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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: The Metagame for The Kavetseki Incident
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I suspect our brave heroes will prevail ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Adam.
Like as the
# 4991
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Posted
Longbow attack: 19. Job done.
Dorainen took an arrow from his quiver and set it in his bow. The fletchings were marked with Trepik's symbol, but it was a fine arrow. It felt good to dispose of it and dispatch a foe at the same time. He took aim, draw back his arm, feeling that familiar tension in his right bicep, set his feet, held his breath and fired. The dolgarkin didn't stand a chance. He'd say it went straight through the heart if he knew they had them. Regardless it went straight down, finally dead.
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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog
Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003
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Ariston
Insane Unicorn
# 10894
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Posted
Grapple/push into fire: 6
Jetse skirted to the back of an approaching dolgar, then, before the construct could turn to face him, bull rushed it towards the fire, slamming his shoulder into its back. The aberration fell under the force.
"Hand! Pull!"
Jetse grabbed one bony hand, Foret the other. The two of them dragged the writhing, bony construct towards the fire, fighting off its attempts to squirm free. One particularly hard tug broke off the arm Jetse was holding; a quick toss and it was burning green, and the Guardian had taken hold of the creature's leg before it could break loose and attack Foret.
"Quickly!"
Jetse was taking some hard kicks to his breastplate. Fragments of bone were breaking off with each blow against the steel.
"Throw!"
The two of them tossed the dolgar lengthwise into the edge of the fire. For a moment, it looked as if it might escape the flames, but, as Jetse reached for his sword, it collapsed the logs on top of it with its writhing. The flames leapt green as the wild magic and unquiet spirits were freed from the bones.
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“Therefore, let it be explained that nowhere are the proprieties quite so strictly enforced as in men’s colleges that invite young women guests, especially over-night visitors in the fraternity houses.” Emily Post, 1937.
Posts: 6849 | From: The People's Republic of Balcones | Registered: Jan 2006
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by DT:
You have until 08:00hrs GMT to defeat them.
Is that 08:00 GMT on Sat., Aug. 16?
And is that actual current time in the UK, or are you on summertime, so 08:00 GMT isn't DT's actual current time, but rather DT's clock reads an hour different at the time this closes?
I'm trying to work out if I have until 2:00 am, 3:00 am, or 4:00 am EDT (US east coast daylight time) to post for Frithwynne.
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When I roll for the battle with my stupid online dice roller that always starts off with a 4, I'm going to burn the first roll whatever it is (even if it's a 20! watch it be a 20 now), and start my real rolls after the first roll. I may be wrong about this, but it sure feels like its first roll is not at all random, and is a 4 way more often than chance would expect. Hope this is OK as a plan. Maybe I just have a "4" aura... I've tried two different dice rollers and they both feel this way to me: 4 4 4 4 4, hey AR, would you like a FOUR?!
[ 15. August 2014, 19:41: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
Have you considered using a physical die ? It is currently 20:47 my time (which is gmt + 1), so just over 12 hours from now. Though frankly, chances of my being online that early on a Saturday morning may be a little limited so you might get a bit longer.
Or if you doing this now, I could roll for you ?
[ 15. August 2014, 19:53: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
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Posted
Clawdine watched as the dolgarkin crept forward out of the darkness. The gutter of blood drew them like ants to honey. Soon there were so many drinking that the ones behind could not get to it. But the smell of the freshly butchered meat in the wagons hung in the air. Using the first row of dolgarkin as a bridge, the ones in the rear launched themselves over and into the circle of wagons.
Some paused on top of the wagons, ripping through the coverings with their teeth and nails, hungry for flesh. She saw one fall as Dorainen's arrow found it's mark. Jetse and Foret were flinging them into the fire as fast as they appeared past the wagons, and all around her men and dwarves swayed and pushed at the ravenous foe.
Puffs of green and putrid smoke sputtered from the flames like a poisonous fireworks show. Clawdine stood her ground, flaming brand in hand as one leapt towards her.
***rolled a 20, WOOHOO!*** Toasted.
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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
Ooooooh ***ridiculous success*** I shall have to do you a special effect - I shall go and have a little think.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
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Posted
DT I will be leaving in 3 hours time, and will have no internet access for 30 hours after that.
I am happy for you to continue the story - if Clawdine needs to do anything more I have just done 3 rolls - 14, 9 & 8 (Obviously she is feeling her age and getting tired as the fight progresses!)
Does the number of Dolgarkin reflect how busy the gibbet has been over the last 20 years?
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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Thanks, DT. 4 a.m. my time, then.
I've got my dice rolls done. Now to work out what they mean IC.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Banner Lady:
DT I will be leaving in 3 hours time, and will have no internet access for 30 hours after that.
I am happy for you to continue the story - if Clawdine needs to do anything more I have just done 3 rolls - 14, 9 & 8 (Obviously she is feeling her age and getting tired as the fight progresses!)
Does the number of Dolgarkin reflect how busy the gibbet has been over the last 20 years?
No probs, I shall make Clawdine additionally fabulous.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Eliab
Shipmate
# 9153
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Posted
Gunriana's combat:
Fight Dolgarkin with scramasax (IC: because Gunriana's advancing recklessly into combat and taking risks, OOC: because I'd like to fight a ghoul raven and there's not much chance of that with the push-into-fire or rune magic options). Roll 12, +1 for weapon becomes 13. Spawns two fights.
Fight Dolgarkin - push into fire: roll 19. Success.
Fight ghoul raven 1 with rune magic: roll 6. Success.
Fight ghoul raven 1 with rune magic: roll 7. Success.
Will do story post.
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"Perhaps there is poetic beauty in the abstract ideas of justice or fairness, but I doubt if many lawyers are moved by it"
Richard Dawkins
Posts: 4619 | From: Hampton, Middlesex, UK | Registered: Mar 2005
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Eliab
Shipmate
# 9153
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Posted
Gunriana looks left and right as the dead things close on the caravan. Already missiles are flying, but the creatures stumble on through the erratic smattering of rocks and crossbow bolts as they reach the fires. She sees one go down with Dorainen's arrow through its chest, and then blows are being struck on all sides.
Her left hand is raised, bearing the skull, a symbol of death marked with a rune of life, for both the living and the dead despise these twisted things whose very existence is a betrayal of mortal nature. They must be destroyed. Nothing else matters.
Gunriana walks on in a trance, dimly aware that as she advances she is screaming something to her companions, but barely conscious of her words she shrieks to drive them onward. The dolgarkin on either side are fighting, and being pushed back, but another is limping directly towards her, dragging a leg transfixed with a broken quarrel, baring its gravestone-grey teeth in a hungry leer. She looks down at her right hand, and sees it empty, and time slows as she draws her scramasax. As the creature lurches forward she swings the blade, which crashes into its shoulder, but fails to bite.
Suddenly the air is full of fluttering black wings, and two ravens crash together, vying for the pleasure of tearing at the witch's face. Gunriana flinches away, and falls heavily to her knees. The dolgarkin's clawed hands sweep the air just above her hair, as the ravens circle for another attack.
Gunriana thrusts the blade wildly, and her arm hits something with a jarring thud, sending the blade spinning away into darkness. Screaming in desperation, she hurls herself forward and upward, striking the ghoul just below the ribs, and slamming it forward towards the fire. Sensing the danger, it tries to turn, but loses balance, hitting the flames and rolling away, burning fiercely.
The ghoul ravens swoop again, but the witch is ready.
"Only light and fire for you here!" she yells, shaping Sol in the air, and stepping aside as the dazzled bird crashes into the fire. The second raven tears at her with its claws, cawing loudly as it draws blood, while it looks for an opening to stab its beak at her eyes.
"Help me, sister!" she cries, flailing at the air with the skull, and succeeding only in making the bird take wing for a moment.
Gunriana looks up at the dark lustre of the raven's wings, and on an impulse traces Ar, rune of plenty, over the skull.
"Food, brother..." she whispers, as the bird screeches with delighted greed, and plunges its head into the skull's left eye socket. With a savage twist, the witch jerks her wrist downwards, and snaps the raven's neck.
Dropping to one knee, she gently smoothes the feathers of the little corpse, straightening its head back into place, and feeling its warmth fade into the air and the earth.
"I am sorry, little friend. You were prey to a spirit you could not fight. Fly free now, brother. Fly free."
Gunriana stands and walks back towards the fight, the skull raised once more as a banner of triumph.
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"Perhaps there is poetic beauty in the abstract ideas of justice or fairness, but I doubt if many lawyers are moved by it"
Richard Dawkins
Posts: 4619 | From: Hampton, Middlesex, UK | Registered: Mar 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Frithwynne's dice rolls:
Fight dolgarkin with chain: 6. Result: spawn.
Spawn level: 6. Result: same level (OK difficulty)
Fight dolgarkin with chain: 9. Result: spawn
Spawn level: 10. Result: same level (OK difficulty)
Fight dolgarkin push into fire: 8. Result: success
Fight ghoul raven: 14. Result: success
Fight ghoul raven: 18. Result: success
[ 16. August 2014, 06:29: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Frithwynne felt the claustrophobic sense of danger ringing the camp. She got up to look for Mary or Gunriana for advice on how to fight whatever it was that was coming. But too late. Jetse was shouting, and bone-things were howling as they came in between the wagons.
Frithwynne found herself directly in the path of one. Nauseated, she lashed out at it with her triple-folded chain, but it was still out of reach and kept advancing. A raven flew from its mouth and flapped in tight circles, shrieking.
Frithwynne swallowed against the rancid taste of bile and lashed with the chain again. This time she connected with the thing's forearm, but it didn't pause. A raven flew out of its left eye socket and unfolded impossibly wide wings as it joined the first raven, flying widdershins above the battle.
Frithwynne's blow had not affected the creature, but the jerk as chain met undead flesh threw her off-balance and she fell to the side. The creature shambled past her and turned, shaking its head in short arcs as if trying to pick up her scent again.
Jetse's shouted words finally made their way into Frithwynne's consciousness. "The fire!", that's what he had said. The chain was never going to work. Sobbing in terror, Frithwynne rushed straight at the bone-thing's rib cage. Her momentum took them both into the fire. Frithwynne rolled away, burning her hands as she scrambled backwards. The bone-thing lay on its back, threshing its limbs, as if unable to comprehend what had happened to it. Tendrils of smoke rose from its joints, and suddenly it was consumed by a blot of green and black flame.
The ravens swept towards Frithwynne. She could see their unblinking red eyes and their black tongues ululating in triumph. "No!" she screamed. She grabbed a brand from the fire, and swept it at the ghoul birds. She connected with one and it fell to the ground, one wing broken. It dragged itself towards Frithwynne, its good wing beating a frenzy. Frithwynne raised the brand and brought it down on the raven. The fright and rage propelling her blow smashed the bird, and it was nothing but a bloody heap.
The other raven had pulled away to safety at Frithwynne's blow that had brought down its kin. Now it stooped and landed on the dead bird, clawing the flesh with its talons and pecking with its sharp bill. Frithwynne stared, horrified at the raw cannibal greed. Such a thing mustn't exist. She advanced with her brand. The raven raised its head and stared sideways at her, bloody flesh clinging to its beak. Frithwynne circled, staring back warily. The raven turned, watching her, sensing danger but unwilling to leave such rich food.
Frithwynne brought the brand down in a great overhead arc, but the raven took off just before the brand crashed, and flew straight into Frithwynne's face. "Ahhhh!" cried Frithwynne, and fell to her hands and knees. Her right hand connected with the chain she had dropped as she rushed the bone-thing into the fire. She grabbed it and rolled onto one hip, desperately swinging the chain. The raven snatched at one of the glimmering stones, and the sweep of the chain smashed the bird into the earth, where it lay, unmoving.
Frithwynne unsteadily pushed her way back to her feet. The bird's open eye was already clouding from red to ashy grey. Frithwynne's burned hands sent waves of pain as they clenched the chain, but she couldn't bring herself to loosen her grip. She stood frozen, staring at the dead bird.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
Crisis / Resolution Phase
(I will now resolve any outstanding issues and post to the story thread. There will be no nemesis phase this combat, as the rune magic worked making your enemies weaker, and you had very successful individual fights.)
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
New GM Day
It is dawn, the attack is over - there are no dead though some people may need treatment for burns - the caravan members are now even more in awe of you than they were previously.
Shortly the gates of the city will open.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
New GM Day
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Net Spinster
Shipmate
# 16058
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Posted
I wonder whether we should have a short scene of Dorainen healing a dwarf given the mutual antagonism of the two races. Would Dorainen be willing; would the dwarves be willing even if it meant saving one of their lives? Could he do it indirectly by changing the water?
In any case we should probably plot out what to do when the gates open.
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spinner of webs
Posts: 1093 | From: San Francisco Bay area | Registered: Dec 2010
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
I suppose our choices are: seek out Yaris, or seek out information. I'm not much of a tactical thinker in this, so I'd propose we seek out Yaris.
That is, if someone or something doesn't come out of the opening gates and confront us first.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
We've got a lot of talking to do to get taken to Yaris, don't we? Because she will be expecting Trepik. And her smuggled diamonds, and the meat and whatever else she is hoping for from the wagon train.
We suspect that whatever was in the box Dorainen fished out of the deeps is now with Yaris and the Shark Lord wants it back. And Er would like the Shark Lord to have it back if that means he can return to his life of wandering without commitment, because now it feels as if he's marked and unlikely to be able to move freely anywhere.
So don't we need to plan a bit to work out how we handle Yaris, rather than just barge in regardless?
In game terms Er has the best abilities to talk the party in, from the story Gunriana almost certainly has links she can investigate as does Mary.
Will Jetse have to be careful in the city? from the story? or will the way the party has conducted itself mean that he is going to be respected rather than in danger?
Don't we need to consult with the others to create a game plan?
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
CK, all the points you make are why I say I'm not a tactical thinker.
On your last point: I was starting the process of consulting with others to make a game plan by setting out my thoughts, minimal as they might be. They're obviously not our final decision, and I wouldn't act IC until we've discussed things here.
Hart, since Banner Lady has set the gates creaking open, Dorainen may have even less time to heal than we expected.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
As AR, I'd rather defeat the Shark Lord and keep the chest. As Frithwynne, she's hasn't thought about the chest in terms of thinking the group has any control over it. She'd like to find the golden ship half buried in salt.
For Yaris, I was thinking a straightforward "we're all innocents here" approach: "we're here with Trepik's caravan, Trepik unfortunately died in the selkie attack, we knew this caravan was to be delivered to Yaris, including the slaughtered meat and the fortified wagon, so here it all is." And then see what happens. The most we'd have to do is ask inside the city where to find Yaris, and I expect everyone in the city knows where she stays.
That is, if Yaris herself doesn't come out of the opening gates yelling "what the hell is going on with my caravan."
But as I say, I'm not a tactical thinker.
[ 17. August 2014, 16:07: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I think it is important to point out that prophetic visions may be symbolic as well as literal in their content.
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
What, no golden ship half buried in salt? Frithwynne is going to be very disappointed.
For my own amusement, I'm going to start my own mental fanfic version of the Kavetseki incident, where the party sweep into Yaris' hall and find her seated on a golden throne studded with rubies, with two chests in front of her: an open chest displaying the golden ship half buried in salt, and a closed chest that Dorainen recognizes as the chest he brought up from the sea -- or if not, then its identical twin.
Now I wonder (in the fanfic) what connection there is between Yaris' throne and Frithwynne's matching chain.
Returning to the actual Kavetseki incident at hand, I wonder if the party would find Yaris to be an ally with them against the shark lord? (This idea came from the fanfic: if Yaris has the chest, that would explain why Cimenster is under siege from the shark lord.)
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of a golden ship buried in salt ...
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Adam.
Like as the
# 4991
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Posted
Dorainen's trying generalized healing. I can do a roll for that in the next few hours (of RL time) once I know the thresholds.
As for strategy, if Yaris isn't immediately apparent, I like the playing dumb strategy. We're part of Trepik's caravan, he died bravely defending us, we'd like to complete his mission, etc. I also think someone (or a couple of people) who's good at finding hidden should be in the covered wagon, trying to get a better sense of what's actually in the salt.
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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog
Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
You mean Er and Frithwynne risked life and limb* to collect samples of the salt and show we have diamonds smuggled in it for you to want someone else to check hidden? We did get samples from every chest.
* nasty poisonous snake
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Adam.
Like as the
# 4991
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Posted
But are we sure it's just diamonds, nothing else? Are we thinking that the golden ship's already in Yaris' possession, or that we might have it?
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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog
Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Hart:
Dorainen's trying generalized healing. I can do a roll for that in the next few hours (of RL time) once I know the thresholds.
As for strategy, if Yaris isn't immediately apparent, I like the playing dumb strategy. We're part of Trepik's caravan, he died bravely defending us, we'd like to complete his mission, etc. I also think someone (or a couple of people) who's good at finding hidden should be in the covered wagon, trying to get a better sense of what's actually in the salt.
Wellll, you do have excellent healing skills, and the injuries are not severe - so it would normally be ridiculously easy. However, you are trying mass healing, not healing a single individual. So that adds at least a ranke of difficulty.
I think you can do it at ***easy*** difficulty, but in character you will be exhausted by the effort for the rest of the day - and you will need to roleplay that. Mechanically, any task requiring a toughness roll before dusk in game time will have an extra rank of difficulty.
Have at it !
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Adam.
Like as the
# 4991
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Posted
16. Off to do a story post.
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Ave Crux, Spes Unica!
Preaching blog
Posts: 8164 | From: Notre Dame, IN | Registered: Sep 2003
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
Nice one
[ 17. August 2014, 19:51: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Eliab
Shipmate
# 9153
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
For Yaris, I was thinking a straightforward "we're all innocents here" approach: "we're here with Trepik's caravan, Trepik unfortunately died in the selkie attack, we knew this caravan was to be delivered to Yaris, including the slaughtered meat and the fortified wagon, so here it all is." And then see what happens.
The problem with that is that Yaris was almost certainly planning to have all the wagoners murdered as well. The whole 'slaughter the oxen and dismantle the wagons' thing only makes sense if the caravan is being made to vanish without a trace. If that's the plan, we're all dead if Yaris has her way.
Or at least, Gunriana's convinced that must be the plan. She's cynical like that. But even OOC, it seems not unlikely to me.
Besides, if the conjecture that someone used us to nick something from an aquatic power (the Sharklord), that someone, quite plausibly Yaris or some person on her side, is our real enemy. We might still want to talk to her, but placing ourselves in her power is a bad idea.
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"Perhaps there is poetic beauty in the abstract ideas of justice or fairness, but I doubt if many lawyers are moved by it"
Richard Dawkins
Posts: 4619 | From: Hampton, Middlesex, UK | Registered: Mar 2005
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Eliab
Shipmate
# 9153
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Posted
Gunriana's using her special item to prevent any of the ravens' bodies being animated by any further necromancy.
On our (IC and OOC) understanding of the last fight, the spirits were possessing living birds, and were powerless to keep using them when the birds were dead, so she's not especially worried that the raven might be reused, but feels that she owes this service to creatures who were abused in this way. The raven is a harbinger of death, after all, and thus a sacred bird as far as Gunriana is concerned.
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"Perhaps there is poetic beauty in the abstract ideas of justice or fairness, but I doubt if many lawyers are moved by it"
Richard Dawkins
Posts: 4619 | From: Hampton, Middlesex, UK | Registered: Mar 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I was about to post, and then realised it was basically a paragraph fullo spoilers !
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Net Spinster
Shipmate
# 16058
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Posted
I'll note there is no guarantee that any of the local powers are on the Kavetseki survivors' side. Note Yaris might not be involved in the actual theft but one who has taken advantage of what has happened in the last 20 years to build her own power base.
Mary and Gunriana may have connections but both have been missing for the last 20 years and we can't tell the truth about why we were missing (though if Yaris is involved she has a good idea). Mary can probably give a more plausible explanation at least at Cimenster in that her ship hasn't traveled this way in the last 20 years (perfectly true but leaves out that it hasn't traveled any where in the last 20 years). Mary will have to drop her current alias to use her connections. Gunriana comes from an important family and was engaged to an important person; her disappearance was a bit more obvious and her reappearance a bit more odd.
What Mary wonders is if Cimenster still has any sea shipping arriving or if the conditions in delivering supplies that way is even worst than the land route.
BTW if Yaris was planning to make away with the caravan crew drugging the food/drink seems the safest bet.
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spinner of webs
Posts: 1093 | From: San Francisco Bay area | Registered: Dec 2010
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
New GM Day
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Eliab, I think I (AR) am too naive and trusting to be of any tactical use RPGing in a city filled with powerful factions.
[ 18. August 2014, 04:53: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
The wagoneer's original plan was to get to the city at dawn, then do butchery - completing before nightfall of that day. Events have meant they arrived at the haunted area many hours early.
Their key goal is to survive till dawn.
This information was given by Partick on the story thread:
quote:
Posted 07 August, 2014 21:21
"We've definitely lost a wagon, Bersark Flintson, And Master Trepik. Hewer is mustering the dwarves to be certain, and I have asked Goodman Docker to circle the wagons.
Our timing is all to cock, we should have been arriving at dawn, as the gates open. We're past the isthmus, but everyone knows the execution grounds are haunted. See that gibbet yonder ?"
He points west about 300 yards to the front of the main gate there is an empty iron gibbet.
"If it is ever empty the ghosts will want it filled for their company.
Come the dawn we'd to slaughter the oxen, and butcher them - put them in the empty feed carts. The dwarves have drag ropes to pull them in. You know Cimenster needs the meat, for they can not fish the waters.
We take it all to the Trepik and Yaris warehouse, and then break up most of the wagons for wood. And let us hope Milady Yaris will be satisfied by our accounting of our tribulations.
We must make it safe through to the dawn, your people MUST help us."
Yes, I have narrated the gates creaking open, but only because of the above post which indicated they opened at dawn. What you all choose to do now, and whether you choose to include Clawdine is up to you. If Clawdine is of absolutely no use to the party, then feel free to invite her to leave.
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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Banner Lady, I don't understand your post. If you want to play, play. If you don't want to play, let DT know so she can set up a story out for you. Why ask the other players to make your decision for you?
In the spirit of the RPG, I assume that one of the goals for all of us as players is that we find a way to bring all characters along. That is, it would be completely outside the expectations of what we're doing as RPG for us to narrate our characters as excluding Clawdine, or any other character, from our continued advdentures.
[ 18. August 2014, 14:52: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
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Posted
What options do we have?
- Talk our way in as Trepik is dead and we have brought his caravan to the city as we agreed.
- Split up when we get inside - so the dwarves go where they planned with Clawdine and whoever else wants to go to ground in return for mushrooms?
- Continue as a party and agree how we go ahead to bargain with the consignee of the diamonds?
- How high a profile does Gunriana want or not want?
- Do we want to resolve the problem of the chest and the Kavetseki? How do we go about that?
- What skills have we got we can use?
Er has got the cups game which might work to get something, the gift of the gab and the ability to turn into an alley cat, all of which are gentle, subtle things. He's not going to be the most prepossessing character to ask to see Yaris without maybe Jetse and Gunriana, but maybe he is able to inveigle his way in with guile.
What else can we use?
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Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Curiosity killed...:
Do we want to resolve the problem of the chest and the Kavetseki? How do we go about that?
This! Yes, yes, yes! (Except I have no idea how to go about it, beyond simply going straight to Yaris first, which seems to be quite unpopular on the grounds of being ridiculously naive and dangerous... that's OK, I'm in awe of all the clever sensible considerations everyone else thinks of, but that doesn't seem to be the way my mind is working this game. I think I need a game of Mafia to get my mind thinking of evil deceptive schemes )
Frithwynne could find work in a tavern and find out what she learns by overhearing and/or use her Skill of Intuition/Inspiration.
Frithwynne also has a skill of finding her way in Mazes -- can we imagine a reason for a maze to be in this story, and nudge DT to let us get to it? Or manufacture it for ourselves in our story narration? Perhaps the streets of the city are maze-like, and we're trying to get somewhere?
[AR hurries off to add a maze to the AR Kavetseki fanfic... now where to put it? Is Yaris holding the shark lord prisoner in the heart of a maze, and wants the Kavetseki bunch to go kill the shark lord for her, but would be just as pleased if we were all killed in the attempt? The nice thing about fanfic is that it can be as ridiculous as I like ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif) ]
[ 18. August 2014, 16:17: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
I note the party has done and decided pretty much SFA post combat.
Bear in mind there are just under two weeks left.
[ 18. August 2014, 17:46: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
SFA? What's that?
"Just under two weeks left" is another reason why I would want to go straight to Yaris. Force the issue and fetching action.
[ 18. August 2014, 17:49: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Sweet Fuck All?
I thought we were doing what we were supposed to be doing: talking among ourselves to plan what to do next.
Every time I think I understand how RPG works, I discover another area in which apparently I have no clue.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Penultimate post: *force* action, not *fetching* action.
[ 18. August 2014, 18:14: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Doublethink.
Ship's Foolwise Unperson
# 1984
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Posted
We are lacking decisions. (We posted at identical times ! That has never happened to me before )
[ 18. August 2014, 18:14: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
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All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell
Posts: 19219 | From: Erehwon | Registered: Aug 2005
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Ariston
Insane Unicorn
# 10894
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
"Just under two weeks left" is another reason why I would want to go straight to Yaris. Force the issue and fetching action.
Since we seem to be doing this discussion back here, rather than in character…
When was the last time you were able to just walk right up to a major political figure—say, the governor of a state—and demand an audience? If I wanted to talk to the mayor of Washington or my senator, I'd have to make an appointment (which wouldn't be until next month, seeing as the government is in recess), which would mean justifying to a secretary or intern or staffer why I was important enough to be talked to for fifteen minutes. It could all be canceled, of course, if someone or something more important came up.
Right now, given that the city is under siege, I'd say there's something pretty important going on. Our chances of getting a direct "oh, how nice of you to drop in, would you like some tea?" audience with the (presumably autocratic?) ruler of the local canton is about nil. If we were granted an audience, or even invited for one, I'd say it's probably a trap. Highly suspicious, to be sure. I mean, there is the Jetse option for arranging meetings—instigate a riot in the markets to tie up the local militia, break down the door, take out the guards, lead a small army made up of local dissidents into her office, mention her schedule's been changed—or the Way of Er—sneak past the guards, climb in the back window of her privy chamber and charm the lady into giving us the key to the city—but I think, on the whole, any appointments we make with the Lady Yaris should be made on our terms, not hers.
We've been given a few nice hints on a good way to proceed: find the dwarven refugees, hope Jetse's new-found reputation and admirers can overcome his lousy elan (and that whole "massacre" thing he says he had absolutely no part in, of course, wasn't anywhere near the place, couldn't have been me), gather information and allies, and then proceed to pay a visit to Yaris once we're in a position of power in her city.
This is probably me speaking half in character, but it shouldn't be too hard for us to gather a few dissidents to our side. We've gained ourselves a bit of a reputation among the teamsters and dwarves, both of whom will have contacts among the merchants and Palatine refugees. There are people who respect us, who can be used to influence opinion in the city towards us. We can even promise to eliminate the threat from the Shark Lord—I don't know exactly what a good sea rover would want as tribute or a bribe to leave the city alone, but I'm guessing "a cartload of diamonds" might be as good a guess as any. While I'm guessing Yaris is the one who can tell us what we need to know, I'm thinking she'd be more likely to talk if we pose a very credible threat to her, or could even depose her.
For that matter, why exactly are we delivering a cartload of diamonds and other cargo to Yaris, no questions asked? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the impression I've gotten of her (execution grounds, anyone?) is not one that makes her sound like a paragon of enlightened democracy. Is there a reason why we should just calmly hand over a shipment of valuable goods to a potential tyrant who might just have it in for us, rather than keeping them ourselves and using them to get what we want? I'd say exchanging them only for answers, our safety, and/or the city might be a reasonable trade.
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“Therefore, let it be explained that nowhere are the proprieties quite so strictly enforced as in men’s colleges that invite young women guests, especially over-night visitors in the fraternity houses.” Emily Post, 1937.
Posts: 6849 | From: The People's Republic of Balcones | Registered: Jan 2006
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Ariston
Insane Unicorn
# 10894
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Posted
Okay, after posting that: if we don't reach a decision here in the next few hours (shortly before the next GM day, at the latest), I'm going to grab Foret, a couple dwarves, the old halberd blade, some food and supplies from the stores, and some diamonds and head into the city to exercise a mild Jetse option. While he'll only diverge from recon and try to overthrow the city if he thinks he can get away with it (spoiler alert: in case it isn't abundantly clear by now, overthrowing regimes in city-states whose interests could better match his own is kind of what Jetse does), there's a nonzero chance that he could make things Interesting.
If that happens, he'd really appreciate it if you all would quickly organize a rescue mission.
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“Therefore, let it be explained that nowhere are the proprieties quite so strictly enforced as in men’s colleges that invite young women guests, especially over-night visitors in the fraternity houses.” Emily Post, 1937.
Posts: 6849 | From: The People's Republic of Balcones | Registered: Jan 2006
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
[cross-posted... hmmm, if Jetse is going to go into the city unilaterally, maybe I will send Frithwynne to go find Yaris. Although at the moment that seems out of character for Frithwynne; she's normally going to prefer to stay with the party.]
quote:
Originally posted by Ariston:
When was the last time you were able to just walk right up to a major political figure—say, the governor of a state—and demand an audience?
It's a heroic fantasy, of course we'll be able to walk right up. Or if we can't, the act of trying to find out how to do so will cause action to happen.
Not heroic fantasy, but in the same general idea of drama, My Name Is Khan would have been a much less interesting movie if Khan had stayed home writing letters through the correct heirarchical channels trying to get an audience with the president, instead of doing what the moviemakers had him do, which is set off on a quixotic cross-country journey expecting to be able to get to the president directly.
I don't expect anyone else to go along with this idea, but what the hell, I'm going to keep on harping on this until we decide on some alternative OOC, or until someone else takes decisive action IC that sends us down some other path.
Frithwynne's about to argue for this too, but of course there's no reason the other characters have to go along with her. And she's unlikely to take off on her own to seek out Yaris, so you're probably safe from Frithwynne forcing your hands towards Yaris unilaterally.
Do we have any mechanism for making a decision?
[ 18. August 2014, 18:40: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
Remember that Frithwynne has the old halberd blade.
quote:
Originally posted by Ariston:
For that matter, why exactly are we delivering a cartload of diamonds and other cargo to Yaris, no questions asked?
Because it's hers. Have we as a party decided to be outlaws instead (or freedom fighters, if you prefer)? Or are we OOC agreed that each of us IC will act in a completely IC way, in which case why are we bothering to try to agree on a course of action by OOC discussion?
[ 18. August 2014, 18:44: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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