The Savage Scripts

[Hussar]

**Notes from the DM/Editor**

This is my first ever story hour, so, please excuse the roughness. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it as we go along. I have been reading some of the others, and I'd like to do something a little bit different.

My group plays online over OpenRPG. The upshot of this is that we have a transcript of the game afterwards. Every little typo saved for posterity on my hard drive. So, I thought that this could make for an interesting story hour. I will be editing the transcripts for clarity, cutting out some of the bits that are frankly, boring as hell to read and generally cleaning things up as we go along. At the bottom of each update, I'll include a link to the raw transcript for those of you who may be masochistic enough to want to wade through it.

Also, I'd like to interject a few comments as we go along. Kind of a Special Edition DVD version of the game where you get the Directors comments and whatnot. I'd like to focus on what worked and what didn't work in the sessions and hopefully highlight what I was hoping to see and then explain why my players caused it to go horribly wrong.

A bit of background.

This is going to be a 3.5 D&D campaign using the Savage Tide from Dungeon magazine. We will be starting with a prelude adventure, Mike Mearl's Salvage Operation, also from Dungeon Magazine. The first session is next week, so, I hope to post the transcripts on Wednesday, my time (being in Japan, what time I post in your time zone is anyone's guess)).

The first session will be a character generation and background generation session, hopefully followed by a short introduction into the first adventure. It depends on how long chargen takes.

See you next week.

 

[Hussar]

Well, we started a week later than I anticipated. But, we got started nonetheless. Much of the first session was taken up with a little experiment of mine for creating character backgrounds using cards with various images. Went very well. Doesn't make for very good reading though. It got snipped.

So, without further ado, our first session:

DM Hussar: ---------------------Starting Session 1, Prelude - The Salvage Operation ----------------------
** Kiba reveals his hand of six kings **
Churl: I think we need to shuffle.
The Emperor's upper deck slopes gently down to port. Short wooden stumps are all that remain of her masts. The double doors leading to cabins fore and aft appear intact while a metal grate in the deck offers access to the lower decks. Aside from the rhythmic creak of the ship's badly weathered, soaking timbers, all seems quiet.

** Arnmin frowns **
Kiba: ((too quiet?))
Kaylankuli: "This..." Kay says, looking at the broken mast. "This not good for ship, no?"
** Churl shrugs **
Arnmin: "gonna need jury rigging"
Churl: Well, we're still on this side of the water.
To aft, on the quarterdeck, you can see the wheel turning freely. To the bow, the bowsprit has been long smashed.

Kaylankuli: "Rigging jurys is illigal, yes?"
Kiba: "meh, i'm better at rigging a jury
** Arnmin goes to look over the left side of the boat **
The weather remains calm, although the clouds are low overhead.

The list makes it obvious that the Emperor has taken on a fair bit of water and whatever cargo there is aboard, has badly shifted. There is a good chance that this wreck will sink in the next day or two. Sooner if a blow hits.

Arnmin: "well this boat appears to be sinking....salvage time?"
Churl: Maybe I shouldn't have farted in that shrine to Osprem before we left.
Kiba: "pish posh, i'm sure it didn't affect anything"
Kaylankuli: "Kay will go down to check cargo." The little frog-woman heads to the grate.
** Allqu follows. **
Arnmin: "don't fall"
Looking through the grate you spot fist sized spiders crawling on the floor and walls of the passage below.

Kaylankuli: "Kay never falls."
SMASH!

Kaylankuli: "Spiders!"
Kiba: (( hmm ))
** Churl looks up. **
Churl: ! What was that!?
You spin around to face the aft as a massive body smashes through the door and part of the wall to the south!

** Arnmin whips out his doom stick **
** Churl drops his cards on deck and stands up. **
Kaylankuli: "Aya, by the mother's bosom!"
Trapped partially by the wreckage of the doorway is an immense multilegged centipede, almost as long as a whale!

Initiatives
1) : [19] Kaylankuli
2) : [19] Huge Centipede
3) : [15] Arnmin
4) : [12] Churl
5) : [9] Olero
6) : [4] Kiba


1) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [19] Kaylankuli
(on deck: [19] Huge Centipede )

Kaylankuli: "Nanay, Allqu! Attack!"
Kaylankuli: Bite: (Crit:20/x2, Type:S/P/B)
Atk: [1d20++4] => [7,4] = (11)
Dmg: [1d6 + 3] => [1,3] =
** Kaylankuli casts a spell... **
Kaylankuli:
Magic Stone: Three stones gain +1 on attack rolls, deal 1d6+1 damage.
Save: Will neg (harmless, obj) DC -1
SR: Yes (harmless, obj)
[1d20+1] => [3,1] =
Target/Effect: Up to three pebbles touched
Range: Touch
Duration: 30 mins or until discharged
Casting time: 1 standard action
Components: V,S,DF
DM Hussar: That's going to hit because it's considered squeezing
DM Hussar: And, no, no attack this round Kay
2) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [19] Huge Centipede
(on deck: [15] Arnmin )

DM Hussar: Huge Centipede tries to break free! Str check [1d20+3] => [19,3] = (22)
DM Hussar: Huge Centipede manages to shrug its way through the wreckage of the aft cabin!
DM Hussar: Aoo from thedog
Kaylankuli: Bite: (Crit:20/x2, Type:S/P/B)
Atk: [1d20++4] => [18,4] = (22)
Dmg: [1d6 + 3] => [6,3] = (9)
DM Hussar: Crunch!
3) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [15] Arnmin
(on deck: [12] Churl )

** Kiba uses attack squish **
Arnmin: "bedamned bug"
Arnmin: Doom Stick: [1d20+2] => [10,2] = (12) [1d6+3] => [1,3] = (4)
DM Hussar: AOO from the Centipede:
DM Hussar: The immense centipede bites you
Bite [1d20+5] => [7,5] = (12) for [2d6+4] => [4,4,4] = (12) plus poison Fort DC 14 [1d6] => [5] = Dex damage
Arnmin: ((tumble?))
Kaylankuli: (( this is my DOOM STICK! ))
DM Hussar: Doesn't matter, misses you anyway.
DM Hussar: Everyone misses.
4) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [12] Churl
(on deck: [9] Olero )

** Arnmin rolls his eyes **
Churl: Charging. Going to burn an AP if the attack roll is less than 10.
Churl: Serving up some punch to go!
-IUS, Skirmish- [1d20+1] => [17,1] = (18) for [1d3+1+1d6] => [3,1,1] = damage.
DM Hussar: (( No AOO already used ))
DM Hussar: SMACK!
5) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [9] Olero
(on deck: [4] Kiba )

DM Hussar: Olero steps back.
DM Hussar: "By the powers! Let us smite this vermin!"
** DM Hussar casts bless - +1 to all attacks **
Churl: Yick, it's full o' goo!
6) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [4] Kiba
(on deck: [19] Kaylankuli )

Arnmin: "That's right! Don't give up the ship!"
** Churl waves his goopy fist back and forth. **
** Kiba charges forward and attacks **
Kiba: attack rolls: Short Sword attack: [1d20+2+0] => [8,2,0] = (10)[1d6+2+0] => [5,2,0] = (7)
DM Hussar: AP?
DM Hussar: Note, +2 for charge, +1 for bless, you'Recuretnly at 13
Kiba: sure
Kiba: [1d6] => [2] = (2)
DM Hussar: That hits!
Kiba: here the damage for skirmish that i missed [1d6] => [2] = (2)
DM Hussar: The monstrous centipede is looking massively wounded

End of Round
Starting Round # 2


Kiba: (( attack of the twos ))
You pause to catch your breath and look for an opening. Your mind flashes back to a few days ago, when all of this started...

DM Hussar: Now, if everyone would care to follow me to the Interlude 1 room, we can get a bit of a change of pace.
Kaylankuli: (( lol, nifty way to do it ))
** Kiba remember it all as if it was in a flashback **
Interlude The First

** Arnmin remembers it like it was tomorrow **
You sit around your usual table at the tavern, desultorily watching the crowd weave back and forth in the dim, smoky light. Against one wall, a few patrons gamble in a game of Zhuno, the stakes low and unimpressive. Tonight is a night very much the same as every other night for the past month, bad beer, nothing more exciting than the odd eyeball gouging. Your eyes glaze over as you track the fly circling endlessly around the rim of your ale.

** Arnmin yawns **
** Kaylankuli tries to grab the fly and eat it. **
Kiba: arn't flashbacks cool guys?
Arnmin: ((that sounds like an attack role to me))
** Churl appears to light a smoke merely by pointing at it. Sleight of Hand [1d20+6] => [8,6] = *14*
Kaylankuli: "That trick, it get old now." Kay says to Churl.
You glance up as the door of the tavern swings open, the smells of the fisherman's wharf and the tanneries invading the room, temporarily overpowering the stench of unwashed bodies. You spot a human, dressed in traveling clothes step inside and wait for his eyes to adjust. Looking around, he sees you, gives a nod and heads in your direction.

Kaylankuli: "You have tindertwig up sleeve."
** Churl drops the burnt tindertwig on the table. "Aw, c'mon, you used to love it." **
Arnmin: "weirdo ahead"
** Churl laughs **
** Kiba eyes the human supsiciously **
Churl: Any weirder than anyone else in here?
Kaylankuli: "First time love, second time like, third time you burnt sleeve."
** Arnmin gestures with his chin **
Kaylankuli: (( is this Olero who just came in? ))
** Churl takes a long puff. **
Arnmin: heh. good times
Olero: "Well, I thought I might find you in here Kaylankuli. Interesting company you are keeping."
Kiba: (( get out of here you filty normal ))
Churl: Evenin' Olero. How's things?
Kaylankuli: "Aya, how is my friend Oli?"
Churl: Been absolutely ghoulish around here.
** Churl chuckles. **
** Arnmin raises his eyebrow **
Olero: "Well, Churl, doing ok. Didn't realize you knew Kalankuli here. Who're your friends?"
** Olero winces. **
** Churl nods at his the others **
Arnmin: I am Arnmin
Churl: The dog is Kiba...
Arnmin: I call him Kibs
** Allqu sleeps on the floor next to Kay's seat. **
** Kiba lets out a low grunt **
Arnmin: He LOVES that.
Churl: We've done a couple of jobs together. Nothing much. Just chasing down somebody's lost property.
Kaylankuli: "This dog," Kay points to Kiba, "not that dog." She points to Allqu.
Kiba: 'rrrrrrr"
Kaylankuli: "The lazy sleeping one, he is Allqu. Kay does not remember if you met Allqu."
Olero: "No, don't think that I had. You didn't have that... dog? When I saw you last."
Kaylankuli: "Climbdog, he is."
Churl: Looks like a damn carpet with feet.
Arnmin: pft on a good day
Kaylankuli: "He does, he does. You should see Allqu climb, though."
** Churl lazily scratches his name in the table with a long fingernail. **
Kaylankuli: "Allqu does not let Kay brush his hair."
Kiba: (( by the way i usually wears a long trenchcoat, a boring helmet, and gloves most of the day ))
Kaylankuli: "Kay does not force it."
Kaylankuli: "Kay stole him from a trader in the high market."
Arnmin: ((is allqu male or female))
Olero: (( one sec, brb ))
Kaylankuli: "He was in cage, all sad and lonely. No place to climb."
Kaylankuli: (( male ))
Kaylankuli: "That no way to keep animal."
Churl: Yeah. They taste terrible too...
Kiba: (( if anyone watches Bleach they might know who i'm taking about ))
Churl: ..I mean, so I've heard.
Kaylankuli: "Churl is not to be eating Allqu."
Churl: Damn straight. I just said they taste terrible.
** Arnmin shifts uncomfortably **
** Allqu kicks in his sleep and rolls over on his back. **
Churl: Somethin' wrong Annie?
Arnmin: I don't know
Arnmin: My knee is acting up
Kaylankuli: "Arny needs to chew some poppy leaf."
Arnmin: Only does that when something exciting is gonna happen soon
Churl: Your knee ain't been the same since that bar fight we had last month.
Arnmin: I'll stick to my pipe thank you.
Churl: Remember that little fat guy you sent flying through the doors? Man were his friends pissed.
Olero: "Anyway, I have a bit of a proposition for you folks. If you're interested.
** Churl listens up. **
Kaylankuli: "Yes? What is this?"
** Arnmin looks interested **
** Kaylankuli takes a swig of ale and tries to catch the fly again. **
** Kiba lifts his head **
Olero: “The man's name is Aubrek. He used to be an up and coming merchant years ago. I remember the name. His fortune got wiped out when he gambled and lost on a shipping scheme. Seems his ship has turned up, derelict, floating out in the Jeklea Bay. He wants someone to go aboard and retrieve some items from the ship. You interested?
** Churl shrugs. **
Kaylankuli: "To be poking at ships lost at sea? Sound easy."
Arnmin: ...the crew? what happened to 'em?
Churl: I should probably get outta town. The watch ain't looking for me but... well, lets just say the watch ain't looking for me yet.
** Churl laughs **
Kaylankuli: "Someone always looking for Churl."
Churl: And that's why I started my eye collection.
Kaylankuli: "I saw the woman come to your room last night. She was ugly bitch."
Kaylankuli: "You tastes, they are failing."
Kiba: "well, at least he always takes the heat off the rest of us huh"
Kaylankuli: "That is so, Kiba."
Churl: You say that about every woman without warts and a thin layer of slime.
** Churl puts his cigarette out on his tongue. **
Kaylankuli: "Kay does not have warts or slime. But your woman last night, she did."
Kaylankuli: "That trick, she too is getting old."
Arnmin: "Well we used masks, in our ventures, right Kibs?"
Arnmin: "Too bad bout fluffy though. he was a good lizard"
Churl: Well, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Churl: ...or an overly hairy carpet of a dog.
Kiba: "Why would i need new tricks, the old ones work just fine, I can stab people and I can avoid getting stabbed"
Olero: "Don't really know what happened to the crew actually. His footman promised us a hundred gold each if we take the job. I didn't ask a whole lot of questions. Fiigured, you might be the people for it.
Churl: Yeah, see Kay, the classics are always in fashion.
Kaylankuli: "A hundred of gold? For getting on ship and getting off ship?"
Churl: A hundred? Well...
Kaylankuli: "This, it is too easy, it is."
Olero: "Yup. We're supposed to go meet him tonight. If you want in, come with me."
Churl: Shoot, Janura's been on my case about paying a little support for my kids.
Kaylankuli: "Being careful, we must. Ship with no crew afloat at sea is bad omen."
Churl: Guess I could use a little jingle in my pocket.
Olero: Shall we head out?
Kiba: "anonymous danger, supsiciously easy task for the money, not really comfortable for me
Kaylankuli: "Kay could use jingle as well."
Kiba: I guess I'm in though
Churl: Lets go.
Kaylankuli: "She is tired of selling Allqu's hair."
** Kaylankuli stands up and nudges the clmbdog with her webbed toe. **
Olero: -------------------------End of Prelude the First-------------------------------
** Allqu snorts a bit, then stands. **

1) NEXT UP FOR THE KILLING: [19] Kaylankuli
(on deck: [19] Huge Centipede )

** Kaylankuli slings one of her magic pebbles at the centipede (add +1 for bless, +1 because racial bonus against vermin, -something for firing into melee?) **
Churl: (Only one of me.))
Kaylankuli: Sling (magic stones): (Crit:x2, Range:50 ft, Type:B)
Atk: [1d20++3] => [6,3] = (9)
Dmg: [1d6] => [6] = (6)
Olero: (( that misses ))
Kaylankuli: (( and the dog bites ))
Kaylankuli: Bite: (Crit:20/x2, Type:S/P/B)
Atk: [1d20++4] => [13,4] = (17)
Dmg: [1d6 + 3] => [2,3] =
Olero: That HITS! And the vermin goes down (exactly 0 actually)
Olero: "Phew, well, that was exciting."
** Kiba lands the finishing blow as quickly as possible **
Kaylankuli: "Spiders there be in the hold."
** Churl wipes his hand on the deck. **
** Kiba and by that i mean killing blow **
Kaylankuli: "Big as fists they are."
Kaylankuli: "Kay is thinking this is what did for crew."
** Arnmin jams his doom stick into the beasts head and swirls it around a little **
Churl: Dammit, I'm never gonna get these bug stains outta my pants.
Looking through the large hole in the aft cabin, you see what was likely the captain's quarters at sometime.

Arnmin: "Better safe than dead"
Kaylankuli: "Any more bugs in the cabin?"
** Churl peers in **
Arnmin: "I'll check
Churl: Hello? Bugs?
** Allqu return's to Kay's side and begins licking the bug juice off of his matted fur. **
Arnmin: "and by check I mean wait for Churl to do it and see if anything kills him"

A rough stone altar dominates this cabin. Strange markings cover its surface. Dried mud cakes the floor around it, while human skulls ring the wall above it, each mounted on a wooden spike. The northeast and southwest corners of this room are filled with garbage and debris – crudely hacked wooden logs, smashed furniture, torn sacks, shattered crates, and small piles of dried, brown palm fronds. A staircase choked with debris occupies the southeast corner and a thick, acrid odor fills the air.

Churl: No bugs. Guess that's all folks.
Kaylankuli: "Skulls... this is not what Kay expected to see."
** Arnmin pats his knee **
Kaylankuli: "Of what god is this stone?"
Churl: Man, I haven't seen a place this bad since I moved out of my last room.
Kiba: "Anyone got a torch to light?, I don't want to get swarmed with bugs"
Arnmin: Looks like I was right
Kaylankuli: "Kay has torch."
Olero: Olero does a religion check [1d20+1] => [15,1] = (16)
** Kaylankuli hands an unlit torch to Kiba. **
Kiba: "thanks"
Olero: "I know those markings. A demon lord known as Tharzax - Lord of those that crawl."
** Churl chuckles **
Kaylankuli: "Those that crawl... these would be bugs, yes?"
Arnmin: "Damnit"
Churl: So things like bugs and frogs?
Kaylankuli: "Frogs, they do not crawl. They hop."
Olero: "Yes. His cultists often worship big bugs like this."
Kaylankuli: "Kay likes to be eating bugs."
Kaylankuli: "Kay does not like bugs to be eating her."
** Kaylankuli hands Kiba a tindertwig as well **
Churl: Worship bugs?
** Arnmin lights a torch, puts away stick **
Olero: "Yeah, they worship bugs."
Churl: That's a pretty screwed up bunch right there.
** Arnmin takes out acid **
** Arnmin used tail whip. I mean spot **
Arnmin: [1d20+6] => [10,6] = (16)
Arnmin: ((any thing very important looking))
** Kiba lites another torch and keeps an eye out for bugs **
Churl: heh, all the roaches in my last place it could practically have been a temple to a group like that.
DM Hussar: (whispering): You notice a book among the pile of garbage to the south.
Kaylankuli: "Down, should we go?"
Churl: ((Does the stairacse look like it could be cleared away or is it pretty much a wreck?))
Kiba: (( the force is with kay ))
Arnmin: "there's a book here
** Churl looks up **
The stairway down is choked with garbage and debris. Impassible without considerable work.

** Arnmin picks it up **
Kaylankuli: "Book of what?"
Churl: Anything good?
Kaylankuli: "More bugs?"
Arnmin: "Yes lets open the creepy cultist's book"
The books appear to be ledgers and the log for the ship. It details the last days of the ship.

Arnmin: awesome
** Allqu climbs straight up the wall to the higher deck. **
Kaylankuli: "This book, it is useful, yes?"
Kiba: Ok, where can we find what were looking for then, It should be in there right?
** Arnmin opend the book to the second to last page **
Churl: What's it say?

Reading the log, it appears that the ship was blown way off course ina terrible storm and separated from its escort. Runnign low on food and water, the ship was forced to anchor off an uncharted island.

** Arnmin uses read **
** Churl takes a swig from a badly dented flask. **
The last entry descibes and attack by orcs that fought alongside a variety of insects. Though the crew beat off theis initial attack, they suffered heavy losses. The final entry records the captain's fear that this attack may have been only a precursor to an even larger attack.

** Kiba does what he said **
Churl: Search [1d20+6] => [5,6] = (11)
Kiba: [1d20+6] => [11,6] = (17)
** Churl casually glances at a few things. **
Arnmin: [1d20-1] => [11,-1] = (10)
** Arnmin doesn't try TOO hard **
Churl: Lotta rubble here. Can't be much worth the effort of digging around.
DM Hussar: Churl pulls up a bag from under altar - inside are ten small red gems.
** Churl coughs **
** Kaylankuli aids somebody search [1d20+1] => [3,1] = *(4)*
Kaylankuli: (( or not ))
Churl: ERm...or maybe I'm wrong.
** Churl examines the gems **
Arnmin: "everyone is wrong sometimes churl"
DM Hussar: (( 10 red gems, without appraise, that's as much as you know. ))
Churl: So, ten gems, five of us, finders fee, taxes. Think that leaves five for me and five for the rest of you guys?
Kaylankuli: "What is Churl finding?"
** Churl shows Kay the red gems. **
Kaylankuli: "We be splitting these evenly, Churl. Finders fee there is not."
Kiba: (( so, we all know that all 5 of us are crazy enough so that we probably shouldn't mess with each other ))
Kaylankuli: "Team, we are."
Churl: Heh, just ribbing ya Kay.
Churl: C'mon, I've never taken more than what my fair share was.
Kaylankuli: "Kay is watching Churl," Kaylankuli says with a grin.
Arnmin: "Let's not mention the gems to our employer though, ok?"
Kaylankuli: "These gems, they were not what we came here to find, no? Then we did not find them."
** Arnmin gives an amused chuff **
Kaylankuli: "So they did not count, aya?"
DM Hussar: --------------------------------Ending Session 1 - Prelude - Salvage Operation.-----------

 

[Hussar]

Hrm, a bit rough, but, we'll leave it for now.

Here is the rough log: http://hussarsstap.pbwiki.com/f/Log -2008-09-09.html if you are so inclined to read it.

 

[Hussar]

The Savage Script
Starring
Kalankuli, Grippli Druid Churl, Tiefling Scout Kiba, Lupin Scout Arnmin, Human Monk Olero, Human Cleric​

​

​

The Savage Theme

DM Hussar: ----------------------Starting Session 2 - Preludes Salvage Operation--------------------

When last we saw out intrepi... he... stalw... companions, they had arrived on the derelict ship only to be assaulted by a massive beast bursting from the captain's quarters. Easily slaying the creature, they explored the aft cabin and discovered a shrine dedicated to Tharzax, demon lord of That Which Crawls. They also discovered the remains of the captain's log, detailing how the ship, the Emperor of Waves, was blown off course during a storm and ran aground on an uncharted island. The ship was then assaulted by humanoids and monstrous crawling insects. The log ends with a note that the humanoids were returning.​

Kaylankuli: "Kay does not like this bit about people and bugs."

The captain's quarters are heavily damaged. Junk is piled throughtout the room. The stairway down belowdecks is choked with debris. It would take considerable effort to clear it.​

Churl: What? I thought you loved bugs...there was that roach roast last week.
** Churl leans against the wall "I don't particularly feel like clearing that stuff out. We need servants." **
Kaylankuli: "Kay is fond of bugs she can eat. She is not so fond of bugs that can eat her."
Arnmin: "heh. maybe some maids in those frilly uniforms?"
Kaylankuli: "We just here for some things. Not all things."

The ship creaks and groans.​

Kaylankuli: "No need to clean his room."
Churl: er....
Churl: Maybe we should get a move on.
Kaylankuli: "Aya. Yes. Below decks to go?"
Arnmin: "uh...what do you think the spider are doing down there?"
Kaylankuli: "Spiders there be below."
Kaylankuli: "More bug worship, aya?"
** (2) Kiba growls and nods **
Churl: So this is a bug hunt, eh?
** Arnmin quaffs an antitoxin **
Kaylankuli: "So it to be seeming."
** Churl scratches his name on the wall "Dammit, I hate vermin." **
** (3) Kaylankuli heads back out on deck and looks down into the hold again through the grate. **
Kaylankuli: "Kaypi, Allqu. Come."
** Churl follows **
Churl: So what did you see out here?
Kaylankuli: "Spiders. Look."
** (3) Kaylankuli points down through the grate. **
Arnmin: "I'll just stay here"
** Olero looks at Arnmin, and follows suit. Chugs the antitoxin **
Kaylankuli: "Kaypi, Arnmin. We all in this. You come."
Arnmin: "well let me wait a second. if the spiders jump out and kill you. then i am not going"
Kaylankuli: "We should look in door in aft of ship first, yes?"
** Arnmin waits a second **
Churl: Know:Nature [1d20+4] => [13,4] = (17) (To determine anything handy about the spiders)
Kaylankuli: Knowledge (Nature) (4 ranks): [1d20+7] => [18,7] = (25)
** Olero looks back towards the aft cabin, "Um, Kaylan, that cabin back there was the aft cabin. You mean the fore cabin." **
Kaylankuli: "Aya, yes. Kaylankuli forgets common words for things."
Kaylankuli: "She speak Grippli most of life."
DM Hussar: (( Churl Kalan, you can look at the Vermin section of the monster manual and know pretty much anything you want with those rolls. ))
Churl: Ah, broken Common, the universal language.
Kaylankuli: "So it seems, yes." Kay smiles.
Kaylankuli: "THis door, first, yes? Or do we go to spiders?"
Churl: lets go through the door. Spiders can wait.
Arnmin: "I vote door. I like surprises. most the time"
Kaylankuli: "Someone else to open, yes?"
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, you go first."
** (3) Allqu sniffs **
** (3) Allqu walks up to the door and sniffs under it. **
** Churl jiggles the handle **
Churl: Whats yer dog think, frog?

Listening at the door, you hear only the sounds of the ship and the sea.​

Kaylankuli: "Wakichiy, Allqu. Be ready."
Churl: Nuts to this.
** Churl throws open the door **
Arnmin: "I'll open it if this is going to take forever"
Arnmin: "ok good"
** Churl steps in. **

Thick sheets of spider webs choke this room. A small, cramped, open space to port provides access to a narrow staircase heading down. Near the bow, within the webs, sits a single table surrounded by four chairs.​

Arnmin: "now let's hurry and kill what ever monstrocity is in there"
Kaylankuli: "There to be more spiders?:
Churl: Oh what a tangled web we weave...
DM Hussar: (( STOP ))
Arnmin: "oh."
** Churl hurls a copper coin into the web. **
DM Hussar: Churl, gimme a spot check
Churl: Spot [1d20-1] => [3,-1] = (2)
DM Hussar: Spider gets suprise
** Churl stops to consider the last time had had a drink. **
DM Hussar: How the heck does the scout hava negative spot?
Churl: C'mon in guys, it's cle....
Kaylankuli: (( one of two scouts ))
Churl: ((Low wisdom, no ranks))
Arnmin: "ohs***watchout"
Churl: ((I figured kibble would doo all the sniffing/spotting.))

Moving out of the shadows, an immense, horse sized spider surges towards the party. Arnmin takes the lead, dodging into the cabin and trying to land a blow on the creature. His aim is wide and he dives back. With a growl, Kiba dodges into the room and fires his bow, also missing. Olero, finding an opening, makes an attempt as well, but, the Lord's push to him and he fails to connect. Arnmin's off balance swing leaves him open for the spider which sinks glistening fangs into his arm, causing him to cry out in pain! Kaylankuli next commands her companion, Allqu to attack, and the climbdog savages the spider.

Attempting to free himself from the sticky webbing, Churl douses himself with oil and lights himself on fire, trusting his demonic heritage will save him from the flames. He is successful, and frees himself from the webbing.


Kaylankuli: "Aya! Insane, you are!"
Arnmin, reeling from the poison, stumbles out of the reach of the spider while Olero covers his retreat. Smashing his mace into the spider, it squeals in pain. Allqu and Kaylankuli then put the finishing touches on the monster, crushing the life from it. Before they can do anything else, however, Arnmin points a quivering finger out the doorway, onto the main deck!​

A startled shout draws you attention to the main deck only to see a carpet of spiders surge from the grate and boil towards you!​

With a shout, Churl slams the door shut, trying to block the wave of spiders. Olero readies a vial of acid and Arnmin helps Churl try to block the door, but to no avail. The tiny, voracious creatures swarm through the cracks. Olero, with a shout, launches his vial of acid and the liquid splashes directly in the center of the mass. There is a hiss and the wounded vermin scuttle away!​

Churl: Man, not the first time I've seen Olero drop acid, but definitely the best time.
Kaylankuli: "That not be so bad."
Olero: "Arnmin, you should treat those wounds."
Arnmin: "stupid bugs"
Olero: Second save from Arnmin from poison. Also, Heal check from Olero.
** (3) Kaylankuli takes a moment to carefully search the webbing... (or I aid someone else with a better bonus) **
Arnmin: "ow"
** (3) Allqu climbs straight up the mast and clings to the rafters, upside down. **
Churl: ((+2 from Kibble))

The furniture in this room is worhtless, but the table is still covered with charts and maps. While these documents are old and crumbling, they show the location of the island where teh Emperor met its fate.​

** (2) Kiba slings his bow over his shoulder. **
Olero: (( no secondary damage ))
Churl: Hmph, what have we here?
Arnmin: ((yup))
** Churl examines the charts. **
** (3) Kaylankuli looks at the maps. "Should we be taking these?" **
Churl: ..Oh my gods!
Churl: Does this island look kinda like a phallus to anyone else?
Arnmin: "what?"
Churl: Maybe if you turn it at a 45 degree angle? Kinda?
** Churl laughs **
Kaylankuli: "Churl has too much of the sex on his mind."
Arnmin: "....yeah but it also looks like it needs healing magic"
Churl: hah, it totally does!
** Churl guffaws **
Kaylankuli: "It is obviously carrot."

Looking down the stairs, you see they lead belowdecks.​

Kaylankuli: "Carrot with a growth."
Churl: Hey, looks like we're clear to go downstairs.
Arnmin: "TWO growths?"
Kaylankuli: "Kay does not want to look any more, aya."
Arnmin: awesome
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, come down from ceiling. We going down."
Churl: Er, Kibble, you first. I think your eyes're a little better than mine.
** (3) Allqu leaps down to the floor. **
** Churl kiba stops at the top of the stairs and listens [1d20+6] => [16,6] = (22) **
DM Hussar: You hear the sounds of the ship. Maybe some skittering of tiny legs.
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, do you be smelling anything downstairs? More spiders?"
Allqu: "Growf growf. **I'm covered in spider and she wants to know if I smell spiders**
** Arnmin 's eyes open a bit wider. he takes out his acid **
Kiba: Well, might be more trouble down here. Rould we...I mean, should we go?
** Churl follows **
Kaylankuli: "There is no other place to be going."
Churl: You first kiddo.
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, down."
Arnmin: "mght as well"
** (3) Allqu follows Churl and Kiba down the stairs. **
** Churl picks his teeth **
DM Hussar: Kiba, spot check if you please
Churl: See spot spot [1d20+4] => [6,4] = (10)
DM Hussar: [1d20+7] => [20,7] = (27)
DM Hussar: (( you see nothing. ))
DM Hussar: KIba, give me a REF save please
Churl: Kiba's Reflex save [1d20+5] => [2,5] = (7)
DM Hussar: Kiba is Entangled, caught in the web strung across the broken doorway that his spot check failed to see.
DM Hussar: (( also note, he is anchored in place and cannot move ))
** (2) Kiba whimpers **
Kaylankuli: (( can we get past him? ))
** Churl whispers "Bad dog." **
Arnmin: "what's happening?"

Kiba shouts as he stumbles into fine webbing covering the doorway. Two dog sized spiders leap out at him! You reel in shock at the sudden savagery of the attack! Your startled thoughts trail back to the previous few days...

DM Hussar: ------------------Interlude the Second - The Laughing Man takes an interest ---------------------

You swagger through the streets of Sasserine, cocksure and steady. People hurry from your path, obviously alarmed by your presence. You aren't really sure if it's the weapons on your belt or your parentage and you don't really care either way. The hour is approaching the tenth bell of evening: Lamplighters have passed before you and lit the streets with guttering torches. Everything is painted in a lurid red light.​

Olero: "So, Kalankuli, where did you get that weird mop you call a dog?"
Arnmin: "anyone else notice the fleeing?"
** Churl shrugs **
Churl: Ain't the first time people have run away from me...
Olero: "Fleeing Arnmin? I think it's probably just Kiba's smell."
Arnmin: "I wonder about it"
Churl: Hey, I think I saw two guys who owe me money.
Kaylankuli: "The dog, Allqu, was to be sold to pit fighting. Kay rescued him."
Kaylankuli: "Kay with help from Kiba."
Olero: "Ok, now I know you're lying Churl. The only person who owes you money is your granny."
Arnmin: "ah. those two must of started and everyone else is haveing a sheep reflex"
Kaylankuli: "Is not Churl to be owing Kay money?"
Churl: Wel, she did miss my last birthday.
** Churl grins **
Churl: I'll give you a silver if you can say that properly.
** Arnmin grins **
** (3) Kaylankuli says something in Grippli. **
Kaylankuli: "That was properly to Kay."
Arnmin: "haha"
Churl: Frog talk don't count...how about this?
** Churl swear a blue streak in Abyssal. **
Arnmin: "but then again, we have no idea if you said it properly in grippli"
Arnmin: "..or what ever that was"
Kaylankuli: "Let us be going to Shadowshore and find grippli to say it is so."
Olero: "Ewww. That's just bad. You sound like a wounded troll trying to mate."
Kaylankuli: "Kay knows how to speak her own tongue, yes?"
Churl: ...so Olero, you've mated with a wounded troll?
Olero: Downloading WhiskeyYerTheDivil.mp3 - Uploadingit.com Free Image and File Hosting
** Arnmin chuffs **
Olero: "Well, considering some of the sounds we've heard Churl, a wounded troll would be the least of it."
** Churl Suddenly smacks himself in the shoulder **
Kaylankuli: "Did you to be bit with fleas, Churl?"
** Churl picks a small object off of his shoulder and drops it in the street. **

You take a turn, and then another and suddenly the streets look less familiar. You look at each other in momentary confusion then proceed forward, some sense making you loosen your weapons in their scabbards. Ahead, you spy a fountain and a youth leaning against the side. Resting near the youth are two cups, one of white ivory and the other of rusty iron.​

Churl: Feh. Bloody spider.
Kaylankuli: "Kay has some potion she use on Allqu before."
** Churl scratches his head. **
Youth: You look a thirsty bunch. Care for a drink?
** (3) Kaylankuli wraps her sling around her fist a few times. **
Churl: "You mean, like drink water?"
Arnmin: " spiders? what/who have you been doing
(1) Youth: "Well, it would be like water I suppose."
** (3) Kaylankuli narrows her big froggy eyes. **
Arnmin: "how much like?"
(1) Youth: "Sort of how like bread is a little bit like whiskey."
** Churl shrugs **
Olero: Kn Religion [1d20+1] => [17,1] = (18)
Kaylankuli: "What are being these cups?"
** Olero blanches visibly in the torchlight. **
Churl: What the hell, a little nip before we get to the tavern couldn't hurt.
(1) Youth: "Well, it's a good thing you asked darling."
Kaylankuli: "Churl should be waiting, Kay thinks."
** (3) Allqu growls. **
Youth: “My master has taken a bit of an interest in you. He sees a bit of fun in your future, so he thinks to give you a bit of a nudge. A little tweak of the dice shall we say. So, here we are. You, me, and this little fountain. But, no ordinary fountain this. No. This has been brought here, with some difficulty I might add, from a place where, well, a place that was no fun at all.”
Arnmin: "that's.......cool?"
Youth: “The waters of this fountain contain a touch of the laughing man himself. It's said he once got drunk and pissed in the very waters. I am inclined to believe it myself, but, who knows? All I know, is that if you drink, you suffer both the pull and the push of the lord and lady. That's where I come in. See, if you drink from the white cup, it's the lady's pull to you lad. You get to choose how the lady smiles upon you. But, you still have to drink from the iron one as well. And then it's the lord's push and you have no control over that. Choose the iron cup first, and you hold the lord's push by the throat and you can shake him a bit. Choose your poison as it were. But, then the lady is a fickle whore and gives you whatever she wants.”
** (3) Kaylankuli pats Allqu reassuringly. **
Kaylankuli: "To be calm, Allqu..."
Kaylankuli: "What master be this?"
** Churl lights a cigarette. **
(1) Youth: "My master is known by many names. The Lord that Pushes and the Lady that pulls. The Laughing Man. Here in this fair port town, he's known as a patron of dwarves of all things."
** Arnmin scratches his beard **
Churl: Hmmmm. I already got a whore telling me what to do. Her name is Janura and she's my kid's mother.
Kaylankuli: "Do we have to be drinking, aya?"
(1) Youth: "She's known as Saint Worgul here in this armpit of the world."
Churl: So what happens if I dip my flask in yer fountain and say (*&^ either of your cups?
(1) Youth: "Oh, no. There'd be no fun in forcing your hand little tadpole. It's always up to the gambler to throw the dice."
** Churl lets out a puff of smoke. **
(1) Youth: "You're welcome to try."
Arnmin: "what about drinking from both at the same time? Do they lord and lady flip a coin?"
Kaylankuli: "So, to be drinking of white is to get good things, then a bad thing we cannot control, and to be drinking of iron is to get a bad thing, but to control it a bit?"
(1) Youth: "Yes, Miss Kermit, that would be true."
Kaylankuli: "Kaylankuli is this one's name. She knows of no Kermit."
(1) Youth: "Well, drinking with both fists is something you would know about. To be honest, I don't know what would happen."
Churl: *&% that. I got enough good and bad...hell, most of it's related to things I drank too.
(1) Youth: "Ah, you remind of me a young bullywug I once knew - Kermit l'Amphere. Terrible tyrant he was."
Churl: G'won frog. Have a nip.
Kaylankuli: "Kay is thinking."
Arnmin: "alright....both at the same time. I assume this will be 'fun' "
** Arnmin tries both at the same time **
(1) Youth: (( we'll put this to Kiba later on. He doesn't have to choose now. ))
Kaylankuli: "If Arni is to drink first, Kay will wait and see."
** Churl takes the last puff of his cigarette. He flicks the butt into the fountain. **
Arnmin: ((the fountain flicks the butt back))
(1) Youth: (( The rat bastard DM in me wants to make random rolls for good and bad, but, I think I'll leave it up to chance. 20% you get to choose both ))
(1) Youth: Low=Choose both [1d100] => [89] = (89)
(1) Youth: Random for both.
DM Hussar: ARnmin, gimme 2 d100 rolls
Arnmin: ((don't worry i believe in the heart of the cards))
Arnmin: [1d100+0] => [32,0] = (32)
Arnmin: [1d100+0] => [5,0] = (5)
DM Hussar: Discovered Skill is good and Ailment is bad. One sec, gotta find the magazine to find out what you just got
whispering to Arnmin, Gain 2 ranks in a class skill of your choice.
Arnmin: (whispering): sweet?
whispering to Arnmin, Lose 3 hp permanently
Arnmin: (whispering): whaaaaaaaaat
DM Hussar: (whispering): That's what you rolled
Arnmin: ((what gain two skill points, lose 3 hp dang))
Arnmin: (whispering): still
(1) Youth: Anyone else want to try?
(1) Youth: (whispering): Bad rolls.
Kaylankuli: "What would being gained from drinking from iron?"
Churl: Arnie, you alright?
Arnmin: ...feel a little weak
(1) Youth: Drink from the iron and you get to choose your poison. You still will drink from the ivory, but, the Lady is fickle."
Churl: ((It would be "iron"ic))
DM Hussar: (( translation - choosing Iron lets you choose the bad thing that happens, but you take a random good thing. Choose the ivory and it's the other way around. ))
Kaylankuli: "Ah, Kay did not understand before. You drink from both in any case, but which one you drink first you may choose?"
Kaylankuli: "Kay will be drinking."
(1) Youth: "That is right."
** (3) Kaylankuli takes the iron cup. **
(1) Youth: "That's the spirit. Drink deep."
Kaylankuli: (whispering): so I pick one of these?
** (1) Youth fills up the ivory cup and hands it to Kaylankuli. **
** Churl lights up again. **
(1) Youth: (whispering): yup
Kaylankuli: (whispering): can I ask what they mean, or do I have to go on the names alone?
(1) Youth: (whispering): note, higher numbers are generlly worse than lower numbers. But, not always.
(1) Youth: (whispering): names.
Arnmin: ((wait. can those new ranks i got go above the current rank maximum? like the're supper ranks?))
Kaylankuli: (whispering): I'll take dulled sight
(1) Youth: (whispering): -2 spot checks
(1) Youth: (whispering): gimme a d100 roll
Kaylankuli: (whispering): [1d100] => [22] = (22)
Churl: ((Somehow that feels appropriate after this.))
(1) Youth: (whispering): +2 on a Dex based skill of your choice
(1) Youth: (whispering): competence bonus
Kaylankuli: (whispering): oo, cool
** (3) Kaylankuli blinks a few times after drinking, then rubs her eyes. **
(1) Youth: Ok, It's not fair if I choose for Olero, so, I'm going with random rolls for him. Good [1d100] => [74] = (74) bad [1d100] => [47] = (47)
(1) Youth: -1 ref saves, +2 to random ability score [1d6] => [3] = (3)
(1) Youth: That would be Con
(1) Youth: Churl? What about you?
Churl: Hmmmm....
** Churl flips a coin [1d2] => [1] = (1) 1 and he does it, 2 and he does not **
Churl: Alright pal, we're doing this my way....
(1) Youth: "Said the priest to the altar boy"
** Churl takes the cups in hand and fills each with a little of the drink. he pours them into his flask and adds some lamp oil... **
** Churl lights the concoction and drinks it in a gulp. **
(1) Youth: Heh, with style, I'll let you roll twice for either the good or the bad and pick the one you like.
** Churl belches smoke **
Churl: [2d100] => [25,23] = (48) for the good.
** (3) Kaylankuli shakes her head. "A strange man, he is." **
Churl: [2d100] => [16,89] = (105) for the bad.
(1) Youth: OOps, sorry, I meant you could roll twice for EITher the good or the bad, not both.
Churl: ((Going to go with.. the 25 for the good and the 16 for the bad))
Arnmin: ((either very good bad one or a very bad bad one))
(1) Youth: (( anyway. ))
Churl: ((Ah, well 16 for the bad then))
(1) Youth: (whispering): Heh Good=+2 competence bonus on a Dex skill of your choice
(1) Youth: (whispering): Weakling - Take a -1 penalty to all Str based skill checks
Churl: (whispering): heh, nice.
Churl: (whispering): D'oh!
** Churl bleches out a cloud of black smoke. **
Churl: Oof. That actually burned.
(1) Youth: "Well, it's been good doing business with you gentlefolk. I have to be getting this back to the castle now. Master Maure will be very put out if he discoveres this missing."
(1) Youth: "I bid you all good evening."
Churl: G'night.
Kaylankuli: "Good night to you."
** Churl spits up a small patch of flaming oil. **
Churl: Okay, maybe that wasn't such a good idea.
** Churl laughs. **

You press on to your meeting with Master Aubreck, leaving behind the strange youth and his fountain.​

Arnmin: "meh"
Kaylankuli: "What happened to Churl when he drank?"
Churl: Feeling just a little weak. Not completely sure what happened there.
(1) Youth: --------------------Ending Interlude the Second--------------------------------

You attention snaps back to the present as two massive spiders heave into view, flanking Kiba!​

The party rushes down the stairs to aid the helpless Kiba. Fighting and pushing their way forward, they force the spiders back against the walls and smash them flat.

Arnmin: "HATE. spiders"
** (3) Allqu ends up with a spider leg in his mouth, torn off when Arn pulled it from the ceiling. **
DM Hussar: Hey, maybe ARnmin sprang off of Churl.
Kaylankuli: "Kay likes spiders when they are small. They taste spicy."
DM Hussar: Second save from Kiba please
** (2) Kiba holds up a bloodied paw and whimpers. **
Kaylankuli: "Uranta, Allqu. Down."
Arnmin: ((i think i could use some healing))
** (3) Allqu jumps down from the ceiling. **
** Arnmin grimaces **
(2) Kiba: (*^-ing spiders. Why couldn't this ship have been attacked by deranged cultists of Mhyriss?

You are standing in the main gangway of the ship. Above you, light filters down through the grate and you see the outline of the cover leading to the hold at your feet. The entire area is covered with spiderwebs.​

Arnmin: "I think i got some spider in my mouth"
** (3) Kaylankuli examines her dog. "Scratch only, you have." **
(2) Kiba: ((Mhyriss = goddess of love))
Kaylankuli: "We would be so lucky, aya?"
Churl: ((And I was out of character))
** Olero heals Kiba [1d8+3] => [7,3] = (10) hit points **
** Arnmin grins **
Olero: Kiba's wounds disappear.
** (2) Kiba wags his tail **
Kaylankuli: (( lupines have tails? ))
Churl: ((yep))
Arnmin: ((Kiba wears his emotions on his ass))
Kaylankuli: (( heh, okay ))

Numerous hatches lead out of the hallway, and the cover leads down.


Spiders skitter over the webs, disturbed by your movements.​

Churl: Whichever one leads to a dozen scanitly clad nymphs.
Arnmin: "so. Olero. i could use a little healing"
** (3) Kaylankuli snatches a spider from one of hte webs, sniffs it, and puts it in her mouth. **
Olero: (( oops. Heh. Last spell from me today. ))
** Churl burns a small web. **
Olero: Heals arming [1d8+3] => [7,3] = (10)
** Churl knocks on the door in front of him. **
Kaylankuli: "Kay has healing potion if more is needed."
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, go first."
Olero: Nothing answers your knock.
Churl: Hello? Spiders? Nasty carapaced critters? Anyone home?
Arnmin: "thanks"
Kaylankuli: "They not be answering, Churl."
Olero: Allqu scratches at the trapdor.
Kaylankuli: "What is there, Allqu?"
(1) Allqu : Grrr grrr.
Churl: Oh, great. We're following the dog's lead...
Churl: No offense Kiba.
Kaylankuli: "Allqu thinks we go down first."
Your font now looks like this.
Arnmin: "he hasn't led us astray so far
Olero: "Which way boys and girls?"
Churl: He alsos teps in his own .
Kaylankuli: "Or that down is more spiders. Is hard to tell."
Churl: ((3 seconds or I'm opening the door in front of me))
Kaylankuli: "Let us to be going down."
Arnmin: "maybe we should try a small room?"
Churl: [1d2] => [2] = (2)
Arnmin: "can't be many spider in a small room"
** Churl agrees with Kay. **
** (3) Kaylankuli snorts. **
Spiders watch you with tiny eyes.

Kaylankuli: "Spiders can be anywhere."
Churl: Lets at least open the hatch and take a look.
** (3) Kaylankuli moves aside so the door can be opened **
Kaylankuli: (( somebody else open it ))
** Churl opens it **
DM Hussar: Gimme a str check Churl
Churl: Strength [1d20+1] => [15,1] = (16)

Churl yanks the hatch open, ripping thick webbing and scattering many spiders.​

** Churl spits out a spider **
DM Hussar: Looking into the hold...
Kaylankuli: "Do not be spitting. Spiders are delicacy in some places."

This large hold runs the entire length of the ship. Seawater fills this chamber to about waist depth, while a pile of old, moldering crates cluster against the ship's port hull. The water is dark and murky.​

Olero: "This is just like a big buffet for you isn't it Kay?"
Kaylankuli: "It is, it is." Kay smiles.
Kaylankuli: "But now is not time to eat."
Olero: "I ate spiders once. Crunchy. So hungry.... Ummm... "
** Olero shakes himself. **
Kaylankuli: "Allqu, you go first. Down."
Olero: "Bad memories."
Churl: Oh, man I remember that Olero...
Arnmin: "...there are water spiders, right?"
** (3) Allqu climbs down into the hold, staying on the ceiling. **

Allqu climbs on the ceiling and looks down into the water.​

Churl: That was that time the ghoul got loose in the hold and we couldn't get to the food supply right?
Churl: You could hear him munching on Arny for like two days. Sure took his time.

It's about a five or six foot drop to the water's surface. You guess it would be about three feet deep in the hold."​

** Churl laughs **
Churl: Poor dwarf. Sure do miss him.
** (3) Allqu barks at the water. **
** (1) Allqu barks and barks at the water. something is definitely disturbing him. **
Kaylankuli: (( if I drop my backpack and use my climbing gear I could manage a 20 climb check by taking 10... could I climb on the ceiling like Allqu? ))
DM Hussar: (( Sure Kaylan ))
** (3) Kaylankuli drops her backpack, but takes out her clmbing gear. She climbs down like Allqu. **
DM Hussar: Suddenly!!!

The door to aft bursts open. Standing in the doorway is a massive orc. Slithering in front of him is a large serpent. The orc is dressed in hides and carries a club.​

(1) Krell: "Infidels! Krell will teach you to fear the Crawling Lord!"

The party battles Krell back and forth in the narrow gangway in the center of the ship. They succeed in overpowering him, with Arnmin stunning the orc with a well placed chop and setting him up for Kiba's thrust between the ribs. The snake is crushed between Churl and Allqu.​

Arnmin: ((when we get back to town, let's just get like 5 dogs, and they can do all the work))
DM Hussar: (( old skool ))
Churl: ((I like the idea))
You ponder your changing fortunes and wonder how you ended up in this mess.

DM Hussar: -------------------Interlude the Third.----------------------------

You wend your way through the streets of Sasserine, enjoying the night air, when Olero leads you up to a well kept inn. The inn is old, but stately, predating the fall of the Sea Barons. Heading inside, you are quickly seated in front of an aging gentleman.

The man's clothes are well made, but old and faded. He is obviously a bit down on his luck.​

(1) Aubreck: "Ahh, I see Olero wasn't spinning tales when he said he knew people who could help me. Although people may be stretching the word a bit."
Kaylankuli: "Kaylankuli is people."
** Churl takes a swig from his flask. **
Churl: hee Hee. Yeah, I suppose we ain't exactly people. I've been mistaken for one.
** Churl gives a toothy grin. **
Arnmin: "meh"
(1) Aubreck: "My name is Master Aubreck."
Churl: Evenin' guv.
(1) Aubreck: "And who would you be?"
Arnmin: "you want us to....
Arnmin: "not important
Kaylankuli: "Kaylankuli is this one." Kay puts a hand to her chest. "And Allqu is the shaggy one."
Churl: Churl. Just Churl. If you want a last name with that yer gonna have to find out who (*%^#$-ed my mother.
(1) Aubreck: "Well, now that's hardly an auspicious beginning. You are taking my coin after all. Calling you "Hey you!" would hardly be proper."
Kaylankuli: "Aya, Churl is always with charm, yes?"
Arnmin: "fine. call me....Arn"
** Churl holds out a well manicured hand. **
Churl: Careful, they're sharp.
(1) Aubreck: Master Arn it is. I think we can likely help each other. But, first things first."
** (1) Aubreck shakes Churl's hand." **
Kaylankuli: "Make sure Churl did not take things from Aubreck, sir." Kay says warningly as they shake hands.
Kaylankuli: "Tricksy, he is."
(1) Aubreck: "Heh. Well, he'd be welcome to it unfortunately. Times have not been kind to me."
** Arnmin shakes hands as well **
Churl: Sihit, Kay. You know I never take from an employer. Makes for bad business.
(1) Aubreck: "Once I was master of an entire fleet of merchant ships. Even with the Sea Barons in charge here, I could still command respect. But, my last venture broke me."
** Churl shrugs and takes a swig. His words are beginning to slur noticably. **
(1) Aubreck: "I had outfitted my strongest ship, The Emperor of the Waves, for a journey far to the south, in the Pearl Sea."
Kaylankuli: "The sea makes both bad luck and good, yes?"
** Churl nods **
(1) Aubreck: "It took everything I had and then vanished without a trace."
Kaylankuli: "Aya, is a shame to lose a ship."
** Arnmin drums his fingers on the table **
Churl: S'watcha lookin for there?
(1) Aubreck: "But, the sea it sometimes gives back too. Last week, the Emperor was spotted only a few days from Sasserine, adrift."
Kaylankuli: "Aya, to be seen again after being lost is great luck indeed."
Kaylankuli: "For most, lost is lost and never to be found."
Arnmin: "depends"
Arnmin: "it could be unsalvagable"
(1) Aubreck: "I don't know what happened. But, I need to recover some of my losses. If fortune smiles upon me, there is a small blue box in the hold marked with an intricate letter "A". I need that box.
Arnmin: "just insult to injury"
Kaylankuli: "A box only?"
Churl: An intricate letter, eh?
Kaylankuli: "What is in this box that is so precious?"
** Churl drinks **
Arnmin: "and not the rest of the alphabet?"
(1) Aubreck: "Anything else you find on the ship, you are welcome to. I imagine that she's been stripped before, but, the box was in the hold. It was small and might have escaped notice."
Churl: Wait... s'your sayn that we can jus' take what we want? Without knowin' whats there?
(1) Aubreck: "It was meant as a gift to a tribal shaman. It never arrived and my dealings were through."
(1) Aubreck: "With the box in my hands, I can begin rebuilding some of my fortunes."
Arnmin: "that's a really st--GREAT idea"
** Churl leans heavily on the table. **
Arnmin: "what's the box do?"
Kaylankuli: "You are still not saying what is in this box."
(1) Aubreck: "I am offering you 100 gold up front and another 100 after you return the box. "
Kaylankuli: "Each, aya?"
(1) Aubreck: "The box is ensorcelled. It would be very difficult to open, if not impossible. Inside was the offerings to the shaman I was dealing with."
(1) Aubreck: "Yes, each."
Churl: Wassa matter? Who cares whass inna box? S'long's we get paid and Mr. Aubrit gess his thingy back...
Arnmin: "offerings of?"
Kaylankuli: "You are not to be saying what these offerings are, Kay notices. Fine, she will not ask questions if the gold is good."
** Churl looks at his flask and mumbles "Hell I puddin here dis morn.?" **
(1) Aubreck: "That is not your business Master Arn. "
Kaylankuli: "Churl should be drinking less and paying attention more, Kay thinks."
(1) Aubreck: "Olero, I thought you said you could find some discreet individuals."
Arnmin: "Let me put this in simpler terms. Will it kill us just by carrying it back to you?"
Churl: Hey, I done care wass inna box.
(1) Aubreck: "Oh, no. Nothing like that. The box will not hurt you. I doubt anything you could do would hurt it either."
Kaylankuli: "Curious we are, no more. If Aubreck does not want it known then it will not be known."
Arnmin: "that's all I really wanted to know?"
Arnmin: "except...how discret are talking?"
(1) Aubreck: "Most cautious. My appologies Master Arn. It has been a long time and I am so close. It makes me less tahn a perfect host."
Arnmin: "as in....if officials should see this box would they take it?"
(1) Aubreck: "I would prefer you not speak to anyone about what we are doing until after we return. It would not be good for another fortune hunter to beat us there."
Kaylankuli: "No apologies needed. Apologies from us, there should be, for we should not be asking."
** Churl has fallen asleep at the table. **
** (3) Kaylankuli lets Churl sleep. **
Arnmin: "I am merely cautious"
(1) Aubreck: "The box truly belongs to me. The A is my mark."
Kaylankuli: "Aya, sense it makes."
Arnmin: "I would not want to lose half my pay because of some snooping eyes"
(1) Aubreck: "I have secured a ship, the Soul of Winter, to take us out to the Emperor. We leave on the morning after tomorrow."
Arnmin: "very well."
Kaylankuli: "Then we will go."
** (3) Kaylankuli elbows Churl. **
Churl: Huh!
Churl: Whut I miss?
** Churl takes a quick look at his flask and decides to dump out the rest. **
(1) Aubreck: -------------------Ending Interlude the Third---------------------
Kaylankuli: "Kay wll tell Churl later."
Kaylankuli: (( hehe... maybe Kay served on one of Aubreck's ships, back when he was a big shot ))

The floor here is covered with runes written in dried blood. A circle has been carved into the floor, while spider webs cover the walls and ceiling. Two humanoid sized bundles attached to the ceiling writhe as dozens of tiny spiders swarm over them.​

Kaylankuli: "He was the worshipper of flies, yes?"
Kaylankuli: "Aya, what are those?"
Churl: Uh, hey guys. I'm thinking we may have found some of the crew?
Arnmin: "uh"
Kaylankuli: "Alive in there, is anyone?"
Arnmin: "yeah"
** (3) Kaylankuli picks up her backpack. **
Olero: No, they're dead. Been dead a while from teh looks of it."
Kaylankuli: "Kay will not cut them down, then."
Churl: They got coin purses?
** Arnmin peels them off the ceiling with his doom stick **
Olero: (( no, but, maybe that hig h priest you just killed does. ))
Kaylankuli: "Allqu and Kaylankuli did not see much in hold of ship, but Allqu smelled something in water. Kay now thinks it would be smarter to clear out these floors first, then go to hold later."
Churl: Searching the room [1d20+6] => [15,6] = (21) Having Kiba aid.
Arnmin: "someone rob that orc"
Churl: ((So +2 to that))
Kaylankuli: (( also aiding Churl... ))
Kaylankuli: Search ) ranks): [1d20+1] => [7,1] = (8)
Arnmin: ((i'll throw my hat in to aid))
Arnmin: [1d20-1] => [4,-1] = (3)
Olero: Searching you turn up : On the orc - Masterwork club, Masterwork hide armor, a desicated hand, three potions
Churl: Hey, anyone need a hand?
** Arnmin is too focused on poking the bodies with his stick **
Olero: In a wooden box in the corner is a trove of coins and items. 507 gp, 199 sp, a scroll (wizard), a scroll (Neutralize Poison), 2 potions and a cloak.
Olero: The armor is medium sized.
Churl: Jackpot!
** Olero casts a spell. **
** Churl palms a coin. **
Olero: "The armor is magical, as is the hand and all the other stuff of note. The club is just a nice club"
** Churl makes a coin appear from behind Arnmin's ear. Slieght of Hand [1d20+6] => [6,6] = (12) **
Arnmin: "I could use something to keep the rain off i guess"
** Arnmin touchs cloak **
Olero: (( it eats you. Heh, no, nothing happens. ))
** Arnmin rolls his eyes **
Churl: Anyone want some hand jerky?
Olero: (( Oh man, I am NOT touching that. ))
** (3) Kaylankuli picks up the armor. **
** Churl cleans his ear with the extended finger of the mummified hand. **
Olero: That will do it.
Arnmin: "why would someone make a dead hand magical?
** Churl shrugs **
Kaylankuli: (( does he still have his 1 point of con damage, or does that go away as well? ))
Churl: Heh. I could think of a reason.
** Churl laughs. **
Kaylankuli: "Kay thinks we should take these and look at them later."
DM Hussar: (( nope, ability damage stays. ))
** Arnmin chuffs with laughter **
Arnmin: "hand job"
** Churl shoves the hand in his pocket. **
Arnmin: "for necrophiliacs"
Churl: "I'll hold onto this."
Arnmin: "hee hee"
Kaylankuli: "Should Olero take the poison scroll?"
Kaylankuli: (( neutralize poison ))
DM Hussar: (( just to speed things along a bit, you search the ship, starting aft, and the other rooms, other than lotso f spiders, are empty. ))
DM Hussar: (( sure, he takes the neutralize poison scroll. And theother one too. He can use wizard scrolls I think. ))
Kaylankuli: "Not to be doing that, Arn."
Kaylankuli: "Spiders, they eat their mates."
DM Hussar: (( actually no, you work your way to the fore of the ship. ))
Arnmin: "o...k"

Thick webbing chokes this room. Bones, shriveled limbs of men and animals, and other gruesome remains dangle from the sticky tangles. Two human sized bundles hang from the northern wall while dozens of small spiders scurry about everywhere.


The corpses twitch and move and begin shambling towards you, their arms outstretched as if to embrace you!​

Kaylankuli: "Aya!"
DM Hussar: -----------------------Ending Session 2 Salvage Operation.--------------------------------​

 

[Hussar]

Hussar's note:

This was a great session. Everyone was on the ball. Three and a half hours, four combats, lots of rp. Fantastic. Much, much better than the last session.

I'll try to add some of the images we use in the next transcript, I'm still learning as we go.

If you happen to be free on Monday nights at 8 pm Eastern, and you'd like to join in, drop me a line at our forum (STAP Forum). We're recruiting one or two players. We use OpenRPG, so, if you're interested, drop on in.

And, for those with a masochistic streak, here's the rough transcript of session 2.

 

[Hussar]

Hussar's Note:

Things have gotten very, very busy at work, so, no edited scripts this time around. The basic gist of Session 3 was finishing off the Emperor and returning to Sasserine. Session 4 introduced the Savage Tide properly and saw some very interesting new developments.

Session 3 - Salvage Operation Finale

Session 4 - There is No Honor Part 1 - Enter Lavinia Vanderboren