Admin, OOC, and Launch Discussion

Movie deal. Bank. Booze. Hot bitches. Check, check, check, and check. Sounds good to me.

Game of Thrones step aside. Thanks for paving the way, but the next best thing is taking over.

Hell yeah, we're taking Dark Thrones ALL THE WAY UP!!!

Y'all, that's it for me. Out for the weekend - casual time on the boards. Open 24 hours obviously, feel free to drop in any details or draw out more convo, review, etc., but we'll hold any further story progress until Monday.

Thanks for the good entries and side bars. Peace.

J-Blaze

Oxbox! You're back!

Yea, I'm also elated that Ox is on a triumphant comeback.

I really liked Talius, RIP, but this new guy Bryn sounds like a bad dude from the word "Go". He counts out and tap-touches all of his blades on his body before he walks out the door every day, doing a ritual-like equipment check. Number of blades is unpublished, DM privilege knowledge, but it's a lot.

Oh shit! A Rogue Assassin!

The position of "Assassin" doesn't leave much wiggle room. Bryn is just good at killing and prefers his position to be referred to as rake.

True enough. Assassins are sort of the pariahs in the Alornic Sea region. It is a profession that some people want to hire, but no one wants to accommodate. Thieves especially, who get much praise and fanfare for their coolness, boldness, and professionalism, always want to separate themselves from being identified as an assassin.

Probably the only culture that enjoys the reputation of a good assassin is Sarcera, and maybe Seker.

A rake is a Yuoric city-slicker reference to the young (and maybe even not so young) toughs who hang out mostly in the bigger Yuoric port cities, primarily in Lanberis and to a lesser degree in Poyam, and several of the cities in Korvar like Siskanee and in Talancian ports like Feldspar.

Rake is a term for rough, usually poor, sell-swords, thieves, robbers, hustlers, and brigands in some of these big cities. They stand in alleys, often practicing knife fighting and club fighting with each other, trying to make a name for themselves. They group in what is sort of like "gangs" , flexing their muscles, looking tough, talking shit, trying to get laid and looking for work either robbing, mugging, or providing muscle to power hungry noblemen or rough warlords. Some go on to be corsairs, some go on to be full-out mercenaries, some go on to be master thieves, the worst will become assassins, but all of these guys are "rakes".

They are audacious, bold, brazen, reckless, immoral upstarts that are bad news and bound to become part of the rotten underbelly of the society unless they change their trajectory.

Maeriks has a small garden of several different herbs and spices that could use a good rake.

Bryn will give him a hand with his garden after he robs Maeriks blind.

Yo, fellas.

I know I've been neglecting the game schedj - heavy weight of work life bearing down on me right now.

Thought I would try something different on Ep 1. A scene about 1 or 1.5 hours in the future from the previous, so obviously I have to weave up a flashback coming next. Give you guys the scoop. BUT...I'm out of time so that will have to be tomorrow.

In the meantime, if anyone is up for it, there was time to speak with the Dannein who was seen integrated within the group of the little weirdo Tcho-Tchos. His name is Bryn Rynalt. Ox, you're welcome to lead the way on interacting with the new team, sharing any background you want.

Planning for the near-term future, going to go ahead and toss this out there with no elaboration:
Jabes, X, Ez,
Prepare to move Ivor, Thorn, and Kray to Level 5.

We've got some work to do with the Tcho-Tchos now. We need to recon the black temple and figure out what we can before disturbing it much. We should also organize several Tcho-Tcho groups to go burn down trees. I think having them coordinate a simultaneous attack would be best, to overwhelm the enemy's response to any one attack on a tree.

Do the Tcho-Tchos have any map of trees in the region?

You guys have any ideas on how to handle trees under water? (Probably should just leave them.)

I'm sure there is lots else we need to ask. What else?

Raid the Black Ziggurat, yes. Really looking forward to that. Sounds like some top notch dungeon type crawl.

Glad we have a rogue in Bryn. Ox, did you happen to Expertise the Thieves' Tools skill?

The Tree Network... unless they can be assassinated using a method similar to Rutcranna's (which seems like the silent way to take out a Tree), we should leave them alone. The swamp neighborhood is not that big (we're less than a day away from Team Glaaki by raft), and I'm sure fire will draw attention, especially multiple fires from different areas.

If I'm team Glaaki, I definitely send forces to check out the fires and the smoke, which most certainly aren't remotely normal in this area.

We should consult Rutcranna on this, essentially on what's the best approach and ask if the trees are simply a teleport network or also serve as detection points. Unless we can for sure take them out without Glaaki noticing (meaning poison), I say we follow the natives' knowledge and just avoid the Tree Network.

We don't know how long we'll be in the Ziggurat. And if Team Glaaki notices us too soon... we might have to fight multitudes to try and get out of the Zig. A small army, or a full one, could be waiting for us.

Let's go in quiet, do only what we have to do, straight up black ops, and if we're coordinating a Tree Network takedown it should happen when we leave the Ziggurat, when we're sure we're not penned in and have begun what is hopefully a smooth exfiltration. If/when we cut off Tree Network teleportation for The Hive, I say we do it at the last moment possible, maximizing our time efficiency by forcing Team Glaaki to have to slog through the swamp without TreeNet teleports. Perhaps we could send a signal when we leave... some horn, flaming arrow, drum call, etc.

A lot of this will depend on what Rutcranna knows. How long she thinks we'll need to get in/out, details on the Trees detection capabilities (if any), if she can make more Tree poison, etc.

J, I'm not sure if Rutcranna already told us, but do the trees have sentience/detection capabilities of any kind, or are they literally just a teleport network of sorts?

What else to ask:

off the top of my head, we should ask Chim Nolp and Rutcranna if there are any preparations to make before going in (besides bringing torches). You know, any witch/supernatural type prep, creatures we might expect to encounter, etc.

Not sure if you want to RP that kind of thing J, or just OOC it for simplicity. But Kray would def approach both of them about what to expect, trying to get as close as possible to having knowledge to the max, full mission briefing quality. Obviously I'm not sure he can get this, but he'd try. Knowledge on the enemy (number/type/combat tactics), the environment (size/depth/hazards), route to get there/get back (if different), TreeNet variables/options previously mentioned above, etc.

Also, Kray would look for straight up recommendations from Chim Nolp, Rutcranna, and anyone else (Bryn?) who seems knowledgeable. This is their backyard (and Bryn was already here so I'm guessing he has some knowledge), and they're the best source for intel.

Again, not sure how much you'd want to RP on this, but I figured it's worth rolling out the ideas here. I'll admit, the BZig is def calling, and I'm looking forward to some dungeon.

I need to explain a couple more items, mainly who is "The King in the Box" and also a few more known details that will make infil extremely nerve-wracking.
More to follow later, but I'm out of time for tonight.

Yes, Bryn has expertise in thieves tools and a few other skills too.

Sweet. Good to hear. If you'd have said no, I wouldn't have judged. There's all kinds of rogues. But really glad to hear he's got Expertise in Thieves Tools.

I highly considered expertise in acrobatics based on the demise of Talius -HA!

Yep. I get that completely. Well, if Bryn makes it to L6(?) you get to pick two more Expertise, IIRC. I have an interest in tapping into a level of rogue for...

Mechanics: +1 Skill, two Expertise, +1d6 damage on the Sneak Attack. A lot of value there.

RP: It really fits some of Kray's seedier life after living with the natives in Mozamyah Jungle, in the Gaerimundi Isles. basically his early 20's when he was hanging out in the worst parts of town being Debauchery Deathwish Man. Good thing he straightened out so he could be out here in the swamp.

I feel like some Rogue might be tossed in, just a question of when and how many levels (5-6 levels seems like a sweet spot). Really good stuff in there, good feel RP-wise too. Considering the hybrid options between Fighter/Barbarian/Rogue, including the archetypes... lots of possibilities.

J, going off that last post, when do you need our level ups finished?

Also, I'm definitely curious about Maeriks and Bryn. You guys mind sharing their builds? Doesn't have to be an ultra-detailed rundown (of course we've got that group character page for sharing and caring, if you want to post up and get the details out there for all).