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[4e] "Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale..."[IC]
nightmarenny
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Before we begin allow me to welcome everyone to our in-character thread. Please keep all out of character discussion in the appropriate place. Please try to post a minimum of once a day. If real life gets in the way I of-course understand but I will try to move the story forward at least once a day so if something prevented you from making a post let me know and we’ll edit something in.
As this is my first time DMing a play-by-post I’ve been spending some time looking at how other DMs do things so if I find something doesn’t work in practice as well as I’d like I may make small alterations to the order of things. For now here’s how things will be labeled:
I'll post the relevant stats of enemies during combat and they will be labeled as follows
Red for minions
Blue for standard enemies
Yellow for elites
Purple for solos
When it comes to player characters, you will be marked in Green while NPCs will be depicted in Dark Grey.
Also we'll be using a system I've come to like, simply because it keeps things clear and transparent, when it comes to dice rolls and actions: Declare what you will be doing and what kind of action that requires in ORANGE text; attack rolls in RED text, within spoilers as well, and outside of spoilers write in GREEN text who is on next. I'd like to give credit to TiamatZ and Talonrazor and Gatpy for giving me this idea. In case no one has this thread bookmarked, which I recommend doing so, please also "@" them just to be sure.
The Cast
@Godmode is Luther Lightfoot - A daring Rogue with a quick and manipulative tongue. Luthor had a job go bad not to long ago. He fears the day when his former employers finally track him down. They are not the "forgive and forget" type.
@Grog is Boson "Cannonball" Saul- A warforged with an aptitude for wearing out his welcome. He seems to be just your average mechanical Sailing man trying to make ends meet but what's this about a Mad Sorcerer? A friend? An enemy? Or maybe just a myth that keeps following him around.
@OminousLozenge is Berrian of the Eladrin- A former Wizards apprentice who was more interested in Woman and drink then his studies. When he crossed too many lines to talk his way out of trouble he ran away and found a new home in the Sea.
@Tox is Al-Ilikan Q'Mafdet- Formally a member of a Goliath tribe ruled by Giants. Al was forced to flee the desert when he found the Giants who he saw as Gods were not but cruel monsters. Al hopes to encounter more of his kind out at sea and dreams of freeing his people from the Giants oppressive reign.
@Straightzi is Jordain Straccio- Beginning life as an unimpressive human specimen Jordain's life changed forever when he was struck by lightning and then rose from bed the next day not much worse for wear. Be it a blessing or a curse Jordain now wields the powers of a God but what of the voices who say such terrible things as they linger in the back of his head?
The Ship- What it began its life as is unknown but when the Captain got her hands on it, it was named the "Dawnchaser". Under the Captains command it changed names many times. "The Stormrunner", "Solm Regar", and for the time it took her to sober up after an eventful night at port "Jordan". Right now it bears the name "Peregrine" but talk among the crew says it wont last.
It is a common trait of sailors to treat their ship as if it were alive but the crew of the Peregrine goes beyond that. Sailors who have served on the ship for more then a few months insist that there is something special about her. She has a mood that ebbs and flows sure as the tides and when you're alone they insist in the darkness and quiet she will speak to you. The ships design itself is ancient. Long and thin. Sturdy but ornate. A flowing pattern covers the ship from bow to stern. The funny thing is that much of the ship has had to be replaced over the years and yet the pattern is complete.
Its (Former)Captain, The Human Sara Ryes- Despite being a drunkard and a braggart Ryes has put together a capable and loyal crew with her tenacious demeanor and unfailing ability to scrap together a job. When she isn't drinking she is planning. The rumor among the crew is that her family has a debt above its head. Recently Ryes has grown even more driven and even a bit reckless. Her brother Erin works as navigator on another ship and they keep close in contact though they don't seem capable of getting along in person for long
As this is my first time DMing a play-by-post I’ve been spending some time looking at how other DMs do things so if I find something doesn’t work in practice as well as I’d like I may make small alterations to the order of things. For now here’s how things will be labeled:
I'll post the relevant stats of enemies during combat and they will be labeled as follows
Red for minions
Blue for standard enemies
Yellow for elites
Purple for solos
When it comes to player characters, you will be marked in Green while NPCs will be depicted in Dark Grey.
Also we'll be using a system I've come to like, simply because it keeps things clear and transparent, when it comes to dice rolls and actions: Declare what you will be doing and what kind of action that requires in ORANGE text; attack rolls in RED text, within spoilers as well, and outside of spoilers write in GREEN text who is on next. I'd like to give credit to TiamatZ and Talonrazor and Gatpy for giving me this idea. In case no one has this thread bookmarked, which I recommend doing so, please also "@" them just to be sure.
The Cast
@Godmode is Luther Lightfoot - A daring Rogue with a quick and manipulative tongue. Luthor had a job go bad not to long ago. He fears the day when his former employers finally track him down. They are not the "forgive and forget" type.
@Grog is Boson "Cannonball" Saul- A warforged with an aptitude for wearing out his welcome. He seems to be just your average mechanical Sailing man trying to make ends meet but what's this about a Mad Sorcerer? A friend? An enemy? Or maybe just a myth that keeps following him around.
@OminousLozenge is Berrian of the Eladrin- A former Wizards apprentice who was more interested in Woman and drink then his studies. When he crossed too many lines to talk his way out of trouble he ran away and found a new home in the Sea.
@Tox is Al-Ilikan Q'Mafdet- Formally a member of a Goliath tribe ruled by Giants. Al was forced to flee the desert when he found the Giants who he saw as Gods were not but cruel monsters. Al hopes to encounter more of his kind out at sea and dreams of freeing his people from the Giants oppressive reign.
@Straightzi is Jordain Straccio- Beginning life as an unimpressive human specimen Jordain's life changed forever when he was struck by lightning and then rose from bed the next day not much worse for wear. Be it a blessing or a curse Jordain now wields the powers of a God but what of the voices who say such terrible things as they linger in the back of his head?
The Ship- What it began its life as is unknown but when the Captain got her hands on it, it was named the "Dawnchaser". Under the Captains command it changed names many times. "The Stormrunner", "Solm Regar", and for the time it took her to sober up after an eventful night at port "Jordan". Right now it bears the name "Peregrine" but talk among the crew says it wont last.
It is a common trait of sailors to treat their ship as if it were alive but the crew of the Peregrine goes beyond that. Sailors who have served on the ship for more then a few months insist that there is something special about her. She has a mood that ebbs and flows sure as the tides and when you're alone they insist in the darkness and quiet she will speak to you. The ships design itself is ancient. Long and thin. Sturdy but ornate. A flowing pattern covers the ship from bow to stern. The funny thing is that much of the ship has had to be replaced over the years and yet the pattern is complete.
Its (Former)Captain, The Human Sara Ryes- Despite being a drunkard and a braggart Ryes has put together a capable and loyal crew with her tenacious demeanor and unfailing ability to scrap together a job. When she isn't drinking she is planning. The rumor among the crew is that her family has a debt above its head. Recently Ryes has grown even more driven and even a bit reckless. Her brother Erin works as navigator on another ship and they keep close in contact though they don't seem capable of getting along in person for long
nightmarenny on
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The sky is clear and full of stars as you pull yourselves out of the freezing water and onto the shore. The bright white moon hovers over you, as if trying to get a closer look at the plight you find yourself in. You can tell from the moons position that morning is no more then an hour or two away and your bodies ache as you feel more a trembling weariness The beach you've reached is small and empty. To your left a large rock shelf cuts into the sea. A lush jungle has grown right up to the beachfront and a sliver of beach travels as far right as you can see.
Looking back at the ocean behind you the top of the Peregrin pokes out just beyond the rock shelf trapped on it. No more then an hour ago most of you had been roused from your beds to face an unexpected storm. The night had seemed clear and the waters easy when you went to sleep but you were greeted by a terribly ferocious wind. The Ship was tossed to and fro as the crew did its best to keep it a float. Sadly the crew could only do so much and soon they spotted an island. The course shouldn't have been anywhere near an island besides your destination but there was no time for questions. It was head for the island or be swallowed by the ocean. The crew was hurled violently into the the sea and the ship crashed against the rocks of the shore. The survivors made their way to the beach.
However hard you fight it exhaustion soon overtakes you.
Not long later blinding sunlight overrides your body's protest and you begin to wake. A quick glance shows that most of the crew isn't here with you. Only four of you are alive on the beach though the lifeless bodies of former crewmembers are now strewn about. The Captain, who you are sure made it to shore is nowhere to be found.
OOC
Remember that my job is to make sure you all have fun so if I screw that up let me know. If I make a mistake I want to hear about it.
@Tox, @ Straightzi, @Grog, @ominouslozenge, @Godmode
Saul splashes out of the surf, untying a heavy chain from around his waist and letting it slip under the waves. Wringing out his bandana with thick iron fingers, he gives the scattered survivors an appraising look.
"Wakey wakey lads, first one up gets to share breakfast with Mr. Lightfoot here!" With that he pulls a live fish from his shirt and tosses it toward Luther.
He nods to Boson, "It is good to see the currents did not carry you away."
"Where am I? There was a- nevermind. The storm. I remember now."
He gets up, beginning to dust himself off, and then realizes that he should be wringing himself out instead. He removes his mantle and begins to twist and squeeze the water out of it.
"Yuck!"
Oh, this won't do. Clothes a tattered ruin, hair doubtlessly mangled - might as well chop it all off! Berrian shakily rises and staggers back into the surf to wash off the sand and at least try to make himself look somewhat presentable before he goes to rejoin the rest of the survivors. The impromptu bath helps a little, for the moment.
"So... where is- oh, we're it?" He looks around, shoulders slumped. Only five left? That's a lot of dead crewmates. Dead friends, too, some of them.
The water had taken more adjustment. Salt water especially. What ponds, lakes, and rivers there were in his homeland were all fresh water. One of the few things that made the lands habitable.
He nods to Berrian.
"It would appear that we are the crew, now. I have not seen a wreck this bad ever before."
He gestures toward the ship before continuing.
"She is very badly damaged, and we are likely stranded here until help arrives. Unless we can find supplies to repair her with somewhere on the island."
Dun dun DUUUUUN!
"Aye, we're not likely to find anything of use on the shore. Best to head inland, see what the locals have in store."
Glancing around you see that among the tattered wreckage a few intact barrels remain. Prying the first open you find bread and dried meats. Enough food for more than a week. In the second Barrel... Oranges! Looks like food isn't a pressing concern just yet.
A single set of footprints lead from the area you passed out at into the forest. Your walk along the beach yields less results. Closer to the plume of smoke you start to see footprints traveling from the jungle out into the water and back as well as in the direction you are travelling. The footprints are strange. Small and stumpy. They can be identified with a DC 10 nature check.
Al approaches Luther, noticing the tracks he has found. Kneeling down to study them, he looks up to the others.
"I believe these tracks belong to kobolds," he says, pointing in the direction they head.
"Perhaps they are responsible for the fire," he further offers, motioning toward the plume of smoke.
Jordain puts his mantle back on and wanders over to the barrels of provisions, pulling out an orange and roughly peeling it with his fingernails.
Crossing the bend you see another shipwreck in the rocky shallows. Kobolds, just close enough to be identified, skitter and sprint across the ships broken form gibbering excitedly. A few more can be seen in the distance carrying or pushing barrels, wooden boxes and all manor of odd junk in the direction of the smoke. They seem to have been at this for some time. The surrounding beach is mostly clear of debris and either the ship lost a lot fewer crew then the Peregrine or the bodies have been carted away.
Three Kobolds stand apart from the rest, just enough to get a full view of the work. You can't tell much from this distance but one seems to be wearing a cloak or other heavy clothes in comparison to the other's spartan dress.
Farther in the distance you can see the originator of the Plume of smoke is a small village or camp with a single fire in the middle. A number of blurry forms move amongst its tents.
None of the Kobolds seem to have spotted you.
OCC
Jordain mutters, leaning heavily on his staff, pushing it into the soft sand.
Staying low to the ground and moving fast Luther dives behind a rock getting right up next to the Kobold guards. peering just over the rock you something becomes apparent about the Kobold's. Each is covered in face-paint. Most have just five small dots. Red, Blue, Green, Black, and white. A few others have stripes of the colors and the oddly dressed Kobold, clearly dressed in a long headdress of leather and feathers, wears only red face-paint but is almost totally covered in it. The two other guards quietly jeer at each other in common.
"Eck lazy near-hatchlings taking forever. Should have been done days ago"
"Complaining all the time. Heh go help them, eh?" the Kobold picks at absent-mindedly at its nose and snorts.
"You mock, Malack, but when the false Goddess takes advantage of our slowness and comes for our heads you will be running with the rest, eh? Yes, yes" chides the first Kobold
"The False Goddess" says the second standing up and poking a finger at the firsts chest. "is a pale, weak, abomination and I would gladly take the opportunity to slay her if she ever left the mountain"
The Headdressed one speaks in a quiet authoritative voice that demands attention. It speaks draconic. A combination of guttural sounds and snake hisses. One quick word and they the other two are silent. The Headdressed begins to closer to the workers flanked by the other two.
OCC
"But if you're willing to be a distraction then I'm all for it."
Religion: 1d20+7 10
"So much for getting us some lackeys, boys."
This is how group stealth works, right?
After a brief pause, he readies himself to join the others in a surprise attack.
How many kobolds were there?
Saul waits for the others to move into position before walking toward the kobolds' apparent leader. "HO THERE!" he shouts, waving his arms over his head with a squeak of gears.
"JUST WANT TO TALK! NOT ENEMY!"