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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 14, 2018 12:32:22 GMT -5
Under the steady clip of the rowers the barge moves towards the village as you come around a bend in the river. Soon the rowers turn the barge to slide upto and beside a dock where two rowers who had stowed their oars quickly and deftly clime upon the dock & lash the barge to it. They the accept a plank hoisted by the other rowers and start unloading the horses and mule. You clamber across the plank until you reach the dock. You look around and see the empty village before you. The docks abuts the main street through the village & as pass into the village you see scenes of battle, dried blood in areas where the rain could not reach it and broken windows and busted in doors.
What do you do once you enter the village and the barge continues its northward journey along the Upper Dorgand?
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 16, 2018 22:44:55 GMT -5
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 17, 2018 19:47:47 GMT -5
A small man in weathered robes rises from kneeling in a plot of graves, of which two are pathetically small. He turns towards the newcomers and seems alarmed at the sight of the Not Humans. He reaches into a sleeve - but stops when his eyes spot the traveling priest. He seems to relax, but he remains silent. (Someone may have heard his words over the graves' site.)
[Note: This post should be read after the party has left the the village and on the road.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 17, 2018 19:55:38 GMT -5
((Yes I did avoid a description of him, other than "small." So far, his face is pretty well hidden in shadow and cloak.))
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Post by Mighty Darci on Aug 18, 2018 0:01:30 GMT -5
Gwindeth comes ashore followed by Togork, then Grimbane and Grimdeath. She pauses and looks around the village looking for movement and listening for any odd sounds. She shows little interest in the small man. [Ref voice: This part is crossed out because Chet's post should have come after the village scene.]
Gwindeth speaks to the rest of the party, "I think we should make a sweep of the village and see if there are any others here." Looking at Hairyman (does he even have a name she wonders) she continues, "Why don't you see if you can get any information out of him." [Ref Voice: Darci is this bit aimed at the small man that I crossed out above? As I missed it earlier.If so, you or I can cross it out.]{Aye, aye}
Togork is smiling now as a fight could happen anytime and life will be worth living again. Gwindeth has all these rules about killing around humans, but if he is attacked, then he is free to enjoy life.
Grimbane and Grimdeath chime in, "A sweep we must leave nothing behind us."
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 18, 2018 0:43:25 GMT -5
The Village of Thand A central road passes through the village with what looks like twenty homes most of which are small single family dwellings with root cellars and what looks like a partial upper floor where people slept or things were stored. There was a small inn and larger dwelling of the village commons was located just off the main road on its northern side. There was also a small shrine to Môlvigg but it was looted and profaned before being set afire. The village is surrounded by a wooden palisade with a sturdy wooden gate which is open and the locking bar cast to the side. Other than the shrine seven dwellings are burned out spread throughout the village, but the rains that had been frequent until the other night must have kept the flames from spreading throughout the village anymore than it did. There are no bodies within the village but there is plenty of evidence of violence with much blood staining walls and floors of the inside the buildings where there was no fire to destroy the evidence. That said there is evidence of children of various ages in all the homes including the manor house, even if partially burned. The attack seemed to occur near the village docks and move inward before – it looks like the attackers entered the village by the river, then sneaking into the village bypassing the closed gate. From the evidence gathered there were only two guards one above the gate & one that patrolled the docks. Above the gate & along the wall is a sturdy ten foot walkway positioned five feet from the top and about fifteen feet from the ground. There are four stairs leading to the walkway, two near the gate and one each on the north and south facing walls. The gate to the village is open with the wooden bar that locks it at night is cast to the side. As you make your way through the village to the open gate Gwindeth, Torgork, Sora & Axel see a woman with a huge blacksmith's hammer resting on it's head as she wreckage in one of the last dwellings as you get closer she glances over her shoulder. (queue mormonyoyoman enter Karba).
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 18, 2018 1:32:13 GMT -5
Karba looks up from her work. At the newcomers. Friend? Foe? Doesn't matter.
"You're late," she tells them.
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 19, 2018 2:17:15 GMT -5
Giving the female blacksmith a neutral gaze, Sora says, "Alright. I'll bite. Late for what?"
[OOC: I'm confused. Was Harry sent to talk to the "small man?" Being as - having not yet cleared the edge of the village - we haven't seen him yet?]
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 19, 2018 12:11:39 GMT -5
Giving the female blacksmith a neutral gaze, Sora says, "Alright. I'll bite. Late for what?"[OOC: I'm confused. Was Harry sent to talk to the "small man?" Being as - having not yet cleared the edge of the village - we haven't seen him yet?] [Ref voice: I missed that when I edited Darci's post. To ease Chet's ability to play I've been discussing what was going on with his other characters and he posted based on a miscommunication on my part - the meeting the small man is after you leave the village head up the old road north towards the ruins. I should've posted a notice before the rest of you did so clarifying the situation but Darci beat me to it. I'll be more careful in the future. Now mormonyoyoman can reply as Karba as the out of game clarification has been made. Sorry for the confusion.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 19, 2018 12:21:43 GMT -5
[Meta Chet from real life here. I'm more to blames than our right honorable gamesmaster, as I'm still fighting pain with antiinflammatories, wound infection with antimoronics, and the daily vestibular dizziness. You'll be able to tell when I can get up, because I maintain a large chart over my desk to track who is where and what they're doing. Meanwhile, Karba has reprimanded the party by stating:]
"You're late."
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 19, 2018 12:29:05 GMT -5
"They needed you before. Now - just clean up. And maybe stop it from happening again."
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 19, 2018 13:52:42 GMT -5
[Ref voice: I am really glad you all are playing, I love the banter and how you play. I'll strive to keep up on my end of the bargain. Thanks Chet for the kind words, but I should've been more on top of it & going forward I will be.]
You have noticed that there has been activity here in the past, assumptions to it being in part being the Prince's party but there could've been others who came after to gather belongings no longer needed by the dead. If things were spoiled by smoke, fire or water damage or covered in blood they were often left where they were or cast aside to get to undamaged items. Food stuffs were often ignored for fear of being tainted, much of the food that was perishable in the dwellings are rank, covered in mold and insects. Food stores in the cellars have been untouched but show that the stores are low as they were used to survive the winter. Some of these stores were knocked over and spilled about. There are blood stains in these cellars as they seemed to be the last hiding spots of some of the villagers, the smell of dried blood and bodily fluids permeate these enclosed spaces.
[Ref voice: Karba is ignorant of the time that elapsed as she had not met anyone on her travels into the Vale who knew of the Prince going missing or the attack on the village just prior to his disappearance. In her limited knowledge of such matters she is under the assumption that this just occurred instead of being nearly two weeks old. NOTE: I am and will be playing off posts to inform my replies to best facilitate game play, that way things will be organic as situations develop during play. Also I'll contact individual players with info only their characters should be aware of.]
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 19, 2018 14:55:31 GMT -5
"They needed you before. Now - just clean up. And maybe stop it from happening again." Sora looks slightly repentant and spreading his hands replies, "Mulvigg sees all, but prefers His followers to use their own faculties in His service. And unfortunately, His followers are spread thin in this world. Would that I and Josiah had been in the Prince's party these two weeks gone, but such was not to be. We can only do that which we can. Should Luck shine upon us the now, we will bring the culprits to justice and deliver their heads to the victims next of kin."[OOC: Once again, I'm creating theological points of the Church on the spot. Subject to GM approval, I am proposing that Mulvigg's followers - in particular members of his military Orders - credit Luck to be at least as powerful as Fate, with Mulvigg standing back and letting those two Forces fight it out. He will rarely intervene, even for His most loyal adherents. All of life is His Test, with it being the responsibility of His followers to tilt the Scales of Balance toward Order. It would invite active divine Opposition to put a cosmic thumb on their side of the Scales.] [Ref Voice: So as to not clutter up the thread with repeated posts of quoted material I'll often reply by editing posts & adding replies there in. raikenclw I am good with the theological points as I'd prefer they develop organically via the campaign. That said I might make recommendations if I think they are warranted, but so far I am good. If you'd like to design your Order's coat of arms feel free to do so.][ADDITIONAL OOC: And yes, Mulvigg is pretty vicious in His application of justice, but that's just being properly medieval. Also, I've recently begun binging HBO's Game of Thrones. I really like Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams); I hope they both keep breathing.] [Ref Voice: I am good with this, as it fits the era & just because a God represents Law it isn't always benign & can be harsh. I'll try to go over the various threadsas they develop and cull them for info to be used as the ever growing setting Bible.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 19, 2018 17:47:45 GMT -5
"Mill-vhaug?" she mutters, mangling the names. Spits. Under her breath, she murmers "Priests."
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 19, 2018 19:25:05 GMT -5
Handing his reins to Josiah, Sora swings down from his mount and assumes a relaxed swordsman's stance. He doesn't draw his sword but he does rest his palm on the pommel. Glancing down at the glob of spittle, Sora then allows his gaze to slowly track back up to the woman's face. In a soft and very calm voice, Sora asks, "Do you have some kind of problem with Mulvigg? Or with His servants?"[OOC: I am NOT attempting to get our characters into an in-game fight. But that spittle would DEFINITELY push a paladin's button! ]
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 19, 2018 21:02:41 GMT -5
Karba is kneeling in what remains of a burnt out dwelling a partially burned wooden doll along with blackened timbers that look like they had been moved in order to check for survivors or loot. Broken crockery and remnants of furniture are also scattered throughout the ruins. The stone lower level exterior walls and the corner posts all badly burned all that remain of this single floor building (you notice the lower floors of the buildings of the village have stonework three feet high with wattle & daub for the rest of the walls construction with high peaked roofs that often house storage space and or sleeping quarters).
There is a an open cellar door that look like someone with an ax had chopped at it until what ever locked it had been broken and had been ripped away. Sun has cast shadows through the ruins with Karba crisscrossed by light and shadow.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Aug 19, 2018 22:21:11 GMT -5
Gwindeth is taking this all in, watching Sora's response to Karba and his stance, she thinks to herself, "Paladins! Humility not in evidence, behaving like a common bully. Keep an eye on that one, can't be trusted."
Togork watches this and sees Sora take a fighting stance and if Sora kills the old woman, he will use this as an excuse to kill Sora, Togork really wants to kill something. The hunger is burning within him. He needs to kill.
Grimbane and Grimdeath exchange a look and then nod to each other and the bet is made.
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 0:27:12 GMT -5
[OOC: It seems I was misunderstood. Sora has taken a "relaxed swordsman's stance" and is only resting his palm on his sword's hilt. This is as non-aggressively as I feel he can react. I actually think it's very mild, since the deity he worships just got casually (if symbolically) spat upon by a total stranger. As to her being an "old woman" . . . where is Karba described as "old?" I didn't see this the first time through and I wasn't able to find it looking back upthread just now, either. I even went to check her description in the character thread and nothing is said about her being old. As to her being a woman, this setting is apparently enough of a fantasy realm that encountering female warriors is considered not at all unusual. Therefore, gender shouldn't matter when it comes to warriors taking and giving insult. In addition, her description in the character thread describes her as dressing like a man, to the extent that people from time to time ask her whether she is a male or female.]
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 0:39:22 GMT -5
Gwindeth, Torgork, Sora & Axel see a woman with a huge blacksmith's hammer resting on it's head as she wreckage in one of the last dwellings as you get closer she glances over her shoulder. [OOC: I just realized that we were never told just what Karba was *doing* in the wreckage, when first spotted by the party. The verb/phrase in question is simply missing. Perhaps she was . . . looting? And is now being aggressive in an attempt to deflect our attention from that activity? ]
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 20, 2018 0:49:19 GMT -5
Gwindeth, Torgork, Sora & Axel see a woman with a huge blacksmith's hammer resting on it's head as she wreckage in one of the last dwellings as you get closer she glances over her shoulder. [OOC: I just realized that we were never told just what Karba was *doing* in the wreckage, when first spotted by the party. The verb/phrase in question is simply missing. Perhaps she was . . . looting? And is now being aggressive in an attempt to deflect our attention from that activity? ] [Ref Voice: Missing? Bah! Nothing is missing - there is simply an air of mystery about Karba & her actions bwahahaha To be serious though, I was giving mormonyoyoman space to describe Karba's actions since I needed to introduce her somehow. From Chet's posts I assume she was checking for any survivors or seeing what had happened - at least that was my intent writing the posted description but I still wanted Chet to fill in the blank. Which he'll do asap.]
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 1:24:47 GMT -5
From Chet's posts I assume she was checking for any survivors or seeing what had happened - at least that was my intent writing the posted description but I still wanted Chet to fill in the blank. Which he'll do asap. Possibly. Except that there is no actual physical blank in the written text. Therefore, it is quite possible for the reader's mind to fill in something reasonable - such as the "standing in" which MY mind used, the first time through - and continue onwards, unaware of the omission. Perhaps a long "________________________________________" is needed, so Chet doesn't do the same thing? Through much pain and frustration, I have discovered that risking a reputation for pedantry is MUCH to be preferred over leaving details to be inferred or guessed. The latter quickly leads to hopeless confusion in PbP.
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 1:32:59 GMT -5
[OOC: One further point - Sora has voluntarily given up three (3) tactical advantages, in order to seem less threatening:
1) turning his reins over to his Order fellow implies that Sora intends to deal with this problem alone, 2) the fact that Sora has dismounted removes his trained warhorse from the equation and 3) Sora left his shield behind on his mount.
In short, Sora is behaving about as mildly as he possibly can, while in the process of gently delivering a threat.]
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 20, 2018 2:44:27 GMT -5
From Chet's posts I assume she was checking for any survivors or seeing what had happened - at least that was my intent writing the posted description but I still wanted Chet to fill in the blank. Which he'll do asap. Possibly. Except that there is no actual physical blank in the written text. Therefore, it is quite possible for the reader's mind to fill in something reasonable - such as the "standing in" which MY mind used, the first time through - and continue onwards, unaware of the omission. Perhaps a long "________________________________________" is needed, so Chet doesn't do the same thing? Through much pain and frustration, I have discovered that risking a reputation for pedantry is MUCH to be preferred over leaving details to be inferred or guessed. The latter quickly leads to hopeless confusion in PbP. [Ref Voice: Okay I see that both Chet & I omitted info, I did so in hopes that Chet would fill the blank by building of my initial description. Now Ref needs to pull up his big boy pants & set things aright.]
Back up to the initial situation - The kneeling woman (Karba), is checking for clues when she hears movement from outdoors, she turns slightly to better see over her shoulder and sees a "man" upon a horse and a few other armored people, but hears a few others outside her line of site. She grips the handle of her hammer but does not move to attack. She instead simply speaks, "You're late.They needed you before. Now - just clean up. And maybe stop it from happening again." She places down part of the partial burned wooden doll she was studying with what looks to be the rest of the doll. Then Sora replies: Sora looks slightly repentant and spreading his hands replies, "Mulvigg sees all, but prefers His followers to use their own faculties in His service. And unfortunately, His followers are spread thin in this world. Would that I and Josiah had been in the Prince's party these two weeks gone, but such was not to be. We can only do that which we can. Should Luck shine upon us the now, we will bring the culprits to justice and deliver their heads to the victims next of kin."
Which prompts Karba to mutter: "Mill-vhaug?" she mutters, mangling the names. Spits. Under her breath, she murmers "Priests."
Sora then responds by: Handing his reins to Josiah, Sora swings down from his mount and assumes a relaxed swordsman's stance. He doesn't draw his sword but he does rest his palm on the pommel. Glancing down at the glob of spittle, Sora then allows his gaze to slowly track back up to the woman's face. In a soft and very calm voice, Sora asks, "Do you have some kind of problem with Mulvigg? Or with His servants?" [Ref Voice: I'll not presume to correct Darci's character's interpretation of sora's nor Torgork's calling Karba old, maybe he thinks she is from his position. If needed discuss Mighty Darci & raikenclw can discuss this in the OOC thread here and then modify their reactions to each others posts if they desire. We'll start over here so everything is clear from this point. Is everyone okay with this? Does the above clear up the confusion, raikenclw ? I want us all to have fun. Thank you for your questions for clarification & the advice you have given, as I am new to playing and reffing PbP I am not used to its peculiarities.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 20, 2018 4:28:37 GMT -5
[Sounds good to me. Karba does give offense first and did mutter under her breath. Yep, she has an attitude but is surprised that the (Is this the big guy who looks like a horned beastman?) heard her murmuring.]
Karba: "You heard th--?" (eyes narrow as she throws back her hood. She doesn't disguise her gender, but neither does she flaunt it - for instance, her red hair is closely and amateurly cropped.) "What kind of ears have you?"
[Players will note she has deflected the subject. PCs may or may not.]
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 15:42:22 GMT -5
Sora replies (still mildly), "Nothing special. But I do pay attention to what others say, especially when first met. Are you saying now that I misheard? That you did not speak the name of my deity - however mangled it may have been - then spit upon it?"
[OOC: Yes. It's fine to proceed onward from this point. If Mighty Darci's PCs choose to see Sora as a bully, that's something that we can build on later. And to answer Chet's OOC question, Sora is the beastman . . .
. . . and he heard the initial muttered variant of "Mulvigg" clearly enough to understand it.
However, Sora did *not* hear the later under-her-breath murmur of "Priest" clearly enough to make out the sense of it.
It's that unclarity plus the timing of the spit - after the deity's name and before the unintelligible [curse?] word - that leads Sora to assume Karba deliberately spat upon then profaned his deity.
Even if Sora wasn't a paladin made extra sensitive by his appearance/birthright, he would likely get perturbed in such an encounter. No true believer would like having the name of his deity treated in such a manner.]
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Aug 20, 2018 17:08:28 GMT -5
We'll wait for Mighty Darci to chime in before moving on but if you both Chet & Raikenclw want to continue your in character banter that is up to you both, but I'll post a short blurb of info if anyone bothered to climb up to the wall platform and take a look. I'll assume someone did as you searched the small village. The edge of the forest is about a mile from the village the surrounding region is a mix of rolling hills, fields & a few stand of trees - from what could be seen from the top of the wall if any of the group climbed to it. The main street runs west and connects to a semi-overgrown road-turned to a cart track that winds its way north into the Wood.
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 17:56:17 GMT -5
[OOC: I think me and Chet should pause our exchange until Mighty Darci has a chance to contribute. If her principle character thinks Sora is being a bully, then she may wish to intervene.]
[Ref Voice: We'll wait until the Mighty One can join us & post then.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 20, 2018 18:33:38 GMT -5
[Yup. And you think I didn't intend for her actions to seem ambiguous? Heh..
[Also yup, she'd seen over the wall and has rustled through the mostly-ashes. She hasn't concluded anything further than another raid by Bullies With Weapons against farmers JUST LIKE HER SPINELESS PA who depend on someone to defend them.]
K: "mutter, mumble, murmer"
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Post by raikenclw on Aug 20, 2018 18:53:56 GMT -5
Sora cocks a curious eyebrow, as his lips briefly twitch with the merest *hint* of a smile.
INTERNAL THOUGHTS (for player information only): Why, she's just a young girl, putting up a brave front to a threatening group of strangers. If she'll just let me, I'll cut her some slack. But I can't just ignore her behavior, not in front of these other heathens. Otherwise, how can I hope to keep any semblance of control?
[OOC: Of course, I (the player) know that Sora has no hope of ANY control. But I'm allowing him his illusions, for now.]
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Post by mormonyoyoman on Aug 20, 2018 20:46:05 GMT -5
((oooooo! Internal and inner conflict, and we haven't e'en met the enemy yet! I foresee a lot of tension being taken out on the bad guys at some point.))
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