Come one, come all...

[Sir Jerric he/him]

Vhalin hopped up onto one of the table's benches and looked around the pavilion at the eclectic group Korb had assembled. Saluard, Matt, and Bent seemed like sturdy enough fellows. Marie and Korb tended toward the unpredictable. He found Zakk harder to place. A solid arm in a scrap, ready with a laugh, forward with his agenda but somewhat closemouthed on his reasons.

 

"Agree with Zakk on leaving Silari," Vhalin said in Common. "But what cause for journey so far north? You spoke of necromancer before. Are not orcs sign of action by darkness here?"

 

If the tangled dialogue is a bit hard, I'm pushing for the characters to have a reason for their selection in destination, rather than just a direction. Sailing the ocean is fine by me, but what is north to be worth spending half a month to travel there instead of interacting with the local issues?

 

Some potential ideas:

• The raiding ships are from the northern shores, so we are attempting to track down the source.
• The necromancer's plagues started in the north, so we are seeking the bad guy's history or trying to undermine his base of support.
• The necromancer's conquests have been driving toward the north, so we seek to get ahead of the battle line.

I did not hear any feedback on my previous suggestion of a three-way bad guy conflict. Should I take that as no one having any objections?

Inactive characters:

Xiaoli (Quitecontrary)

Karya (Quiver)

Aesalyn and Zeith (Shivertongue)

Tool (Dreamingofcheese)

Just a short post to let us know you're still participating would be great. Bringing your character back in after we leave town will be much more complicated, but I'm always willing to help with planning re-entrances (or entrances).

New players or changed characters are always welcome, and I'll help with those as well, if anyone desires.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Sir Jerric

[+Quitecontrary she/her]

I'm still participating. Sorry everyone. My tour has been crazy. But I want to write here again, considering I just got killed in the elimination game so I need an RP fix.

[Sir Jerric he/him]

Welcome back! Sorry you got eliminated and all, but I'm glad to have your character still in play. I am hoping to find an opportunity for Vhalin to ask some questions about specialists in magic crystals, and since Xiaoli is most magically adept character in play, she'd be his first choice for inquiry. He won't be asking until the group has had some time to settle into the traveling routine. I'm offering you a little advance notice, and I'm fine with Xiaoli suggesting a former associate, a living legend, or even herself as a reference. Or, if you want to work out a way in which Vhalin's query can be taken wrong in light of her own quest for a special magic crystal, that could make for a fun conflict. If you don't mind bouncing a few ideas back and forth in set-up, I'd love to know what you think and how I could help with your own story goals in exchange.

Going back to the elimination business, I notice that Shivertongue has also become a casualty in that game. Perhaps he'll rejoin us as well? I am quite interested in hearing more about Aesalyn and Zeith too. *Nudge*

@Anyone: I'm still looking for suggestions on what we are traveling toward. Running from the invading army doesn't require a two-week journey to the far side of the Inner Sea. Why are we heading there rather than handling a more local scenario? I expect BreathTaker to RP the answer, but he isn't the only player in this game. What story do you want to explore?

[BreathTaker he/him]

I was thinking that Zakk had heard rumor of a place where the dead rise and cannot be re-killed. It is in the north and there are a ton of omens that point to necromancy. It doesn't have to be the head necromancer but an underling who we can get to tell us who is in charge. Zakk Hates Necros because they killed his Wife and Children while he was away and then forced him to re-kill them. He's not a Paladin per se but he's definitely not cool with Necromancy. 

 

Zakk is a Brawler-Mage of the Brotherhood of the Bear. He is of the Frost mage and a very high level brawler-mage, in fact he probably should have gone to the Frost-Spire long ago to advance to Battle-Mage but he has been in the world and doing things to help unlike many other higher-ups. The Warrior Magicians Have five different ranks, each much more powerful than the last and there are five separate orders, each specializing in a different element. The five are Frost, Flame, Power(electricity basically), Stone and Spirit (highest concentration of of good guys turned Necro) There are many magic systems used in this world but the one that the Warrior Magicians use are made via power circle which are similar to a transmutation circle from FMA but with a spell written inside with dragon's blood or similar focus point instead of a geometric pattern. There are Paladins and Necros and Neutrals but every one is taught what is essentially Defense against the Dark Arts. Demons and Wraiths and Zombies are summoned, trapped and killed through Power Circles with runes from an alphabet I have made up and it seems to be flowing pretty well. Each Order of Magic users has two different animal Totem that they identify with. Lower Levels have one and then the High Level warriors have basically a bigger badder version. Very few high up wizards use their powers selflessly because power corrupts. Frost warriors have a Wolf for the first two and a half levels and then they gain the Bear.

 

Basically I am taking a bunch of ideas for things I love and tweaking them to work with this. FMA, Supernatural, Brandon  Sanderson and everything that's subliminally in my brain. I've been planning all of this stuff out since the beginning of this thread but I don't want to project my book directly into the story. The magic system I described is what Z will be using and Korb's cane was probably  made by a Spirit Battle-Mage. I have come up with a Rune for the entirety of the knob is any are interested.

 

tl;dr I have developed a magic system and it's awesome.

Edited July 31, 2014 by BreathTaker

[Swimmingly he/him]

Ok. How about you give us a nice little plot post establishing detail, setting, etc - in media res, perhaps. We need to kickstart this with considerable force, and it sounds like, if you've got a magic system and setting you want to test drive, you'll want to set up situations where it will be used. It's been long enough silent here that we may have to resign ourselves to just a couple players, anyway, so send us off to the middle of nowhere surrounded with undead evildoers!

[BreathTaker he/him]

Zakk looked over at Vhalin at nodded, "Aye, it's a sign of Darkness, that is true. But the only thing we few fellows can do is get our stuff, fight our way as quietly as we can down the coast a wee bit and get a boat across the peninsula to the northern shore. I've heard tell of a patch of forest near the mountains, where orcs are known to nest, that there have been people encountering undead who are incredibly hard to kill." Zakk looked around at the group, poured a small bit of the rum from his flask into his beer and chugged it. Not many knew how the BattleCasters used their magic or where they got their power but Zakk did. Alcohol was the giver of health and magic to the BattleCasters, the Magic users who used their powers over the elements to do battle. The harder the alcohol, the more mana it gave them, the inverse to that idea was for health.  

 

Again Zakk looked around feeling stronger already, soonit would be time to move. "Matt, your horse is ready correct?" The slender man nodded in the affirmative to Zakk's question. "Good, Mater Korb, We are goin to need some horses so we can get out of here as fast as possible." at that Zakk stood up and walked out of the room and out into the pavilion. He approached his rucksack upon which his bow was resting when he heard a slight rustle. He snatched his bow up and had an arrow nocked immediately, pulling the powerful bow back to its full length he called out into the bushes, "Who's there huh? Come on out and I won't harm ye unless ye try somethin' stupid." Nothing happened for a couple of seconds so Zakk began to lower his bow, thinking it was just a small animal. Before Zakk could put the bow all the way down, a three foot tall goblin ran out of the bushes screaming obscenities and waving its little blood stained knife. Zakk put an arrow through its head, retrieved the arrow and drew Reaver, "Everyone outside now!! We got a big problem, they are spreading to the outer reaches of the city!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. As he yelled the group came pouring out of the house and staff began to panic. Zakk grabbed one of the grooms as he ran by and demanded he bring enough horses for everyone and then gather everyone up and flee. The groom nodded and did as he was told.

 

Once the horses arrived, Zakk through his pack behind the saddle of a particularly large black horse with blue eyes. "Hello friend, I'm going to need you to get us out of this hellstorm, can ye oblige?" Zakk spoke to the horse quietly while patting its neck, the horse nodded its head vigorously and nipped Zakk on the shoulder. Zakk laughed, "Good, now let's get the blazes out of here." He jumped in the saddle and led the whole group over the fence and into the woods to the west of the vineyard. When the group looked back, the whole of the place was beginning to go up in flame, but there were no screams. Hopefully the whole of the staff had made it out in time. Everyone turned around and resumed the break neck speed through the narrow trail for another hour before slowing. 

 

As the slowed Zakk bent down and patted the horse on the neck, "Thank ye lad for getting us out of there," the horse snorted and bowed its head. Zakk turned to Korb who was trying his hardest to stay in the middle of the group. "Lad, why do ye have a warhorse in yer stable? I can understand why Saluard would have one but would ye have more than one?" Zakk thought about his own question for a moment and then shrugged, "Ah, well, it's fortunate for me that you love spending money." He chuckled and continued on. A few minutes passed beofre said anything else, "We are headed to Kyshin, to the west. In case we get separated I want to keep the sun on your face in the evening and on yer back in the morning. We should be fine until then but it's a two day hard ride, a lot could happen. Be vigilant." At that Zakk drew Reaver and laid it across his saddle. 

 

Zakk bowed his head and searched his memories for the proper spell he needed. Finally he sat remembered, turned and reached into his pack, pulling out a circle of dwarven steel about four inches across. He also withdrew his dragon's blood pen from his cloak and began to craft a power circle. This circle would keep the group from walking in to an ambush. It was a life detection spell that used the powers of Spirit, Zakk was decent at using spirit but his true secondary power was that of stone. After he finished crafting the spell he through it up into the air where it suspended itself above Zakk's head which was hung in minor exhaustion. It takes more energy for a mid level Frost Battle-Mage who seconds in Stone to craft an anit-ambush medallion than it would for a mid-level Spirit Brawler (lower than Brawler-Mage). 

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon he/him]

I think this thread has died. I claim it for the raven throne. Another dead thread.

[Sir Jerric he/him]

It is only dead if you fail to make a post. You can role play here just as well as anyone can. What do you want to do?

 

Speaking of posting, I am in the process of drafting an encounter for after our first or second encampment out of the city. If anyone would like to do a little "my poor razed home" scene from a rise on the highway out of the city, the chronology would be best served if that were posted in the next 24 hours, or before my post is done if the draft takes longer than I expect.

*Nudges Swim expectantly.*

Some setting notes:

I don't know how effective the raiders were exactly, but I'd estimate around 25% of the city could have been razed if the raiders weren't being picky. Higher or lower are completely possible, but keep in mind that Silari is not a small city. Most of the locals would retreat to the homes of neighbors and such, but travelers, merchants, and other detached folk are going to be sharing our road as they remove themselves from the war zone. Winds are going to be coming out from the desert by night, so the scent of smoke would be an unlikely element. A passing object blowing toward the city could be an evocative piece, if one wanted to play with that.

[BreathTaker he/him]

It's only dead if you let it die Mat. I already posted so it's someone else's turn, personally I'm really excited about Jerric's post.

Edited August 10, 2014 by BreathTaker

[Sir Jerric he/him]

Vhalin started as the drumming hooves switched to a jarring trot. The bright desert landscape made his eyes water despite his hood and veil. His horse, herd animal as it was, slowed its pace to match the rest of the group. He noticed Marie looking at him, and he turned to her in response.

 

"Dozing on a cantering horse?" she said, giving him a quizzical sort of glare. "I thought you said you've never ridden before."

 

"Am not familiar with riding horse, but is not bad without boots." Vhalin gestured at the saddle where his bare feet rested on the smooth leather. Sitting on his pack behind the saddle left his knees rather high, but the reins were long enough to accommodate his position.

 

Marie looked more confused. "Not wearing boots makes you sleepy?"

 

"No. Makes easier to sit. Cannot use boot rings like tall folk." Vhalin stood up on the saddle and looked around.

 

"They're called stirrups."

 

"Yes. Those." They were slowing as they approached another oasis along the highway. Like at the previous, many tents encircled the water. There, it had been well after midnight, and the camp had been still save for a few wary guards making rounds. Here, the warming light threw long shadows across canvas and sand alike. People milled about as they watered animals and gathered up gear. Several clusters looked to be gossiping, eyeing the east road and the riders silhouetted against the rising sun. "Another water break?"

 

Marie glanced ahead. "Probably. At least." Vhalin looked at her again, and then at the rest of the party. Dusty and fatigued seemed to be the rule among them. He doubted he looked much better. The animals didn't look so bad, but the people had been moving for a full day longer.

 

They dismounted in an empty gap between some of the tents. Saluard talked Zakk and the others into calling camp. Vhalin volunteered for first watch, and Bent offered to join him.

 

Vhalin prowled around the perimeter of their section, listening more than watching. The openness of the surface made everything faint and distant. His ears still served him well, and he drove off two sneaks before they learned to take "the small one" seriously.

 

The conversations in the neighboring camps were not difficult to pick out. People felt little need to lower their voices by day on the surface. He overheard enough to identify at least three people as having ridden out of Silari before them. News of the raid had stirred up the travelers, and more than a few sounded like their arrangements would be changing. Some thought to turn back west, fearing harm. Others wished to turn back east, fearing for their homes. Some wished to continue east in the hopes of a rare market opportunity. The largest portion had yet to make up their minds.

 

Vhalin grinned at those latter ones. He'd dealt with their type far too often these past several years, and he was glad to have a break.

 

-----

 

Noon came and went, and the party roused themselves to begin the next stage of their journey. Several more groups of Silarni refugees had arrived from the east during the day, bearing rumors of orc raiders razing the entire city, of half the population being chained and dragged onto ships, even a claim that ettins had taken over the palace and hung the king from the highest flagpole by his ankles.

 

As the population of the oasis chewed on these lurid morsels and debated still more on which way to travel, a small company of calvary rode in from the western, Kyshin road. Glistening breastplates and mostly clean surcoats, lances high and pennants snapping in a breeze that still carried the tang of the ocean; all signs pointed to a unit that spent far more time on display than in action.

 

The soldiers rode up to the oasis camps and one bellowed, "Greater Silari Province Highway Patrol. Certification check. Please regroup so we can keep this orderly." All around the oasis, merchants and caravan masters were producing sheaves of paperwork. Vhalin even spotted some in the hands of minstrels and shepherds.

 

Saluard and Zakk looked at each other as the soldiers began to fan out through the tents. Zakk spoke first. "What's this about?"

 

"I've not had reason to travel lately," Saluard said, his tone rich with irony. Vhalin thought he must have picked it up from Korb. "Why don't you know?"

 

Zakk glanced around at the rest of the party. "Most of us sailed in. This is a desert after all."

 

Everyone turned as loud voices came from some of the more recent arrivals. "The city was attacked! Buildings were burning! Of course we didn't apply for transit certifications!"

 

The sergeant confronting them made a few notes on his waxboard. "And did you have a watering hole access permit?"

 

"Didn't you hear me? The city was on fire. Burning!"

 

"Very well," said the sergeant. He turned slightly. "Shackles!"

 

Marie glared at Korb and Saluard, and at Zakk for good measure. "Not one of you gentlemen thought about going by the gates to pick up a certification?"

 

Matt grumbled. "Should have stayed clear of the highway altogether."

 

Zakk turned on him. "We're trying to get to Kyshin quickly. Couldn't have made any good time riding through wilderness."

 

"Not to mention the need for water," Saluard added. "We didn't have equipment for an extended desert run."

 

Matt snorted. "Guess papers weren't the only thing that got overlooked in this trip." He looked back at the soldiers approaching the neighboring camp. "What now?"

 

-----

 

Adventuring party has encountered obstructive bureaucrat patrol! What will you do?

I hope that I didn't fall too short of any lofty expectations there, BreathTaker. Also, advance apologies all around if I misrepresented anyone's characters, but this wasn't the sort of scene that would work with only Vhalin talking. Feel free to offer improvements or to just press on and attempt to solve the problem, as you prefer. This might be one of those cases where it would be fun to let another player determine the outcome of your choice instead of self-fiat, but what ever best serves your sense of fun.

Out of curiousity, who here has GM'd a roleplaying game before? Or played in a GM'd game? Just as a gauge of experience with the medium.

[BreathTaker he/him]

I haven't, and also thank you for correcting my continuity error back there about woods. If y'all don't mind, would anyone hate to have themselves a little cameo in my book. I know this one won't get published but I'm having a Storming good time writing it. Ok here we go.

 

Zakk took up a defensive posture against the horse mounted soldiers and drew Reaver, her slow cold hiss as she slid from her home startled some of the nearby horses, thinking a snake was nearby. With Reaver in one hand and the other glowing blue with vapor streaming from it, Zakk smiled, his breath misting as if it were very cold outside. "Listen boys, we don't want a fight. If you do we can give ye one." he said, gesturing to the rest of the gang behind him, "Or, you can turn back and go to your homes and protect your people from orcs and possibly worse. If ye decide to tread this course it will get ugly, and we will win."  Zakk pointedly looked down at his left hand where a large icicle was forming.

 

He was forming the ice from the moisture in the air around the watering hole. With this many people around it was plenty humid to supply a decently sized ice spike. It would be brittle from the heat that was also in the air, but a little magic tended to discomfort trouble makers and a little magic from a giant of a man holding a large sword and glowing blue usually discouraged pretty much everyone. It worked.

 

"Sir, we are aware of the situation in the city and we are deeply sorry for any inconvenience this has caused everyone but we patrol the royal roadways for the king and we must keep order." The guard looked at the group of rough looking, but armed, people directly in front of him. The large man with whom he was speaking had even drawn his weapon against them and formed a spike of ice. How he hated magic users. He also acknowledged that there were a lot of desperate looking individuals on the side of the brave gang.

 

"Very well, I will allow this to slide for one night. If we come back tomorrow and there are still people from this same group, there will be fines levied. Is that clear?" The soldier looked at Zakk directly in the eyes when he spoke, "And if you ever threaten me again, I will not take it so lightly." It carried all the weight of a threat but the brute didn't seem to be phased. 

 

Zakk chuckled at the patrolman's threat but was appreciative of his willingness to stand down. He slid Reaver home and the Ice Spike shattered in his hand. The slight chill around him dissipated and his eyes went back to their normal hue and he visibly relaxed."Thank you, sir. We all appreciate your... benevolence" Zakk bowed to him and turned away to start a small camp fire for the gang to eat and be back on the road.  

 

HOPEFULLY this thread comes back to life and we can continue. I didn't want a fight here, every third post has been a long winded scrap and I kind of want to get to the, ya know, story. haha.

[Sir Jerric he/him]

A fight, my good sir? Who said anything about a fight? All I said was an "encounter".

There is a certain piece of writing advice that I like to apply to RP stories:

What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

We're a group of good guys, heroes. We have several good melee and ranged fighters, plus a couple of magic-users (assuming XiaoLi hasn't dropped out on us). We have some rogue type support. We might be a bit short on healers, but all in all, I think we have the majority of the classic adventuring party available.

So what makes a challenge for a party like this? Opposition from authorities that are technically on our side.

I see you've elected for the intimidation approach, and it even worked. . . . for now . . . ("Never throw anything away." Another excellent piece of advice.)

Anyway, I'm fine with glossing over the rest of the road to Kyshin, if you don't have anything else in mind for the road. In fact, I'm entirely fine with time-jumping farther, if you have some plans for another interesting scene. I would appreciate if you wanted to share such plans first, in case that launches an interesting idea for something that would best happen before. But I'm willing to roll with whatever you throw at me, and I'll try to be more prompt than ten days this time. =)

Edited August 15, 2014 by Sir Jerric

[BreathTaker he/him]

I don't mind skipping at all. In fact I think it would be cool if we could kind of avoid conflict all together until we get to the docks and try to get a boat.