Episode 2

May 1, 2018 9:57 am

lenpelletier says:

At the meeting, Sizhen hangs off of Palla Ba's every word. He commits to memory the design of the Archalasian olbol, the painting of Armaros, the map of the Cursed Palace of the Adriyelat Kings, and every sentence that Palla Ba speaks.

"I accept these terms." he responds to Palla Ba. Then, he turns to Brynn and his crew.

"If this treasure hoard is as big as it sounds, it will be hard to move it without making waves. I have some experience in these matters, both official and unofficial. Since it sounds like official channels are cut off to you right now. I will assume the same risk as everyone in joining this venture, and will pledge to use my untarnished name and connections to make this treasure as fluid as a flowing river. I expect only an equal cut of the treasure, and that Iz Jeddriss must be destroyed."

OOC:

I'll leave it up to J how much I can convey of this to the other players given my language limitations. Also, rolling history to see if I know anything about the devil Armaros or the Adriyelat Empire.

...

Palla Ba says to Sizhen, "It may turn out a great benefit to call upon your contacts in the silk trade, Lord Lao. I know that you and your associate have a broad reach to many cities. Lok and I have plans to move your team and your carry out of Gelshemish, either to the north or south we cannot yet determine for certain. I suspect this group may prefer moving north, but know this: that is likely a way more treacherous. The Nasi have many contacts and control way points along nearly any route back to the Alornic."

He continues, talking to Sizhen primarily but also making eye contact with all to make sure all info is shared. "We may find more safety and success in heading south. If you were to make it to Thakj, then you would be able to catch an anonymous caravan and disappear to any of the south rim cities."

"We have passage through Jara Hili, and avoiding known routes used by the Sar's Armsmen. We are still determining what routes are optimal from the wilderness, given the sway of the local rural powers. If the best option is north, it will be northwest, and we will aim for your arrival in Hachal. If south, then Thakj and on to either Sayd or Bet Qasar. I suspect that you may have connections of sorts in all of those sites, Lord Lao."

Note DMJ to lenpelletier REVEALED...
Palla Ba is quite right. Lao does have some contacts and at least minor knowledge of Hachal in Heshba, and Sayd and Bet Qasar in Bishtaan. Nothing extremely familiar, but at least you know the basics of some of the official and unofficial power and money lines at each.

Sizhan has been to Hachal. It is sort of a rural mid-size town, somewhat near the southern border lands of Kortella. Upside: closer to Kortella. Downside: it is REALLY Heshbaan. Not sure how cooperative the locals would be if the situation was stressful. They would likely be nosy.

Sizhen has been to Sayd once briefly. Never to Bet Qasar, but he knows of it through traveling personnel and business transactions. Both cities are on the moderate to low-large size. Upside: Both on rivers and allow for broader travel. Bishtu cities allow for more anonymity. Downside: as normal, there are some dangerous men and factions in most Bishtu cities.

On History:
Not an outstanding final number rolled, but the story of Armaros' role in the downfall of the Adriyelat line of Kings is at least known at a cursory level to anyone who reads or asks some questions about Gelshemish history. I am sure Sizhen has done so.

Sizhen remembers one writing that claimed that Armaros was said to be "in league with vile Apep". Apep is a known devil most associated with Ancient Otessa. It makes sense to Sizhen that Armaros' mission could have originated from that land of great and ancient evil during the olden days when Otessa was mightier and its kings in open worship of darkness.

The Adriyelat dynasty is most closely associated with Gelshemish's grand centuries, when it endured the collapse of both nearby empires Archalasia and Zutar. Many of the Adriyelat Kings were exceptionally wise, prolific writers, poets, architects, and masterful artists. For many centuries, they had Halonian engineers as their teachers and advisers. The stunning architecture and infrastructure of Gelshemish, once called the City at the Center of the World, is definitely due largely to the great Adriyelat Sars of the past.
[/note]

May 1, 2018 10:27 am

Note DMJ to HypCo REVEALED...
Palla Ba nods sincerely to Thirteen and puts his hand on Thirteen's shoulder to reassure him. It is clear that the old man does not want to cause any more stress than necessary.

"Very well then. The choice to accept these gifts is up to you and no other. I will place them here on this dresser. They are yours to take if you choose. I do wish for you to take them. To me they are of infinite value, if they are in your hands. If not, then their value is negligible. Beyond these words, I will compel you no more."

He lays the items neatly on a cabinet dresser near the door.

He smiles then continues after sitting Thirteen down and pouring tea. "The Yuorics and Dannein mercenaries, and the Alijanian expert nobleman, all will be joining us soon. I will speak to them about an opportunity of high drama and danger. I will seek to appeal to their love of wealth, adventure, and knowledge to compel a willful decision to rob a place thought to be cursed. I do not believe in such curses, but the site is likely quite dangerous. Entry within it will call for courage and a surely combat, for there is a villain who dwells there. While these fellow travelers seek treasure and notoriety, I seek one thing: the destruction of the darkness that threatens this city and lures a good man to evil. I hope that these men will kill the Devil Iz Jeddriss, and all of his minions and heirs."

Sipping tea, he pauses to let that information settle. "Thirteen, I have a great favor to ask of you. I must be direct about it. I wish that you would accompany these men. You have already earned trust among them. And you are a deadly weapon, your entire body is an instrument of war. The techniques that you have been mentored in are known to be the defeat of enemies natural and supernatural."

He looks at Thirteen, and Thirteen sees into his fully dilated eyes that have only a thin rim of brown in a sea of black. "My young friend, I make no hesitation in speaking clearly: I would ask that you wage war against this Devil that plagues us. Whether it is Iz Jeddriss, his bestial minions, his profane thralls, his lieutenants or successors, I wish them all to be smote to ruin, their eyes forever closed to the final darkness."

"For this, I ask you to invade the House of Adriyalet alongside these foreigners and do whatever might be done to accomplish this dangerous goal. If you would do this, you will be able to claim an equal share of wealth beyond your wildest dream."

"And I, a very old but very sincere tinkerer, will be forever in your debt, and will do all in my power for the rest of my life to repay you ." [/note]

May 1, 2018 11:00 am

OOC:

Fellas,

Sorry. I've been a lot slower on posts than I would have hoped. Work is really busy plus have a lot of obligations in evenings with high school lacrosse. But I want to keep this moving.

Will try to frame this up in a list of my assumptions:

1) Everyone accepts the proposal of the palace raid and generally starts working to initiate the mission
2) Everyone drinks the Blue Vapor tea and takes the booster flask for later
3) Someone picks up the White Cast Iron pike knives. Ivor has one. Who takes the other two?
4) Map and side door key and two crowbars are taken with someone. Who?
5) The foreign visitors groups go back to bases immediately (Sizhen to Shalanum's, others Balanser's), get gear, and depart again under assumption that they may never stop back by again. They don't tell anyone about the mission. What about Gibon and Amit?
6) For the most part, the group packs up reasonable carry equipment, including wearing armor. Lok and Trece go with the group to Balanser's and assembles a small collection of large war items and some backpacks. Using a pull-cart and passage credentials, they will transfer this to a close-overwatch cache point which will be a final rally and assembly point before the final approach to the palace.
7) Everyone remains "in observance" with robes and masks all the while moving through the city.
8) Appearing as penitent pilgrims, the group moves carefully into the Old Temple section of the city. Looking for a moment of opportunity, they break boundaries and quickly move to the cache rally point near the palace. This is where everyone meets up. Danneins/Yuorics + Trece + Sizhen = the team is together.
9) In late evening, the hour before sunset, the group makes the final stretch of risky movement from the staging point up to the Palace. This will be coordinated with a small window of time where the Armsmen patrol will be diverted momentarily by an inside collaborator.
10) All team members will be in full battle equipment, but not carrying heavy backpack loads. Non-essentials are left with Lok to be staged in the exfil rally point at some nearby stables. They will have empty baggage to load projected loot. They will carry lighting supplies in the form of lanterns and a few back-up torches.
11) General plan is to raid, kill, rob, steal, and then escape. Ideal departure time is before sunrise. Lok will be monitoring exfil rally point through the night and beyond. Everyone will get there and follow his lead to get out of the city under disguise.
12) Hopefully the entire thing goes nonchalantly in full secrecy, but it is fully known that risks are increasing. The Korvarans may soon be on the hunt with the Armsmen on their side.

I'll be intermittent for the rest of the day, but will try to keep pressing as possible.

Read through the above. Scrutinize. Send qualifiers, corrections, concerns, questions.
If no objections, send consent if you are so inclined.
I would prefer a quick sound-off from everyone just so that we all know that the player team is ready to rock. But if there is silence, I will assume consent.

From there, we’re on the move at steady pace. Prepare to cut to the chase.

Good luck.

May 1, 2018 2:45 pm

I like the proposed plan. Seems well organized.

Kray's Loadout

I'll carry the Key and the map (Kray is a cartographer, part of the reason be has an interest in distant lands and culturea).

Carried:

---Serpent's Judgement (Otessite blade) (2 lb)
---Pylosean Falcata (2 lb)
---Gaeirmundi Knife (1 lb)

Picked Up Before Raid from Lok:
---Backpack
---4 daggers
---Medium Shield
---Tinderbox (1 lb)
---Chalk x2 (-- lb)
---Candle x4 (-- lb)
---Sack (.5 lb)
---Crowbar

---Torches x 3 (1 lb each)
---Waterskin (5 lb when full)
---Rations x1 (2 lb)

--Hammer
--Pen
--Bottle of Ink
--parchment sheets x2

If any of this doesn't fit J, let me know.

Last edited May 1, 2018 8:44 pm

May 1, 2018 7:03 pm

If someone else wants to carry the side door key that's fine with me. As long as that someone is preferably high on the defensive side of things (hp, ac, etc). Because you never know. I remember how close Kray came to dying on Old Island at the top of round 1, and he's been built high defense hard to kill since the get go.

As far as navigating, I think we should be pretty good between Sizhen's Keen Mind direction sense and Kray's cartography.

May 1, 2018 8:38 pm

Crowbars to the muscle? Ivor and Thorn?

Last edited May 1, 2018 8:39 pm

May 2, 2018 2:23 pm

The Old Temple District

The Old Temple District is a section of the city that is walled off and abandoned. It is off limits and patrolled by guards. It is clear that the area once long ago must have looked immaculate, beautiful, and awe inspiring. Now it is neglected, run down, cracked, grimy, rusted, showing signs of gradual overgrowth as vegetation grows through cracks and moss begins to stand on stone. There is some upkeep, minimal clearing perhaps, but over the decades apparently less and less.

Now the entire area is an image of a failed past, imposing still because of its massive size and decor of neglect, but also a mix of scary and pitiful.

OOC:

Below are picture. As usual, not an EXACT match of what I am wishing, but hopefully they can help get a visual.

In all cases, I think of these pictures being representative of what this section of town USED TO BE. Now the structure remains, but the place is abandoned and neglected. It now has the shell and skeleton of what it once was but no life and no color. It has a haunted empty dark look now.

The Palace itself is not represented well in the first picture, but the location is good. The Palace is a magnificent 3-story building with elaborate trim work and exterior decor. Surrounding the Palace are several support buildings, all within the inner courtyard, but they will not be discussed in much detail unless the story steers us that way.

The Old Temple District

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/b54gvp65ddaa5jg/Old%20Temple%20District%20Labeled.JPG

Inner Courtyard around Cursed Palace

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/lfniqynr8pkle6q/Old%20Palace.jpg

The Sealed Citadel, the Red Bastion

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/7bh3sva26v5hrfp/Gelshemish%20Red%20Bastion.jpg

May 2, 2018 2:38 pm

You are jogging briskly, crossing the broad span from the cache point, into the expansive inner courtyard, and on even further to reach the Cursed Palace itself.

You feel so exposed now, fully visible in the open courtyard. There is no avoiding it. There is no cover or concealment to use in the approach to the palace.

And no known ground level entry points save those at the front gate-like door and the two smaller ones to the left and right on the same southern face of the building.

In this area, all of the structures are imposing, huge titans of the past, towering into the sky. It is as if they are standing in judgment over you as you run beneath them.

Trusting that the Armsman collaborator has moved the patrol elsewhere, you make the stretch of space. Now you are at the front of the building.

The main door gate looks sealed. It is between statues of two lions, sitting tall upright though severely weathered and worn.

The side door to the right, the one to which the key is supposed to belong, is apparently over to the right within a section of covered awning like a patio. The door is not visible yet, but should be within the sheltered area.

It is near sunset. There is no sound except the falls of your own feet on the bricks.

What do you do?

Reference Link: Ground Floor Palace Map
(currently approaching exterior position 3)

Action Team:
Bryn
Ivor
Kray
Maeriks
Sizhen
Thorn
Trece

May 2, 2018 9:31 pm

Len Inactive for 1 months

Ezeriah says:

...
Kray's Loadout...

...

If any of this doesn't fit J, let me know.

OOC:

All above sounds just fine.

Sizhen Lao

May 3, 2018 6:38 am

Sizhen graciously accepts the two remaining white cast iron pike knives, with thanks. When he returns to Shalanum's, he puts the wheels in motion for establishing treasure transport out of the city. And, when he reunites with the team at dusk, he retrieves his gear from the cache and stows it meticulously.

When they approach the door that matches their key, he will search the area for traps and other surprises.

OOC:

Adding my 2 scimitars to the previous load-out list, having them dropped off in the cache. I'll carry the new WCIP knives on my person. If anyone wants one of them, I'm happy to share. With the extended crit range and x3 multiplier, it probably best on another rogue.

Rolls

Wisdom (Perception) search for traps. - (1d20+9)

(4) + 9 = 13

Kray Mercon

May 3, 2018 7:34 am

Kray paused to breathe the moment in, weighing the history of the place in his mind. For that moment his imagination dominated as he considered all that the palace had 'seen' over the passage of time, from a day ago to centuries ago. Lost in thought, it was the eerie silence of the courtyard that brought him back to the business at hand. And as far as getting into the palace, Kray's preference of method was typically of the more subtle variety.

"Before we make noise with the lions here at the gate, let's try to be welcome guests. Let ourselves in through the side door." At that, Kray cautiously approaches the side door, his senses tuned toward heightened vigilance.

Definitely have an eye out for traps, critters (of any kind), threats, etc. Of course keeping an eye out for anything worth noting.

May 3, 2018 12:26 pm

The group angles over to the right and moves under the covered area, a rugged patio with a shingled roof structure. It once must have looked comfortable and inviting. Now it is degraded, it's more perishable materials rotting away around the stone columns and metal brackets.

Kray and Sizhen approach the door. Kray pulls out the key and sees that it does appear to be the same sizing to fit a heavy door that is set in the front-facing wall.

Required Action: Kray send Perception check

May 3, 2018 12:31 pm

OOC:

Take the time now to talk to me about default Movement positioning of the characters, door stack and entry order, wider hallway travel marching order, etc.

You can always change it and tailor for any future situation, I'm just looking to have some sort of visual and general idea that can serve as roughly a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tactical movement and battle stance.

May 3, 2018 6:41 pm

Xorthan Inactive for 3 months

DMJ says:

OOC:

Take the time now to talk to me about default Movement positioning of the characters, door stack and entry order, wider hallway travel marching order, etc.

You can always change it and tailor for any future situation, I'm just looking to have some sort of visual and general idea that can serve as roughly a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tactical movement and battle stance.

Suggested SOP:

B=Bryn
I=Ivor
K=Kray
M=Maeriks
S=Sizhen
T=Thorn
R=Trece

---Single file---

K
T
I
R
M
S
B (Alert feat? Makes a good rearguard to avoid surprises)

---Two wide---

KT
IR
MS
B

---Three wide---

IKT (front line flanked by Sentinel PC's)
RSM (durable guys toward the edges)
B (Alert feat rear guard)

---Four wide---:

I R K T
M B S

---Stealth advance---
Stealth characters toward front with separation from the not so quiet guys, allowing a forward advance recon group ahead of the other group.

-Not a formation below, just want to give J a quick reference if we ever decide to have a forward recon group or break the group into Sneaky and Not So Sneaky.

-Also, if you see yourself on the Stealth ordered list and think you're out of place, we can adjust. The numbers to the right are what that character's Stealth skill bonus.

K-8
B-8
R-8(?)
S-4
I-?
T-?
M-?

Clearly, all of the the above won't always pan out that way, but in general are ideals for SOP. The general idea is to keep our Sentinels (Ivor and Thorn) on the flanks with the more durable guys up front (Kray, Ivor, Thorn, Trece).

Bryn is our floater from the back with his sneak attack, allowing him to get into good spots to exploit that. Sizhen is back there too, for the same reason. Maeriks is back there because he has some healing spells (and other spells) and it's always good to generally insulate PC's with healing potential, at the very least from opening round beatings (see Kray near death experience, *top* of round 1, Old Island).

Ultimately, when combat goes down we'll ideally want Ivor and Thorn on the edges with Bryn, Sizhen and Maeriks floating/filling in the line as necessary.

Last edited May 3, 2018 6:48 pm

Thorn

May 4, 2018 7:49 am

Thorn straps Urdav's blade in place and hefts one of the crowbars. He's back in his armor, and armed once more with his instrument of death. It feels natural, and yet gone is the small sense of freedom he felt without it. His mask feels hot against his face.

OOC:

SOP looks good to me, Ez.

Thorn's stealth bonus is a whopping +1, for the record.

Jabes.plays.RPG

May 4, 2018 10:56 am

OOC:

Yeah those suggested formations look good to me. Ivor's Stealth is +3.

May 4, 2018 11:34 am

Map Reference: Palace, Ground Floor, Room 5, related to door to Room 9

[ +- ] Ground Floor Palace

With the sun setting, it is darker under the cover of the side veranda shelter roof.

Kray notices a cluster of bats hanging upside down, tucked up high in the darkness of the high corner of the rafters where the failing framework is bolted onto the side of the stone blocks of the palace wall.

Sizhen scans across the large door and its threshold. He looks for any out of the ordinary mechanisms or danger signs. He sees none, although he does notice that there is some old strange bracket of some sort bolted onto the wall above the door. It has a metal tab that extends over the door.

The door itself is hinged on the right, so it will open outward from left swinging over to the right. On the right sidewall, there is some sort of old slide track and rod. Sizhen cannot quite figure out what it is for sure. It may have been some old bolting or reinforcement measure, but it would seem odd to have that mount externally. It does not seem that the mechanism could function to slide in the track, if that were its purpose. The track and the rod both are heavily covered with rust and grime, and there is no pivot or screw mechanism visible that might turn or drive the rod forward or back.

Sizhen gives one more inspection of the key and handle. Seeing no traps, he nods to Kray.

Kray inserts the key, shifts it around until it seats, and then turns counterclockwise.

Click. The key turns, sliding what feels to be a heavy bolt inside the structure of the latch mechanism. Kray can tell that that the door is unlocked now.

There is a heavy bronze ring that serves as the door handle and pull. Kray tries it carefully once. The door does not budge. Kray can tell that it is sealed in place from its tight fit and probable lack of use.

He nods back for everyone to get ready, then takes the large handle in both hands. With a strong heave he pulls back. The force breaks the seal of the jammed door. The heavy wooden door groans and creaks. The hinges grind and squeal as they pivot.

The big door opens. Inside an angular shape of light casts out onto a dusty stone tiled floor, light shining in and marking one small section of visibility.

In the room beyond: only darkness. Everyone peers in, but their eyes cannot adjust well enough to the make out anything beyond the few feet of the dim shine of natural sunlight that barely pierces into the room.

May 4, 2018 1:12 pm

DMJ sent a note to Xorthan

May 4, 2018 1:25 pm