Roleplay Channel

Hey folks, here is a good channel to roleplay between sessions.

As everyone is running south, Beau calls back "I am going to go get the draft horse. Then we high tail it? Agreed?"

Hey everybody, Just a reminder that game is tomorrow night ( Wednesday, July 14th @ 9:00 PM EST ). For my international folks, that translates into 34 hours from now. We will be resuming the combat at the farmhouse, against Vortigern, Talon, his half-orc mercenaries, and the small army of the undead he summoned to destroy you. Hope to see you all there! All Best, Rob

Beau will gather folks. "Ok here are my thoughts. We got two ways to handle this relatively safely. First we go to the old farm and make a few pit traps and use the bear traps to make a fortified position to attack with ranged weapons. Put bait on the pit traps to lure it in and wait. Second we try and track it to find its feeding areas or lair. We then place the bear traps and make tree stands to shoot it range and wait for it to come."

Eisen : "I like the idea of lair. There is a more than safe chance of it returning to lair than to the farm. It has dried away the farm."

Trev: "We also try to block it from running away. It's a beast and if it feels like it's losing, it might run away."

Beau says "Well ok, we find its range and setup a spot. What do you suggest to keep it from running? Oh and I met those two who are joining us, one is a rogue! Other is a fighter." Beau will motion those two over to join them. "So boys, we are after an Owlbear, we have been paid 200 gold for supplies, which your welcome too and another 1000 when we kill it. Once we finish this, we have more to tell too"

"A fine of 250 if we can't kill it and if we can't pay then a punishment of towns discretion. Don't forget to mention that Beau." Eisen chimes in. "As for closing escape, I suggest traps will be effective, setting up traps after it has entered will do just fine. As long as we keep a bombard of attacks on him"

Beau does a quick shout "Retreat to the north tower and we can make our stand there!"

During the four days they are at town he will gather his party. "So I say we get some basic tactics down. Trev if you would, please lets stay should to shoulder. Everyone else please stay behind Trev and I, we are your shield wall. Anyone know how to use a healing kit? I kind figured out how to, bit of a jack of all trades myself. We should use them in fights to heal each other. Those two things would really help us I feel. Hunter do you mind if Eisen or myself do the negotiating going forward? Like to get a touch more out of the selfish people we work for. Also do we have a though on what we wanna do after the tower? I wish to go home to Bard's Gate and then advance on that Dungeon of Graves myself. Glad we all survived!"

Eisen: I thinks that's a good idea. I can handle the talks but expect to get much from people like Arlen. As for tactics if you could gather a couple of enemies in the same spot then I could deal quite a good amount of damage to them. As for what to do after. I guess we can help out more in Fairhill. The rumours aren't dwindling for sure.

Beau perks up "Do you know the fireball ability? The Boros are all about fire and that is one of the best! I do wish to go East and travel to a little town called Zelkor's Ferry eventually"

Eisen : Not fire I deal with ice.

Trev: "I have no problem fighting along side you, Beau, but I'm not as tough as you warriors. I will still try my best."

Beau finds everyone "So how are everyone's tonic supplies? I can make healing tonics, takes a day and 25gp. if we take a few more days, I can stock everyone up."

Well that sounds like a good idea, but we are on a time limit.  We've already burnt enough time as it is.  I say we move on as soon as possible.

"He is right, after the time we spent preparing ourselves, I think we should move quickly. Don't know how many reinforcements they could gather if we give them more time"

Beau says "We have thirty days and have spent four. They could get reinforcements but that human you hate Wick sounds like he was prepared to sit this out with the forces he has currently. So if you wish to attack now, we can do it. I do suggest going forward we take time to gather information, get supplies we need and train as often as we can afford. I was trained to outfit a company. I am really good at finding rich people who buy and sell magical items and soon I will be able to craft specific items at half normal prices."

Beau ponders a bit and then outlines his plan.  "Ok we advance on the fort, on the way I look for an bird or too and I take 10 minutes to use a hymn upon it. I ask it to scout the fort and descript it as best it can. That way we have an idea of the state of our enemy and if they have moved all their resources to guard the back way in. Once we know that, I then find a few more animals and ask if they will cause a rukus on the opposite way. So to pull the orcs attention that way. Then we advance on the fort the opposite way. We need to get up top quick, taking the same position as last time. Then we rain death down on them. I will use smoke and hold the line and call thunder down if I can get a bunch together."

As their scouts pull back into the woods, Beau says "So drop smoke and advance or pull around to secret way in?"

Beau stops and prays a moment. He then says "I just got this feeling that in that room are spiders, giant spiders. I believe Trev and I should go first and let our metal armor protect us. On another note, once we open this place up, what are we going to do? How do we want to handle loot as well?"

Beau will meet with everyone afterward. "So they always shoot the messenger. Why I didn't want to tell them Trev but I feel you were right. I suggest we stay and deal with this creature. Maybe stick at the town for a week to see if it will come attack and if not, we make a new contract with the Magistrate and go clear it out. I say we charge 500gp a person. We may want to go to Bard's Gate and supply, this threat is pretty big... In Bard's Gate I could find us items to use, I was trained to buy and sell magical things. Does anyone want me to make healing tonics for them? It takes me one day and 25gp for each. After this undead is dealt with, I saw we rest a few weeks here, we should find out if there is anything else beside the troll to deal with. Then go to Bard's Gate to supply then come back and deal with these local threats. Oh and this new dwarf, what's your name sir? I am Beau, this is Eisen, Trev and Hunter."

I agree, but I do not know if we need magic weapons to deal damage to this creature. It took down wick in less than one round.

Well met gentlemen.  I am Dwarinn Axe Dancer, at your service.  I have come at the behest of the Magistrate of Fairhill, Arlen.  Something about some damned fooled adventures clearing out an old keep, full of orcs.  He asked if was interested in employment.  He didn't know it at the time, but he had me at killing Orcs and damned fools! Hahahaha.  You all must be the damn fools, and you sound like my kind of people! HAHAHA.  I've come down here by caravan, hepled thwart off some bandits and such.  Stopped by a few towns along the way.  We stopped by this one little town where I met up with a couple of Dragon Born ladies at a tavern, one was red the other was blue, and after a few rounds of ale I was able to make purple with those two that night Gentlemen, Hahahaha! I love how the color scheme works! HAHAHA!  So I've also been tasked by my Lord Adoz, King of Abad-Durahai, to find the Silver Cross of St. Yora.  A holy artifact of my people.  It may prove useful against your newest nemesis.  So are you fool enough to help me find it, Hahahah! of course you are.  What Say you my new  Friends?!  

*turns red at the colors statement* "Ok so what do you know about this relic? I am game to get it if its local and we can..."

"We will need all of the help we can get though I warn you. This might be a suicide mission."

"We need to read that journal and find out what he is and how to defeat him."

Eisen: "I'm on it. It'll take a couple of hours but let's see what i can find from it"

( I should have led with this, so here we go )  Dwarinn Wears full plate armor with Shield, and wields a battleaxe, with a war hammer strapped to his side, along with 2 hand axes.  All of Dwarven make.  Magical looking runes are etched on his armor, shield, and weapons.  His armor is thick and shield is broad.  With his ram horned helmet he stands close to 5'06".  A perch, built on to his left shoulder of his armor, resides a live owl, whom Dwarinn affectionately calls Anvil. Regardless of Dwarinn's height, he is an imposing figure.

You face is turning red my friend Beau, Your not shy are you!? Hahahahah.  Barmaid, here a gold piece, come and show my friend Beau there is no need to  be shy.  ( Dwarinn whispers out loud to himself )  Wait one minute, ( Dwarinn looks Beau over with a scrutinizing eye, and says) Ah by the Gods, with a mug like that, It's going to cast more!  Dwarinn Shouts out Barmaid, 5 gold to teach my friend the ways of the world!  HAhahaha!  Now while we wait for her to decide if that's enough gold or not, on to the relic.  The silver cross of ST. Yora is said to be a powerful against the undead and other creatures of the night.  Legend has it, Saint Yora, a mighty Dwaven Priestess, famously hunted down and destroyed such creatures in her day many centuries ago.   The relic is believed to be lost in the wilderness near Rappan Athuk, where Saint Yora succumb to her injuries sustained in a battle at the ancient evil temple of Tsathigga.  ( Dwarinn spits on the ground after Speaking the word Tsathogga ) He is the ever hungry, the demon lord of frogs and swamp things.  So We find the temple, we find the The relic.  It's as easy as a Tiefling prostitute on payday! Hahahahaha!  Oh and yes my new friend Trev, I know it's dangerous, but you see I've already spoken with the Gods, and they say I'll be fine, But you, they said your screwed! Hahahahaha!  Just kidding my friends, Lets have round of ale, and toast to the company of the Fool's Errand! Hahahaha!

Beau takes a deep breath at all that, he says "Well I am game to go find this temple. Just means a lot of traveling. I suggest we take a week here and see if that thing comes out or not. Then we decided, I suggest to go to Bard's Gate if there are no attacks, get some items and come back."

As the weeks progress, Beau will gather everyone. Beau looks very sheepish. "I am a miss... We really need to help Fairhill, I know we discussed going to this frog temple but I have a lead on a powerful gem that will summon an elemental. I believe with the elementals help, we can defeat this undead. I strongly suggest we head back now and solve this problem immediately. If we are lucky, it has not left or murdered everyone in town."

Whenever the group meets, he will relay his findings to the group  The thing in the keep is an undead - it is an umbral vampire not a lich They have twice the power in dim light and darkness. and considerably weaker in direct sunlight. If we can't bring it to sunlight, but we should keep in sunlight. They are immune to necrotic and frost [cold] damage and they resist non-magical weapons, and acid, fire, lightning, and thunder. If mortals were to die at hands of an umbral vampire, they could likely rise as shadows under their direct control. They can hide in shadows in a moments notice and right in front of everyone's eyes. They can attack at longer ranges as long as shadows exist around it. Other than his finding of the creature, Eisen will share Eralion's Journal to those he wishes to read it and the his possible induction as an official Magus into the Imperial College. His Nightly Adventures in inn with Dark will be kept a secret from group, but not his meeting with the Archmage Pertinax [ Teferi, Hero of Dominaria ] and his run in with Turane.

Beau confirms this from what the cleric said. "Looks like the guards and our old friend will be there to meet us.... We have to go deal with this before it grows. If it is still there at the keep, my thoughts are to cut a hole in the top of the keep right over the way down. Maybe get some mirrors to direct the light if we need. Use the gem to destroy it and the shadows it spawned. The gem cost 350 gold, do any wish to chip in?"

I will chip in 50 Gp

Will pitch in a 70 for the gem

Dwarinn meets up with the group from time to time to convey his activities and findings.  ( The Manor of Windowless Stone, in the hill district, that is were I'll be staying while we're in Bards G ate.  It's where you can eat red meat of the bone, ale flows like a ragging river, Dwarves can be Dwarves, and women can be satisfied! Hahahahahaha!  It's like a home away from home!) A few days pass, and when Dwarinn meets the party members, he proudly shows them his handy work.  On the inside of his shield, he shows you two scrolls attached to his large shield.  Ancient, arcane, Dwarven symbols are written on the scrolls.  A knowledge You are surprised Dwarinn has.  ( Hahahaha! Shield scrolls attached to my shield! A shield within a shield, Let some flat nose orc try and hit me now! HAHAHAHAHA!) 2nd week, the party members notice Dwarinn spends most of his time at the   Library of the Temple of Muir and less time at the Manor. At the end of the week Dwarinn reveals his activities to the party he affectionately calls The Company of the Fools Errand.    (Humph, I've spent too much time reading this week, and not enough time drinking.  However, it was not in vain.  Trev The Silver Cross of Saint Yora, in your hands will make undead   and  lycanthropes   run in fear of you.  Once you attune yourself to it, you will become a defender against those denizens.  I have a hunch it could damage them as well, but a last, the library resources are limited on ancient Dwarven artifacts.  We may consider retrieving the Cross, before we tangle with that creature in that pit, but I will defer to what action we decide on as a group.  I would also point out Hunter would probably be less skittish about confronting this creature if we had the Cross with us.  However what I will not defer to, and this is nonnegotiable!, (Dwarinn eyes the entire group slowly, quietly, with a stern, serious look on his face)  is to not have an ale right now! HAHAHAHAHA! Lets drink up my friends! 3rd week,  the party members notice Dwarinn walking around town, picking up supplies.  Whats strange is he is not wearing his armor.  He is wearing common clothing and a blacksmiths apron.  Traveling to and from the Manor.  But not to worry, he finds plenty of time to drink his ale.  You learn he is working with the smiths at the manor this week.

While Drinking with Hunter, Dwarinn says to him.  ( Hunter my, frail little elf, I know you want to have a magic weapon when we go and fight this creature.  I'm not disputing that, it would be wise to have one, and you say we don't have one.  Which is true, however didn't you tell me your friend Wick was entrusted with a magic long sword, which he was wearing when he fell to his death at the bottom of the pit.  Now I don't know much about Umber vampires, but somthing tells me their not clean freaks.  My point being friend, is there is a magic weapon attached to your friend's waist in a sheath.  Isn't it's name Valkyria .  I'm sure your friend Wick wouldn't mind if you borrowed it to slay the creature.  Maybe you could return it to the priest, who entrusted Wick with it, and full fill his oath to her.  Now on to another important matter at hand.  Will you please stop extending your little finger when you drink your ale! Your embarrassing me in front of all these patrons.  And that better be ale in your mug too!  Not some foo foo fey wild drink!  Silly Elf.  HAHAHAHAHA!

After listening to everyone, Beau states a plan of action. "Ok we will have the main beast and about 13 shadow guards to deal with. They all need dim light or better to really hurt us. So I say we cut a hole in the roof over the shaft down. We flood the area with oil, light it to make a huge blaze.. After all this, Trev cant you call on your faith against undead? Eisen I believe your mind trick you used on the ogre could work on it. I will talk down to it and weaken its will. Either way kill the shades after we tie the vampire up mentally, then destroy the vampire. Can you do the faerie fire Trev? Its a great thing vs their ability to hide. So we go to Fairhill, find out the current situation, get a contact at 1200 gold each (at least) then go to the keep at dawn and open up the roof over his lair. We expect him to come out at night, we put out pools of oil all over to light and cause a huge blaze. If he decides to not come out, we cut away all the stone eventually exposing him to the sun. So we will need lots of kegs of oil and pickaxes."

Trev nods. "I can try to frighten the undead with the Twilight Mother's might, but it's not for sure. As for Fairie Fire, I'll cast it the moment it rears itself to us."

Dwarinn speaks to the Party when they are all together "Humph, are we really going to hunt down an Umber Vampire with out the Silver Cross of Yora?  It's the group's choice, but I'm of the same mind set as Hunter, I ain't going in unless we have something to fight with.  As I have said before The Silver Cross of Yora in the Hands of Trev here would give us a great advantage against the the unholy abomination.  I know it'll take some time to go and hunt for the yora's cross, but the damage is done.  The village we left may not be inhabited by the living any more.  We've already been gone three weeks as it is. It's something to think about, Before we really earn the name Company of the Fools Errand.  HAHAHAHAHA!

"Beau I agree with you dwarf but its the time factor. This creature could easily turn commoners into more shades... A same with any adventurers they send there to deal with this. I say lets go get this cross once the town is safe."

Hello all, we have reached a point that some decisions need to be made. Three things I want to bring forward.   We need a party leader, this voting stuff is for the birds. We should all be able to provide our valuable insights but someone needs to make the decisions.  I am happy to be the leader but if someone else wants it, speak up. If we all agree I am the leader, I still want to hear what people want to do.   What are we going to do with Magical items we find? Like the ring I found, it is worth over 4000 gold. Wait until we find some major item that is worth 200,000 gold. I say whoever wants something, speaks up. If more than one person wants it, lots are drawn. Once you pick something, you cant pick anything again until everyone has gotten at least one item they want. If no one directly wants it, we sell the items and split the coin. Also if you die, your magical items are split or sold for the party, other effects are sent back to your kin or buried with you.   Upon consideration of our foes actions, I feel we need a new plan. We all feel the attacks on locals needs to stop or at least be slowed down. Right now he has about 30 or more shades he has turned.  Does he keep a watch on his crypt? This is important because when he goes out to murder, his crypt is open to being plundered. If we scout the crypt and lay wait until he leaves, then rush in and loot it. I think  he would stop his attacks for a week or so. This would allow us to look for possible allies against him. I feel we should approach Gethrame, it is obvious she has a tie to our foe and we should listen to what she has to say. She is in a cave north west of the keep. Also Eisen, I agree gathering foes to help us, is a brilliant strategy. The giant was a bit unstable and I think dwarves and giants have some special beef.

I say we vote for the party leader. Lol. Hunter respectfully declines all of the request to be the party leader. Magic item rule sounds good but some times there may be an item that only one of us can use that dose not follow the order of the rule. For the looting of the creature's crypt, that could enrage him and make him kill more innocent people. For every action there is a reaction of unknown consequence. We can only speculate what the creature will do and make plans to stop it. 

Good insights Hunter. If a specific class or race item is found, we can decide what to do with it then. It would bypass normal agreements. That is a good thought about enraging him. I see two strategies: Lay a trap for him. We occupy a farm that has been abandoned or that he has already attacked and put down light light sources that can be quickly lit.  So when they attack, we create LOTS of light and concentrate on killing him. This strategy would really hinge on you Trev. You would need to fairy fire him, because he would run once we weaken him. But if he is lit up, the air elemental could easily keep up with him and beat him down. Also the shades would swarm us, so you need to turn them by the power of your faith.  Play the mind game and find his motives, weaknesses, etc. This would require time but be safer. I assume we want option 1.

Concerning your first point, as DM, I'm going to interject. I do not agree with a "party leader" idea. In my personal experience, I have only seen a party leader scenario work with one or two groups, and they already had a pecking order outside of the game in real life. You guys do not know each other in real life, for the most part. This could lead to issues. In the voting scheme, it's very fast and it's very simple: the individual members must abide by the party vote, except in cases where something immoral has been chosen. (Which I wouldn't allow anyways as this is supposed to be a heroic game, not an evil one.) That means you all have to accept that you won't always get what you want. But from a game organization standpoint, it's really the only thing that will work: I can't have two players run off one way for weeks in-game while the rest of the party goes another. You guys have to (mostly) stick together, except for very short scenes apart. (Like one group of players going to the shrine as the other group goes to the tavern, but then reconvening together immediately afterward.) The game won't work any other way. Your party has to stick together. With your second point, if you guys implement a magic item sharing rule like that, I'm totally fine with it. But you will have to track who got what, which means more book work on your end. (And it will need to be transparent for all to see and understand, including me.) The strategy stuff is player choice, so no comment. In response to Hunter and his comment on "consequences," I would like to say something as a fellow player, to kind of give you all a nudge from a metagaming standpoint. The campaign is all spelled out. I've already set the entire thing up in Roll20. There are no inherent "timelines" in the game. The idea is that you guys will play the same characters for as long as they survive, and you might even see them grow old if the game runs long enough. Your characters might marry and lay down roots in the campaign world. This is all expected. The only time there is a "timeline" is when your party has triggered an event. For example, you set Eralion free from his crypt. Now he's taking certain actions that will continue to build towards an ultimate end. The only way to stop this "timeline" is to intervene by driving him off or killing him. And if it hasn't become obvious, everything your party does in this game will have consequences, even if they are not immediately apparent. For example, your party takes an action that leads to two families dying, you lose your Inspiration temporarily and the ability to regain it until you take some kind of appropriately heroic action that makes the gods pleased with you. Etc. (By the way, in the original module, you all would lose XP if you allowed families of innocents to be killed. For 5E, I changed the penalty to a loss of Inspiration.)

I agree, the party leader does not seem like a good thing to have. Introducing a party leader would be like introducing hierarchy and well, once that happens there will always be some who will be unsatisfied and lingering feelings that leader is exercising his power to get his way and all in all take away from the game experience, I like the voting system, we discuss for a while and put in our votes. About the distribution of magic items I agree letting class specific and race[?] specific items go to the respective players, and then by need - who need it raise their hand and if multiple people then lots seems good enough for me. And Lastly what did I miss last game, I believe we reached fairhill and the blacksmiths daughter was reunited with her father and then I had to leave......

We went to the Magistrate and he hated on me as usual. He said we needed to clear our conscience and kill the undead for free. We also now can not gain or use inspiration because we caused the death of innocents I refused and the party debated with the Magistrate for a while. The Magistarte said he would offer 300go now and maybe more later. No time date was agreed upon and no contract signed.  Money was collected but no party agreement has been made

Beau counts out the coin and pays everyone in their room at the Inn. ((posted in Loot Channel)) "We need to wait one day for Trev's armor to be ready I assume no one has a problem with him getting it? ((one day of down time where we setup traps and hidden tree stands)) So no party leader. To many already spoke against it. What about magical loot? It is propositioned that everyone gets a vote when we find loot. Ties are decided by lots if more than one person wants it. Once you pick something, you cant pick again until everyone gets a pick. If a specific item is found that is race or class specific, those that can use it can take it but its their pick if they want it. If you dont have a pick, your next pick past the current is also used. Anything not chosen, is sold and coin split equally. Other equipment under 100gp like healing potions, mundane equipment and minor scrolls are given out without need of using a pick. Right  now I need to hear from Trev and our Dwarf on this. I feel we need to camp out at a farm that is next in line or closest to the keep. So the vampire comes and attacks us next. We pour tar over the ground, we are lucky its cold, tar doesnt dry out if its not warm ((70 degrees)). We sort up one of the cabins, so it becomes a bottle neck for them to attack us. Maybe cut a roof access and ropes down to flee if we wish. We then light the tar once we get attacked to provide light so our foes cant hide from us. Also the fire may hurt them a little. I do not think shades can fly, so we need to have hidden tree stands setup. Who wants to be bait the ground with me?  Those in the hidden tree stands only attack when the vampire reveals himself. I will then release the elemental to kill it. Those of us on the ground fight the shades.  Trev you need to faire fire the vampire and also turn undead to keep the shades from overwhelming us on the ground. Thoughts?"

(OOG) Just to Clarify  Byron, the magistrate agreed to pay 300gp each party member now, and more to each when the quest is completed, but not to expect the original compensation 1,200gp each.