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[D&D 5E IC thread - Introducing the Cooperatives of Ravnica]

DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
edited December 2018 in Critical Failures
[DM note: We will keep any table talk in the other thread. I want to encourage everyone in the game to write in whatever style is most comfortable for them; however much inner monologue you want to include, reactions to events, etc, is up to you. As long as you include any checks you want to make and the necessary rolls in your post, it's cool with me. Hit me up in the thread or in my inbox with any of the usual questions you'd have for a DM. This is a casual game too so I'm not going to freak out if any of these rules are violated, it's just a guideline to keep things straight for all of us. For clarity's sake I'll put any of my instructions in brackets like this.]

An empty space sits awaiting its new tenants, located in the 10th district in the most inconspicuous location imaginable, flanked by a discount market for general goods and supplies and a small cafe that caters mostly to the students at a nearby art school. It is a nondescript place, the sort that has likely had a variety of uses in the past - offices for a fly-by-night business, classrooms for a small school, living space for a motel. Early morning sunlight streams in through the front windows, and we can see that the place has not been occupied - or cleaned - in some time, as there are empty boxes and bags left behind by the previous tenants and a great deal of dust hanging in the air. A large counter sits in the back-center of the main room with a series of objects sitting next to a terminal on the far left side. There are several doors in the room, one of which, we assume the entrance, opens.

[Roll initiative to see who arrives first. EDIT: Post all of your rolls unless there's something you're doing in secret that you don't want the rest of the party to know about for whatever reason, but I encourage even that kind of stuff to be done openly so everyone reading this thread can appreciate the character work.]

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Posts

  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    roll 14 + 3 Initiative = 17

  • GriffmoyGriffmoy Registered User regular
    [rolled a 7 + 1 initiative = 8]

  • GreenGreen Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas.Registered User regular
    [13 + 2 = 15]

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    [Rolled a natural 20 + 2= 22]

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    [While our last player is finalizing his character sheet, I'll slot him in last in the initiative and let the four of you introduce your characters one by one as they enter their new work/living space. @MamaWolf and then @DaEvlOne and then @Green and then @Griffmoy , describe your characters and their reactions to each other, feel free to RP with each other as they meet. When @ranmasolo is ready with our fifth party member then we can get going into the main story.]

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  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2018
    My character is a half-orc and is going to enter the room; as he enters he is going to say "Hello I am Rawk and I am liking for work." He looks around at his surroundings. "Hmm.....I guess the city isn't as popular as the Gruul made it seem. Looks to me that there is not a lot of creatures around." He is going to sit down and open a flask he has and drinks from it. "Ah well, guess I'll just sit here and see if anyone comes, not that it matters anyway."

    MamaWolf on
    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [The door to the entrance swings open and standing there with the morning light shining through is a tall, slender silhouette wearing what appears to be a hooded cloak. As the figure enters the room, it slowly raises both hands to pull back the hood and reveal the royal blue colored head of what appears to be a Vedalkan male. His dark violet eyes, slowly examine the scene before him as he carefully makes his way across the room. As he notices the half-orc sitting there drinking from a flask, he lets out an audible sigh.]

    Uldin: You there, half-orc… what is your business here? My name is Uldin and I have been sent here by the Simic Combine. Surely you must be mistaken and are not in the correct place.

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    Rawk: [puts his flask away and looks over at Uldin and grunts] I am Rawk, I come from the Gruul Clan. For your information I have come to take up a job. What's it to you blue man?

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [Uldin makes his way towards Rawk, continually surveying the room. With a quick shrug of the shoulders, manta like fins pop out his back causing the cloak he was wearing to fall to the ground. Revealing not a Vedalkan male.. not aymore… but a Simic Hybrid.]

    Uldin: To me it means that you my dull witted friend, may actually be here for the same reasons as myself. As odd as that may seem.

    [Uldin grabs a stool, dusts it off and sits across from Rawk.]

    Uldin: But I dare venture to say that you are not the person in charge. So I shall wait here along with you...

  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    As Rawk and Uldin size each other up and turn the counterspace into a makeshift bar, neither man can help but notice the envelopes sitting on the counter next to a small crystal ball [roughly the size of a softball]. There are envelopes with each of their names on them. When Uldin approaches the counter, the orb slowly begins to roll toward him.

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  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [Uldin raises his hand and moves it towards the ball.]

    *perception check: 13 + 3*

  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    The orb seems to be rolling toward you with purpose. It doesn't seem likely that you or Rawk moving in the room somehow disturbed it enough that it would coincidentally start slowly rolling to you.

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  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [Uldin grabs the glowing orb.]

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    Rawk: [shuffles in his seat] So, you are an experiment of the Simic eh? So, were you forced or a volunteer?

    [Looks around at the envelopes and at Uldin]*perception 18+ 3*

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    Uldin reaches for the orb and it almost leaps into his hand. He can feel it vibrating very slightly in his hand. His attention is drawn to the envelope bearing his name on the counterspace as Rawk reaches for his own.

    Rawk grabs the envelope off the table and rips it open at the end and looks inside suspiciously. A document falls out that reads:
    RAWK:
    CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE COOPERATIVES OF RAVNICA.
    YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO BE THE DIPLOMANCER FOR THIS GROUP. NO DOUBT THE SKILLS YOU HAVE LEARNED IN THE GRUUL WILL HELP YOU BE EFFECTIVE AT NEGOTIATING THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FOR YOUR COOPERATIVE.
    I HAVE INCLUDED A KIT FOR YOU TO HELP YOU IN YOUR WORK BENEATH THIS STATION. I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION SHORTLY.
    BEST OF LUCK - JACE

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  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    Uldin: Call me an experiment again....

    [Uldin grabs and opens the envelope bearing his name]

  • GreenGreen Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas.Registered User regular
    Delveed pauses at the door to double check the address noted on the parchment given to him by his superiors. It still matches the rather derelict-looking complex in front of him. With an audible sigh, the Vedalken rolls the scroll back up and unceremoniously strolls in. He's utterly convinced that despite his slight tardiness, he still must have arrived ahead of any other guild representatives. It comes as quite a shock, then, to see that he had been beaten here by a fellow Vedalken (understandable) and... a Gruul?!

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    Rawk: [sloppily folds his letter up and stuffs it in his pocket] Tell ya what? I will not call you that, and you will not insult my intelligence.

    [*Perception 11+3 to see if I notice a new person walking in or not*

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • GriffmoyGriffmoy Registered User regular
    [A rumbling voice outside proclaims...]

    ???: No... nope... not in the slightest chance... YES! THIS IS THE ONE FOR ME!

    [A heavy pack is suddenly thrown through the open door and lands in the middle of the room, amazingly avoiding hitting anyone in the process. There's a pause as the speaker continues talking to himself, unseen outside the building]

    ???: ...oh. Whoops. Sometimes you have to declare where you plan to be, and this place is now mine to work from, so excitement happens and you just have to throw your pack in response, and well... here we are.

    [A green scaled Dragonborn clad in a mixture of chainmail and common clothes appears in the doorway. With a greatsword on his back and a handaxe on each hip, he saunters into the room without a care in the world, which makes for an odd and unnerving sight. The unnamed fighter snatches his pack up off the ground and slings it over his shoulder as casually as possible, exhaling as he takes a look around.]

    ???: That... could have gone poorly- I'm glad no one got hurt. The name's Norixius Jorah, or Jorah Norixius if you're not bound by tradition concerning clan names and such. Some of us are clanless by choice. Anyway, I'm here for... an adventure.

    [Jorah pauses, taking in the sight of all of those gathered.]

    JN: Are you all here for one too? You've all got the glowering faces for it, so...

    [Jorah shrugs, as if to say "what the hell". He then notices the envelopes, and grins... which is pretty damn frightening due to all of his teeth.]

    JN: Oh, so this is an official adventure? Well, I'm doubly in now.

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2018
    Rawk: [raises his flask] I like this
    Jorah guy!! He has spunk and style! Come friend! Drink with me!! [Takes a sip from his flask]

    MamaWolf on
    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • GreenGreen Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas.Registered User regular
    Delveed quickly shakes off his surprise and tries to put on an air of confident purpose as he strides further into the room. While pointedly trying not to make eye contact with either of the earlier arrivals, he makes his way to the counter. In his peripheral vision, he glimpses the other Vedalken grasping some sort of glowing orb. As he opens his mouth to inquire about it, the heavy THWACK of an overstuffed pack crashing to the floor behind him causes him to spin around in alarm. He quickly sizes up the chatty dragonborn and coughs demurely.

    Delveed: You're late.

  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    As Delveed surveys the crowd in front of him, Jorah bursts into the room and throws his pack in, claiming the space for his own. Rawk sees them both as Uldin opens his envelope. It reads:
    ULDIN:
    CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE COOPERATIVES OF RAVNICA. I HAVE NO DOUBT YOUR ENHANCEMENTS WILL SERVE US WELL.
    YOU HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED THE SECRETARIAN OF THIS PARTICULAR COOPERATIVE. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE ACTIONS OF THE COOPERATIVE, DOCUMENTING YOUR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES, KEEPING TRACK OF THE PERSONS YOU INTERACT WITH, AND GENERALLY MAINTAINING A LIVING HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR BRANCH OF THE COOPERATIVE.
    THE ORB YOU HOLD IN YOUR HAND IS ATTUNED TO YOU SPECIFICALLY AND WILL ALLOW YOU TO -- ON OCCASION -- VIEW EVENTS HAPPENING AWAY FROM THE COOPERATIVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING YOUR RECORDS. IT IS ALSO MY WAY OF SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO YOUR BRANCH. IT MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER PROPERTIES I HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH IT.
    BEST OF LUCK - JACE

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  • GriffmoyGriffmoy Registered User regular
    [Jorah nods at Rawk.]

    JN: I appreciate the offer, but apparently I'm late, so... no drinks.

    [Jorah turns his attention to Delveed.]

    JN: Sullen One, what time are we leaving?

  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [Uldin places the letter back into its envelope and manages a smirk as he looks at the glowing orb. He bends down to pick his cloak from the floor, places the orb into one of its pockets and looks up to see the two who have recently entered the building.]

    Uldin: Well at least the intelligence level in here has increased [looks over at Rawk with slight grin] No offense meant. I believe you two should open your envelopes.

  • GreenGreen Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas.Registered User regular
    The side of his mouth tics downward slightly at Jorah's verbal jab, which does little to improve his image as the "Sullen One."

    D: Delveed, if you please. As far as leaving, I'm afraid I was not made privy to the exact nature of our work here yet.

    He takes Uldin's advice, and takes his letter from the counter.

  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    Delveed removes his letter from the counter. As he does, a small lizard scurries out from behind some of the refuse in the room and onto the toe of his boot. The letter reads:
    DELVEED:

    CONGRATULATIONS ON JOINING THE COOPERATIVE OF RAVNICA, AND WELCOME TO YOUR NEW PLACE OF WORK. I TRUST THAT YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL IN THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH YOUR OWN CAREER AND FOR THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF RAVNICA.

    YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO BE THE GEKKONOMIST OF THIS BRANCH. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAINTAIN THE PARTY TREASURY AND DISTRIBUTE GOODS YOU COLLECT DURING TH COURSE OF YOUR WORK TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AS YOU SEE FIT. AT YOUR FEET YOU WILL FIND YOUR ASSISTANT, A PARTICULARLY INTELLIGENT LIZARD.

    BEST OF LUCK - JACE

    [Note from me - for game purposes, the Gekko is your familiar and he provides +1 to persuasion checks, for right now. He doesn't have a name yet. The orb that Uldin has can be used to scry under the right circumstances with a high enough roll.]

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  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2018
    Rawk: [gives a big smile, which is a bit creepy with his sharp/crooked teeth and gives Uldin a slap(not hard) on the back] None taken friend! After all we have a saying back where I am from "Slight jokes that jab at each other, prevent us from stabbing each other. That seems reasonable eh fishy? [Let's out a bellow of laughter] As for you Jorah, there is always time for a drink! Come, I shall share mine with you! [While waiting for Jorah to join him, he sits down to re-read his letter]

    MamaWolf on
    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • GreenGreen Stick around. I'm full of bad ideas.Registered User regular
    So engrossed in the letter is he that he at first fails to notice the gekko settling onto his highly-polished boot. He blinks in confusion at the last line, and looks down to see a pair of eyes peering back at him.

    D: Oh! Ah... My assistant, I presume?

    He pauses a moment, deep in thought, until he recalls the memory of a Viashino merchant he had befriended many years prior.

    D: I'll call you Jhank, if that's all right. Now then, I'm assuming that we've each received some sort of title in this Cooperative? What are your... specialties?

    There's an almost undetectable emphasis on his last word, as he slowly shifts his gaze to the raucous Gruul already trying to get everyone else inebriated.

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    Rawk: [Looks up from his letter and meets Delveed's gaze] You mean the specialities "assigned" to me by Jace, or the ones I learned from the Gruul? 'Cause the ones from the Gruul I can show ya! [Stands up] This Borborygmos taught me himself [reaches for his Great Axe]

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    As Rawk reaches for his greataxe, he notices a box sitting amongst the refuse with his name on it.

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  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    [Rawk sees the box and stops reaching foe his axe]
    Rawk: I'll have to introduce you to Daisy later, seems there is a mysterious box here with my name on it.
    [Picks up the box and opens it]

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    edited December 2018
    Inside the box is a sterling silver tea set - a teapot, four small bowls to drink from, and four small dishes meant for delicacies (pastries, etc). There is a second note for Rawk accompanying this package, which reads:

    RAWK:
    TO ASSIST YOU IN YOUR ROLE AS DIPLOMANCER, I LEND YOU THIS FINE TEA SET. MAY IT BRING YOU MANY SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS.
    JACE.


    [Mechanic for the tea set: it gives Rawk advantage on any relevant check made during negotiations over tea (insight, persuasion, perception), and also gives disadvantage to anyone drinking tea with him against any similarly relevant checks. The trick is trying to get people into position to drink from them. Yes, I am very excited to gift a half-orc barbarian a tea set.]

    Draconiclast on
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  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    edited December 2018
    [Rawk carefully places everything in the box, except for a bowl and puts it in his pack] [Rawk then pours some of his flask in the bowl]
    Rawk: Anyone for some "tea"? [Slurps from the bowl]

    MamaWolf on
    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • DaEvlOneDaEvlOne Registered User regular
    [Uldin shakes his head in polite deference to the "tea".]

    Uldin: Delveed, I can only ascertain that we have been placed in the highest positions of regard within this cooperative. The brains above the braun.. [tilts head in the direction of Rawk and Jorah] What dubious position has been made your calling here?

  • MamaWolfMamaWolf The wolf pack guides all to safetyRegistered User regular
    Rawk: [after placing his bowl in his pack] Hey! I'll have you know that I have been assigned as our party's DIPLOMANCER!! Must mean Jace recognizes my people skills!!

    "May the moon watch over you and keep you safe through the night, 'till the morning comes and MamaWolf can protect you through the day"
  • ranmasoloranmasolo Registered User regular
    There is a ponderous sound like thunder from outside. It moves closer and closer until the door again swings open. No light passes the creature standing in the door way though. You see a wall of grey and greens and reds. Other colors are splashed about, but those are what you see mainly.

    The giant hunches down, turning slightly sideways to make it through the door. Before you stands a seven and a half foot tall Loxodon.

    "Greetings! I am Vaamuj! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

    While the other inhabitants of the room move to respond, Vaamuj leans down, kneeling. The floor boards creak under his weight and he leans forward offering one of the small finger like protrusions at the end of his trunk to... the gekko...

  • GriffmoyGriffmoy Registered User regular
    [Jorah gives Vaamuj an acknowledging wave.]

    JN: Welcome. In lieu of actual business to attend to, we're all waiting around and idly sniping at each other. As Delveed would say by way of greeting, "you're late".

    [Jorah grins, adding...]

    JN: ...you're not really late, everyone's just rooted in casually caustic, isolating behavior until the fighting really begins. This happens everywhere.

  • ranmasoloranmasolo Registered User regular
    Vaamuj looks up confused, "were you just talking to me? I am never late! Those without patience are early and those without sense of purpose are late! I am neither!"

    Vaamuj turns back to the lizard.

    "I'm so sorry for the interruption, where were we?"

  • GriffmoyGriffmoy Registered User regular
    [Jorah takes a look at the door, looks back at Vaamuj, and then looks at the gekko.]

    JN [muttering]: No more greetings. Gonna let that gekko do the talking.

    [Jorah sits down and starts rummaging through his pack.]

  • DraconiclastDraconiclast Registered User regular
    The party assembled, the orb in Uldin's hand begins to vibrate with increasing intensity, its glow becoming brighter and brighter. Without warning, there is a sound - an audible snap - as an image of Jace, the Living Guildpact, appears, projecting from the orb. It is approximately 10% the size of the actual man. He says, "Ah, good. You're all here. And I see some of you found the instructions I left for you - Jorah, Vaamuj, you would do well to examine your own..gifts. And no, Rawk, thank you, as much as I would like to oneday share a drink with you, I can't in this form."

    "I know you all have your own reasons for agreeing to this experi--" he reconsiders his words "this new approach to addressing the politics and problems and assorted crises of our beloved city. And I'm certain you have come with your own marching orders from your guildmasters and your own healthy skepticism. I do trust that you will approach this work earnestly, or else I will have to replace you - and no one wants that, especially me."

    "Your task is to be a force of stability in Ravnica, helping the helpless, seeking out those who would do harm or sow chaos--" he pauses again, considering the two representatives from the Gruul "--an unreasonable amount of chaos, at least. I will use this orb that I have gifted to Uldin as a method communicating with you directly whenever possible, though not always visually, as I am a busy man. Being the Living Guildpact is an awfully demanding job and my attention is required throughout the multiverse and the various planes of existence. Someone always needs something. You understand. In any event, think of yourselves as my representatives on the ground in the day to day matters concerning the city, when there aren't more pressing matters that I need you to address. Which brings me to my first request of you."

    "A constant concern in the city are those items which the Izzet manufacture that, mysteriously--" is it possible for a being like this to be sarcastic? "--go missing, that, in the wrong hands, could allow people to become agents of that unreasonable amount of chaos I mentioned. I need you to seek out one such item, a staff with the head of an angry cyclops, infused with some sort of Izzet magic that has it crackling blue. It --"

    Before he can continue, there is a scream outside. Jace stops abruptly, cocks his head to the side, and his image disappears.

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