Long live the King - Out of Character Discussions
I do hope that everyone enjoys the bonus material I posted on the In Character discussions.
Note that not all the names are correct because I do not possess the editing artistry to alter them to fit my world but they will do for what we need for this story arc.
BOB
1/5
Eric -- I hope you still post a scene with Tristan and Leatherus either in the LLK-IC thread or in the HS2-IC thread. I didn't want/mean to circumvent that. When I saw there was a scroll, I put all the characters in the room so everyone could feel like they were there and could hear it (and it turned out to be quite literally!) and react to it.
Lisa
Yep I'm hoping to get time tomorrow to do that write up between the two. Thanks Lisa. FYI I'm going to be late Friday. Forgot I have my niece'a bday on Friday so I won't be on until after 9:00 sometime.
Eric
1/8
A bit of clarification on the scrolls that were delivered.
- They were sealed, not even Medero knew what was inside.
- The map you have is the overland to get to the point in the hills where the Temple is supposed to be
- The other bits of scrolls were one shot magic items. Each was a Magic Mouth recorded from notes found during research. The Court Mage for Drillian apparently has an advanced magic mouth spell that had the notes voiced by the person who wrote them rather than their own voice.
- I am leaving the notes up on the site for the group to go over again at their leisure.
- As you move into this adventure and particularly in Klooge there will be more of this sort of Audio Clue for things that will NOT be repeated if it is not a repeatable source. I will try to make sure everyone is paying attention when I do play parts so that people can have their sound on etc.
- I will warn people if there are "mistakes" in the verbal clues as far as names go or other things. For the most part I have been able to adapt the adventure to Drillian but some particular words might be problematic.
Bob
1/8
Does anyone have the real life ability to record incoming audio files beyond putting their phone up to the speaker?
John
That would be cheating now, wouldn't it? :)
1/9
It looks like I may be on close to normal time now. My son doesn't get to go to the party cuz Satan took him over this week. I will be home alone with him so I may need to step away a little until 8:30-9:00 when he goes to bed. But I will be there!!
Eric
---
2/9
Part of my issue is I can not be up for the entire game and I have actually missed a few lines even when I am in as my computer seems to disconnect. I can deal. I knew we were looking for a path and when I read about the mine road, I was certain that was the path. I just find it confusing that farmers displaced from down south know about the road. Add the whole conversation With the female dwarf I was not there (in character or not) and it just seems like too much spice for an already interesting adventure. Sometime it seems my characters know more then me. just saying.
John
Lisa, before Indigo walks away, can he tell us that s/he also said the mine/ temple does not exist as one? Not that Qui does not have enough of a reason to talk to her/him.
Tks,
John
2-10-14
Sure John, I’ll go post. I did that on purpose and was trying to walk a line. Didn’t want to spill everything at once so people could ask questions if they wanted, but also giving Indigo an out of the scene so people could go explore and do what they wanted, talk about him behind his back, etc. Lisa
2-11:
I'm not sure i know the answer to Miranda's question. Shur joined the group rather spur of the moment when they chased off after the kidnapped queen-to-be. I don't remember anyone officially asking her to join, but there has been some offscreen time in there, and my memory is pretty horrible sometimes too. I suspect that because she joined during a very chaotic moment and just been tagging along since then that it's never really been noticed. Thoughts? - TMO
Yes to TMO. That is a very valid way of thinking about it. Barnabas is the most 'military' person in the Dragonslayers Company Detatched (the official name for the group) and he would just think Shur is a camp follower like all the young women who are on the outskirts of the various Mercenary Units.
Indigo and Branwyn are the two longest serving members other than Barnabas so Lisa should speak up too on her thoughts on the matter.
There is no official requirement to join, etc. But without joining you do not get the benefits of being part of the Unit either.
BOB
2-11-14 I stopped asking people IC to join a few years ago when we had a couple characters who were with us but refused to join. It just seemed like a hassle and I didn’t want to get into it any more.
Basically, DS is definitely Branwyn, Indigo, Miranda (unless she has renounced), and Barnabas. Marisu specifically asked to join the DragonSlayers and how we left it was after the church adventure if she still wanted in, she had a spot. I would have to search to find out about Ilero. I think we may have had a conversation. Abu Dhabi (if he ever returns also specifically asked I believe). I can’t remember about Tristan. I’ll have to search that too if Eric doesn’t remember. I have been leaving it as, if you ask, you can join, but Branwyn is not recruiting.
We should probably revisit this at some point. It is something the individual characters are going to have to decide for themselves. On the one hand, if you are not DS, then you are under no obligation to come when called. On the other, the characters are, like Bob said, followers and would not have the possible prestige or infamy that comes with the DS name. Like flying half-demons stopping by to check up on you. :)
Just an FYI on Miranda because sometimes I think it gets lost due to John taking a break and other people playing that character. Miranda is from the original DS party when we were all 1st level characters. She did sign on the dotted line and was/is part of the detached DS mercenary unit. She and Branwyn and Indigo have known and travelled together for a long while. She was with us through many early story arcs while acting as a priestess. Then she left for a while and came back again with Hoffman where she declared that she wished to become both a mage and a priest. This is where most of the more recent players now see her.
Lisa
I knew that but did not articulate that at all, thank you Lisa.
BOB
Cool - thanks for the info! IIRC, Ilero did officially join DS. But I'd have to search for the rp where he did. Or it's possibly I just assumed he did at some point. Not sure.
TMO
2-12 I thought Ilero was, but I couldn't place it exactly so hedged a bit. It does make sense that he would
Lisa
2-12
Everyone okay with just stating that Ilero *is* an official Dragonslayer?
Second question I have - what are the benefits of official membership vs hangers-on? Also the rules of such? Marisu asked to join, but if there's something I didn't know about that contradicts her backstory I may want to retcon her statement a bit.
TMO
2/12
I think everyone would be ok with Ilero being a Dragonslayer. It fits with the younger son being out there searching for something to do, etc.
For the actual rules... Lisa, oh Lisa....
The Dragonslayers Company has some other things but the Detached is totally up to Branwyn, Miranda, Indigo, Ilero, Barnabas etc.
Some of the typical things that a Mercenary Unit provides to members.
- Help with basic Armor
- Help with basic Weapons
- Food and Shelter
- Death Benefit of a free burial and notification of next of kin
- A percentage of the profit on any contract
For initiation rituals I will let you folks decide about what they are, length of contracts, etc.
BOB
2/12
So at this point Miranda's only obligation and support is Brawynn and this group? It was not my intention to start this type of conversation, but I always saw the group as a team, with some members beholden to other forces. Hoffman, Qui and Brother Foto are only loyal to the group and feel no obligation to the larger mercenary group. Even this is more for role playing,if a quest comes up and there is a question if we/I participate, it will just be part of the character develop. I hope everyone enjoys the sidebar even if they cannot participate.
John
2-12-14
This should not be a matter of controversy. If you want it, you can have it. If you don’t, no one is putting a dagger to your throat.
Bob – Why are you asking me for the rules? I never got a rule book. I want my money back!
To me the major rule is, you come when you are called by the DragonSlayers themselves, or by the Queen calling the DragonSlayers. If you refuse, then you aren’t a DragonSlayer. Otherwise what’s the point? I think if you’re going to get the name, you should be obligated to serve it. One rule. That’s simple enough.
To my mind, the benefits are really in the name. I see the mercenary units in this D&D world as more respected than what we may think of mercenaries in our real world. Not only are the DragonSlayers well known, but we are just a small part of a much larger group. We also have the ear and assistance of the Queen, and most likely, to some extent, any future ruler of Drillian. We have powerful friends and the more we travel and connect the greater our reputation and network for friends grows. If Branwyn was on Indigo’s adventure, for example, she’d be off paying respects to the Duke, seeing what kind of man he is, etc.
TMO — It very much okay for Ilero to be considered official DS. Is this an appropriate position for Marisu? That is for her to say. According to her family? Perhaps not. I suppose it would depend if she was striking out on her own or just out for a bit of adventure. Again, it’s all up to each character.
And I personally do not see any problem with being a retired DragonSlayer. It’s not a life sentence!
The services that Bob lists are things we provide to everyone in the group whether they decide to be a DragonSlayer or not, so I do not see that as being an incentive for actual membership, or a worry that you will not have a roof over your head if you do not join.
John – I can’t tell you what Miranda’s obligations are. You have to tell us that. To be honest, I feel like I have lost a connection to Miranda and I am having a hard time trying to relearn how to deal with her. After you left, Kaz tried to keep her as true to how you had been playing her and then Kaz left too. Then Miranda was out of the picture for what feels like a very long time. When Miranda came back, she had changed and the group had changed. None of us were in the same places or mindsets.
And part of Miranda getting lost, as I said it before, is my fault. When we get called for Queen’s audiences, I should remember and say something about Miranda being there or giving her the chance to come. I am sorry for that. The only thing I can say is that it has been a long time since we have thought about the 'who’s what' sort of thing, and again, I am not sure, and so therefore neither my characters, what Miranda wants.
And on a side note, you and I both know that if Kaz had stayed, Kristelle would have been the DS leader and Branwyn would just be running around getting into trouble with far less responsibility. Branwyn as leader is more of a last man standing kind of thing more than anything else. Well, that and I talk a lot.
And just to get myself more in trouble, I realize that I have forgotten Imari. She is Mike’s original character who also signed on as a DragonSlayer and started with us at 1st level. I just haven’t seen Mike in so long it skipped my mind when Bob started listing DragonSlayers.
And I do feel this group is a team. But some of us have created characters that have conflicting loyalties at times. I see Tristan’s primary loyalty to the church, for instance, which makes for the potential conflict when there are competing interests. My characters are extremely loyal to the forces that saved their lives, the DragonSlayers and the Mosskins. If either of those groups call, my characters will jump. If the group disagrees they can stay home with no hard feelings, but Branwyn and Indigo will always be compelled to serve them and will not work against them. Just like Tristan would not refuse his task because Branwyn doesn’t like it, she’s not going to refuse to go where her primary loyalties lie. In the end, I believe that all of the players’ characters would walk through fire to save each other's characters. I have no doubt. But that doesn’t mean that our characters will always agree. Isn't that the important thing when it all comes down to it?
To me, these are all very good things!! This is what makes playing Bob’s game so wonderful. These are complex adventures with players breathing life into complex multi-dimensional characters. How boring would this all be eventually if we all just played flat stereotypical characters that moved from room to room in a dungeon killing things?
Lisa
I agree. The one thing I would add is the affect the real world has on the game world. There are a couple people who could or would lead if the player had more time. Lisa puts so much into the game, if she has to get a new character, that one may be promoted to leader right away.
John
2-13
Thanks much for the details!! From what's been said, I don't see any conflicts with Marisu's backstory and goals and being a Dragonslayer.
It might be worthwhile some day doing a Dragonslayers page with some basic group info and member join, leave or death dates. The current Dragonslayers page appears to be a ?Battletech? story featuring an alternate universe Dragonslayers group. ;)
TMO
My fault TMO. That is some of my creative writing. John
Nothing wrong with that at all. :D I just went looking for information on the Dragonslayers and wound up in FanFicLand. ;) I'll sit and read it some time.
TMO
Map of the situation at the end of the session Apr 18 14
Map of situation.
This map does not show that Foto was paralyzed at the very end of the session after I took this snap shot.
BOB
Do not take anything I say as fact, as all my presumptions have been proven false and I am dealing with a serious lack of sleep. I can only, and must give my thoughts as to hope to move on. I suggest you read the log with an open mind.
- ) new map, clearly an encounter of some kind. Lack of bodies, movement or reaction to calling out implies trap or ambush
- ) Indigo get some sort of spell like effect (thus known as SLE) that is described when he looks in tent 1
- ) Qui attempts to come between cause and Indigo and instead encounters same SLE
- ) Miranda pushes cart all the way around the back of tent 1 and get cart all the way in front of tent 1 and is only hit with SLE when get close to front of tent 1
- ) Shur is able to get a rope around Qui and pull him back, no immediate change but it seems not to be an area of effect (AOE) because of how close he had to be to Qui.
- ) Brother get real brave and get where he is and casts a spell. Looks one way, no effect. Looks another way, no effect. Looks north towards tent 2 and gets hit by SLE.
This is where I keep hearing the wine conversation from Princess Bride. Clearly Not an AOE SLE, clearly not coming from tent #1, Clearly not an passive gaze attack. If it is coming from the north or north west, why did it not effect anyone until they get past the opening of tent 1. How did the SLE not effect Brother until he looked north, when no one else looked specifically north and he never crossed into the general AEO? The SLE did not affect the wind servant, so either target needs to be clearly seen or does not effect things. Imari was not affected, so either too far away or cause of SLE cannot see up. Good luck on solving it and on the having fun part. Best suggestion is to not been seen, and do not look at tent #2
John
We hope that TMO (Shur) and Mike (Imari with Art) will be in. I anticipate that Tanya (Wapit) and Felicity (Hrathgin) will be in as well. Perhaps Eric (Leatherus) might be able to make it in as well.
I will neither confirm nor deny any assertion made by John at this time. I do hope that everyone will chime in with ideas both on what happened and more importantly what to do to save the day.
BOB
My inlaws are flying in Friday and we're going out to dinner. So I honestly don't know if I'll be able to be in. I can do some of my stuff on the website over this week though, if you want.
TMO
4-20 After some contemplation and re-reading what happened last session, I believe our problem is Tent 2 and what we need is a spell caster. (which really sucks since we are currently down by 3) Since they are quickly becoming in short supply, we may to spend the night in this lovely place, while Imari burns through her spells and then rejuvenates for the morning.
People who got zapped were in different places. The only things in common were they were in the line of sight of Tent 2 and in front of the wagon. And that was the tent that when Foto cast on it, it immediately zapped him.
So, if we go on the theory that the problem is Tent 2, then there is either 1) a person hiding out in the tent zapping intruders, 2) an object in the tent, like a rune or something that is zapping people, or 3) there is some kind of protection spell on the tent that zaps when people get too close.
Imari can conjure another wind servant to take a peek in Tent 2 and see what is going on. That could save some time as to where to shoot first. As far as the people who cannot move? We’re not dead, turned to stone or paralyzed. I think whatever is going on will wear off eventually. Another reason this makes a convenient camp site.
If there is a person behind the tent, the mobile characters can deal with it. If not, Imari can start trying Dispel Magic spells, first on the source of this spell and then later on those victims of it. Remember when Foto tried casting it on Friday, Bob said he needed to check the levels and then came back and said Foto’s roll was not high enough. So it seems Dispel Magic will work, we just need good rolls.
Other thoughts?
Lisa
Shur had wondered if maybe tent 2 was the problem and was probably going to start putting holes in it.
TMO
Also, now that I know the schedule, it's confirmed that I will NOT be able to log in on the 21st.
Sorry, TMO
Well that sucks for either story arc that goes down on Friday :( Lisa
Yes missing TMO will be hard as it always is when he is absent. I will say that I have allowed participation by text message before in non-combat situations. We can play it by ear for Friday.
As to current planning yes tent #2 (the northern tent) is the key to this. I think it may not be clear to everyone that Miranda did push your cart into the front of the tent knocking down the ropes and collapsing the front portion of the tent, it is sagging there. Still standing but no one is going in or out that front very easily.
Yes there are options still available, especially when you have a priest flying around on a hippogriff.
BOB
Imari can summon another wind servant to check out tent 2. and then 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and even 7.
-Mike
I wouldn't count on me even being able to text. It's a surprise birthday dinner party for my wife, so I'll be in a large crowd all evening, and I likely won't be getting back until at least midnight Bob's time.
Ilero's inactivity can be easily explained (not that we usually bother with it) by shock/trauma from his near ghoulization.
Since Bob has ooc confirmed that tent #2 is the problem, we could state that Shur provided that information the hard way, by moving into a spot obviously not in danger from tent #1 and getting zapped anyways, allowing Imari to see the pattern plainly from above.
TMO
I know people have suggested burning the tent. I would be careful doing that. If this is a line of sight thing, burning the tent will expose everyone. It looks like (from my very brief attempt at recapping when I had time) that we have determined there is nothing "living" inside from Imari's wind servant. So its either undead, or some type of glyph/spell/trap/etc... I'm really scratching my head as to how to proceed here. We've lost some key players. Mike, how many spells do you have left at your disposal? Should we rest and see if our team "comes to"? Perhaps, we can send the hippogriff in there. You can communicate with it right? Maybe this only affects humanoids? We don't see any petrified squirrels or such around do we? I'd assume they'd be roaming through this area and walk past this place. Unless whatever froze them ate them bones and all...
Eric
4/25 One small correction. The Wind Servant only went into tent #1 and verified that there was no one inside. No investigation of tent #2 has been done yet.
Over an hour has passed from the time that Indigo was incapacitated to the point when we pick up next.
Eric makes a good point. There are no bones, no remains, etc laying about.
Enjoy the party TMO, if you ask for an update I will give one but will otherwise let you be the Host.
BOB
5/9
After reading just a line of the summary: How do you hide a Temple? Did she mean they moved it into the cave?
---
5-11
Yes there is that oddity. I will refer you to the previously revealed information you found at the beginning of the story arc.
There are several hooks here to probably unnoticed hints scattered in various places and time.
Maybe one day all will be revealed but not today.
BOB
5/11
Regarding Indigo's IC speech. Yes Lisa is perfectly aware that if we have the shield in the scroll there is a way for Red Cloak to know something is fishy. Branwyn would point out the flaw in Indigo's plan, but she's not here and Indigo would never think of it. So have at it IC. :)
6-14
This adventure is far from over. Now you need to get back out of the hills, back to Primsen, then back home all in one piece. I anticipate at least 3 or 4 sessions to manage that. There are still a couple of interesting moments ahead.
BOB
This can wait for tonight, but I thought I would mention that Indigo needs to be checked to see if fake Tobin left anything behind or took anything of importance.
John
