s HT Aliaver/Player Character Name Type Status/Notes Sex -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- R1.John Haight...........Arawn.............Druid .Normal/Alfar Ma ??.Chris Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma R4.Tom Corckett..........Caladan...........Wizard Normal/Human Ma W2.Marcel Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human Ma W3.Ryan Torres...........Farseeker.........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma --.Tobie Bonahoom........Fremea............Sidh....Normal/Faerry Fe R2.Mark Murtha...........Kell..............Trader..Normal/Human..Ma R1.David Sanders.........Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human Ma R4.J H Hooten............Raban.Usherwood...Bard....Normal/Human..Ma W2.Robert Maxwell........Strie'bog.........Bard....Normal/Human..Ma W4.Wout Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human Fe R1 John.Stowman..........Will..............Hunter..Normal/Human..Ma R4.Alex Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human Fe R1 NPC...................Zhou Kiwat........Noble...Normal/Human..Ma NPC...................Captain.Lin.......Warrior.Normal/Human..Ma Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Tef'wo (Horse) Ben'dar, Game Web Site - http:/nrgcomputers.com/pbem/ Public posts/actions to pnpgm@abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list) Private emails (not public actions) to pnpgm@comcast.net Game Update #267 in sequence (file #1561] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Admin Notes: How is taking bets on 12/21? ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Recap] From Kiet: [Re: Votes] Kiet votes yes on some in-between time, please. GM: Ack. Based on your email will assume that's a vote No for the CP change. If not let me know otherwise. From Z'leyra: [Re: Votes] Z'leyra Votes: 1) Use of CPs. Basically however Scott wants is fine by me. But my druthers would be YES to the options. 2) In Between Time. YES. Z'leyra wants to practice spells, maybe learn some new spells and make magic items for herself and others in the party. All that takes time. 3) In Next Adventure? YES. GM: Ack. From Fremea: [Re: Votes] 1. Yes to new options. 2) Yes to IBT Time (Lots for her to do) Yes to being in new adventure - At least she sure hopes so ;) GM: Ack. Would be best to live since the adventure centers around you. I'd have to redo all my work! So don't like I don't know go walking in the lava. I mean you can its your choice I won't stop your free will. But.... From Fremea: [Re: Actions[ Remembering a very long time ago a practice that she had to do for her first lessons, where she had to get in as close to a target as.... if she has to do EL1 or can do it with EL0>). As she does this, she says out loud, "Just stop yelling already." GM: Ack. From Kell: [Re: Votes] Speaking to Kiet, "a#$%^. Thanks for trying." Looking sad that Rocky is still around, Kell ask Zylera, "Can you dispel Rocky for me, I'm exhausted. Then maybe a few bandages." --- Votes: CP: Yes IBT: Yes. Kell would like some time to learn/grow skills and work on things. Next Adventure: Of course. :) GM: Ack. From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions] Knowing that uncontrolled elementals are likely to be unhappy and dangerous Z'leyra grabs her staff while telling Kell to ask Rocky to not resist the spell she would cast to send it home, and casts a max EL dispel/banishment Elder thru the staff to assist the elemental back to its home. Presuming success she then turns back to helping patch up Raban. GM: Ack. From Arawn: [Re: Actions] It took but a moment for Arawn to take the scene in, if... "I'll try to call the staff if you can't from here." OOC: If Chion indicates that he cannot get the Gnarish Staff from this side of the Thalos Field Arawn will try to use Translocation to summon it to his hand. If Chion is able to get the staff then Arawn will check on the Outcast to see if he's knocked out or dead, grabbing or moving the cloaker and flyer away from the Outcast should he wake up. If you push time ahead enough and ultimately we can't get the Staff Arawn will attempt elvish/empathic communication with the Gnarish entity in an effort to discover what it might have to say. GM: Ack. From Arawn: [Re: Votes] 1) CP excess changes: YES My top choices would be 'Change Multipliers Option' and/or 'Luck' (or 'Get out of Trouble' if Luck doesn't overlap into this) 2) IBT Time: YES GM: Ack. -------------------------------------------------------------- [New Stuff] [Augado 10th, 1634TH] [Location: Middle Katai Plains] [ Mountains west of Pamau] [Time: 3:27:17pm - 2:29:00pm] Fremea watches the human flailing on top of the Flyer. She buckles her spyglass to her belt and looks to Unali's brother. Then with a nod she jumps off. Remembering a very long time ago a practice that she had to do for her first lessons, where she had to get in as close to a target as she could before the target noticed. Jumping off a building or from one of the very tall trees in the area and just diving straight at them, to pull her wings up just at the right moment to make sure she did not injure herself as she swooped in for the fast kill and escape. Looking at the stranger that didn't know what to do, she smiles with a little bit of sinister gleen to it and jumps without her wings out, speeding quickly to the man yelling. Just as it would look like she would hit the lava (also knowing that the warm air, mixed with the cooler, she will get some help with an upward draft), she pulls her wings out and pulls herself out of the dive to land on the man. At least that is the plan she hopes. The man is 500 or so feet below her and 1000 feet to the east of her on the other side of the main cavern. It will take time to get there Back up at the brain cave the trio separate. Arawn grips the strange talisman into his palm. The people of this world would call it a talisman but to the Vong maybe it was just another animal servant. Unali leans over the side of the railing to stare at the human on the flyer some 500 odd feet below. She knows even running down there it might be too late for him. She looks up and then notices Fremea falling like a missile to the ground. She hopes the small one will have a plan. Knowing that there is little to do but to get Arawn to teleport down to save him, likely not since the Brain has to be dealt with, she turns to the threshold. Pulling her daggers out she crouches over the flying animal. It seems warm but not moving. Aside form a small mouth and the large wings the creature shouldn't be a threat. She closes over to the dust impression that is the Outcast. Arawn had detected it and pointed him out. Seeing the masker used twice once with Nom Amor himself she taps the creature's nose after she finds his head. The masker begins to quickly unfurl up and around his body to reveal him completely. She checks the Outcast and finds nothing on him at all. No weapons. No armor of any kind. She finds a strong pulse and figures he is just knocked out from the impact against the field. She taps the Outcast's face to see if she can wake him up. She figures it might not be wise as these creatures are used to torture. A light tap might not do much than a fly bite to a human. But she is amazed when the creature rouses and becomes startled. By reflex he rolls away from the female and crawls to the edge of the stairs. Unali shakes her head and waddles after him. Looking back she waves a dagger at him in a "now now" manner. The Outcast looks around and sees Chion moving toward the cave and the other one moving inside. The Outcast sighs and rolls over in a sign of surrender. Chion meanwhile sees the supernatural familiar of the High Elder pointing to his staff inside. The creature doesn't even turn to the cave to point but Chion can instinctively detect that is what he means. He and Arawn cautiously approach the field. They were able to pass through before and maybe in some way the creature can control it. Maybe the field was setup for the party once inside they could leave? This may be why the outcast was knocked down. With confidence Chion steps through the field with no effect and so does Arawn after him. Chion walks confidently toward the Gnarish staff on the ground and picks it up. Holding he concentrates. Arawn isn't sure on the exact time that has passed. The warning was only 30 minutes. But it feels that way. He can feel that the time is only maybe a minute or two at most from the field dropping. Then the Brain will order the creature in some unknown location to pull the moon down. In the back of his mind though he feels confident that the Gods would surely intervene onths matter. Then again did the gods intervene on the Fomorian hurricane he heard about 30 years ago that killed thousands? During his trip here he had debates with sailors and party members on who and what the gods are really about. Many still claim they are weak and lazy. Some all powerful. But most feel confused by disasters like the Great Quake near Caldo 48 years ago which devastated over a hundred villages. What about the major flooding along the river in Teos that drowned hundreds a decade ago? Some claim it a act of God. But Arawn hesitates just slightly as he wonders if the gods would debate the subject too long to save the world from the impact of the moon. He knows certain Gods would even relish such disaster. The Middle World would be destroyed but the other two worlds would be intact or at least he would assume so. It took but a moment for Arawn to take the scene in, if only a cursory glance. The multiple subjects each warranted some measure of attention but the Alfar was also aware of the shortage of times, the mere minutes that were left before the field dropped and the Brain was at full ability. He had decided to check on the Outcast but held off for the time being and though hearing a man's call from over the railing trusted Chion or one of the others to tend to him. Instead his eyes went from the Gnarish entity to the cave and the staff lying within. Unsure whether or not Chion would be able to summon the staff without having to Cross the field Arawn walked a bit closer to the man and the Gnarish entity. He took a quick look in the direction of the Kotothi Portal, wondering if there was something about it that drew the entity's attention as he said to the wizard, "I'll try to call the staff if you can't from here." Arawn turns around to see Chion shaking his head. Holding the staff, Arawn turns his attention to the Brain. In theory the field holds the power of the Brain against the outside world. But inside once inside the field as Chion and Arawn are, he wonders if the Brain can still kill them with a mere thought. Realizing this he raises the talisman up to eye level. At least toward the Brain. The Brain itself seem sot have sensory input through other methods. There is no eye or other method of seeing as far as he can detect. Only the four lobes on top. The wiggling and energetic arms that stretch along the entire perimeter of the brain. It looks like the Brain is a slight gray. Arawn glances at the barrels and realizes all of them have been telekinetically smashed against the Brain to reveal water onto the ground. Arawn gulps as he realizes the Brain still has that power and thus his power inside the field. Stretching out with his innate ability of empathy he hopes to make contact with the Brain without touching it. Standing some 30 feet away. Chion through his third eye quickly makes mental contact with the strange supernatural familiar. At first things flash in his mind then words. Then phrases and then entire full length sentences. In the span of seconds it seems like he has a full conversation with the being for hours. The creature though is still outside on the stairs watching the Kotothi portal. Chion looks to Unali. "We have a problem." Meanwhile back at the Throne Room cave, Z'leyra finds Raban'a wounds to be serious but not critical. She motions for Ben'dar to help and maintain pressure on the quick work for his kidney. "I trust you! I think I can handle another healing unless you think would rather not risk my handsome face around?" Raban grins up at the healer. Z'leyra quickly does the calculation. She knows he has been healed twice today. But the giant could take 5 or 6 full men's normal health in damage. Though the giant could take more damage than a small army she knows the risk is too great. In fact there is a slim chance of survival. Her training can't allow that risk. The best is to settle for first aid and help for another solution until tomorrow. Before Z'leyra could respond though she hears Kell speaking to Kiet. Speaking to Kiet, "a#$%^. Thanks for trying." Looking sad that Rocky is still around, Kell ask Z'leyra, "Can you dispel Rocky for me, I'm exhausted. Then maybe a few bandages." Z'leyra glances around and wonders where the other healers are? Arawn is gone to make nice talk with the Brain. Fremea is outside somewhere. Z'leyra looks back to the looming elemental. Knowing the risk of leaving it she stands and grabs her magical staff. With the group still here she doubts that even they could finish the elemental off before it killed every one of them. With Raban down it would be simple steel weapons against rock. She quickly casts the spell and in a few seconds the elemental disappears. Kell gives a sigh of relief. Though he lost two of his pals to the Vong at least one would return. He looks tot the debris which was the one destroyed moments ago. He wonders what is going on with the other elemental now transported to the Vong world. Down below near the flyer air field, Fremea pulls her wings out for a fast deceleration. The man doesn't see her yet as it seems not to be expecting a flying thing in this place. the man is calling out to the towers to see if someone is there. But they are long dead. With scary deftness Fremea glides down to the flyer's back after the 30 second free fall. As she does this, she says out loud, "Just stop yelling already." The man looks behind him to the invisible unseen voice. Startled he releases his left hand which makes him slip away from the plasma cannon antennae. Fremea leaps to grab the right hand and pulls. the man is slipping to the lava only about 3 feet below. The heat and fumes is affecting Fremea as well. She almost decides to let loose as the man is pulling her to the lava below. But her adrenaline kicks in and she actually uses a martial arts to move behind the man and push up. Forcing her feet down and up against the flyer's coral back. She flaps her wings from falling straight down. The move which would normal cause a person to be pulled back and flip over the person creates force to lift him back to the protruding antennae. Frantically he reaches for it and grabs it. She kicks the man in the butt and urges him to hold on. As Fremea is just about to use her magic she sees the man look to the other side. By now the flyer is on its left side with the right side pointing up to the ceiling. The right side is where the "door" is to the flyer. The man points to the door he climbed out of and tries to speak but his words are not understood. In fact she doesn't know that language at all. Shaking her head she wonders if there is another person inside. She decids to fly that way and enters the now open door. The door which is just a slit in the coral structure is cracked and open to the sky. She looks in and finds a human. She checks him and finds no wounds yet the man is dead. Looks like maybe the Vong killed him or maybe the man did. That can't be why the man wants her inside. Was he alive before? Then she sees a leather bag and reaches for it. It is a bit heavy. but then the flyer tilts another 5 degrees to the left. A crack forms on the "bottom" which if upright would be the rear left side of the coralskipper's left flank. Steam and lava begin to pour in. Suddenly the lava hits the dead man's clothing and it bursts into flames. There no hope for him now. Fremea figures the bag might contain something so hefts it up. There is something large and heavy inside and takes it outside. Now the lava is only a half foot away from the man's feet as he dangles over the edge. Fremea quickly casts a spell to teleport the both of them away. Both land on the stairs outside the brain cave. The man collapses and then looks up to see Unali holding a Vong at bay. The ma looks over to the side and sees the strange half lava half fire creature that is the supernatural familiar of the High Elder. The man scoots backwards and stares at the strange creature taking his eye off Unali. The creature ignores him totally however in response. Inside Arawn begins to feel a mental connection. It seems the talisman has physical sensation and mental ones. the physical one is a bit of heat that warms his palm. He isn't sure if this is normal or that is working. Then the Alfar gains some insight. "Leader dead?" "Why can't I communicate and control!?" "I must commence with orders." "Where is the Mother Shaper?" Arawn can't tell if they are rhetorical questions or just queries the brain is doing internally. He can also feel confusion, fright, in decision, anger, sorrow, desperation and strong motivational urges. Behind him Chion speaks up to the others. "The being tells me that he is coming. He can feel it. We must kill the creature here Then leave. The being will use the Gnarish staff to close the portal. But it will cause great havoc here. It warns it will kill everything in the mountain. Including itself in the process. If we do not leave before then we will die. In order to close the portal the connection between worlds it will cause energy disruptions of a ...I can't describe the word it was trying to say. Energetic....death ray...I don't understand what it was trying to tell me." Omini looks to Chion. "Sounds like radiation. On our world radiation is common. It can kill everything with its radioactive effects." The Alfar listens to this confusing news and feels sad that the creature must be killed. To kill the brain is a loss to the intellectual not just the cultural scholar. The Alfar tries to think of a way around this. Omini looks behind the Brain to the portal. Just a hundred feet away and escape. he'll be safe from the radiation there. But for how long. Most outcasts do not speak outwardly. But today he finds a bit of courage. "How soon?" "It doesn't know." Chion replies. Chion wonders how the outcast can understand them. It must have one of those worm creatures that allows him to understand and speak any language. Unali looks to the supernatural creature and it is still staring at the large portal. It seems oblivious to the Brain as if it means nothing. She recalls the High Elder or maybe it was Zhou who mentioned the strange creature has his home on the astral planes. This is likely how it got here so fast. using the staff as a conduit to the planes. Maybe it then can sense and detect movement beyond the portal like a human can detect movement outside a home by sensing a presence though never seeing the person. Fremea suddenly becomes visible as her spell ends. She smiles down at the rescued human. She drops the bad and peeks inside. It seems there is some items like clothing and a nice shiny great sword inside. The Vong must've captured him and kept his stuff in the flyer. She studies the clothing to see if he might be a Brigader hiding. But the clothing seems rather plain almost peasant like no uniform. Actions? Comments? Next Update...Friday.. GM: A fun time to end. We have a consensus on the votes. So no need to vote more. You can see the votes as they turned out. But we have a majority. So it will be a Yes for both CP and IBT time. So this means I need to actually work on these new rules. It may take a week or two. We shall see. For those who are maxed out you will have to wait. For those sheets I already completed (see below) your points were likely all spent already. So not much you can add. But for those who not completed you might be able to use the new options. Right now I'm working on Kell's sheet, then Z'leyra (maxed so will have to wait), then Arawns (though I think he is also maxed). The others haven't sent in their CP points to spread out. But now you can wait if needed. As to IBT time my gut instinct keeps telling me 3 weeks. I'm not sure why this is so. It may be due to the time being late in the year and nearing winter (game time) the more adventure time in winter the harder it gets. But who knows. I need to work on the details and figure how vital response is. It might be 2 months who knows. I'll decides in the next week I hope. I actually got a lot of the details mentally down for the next adventure while watching Hobbit (its a LONG movie). No there will be no dragon quests. Its a original stuff not from the movie. But some things did spur some ideas. So but the end of the year (assuming no 12/21 disaster and party doesn't die from this radiation blast) we will know what to expect. I still would like to start adventure #5 on 1/1 just for ease of time. :) (I like nice round numbers)/ So stay tuned. If you want to suggest certain CP expenses let me know. It may be just CEP or MEP or pure CP expenses. Say X points for 1 Thing. Mana report updated. If the world does explode Friday it has been fun playing. If not then we continue!! GM: Votes needed : 1) CP excess changes With Stats maxed the excess CEP/MEP get pooled. Some might figure this fair and end there using what they have. But with long term active players maybe a reward for simply playing that long should be given? I have not outlined all the rules on this but let's consider excess CPs or just CEP/MEP can be used to buy stuff: * Gold (Maybe per 100 its 10 gold? Dunno) * Luck (Per X you can buy 1 Luck event (roll or action)) * Get out of trouble - Per X get 1 re-roll if things go bad * Change multipliers option: See Alex's post on PNP List * Etc, other stuff So let's vote on this. You can decide on your future. Vote for No change or Yes for new rules. There are 7 who are active who can vote. Farseeker will retire for awhile so will not vote. This means it takes 4 votes to make a majority. I will take votes till next adventure officially starts or 1/1 to make things as a easy deadline. Player Current Vote Arawn Yes Fremea Yes Kell Yes Kiet No Unali None Will None Z'leyra Yes Deadline: 1/1/2013 2) IBT Time Should we do a bit of IBT? Yes/No. Player Current Vote Arawn Yes Fremea Yes Kell Yes Kiet Yes Unali None Will None Z'leyra Yes Deadline: 1/1/2013 GM: CPs sent / Sheets updated Player Status Arawn Need info on CPs to use / Work in progress Ben'dar Completed Caladan Completed Chion Completed Farseeker Completed Fremea Completed Kell Has info / Work in progress Kiet Completed Raban Completed Strie'bog Completed Unali Completed Will Need info on CPs to use / Work in progress Z'leyra Need info on CPs to use / Work in progress Completed: 9 Need info: 3 Work in progress: 1 GM: Players for next adventure - Player Status Arawn Will play Ben'dar Not in next adventure / Retired Caladan Not in next adventure / Retired Chion Not in next adventure / Retired Farseeker Not in next adventure / Retired Fremea Will play / adventures centers around her Kell Will play Kiet Will play Raban Will play / Wanted in by Fremea Strie'bog Will play Unali Will play Z'leyra Will play GM: Spells active Will - Armor Transmutation, Mind Shield Raban - Bless (OCV) Farseeker - Bless (OCV) Arawn - Bless (OCV) Unali - Mind Shield Kell - Elemental Powers/Pact, Summoning? Fremea - Mind Shield, Z'leyra - Mind Shield, Bless (Con), Clairvoyance * = Soon to end (next update?]. I may NOT post this info unless I remember to do so. :)