The Retaking of Forgehold OOC-4E (Full)

Shalimar · May 31, 2008

It doesn't make sense that the cultists would pass up on Angel for the suppoused demon boss when the 'demon boss' was already on their pay roll.

It doesn't need to be as complicated as all that either, Mal is a mercenary, it would be quite easy for Wolfheart and Mal to be acqainted through that and already be working together before anyone else runs into them.

If Mal and Wolfheart were travelling together when Angel got drunk and ran into Mal that would be fine. Mal, Wolfheart, Angel, and Mira could have fought the cultists without it needing to be more complicated than that. Arden could simply have been in the area where the fight occured, and since he is looking for people to adventure with he joins the 4 of them, and that would be 5 out of 6 people together.

It would only leave Teslayn, and as a paladin it would be easy enough for him to step in against the cultists.

Mal Malenkirk · May 31, 2008

Velmont said:
Lol... that's too great. Love it.

Also, things that was never told:

Aelek Wolfheart had been secretly engaged by the fanatics' leader to track Angel. Once found, the Tiefling had pinpointed her location to him. The fanatic leader wanted to make sure she was there before paying Wolfheart. What Wolfheart didn't knew, but become obvious, it is the leader never had the intention to pay him, but to kill him once Angel found.

We will need to find a way to add Arden to that story. Also, if he join, I will change my Arcane Initiate, as we will have a controller.

As Shalimar pointed out, it makes no sense if you are already on the payroll (Of demon hating fanatics, no less).

But if we run with this idea a bit, you could have been a bit of a bounty hunter... You weren't allied with the cultists (obviously) but were indeed hunting Angel, hoping for the bounty on her head. You found us and were thinking of a plan but boom, the cultist are here and Mal screws you by 'identifying' you as their 'leader' and you get captured.

Imagine the dialogue after the rescue.

Mal : ''Huh, sorry about that trying to get you lynched bit. It's not that I dislike tiefling. I just dislike getting killed.''
Wolf : ''It's all right. I would have done the same. Thanks for coming back for me though. To be honest, I was about to sell out your girl friend over there for the bounty on her head so you did the right thing.''
*Wolf heart grins*
*Mal stares*
Mal : ''There was a bounty?!? I could have sold her for the bounty?!?''
Wolf : ''So... not really your girl friend, then?''
*Mal groans*

(Mal no longer can sell out Angel. By this point they fought together twice. You don't screw over companions, just perfect strangers. But he starts the game with 0 gold so he's really feeling the sting of a missed bounty.)

Atanatotatos · May 31, 2008

Totally ok with me. Only, I think it would be better if Arden was some way involved in the fight against his will at first. I don't see him as spontaneously playing the hero.

All this, of course, if I actually can join the game!

Velmont · May 31, 2008

Mal Malenkirk said:
Mal : ''Huh, sorry about that trying to get you lynched bit. It's not that I dislike tiefling. I just dislike getting killed.''
Wolf : ''It's all right. I would have done the same. Thanks for coming back for me thoigh. To be honest, I was about to sell out your girl friend over there for the bounty on her head so you did the right thing.''
*Wolf heart grins*
*Mal stares*
Mal : ''There was a bounty?!? I could have sold her for the bounty?!?''
Wolf : ''So... not really your girl friend, then?''
*Mal groans*

I buy that.

And the keyword on the story I wrote was secretly. The leader would have act without making his follower knowing it to get a two in one catch. Anyway, Mal's story sounds great.

Shalimar · May 31, 2008

Velmont, it still doesn't make sense even if it is secret. The leader knows the Tiefling is on his side, he wont accept being given the Tiefling instead of being given his real prize, Angel. Also, Demon haters wouldn't allow Tieflings or those they believe to be demon to be on their side.

It would make the most sense for Wolfheart to be a mercenary companion of Mal's. Mal has a fling with Angel, and Angel's little sister Mira and Wolfheart step in when Mal and Angel get attacked by the cultists.

Arden could be another mercenary companion of Mal's (since the background said he wants to adventure to gain knowledge), or he could be caught up in the fighting between the cultists and the other 4 since it would be happening in an inn it would be just as easy for Arden's room to be how the cultists got in, or how they tried to escape.

Tesylan could simply have been following the cultists and caught up with them when they made their attack on Mal and Angel.

Mal Malenkirk · May 31, 2008

Atanatotatos said:
Totally ok with me. Only, I think it would be better if Arden was some way involved in the fight against his will at first. I don't see him as spontaneously playing the hero.

All this, of course, if I actually can join the game!

Well Arden could have simply been also captured by the cultist earlier, before Wolfheart. Burning Warlock, tiefling and now wizards. Fun people. Maybe there was two or three addtional NPCs like a old woman who happens to know how to heal with herbs (Witch! Witch!) and a kid who has epileptic seizure (He's possessed!).

So instead of a pure lynch, then, this was a semi-official thing with their high priest officiating and making mad speeches about cleansing the land and people wearing ironic white dress.

Then Teslayn boldy confron them alone (''He's mad!'') while Mal, Mira and Angel are disguised as cultist in attendance (''I can't believe even their men wear dresses!'') with a brillant master plan to save the day

''-...So you start by throwing a shuriken in the throat of that annoying old man with the big beard...''
-''They'll be furious, it's their leader!''
-''Yeah, but he's so irritating. We need to shut him up!''
-''Shouldn't we focus on freeing the tiefling as soon as possible?''
-''He's a tiefling. Isn't he fire resistant? We just need to free him before they wake up and decide to use a axe!''
-''Well the others aren't fire resistant.''
-''What, we are also saving the others? When did this happen?''
-''Hey, look, a lizardman.''
-''What, where?''
-''STOP VILLAINS! AND LISTEN TO REASON. YOUR FOLLY THREATENS INNOCENTS AND I SHALL NOT LET YOU PROCEED!''
-''He's mad.''
-''I think it's a dragonborn, actually.''
-''Oh, well, then it's all right. They're tougher then lizardmen, right?''
-''I don't know.''
-''But they're dragons...''
-''Let's just kill the bearded man already!''
-''This is the worst plan in the history of planning.''

And then, chaos.

So Arden is hardly fighting against his will here. He just wants to live!

When it's done, he may wish to join the party. I mean, objectively, we're a great party for a wizard. No other wizards (so he's in demand) and two defenders. What more can you ask?

Mal Malenkirk · May 31, 2008

Shalimar said:
Velmont, it still doesn't make sense even if it is secret. The leader knows the Tiefling is on his side, he wont accept being given the Tiefling instead of being given his real prize, Angel. Also, Demon haters wouldn't allow Tieflings or those they believe to be demon to be on their side..

We're past that now. He was just a bounty hunter looking for Angel and totally unafiliated with the cultists.

Shalimar · May 31, 2008

Mal Malenkirk said:
We're past that now. He was just a bounty hunter looking for Angel and totally unafiliated with the cultists.

Umm, even if he doesn't work for them, why the heck would the cultists take him instead of Angel? Or instead of taking both of them? It doesn't make any sense.

It would make the most sense for Wolfheart to be a mercenary companion of Mal's. Mal has a fling with Angel, and Angel's little sister Mira and Wolfheart step in when Mal and Angel get attacked by the cultists.

Arden gets caught up in the fighting between the cultists and the others because they try to escape through his room.

Tesylan has been following the cultists and catches up with them in the middle of the fight.

Simple and easy.

Mal Malenkirk · May 31, 2008

Shalimar said:
Umm, even if he doesn't work for them, why the heck would the cultists take him instead of Angel? Or instead of taking both of them? It doesn't make any sense.

Of course they still want to take Angel. They just fail.

It's simple math. Angel, Mira and Mal are beset by cultists. Mal point out that there is a 'demon' over there.

Now their attention is split, they want to capture both angel and Wolfheart. But Wolfheart is alone and the threesome is, well, three.

So he gets captured but the three other manage to fight their way through.

Assume there was just enough cultist to contain Mal, Mira and Angel. The diverting of a few of them on a target of opportunity is enough to ensure that the threesome can now fight through. But it likely dooms the target of opportunity (especially a warlord with no allies ; his powers are neutralized).

That's what I suggest happened.

Then Mira gets mad at Mal for causing a (supposedly) innocent man to get captured by fanatics and they have to save him.

Simple and easy.

For sure. But not nearly as funny, don't you think?

Shalimar · May 31, 2008

Since the cultists and how we met up isn't the point of this campaign, simplest is better. We just need to come up with a loose reasoning for us to work together. I'd rather not builld in infighting reasons if at all possible.