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Post by GM on Nov 2, 2011 17:08:43 GMT -5
I will be listing in this first post who is currently gming and a list of who is going next for quick access to whats going on. When I say it is someone elses turn they will post their starting thread and everyone who is interested will respond. Note for gms I would like pms about loot and rewards and of course will ask you to change stuff that is too good obviously. Lastly if I feel a thread is going on too long I will pm you asking to hurry it up.
Gming order:
1. Fred 2. Anthony
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 2, 2011 17:15:53 GMT -5
A group of strange alchemists, magicians and engineers have seemed to disappear off the face of the planet. No one knows where they were going or what they were doing, save that their research was associated with great pillars of smoke and spires of metal and wood. One person heard that they were trying to summon a creature called a Rah-Ket.
At the Minotaur's Flagon, the pub that the group is staying at, a short, rotund halfling (yes, short even by halfling standards) wearing glasses entirely too large for his face with a permanently distant expression comes in and asks the first person to his left, a Gromek reading a book, "Excuse me, but I am looking for the adventurers who won the tournament... Might you point me to them?" The Gromek seems not to hear him.
Fred raises an eyebrow, his blue face contorting in confusion, but he says nothing so far.
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Post by mrflowers on Nov 2, 2011 22:13:45 GMT -5
Jesse whispers "So.....we give a damn or do we want to say hi?"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 2, 2011 22:14:39 GMT -5
Fred slaps Jesse on the head. "Dude. Quest giver".
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Post by mrflowers on Nov 2, 2011 22:16:23 GMT -5
"Oh fine fine, Well lets go say hi then shall we?" Jesse slowly slinks over to the halfling with a big toothy grin
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 2, 2011 22:20:34 GMT -5
The halfling turns towards Jesse, staring at Jesse's monstrous form with a distant expression. "Ah, maybe this bouncer can direct me to the adventurers!"
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Post by mrflowers on Nov 3, 2011 1:02:47 GMT -5
Dissapointed look "Well.....I beat my contestant in the contest!"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 3, 2011 13:01:18 GMT -5
The halfling looks closer. "My apologies, you are one of the winners of the tournament! Sir, may I speak to you and your compatriots?"
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Post by GM on Nov 3, 2011 15:32:19 GMT -5
Mario looks over to see that Jesse is handling it and continues to drink his tequila rose in peace. Quest giver maybe although he looks vaguely familiar I hope Black hasn't killed any orcs lately...
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Post by mrflowers on Nov 3, 2011 18:49:23 GMT -5
"Uh....Sure! I'm sure absolutely no harm can come in it" Jesse motions to the table mario is sitting at.
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 3, 2011 23:01:01 GMT -5
The halfling nods. He grabs a stool designed to be used by small humanoids and pulls himself up. He doesn't seem to move with much difficulty, and Black and Brandon can tell that he is surprisingly muscular for a halfling, especially one with an apparently academic deportment. "Hello! I trust you are all well?" He speaks with an eagerly outgoing but somewhat nasally voice.
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Post by GM on Nov 4, 2011 1:02:47 GMT -5
Mario will down the rest of his drink as he looks at the guy with an even glance. "I am fine." Mario will wait for other peoples responses before continuing. "My name is Mario Aviles a knight of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, servant of Tyrmora, and Jedi padawan although you may simply refer to me as Mario if you wish. What is it that you have need of us?"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 4, 2011 14:02:47 GMT -5
OOG: Waiting on a few folks to respond and get the memo.
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Post by blacktothefuture on Nov 4, 2011 15:23:28 GMT -5
Saint John of Jerusalem? is he...is he two timing his paladin god? Black will wonder, attention still on his drink.
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Post by The Black Beast on Nov 4, 2011 17:11:20 GMT -5
Blue will slowly eat the cake he ordered staring at the quest giver semi-amused. Nudging David he'll mutter "Seems like this guy will never get on a roller coaster, hehe."
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Post by mrflowers on Nov 5, 2011 1:34:10 GMT -5
Jesse smirks at blue whilst nibbling his rabbit "You must be this tall to divvy out quests"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 2:04:23 GMT -5
The Professor says, "And you will apparently never get into a high-level class of astrophysics or slip through a hole an elephant couldn't make, but I didn't mention it without provocation". He keeps the tone jovial; it seems that, like many non-humans, he responds to human-centered racist assumptions with friendly banter in return. "I come to you..." He considers his approach, in a way that seems to have almost too little guile, as if he could try to hide his consideration a little more. "Well, frankly, in part because you are new enough that I have every reason to believe you are cheap. No double entendre intended".
He wipes his glasses and continues. "You see, several of my colleagues and close friends have disappeared without a trace. Oh! That reminds me. I am Professor Hodwin Longhill of the Broadbottom Haven. I am a Distinguished Monarchic Professor of Alchemy, Etheric Studies and Natural Philosophy. Which means, in practice, whatever it is convenient to mean for understanding how things are composed. Several of my colleagues in the admittedly somewhat less exalted art of applied engineering had begun a project. I did not know what it was, and when they began to invite magicians and start talking about 'Rah-Kets' and so forth, I began to be concerned".
"Then, approximately two months ago, all correspondence ceased". His face blushed slightly. "I must admit, I thought it a bit queer that they stopped writing, but I attributed it to their new projects or... Now I am worried.
It may be nothing, but either way, I will pay you two hundred a head upon acceptance and two hundred a head upon completion. I know that this is less than the adventurer's guild would offer, but I beseech you, for the sake of science... And, I can of course do what I can to provide any assistance, and also, in the future, I can guarantee you the greatest of favors I can provide. Of course, if there is any hazard pay, I will raise it one hundred fifty gold additional".
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Post by The Black Beast on Nov 5, 2011 2:14:16 GMT -5
Blue will irritably point the fork at him, "I don't much care for you sciencey types honestly. Make it 300 or it's a no go."
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Post by GM on Nov 5, 2011 2:24:21 GMT -5
Mario looks at him with his even stare as he motions for another drink. "I am willing to accept this request on the grounds that you repeat your exact words to me again." Mario then casts Zone of Truth on the area and waits for his response.
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 2:33:44 GMT -5
Fred says, "I will give 100 to him. I think this is valuable enough, I would do it for free. Besides, I bet this guy might know some demons?"
The man replies, "No, but if you have need for enhancements to weapons, perhaps some potions". He reaches into his pocket and pulls out seven potions. "Perhaps this will sweeten the metaphorical and maybe literal pot. Three of these are health elixirs, three of these are imbibements of para-natural energy. One enables the drinker to climb up sheer walls. I can also help you with any research; if there were, for example, the name or behaviors of a demon in our library, I could identify it for you".
[Editor's Note: That is three mana pots, three health pots and a Potion of Spider Climb.
"As for doing it for free..." The man stops for a moment, then smiles toothily. "You know, my minor was in Xenobiology and the Principles of Alternative Anatomy. What do you happen to be, magus?"
"Zentraedi. Closely related to humans, but oriented for combat in mecha and for slave labor. A proud warrior race".
"Ah! An equa-hominid! You have identical anatomy!"
"And only slightly different genes"
"Oh", he says slightly derisively, but still jovially. "You ascribe to a genetic theory?"
"It's not a theory. It's a fact".
"Well, your science seems up to par. Well done".
His face darkens slightly in response to Mario. "I would expect nothing less. Your thoroughness is commendable, though I would have appreciated slightly more diplomacy. Nonetheless, all too often we are too concerned with pleasantries".
He repeats his story exactly (obviously with minor differences such as "Uh" here or there or a synonym replacement) with no difficulty.
He then says, "Not only have I repeated the story, but I will allow you a total of the whole remaining duration of the Zone of Truth to inquire. I must, however, note that I cannot answer any questions with national security implications to which you should not be privy nor any other question that would violate my professional ethics".
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Post by The Black Beast on Nov 5, 2011 2:51:36 GMT -5
Blue will sit back in his chair and take another bite of cake, propping his feet on the table. "This job's gonna suck I can already tell. Feel it in my bones." He'll scratch Garm on the head then close his eyes and nod his head to some unknown beat.
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 4:09:44 GMT -5
Fred shrugs. "Well, the fact that we don't know much doesn't make me think it has to be bad, but yeah, if someone's disappeared, in this kind of setting and environment... Good chance they're dead, or being eaten by eldritch abominations, or about to be sacrifices of a necromancer cult, or..."
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Post by GM on Nov 5, 2011 4:11:28 GMT -5
"It does seem oddly simple which I wouldn't count as a good sign." Mario downs his new drink before continuing onto his question. "Do you have an interest in this mission besides concern for your friends?"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 4:30:01 GMT -5
The man says, "I cannot deny that their research was, even though it was focused on the pedantry of the applied rather than the beauty of the theoretical, fascinating. They were making breakthroughs in aerodynamics, propulsion, combustion, materials design, alchemy and the science of the ether that were, candidly, unprecedented. Maybe they were about to signal an atomic leap forward".
"But, to assuage you, these are not secret agents. They are not even particularly rich. And their research, while it could have been valuable, was nowhere near complete. They were of little value to kidnappers and to rival nations. Maybe the Kipon would have taken them, but they had no secrets regarding national security. Most people outside of the academy would never have heard of them. I highly doubt that it is anything too complicated. I also strongly suspect they are alive, though I must admit that falls into the category of irrational intuition rather than fact".
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Post by blacktothefuture on Nov 5, 2011 12:01:20 GMT -5
Did Fred just talk about this guy's friends being eaten or sacrificed right in front of him? Black will again take notice of what is being said aside from nodding in recognition when Blue addressed him about the current company's height.
I was gonna try to hunt up some paper, check out chicks and laze around. Mreh I'll probably tag along. I mean, it is money. And exp. I gotta stay on top of my game because exercising normally is a pain...
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 14:00:33 GMT -5
Fred inquires, "Do you have a personal relationship with any of the missing people? Anything that might lead us to think you're a suspect? Maybe an affair, or a financial arrangement, or..."
The halfling sighs and says, "They are all my colleagues and quite a few of them are my friends, though I must profess to not knowing most of the participants in the project. However, one of them, a Changeling expert in designing kites and some gliders, has a... rather attractive wife, an Aasimar. She is rather brilliant at designing armor, and, well, we had a.... 'conference'."
"But, let me point out that that would, at most, give me a motive to disappear the Changeling. What harm would I wish on anyone else?"
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Post by DUNCE on Nov 5, 2011 14:32:00 GMT -5
Brian, having also been sitting on a chair designed for shorter peoples makes a sideways glance at Blue and Jesse for their 'short' comments. He continues to drink from his flagon of mushroom wine he had brewed earlier while listening to the conversation.
"This sounds to me like its a man in need of assistance who isn't willing to pay us a full wage in gold, but is willing to supplement it with favors. Not a bad idea if I do say so myself." Brian says between sips, and then makes eye contact with Professor Longhill, "And did I hear yeh was an alchemist? Maybe we can exchange notes sometime. Before that however, I must ask, do yeh have any leads on where these colleagues of yers are? Seems to be the first step on this job."
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 14:48:39 GMT -5
The Professor offers a correction. "I would love to pay you a full wage, but I am having to reach partially into my university account for it, and I would have to justify paying you any more. That is why, if you encounter any hazard, your pay will exceed the adventurer's guild standard for an average job". He smiles in response to Brian's offer. "Absolutely. You seem to be of strong Dwarven stock, with the right priorities in life."
"As for leads... I heard that they had last headed the direction of the Carnivorous Vale, which, despite its name, is actually a great jungle teeming with carnivorous beasts. I imagine you adventurers will easily be able to avoid much trouble, but you may also try the seas or the skies as well. I do not imagine they are in the forest, at least not by choice".
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Post by DUNCE on Nov 5, 2011 15:04:53 GMT -5
Brian places the flagon back down onto the table. "So, we know ther last known headin'! Tha' be good enough fer me! If this be a search and rescue mission, I reckon we'll be able to take care of it soon enough." Brian looks to the rest of the party at the table. "The vale is lookin' to be our best bet to me right now, and I'd like to git to it. My vote is to accept Longhill's job and make our first headin' the vale. We got all the makins of an adventure lads! All the materials are here, a man in distress, a purpose, and a direction to head. I wan' get to it!"
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Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Nov 5, 2011 15:09:08 GMT -5
Fred considers. "I'd like to perhaps do a little asking around town, pursue a few leads just to make sure that all roads lead to Rome, so to speak. Maybe some of us can break off while others of us get ready to head out, get some supplies, scout out a little first".
OOG: Note that this is all a scene. After the conversation, you may do any scene preparation. I'll have to talk to Mario to see if crafting items are allowed to be kept, but certainly any of your buffs or powers that could be used for investigation or what not should be used.
Those who want to join Fred in investigating, tell me your investigation plan in general and your scene powers. Those who want to join Brian in preparing to head out, tell me what you're doing. Obviously, if anyone has any additional strategies or suggestions, post them. I'll resolve both simultaneously and get everyone back together quickly.
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