seasong's Light Against The Dark (FEB 06)

[J. Anson]

Alcohol

I'm just waiting for them to come across a culture that focuses on whisky.

Yes, they've found good beer, and enjoyed it; naturally they enjoy fine wines. Now let them choke down a single malt Scotch

Frankly, I'm quite interested in how vividly the (two) different cultures come across, based upon the different kinds of alcohol they enjoy.

It seems clear that a different sort of culture makes beer over wine; higher populations make the meandering vineyard impractical, and the generally stronger sense of "work" as a virtue among cities makes beer a favorite, since it involves more craftmanship than wine (wine-making being a leisurely, long-term agrarian pursuit).

I'm not sure what leads to whisky - it's a craft, to be sure, but the willingness to drink smelly crap you left lying in a barrel for 8 years seems kind of anti-Darwinian. (looking at websites devoted to Scotch, I see that even devoted lovers of it hesitate on this topic)

Vodka's much easier - something that looks and tastes like water, but doesn't freeze as quickly, has a strong appeal in regions where lakes can stay frozen for months. That it is distilled from virtually any organic matter to be found, rather than specific grapes or special barley or any such, makes it even more interesting in harsh winter.

(cutting short a fascinating topic to pretend my post is of an appropriate rating; but wow am I looking forward to the vodka-tasting this weekend now)

 

[Greppa of Tartwater]

What's ironic, is that while I'm a player in this game, I can't wait for the updates either. Seasong's games always have something happening out of sight of the PC's. His entire world is active moving in its currents while the PC's make eddies in their own little play pool.

It adds a whole new element of enjoyment to have access to that knowledge, even if it makes the players twitch violently. Greppa, Athan and Merideth's players have a unique insight into their growing place in the worlds fabric and it becomes immensely choice driven as you, my fellow readers, will see as time goes on and the game progresses.

Thanks for reading, as my little boy character becomes a little man. (With a REALLY big stick)

Hank.

 

[incognito]

I have to say, of all the story stuff, I like the main war story

I think it's also very interesting that all three PCs can go back to slaughtering Orcs after having lived amound them for a year - it should've "humanized" the humaniods.

Any thought on this from the players?

I love the battles both won, AND lost by the Orcs. I have to admit, I like it when the giant's rocks smushed a few casters. I felt bad for the Fireball battle being one sided.

Then again, I don't want to see a certain elleni get hit by one!

1. Can we get a recap of total loses in tropps by the humans, vs loses by the Orcs?

2. Can we get some crunchy info on the giants over in the Rogues gallery, to see how they "stack up" vs a typical Orc, or atypical Athan?

3. ditto the crunchy info for the armor cats?

4. Loved the merchant chapter, want more, more more, on the details of the 3 heroes exploring the city, if there are any. You are so right about how too many merchants are portrayed in role playing games.

5. WHere are you session wise? Caught up, or behind again - the posts have been fast and furious. I am ok with updates coming slower if you need more [coff]IronDM[/coff] time. Your better than most other SH posters!

6...wait for it...there is no quesiton 6

 

[seasong]

Okay, note to self: more vile cliffhangers = commentary from the woodwork .

Barastrondo: If I did 76 updates a week, I would kill myself. Violently and messily. Fortunately, I barely manage that many a month . And thank you for the very kind words!

The orcs, I think I may have mentioned this before, were the original inspiration for this setting. Theralis had been under development (under the working title nannedaisi, mutilated greek for 'gentle river') for about a year, but nothing had really clinched it for roleplaying in until the orcs came along and dallied with my muse for a few days. She's been gleefully spitting gutteral insults ever since, so at least she's happy.

The rest of the world-building... well, this is how I do my campaigns . The players enjoy it, I think, and appreciate it, but it's hard to get them to read it. This story hour has turned into a near-perfect release!

Greybar: Yes, you got it exactly. There are bows in the world (the kobolds have a very small, short-range bow designed for guerilla forest tactics, for example), but the PCs haven't come across them yet. Wait until they go a bit further north.

Delgar: Yes! I'm still trying to figure out a format that works for sidebars and vignettes, but I want relevant information to be available. Appendices sounds like a good approach, I may try that next.

J. Anson: Aglaonis is smaller, but more densely populated. They have direct access to wheat and cattle/goat products, rather than having to barter across distances for it. They are also an older culture, tied to older methods of alcohol. In general, beer cultures are going to outnumber wine cultures by a wide margin, especially travelling north... however, in general, Theralis and Aglaonis are likely the best at their respective traditions, due to heavy specialization and a lack of mass culture watering down.

As for whiskey, well, if there is a whiskey culture, it's not likely to be found on the peninsula - cereal mashes are uncommon, and, as mentioned, its production is counterintuitive.

Greppa: I see you've done what you threatened .

 

[seasong]

To comments/questions from incognito:

I think it's also very interesting that all three PCs can go back to slaughtering Orcs after having lived amound them for a year - it should've "humanized" the humaniods.

Well, at least for Athan, humanizing the orcs meant he's started to follow some of their culture... And witness how willingly the orcs kill each other/aid the dragon against each other. The orcs aren't lovable. They're just more complex than "ugh, orc, evil". Even while he was with the orcs, Athan ripped Gach's throat out with his teeth!

For Greppa and Merideth, I think it's more complex, but regardless of the humanity of orcs... it's war, and the orcs are the enemy. If they fought against Aglaonis, it would be much the same!

I love the battles both won, AND lost by the Orcs. I have to admit, I like it when the giant's rocks smushed a few casters. I felt bad for the Fireball battle being one sided.

This is probably too much info for my players , but I assign differing levels of cleverness and capability to the orc tribes (or sometimes individuals among them). And although this tribe may seem the worst so far, the Bunahken were actually more dangerous - they went to lengths no one else would have (chopping down trees) to gain victory. If they'd known the dragon was coming (instead of thinking that the other tribe had taken the fall for them), that fight would have been a hell of a lot tougher. They're gone now, so I can compliment them all I want!

The current "tribe" is pretty dangerous, though, no doubt about it.

Total losses in troops:
Against the first tribe this summer, roughly 320 humans, 380 orcs. If the orcs had been willing to stay and fight on, and the humans didn't find a way to increase the difference, the orcs would have won.

Against this second, beggars' tribe: 3 humans, 40 orcs. However, the three humans that died were ones who killed half of those 40 orcs, so there likely won't be a repeat of those numbers.

Crunchy giants & armorcats:
Sure. I'll have it up there momentarily.

Exploring Aglaonis:
Really, that's all I think they did. They weren't in that city very long, although what with the beer, they're very likely to go back at some point!

Sessions:
When I finish writing up the war, and one thing after that, I will be caught up to the last session. As far as fast or slow... well, I go at the rate I go. And heck, we're still in the first season's blush, I may slow down as time goes by.

 

[Greppa of Tartwater]

Reply to incognito's question

* Slips into character *

I was a slave amongst the orcs and while I bear no love for them as a whole. I understand how their lifestyle and environment force them to be. They hunt and take what they need and that generally involves the death (or general discomfort) of those they take from. The orcs who live in Theralis are loyal to Theralis and they are not thought traitors because they are orcs.

If I did not have my experiences with the Buhnaken or did and they did not turn out the way they did. I would be rabidly anti-orc. Trust me. If I had taken that mindset, I would have resolved to have seen the valley's surrounding the city continuously decorated with the heads of freshly slain orcs. I'm not at that point.

They are thinking beings who've chosen war with us and we are not going to let them march in and destroy what our ancestors have built.

The orcs do not respect diplomacy. Strength and death are their currency and to not realize that is tantamount to taunting an armor cat with a grape for a weapon. Theralis must show strength to demonstrate our strength, the orc tribe attacking us must lose...we must kill them.

We are not like they. When they leave, we let them. Savagery would importune us to hunt them to the ground...and admittedly given the results of the last battle, it takes Theralse morals (found at Seasong's website) to not give in to rage and sorrow and give up what separates us, and allows us to be civilized.

The orc tribes who attack us may be bloodthirsty barbarians clad the stinking hides of their food, but we are of Theralis and we are better than that.

 

[seasong]

I think it's also very interesting that all three PCs can go back to slaughtering Orcs after having lived amound them for a year - it should've "humanized" the humaniods.

I wanted to add a bit to my point on this. The fact that the enemy is humanoids has nothing to do with war. There's no "it's an orc so it's okay to kill" going on here - this is war, and the tribes are enemies who have come to destroy the Theralis people.

And the fact that they lived among the tribes for a year has shown them what brutish, primitive lives the orcs lead... and awakened them, on a gut level, to what slavery for all of Theralis would be like. They can admire the orcs for their savage beauty and still recognize that they can't be allowed to take Theralis.

 

[Caliber]

Very cool. Defintely didn't see the Giants coming.

Thanks for the info on exactly how the Dragons worked out in your system too.

Put a whupping on those impudent players!

 

[incognito]

Hey y'all!

I didn't mean to imply that the player's shouldn't have fought the Orcs - not me, no sir! War is war. If is me, or the next guy - you cna bet I will fight for it to be me!

I thought, for sure, Athan or Greppa would tried to talk with the War Chief to find out what the motivations were for attacking.

Athan could represented himself as a Theralis warchief, or Greppa could represented himself as the Theralis shaman. Both concepts the Orcs might understand/respect. And they speak Orc! It's gott make an impact, yeah?

Although the Orcs have a brutal society, it is not a totally choatic evil one. They have the ability to reason!

Just a passing thought...my players never strive for diplomacy either. Of course, they don't speak Ignan, which makes diplamcy difficult with the Salamanders.

PS: Anyone think a Salamader is CR2? Man those things can deal damage!

 

[seasong]

Orc Strategy

The new tribe used its resources wisely. The giants stood back from the crush of the battling and targetted anyone who looked like a spell caster, while the orcs worked mostly on holding back the Theralese troops from the giants. The plan was obvious: get rid of the spell casters and only then attack... with giants as assists.

In addition to that, the orcs had a mighty champion, a savage-looking orc of uncharacteristic strength and speed who would rip into a shield wall like a small, spear-wielding hurricane, then retreat before the Keraunesti could reach him.

So the spell casters briefly switched to summoning spells, hiding behind rocks and throwing their extraplanar friends at the giants... but even Kyriotes' much-lauded firelions met swift death at the clubs of the giants. For the most part, only the healers were safe - partially because their spell casting wasn't obvious, partially because the orcs were suffering visions of dozens of healer slaves.

It was this slow attrition that prompted the Keraunesti to propose their plan. Not a good one, certainly - it consisted of them storming their way to one of the giants, overbearing him, and stabbing him until he died. Which would likely not be swift, and would end in a lot of Theralese death as well. The plan was approved, and put in motion.

Greppa enhanced everyone with the skin and strength of the earth, and, still feeling pretty rested, went along to sap the strength of the giant with lesser shadow killer. A massive half-orc runner was provided to carry him around when the Keraunesti began to run. She grinned at Greppa, "Don't worry, little one, I will make you fast."

Athan, spear of Allas in hand, went on the second line of the battle. And Merideth, sandwiched between massive Theralese soldiers, prepared to heal more than she'd ever healed before.

The Keraunesti marched.

They broke through the orc front line, as brutally and swiftly as they could. They were not aimed directly at the giant they were targetting - they didn't want him to start running away until they were downslope a bit.

Just as they were getting into position, a firelion appeared practically on top of the giant. Kyriotes, risking his skin, had come as close to the front lines as he could for the summoning, and was now fleeing as swiftly as he could upslope. The firelion leapt at the giant and distracted it long enough (two whacks to its massive, maned head) for the Keraunesti to close the distance.

Fireballs hit the giant as the firelion died, and then the Keraunesti were bearing the monster down and stabbing it where ever there seemed to be an opening. As his shield carrier was plucked into the air by a massive hand, Athan leapt through the opening and slammed his spear with all of his impressive strength into the floating ribs; beside him, a comrade attempted to slash into the giant's groin. The comrade was smashed from above by the shield carrier, and both died without a word.

Then, thundrous pounding as the other two giants ran to help their friend... too late. The Keraunesti retreated from the giant's corpse, leaving their dead and their spears and carrying their wounded.

A few boulders landed among the Keraunesti, but Theralese arcanists took advantage of the distraction to rain death down upon the two giants, who swiftly retreated to nurse their wounds.

The second day passed, and the sun began to set. orc war drums continued to roll.