed is at an end! The glinting tail of freedom has been dangled before you, and now you must act as a man and seize it! 'But Tiberious!' you say, 'We are animals, not men, and some of us are female! How are we supposed to move upon the path of a man?' Dorthlene has filled your heads with weakness and mush! Animals you may be, you are men just as much as any of us here! Man is a state of mind! Man is seizing what is before you against all odds! Man is doing what you know is right when everyone else tells you that you are an idiot and brain damaged from having your head slammed into stone hundreds of times! Man! Is! The breeze on the wind that pushes a villain's lunch of the edge of a precarious table!"
At this point in his speech, Tiberious begins to pace the room, looking intently into the eyes of each animal. "You have lived lives of slavery up until now. Your perspective is bound by the cages you have been locked in, and the animals you have been forced to mate with, whether by magic or more conventional coercion. A new, brighter chapter is about to begin in your lives. Freedom is a frightening thing; between that and a bunch of dangerous looking men showing up in here out of nowhere, I expect most of you are still frightened. You are wondering how you'll eat once you're free, where you'll go once you're free. That is fine, there is no shame in feeling that way, it doesn't any of you less of a man. All I need to know for now is that once my friend over there opens these cages," Tiberious points to Draco, "you will not try and harm us, or each other. I do not know what kind of twisted animal grudges have developed between you all, if any, during your time here, but they end with the opening of your cages. On the matter of survival, we know a man who is an animal on this island, and he will be willing to help you all get set on the right path. If you will attack on release, give me some form of indication! Those of you who can talk, tell me. Those who can not, two taps on the bar means 'I am a man who wishes to shed this wretched steel cage!' A turning point in your life is upon all of you, shall you respond to it like men?"
At this time, Tiberious will methodically walk the length of all the cages again, seeking an answer from each animal.
((Eh, at least it's not a nat 1))
With the monkey gone before he could get a chance to grab it and the rest of the animals panicking over Dreadstone's arrow shot, breaking up this forced breeding ring became a bit harder. Sure, Draco can probably pick the locks, but in their panicked state, the animals might attack him and his friends on release. If they're really freaking out, they might attack each other. The party has already tried subterfuge and strongarming, which means that it's time to try and calm the animal prisoners down.
Leo takes a few breaths in and out. As he paces the room to find a good, central position for addressing all the animals, he motions for anyone with their weapons still out to put them away. Once he's satisfied with where he's standing, he launches into a manly speech of peace.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Dorthlene Variel is dead and your time of being locked away and forced to breed is at an end! The glinting tail of freedom has been dangled before you, and now you must act as a man and seize it! 'But Tiberious!' you say, 'We are animals, not men, and some of us are female! How are we supposed to move upon the path of a man?' Dorthlene has filled your heads with weakness and mush! Animals you may be, you are men just as much as any of us here! Man is a state of mind! Man is seizing what is before you against all odds! Man is doing what you know is right when everyone else tells you that you are an idiot and brain damaged from having your head slammed into stone hundreds of times! Man! Is! The breeze on the wind that pushes a villain's lunch of the edge of a precarious table!"
At this point in his speech, Tiberious begins to pace the room, looking intently into the eyes of each animal. "You have lived lives of slavery up until now. Your perspective is bound by the cages you have been locked in, and the animals you have been forced to mate with, whether by magic or more conventional coercion. A new, brighter chapter is about to begin in your lives. Freedom is a frightening thing; between that and a bunch of dangerous looking men showing up in here out of nowhere, I expect most of you are still frightened. You are wondering how you'll eat once you're free, where you'll go once you're free. That is fine, there is no shame in feeling that way, it doesn't any of you less of a man. All I need to know for now is that once my friend over there opens these cages," Tiberious points to Draco, "you will not try and harm us, or each other. I do not know what kind of twisted animal grudges have developed between you all, if any, during your time here, but they end with the opening of your cages. On the matter of survival, we know a man who is an animal on this island, and he will be willing to help you all get set on the right path. If you will attack on release, give me some form of indication! Those of you who can talk, tell me. Those who can not, two taps on the bar means 'I am a man who wishes to shed this wretched steel cage!' A turning point in your life is upon all of you, shall you respond to it like men?"
At this time, Tiberious will methodically walk the length of all the cages again, seeking an answer from each animal.
Code:
[url=http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=65527]Diplomacy: 1D20 + 4 = [9]+4 = 13
[/url]((Eh, at least it's not a nat 1))
KittenMaster
Member
The animals and monsters do not seem convinced that being freed is to their benefit. Many seem confused, many scoff at the notion of 'being a man' even spitting at the idea, and most are alarmed even further and shocked when Dorthlenne's death is mentioned.
Axelhortsemchi
Member
A disappointed Leo walks over to the rest of the party and shrugs. "They seem like a stubborn lot. Maybe we should just go get Baldur and have him see what should be done with them?"
ThLunarian
Member
"I feel that it is important for these... people to choose how to live. To that end, the locks on their cages must at least be undone. Then, perhaps if there are humanitarian resources which may be called upon to assist in their acclimation, we can make that option available to those who desire it. Perhaps they would be better served to be left to their own devices.
"Regardless, though, these locks MUST be removed. If necessary I shall 'unlock' them alone with my sword."
"Regardless, though, these locks MUST be removed. If necessary I shall 'unlock' them alone with my sword."
Axelhortsemchi
Member
"These guys do need to be freed, though if we unlock these cages right now, it seems like some of them might throw themselves on our weapons. You sure we should chance getting rid of the locks right now?"
ThLunarian
Member
Thaddeus frowns. "It is a dilemma," he admits. "Perhaps it may be prudent to find the aid of which you've spoken first. So long as they are freed as soon as possible. It is unjust to keep sentient beings trapped in cages after having committed no wrongdoing."
Axelhortsemchi
Member
"Yeah, that's really messed up, we'll get this sorted out. The only time people should be in cages is if they are in prison or willingly in one prior to a fight in an arena."
Leo begins to think about this after saying it. The arena is harsh on wild animals, but rewarding for those with the ability to thrive there. Animals are already a popular draw. Intelligent animals that could blur the line between man and beast would draw tens of thousands and make quite the lives for themselves. He is definitely going to have to propose allowing some of the animals to go off to an arena. Hopefully the others will see all the good in it he does.
Now, how to tell the others that the best place for some of the animals might be a career of deathmatches in an arena?
((That notion of Tiberious wanting sapient animals in the arena occurred to me earlier, and I realized that there was no way I could let us go through deciding what to do with them without bringing it up at some point))
Leo begins to think about this after saying it. The arena is harsh on wild animals, but rewarding for those with the ability to thrive there. Animals are already a popular draw. Intelligent animals that could blur the line between man and beast would draw tens of thousands and make quite the lives for themselves. He is definitely going to have to propose allowing some of the animals to go off to an arena. Hopefully the others will see all the good in it he does.
Now, how to tell the others that the best place for some of the animals might be a career of deathmatches in an arena?
((That notion of Tiberious wanting sapient animals in the arena occurred to me earlier, and I realized that there was no way I could let us go through deciding what to do with them without bringing it up at some point))
DeadPhoenix
Member
"I'm not releasing these animals if they are going to murder me when I do. How about we just keep looking around, if we can find where they are shipping the animals from and shut it down. Then we'll finally be able to level this hell hole of an island."
KittenMaster
Member
<I didn't even get a chance at this first one.>
<I assume everyone is ready to head back and go to the village?>
<I assume everyone is ready to head back and go to the village?>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((I'm sure that quickly became
'GM says: what are you doing?
GM means: WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!'))
((Yeah, I'm ready to head back))
'GM says: what are you doing?
GM means: WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!'))
((Yeah, I'm ready to head back))
ThLunarian
Member
((Yup yup. I'm guessing the pink kobold is tagging along too..?
As for what Draco proposed, I'm good with letting the villagers take care of that))
As for what Draco proposed, I'm good with letting the villagers take care of that))
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((Perhaps we're looking at a future kobold cavalier?))
KittenMaster
Member
<I'm more likely to just add a 1d4 knife attack to Gnaw's list of attacks:
EDIT: Knives are 1d4 for medium creatures, right?>
EDIT: Knives are 1d4 for medium creatures, right?>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((I see daggers on the SRD which I assume is close enough, but yeah, those are D4s for medium creatures))
KittenMaster
Member
After deciding that Baldur and his larger resources are a much more appropriate approach for the task, the party decides it is time to make a temporary exit. One of you notice a massive sized teleporter glowing in a distant side of the room, and a labor-operated crane nearby. Before you step on the teleporter, you hear a voice in your head,
<Thinking about it now, I would just say that the Kobold can even use stuff he's proficient with based on the Bestiary entry, but that is assuming he took a warrior class, while I imagine this Kobold as more of a worker and laborer, AKA a commoner, so he can have one simple weapon and can't use anything else.>
Did you find anything else? Dortumn just came back and is telling me that Thaddeus' former superior officer is denying ever knowing about you and Dortumn lacks authority to request information, but he feels that the man is 'denying hard enough to know something'.
<Thinking about it now, I would just say that the Kobold can even use stuff he's proficient with based on the Bestiary entry, but that is assuming he took a warrior class, while I imagine this Kobold as more of a worker and laborer, AKA a commoner, so he can have one simple weapon and can't use anything else.>
ThLunarian
Member
((Gonna leave this one for Dreadstone to handle))
"Even if Thaddeus isn't on the up 'n up, he plays the shinin' knight well 'nuff for me. But don't stop diggin', there's clearly somethin' goin' on there," Dreadstone reports.
"We have reason to believe Dorthlenne's still out there, despite appearances. But this facility's done for, we're turnin' control of it over to Baldur and his people to wind down. The Orphans' export business is officially shut down. We're fixin' to take advantage of their delivery channel to head back."
"We have reason to believe Dorthlenne's still out there, despite appearances. But this facility's done for, we're turnin' control of it over to Baldur and his people to wind down. The Orphans' export business is officially shut down. We're fixin' to take advantage of their delivery channel to head back."
KittenMaster
Member
EDIT: I see you changed your post.
KittenMaster
Member
Upon everyone standing atop the large teleporter, you suddenly find yourselves outside of the entire installation once more. It is the first time Thaddeus has been exposed to the outside air in a very long time.
Dreadstone blinks in the sudden daylight, making an involuntary hiss as he hurriedly hikes the hood of his cloak over his horned head.
"Let's get back to Baldur an' his tree hugger tribe," he announces as he checks and tightens the straps if his armor and equipment as needed. "An' try t'steer clear of any other creatures we may see. Some of 'em might be the smart type, wouldn't want to complicate the situation any further with 'em."
Standing akimbo with his hands on his hips, he surveys the expanse of the forested island before him. "Now which way was it now?"
"Let's get back to Baldur an' his tree hugger tribe," he announces as he checks and tightens the straps if his armor and equipment as needed. "An' try t'steer clear of any other creatures we may see. Some of 'em might be the smart type, wouldn't want to complicate the situation any further with 'em."
Standing akimbo with his hands on his hips, he surveys the expanse of the forested island before him. "Now which way was it now?"
Axelhortsemchi
Member
Leo is surprised by the abrupt shift in scenery, and lets out a small groan as he realizes that he's once again surrounded by nature.
"Hmm... No clue! Aren't you the one that's good at directions, Deadstone?"
((While I'd have to scroll back to be sure, I think it was west. Maybe southwest))
"Hmm... No clue! Aren't you the one that's good at directions, Deadstone?"
((While I'd have to scroll back to be sure, I think it was west. Maybe southwest))
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((Doh! I always forget that part. Gladiators actually take penalties on several skills for being in the wilderness, so I was kind of doing the same for his absolutely nonexistent survival skills.))
ThLunarian
Member
Thaddeus doesn't stop squinting. While his biological tendency toward light aversion has been suppressed for most of his life, evidently it had returned with a vengeance during his extended stay underground.
"I won't be much help here," he says unconfortably. "I know nothing of this island and I can scarcely see in front of my face."
((I'm not actually light-blind, it's just for RP))
"I won't be much help here," he says unconfortably. "I know nothing of this island and I can scarcely see in front of my face."
((I'm not actually light-blind, it's just for RP))
DeadPhoenix
Member
"I was half-expecting you to bust into flames or something... I knew that wouldn't happen of course, but I heard some ridiculous stories about drow when I was younger."
Draco takes a look around to try and get his barrings and maybe figure out which way to go from here.
Perception: (1d20+12+2=23)
((I have no invested in survival at all... strangely its not even a class skill for me, but i can take a talent that lets me use perception for tracking, which is nice.))
Draco takes a look around to try and get his barrings and maybe figure out which way to go from here.
Perception: (1d20+12+2=23)
((I have no invested in survival at all... strangely its not even a class skill for me, but i can take a talent that lets me use perception for tracking, which is nice.))
KittenMaster
Member
Draco figures out quickly that these surroundings are near the slope they walked down to reach the front entrance to the facility. You should be able to trace your route from the village, and from the village back to the ship.
ThLunarian
Member
Thaddeus laughs openly at Draco's jape, but he stops abruptly and looks at the gladiator. "Leo, just to be clear, there is no danger of me bursting into flames."
KittenMaster
Member
<*takes notes*>
DeadPhoenix
Member
((Unless you're a spy from the plane of fire!))
Draco starts walking, "The man eating tree village should be this way, lets get moving."
Draco starts walking, "The man eating tree village should be this way, lets get moving."
ThLunarian
Member
((Cone to think of it, what time of day is it? The party hasn't rested since leaving the village in the first place and the only time skip we had was the hour after Thaddeus was found. If the sun is still out then this is a hell of a long day))
KittenMaster
Member
<I want to say it is nearing evening by now, but it's really easy to argue that everything happened within an hour due to how buffs work.>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
Leo is off put by Thaddeus's statement? Why would he point that out? Wait a second, Leo thinks. A reputable source said something about fire people earlier. Maybe Thaddeus is one, and is trying to stear him off the path. Yes, that must be it.
Leo laughs at Thaddeus's statement, but narrows his eyes once he turns around. He's going to have to watch this potential fire replica closely now.
((Spies from the Plane of Fire, indeed))
Leo laughs at Thaddeus's statement, but narrows his eyes once he turns around. He's going to have to watch this potential fire replica closely now.
((Spies from the Plane of Fire, indeed))
KittenMaster
Member
<Jackben just said that he isn't coming back to the game.
I think he needs emotional support though, and I'm terrible at providing it. Can Mike M or Axel help out?>
I think he needs emotional support though, and I'm terrible at providing it. Can Mike M or Axel help out?>
Axelhortsemchi
Member
((I'm willing. Can you PM me contact info for him?))
KittenMaster
Member
<So I've decided if I lose one more player, I'll most likely just wrap up the game so that we can move on to a better designed one.
Right now, mostly worried about Jackben's well being though, more than roleplaying.>
Right now, mostly worried about Jackben's well being though, more than roleplaying.>
KittenMaster
Member
<Go ahead and assume you are able to make it back to the village with no problems.>
ThLunarian
Member
((I emailed Jackben. Haven't heard back yet, but let's hope he'll be okay
Edit: Ooh oh I'll make a proper post as Baldur tonight when I have time to sit down and put some thought into it. Dibs!))
Edit: Ooh oh I'll make a proper post as Baldur tonight when I have time to sit down and put some thought into it. Dibs!))
KittenMaster
Member
<He e-mailed me this morning and mentioned that you guys had e-mailed him. I'm gonna send another e-mail to let him know you guys want to hear back.>