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Chapter 2: The Female Persuasion

2799 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 0:13am

THREAD 2: Elise
[Elise Ironheart's intro]

A week ago, you caught rumor that Lady Silkervish, with the aid of the Baron of Khole, under the aegis of Lerotra'hh, Death Goddess, and Empress of Khazan had begun to hire professional bounty hunters and assassins to secure the live capture of Spurlious Trask, infamous ringleader of the Nightshade Gang, after he had outrageously defied all order and semblance of civilization, masterminded the theft of certain powerful magickal items from the palace in Khazan.

He is to be captured alive for the purpose of being thrown into the Arena, and subsequently punished by trial of arms.

When his disappearance from the gang became obvious, members of the Nightshade Gang, apparently acting on their own initiative, vandalized the mural of the Empress in Khole, Lady Silkervish, a priestess in the Cult of the Death Goddess, had been laid to task with their punnishment, as well as to attempt to produce Trask.

Since that time, you, Elise Ironheart, have answered the offer, and have been paid 700 GP (10%) as retainer, to undertake the job of recovering Spurlious Trask -- alive.

From Laerst on the river Pyan, you traveled down stream to Khole, where you met with Lady Silkervish, and received the retainer fee, as well as the most current intelligence regarding Trak's last whereabouts.
The route you chose to take was above ground, to a region outside of Khole proper, where Trask is rumored to retreat to when the Imperial hounds are too close behind him. But nothing came of this locale, after an exhaustive search.

Two days ago, you met a wandering bard, Kellis of Sael, who is a useful source of local information, news, and gossip.

Traveling with him, you have picked up the trail once again, and have tracked Trask to a small and anonymous hamlet in the Vaagarth foothills.

Spying out the villiage from a safe distance, the two of you have positively identified Trask.

Yesterday, rains rolled in, and have slightly impeaded your recovery attempt, because he has not left the home of the local hedge-wizard.

Today, the rains intensified, and your companion, Kellis, warns of a powerful storm.
You know that Bojfe Shul, though an outcast of the Guild, is still too powerful to confront directly. With Spurlious Trask taking refuge with him, your job has mired down.

Cold, wet, and under provisioned for an extended wait, you are forced to decide a course of action, or lose the quarry, and gain the disfavor of Lerotra'hh -- something you lose sleep over!

As the moons come to crown the cloud filled night sky, you begin to sense that Trask may not even be in the house of the mage at all, as a forraging run blessed you with the discovery of a cave and subsequent tunnel leading into town....


2800 - mistwalker_ - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:21am

THREAD 2: Elise
Today, the rains intensified, and your companion, Kellis, warns of a powerful storm.
Elise looks at the bard impassively. "If you are afraid of a little wind and water, go home. I do not leave without my bounty."
As the moons come to crown the cloud filled night sky, you begin to sense that Trask may not even be in the house of the mage at all, as a forraging run blessed you with the discovery of a cave and subsequent tunnel leading into town...
Elise takes a close look at the ground in front of the cave, looking for any signs of tracks or passage....

2802 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:45am

THREAD 2: Elise
You sniff at the entrance, and crouch to peer at the grass and weeds in front of the cave, and detect enough of a scent to spur you on.

"We are going in, then?" Kellis, says, smiling. "I'll have to ready a torch, then..."

Your deadpan expression, and flicking tail inform him that you have little patience for his humor. Still smiling, readies two torches.
"That's what I like about you...you are so talkative..." he jokes, as he motions for you to enter first.

Ten minutes into the tunnel, and you come to a northerly, slightly upward sloping branch; as well as the continued tunnel in the direction of town.

"Shall I flip a coin?", Kellis offers?

2803 - mistwalker_ - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:58am

THREAD 2: Elise
"Do as you wish. But do so quietly." She says in a low, harsh whisper. "If he came this way, he went down one of them. The town would be the easy choice."

She starts sniffing into the upward slope, carefully listening and looking for any scratches or wet footprints...any sign that somethings been up it within the last hour or 2.

"The easy, obvious choice. The one any simpleton would take."


2804 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 2:03am

THREAD 2: Elise
"Oh, I'm with you.", Kellis reassures you.
Then, motioning that he'll button-up his lips, he waits for you to decide the course.

You proceed a bit further along both, before returning to the fork.

You are sure Trask and at least a few other creatures, possibly gremlins, have passed both ways as recently as an hour ago, though there is little in the way of hard evidence, only unmistakable scents...


2805 - mistwalker_ - Thu Aug 30, 2001 2:27am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise tries to single out the human spore, trying to determine which way it went last. If If she can't determine which tunnel he went through last she'll hazard a guess and go through the upward sloping one.

2806 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 2:45am

THREAD 2: Elise
You do indeed narrow the spoor to a human as being the most recent, and it leads upward.

Kellis, draws his rapier, and looking at you, offers to go second.

The climb is gradual, and must take you further into the hills surrounding the hamlet.

As you travel, you are certain that you can hear activity further along this tunnel. Signalling Kellis, you two press against the walls, and begin to smother one torch.


2807 - mistwalker_ - Thu Aug 30, 2001 2:54am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise quietly slips her mancatcher off her shoulder, then takes a small vial out of her pack and rubs a small portion of the liquid onto it's prongs. "There may be many to kill. But death comes to us all, eventually." she whispers, looking up the tunnel.

"Be ready to fight. Or be ready to die."

Slipping the snap-jawed polearm back over her back, she draws her twin broadswords and advances, slowly and quietly creeping onwards.


2808 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 3:08am

THREAD 2: Elise
[beginning of 1st turn]

From no more than thirty or so yards ahead, yo can make out the footfall of a humanoid of some sort. You look to Kellis, who has produced a can to further cover the light.

"You see something?", you hear from that direction, then silence...


2809 - mistwalker_ - Thu Aug 30, 2001 3:29am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise bellows out "TORCH!" and charges forward, trying to bowl over whoever's ahead!

2811 - jaxdracon - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:35pm

Super, Shrsholn, Cher took her 2nd level Luck bonus, like most good delvers (unlike Jax, who didn't know any better at the time).

To clear things up a bit, I run the Orc Jax, the Centaur Chereva and the Leprechaun Paddy here. I also archive several RPG adventures at the BFT and other clubs on my pbparchives site, so some have called me Ishma---er, the Archivist, yeah that's the ticket. Shrsholn, if you would like me to archive this adventure too, I'll gladly step up to the challenge.

Some history: I thought it would be useful, way back when I was running Jax and Chereva in 2 adventures here simultaneously, to have separate IDs for them, and I didn't explicitly come out and state this (sneaky bastard that I am), though I imagine it would have been obvious to the casual eye of the naked observer, especially when jaxdracon posted several of Cher's moves, and when Cher started using Yithian expletives (e.g., Frak, Fewmets, etc).

These are my ONLY personas at the BFT---yes, it is true: I am not tarandracon! But I AM the more handsome Orc, despite what he says.... :P

So, Shrsholn, depending on how lazy I feel, and if you'll have her in your adventure, I may post for Chereva under jaxdracon.

But no matter how lazy I feel, nor how much I respect eickeric, I will never be, nor can I ever approach being an aspect, flavor, alter-ego, imago, etc. ad nauseam, of our one and only Ken St. Andre.

But I am a huge fan! Does that count?

-Jax


2813 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:51pm

Thanks for the clarifications.
They have dispelled my confusion.

Chereva is welcome in the game, and I will post her modified version, asap.

Regarding the archiving: I'm grabbing my posts in one file, and the players' in another, so perhaps we can compare the two at chapter breaks -- provided the game runs for that long. Thanks for offering. :-)

We've all been infused with the Great Master Gamer, to some degree, and as he continues to grace us with his presence here in the BFT, we are that much more enriched. I bow to your Ken nature...

Thanks again for the help, the interest, and the clarification.

Looking forward to gaming with you.

-Shrsholn


2814 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 1:56pm

[OOC: I have a new character ready to go, where shall I send the character info?]
kozan@g...

I'll look it over, make necessary mods (unless you used my house rules...yada-yada), and post it asap.

Thanks for the interest.
:-)

-S


2815 - Shrsholn - Thu Aug 30, 2001 2:13pm

THREAD 2: Elise
As you thunder through the subterranean passageway, you can hear blades being drawn from scabbards, and a general panic from further down the tunnel.

Your light source flickering as Kellis trails behind you and to the left, rapier ready, "you say you've done this sort of thing before?", he pants, wide-eyed in adreanal rush...

Rounding a slight bend, you see four humanoids -- likely human -- dressed in very dark purple uniforms, perhaps even armor, fleeing back the direction they had come.

One individual looks over his shoulder, and contorting his right hand, energizes a spell matrix, which flares brighter than a thousand lanterns.

The searing heat catches you in the right shoulder, and you feel its arcane energies arc and scour your plate armor, largely dissapated by your expert maneuvering.

"Whoa!", is all that Kellis manages before you swing your blade down upon the back of the fleeing rogue.

The man freezes in agony, and is thrust forward and to the cold stone floor, crying out, "aagh!".

The others, further down the still climbing and twisting tunnel, seem to be in full retreat, especially so after the loss of their companion.

"Stay where you are, scoundrel!", Kellis demands of the fallen man, his rapier tip pressing into the foe's chest.

Pursuing still, you hear a slight metalic tinkling from the next in line, then they all drop out of sight as they enter a large, damp area of the cavern.


2821 - throst54 - Thu Aug 30, 2001 10:34pm

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise takes a close look at the ground in front of the cave, looking for any signs of tracks or passage....
"what are you doing?? Looking for a path??" --i cast 'Find Path', whatever that costs, as long as it's under 4.--

[OOC]
don't talk bout theology stuff anymore??? but that's what i'm best at... Beacause it would make a god mad enough to kill Throst?? oh, but don't you know I have the unique way of begging Gm's to bring character back to life?? wait-thre's no believeable way to say a lightinging strike made him go up levels or even survive..HUH guess i'll stop.

--Throst

Editor's note: At this point in the postings, throst54 got confused and thought his adventure thread had intersected mistwalker_'s adventure thread. So he posted in character (casting 'Find Path') and then posted out of character about a topic Shrsholn had already warned folks not to post in her subject thread. throst54 was a bit defiant and continued anyway....


2823 - throst54 - Thu Aug 30, 2001 10:56pm

ok I know this is the 2nd time saying stuff bout theology but this trully is the last..
Actually Throst you only came up with one of them: The dragon, all the rest were made by Chris B. and me. Fuzz might not be a bad idea but I forget where I put him.

look in the archives. you need to pray or something for some, BRAINS. cheese. think think think.


2824 - throst54 - Thu Aug 30, 2001 11:11pm

THREAD 2: Elise
As you thunder through the subterranean passageway, you can hear blades being drawn from scabbards, and a general panic from further down the tunnel.
yes see!! throst has powers of thundering...heh heh --i draw the sparkle dagger, and wake the dormant Silk in my pack--
Your light source flickering as Kellis trails behind you and to the left, rapier ready, "you say you've done this sort of thing before?", he pants, wide-eyed in adreanal rush...
"me or her?? me I am an expert. ch ch charge!!!"
Rounding a slight bend, you see four humanoids -- likely human -- dressed in very dark purple uniforms, perhaps even armor, fleeing back the direction they had come.
"freeze!!" --he casts freeze please on them--
One individual looks over his shoulder, and contorting his right hand, energizes a spell matrix, which flares brighter than a thousand lanterns.The searing heat catches you in the right shoulder, and you feel its arcane energies arc and scour your plate armor, largely dissapated by your expert maneuvering.
hey dudet U gotta give us a chance to do something!! i instantly thought freeze please when I saw that, now i guess I didn't do that.
"Whoa!", is all that Kellis manages before you swing your blade down upon the back of the fleeing rogue.
loser...
The man freezes in agony, and is thrust forward and to the cold stone floor, crying out, "aagh!".
well they could all be on the ground moaning..
The others, further down the still climbing and twisting tunnel, seem to be in full retreat, especially so after the loss of their companion.
weiners.
"Stay where you are, scoundrel!", Kellis demands of the fallen man, his rapier tip pressing into the foe's chest.
hey I wanna do that!!
Pursuing still, you hear a slight metalic tinkling from the next in line, then they all drop out of sight as they enter a large, damp area of the cavern.
ok we search the cave.

[OOC]

hey could U try and slow down just a bit?? i'm having hard enough time getting on0line. sure keep this pace up on weekends, but on during the week please slow it down.

--Throst


2825 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:00am

No Invisible Stalkers, please.
If I can't play as [an invisible stalker] I'll look up your rules and make a Minotaur for myself (probably). But I would prefer to roll him up on my own cause if he's goinna be jacked in some way I want it to be my way.
Split,
I'm not quite sure what you mean by _jacked_, but yes, you may make the initial 3d6 rolls according to the *REVISED* house rules on my site http://homepages.about.com/kynkrea/aetherwire/

As a general note:
I'm curious why so few play the standard kindred, or even slight variants, such as Schwaralven, or Shadowjacks, also found in M!M! or the later sections of the rulebook?

-Shrsholn


2826 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:04am

THREAD 1: Throst
Throst the dwarven wizard never returns to consciousness.

The hand of God has snuffed out his life.
---------------------------------------------------
I do not tolerate these sort of interruptions!

Editor's note: This message by Shrsholn was in response to message 2821 in which throst54 first posted erroneously in the wrong in-character thread.


2827 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:05am

I hope you thought it was worth it, Throst...

Editor's note: This message by Shrsholn was in response to message 2823 in which throst54 posted in Shrsholn's game thread about something off topic, about which he'd been warned.


2828 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:07am

Digging yourself a shallow grave in a field of buzzards, I see.

You are not likely to be re-invited.
Thanks for the initial interest, though...

-Shrsholn, the p-o'd GM!

Editor's note: This message by Shrsholn was in response to message 2824 in which throst54 again posted in-character in the wrong thread.


2829 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:14am

THREAD 2: Elise
You continue to thunder down the pasage, swinging wildly at the next in line, when caltrops dropped to make good their escape, cause you to skid, slamming into the rockface.

No damage results due to the plate which armors your cloven hooves, but the lost seconds allow the harried group precious time to scatter from your sight.

Kellis shouts, "Are you alright?", from his position further back in the tunnel, where he has pinned the bleeding rogue.

You smell sulphurous water, and hear bubbling from the cave before you.
A hot spring must feed into the hollow.


2830 - mistwalker_ - Fri Aug 31, 2001 2:22am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise stands there for a moment, cursing her clumsiness and debating whether or not to give chase. There's no telling how deep the tunnel goes or how many branches...or how many traps they have set up.

.oO(A bird in the hand...)

She turns back around and walks up to the rogue and bard. "I am not. But the coward has one less to hide behind now." She says, stepping on the arm of the hand the rogue used to cast at her.

With one quick stroke, she slashes his hand off. "The primary hands of his followers. You are obviously one of them. You will tell me what lies ahead, or you will lose your other hand as well."


2831 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 2:39am

THREAD 2: Elise
The shock of the first wound nearly killed him.

The amputation finishes him off, with only an inarticulate gurgle.

Kellis looks horrified, but says nothing.

After the blood begins to pool around your feet, Kellis, stepping back a bit says, "...well...uh, I guess we're going deeper, then? It smells like a hot spring...is it?", still pale.

The tongue of the dead man slides back into his maw, and the stench of the water waifts into the passage...


2833 - jaxdracon - Fri Aug 31, 2001 0:21pm

[[OOC]] Re: "The hand of God has snuffed out his life."

Shrsholn, I think throst mistakenly thought his character was in Kellis and Elise's group. Perhaps you can distinguish the separate groups in the adventure by a number placed in the post title?

Humbly,
-Jax


2835 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 1:47pm

jaxdracon has suggested that the incident which occurred in regards to Throst may in fact be due to a mistake.

As I have no experience running on-line adventures, and I am the newbie here, I will gladly incorporate some manner of distinction between the various story lines, as I certainly do not want to have another incident like that which claimed poor Throst.

Nor do I wish to seem overly harsh -- which it appears that I have -- and uninviting as a GM -- again, the words un- and invited were probablly uttered in the same post, though not in that context -- for, lo, I have but one desire: to run a serious T&T game that hopefully not only does not discourage, but rather, fills the player's hearts with glee and enjoyment.

To further this aim, I invite your comments /ON THIS THREAD/ regarding my action re: Throst; as well as suggestions on when/how to bridge the story lines.

If there are any other means for reconciliation, which I may extend to you, my fellow T&T enthusiats and fellow players, I welcome your input.

Lastly, Throst, I hope that you see that my heart is in the right place (the left of center), and that I harbor no further resentment against you. If you are willing to play again, please e-mail me with your basic 3d6 prime ability rolls for the eight stats I use in my house rules.

Sincerely,
Kyrinn S. Ozan
kozan@g...


2838 - hobbit_king - Fri Aug 31, 2001 4:31pm

THREAD 0: Shipy
Lucky [[Shipy]] I waited on my drink, sitting on the bar stool wondering what poor sod died unexpectedly in some stinky sewer somewhere below ground, at the same time trying to get the spinach off my teeth. You would think a bar like this could at least have respectable snacks, but it was not the case ever since Taran (second of the Orc pods) took over. I motioned for the one-armed, one-eye, one-legged bartender named "Lucky" to give me whatever the last guy asked for. The reason I didn't take up this new adventure was because I didn't want to see dead people... specifically, me! The wipe'd the *Throst* from my mug. Moving my arm I looked at the words carved into the bar top "For a good time call Shrsholn!"

Editor's Note: At this point in the adventure, Shipy the infamous hobbit was relaxing back at the Blue Frog Tavern. Little did he know he was about to embark on a grand adventure with his arch nemesis and would be girlfriend, Shrsholn. Read post 2842 below for the setup of his adventure.


2839 - mistwalker_ Fri Aug 31, 2001 6:42pm

Well, here's my 2 cents, for what they're worth.
Throst was on a boat. I was in a cave.
You were very clear in your posts regarding a desire to cease posting theology and other OOC material in your thread. He did it what? 4 more times?
Killing his character may have been a tad harsh, but you're the GM and you made it clear you were trying to run a serious game.

2841 - throst54 - Fri Aug 31, 2001 7:38pm

Well, here's my 2 cents, for what they're worth.
Throst was on a boat. I was in a cave.
You were very clear in your posts regarding a desire to cease posting theology and other OOC material in your thread. He did it what? 4 more times? Killing his character may have been a tad harsh, but you're the GM and you made it clear you were trying to run a serious game.
that was theology?? saying "oh we should pray for him" ok that is just screwed up. but you know what?? i may have deserved it may not have. but unfair things happen. and everyone has to deal with them. Where do you 2 get off saying that T&T has to be serious. The game is to have fun. those "threads" are not yours. i didn't make those comments on what you called your threads. I made them on different post. This is a contraversial club. if you post a bible qoute your gonna get something back. Let me point out that you were the first one to bring up theology. So you need to just realize that out of 100 ppl SOMEONE is going to give U a bunch of post back. no one else was bothered by it. And yes as of now i'll stop talking about it lest teh subject is brought up again. This is a publicclub therefore I can post whatever I want considering that it is on subject. and yes I did. it was on the subject you brought up. So if anyone is in the wrong it's you. Or maybe it's not your fault. I'm just not used to GMing of such a level.

--Throst the Thourally Pissed OFF


2842 - throst54 - Fri Aug 31, 2001 7:52pm

To further this aim, I invite your comments /ON THIS THREAD/ regarding my action re: Throst; as well as suggestions on when/how to bridge the story lines.
ok first off I think that what you did was rude an incalled for. which is why Throst's clan the ZAR including thier close frineds the ESA attack your church....

Editor's Note: Throst's clan, the ZAR, including their close friends, the ESA, do indeed attack the church, but fortunately Shipy is in the neighborhood to help mount (ahem) a proper defense! Read the misadventures of Shipy the Hobbit here!


2843 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 8:40pm

Split, since you will be responsible for rolling the initial 3d6 for the eight prime abilities, without the listed kindred multipliers, since I don't use them, I don't see a possibility of you being 'jacked.'

All the kindred have their multipliers turned into flat modifiers with the system I use, so any one character of that given kindred would only range as much as the initial 3d6 rolls allowed.
(03-18 +/- modifiers)

Cool?


2847 - Shrsholn - Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:51pm

Again, apologies all around.

-S


2848 - mistwalker_ - Sat Sep 1, 2001 0:09am

THREAD 2: Elise
"Hmmm.....next time questions first."

Elise quickly wipes her blade on the dead mans tunic, then rips it off, snatches up the severed hand and wraps it up in the cloth.

"A hot spring, yes. Most likely. We go in as deep as need be, but carefully. They are one less, but they know we come."

She walks by him, stopping just after she passes and glances back over her shoulder. "You knew what I was hunting. Did you expect me to ask them to please surrender?" she asks dispassionately. "Bring the torches, and mind where you step."


2849 - mistwalker_ - Sat Sep 1, 2001 0:11am

THREAD 2: Elise
OOC: How many did I see running?

2850 - Shrsholn - Sat Sep 1, 2001 0:38am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise puts her hand to the bridge of her nose, and closes her eyes to think.

"was it four or five?"

"I'm ready now. I apologize for my -- foolishness back there...", Kellis offers, as he looks steely and grim.

"I'll have to tell you about the time I fled from a pack of wolves through the northeastern edge of the Misty Wood...", Kellis trails off, his voice lowering as he looks down the way the two of you came in...


2851 - mistwalker_ - Sat Sep 1, 2001 0:58am

THREAD 2: Elise
Elise glances back down the tunnel, mildly concerned. If she doesn't see or hear anything unusual behind her she'll continue on, wary of traps or ambushes and trying to pick up her quarry's scent again.

2852 - Shrsholn - Sat Sep 1, 2001 0:58am

THREAD 2: Elise
One ear cocked to your left, the other to the right, you hear noises from both sides.

Kellis, hunches down a bit, slowly moving the torch toward the ground.

Both of you with a start involuntarily jerk back, as a half-dozen scaley cat-like faces peer malliciously at the pair of you.

"My word..." is all that Kellis manages before two of the creatures leap upon him, biting and clawing like furies.

The others pour around him, "Graaaazrr!", the leader snarls, as it brings a blue-stained stiletto to bear on you, hissing sharply.


2853 - mistwalker_ - Sat Sep 1, 2001 1:17am

THREAD 2: Elise
"Very clever." Elise says, raising her weapons and attacking the leader. "But while your lackeys remove him, I have you all to myself."

She attacks him full force, trying to end this quickly so she can help the bard. He's proved useful so far, after all.


2854 - Shrsholn - Sat Sep 1, 2001 1:30am

THREAD 2: Elise
The small beast seems to understand you, and begins to look to and fro, just before your first swing only narrowly misses.

"Shearrk!", the creature growls again, looking as if it will ham-string Kellis, too busy with now three of the monsters tearing at him savagely.

Your second blow kills another which had the misfortune of being used as a shield by the leader.

From the direction of the spring, you hear more panicked voices, and sounds of thunderous magickal discharges from the cave.

It seems that the hapless thieves are routing from their brief respite in the bubbling cave, under serious duress.

This doesn't deter the main of the scely cat like monsters, except the cleverer leader, who takes a blow from the flat of your blade, sending his stiletto skittering across the rough and bloody ground.

You can hear the shouts of injured men directly behind you, and the laughter of a voice dimly familiar to your recent memory...


2855 - mistwalker_ - Sat Sep 1, 2001 1:40am

THREAD 2: Elise
.oO(This could be a problem.....)

Elise presses her advantage quickly, ignoring the leader now and wading into the little bugs harrying the bard. This fight needs to end soon, before someone steals her quarry!

As her blades flash, slicing into her opponents, she searches her memory for the source of those voices. Where has she heard them before?

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