Is'Merith - Campaign Thread

[sblock="OOC"]Yeah, I'm really liking Ambuscade. I'm avoiding using it for straight damage to see what it offers outside of theorycraft, and it's a lot. Exactly like a Renegade Interrupt.[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC/Pedantry]Just so you know, Alejandro's weapon is not a flail (wooden handle, chain, spiked ball), but a home-grown version of a morning star (wooden club, lots of spikes), more like this...
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[sblock=OOC] Please see post #50 again for new details as per just now[/sblock]

Alejandro has only been a few times before. It is such a noisy area and so easy for the smaller of stature to find themselves under swinging boxes and crates that he hasn't been back for a while.

He helps Daederai carry the crate across to its place, stretches his back and popping it with a sigh.

He looks to Daederai with a raised eyebrow and, wagging his head foolishly, winking in odd places, and gesturing as if he was pulling a selection of random levers, says:

"So. Did you find out where to go?"

[sblock=OOC]We are in his hands now. I keep alert for danger but I need to get me some healing.[/sblock]

He looks wistfully at the ship, trying to catch a glimpse of any gnomes. In all his time in Is'Merith, he has rarely seen a fellow of his kind.

As Daedarai walks towards the ship, he allows himself a moment to enjoy the spectacle of where they are. The clamor and noise of the canal workers blending with the shouts of peddlers haggling. He mindlessly moves his hand to touch his money pouch and unconsciously rubs the few coins together. In his mind, he is already spending his reward in the market. Hearing Alejandro beside wakes him from his reverie.

He tilts his head towards the berth ahead. “That boat seems like it might have what we need.” He takes note of the gnome's wariness and takes it as an unspoken reminder that the reward isn't in hand yet. Continuing to walk, he gestures with a smile to Shen waving her to come along.

Even keeping an eye out for any complications, Daedarai could not help but let his smile grow wider. This was going to lead to great things. He just knew it.

[SBLOCK=OOC] Daedarai is full of himself at the moment and thinks that everything is fine (and it may be). He is keeping an eye out, but is getting distracted.

I'm assuming the boat is our destination. I'm not sure how much narrative control you want us to exert. Would you like us to push forward and describe the place or do you want to just make sure we are all on board for going forward?[/SBLOCK]

Matthan said:

[SBLOCK=OOC] Daedarai is full of himself at the moment and thinks that everything is fine (and it may be). He is keeping an eye out, but is getting distracted.

I'm assuming the boat is our destination. I'm not sure how much narrative control you want us to exert. Would you like us to push forward and describe the place or do you want to just make sure we are all on board for going forward?[/SBLOCK]

Click to expand...

[sblock=OOC]You're all doing a perfect job. I'm new to PBP, so I'm just trying to make sure that this story is as interactive as possible by giving you all pauses in the game for in-character discussion.

Alejandro simply questioned you for example, so feel free to answer him before my next big post. Shen on the other hand might jump in and freak out with "How the hell could you need to know directions to your guild from here? Are you even a real thief? I'm NOT leaving that crate in the middle of the docks only to have those workers discover him". You on the other hand know that the workers are guild members and that they will be following you with it in mere moments.

In a PBP environment, I'd hate to think I've taken TOO MUCH control away from the others and simply railroaded them into skipping along with the plot armour, when their characters might normally not.

So you guys could pretty much post more than once before a big post if you're having a discussion between yourselves, or an argument, then I would shape the reaction of the world around you all as a result.

Did I make sense just then? Again I'm new to PBP, so I don't know. [/sblock]

[sblock="OOC"]That's interesting, I was thinking the same thing; I wasn't sure how much to narrate without interfering with the DM narration. Or thinking that I have nothing to say that would advance the scene, but I guess we do have sort of an absolute time scale in the form of big daily DM updates, so I'll try to be more social.

And Shen at least has Wisdom, so she's less the "oblivious" kind of dumb and more the "Dunning-Kruger effect" kind, where she assumes she understands anything with passing competence. That said...yeah you're pretty close.[/sblock]
The docks smell different from the rest of the city. That pungent fishy smell of algae and fish parts trapped under the walkways to rot. "Ugh. I hate that smell. Last time I was in a place like this they threw me in a boat full of fish. That stink never comes out."


Shen gets a worried look as Daedarai talks to the warehouse worker. Sure, he seems good in a fight, but he's apparently a paper-pusher, doesn't know where he's going, and has all sorts of weird tics when talking that she didn't notice before.


About the time the warehouse worker comes back is when she puts the pieces together: Daedarai must be an eccentric big-wig in the guild who's allowed to do whatever he wants since he gets results, and people around him have learned how to read him and do what he wants them to without him saying it. Which would mean, as his business partner and bodyguard, Shen probably commands some decent authority in the guild as well. Things are getting more exciting by the minute!


She gives the dockworkers a confident smile and nod, as if to say "keep up the good work, kid, you'll go places." The smile disappears when Daedarai leaves the crate on a dock and walks away. "Hey...is it safe to leave him here? Uh, I mean...will the...bird...leave...the nest?"

"Is the guild on board the ship?", asked Alejandro. "They'd better not take my weapons...come to think of it, they're thieves, aren't they? How can we know they can be trusted?"

He stops, and thinks.

"Listen, you've got your new recruit now", he says, pointing a thumb Shenwards. "And you've got yer man in the box. I want to make sure I get my fair reward, and some assurance I'm not going to get done over by FAS for adding another contralto to the choir, if you know what I mean."

He regards their blank faces.

"What? So I know a back way into the opera house. It's warm up in the gods and if you avoid the wrong ropes it's a great view."

He whispers to Daederai conspiratorially: "Y'know, straight down. Some of those lady singers have impressive lungs, if you know what I mean". Jab jab in the ribs goes his elbow. "Lungs".

A pause.

"Ok, look, once I get my share I'll need to lie low. Lower than usual. I only recently got my papers - as you well know. I guess they've been compromised now. And Archie had only just got the Undercity dust out of his system." He sighs, reaching up to stroke the little mouse who is riding in his hood again.

Turning to Shen, he says, "I'd still like to know what all this was about. What were you asking about that got old man no balls in such a state, anyway? I only ask cause I've been splashed with acid and very nearly used as a nail in a wooden bridge. A gnome likes to know why he's stealing beer and kidnapping elderly spies. And we've not really had a chance to talk."

"In other words, I want my reward - none of that thieves not having honour. And I'd like some answers as to why me and my mate here have got to scurry back down below."

Archibald, on hind legs, squeaks in his ear.

"And cheese. I - we - want cheese."

He stops and folds his arms, chin jutting determinedly.

Daedarai glances back at Shen's question and suddenly realizes how much he had taken for granted. He pauses and replays the past few minutes in his mind and realizes that he must seem like an idiot at the moment. He squints a little as he tries to figure out a way to frame his response in such a public venue. He was about to start when Alejandro started and Daedarai's face fell and went white.

With a breath, he gestured to Shen to join them as he knelt down to be on eye level with Alejandro. He was gambling that it would be taken as a show of respect, but he honestly had no clue. All of their prior interactions had been around a table with chairs that leveled their gaze. “My friends, and I hope after what we have experienced together that I am beginning to earn the right to call you such, I understand your concerns. I realize that I did not give any thought to how the last few minutes might appear. I want to clarify our situation, but standing here without moving in such a public place is asking to be noticed. I don't believe any of us want that. Walk with me and let me explain.”

Turning towards Shen as he stands up, he starts, “Please understand that there are many ears in this city that seek to pick up idle chatter that they may profit from. Because of that, it is important that when we are in such an open place that we carefully choose our words so that even if the wind does carry them further than we wish they will not benefit anyone else. The crate will be fine. I returned it to the people that we previously agreed to deliver it to. I am taking us to a place where we can speak with them and discuss the contents of their thanks for the retrieval of their desired goods.”

At that point, he turns back towards Alejandro. His speech is slow as he is obviously choosing his words carefully as he talks, “I understand your concern for fair treatment. I can assure you that a profitable enterprise is like a gardener. It knows that greater gains come from liberally planting and tending to the plants for an extended time so that it may reap a greater harvest year after year. Our actions today should present us as a worthwhile investment to this enterprise. They will reward us in the hopes of developing a continuing investment that might bring further gains to every party involved.” He pauses and smiles as he continues, “And I am fairly confident that there will be cheese. In fact...” He trails off as he reaches into a pouch and retrieves a wrapped piece of hard bread. Breaking off a small portion, he mutters over it while his fingers dart strangely. After a few seconds pass, the bread smells and tastes like a fine cheese and he passes it to Alejandro for Archibald. “It's not the real thing, but I hope that it will satisfy for now.” [SBLOCK=Game Terms]Two castings of prestidigitation. First to create the smell of cheese on the bread. Second to flavor the bread to taste like cheese.[/SBLOCK]

“I know that we all have questions about some of the circumstances that we have experienced today. I believe that where we are headed will have a place for us to speak more freely. I know that I have asked for an extraordinary amount of trust so far, but I would ask that you extend it just a little bit longer until we are in a place where we can safely discuss the answers that should be soon forthcoming and the opportunities that will soon be presented to us.” His words start becoming quicker as he transitions from the concealed speech, “And, maybe soon you can show me the opera. It's been quite some time since I have been able to properly appreciate a fine set of lungs.”

[SBLOCK=OOC]I wrote that assuming you all would be ok walking and talking. If you aren't, let me know and I'll edit the post to have the conversation remain stationary.[/SBLOCK]

After a brief moment of confusion (is bread related to cheese? How is bread made again?), Shen just smiles. Classic Daedarai. She can't tell if he really thinks bread is cheese, or if he thinks Alejandro wouldn't know the difference, but either way, you can't tell what he's going to do next.

"Al, do you use the back entrance for everything?" she comments absently.

As they walk, she bounces ahead of the group, then lags behind slightly, then ahead again, eyes darting between Daedarai's face as he talks and everything around her. She starts tracing the regular path to the boat they're headed for, then the fastest path away if she had to escape; halfway through this, she sees a swiveling crane unloading some boxes from a boat, and wonders if she could use it to swing over to the ship wheel. But, remembering how disgustingly seasick she got before the Tarenwall campaign, she decides against trying. Distracted by a weird smell, she pauses to look over the dock, seeing if it's another dead person this time, but it looks more like a dog or rat. Gods, the city is interesting, but the awareness it demands is exhausting. And the dense geography and stench aren't doing much for that hard-to-breathe feeling.

"Ain't used the 'F' word in a long time, but I never let down a partner...partner!" She holds a hand out for Daedarai to shake, forcing a smile back onto her face. "Just call me your bodyguard. Let's see where this goes!"

"And I'll try not to talk about guild stuff the open." She pulls her hat down a bit to cloud her face and puts one shushing finger to her lips.

She turns to Alejandro, walking backward next to him to hold out her hand. "Partner. Sorry about all the mess. Alls I remember is asking if there was any place someone good with weapons could get some work. Oh," she continued, looking up thoughtfully, still facing backward, "and I heard this bard story before coming here? Something about old ruins under the city? Might've asked if there was some way to find them. But don't worry, I'll stick with you folks, this is way more action than some kid story about curses and treasure and what-all. Prob'ly fake anyways."

[sblock="OOC"]On an unrelated note, I'm enjoying the total integration of cantrips as casual conversational flourishes.

Also, it's kind of complex having conversations and responding to what's been said adequately in a way that still narratively flows. I wonder if there's any other method people use for that.[/sblock]