A Tunnels and Trolls® play-by-post adventure run by khara_khang
Don't the "special guest stars" in shows usually end up being killed off or have some major traumatic problem?
Only if Jay is wearing a red shirt.
What exactly does the strength potion do?
A strength potion adds 4d6 extra strength points for spellcasting (rolled by the GM) which last until used or 2 hours have elapsed (whichever comes first). All potions have a 2 in 10 chance of not working.
General Searick was not pleased. He cast a sidelong glance at his Elvish soldiers and sneered. Pathetic. How in the name of the Almighty had he ever been stuck with such a group? He was Bloody Searick, the Fear of the Seas! He had built a reputation, and men like these did not help to uphold it. "Move it! They're only just ahead!" he yelled. "Miserable dogs," he added with a growl. He looked at his group again, at the fear in their eyes. He didn't want cowards for fighting men, but he did like to be feared. It meant respect, at the very least. He also knew they felt a little out of their element, since they were born and bred in the sea. They had certainly stopped grumbling about the jungle hike, for reasons one does not like to think about too long.
"Mr. Sikes!" he shouted, calling to the only one in the group who was not a Sea Elf. A foppishly dressed human man in a silken waistcoat and a plumed, wide-brimmed hat stepped forward, truly a sharp contrast to the sleek and nearly naked Sea Elf General, whose most impressive feature was the intricately designed tattoo dragon across his muscular chest.
"Yes, me Gen'l?" Sikes asked, obviously not as abjectly petrified as some of the other Sea Elves. If Searick noticed, he didn't show it, for Sikes was nevertheless not known as the bravest man in any respect; his job had always been to stay near the shore to warn off intruders and alert them.
"About the adventurers heading to the temple...." began Searick in his usual unnervingly calm tone. "What, pray tell, is their situation?"
"Oh, yes, Gen'l!" replied the weaselly little Sikes (though few could claim stature comparable to Searick). "A well known pirate Sirina Muirogh is on the payroll of Señor Shipy Sr...."
Searick visibly winced when he heard the name. Sirina Muirogh was a criminal, a gangster, a pirate, and a very influential person back in Khazan. Searick hated dealing with the woman. She was a pirate, and entirely without honor.
"So?" grunted Searick, hiding his disgust.
Resting his wings, Quickly crouches down on a crate along the south docks, thinking about possible implications of Shipy's letter and listening to the conversation of the working girl and the female sailor (who happens to have a small child with her). The working girl holds a serving tray with a glass and a bottle on it---likely some type of fancy booze, Quickly surmises.
"Of all the rip-off, screw-up, chip-joint... jobs, I get this one," she breaks down in fake tears.
"You could always quit," she scowls.
"Are you crazy! The tips are great," she says, her tears vanishing. "I don't want to think about it."
"Any news I need to know?" she continues through her scowl.
"Avoid Carp Street. Wik Sombrero and his cretins are working there. Makeup is half price at Teals Supply Store," she adds, blinking sweetly. "Sirina Muirogh's pirate fleet set sail a few days ago heading southeast at a very leisurely pace."
"Any suggestions?" she exhales, giving the working girl a silver piece.
"Stay at the Flying Fish Inn," she says, looking at the coin and growing angry. "Forget you, pal! Thanks for nothing!"
The sailor smiles slightly and the pair splits off in separate directions. Quickly flies out and stows his feed bag aboard the Night Gail in the crow's nest. The ship itself is sitting out in the harbor, which is not more than a short boat ride from the docks. Speeding off like a dragonfly, Quickly searches street after street for Shipy, but Khazan is very large and expansive, and the late afternoon streets are teaming with people going about their business. They somewhat resemble ants from high above. After a short and unsuccessful search, Quickly returns to the docks.
Olvarin has little time to waste when he leaves the bar. He buys his potion at Brienna's Store and then hurries off on his own, not running into Jay or the Orc brothers, and ignoring the abundant street vendors trying to peddle their wares.
Jay gets his chance to drink the good stuff Lucky rarely offers. It is almost like a going away gift, except few are there to taste the rare long-forgotten nectar likely squished between the supple toes of a sun-bronzed vixen. Even Jay's time is limited, so he does what anyone would do to take advantage of the situation.
(The panoramic view pulls back to reveal Lucky standing behind the bar.) "Your obedient servant, Lucky. Good luck, sir."
Jay swallows the last of his drink and then heads out of the Blue Frog Tavern and down the busy street towards the south docks. Having lived in Khazan for quite some time, he is familiar with most of its streets and prominent landmarks, but going to the south docks isn't like going to the Arena Of Khazan, although both often smell of death.
"Hello Jay. Want some company?"
A funeral procession blocks the street ahead as mourners dressed in grayish-black robes crowd elbow to elbow, forcing Jax, Taran and Jay to make a detour if they want to continue to the docks without delay. The mourners appear to show resentful contempt for anyone trying pass through their midst. They carry a flower-covered coffin with markings to some Egyptian-style god. One of the mourners speaks in a deep throbbing voice as they shuffle along unhurriedly, "...he who dedicated his life to the wonders and majesties of long past civilizations should himself gain a measure of immortality through that very accomplishment. He was like a father, a grandfather and a master to us, through his many successes...."
Jay, Jax and Taran (together) and Olvarin (on his own) head to the south docks. On a good day it is a ten minute walk from the Blue Frog Tavern to the south docks, and this day, neither group would encounter much trouble getting there, other than the congested streets.
The odds of Jack actually finding the right alley at this exact opportune moment are almost a million to one in a city the size of Khazan, but then again Jack isn't just any fleshless down-and-out low life scum-sucking thespian, he is the owner of one familiar old rusty dagger. Not only that, but Jack is a mystical being (at least to himself), who has crossed the boundaries of time and returned again, surviving relatively unscathed (for a Skeleton). The rims of Jack's empty eye sockets gleam with bony whiteness as he watches from a distant doorway. He watches the action (or whatever might happen), waiting to enter more dramatically if need be.
Ebony is ready for a fight, and her sword would have come out in a flash if not for the sudden turn of events. Without warning, two buckets of what at first appear to be water are tossed out of a doorway on either side of the alley onto all four adventurers, with the majority of the contents splashing on Ebony. All four are splashed in some way or another. The thugs break into laughter, mostly over failing to understand what Ocullos said, and on hearing Megol's person-to-ring conversation with Mr. Happy.
The leader stops laughing. "Now give us your coins and we will be on our way."
Raising his sleeve to his nose, the Hobbit sniffs. His mouth opens in a typical frightened Hobbit fashion. "That was not water, that was freakin' cheap corn whiskey! A single spark and we go up like, like, like," the Hobbit stutters, his mind racing but coming up blank. "...like something that burns really fast. Maybe we should just give them our gold and be on our way," Shipy repeats what the lead thug said, as if the latter used a Jedi mind trick on Shipy.
Being a very skilled thief (or so he thinks), Shipy counts ten thugs total. Knowing Khazan street thugs as he does (having run from them all his life), he knows that taking out their leader will not stop them, and they always have an ace up their sleeve. This is what they do for a living. As dumb as they look, they aren't stupid. Shipy looks up towards the rooftop, half expecting fire to drop down on them if they refuse to surrender their meager assortment of coins. The thugs spread out, giving the four adventurers a choice. Give up their gold and leave unharmed, or test the meddle of a bunch of wily street thugs.
"That would be a wise choice!"
Quickly is worried about the time. He's not good at keeping track of it, and knows it's of the essence now. He will try to find and approach the captain of the Night Gail, and introduce himself. He prepares his introduction speech and rehearses it as he searches, trying out variations of it on any crewmembers he meets on his search:
"Pardon my intrusion, O Captain my Captain, but I travel in the august company of a certain Hobbit adventurer who plans travel aboard your ever-so-beeeautifully-out-eager ship and I would make your acquaintance: Quickly Ratcatcher at your service!" This he accompanies with a flourish, then peeking up from his deep bow, he adds, "Might I inquire when the boat's leaving, O Captain my Captain, and if the certain Hobbit adventurer and company have arrived?"
If time's short and Shipy & Co. are still not around, he'll try to make sure Night Gail doesn't leave without the party. If they're really late, he'll see what he can do to find out if this Wik Sombrero character has anything to do with the delay: he'll ask after Carp Street and scout it out if there's time. Should things reach those straits, he'll be scouting with bow in hand, a sleepy arrow nocked to the string.
[Olvarin] buys his potion at Brienna's Store and then hurries off on his own....
Dear me, I hope it didn't seem like Olvarin was being unfriendly or trying to avoid anyone. The way I saw it was that when he realized he might be able to afford a strength potion, he was frantic with worry about buying one and still making it to the ship on time. Rest assured, Olvarin has the highest regard for his teammates. He just doesn't know who they all are, as he was one of the last of the recruits to sign on, and Shipy broke the huddle moments later. At least, that is how I remember it. Anyhow, we all have a luxurious and enjoyable boat ride ahead of us during which we can all get to know one another. What could possibly be finer?
Somebody help me out here. Jack looks like a Skeleton? I read the posts from the previous adventure [Dangerous Creations --ed.], but I only began towards the end (when I joined BFT), and my memory sucks.... Guess I messed up with Brienna, too. I thought that I wrote a neutral enough dialogue, but apparently she's a lot more sullen than that.
Khara_Khang, do you need a list of my spells? The lazy way would be for me to take all the spells up to level 6 that do not inflict physical or magical damage, or "kill" anybody, such as turning them to stone. This would leave Olvarin with "healing" spells and "miscellaneous" spells which neither harm nor "kill" the enemy. So, for example, he couldn't cast Whammy, unless someone taught it to him. And even then, he would cast it at a 2x point cost. Is this an agreeable spell selection? You can always veto me in game if you think I've chosen an offensive spell :). But if you prefer, I'll try to come up with a reasonable spell list.
Don't the "special guest stars" in shows usually end up being killed off or have some major traumatic problem?
Only if Jay is wearing a red shirt.
Fortunately, red isn't Jay's color, except when chomped by bug gods [c.f. Dangerous Creations --ed.].
[General Searick] didn't want cowards for fighting men, but he did like to be feared. It meant respect, at the very least.
What dictionary does this guy use?
...few are there to taste the rare long-forgotten nectar likely squished between the supple toes of a sun-bronzed vixen.
Must've been a sunbronzed vixen Troll, 'cause this tastes like fetid swamp water. I'll have to stop listening to rumours spread by Taran.
"Your obedient servant, Lucky. Good luck, sir."
If the tavern is empty: "Lucky, you're a peach. And I only say that because the place is empty and that gives me plausible deniability later."
If the tavern has customers: "Thanks."
Having lived in Khazan for quite some time, [Jay] is familiar....
At least for the last couple years when he really should have been up north mounting a rescue.... Oh well.
A funeral procession blocks the street ahead....
If at all possible, Jay will stand and render a show of respect until the procession (or at least the coffin) passes. He's got no allegiance or obedience due to Egyptian gods, but death is death, and not to be taken lightly.
Besides, it'll be a good talking point with Isis or Bast if he ever manages to score a date with either of them.... <cough> [Jay had a date with Lerotra'hh in Dangerous Creations. --ed.]
Never mind.
Dear me, I hope it didn't seem like Olvarin was being unfriendly or trying to avoid anyone.
Jay feels snubbed anyway, especially after he bent over backwards to be friendly. Couldn't you tell?
Somebody help me out here. Jack looks like a Skeleton?
Yep. According to the excellent set of Archives, "Jack de Crampon is the re-animated skeleton of a classical actor of the same name." [c.f. Jack's stats --ed.]
Guess I messed up with Brienna, too. I thought that I wrote a neutral enough dialogue....
It was the "charming Halfling" comment that kinda threw everything off.
...but apparently she's a lot more sullen than that.
Yeah, she depresses me.... Actually, I wouldn't describe her as sullen. Blunt, humorless, overly serious: those would be my immediate descriptions based on my impressions. Jay would have a few other adjectives, but he didn't like her very much. 'Course it's hard to compartmentalize anyone with a few words, even RPG creations.
"Welb, sirz, I beez hasthing a fewb 'mounts of gol' en I's left in a wheely big box, o'er thad way," he points in the general direction from which they have come. "If you beez nize I's give you directs to me pot of gol'!"
Well, I think that if nothing comes from this, I will cast Protective Pentagram on Ebony and Shipy, then cast Wink-Wing and save myself. If you have your own Teleport spells (please post if you do), then this will go much... quicker. Or does everyone really want to give up thier money? Damn, Jay just paid me!!!
"Welb, sirz...."
Good grief... remember when I used to complain that Blodwydd's speech caused migraines? [cf. Goblin Lake, Part Deux --ed.]
Damn, Jay just paid me!!!
Jay simply didn't want to walk through such a rough neighborhood carrying that much cash.
Megol yells out "Sleep!" and smacks the leader on the forehead, causing his staff's power to take affect. He then jumps on the unconscious thief and shouts out, "If ye be lighting me a'flame, I'll be taking yer leader with me! And if ye be hurting my friends, I'll be saving ye the trouble and lighting meself a'flame!"
I want to see if I can look up and find where the person with the "fire" is. Then I want to Wink-Wing behind him, and attack with my kukri.
Good grief... remember when I used to complain that Blodwydd's speech caused migraines?
Be a stoic, eh? Never mind, you take too much pleasure in your quips. I'll provide translations for Ocullos.
...you take too much pleasure in your quips.
Somebody has to.
I'll provide translations for Ocullos.
Don't. It's better trying to figure 'em out, and I have a built-in excuse if I decide to ignore Ocullos: "I didn't know what he was saying."
Hmmm... far too much splashing, uttering of threats and general hooliganism. Jack decides that cowardice is definitely the better part of valo---uh... cowardice, I guess, and holds his cards in the damp, dank, womb-like miasma of the festering alley (not to cast aspersion on anyone's mom's womb. Blame it on too many Cronenberg films). If any Hobbits catch on fire, he'll rush forward and spit on them to put them out. But then again, Skeletons are on the whole a little dry of mouth. Chestnuts... uh, the ambush plan still stands if swords be swingin'.
Jax is all for barging through the funeral procession, but notes Jay's reverent posture and decides against it out of respect for the Wizard, if not for the mourners. After a few eternal minutes with no end to the slow procession in sight, Jax has had enough, and motions to Taran and Jay to follow him down the street in the opposite direction of the procession.
I am assuming that Taran and Jay follow Jax, and that Olvarin has also taken an alternate path to avoid the congestion. Otherwise, I cannot necessarily employ the following plot device to deliver Jax, Taran, Jay (and Olvarin, by similar effect) to the docks without running into Shipy et al.
Jax, Taran and Jay soon get around the mourners, at which point the shortest route to the south docks has changed. This alternate route takes them to the docks, where they find the Night Gail and the Elf Wizard Olvarin (who earlier introduced himself to Shipy within earshot of the Orc brothers) nearby.
"Olvarin, is it? Name's Jax," he says, offering his meaty hand in greeting. "Where's Shipy?"
[Two groups merge:
Jay goes with the Orcs. He has no fear of traveling alone, but isn't going to kid himself: he's a lot better off with them than without, and he knows it.
Olvarin pauses and looks around a couple of times. "Oh, hello, hello! Are you and your friends part of master Shipy's adventuring band as well, Mr. Jax? I'm sorry, I haven't seen him."
Then frowning, the Elf asks, "We aren't late are we?"
This post assumes only that Jax, Jay and Taran met up with Olvarin at some point, and not that we made it to the ship, in case khara_khang, may his ale never be substituted for swamp water, decides we didn't make it there. Remember, Jax, what happens when you assume. It makes an ass out of Taran! (Jax is too smart to catch the blame.)
Taran nods at the Elf. "Orcs are never late, argh. They arrive precisely when they mean to."
Jax sighs and smacks his forehead, trying to get the Hobbits of Penzance song out of his head.
"As for Ship[p]y, well, yes, we're part of his adenturing band. My bro here plays the scimitar," he says, slapping Jax on the back, "and I, Taran Dracon, son of Oother Pe'ng Dracon, play the crossbow." Taran laughs at his joke, surprised at how loosely it rolled off his tongue. He figures that it is the ale talking, but he doesn't know that Lucky's "special" is nothing more than slush dredged up from the swamp and served to "special" customers like himself.
Finishing the introductions, he nods to Jay. "I guess you already met Jay. He plays, er," Taran stumbles, not having quick enough wit to perpetuate the analogy. "Uh..., magick."
Taran shrugs, and shifts the weight of his pack. During their brief stop at Dracon Warren, Taran suited up in his lamellar and had gathered his adventuring supplies as best he could while Oother barked at him for the duty shift mix-up. He explained that he'd make it up in double shifts when he got back. Oother wasn't terribly excited about the prospect of his sons heading out to traipse about the seas on yet another adventure with the troublesome Hobbit, but he knew he couldn't stop them. Taran replayed the scene in his mind briefly....
"If you don't come back alive, I'll kill you myself!"
Jax sighs and slaps his forehead.
Taran takes a hard look at the solid ground beneath his feet. He doesn't particularly dislike sailing, but it is hard to shoot a crossbow with the deck pitching back and forth, and he prepares himself for a sloshing wet experience.
Bought at Brienna's store: 1 rain-proof parka (4 gp), 1 water-breathing potion (100 gp), 1 week's waterproof rations (50 gp).
The lazy way would be for [Olvarin] to take all the spells up to level 6 that do not inflict physical or magical damage, or "kill" anybody, such as turning them to stone.... Is this an agreeable spell selection?
I like it, make it so!
"Remind me again, my distinguished Mr. Shipy Sr., just why we're runnin' from Sea Elves through a bloody rain-forest on some godforsaken island?" Sirina looked at Shipy with an expression of exasperation and mocking rage. The Hobbit strode along beside Sirina at a brisk pace, and pretended not to give her any notice.
Shipy Sr. always saw right through the facade. He knew Sirina loved adventure and exotic journeys more than he did, or they wouldn't have been traveling together for so long. Despite her roguish outlook and sea-dog pirate accent, she was a fighter bold and pure, and was most certainly enjoying the prospect of an upcoming fight with a few bloodthirsty Sea Elves. Shipy flashed her his customary smirking grin and chuckled. It was a trademark of the Shipy family. "I suppose that now is as good a time as any to tell you the whole story."
"Here's the deal," Shipy Sr. began. "I was approached by three different parties some weeks ago, before we started out on this little vacation. Back in Port Of Khazan, an Elf showed up at the guildhouse, saying that he wanted an artifact found. This Elf---I think he was a Wizard, but I can't be sure---this Elf called himself Keloric Rondale, and said that he was searching for an artifact, an ancient sword which had come out of the very ocean itself, re-forged by a master swordsmith named Belleria."
"This Belleria was a figure of Elven legend, a woman Warrior from some story about a war against Sea Elves, I think. Anyway, Rondale said that the sword had been given to the the Elven monks of the Shu-Tzen Island in the Deathneal Ocean, which is not far from the Nameless Islands and the more famous Island of Darksmoke. The sword was a gift to them by the elder Sea Elves as a sign of their friendship. It is a rare artifact indeed. So the sword was placed in a temple in the most remote, godforsaken place they could find. That would be here."
"The Oberonian Jungle," finished Sirina. "I've gotta hand it to ye, Shipy Sr. Ye sure do yer homework." She honestly wondered how much of the story Shipy Sr. had gotten from the Elf, and how much he had dug up from tiresome book research.
Kazad shook his head and smiled. Shipy Sr. did have a memory for this sort of thing, but only when gold was involved, so it seemed. He was wondering just how much the Elf had offered to pay Shipy Sr. for the recovery of the sword. Kazad stuck with Shipy Sr. for much the same reason as Sirina. Basically, for him a good adventure was a more exciting alternative, to, well, everything else.
"There's more, though," Shipy stated.
The group of thugs scatter in different directions like a circling pack of hungry hyenas, their prey having no where else to run. Ebony's hand rests on her on her weapon, but as it turns out, it will be of little use. The others stand motionless, and just for a brief moment, they believe it will end without violence. It was an unfortunate oversight. Khazan street thugs seldom if ever just give up and run away. It isn't in their nature to do so. As the locals call it, there is the hard way or the easy way to do things.
Megol yells out "Sleep!" and smacks the leader on the forehead....
In Megol's mind that is what should have happened, but reality is such a harsh mistress. As Megol yells out and charges forward, fire leaps from an object from a door in the alleyway and a flashover occurs as all four adventurers instantly burst into flames, some worse than others. Megol, Shipy, Ebony and Ocullos' only reaction and only choice is to drop and roll, trying to put out the painful flames. At the same time, the thugs rush in and take the coins from Megol, Shipy, and Ocullos in a snatch and grab. Only Ebony is left unmolested.
"Choke on this!" He whacks Megol over the head with a bottle which shatters and draws blood, dazing the Leprechaun.
Once the coins are taken, the thugs flee the scene in different directions, as if it were planned and executed the same way many times before.
Note: Megol takes 5 hits off his CON (from the fire and bottle), plus he is still 1 hit down from a prior event at Brienna's Store, so he is down 6 CON. Shipy takes 4 hits off his CON. Ebony takes 7 hits off her CON. Ocullos takes 3 hits off his CON. Everyone's clothes and equipment are scorched (Ebony`s the worst), and the CON damage equals burns in various places. Everyone smells of burnt clothing.
"Oh, crikey I hate street thugs!" he says, standing and looking at his burnt shirt. "One gave me a smash on the noggin last year. Sorry Megol, but we don't have a lot time to waste." He helps Megol up. "We better be off to the docks."
Walking into the alley, Jack throws a bucket of used dish water on Shipy a tad bit late. "Classic," he chuckles. "If you watch even one second of general hooliganism and don't contribute, you're a thief. A common thief!" he repeats with dramatic flare.
"Why are you torturing me Jack? I'm just a Hobbit!" He mumbles something about Hagar the Horrible under his breath.
"Oh, I had to do it. If not me or the hooligans, who then?" He regains his composure.
Burnt, battered, bruised, bleeding, wet, and accompanied by a skilled skeletal thespian (in his own mind), the quintet heads toward the docks.
Quickly circles the Night Gail anchored in the harbor, but sees no one he believes to be the captain of the vessel so his rehearsed speech is put off for the time being, and to him it does seem like a nice speech. He decides he will still use it at his first opportunity.
Flying back to the docks he lands on the corner of a rooftop and waits, giving the others time to arrive, while mulling over his option of heading to Carp Street to find out if that Wik Sombrero character has anything to do with their delay. Just moments before he decides to leave, Quickly notices others arrive whom he saw in the Blue Frog Tavern.
The Elf Wizard Olvarin arrives at the south docks a few minutes ahead of Jax, Taran and Jay. A dockworker points out the Night Gail to Olvarin. She's a medium sized merchant ship anchored a couple hundred yards out into the harbor.
Quickly flies down and joins them, hovering above them just out of reach. A small group of six people dressed in grayish-black robes come into view carrying a coffin with the markings to some Egyptian god. As Jax, Taran, Jay, Olvarin and Quickly watch, the coffin is placed on a small rowboat and is rowed out to the Night Gail. It is the same coffin which filled the streets with mourners earlier.
A human with a nasty looking scar across his face approaches you. "I be Dorsal Crud, First Mate of the Night Gail. You be here to join us?" He says, looking at them disappointed.
What do you do?
[More groups merge:
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