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[DnD 5E PbP] 28 Weeks Later (Game starts back up on page 9)

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  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    It's not first-come first-served. If you'd like to throw your helmet into the ring you've got until Wednesday, 5/27!

  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Some days, a character concept just comes together based on randomly rolled traits in the background section. Presenting Keysara Ilphes, Elven Sorcerer.

    All the background and jazz is on the sheet, but since nobody has time for that...
    Elves have long memories, and long grudges. Thousands of years ago, House Ilphes bartered with dragons, sharing their blood and power in an attempt to overthrow the royal family of the elves. They failed, and were disgraced.
    Since that day, House Ilphes has struggled to regain their place in elven society, using the dragonpower in their blood to defend the elven borders and commit acts of heroism many would consider suicidal. Still, as the elven people became masters of nature and the arcane, the dragonpower became less of an advantage and more an unpleasant reminder of betrayals long past.
    Of course, young love cares little for politics. It was storybook destiny, as Keysera Ilphes encountered High Prince Leolan in the woods on a hunt, and saved his life from a beast on the prowl with fire and blade. While the Elven court was intrigued by the romance between the two, the High King and Queen were thoroughly displeased. And so, without going into the details of elven politics too deeply, as it would bore even the most dry of human scholars, Keysera chose her fate. "Honor in Exile," they called it. But she did not give up hope, believing that if her heroism spread far enough, and if her feats were great enough, she would one day be allowed to return to her Leolan.
    Since then, she's made her name with the rest of the group, slaying monsters and saving villagers for the Order of the Rose.

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    D'aw, I love a good star-crossed romance.

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  • NealnealNealneal Registered User regular
    I'll be posting a Dragonborn Battle Master Fighter tonight.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Today is the last day to get your character in! These are the submissions I have so far:

    Mongrel Idiot - Homil Niallo, Wood Elf Barbarian
    Rainfall - Keysera Ilphes, High Elf Sorcerer
    Fuselage - Trebor Galadil, Human Fighter
    jdarksun - Karnak the Slayer, Half-Orc Paladin
    Gaddez - Wist, Tiefling Bard
    Steelhawk - Laggard Barrelbutt, Mountain Dwarf Cleric

  • RhileyRhiley Registered User regular
    Quanet Abyrr, the drow elf warlock would be an excellent candidate for investigating this mystery.

    Background stuff
    The underdark is a very boring place. Decade after decade of plotting and spiders left Quanet asking himself what the point was. He found the experience extremely tiresome. While others took great pleasure in elaborate plots to embarrass and eliminate their peers Quanet instead found himself experimenting with different ways of cooking mushrooms to break up the monotony.

    When the high priestess suddenly expired the day before the graduation ceremony the matriarchs of four clans claimed the title for themselves. Tensions ran even higher than normal until a failed assassination attempt sparked open conflict. When the dust cleared almost every sentry in the town lay wounded or dying. An ilithid that had been preying on the village for years tried to take advantage of the situation to bring it under her control once and for all. The wounded sentries gave their lives attempting to defeat the horror but only succeeded in wounding it. Quanet first heard the voice of the Great Old One, giving him access to the power to slay the beast. Disgusted by te actions of his people he left for the surface rather than stay with the people he saved.

    The surface world is almost unbearably interesting to Quanet. After a lifetime underground he is interested in every single thing that is different. Free from the restrictions of drow society he asks everyone he meets almost any question that pops into his head, trying to learn everything that there is to know about this wonderful new place. Atex was the first city that he found on the surface and his knowledge of the underdark was very valuable to the Order of the Rose. He has since proven to be an ideal agent due to his desire for new experiences and the gifts that the Great Old One bestowed.

    2013 Prime Omeganaut
  • PACherrnPACherrn Registered User regular
    Oh, another warlock character :O Do I have time to roll up another character, if need be @Denada ? Either way, here's my warlock :)Slane, the former wizard's apprentice half-elf.

    Background info
    Eduros was a great wizard, and very well-respected amongst his peers and the common-folk in Atex. He was known for looking out of the children of the various orphanages in the city, and it was not uncommon for him to come by and take those whom he deemed most fitting, to serve as his apprentices, offering them a way out of poverty.

    That's how it worked and looked like for a while anyway. Eventually he wound up taking a young half-elf named Slane as his apprentice, but by then, the deep in the darkest corners of the city, the whispers had already begun to surface. Why did Eduros take so many apprentices, and where did they go? No one ever saw or heard from them again. Most reasoned that they travelled the world as the scholars and wizards that they became, but some suspected something far darker than that. One who did, was an agent of the Order of the Rose, named Denfan who had been investigating Eduros' doings for years.

    Eventually Denfan came to the conclusion that something truly terrible was under way, and he built a case strong enough to convince his superiors in the Order of the Rose that they needed to do something about it. What followed was a spectacular raid on Eduros' tower, which turned up a great amount of long-dead apprentices, and a chained up Slane. Eduros escaped in the confrontation, but his research had given him the results he wanted; He had managed to bind something, to the young half-elf named Slane.

    Not knowing what do with Slane, as they couldn't very well release him into the city after the revelation, the Order eventually settled on training the half-elf as one of their own. Feeling that he owed the Order of the Rose his life, Slane took to the training with gusto, and in time became a very highly regarded agent of the Order.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    I'm not going to be picking until sometime tomorrow, so feel free to use that time on a new PC if that's what you want to do.

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    We should have conspired with each other to ALL make warlocks.

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  • NealnealNealneal Registered User regular
    I fought myth-weaver on my iPad for an hour. I give up. Good hunting boys and girls!

  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Fuselage wrote: »
    We should have conspired with each other to ALL make warlocks.

    Or at least part-warlocks, considering how good a 1-3 level dip into the class is!

  • Slayer of DreamsSlayer of Dreams Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Tossing in at the last moment! Zeirgas es-Teskos, Minotaur Fighter!

    Stat block thinger
    Zeirgas es-Teskos
    Minotaur Fighter 6 6 LG

    AC 13 HP 42 Speed 40ft

    Str 13 (1) Dex 15 (2) Con 14 (2) Wis 14 (2) Int 10 (0) Cha 8 (-1)

    Attacks
    Scimitar +5 1d6+2
    Whip +5 1d4+2
    Longbow +7 1d8+2
    Light Xbow +7 1d8+2


    Fighting Style - Archery
    Second Wind
    Feat - Lucky
    Action Surge
    Martial Archetype - Champion
    Improved Critical
    Feat - Mobile
    Extra Attack

    Story related stuff (pic, background, etc)
    N6wOkaK.png?1

    Zeirgas grew up, as most young minotaurs do, defending his home from the wilds and learning to come to grips with his inner demons. He was a scout for the militia at a young age, always sent out with a small team of warriors to recon an area of wilderness for hunting or to learn more about an attacking force, gaining valuable skills in tracking and survival. His patrol group eventually earned the right to "retire", having performed valiantly and honorably for multiple years.

    Zeirgas was not comfortable with "the good life" as others would call it, money to spend and a safe home to settle down in. He itched for more, his memories of his battles as a scout driving him to re-enlist. Despite his enthusiasm, the aging minotaur just wasn't as agile as he used to be, and could not keep up with the other, younger recruits.

    Instead of falling into the depression that is common to his race if left with nothing to occupy themselves with, Zeirgas left his home and set out to see the world at large and hopefully finding his destiny on the way. On his path, he met up with a recruiter for The Order. Eager to prove himself, he quickly agreed to whatever conditions was asked of him, knowing that he would be putting himself to the test beyond anything he had ever experienced in his home.

    Many battles and many missions passed, and Zeirgas has not only grown into his role as a Hunter, but has found others that share his love of adventure and he will do whatever it takes to not only follow them into whatever danger they are sent after, but to make sure that nothing gets to them before he's had a shot at it. A new mission awaits, and the minotaur can hardly contain himself for his excitement in heading out to investigate Anbury and rumors of a growing evil within the town.

    Geth, roll 1d10 for Extra gold!

    Extra gold!:
    1d10 3 [1d10=3]

    Slayer of Dreams on
    Steam: Slayer of Dreams / BladeCruiser / (EHJ)BooletProof
    R*SC: BladeCruiser
    Check out my GTAV-PC custom race tracks inspired by real life racing circuits!
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Alright folks, I've got 9 PCs to look through, which I will start doing shortly.

    I'll be posting the party selection later today. Stay tuned!

  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    The suspense may actually kill me.

  • PACherrnPACherrn Registered User regular
    I got tied up, so I didn't finish another character in time, but if I had, I would've gone monk of some sort I think :)

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    Honestly if he kept all nine of us for a Battle Royale PvP PbP....

    What a great idea for one of you guys to DM and for me to watch!

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  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    So, after a lot of consideration, I've decided to bump up the party size to 5 people rather than 4. I'm going to introduce you all by asking you some questions that I'd like you to answer:

    @Mongrel Idiot, Homil Niallo hasn't always gotten along with your team's handler. Who is your handler, and what is it about them that rubs you the wrong way?

    @Rainfall, your last mission left Key feeling a little homesick, which caught her by surprise. What made her put on those rose-colored glasses?

    @Fuselage, Trebor Galadil was ecstatic about the object your team found in Overwatch, the old keep next to Marshtongue Swamp. What has he been unable to shut up about for the last two months?

    @jdarksun, Karnak heard a rumor while he was walking through the East Garden, and it left him feeling anxious about the trip to Anbury. What was it?

    @PAChern, there's another team of Hunters that's been away on a mission for several weeks. No one seems concerned, except for Slane. What's got your feathers ruffled?


    The five of you are spending the day resting and making any last-minute preparations before leaving for Anbury tomorrow morning. Your midday meal has just finished and you're lingering in the common room, discussing these topics with each other.

    Do so (in character) now.

    Generally, I post out-of-character stuff in grey text. I would like for each of you to do something similar, whether that's also posting OOC in grey, or choosing a specific color for your in-character text. Whatever makes you comfortable, as long as we can tell OOC and IC text apart.

    This is a good opportunity to find your character's voice and establish a bit of the rapport that your characters have. When I feel like the conversation is wrapping up, I'll make something happen.

    Welcome to the game!

  • Mongrel IdiotMongrel Idiot Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    The conversation was rather rudely interrupted as Homil, who had been quiet thus far, slapped the table and barked "It's just not right for the halfling to talk to me that way." The halfling, of course, was the party's handler, Vakki Tosselburr, a priestess of the halfling goddess and possibly the sweetest person they had ever met. "I bested as many lizardmen as Karnak or Trebor at the old castle, and with half again as much kitai." The word was unique to the Taikari elf dialect, and literally translated to "honorable demonstration of martial prowess," or less literally, to "style and flash." The elf sullenly pushed a crust of bread around his plate. "And what does she give me? Lectures about bullying townsfolk." Which was true, though "lecture" was a harsh word for it; the soft-spoken halfling had explained to Homil that he was souring the Order's reputation among the commoners. But that had been the way of it since they began working with Vakki: the more softly and fairly she spoke, the more she refused to engage with the proud elf's temper, the more that temper seemed to flair. It didn't help that she was right more or less every time. "They'd not be bullied if they'd listen the first time I tell them to clear out. Thrice-damned son of a hobgoblin's..." he trailed off into a string of obscure elvish curses.

    Belatedly, Homil noticed that he'd managed to rant over the rest of the party's conversation. Sheepish, he drained his water glass--the elf never drank, lest he be caught off guard one day--and said "it's a good mission, though. Good work for us."

    Their server happened by then. "Your pardon," he said "but will you be putting any more food on Ms. Tosselburr's bill?"

    I'm so pumped!

    I figure Homil wouldn't concern himself over much with whether or not he killed more lizardmen than Key or Slane, them being casters.

    Mongrel Idiot on
  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Trebor looked up from the small but ornate book that he had hardly taken his eyes from since spiriting it away from a ruined study back at Overwatch to listen to his comrade's rant. "If I understood your native tongue correctly, you just made reference to a specific growth that occurs on the small of a goblinoid's back." After a moment of contemplation, Trebor scribbled something down in his personal notebook before continuing, "Have any of you ever heard of a First Moon Ritual in your travels? I'm unaware of the context thus far." He mostly ignored Homil's comment on his lizardman slaying prowess; Trebor had slain his share of beast, humanoid and other creatures ever since his conscription and since his arrival at the Library of Oghma he realized what a chore it was. He took no pleasure in the art of skill of it, seeking only to work through the violence as efficiently as possible.

    Fixing his gaze back on the tome, he reflected on all that it had taught him so far. It was very well crafted, with flowing leafwork upon the binding. The writing inside was a mix of Celestial and Infernal and all that Trebor had gleaned from the Celestial sections as well as the detailed drawings was that it was written by a pubescent wizard's apprentice from a civilization he had never heard of. The mixture of languages was intriguing, implying that either certain passages were more secret or of a different nature than others, or that they had different audiences. Based on the quality sketches of young men, cat-like animals, and strange symbols he could only assume that it was a female's diary. Does my daughter work in ciphers and riddles as well? he thought to himself. Before getting too deep into that thought, he decided that was a road not worth traveling.

    I, too, am pumped!

    Edit: @PACherrn I just noticed your character can read Infernal, I'll definitely let Slane have a crack at translating in the future. Hopefully all of those parts aren't a part of some awful fanfic.

    Fuselage on
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  • Mongrel IdiotMongrel Idiot Registered User regular
    "I suppose it means that lumpy growth they get, yes," said Homil, furrowing his brow. "But that's not really the idea. It's more of a... blast it, I can't find the word in Common. Means one thing, but another at the same time, and the second one's what you're really talking about." He went quiet, then added"My tribe held festivals on the full moons, but nothing called a First Moon Ritual."

  • PACherrnPACherrn Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Slane was perusing a book during the midday meal. So consumed in his work was he, that he had brought seven other tomes and various journals to the table, putting them in a neat stack around his plate as he rummaged through them. The books and journals seemed to have stolen all interest in what could otherwise have been described by most as a very fine meal, and the various reading materials often elicited various hums, accompanied by finger drumming on the back of his completely shaven head, only interrupted by infrequent adjustments of his monocle.

    Normally this would be a time for socializing, but something that Osreig had mentioned before his squad had left on a mission weeks ago, now left him with a shiver running down his spine whenever he thought of it, especially in light of the fact that they had gone completely dark several days ago. This wasn't uncommon at all, and the various squads within the Order of the Rose could seemingly fall off the face of the world at a whim, only to resurface when whatever threat they were dealing with had been handled. Still, the name that Osreig had mentioned; Hlanferll. What did it mean? And why did he have this nagging feeling that he had heard it before, or seen it before? Whatever it was or meant, it turned his skin gooseflesh.

    Homil's outburst seemed to do the impossible and pull Slane back to the world. He closed the book and pushed it aside, whilst he stuffed his monocle back into his breast pocket and leaned back into his chair, observing the rant. "You know that she only means well, my friend?" he asked with a smile. "And that translation would be somewhat off, Trebor," he added with a grin. "The First Moon ritual you say though? Interesting. It seems to ring a bell. I may have notes on it somewhere."

    "What do you make of the mission Homil? What about the rest of you?" Seemingly noticing his food for the first time, he dug in, but not without sampling the wine that came with it, which seemed to elicit another hum, albeit different than the previous one's. This was a satisfied one.

    Triple-pumped!

    @Fuselage Slane would totally be up for that! EDIT: Looking at your character sheet, I think Slane and Trebor might get along fantastically :D

    PACherrn on
  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    Alas for me and yay for you guys!

    Have fun storming the castle!

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    I'll wait for others to start getting involved before my character says much - he is socially awkward but you'd only notice if he's responding to something. After this first go-around I'll try to put his ideas of your characters in his myth-weavers sheet.

    Fuselage on
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  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Key placed her porcelain cup of tea back on the plate, a faint rattle betraying her slightly shaky hand before she rested it on the waiter's arm. "That will be all for now. Thank you."
    She had remained quiet throughout the meal, not looking at the others but more through them, distracted by her thoughts. Looking around the table, she made sure that everyone had given her their attention while she attended to the waiter.
    "That storm we were in was surprisingly fierce. We see few like those, back in the Wild Wood, but it made me remember one fromm when I was a child, only twenty-four."
    She paused, taking another long sip of her tea. It was brewed to perfection, but Triswyn had enough practice making her tea that it was hardly a surprise.
    "I hid under the bed crying, when my mother found me and showed me her own thunder and lightning. I realized when the lizardmen were ambushing us, my mother and I have not met for twelve years"
    She looked down at the table, almost whispering as she tried to compose herself. "But it still feels like she fights beside me some days."
    To adventure! To glory!

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Trevor had absorbed countless lessons and secrets in his lifetime; finesse was not among them. After hearing Key's murmerings he stashed the diary inside his common jacket pocket and wetted his quill once more, "Lady Keysera, that must have been a century ago that you considered yourself a child. I understand broad strokes of your physiologie but I do have questions."

    He didn't wait for an answer to his preamble before continuing, gazing into her face intently. "If you were a child at twenty-four, when exactly did you begin your womanly change of life? At what point did you learn Dwarvish, would you call it an early or late age compared to the average of your kind? Do you believe class played a significant role? Was it common for Elvish girlfolk to keep a diary?"

    After a moment of self-reflection he seemed content with his line of questioning, though oblivious to any personal lines he may have tip-toed or stampeded over. Investigating the unknown at a table without his arms and armor, Trebor felt in his element.


    My wife swears this character is obsessed with menstruation, but I promise he's not. He doesn't know what race or society the mystery teen author is from, so he's trying to gather information from known sources to check against the information in the diary. Promise.

    Fuselage on
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  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Key gaped, taken aback by the sudden and confusing line of questioning. The subtleties of courts, kings, and politics were easy enough, but blunt questioning always set her off, no matter how many times Trebor asked her about quirks of elven life. She shook her head and took a breath to compose herself, a trickle of smoke exhaling from the corner of her mouth.
    "Womanly change of life? I have always been a woman. I'm not sure I understand that question. But as for the dwarvish language, that was part of my studies along with the subtleties of the draconic, elven, and common tongues. I was fluent in all of them by sixty years of age, although I prefer the draconic by nature. And no, I never kept a diary. We have a strong oral tradition, our lessons and histories are kept by bards of the House of Lore. Our long lifespans allow us to share our history in a more personal manner, keeping the emotion and details of times long past intact through story and song. Our written records tend towards the academic arcane, and of course legal proclamations from the royal court."
    Key took another sip of tea, pleasantly distracted for the moment from her thoughts of home.
    "Homil, your people do the same, do they not?"

    The way I see it, elves have an extremely slow rate of reproduction, only having one or two children over several hundred years. So there's not really a lot of reason for them to have the same markers of womanhood with a focus on childbearing that the human race would follow, and elves probably don't have a menstrual cycle at all, and conceive through spiritual/magical focus rather than pure biology.

    Rainfall on
  • Mongrel IdiotMongrel Idiot Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Deeply confused by the line of questioning, Homil didn't reply at once. Bluntness he understood: the elders who had taught him to run, fight, throw spear and axe had all been blunt. But Trebor's bluntness went down trails that Homil would never think to consider, let alone question. If he hadn't personally seen the man's prowess he never would have believed it. But then, there were a great many things in the world the elf found hard to follow.

    "The Callers of the Sky keep our songs," he said after a moment. "And each of us keep our own, as well. I could sing you my life from when I could walk to this winter past. But I never learned any tongue but our own and Common. And how to listen to the wild, bird and beast and the sky overhead. I don't know the word 'diaries,' but our girlfolk lived as bright and fire as any of us. I learned sword and knife from a woman. Forty winters now, or more." He picked at one of the many eagle feathers that adorned his clothing, then leaned back in his chair. "As for the mission, Slane, I'd say Vakki hired greenlings who turned tail at the first oversized rat, if there had been any other news. But the quiet makes me think we might have proper sport this time around." He looked over to Karnak and gave a wild grin. "What do you say, Karnak? Tally the dead and count kitai on this mission?" Homil had thus far had no luck convincing his companions to compete for high honor in the eyes of beast and sky, but he held out hope that the half-orc could be talked into it.

    Mongrel Idiot on
  • jdarksunjdarksun Struggler VARegistered User regular
    Karnak frowned at Homil's words about their handler. "You've no call to speak that way of Mother Tosselburr, Homil. I would have had said much the same to you, had she not beat me to it. We fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Don't forget that." The half-orc folded back the long sleeves of his vestment and took a careful drink from the cup in front of him. "There's more to what we do than killing our enemies. I promise that there will be more. We needn't keep count.

    "The quiet is of concern. One of the petitioners I prayed over in the East Garden told me that he unloaded the last ship from Anbury - and that the ship was crewed by nothing but the whispers of the dead. No soul was found aboard when the ship was towed into the port, no rats were found among the crates - not even weevils hid within the grain. I do not know if this man spoke true, but empty ship is the omen of death and plague."

  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Key looked faintly nervous at Karnak's words. The Paladin was seldom wrong, and the rumors of Anbury were all along the same lines, portents of death and doom.
    "Well, every mission that we embark on holds death, so as always, may that fate come to our foes, and not ourselves. I just hope that we are not too late to save the people of Anbury from whatever holds sway there."

  • PACherrnPACherrn Registered User regular
    "No souls is one thing, but no rats? Are you certain of this, Karnak? Fascinating-" Grabbing his knife, Slane cut a tiny piece off one of the slices of meat at the table, and placed it next to one of the stacks of books. Out of nowhere, a pseudo-dragon of red colour named Charlemagne popped into view. The colour was an informal nod to the sorcerer Keysera. It had become Slane's familiar long ago after he had finally gotten rid of the pesky imp that would never cease to torment him. The pseudo-dragon tilted its head this way and that, seemingly savouring the sight itself before it finally jumped on the meat. A tiny puff of fire escaped its nostrils as it devoured the morsel hungrily.

    Slane frowned, the issue of the ship from Anbury was obviously fascinating, but it was also terrible. Something which he had to remind himself of. "- By fascinating I of course mean tragic, hm." He frowned again as he listened Keysera's words. "As always, we will do what we can, Keysera." Whilst their squad was quite adept at what they did, they hadn't gone from success to another over the years. There had been quiet a few tragedies along the way as well. Experiences they would carry with them always. The red oak of South Elmald-incident came to mind, causing Slane to shift his weight from one to the other in his seat as he frowned yet again. "Say, does the word Hlanferll mean anything to any of you?"

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    Trebor knew that his time to strike was over and gave up on his pursuit of knowledge concerning the Elven life cycle for the time being.

    "In what context do people use the word 'Hlanferll'? Do you have its spelling? I'm uncertain, but the root sounds remind me of Dwarven or Elvish. If you have me an hour in the Library I may have answers. I may not be as blessed by Oghma as the Master Librarian, but no knowledge is truly lost."

    The inquisitive warrior began mentally thumbing through the Library's catalogue and conceptualizing a plan of attack.


    This whole time I've been debating between past or present tense for this roleplaying business and I just had an internal struggle over catalog vs catalogue. Maybe I'm not that far off this character after all.

    Fuselage on
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  • Mongrel IdiotMongrel Idiot Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    "If there's ghosts to be managed we'll want tassen berry and powdered gold for our weapons," said Homil. "The elders sang that such would let your blade cut restless spirits, if it came to cutting. I never saw it, myself, and I never want to: its goblin-flesh I'd rather fight." He looked back over to the half-orc, frowned, and focused. "And count kitai on, even if you're not interested. I know we don't agree about Vakki, Karnak, but I meant no harm. We speak our minds, hot or cold, in my homeland." Explaining himself still felt odd to Homil, and brought with it a stab of embarrassment and anger, all wrapped together. Back in the Taikari lands, he might have challenged Karnak to a game of throwing; in the Cantos, they might have come to actual blows. But the elf had a sense that, in certain circumstances, with certain people, the best course of action wasn't to pour out his rage until everything around him was cowed. He had nothing in his past to guide him on a different route, of course.

    I'm really enjoying the elf as anger-crazed barbarian and the half-orc as dutiful paladin, @jdarksun.

    Mongrel Idiot on
  • jdarksunjdarksun Struggler VARegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    "Certain? No, I did not see it for myself. The man almost certainly embellished parts, but the core of the story rang true. An ill omen regardless." Karnak frowned at the discussion of the new word. "Hlan...fer...ll?" The paladin spoke the world slowly, sounding out each syllable with care before moving to the next, then shook his head at its completion. "It is not known to me."

    The talk of blades and spirits wiped the puzzlement from Karnak's features. "There's no need for hedge wizardry; I've yet to meet an unquiet spirit that did not return to their grave after the correct supplication to the Lord of the Dead. ...and, possibly, a brief application of Doom," he added, referring to the maul that lay propped against his armor. "You never mean harm, Homil. But you're better than that - speaking roughly of our superiors and terrifying farmers is beneath the Order. I've seen you carve the flesh from a giant's leg to make it tumble then cut its throat before it hit the ground." The half-orc touched his prayer beads, running his thumb over the link bearing the mark of a black-gloved hand clutching a two-faced coin. "You're terrifying on the battlefield, but you shouldn't hold that anger in your heart. It will fester."

    Karnak nodded to himself as an idea began to form. "The next time we pass by an almshouse, you should come with me as I administer aid and bring food. The service will do your spirit good."


    I love the idea of Karnak preaching to the berserker. I hope you don't mind, I made up the thing with the giant. I figured that it sounded suitably impressive; I wanted to make it clear that Karnak respects Homil's fighting ability, while also encouraging him to be more humble.

    Also, props to Denada for kicking us off with five simple questions that is generating so much character discussion.

    Minion, roll 1d20+4 for Insight into the character I made up that mentioned the ghost ship

    Insight into the character I made up that mentioned the ghost ship:
    1d20+4 10 [1d20=6]

    jdarksun on
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Yeah you guys have been knocking it out of the park with this opening! I'm thoroughly pleased with how this is going.

    Karnak, the man that told you about the ship definitely had the look of a dockworker: a strong build, rough hands, that sort of thing. The trembling in his voice was a dead giveaway that this wasn't just idle gossip. "Four weeks I been thinking about that ship," he said, "I ain't sleepin'. I ain't eatin'. Well, least not as much as I used to. Wasn't right. I seen crews get sick before. This ... wasn't that."

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    I've never rolled on these forums before and I've been itching to. If I were sitting at a table with you I'd roll a history check without question, so I'll try it now and you can say no if it's better for the story.
    Minion roll 1d20+5 for a History check to see if Trebor has heard of Hlanferll or remembers seeing a reference to it in the past.

    a History check to see if Trebor has heard of Hlanferll or remembers seeing a reference to it in the past.[/ spoiler]:
    1d20+5 13 [1d20=8]

    Fuselage on
    o4n72w5h9b5y.png
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Feel free to roll checks when you feel like it. I'm very much a "go with it" kind if DM.

    Trebor, if your recollection of Jothan's Ancient Languages: An Etymological Journey Through Time is correct, then Hlanferll is both Dwarven and Elvish. More specifically, it sounds like a word from what Jothan proposes is the root language that Dwarven and Elvish grew out of. But - given the rarity of samples - this root language is still just a theory, so any guess as to the meaning of Hlanferll would be just that: a guess.

  • FuselageFuselage Oosik Jumpship LoungeRegistered User regular
    After a moment of reflection and partial clarity, Trebor glanced at Slane and quietly shared his findings. "The word Hlanferll may be older than both the Dwarves and the Elves. I'm aware of stories of primordials, but I doubt that's the link I'm looking for."

    o4n72w5h9b5y.png
  • Mongrel IdiotMongrel Idiot Registered User regular
    "In my homeland we let the fire in our heart burn brightly, but in these strange lands it seems it must be let to burn down to coals, from time to time," said Homil. But he didn't speak of the stoney faces of his elders as they stood in a line, facing him, and one by one stepped out and cast a feather at his feet. He didn't speak of them, one by one, turning their backs and walking away, and he didn't speak of the silent forest, impassive, but bristling with spears if he took so much as one step back from his exile. And he didn't speak of the blazing heart-fire that had led to those stone faces, those turned backs.

    Then he grinned at Karnak. "But the giant was a fine hour, when we stood against the giant and his hellhounds. And when the giant caught you in his grip and you burst his fingers, well, I heard you loose a battle-cry as mighty as any. There's a joy to crushing a deserving foe, holy man, that you could stand to embrace. The gods gave us strength at arms, worthy foes, and weaklings to protect. That's a fine and joyous gift, I'd say! But I'll come to your almshouse. Never let it be said that Homil of the Taikari wouldn't hand bread to a starving man."

    I think Karnak and Homil will get along just fine. I figure Karnak may have been caught up in the fight or may have just been yelling with exertion; either way, Homil probably would have understood it as a war cry.

    Incidentally, Homil is completely wrong about the Taikari; they frown on being a big raging dickhead outside of battles as much as the next community. But he's not about to admit that.

  • jdarksunjdarksun Struggler VARegistered User regular
    The half-orc clapped Homil on the shoulder. "Never let it be said that I shrunk from punishing the wicked. We'll find whatever has brought silence over Anbury, and bring justice upon it."

    In battle, Karnak calls upon the Lady of Strategy for guidance against non-Evil/potentially repentant foes. If he comes across an Evil creature or something that has preyed upon the innocent, he will swear vengeance and invoke The Doombringer. Karnak will stop at nothing to destroy them.

    It's possible that Homil sees more than a little of himself in Karnak, and thinks the paladin slightly hypocritical. : )

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Your conversation continues for a bit as the staff of the Lonely Oak prepare for the dinner rush. "Rush" was probably too strong a word for the usual evening crowd, but the inn did see its fair share of patrons that weren't members of a secret society of monster hunters. Of course that crowd didn't know that the entrance to the Order's temple laid hidden beneath the Lonely Oak's cellar, or that the entire building was protected by a dozen or more wards strong enough to level a city block. All any of the regulars really had to say about the inn was that it felt like a nice place, and the chicken was pretty good.

    "It's time." The soft voice of Vakki Tosselburr, your handler, floated out from the shadows. She had a way of just ... appearing places, which had been the catalyst for more than one of her "discussions" with Homil in the past. It can be difficult to talk about someone when they're not there if you're never sure if they're not there, and the gamble often did not pay off for him. She never seemed to show any anger though, which at times was more unsettling than comforting.

    "We have a few things from Acquisitions to give to you before you leave," she continued as the five of you followed her through the twisting hallways of the Order's temple. "We don't have much intel on this mission, and to be honest, we just don't have much left in the vault after that incident with the Hammer. So you're just going to have to take what you can get."

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