Expedition - Markd/On A Mission From Baudh - 08 May 2021

[Marullus]

if we decide to have Irving do the roll, that's instead of paying into a fund?

Correct.

[onlyme]

Markd, not hearing anyone eager to write their tale, volunteers his time.

I cant say the Bard will believe me, but I feel we need to make sure Baudh's priests know we tried our best and need more recruits.

[Rusty Tincanne]

200sp deducted. Because Olaf is joining in.

Don't you go selling us short, Scarface. We did a hell of a job of there. Charmed some ghosts, killed some undead, chased of some gargoyles and Irving apparently killed an ogre single handed. That we want more folks to come is just being smart, not failure. I'll not have you commission a song of us coming back with our tails tucked between our legs.

[Zhym]

I'll adjust Olaf's take to deduct 20 gp (in silver, natch) for the tribute but keep the 9 gp (in silver, I'm sure) for the mule. Equal share of loot, equal contribution to tributes. Strict lawfulness, or PITA. Same diff.

[Marullus]

Okay, Onlyme needs to write up the story and post it in the Memorials and Tributes. (The Bard happily believes any tale he is paid to believe. No worries.) Once that is done, I'll add the extra XP to everyone's sheets.

Please also account for your time in-town with a tavern post (particularly the room/board charge and if you're aiming for the bonuses to saves). You can all go play at the festival in the meantime. I think we're done here.

[Keehnelf]

Ahem...I make no promises for quality, but I think it captures Irving's attitude toward things pretty well.

The Tale of Six and the Last

The six set out on blusterous day,
Under grey and grim skies heavy with rain
To unearth what man had locked away
Long since and hidden neath mystery and shame.

Once-bright cities that shone with Baudh's light
Fallen on shadowy miserable days
Called out to Baudh's priests come over the mount
To restore the lost holy ways.

In ancient tower was hid an icon
of gold and gilt with Holiness round;
Six souls set forth under hooded skies
And here's what they found.

Under a hill in catacomb deep
Were legions of unholy dead that would creep
From their tombs to prey upon the life of the living
Or to listen to speeches some ghosts were giving;

The wretched refuse of the living were fought;
Vermin and oozes festering with rot,
Destroyed good and all in holy Baudh's name
For the faith, for which they all came.

Nothing to be found
In that hole in the ground
But mysteries wrapped with enigmas tight round
A fair fairy queen with no head crying luminous tears
As her suitors and enemies hold court through the years.

Upon a high hill stood a circle of stone;
A resting place for some ancient bones
And a circle of tombs guarded well by fell beasts
That descended and slew the impetuous priest
Who dared to defy their unholy might
And was sent 'fore his time past the reach of the night.

In the air, in the wind did the weeping and dirge
Rise like an ancient soul's vital urge
Against the fell darkness of that timeless land
Lead our heroes from woe by the hand.

And so they returned.
Along ways not yet trodden by men or by beasts,
Simply monsters begotten of darkness and blood.

And so it was,
As the perilous ogre swept forth from the dim
With a horde of cruel kobolds, their spears flashing grim
Laid about him with a tree drawn up by the root
In an orgy of blood laid them out at his foot.

Dwarf, stony-faced, loyal and true;
Captain, with voice of command he is due;
Monk, his hooded face shining with light
And the half-man, with blade burning bright.

All save the last. Irving, the shield
of the fallen, who would not yield.
With a clatter of sword upon shield he cried out
"You, ogre, turn your backside about!
Or prepare for a slaughter, yours and your mates!"
And the kobolds fled, left the ogre to its fate.
With a turn and a twist and a mighty blow
he turned tree-trunk aside and laid the beast low.

Once darkness lifted
Through grace Baudh had gifted,
Irving, the Last, drew the fallen about him
And waited, in the last light of day, as it dimmed.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Is that the song the bard would sing, or is it from Irving directly? Because I don't think we should have to pay any coin with that as our entry.

It's brilliant.

[Keehnelf]

Irving would have cribbed a lot from various sources in order to cobble that together and dictate to the bard, with whatever additions the bard thinks appropriate. The more first-hand exposure he gets to the bard to shape the tale, the better.

[Zhym]

I agree. That's awesome, and the bard would just be transcribing. Irving has a high enough charisma to talk an ogre into one-on-one combat. We should let him roll for the no-cost XP boost IMO.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Try it on Irving's CHA. If he fails, we can pitch in to a bard. The Bard can use the same words because sometimes its in how it is presented, after all.

[Keehnelf]

Is it just a straight d20?

[Zhym]

Looks like it (see Marullus's big post on the previous page).

[Keehnelf]

Gotcha!

Ye Olde Tale [1d20] = 12

[Rusty Tincanne]

200sp added back to character sheet. And a heart past on the back for Irving.

[Zhym]

+200 silver for Olaf.

[onlyme]

Nice poem..
Markd is impressed, and realizes he would have done no better and probably much worse.

[Marullus]

Good job! Irving is now appreciated by the townsfolk for his telling of ballads.

Keehnelf, Markd, Alethan - please also take back the 200 or 250sp you donated as the bard was not used.

That is 136.6 in memorial tribute, which the church gratefully accepts. In addition, Irving chips in an extra 5gp from his own share. (Bremen chipped in 9gp, buried with him, which also counts.) That awards 14xp to Bandy, Olaf, and Markd, 16xp to Irving, and 18xp to Bremen. It gives 150xp to Stirling's new PC.

You may donate additional GP for the duration of the Greenleaf festival. You can donate up to an additional 70gp each to the memorial (getting 1/2 value for you and full value for Stirling's new PC). Or, you can donate to the festival itself (gaining full value for you only) under the Living the High Life rules. You may make either of these donations through actions in the Greenleaf Festival thread and annotate them accordingly.

If that works, then this thread is closed. Please go account for your two week's time in the Tavern thread and then join the festival. You all return on 13 May. Bremen wakes in the Infirmary on 15 May then joins the others.

Final new XP totals for memorial/tribute are:
Irving: 116xp
Bremen: 68xp
Markd: 64xp
Bandy: 64xp
Olaf: 64xp
Kellstrom's new PC: 200xp