The Unseen Servant forums

shaidar wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:38 pm Refreshing my memory, Newton ordered an axe from father Odos, but I can't find any indication of when it was going to be ready.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:44 pm The Aftermath

Valru's expression is as hard as her skin as she surveys the carnage. "My men fought valiantly," she says, "as did yours, against a mighty foe. We typically burn our dead, in the field or home. As a broken sword is melted down to be reforged, so are we at the end of our days. How do you softskins honor your dead?"

The rest of the day is spent searching the village. An enormous haul is found, consisting of:

*24,000 silver coins
*14,500 gold coins
*4500 platinum coins
*About two dozen assorted gems, ranging in value from 10 to 1,000 gp, and totally 9,560 gold.
*A score of trinkets -- earrings, rings, bracelets -- worth another 7,500 gp.
*4 scrolls
*Two swords, an axe, a crossbow, and a dagger that Zellar and Sumer judge are likely valuable.
*3 potions, unlabeled.

Of most interest, though likely less value, the adventurers find one whole hut filled with foodstuffs, dried goods, and tools that look to be of human origin. It's mostly utilitarian stuff, perhaps worth a few hundred gold, but suggests the orcs have recently raided a human community somewhere nearby.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:48 pm

beniliusbob wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 1:45 pm Zellar

Once the dead and wounded have been dealt with, Zellar will assist in examining the scrolls to determine if there are any clues as to the whereabouts of Burnnkenkrayn.

Fifthmonth, Twentyfifthday
Hex 230.123

The dead mercenaries are arranged on a funeral pyre; it's trivially easy to pull down the huts the orcs were using and use the dry wood to build a massive bonfire. As the sun sets the pyre is put to the torch; flames are soon licking the darkening sky as the dead warriors are sent off to the Dry Lands as befits heroes. Valru sings a song in an ancient language. Like all the songs of her people -- or at least the ones the adventurers have thus heard -- it is discordant and harsh, like metal crashing against metal.

Later, when questioned about a potential human village nearby, she shrugs. "I do not doubt there is one, but do not know where it is. We are beyond the boundaries of my knowledge, here. My guess would be that it lies somewhere along this river, though, as that is where many settlements are to be found."

After the pyre burns down, and a campfire of their own is built, Sumer and Zellar examine the scrolls they have found. Two are spell scrolls, both magical in nature, containing the following:
*The first contains the spells light, magic missile, and web.
*The second contains the spells hallucinatory terrain and wall of stone.

The third scroll appears to be an old treasure map. In Common, an inscription upon it reads "We rode two days east of Maknor, to where a river flowed north. Following the river north we came to the upturned rock we had been told of, and there we buried Prince Damar in the royal crypts we found beneath, along with his scepter of rulership. Thus the remains of the last of the blood of the royal line of Maknor was interred."

The final scroll is a single rolled sheet of parchment, written in a runic script neither can read. The runes are blocky and composed of harsh lines, and hurt the eyes of those reading if they stare too long at the page.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:33 pm

shaidar wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:14 pm
Newton nods "Yes, it does sound familiar. If we don't go after those orcs I'm just worried that they will raise the alarm with the dragon, and we currently haven't found any indication of the dragons location from the loot, so we'll need an orc prisoner to interrogate"

Valru

The ironskin scout purses her lips. "Orcs are creatures of Chaos, and craven, to boot. Without a strong hand guiding their actions they show little initiative, nor loyalty. If I were a betting woman, which I am not, my guess would be that the survivors of this fight have fled in all directions, and rather than face the wrath of an angry dragon will instead melt into the wilderness, hoping to disappear." She pauses. "While clearing out the camp I did espy what looks like a trail leading west, on the other side of the river. Orcs are also not know for the woodcraft, and it is possible they left us a backtrail we can follow."

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:08 pm The drake's hide was tanned on the 13th of the 5thmonth, and I'll say it takes a month to craft the masterwork armor. Newton has the following choices for the bonus:
*+1 AC
*No weight (is light enough it doesn't count as armor)
*+2 bonus to Sneak rolls while in the wilderness (the drake he slew possessed a mottled hide especially suited for sneaking).

Let's say that by the 13th the hydra-hide will also be tanned.

The 14th is the middle of the month, so let's start the action up again on the 14thday of the Sixthmonth, giving basically two and a half weeks of downtime. For sake of starting things up let's say the Newton can start with the masterwork armor. The hammer will also be ready by then.

shaidar wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:42 pm

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:08 pm The drake's hide was tanned on the 13th of the 5thmonth, and I'll say it takes a month to craft the masterwork armor. Newton has the following choices for the bonus:
*+1 AC
*No weight (is light enough it doesn't count as armor)
*+2 bonus to Sneak rolls while in the wilderness (the drake he slew possessed a mottled hide especially suited for sneaking).

Let's say that by the 13th the hydra-hide will also be tanned.

The 14th is the middle of the month, so let's start the action up again on the 14thday of the Sixthmonth, giving basically two and a half weeks of downtime. For sake of starting things up let's say the Newton can start with the masterwork armor. The hammer will also be ready by then.

That's cool, thanks.

I think I'll go for the +2 bonus to sneak in the wilderness.

Now I just need someone who can make armour from the Hydra hide. Would it have been possible to have made enquiries in Alice during the downtime?

Leitz wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:15 pm As a new player, there's a lot to take in. That said, I tend to look around, find a project, and get to work.

As a meta-game thing, I'm happy to have Ardath be wherever the PCs are going to be, and potentially even know one or more of them or their retainers. I'll post a little about him on the character sheet, so those who want to can link into that. He's a good guy, and as a player I tend to be "support the group" focussed.

On the chainmail, does it's magic reduce the encumberance?

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 8:11 pm

beniliusbob wrote:Zellar

Is Zellar able to ascertain from Fer's expressions and body language to what degree his characterizations are made with sarcasm versus seriousness? Reading into it, I'd say his depiction of the Scarlet and the Jade at least are... politically coloured.

"What has the Jade Princess done to sabotage the Scarlet Prince? Over what do they conflict in particular? Territorial rights? Taxes? Or is it merely personal dislike? Does the Scarlet Prince mean to conquer her entire demesne?"

Tolniel Fer

"Ma'am, there's tomes in those questions that we could spend weeks on, but let's see if I can provide an overview." He steeples his hands and tilts his head back, as if in thought. "The Variegated Kingdom, as we now think of it, was founded three Cycles ago, united by the first High King, Marckar Regincan, and divided into the eight Princedoms that exist today. The seat of power, and the Throne of Many Colors, is in the Umber Principality, and since the end of the last Apex has stood empty. The remaining Princes: Scarlet and Jade, Coral and Azure, Violet and Sable, and Alabaster, have been squabbling over who should sit on the throne, but until recently, with the cycling of Chaos, have been too preocupied with their own concerns to attempt anything directly."

Fer looks as though he would have enjoyed a life as a teacher, or perhaps a philosopher. "I do not know why Scarlet and Jade seem set against each other. I know there is strife between Violet and Sable even as we speak, and armies marching, but those two lie directly adjacent to each other. Why the antipathy between Scarlet and Jade? I don't know, honestly. Why do any two people dislike each other? Surely you have known people you simply cannot stand, or that have wronged you? Our prince must see Jade as an obstable to the throne, or vice versa."

It seems as if Fer's previous comments had the tone of those who are accustomed to speaking the party line but don't necessarily agree with the message.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Thu Sep 05, 2019 12:35 am Fourthmonth, Tenthday
2:00 pm
Hex 235.134
Alice

No one can dispute the wisdom of the witch's words, and soon they continue north again, the companionship once more numbering five individuals, doughty and true.

The road widens and the woods thin as they travel, with signs of civilization becoming more and more evident. Finally, the party emerges from the trees to behold an enormous clearing, as far as the eye can see, of mostly cultivated fields dotted with houses, copses of fruit trees, and herds of cow and sheep. Ahead of them, barely visible on the horizon, is a smudge that must be Alice, with plumes of smoke rising up into the sky by the hundredfold.

Alice is a frontier town similar to Junction, maybe twice as big, but sprawling. The dwellings on the perimeter are small and rude, some little more than tents, others mud-daubed huts. It is as if the population of Junction doubled overnight, with no places to put the new inhabitants, so they made do with what they could.

It is lucky there has been no rain recently, as the streets are hard-packed dirt. The main road is crowded with traffic, with buildings mostly of wood leaning in above the road. The adventurers have two potential courses of action:

*Seek out Pord's contact, one Kirra Lec whom they are supposed to escort north.
*There is also the company -- the Northern Mercantile Exchange -- that Feargus had received a letter of introduction to the previous night. The woman, one Cynza Dalin, gave him directions to an office located off the North Road, behind a Twill's Tavern, and ask for a "Matts".

Feargus's young squire, Mardan Cy, looks about, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, and the bustle and noise surrounding the party. He clutches his zither protectively.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:58 am The Barony of Draea

The road leads up towards the castle, past the farms and fields of smallholders. All of them are similar in appearance to the soldiers in the patrol, but otherwise they seem to be perfectly normal; the animals in the fields look to be of the standard variety, the crops they grow seem to be no different from what is grown all over the Principalities.

The gates of the castle swing wide and the adventurers find themselves inside a well fortified structure, built along similar lines as Bastion. It seems as though almost every square inch is occupied by something; practice yards and stables, smithies and hovels. There's not a spare space to be found.

As far as the adventurers can tell all of the residents of the castle are of the same race as the soldiers; with skin and hair of iron. The patrol leader, who introduces herself as Escea, shows the party to a stable where they can put up their mounts, then leads them inside to an antechamber. "It you're allowed to stay the night it is likely you'll have to stay in the stables," she says, matter of factly. "We have little room here in the keep, and are not equipped for visitors. I'll go and let the Baron and his council know that you are here. How should I announce you?"

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 6:38 pm Fourthmonth, Twentyfirstday
Kimrid

The adventurers are escorted through the gates into Kimrid proper. In some ways it is similar to Bastion, and to the settlement of the Ironskins, in that the central -- and largest -- part of the town is actually a fortress, with residential and commercial buildings spreading out from the central area. The captain, who introduces himself as Garbeo, points out locations of interest. "That building over there is the Dusk's Embrace," he says, "they have rooms for rent, as does the Ruined Jester" he points at another building a few hundred paces away. "There are two more taverns, as well, both down by the docks, and they have some rooms for rent, but they're not . . . deserving of your patronage, I think. Rough and tumble places. Dirty. The markets are a street up from the river." He motions towards the center of town, towards a massive edifice built of the same reddish stone. The road from the gate leads straight up to a wide stairs in front of a columned portico. Statues of massive, winged beasts sit on either side of the stairs; lions with the face of Men. It's too far away to make out the detail. "That's the temple of Mnencir," he continues, "the seat of both temporal and spiritual authority in Kimrid." The adventurers note that Garbeo wears a surcoat of dusky red and black, upon which a badge resembling the leonine statue can be seen. "At some point tomorrow I would advise presenting yourself at the temple and introducing yourselves to the authorities."

The men and women of Kimrid are shorter than those of the Principality, with coppery skin and black hair. They wear clothes of reds, greens, blacks, and browns, buttoned with horn and adorned here and there with fur cuffs and collars. Their shoes are wooden, with high heels that click on the cobbled roads of Kimrid. Most of them stare open-mouted at the adventurers, and whisper to one another as the party passes by.

shaidar wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:02 am If Newton is in Alice for a few days with his retinue making enquiries for the Hydra skin and picking up his drake-hide armour, there's a point of potential contact with Leitz's character there.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 11:07 am

shaidar wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:02 am If Newton is in Alice for a few days with his retinue making enquiries for the Hydra skin and picking up his drake-hide armour, there's a point of potential contact with Leitz's character there.

I'm fine with assuming that the new players are introduced off-screen during the downtime, and that everyone starts play where they so choose. I'd like to shoot for posting the first IC post on this upcoming Monday, the 21st, to give Rex time to finish their character.

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:08 pm Here are some of the last relevant posts:

thirdkingdom wrote: ↑Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:44 pm The Aftermath

Valru's expression is as hard as her skin as she surveys the carnage. "My men fought valiantly," she says, "as did yours, against a mighty foe. We typically burn our dead, in the field or home. As a broken sword is melted down to be reforged, so are we at the end of our days. How do you softskins honor your dead?"

The rest of the day is spent searching the village. An enormous haul is found, consisting of:

*24,000 silver coins
*14,500 gold coins
*4500 platinum coins
*About two dozen assorted gems, ranging in value from 10 to 1,000 gp, and totally 9,560 gold.
*A score of trinkets -- earrings, rings, bracelets -- worth another 7,500 gp.
*4 scrolls
*Two swords, an axe, a crossbow, and a dagger that Zellar and Sumer judge are likely valuable.
*3 potions, unlabeled.

Of most interest, though likely less value, the adventurers find one whole hut filled with foodstuffs, dried goods, and tools that look to be of human origin. It's mostly utilitarian stuff, perhaps worth a few hundred gold, but suggests the orcs have recently raided a human community somewhere nearby.