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Sagiro's Story Hour Returns (new thread started on 5/18/08)
- Thread starter Sagiro
- Start date
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
If it says that somewhere, it's a typo! When the campaign started, he had finally gotten himself free of the church and had moved out on his own; that put him at about 17 or 18 unless I'm forgetting something. At this point, a few years on, he's 21 or 22.Eccles said:
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Incidentally, what you're seeing here is the result of a long-delayed leadership feat. I took it for Dranko not long after angering that demon lord Tapheon in the Citadel of Indifference, probably with the half-formed thought of getting a bard and having him spread embarrassing lies about Tapheon. (I also thought about spreading a rumor that Dranko was now Saint Dranko, so if Tapheon ate my soul, some do-gooder paladin would show up in the Abyss to free me. It was a nice thought, but a very silly one.) My leadership feat sat fallow all the time that we were in Het Brannoi and the past.
Then it kicked in all at once.
Then it kicked in all at once.
Well having gotten my first post I figured I'd might as well do another and comment on the extremely interesting role-playing possibilities evident in Dranko's new "friends". Even the friendliest thieves' guild is going to run morally very gray. I'm curious how Dranko deals with the complicated moral collisions between running a thieves' guild and being a member of a party of national heroes that runs very much to the "good" side. Not to mention being a cleric of Delioch. Basically it seems that Dranko is connected to 3 different moral authorities: the Undermen, the Spire Guard, and Delioch.
It's these kind of complicated situations that lead to difficult decisions that in turn bring life to a character. Do the Undermen take assasination jobs? Do they do money-lending and if they do, what happens when someone doesn't pay up? Are examples made? If these kinds of things happen, how do the other members of the party feel about it? How does Delioch? How does Dranko?
Very good stuff.
It's these kind of complicated situations that lead to difficult decisions that in turn bring life to a character. Do the Undermen take assasination jobs? Do they do money-lending and if they do, what happens when someone doesn't pay up? Are examples made? If these kinds of things happen, how do the other members of the party feel about it? How does Delioch? How does Dranko?
Very good stuff.
Sagiro
Rodent of Uncertain Parentage
Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 279
What an Oracle Should Know
Dranko grins wide, having finally heard confirmation of his lofty status. And upon hearing that he does in fact head up a powerful semi-criminal organization, the first words out of his mouth are:
“Then tell me why I’m not richer!”
Lucas clears his throat. “As your right-hand man – and it pains me to remind you of this – I should point out that the Undermen’s treasury can be used for discretionary purposes, by you or other members of your Small Council with your permission. I don’t know if it’s a lot by your standards – we have perhaps 30,000 gold in liquid assets, and another 15,000 tied up in investments and business ventures.”
He pauses, then asks: “Have I passed the test yet?”
“Not yet. Keep going!” exhorts Dranko.
Lucas strokes his goatee and peers thoughtfully at Dranko for a moment. “If Turlissa is correct, and you are someone disguised as Dranko attempting to learn Guild secrets, it’s a brilliant disguise. It means you have somehow infiltrated the Greenhouse, disposed of Dranko Blackhope and all of his adventuring associates, replaced them with people who look and act like them in all ways, and have adopted a number of Dranko’s unique mannerisms that I would have sworn could never be ascribed to another individual... no, it simply can’t be. It’s much easier for me to believe that you’ve simply lost your memory. I don’t understand what you were saying before about time changing and the rest, but honestly I don’t think I have to.”
“Agreed,” says Dranko, and now he feels relief at having gotten past the tricky part of the conversation. “What I need from you, is that you look after our best interests, and my best interests in particular.”
“You know I always do,” says Lucas gravely. “Part of the reason your position is so tenuous is that many in the Guild do not wish to be led by someone with such a high degree of absenteeism. When you are gone, which is often – and usually you tell me, so I can step in smoothly – I am always pleased to handle the affairs of the Undermen.”
Dranko smiles gratefully at Lucas. “I’m curious,” he says. “Just as a matter of moral principle, we don’t do assassinations, do we?”
“No, not as a rule,” says Lucas.
“Excellent,” says Dranko. “That makes me happy.”
Lucas does offer a qualification. “Occasionally, in the course of disrupting some illicit operation, people die. But it is not our preference. Murder is bad for business, and we are involved in a lot of... business.”
“We are the grease that keeps the wheels of commerce turning!” says Dranko with a knowing look.
“Yes, that’s an excellent way of putting it. In fact, I’ve heard you say similar things in the past.”
Over the mind-link Morningstar suggests a new inquiry.
“You’ll need to brief me on any enemies we have,” says Dranko. Then, not that Morningstar specifically asked, but he adds: “Oh, and am I sleeping with Turlissa?”
Lucas looks scandalized. “Gods no!” he exclaims. “You really have no memory, do you?”
“Then why did she kiss me when she first saw me?” asks Dranko.
“That’s just how she is,” says Lucas. “A shameless flirt. She’s always been like that, especially with you. She has... utmost respect for you and your relationship with Morningstar. She just... thinks you’re cute. It’s one of those mysteries that none of us can explain.”
Kibi suggests asking about the other members of the Small Council. Morningstar passes this on to Dranko, who in turn asks Lucas.
Lucas sighs. “I suppose I’d better remind you about them before we meet, which we ought to do at your earliest convenience. Turlissa is technically not a member of the Small Council. She is... well, she calls herself a master spy. She collects incoming information about illicit crime in the city. She delivers her reports to me on a regular basis.”
“Which reminds me,” says Dranko. “We should make a public show of a healer coming to “fix my memory,” so that Turlissa’s rumors don’t make it to the wrong ears.”
“I’ll take care of that,” says Lucas. “I’ll explain everything to her. Now. The Small Council then. Of course there’s you at the top – styling yourself ‘The Oracle,’ naturally.”
Morningstar shares this with the others, which elicits a gale of laughter. For better or worse the secret room is soundproofed, so Lucas doesn’t hear.
“I am Lucas Blackwell. I am ‘The Hand’ – your right-hand man, and the second in command. I have always been privy to your plans and thoughts, so that I can step in and take over during your many absences.
“There is Greta Smith. She is ‘The Box.’ She is the treasurer.”
“If these are all named after body parts, then she totally got screwed,” says Dranko.
Lucas counts silently to three. “She has an excellent head for numbers,” he says evenly. “She runs the accounts, keeps the money flowing smoothly.
“There is Aaron Martel; he is ‘The Blade.’ He trains the Undermen in combat. He has been fiercely loyal to you ever since you saved his life. Do you remember that?"
“Nope.”
“Remind me to go over all of the details – as many as I can think of. Aaron Martel is perhaps the most critical person to your political position, because the self-proclaimed ‘Knuckles’ don’t approve of you. He keeps them in line.
“There is Gideon Hollow – He calls himself ‘The Brain.’ He is an arcane trickster, a halfling, very good at what he does despite his attitude. From time to time he crafts items that we sell or use on Guild business.
“And of course there is ‘The Mouse,’ your friend Flicker, in charge of ‘questionable procurement,’ as we say.”
Morningstar shares this with Flicker, who freaks out. Grey Wolf puts on hand on his shoulder. “That means you’re nearly at the top of the Thieves’ Guild.”
Flicker hyperventilates.
“Just for reference,” says Dranko to Lucas. “Flicker doesn’t remember any of this either.”
“Because he was with you,” says Lucas, shaking his head. “Of course. Can I count on you to brief him on everything we discuss? Tell him it’s very important that Gideon doesn’t find out – the two of them are not on the best of terms.”
“Right.”
“Finally,” says Lucas, “there’s Octavius Hightower, who is technically part of the Small Council. He is called ‘The Ear,’ and he is the head of your propaganda arm. He leads the Starshine Ensemble, is an excellent musician, and is your main source of information outside Tal Hae. They have players, musicians, dancers and such in various places around Charagan. He has an office in Tal Hae but is based out of the capital and so only attends meetings sporadically. Whenever you need rumors spread or rumors gathered, he’s your man.”
“Great!” is Dranko’s comment about all of that. No understatement, that: Dranko is already scheming about the ways he can use a kingdom-wide rumor machine, most of them entirely inappropriate.
“Perhaps I should call a meeting at the Manse, tomorrow afternoon,” says Lucas, breaking Dranko’s reverie.
“Where’s the Manse? Say, I found this extra key on my keychain when I came back – does it open up the Manse?”
Lucas realizes he’s acquired a splitting headache since arriving at the Greenhouse. Not bothering to hide the pained tone of his voice, he answers, “That’s the key to the vault, Dranko.”
“Good to know. So, is the Manse in the Tailor shop?”
Surprise blossoms on Lucas’s face. “Very good! Perhaps your memory is returning. You have just identified one of the ways in.”
“We actually used divination to follow Turlissa,” admits Dranko. Lucas’s face sags.
“So you understand,” he says wearily. “Just...so we’re on the same page. Your position is highly unusual in the history of the Undermen. You are... as secure as you can be, given your position in your church, and your position as a member of the Spire Guard, and your liaison with the Church of Ell.”
“I’d like to think that all adds some legitimacy to the position,” says Dranko.
There’s not enough time in the world to explain everything thinks Lucas, rubbing his throbbing temples.
“Let’s just say that you exude an aura of extreme importance that people are generally afraid to poke,” he says, trying to encapsulate Dranko’s complex position in as few words as possible.
“Ah,” says Dranko.
“There is a rumor about a connection even with Duke Nigel himself,” adds Lucas.
“What, nothing about King Crunard?” asks Dranko, feigning seriousness.
Lucas counts to five this time. “No.”
He stands up and moves to the door. “Talk to Quince, the tailor. He will pretend not to know you, but if you ask to see the scarves in the back of the shop, he will tell you to go right ahead. In the back of the shop, out of sight from most of the rest, is a rack of coats. Behind that rack is a trap-door. I will trust that a man of your means will have no difficulty finding it.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have people ask to see the rack of, you know, coats? asks Dranko.
“It’s subterfuge. There is a rack of coats, next to the rack of scarves. It’s useful if we think someone is tailing. We change the password regularly – in fact, you yourself insisted on the current every-two-month rotation. The Manse is entirely underground. It contains meeting rooms, safe houses, the council room, the Vault to which you have the key; it has Gideon’s laboratory... look, why don’t you simply meet me at the Manse, and I can go in with you. That way I can cover for if you meet anyone on the way to the council meeting.”
Dranko and Lucas descend the stairs to the living room, where the Company, having essentially eavesdropped on the entire conversation, acts natural.
“Everybody!” Dranko announces. “This is Lucas. Lucas is my second in command with the Undermen. We like him.”
Lucas starts. “Oh, so none of them remember anything either?”
“Nope,” says Dranko.
“Ah,” says Lucas. “Please explain it to them.”
The tall man turns to the assembled Company and bows. “It was nice to see you all again, even if you don’t remember me.”
With that, he walks out into the night.
Aravis turns to Dranko. “Yes, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
...to be continued...
What an Oracle Should Know
Dranko grins wide, having finally heard confirmation of his lofty status. And upon hearing that he does in fact head up a powerful semi-criminal organization, the first words out of his mouth are:
“Then tell me why I’m not richer!”
Lucas clears his throat. “As your right-hand man – and it pains me to remind you of this – I should point out that the Undermen’s treasury can be used for discretionary purposes, by you or other members of your Small Council with your permission. I don’t know if it’s a lot by your standards – we have perhaps 30,000 gold in liquid assets, and another 15,000 tied up in investments and business ventures.”
He pauses, then asks: “Have I passed the test yet?”
“Not yet. Keep going!” exhorts Dranko.
Lucas strokes his goatee and peers thoughtfully at Dranko for a moment. “If Turlissa is correct, and you are someone disguised as Dranko attempting to learn Guild secrets, it’s a brilliant disguise. It means you have somehow infiltrated the Greenhouse, disposed of Dranko Blackhope and all of his adventuring associates, replaced them with people who look and act like them in all ways, and have adopted a number of Dranko’s unique mannerisms that I would have sworn could never be ascribed to another individual... no, it simply can’t be. It’s much easier for me to believe that you’ve simply lost your memory. I don’t understand what you were saying before about time changing and the rest, but honestly I don’t think I have to.”
“Agreed,” says Dranko, and now he feels relief at having gotten past the tricky part of the conversation. “What I need from you, is that you look after our best interests, and my best interests in particular.”
“You know I always do,” says Lucas gravely. “Part of the reason your position is so tenuous is that many in the Guild do not wish to be led by someone with such a high degree of absenteeism. When you are gone, which is often – and usually you tell me, so I can step in smoothly – I am always pleased to handle the affairs of the Undermen.”
Dranko smiles gratefully at Lucas. “I’m curious,” he says. “Just as a matter of moral principle, we don’t do assassinations, do we?”
“No, not as a rule,” says Lucas.
“Excellent,” says Dranko. “That makes me happy.”
Lucas does offer a qualification. “Occasionally, in the course of disrupting some illicit operation, people die. But it is not our preference. Murder is bad for business, and we are involved in a lot of... business.”
“We are the grease that keeps the wheels of commerce turning!” says Dranko with a knowing look.
“Yes, that’s an excellent way of putting it. In fact, I’ve heard you say similar things in the past.”
Over the mind-link Morningstar suggests a new inquiry.
“You’ll need to brief me on any enemies we have,” says Dranko. Then, not that Morningstar specifically asked, but he adds: “Oh, and am I sleeping with Turlissa?”
Lucas looks scandalized. “Gods no!” he exclaims. “You really have no memory, do you?”
“Then why did she kiss me when she first saw me?” asks Dranko.
“That’s just how she is,” says Lucas. “A shameless flirt. She’s always been like that, especially with you. She has... utmost respect for you and your relationship with Morningstar. She just... thinks you’re cute. It’s one of those mysteries that none of us can explain.”
Kibi suggests asking about the other members of the Small Council. Morningstar passes this on to Dranko, who in turn asks Lucas.
Lucas sighs. “I suppose I’d better remind you about them before we meet, which we ought to do at your earliest convenience. Turlissa is technically not a member of the Small Council. She is... well, she calls herself a master spy. She collects incoming information about illicit crime in the city. She delivers her reports to me on a regular basis.”
“Which reminds me,” says Dranko. “We should make a public show of a healer coming to “fix my memory,” so that Turlissa’s rumors don’t make it to the wrong ears.”
“I’ll take care of that,” says Lucas. “I’ll explain everything to her. Now. The Small Council then. Of course there’s you at the top – styling yourself ‘The Oracle,’ naturally.”
Morningstar shares this with the others, which elicits a gale of laughter. For better or worse the secret room is soundproofed, so Lucas doesn’t hear.
“I am Lucas Blackwell. I am ‘The Hand’ – your right-hand man, and the second in command. I have always been privy to your plans and thoughts, so that I can step in and take over during your many absences.
“There is Greta Smith. She is ‘The Box.’ She is the treasurer.”
“If these are all named after body parts, then she totally got screwed,” says Dranko.
Lucas counts silently to three. “She has an excellent head for numbers,” he says evenly. “She runs the accounts, keeps the money flowing smoothly.
“There is Aaron Martel; he is ‘The Blade.’ He trains the Undermen in combat. He has been fiercely loyal to you ever since you saved his life. Do you remember that?"
“Nope.”
“Remind me to go over all of the details – as many as I can think of. Aaron Martel is perhaps the most critical person to your political position, because the self-proclaimed ‘Knuckles’ don’t approve of you. He keeps them in line.
“There is Gideon Hollow – He calls himself ‘The Brain.’ He is an arcane trickster, a halfling, very good at what he does despite his attitude. From time to time he crafts items that we sell or use on Guild business.
“And of course there is ‘The Mouse,’ your friend Flicker, in charge of ‘questionable procurement,’ as we say.”
Morningstar shares this with Flicker, who freaks out. Grey Wolf puts on hand on his shoulder. “That means you’re nearly at the top of the Thieves’ Guild.”
Flicker hyperventilates.
“Just for reference,” says Dranko to Lucas. “Flicker doesn’t remember any of this either.”
“Because he was with you,” says Lucas, shaking his head. “Of course. Can I count on you to brief him on everything we discuss? Tell him it’s very important that Gideon doesn’t find out – the two of them are not on the best of terms.”
“Right.”
“Finally,” says Lucas, “there’s Octavius Hightower, who is technically part of the Small Council. He is called ‘The Ear,’ and he is the head of your propaganda arm. He leads the Starshine Ensemble, is an excellent musician, and is your main source of information outside Tal Hae. They have players, musicians, dancers and such in various places around Charagan. He has an office in Tal Hae but is based out of the capital and so only attends meetings sporadically. Whenever you need rumors spread or rumors gathered, he’s your man.”
“Great!” is Dranko’s comment about all of that. No understatement, that: Dranko is already scheming about the ways he can use a kingdom-wide rumor machine, most of them entirely inappropriate.
“Perhaps I should call a meeting at the Manse, tomorrow afternoon,” says Lucas, breaking Dranko’s reverie.
“Where’s the Manse? Say, I found this extra key on my keychain when I came back – does it open up the Manse?”
Lucas realizes he’s acquired a splitting headache since arriving at the Greenhouse. Not bothering to hide the pained tone of his voice, he answers, “That’s the key to the vault, Dranko.”
“Good to know. So, is the Manse in the Tailor shop?”
Surprise blossoms on Lucas’s face. “Very good! Perhaps your memory is returning. You have just identified one of the ways in.”
“We actually used divination to follow Turlissa,” admits Dranko. Lucas’s face sags.
“So you understand,” he says wearily. “Just...so we’re on the same page. Your position is highly unusual in the history of the Undermen. You are... as secure as you can be, given your position in your church, and your position as a member of the Spire Guard, and your liaison with the Church of Ell.”
“I’d like to think that all adds some legitimacy to the position,” says Dranko.
There’s not enough time in the world to explain everything thinks Lucas, rubbing his throbbing temples.
“Let’s just say that you exude an aura of extreme importance that people are generally afraid to poke,” he says, trying to encapsulate Dranko’s complex position in as few words as possible.
“Ah,” says Dranko.
“There is a rumor about a connection even with Duke Nigel himself,” adds Lucas.
“What, nothing about King Crunard?” asks Dranko, feigning seriousness.
Lucas counts to five this time. “No.”
He stands up and moves to the door. “Talk to Quince, the tailor. He will pretend not to know you, but if you ask to see the scarves in the back of the shop, he will tell you to go right ahead. In the back of the shop, out of sight from most of the rest, is a rack of coats. Behind that rack is a trap-door. I will trust that a man of your means will have no difficulty finding it.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have people ask to see the rack of, you know, coats? asks Dranko.
“It’s subterfuge. There is a rack of coats, next to the rack of scarves. It’s useful if we think someone is tailing. We change the password regularly – in fact, you yourself insisted on the current every-two-month rotation. The Manse is entirely underground. It contains meeting rooms, safe houses, the council room, the Vault to which you have the key; it has Gideon’s laboratory... look, why don’t you simply meet me at the Manse, and I can go in with you. That way I can cover for if you meet anyone on the way to the council meeting.”
Dranko and Lucas descend the stairs to the living room, where the Company, having essentially eavesdropped on the entire conversation, acts natural.
“Everybody!” Dranko announces. “This is Lucas. Lucas is my second in command with the Undermen. We like him.”
Lucas starts. “Oh, so none of them remember anything either?”
“Nope,” says Dranko.
“Ah,” says Lucas. “Please explain it to them.”
The tall man turns to the assembled Company and bows. “It was nice to see you all again, even if you don’t remember me.”
With that, he walks out into the night.
Aravis turns to Dranko. “Yes, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
...to be continued...
KidCthulhu
First Post
coyote6 said:
All of it was a surprise. For Piratecat it was a pleasant surprise, nay, a culmination of all Dranko's wildest dreams.
For the rest of us, it was rather more on the Nightmare side.
darkhall-nestor
Explorer
does the party still have that "lizard man Mage" that was killed on one of the planes of the abyss and then deflated rolled up and stuffed into a bag of holding---->.
So anyway if they do, any plans on doing anything with him/her/it?
So anyway if they do, any plans on doing anything with him/her/it?
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