HT Alias/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 Do.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 Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Tef'wo (Horse) Ben'dar, Cover Story Info: [HD- House member, F-Foreigner, N-native non house] Arawn aka Arawn as Teacher to daughter [F] Ben'dar aka Bu Da as Horse expert [F] Caladan aka Ca Lu as Guard/Archer [N] Chion aka Capt. Chu Mai as Sailor Trustee [HD] Farseeker aka Fu Sa as Guard [F] Fremea aka Lin Mong as Noble child [HD] [Disguised] Kell aka Swan as Trader [F] Kiet aka Kiet Sunan as Zhou's servant [F] Raban aka Toban Nu as Entertainer/Guard [F] Strie'bog aka Sun Zhu as Entertainer [N] Unali aka Tun Au as Zhou's wife [HD] Will aka Sun Tzu as hunt master [F] Z'leyra aka Kakita Junami as Healer [F] Zhou aka Zhou Wa as Baron Noble [HD] Game Web Site - http://www.furvert.net/longshotgm/pbem/index.htm Public posts/actions to pnpgm@abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list) Private emails (not public actions) to longshotgm@netzero.com Game Update #122 in sequence (file #927) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Admin Notes: None. ----------------------------------------------------------------- [Recap] From Arawn: [Re: Actions] "Unless anyone here can pick a lock how about stacking the... If someone offers to pick a lock Arawn is open to the idea. Otherwise, unless someone has another plan, he'll start to work on quietly stacking the crates. He'll test the surface of each to hopefully avoid stacking and breaking through a weak or rotten crate. He'll ask someone to keep on watch while doing so or else serve as watch if the others want to do the stacking. GM: Ack. From Unali: [Re: Actions] Unali, while approaching the window will to Kiet: "Get those scrolls from the fire and douse them." She will jump out of the window at "and tend to Fu Sa." Unali will jump out of the window, quite unladylike, and tries to follow Nom Amor. What kind of head-start does he have? GM: Ack. From Kell: [Re: Actions] [Great thoughts for Kell. I wasn't sure what to do in all of this, not much Ha'Kell can do. Great other scenes too, thanks for them!] As Ha'Kell finished these thoughts, he will take another long look around. Whilst leaving and avoiding any possible guards or detectors is possibly the best actions, his decision is to stay and help and try to find out all he can. He watches as Raban takes Fremea away, and checks Will to see his actions. Trying to catch Will's eye, the half-elf signals to Will his intention to stay and help. He starts to help those nearest him, those that he can help and need it the most. As he does the one more thought is that igniting fireballs in the middle of crowds won't help the Katai magicians to win any friends. That's like trying to sell someone a bottle of wine by berating them and beating them over the head with it. Do these people have anyone to try and sway the public to their side, or are they trying to stay outlaws? Moving to help more, he'll listen to those nearest the executioners and learn all he can. Keeping his head down he extends his senses as much as possible, he doesn't want to get caught by a detector here. His audacity knowing no bounds, he'll even try and get close to those in charge and find out all he can. GM: Ack. I try to do introspections based on what I know of the character and how they would likely have acted. I do NOT try to think for the character in terms of what to do next. I may suggestion possible options but not go beyond that. I use these introspections to fill in the scene and also to lead to clues, tidbits and even plot points if needed. :) If you had moved closer to the stage I'd have done a few things but no post on that so just kept you in the audience and that might've saved your life. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------- [New Stuff] [Augado 5th, 1634TH] [Location: Middle Katai Plains] [ Pamau Province, Pamau City] [Time: 4:07pm] Raban rushes to the edge of the slaughter. As he does he looks back to Kell who is not moving. he shakes his head to urge the merchant to move. Kell can see the giant leaving but remains in place. Raban tries to get the eye of Will but his back is turned and Kell will have to grab him. Raban, with Fremea in his large arms, gets to the edge of the square near the south-east street going east. Raban lets Fremea down so she can walk and be a normal child. It is one thing for a filthy barbarian, as the woman calls him, to guard a noble child but it is another to rush with a child in his arms. That might get even more unwanted attention. Ha'kell walks a few feet to scan the square. He notices Raban and Fremea rush away. He vaguely recalls one female yelling at Raban but the din of crying, screams and other noise has mixed in his head with the confusion of the moment. The shock of the situation is still affecting him deeply. Kell starts to help those nearest him, those that he can help and need it the most. As he does the one more thought is that igniting fireballs in the middle of crowds won't help the Katai magicians to win any friends. That's like trying to sell someone a bottle of wine by berating them and beating them over the head with it. Do these people have anyone to try and sway the public to their side, or are they trying to stay outlaws? Kell knows how to fix this society. Terrorist action is not the best option. If only a noble could risk his own safety by coming out to speak for them maybe things can change. While this is a society ruled by a demi-god Emperor it is really in control by the unsteady vastness of its peasant population. Even a demi-god locked away in some Iron City can't ignore a person who has the support of millions. The person would be dealt with but even the nobility would have to do it carefully or a revolt could occur. But now it is a secret uprising by a clear minority of magic lovers. Maybe not even lovers. Maybe it is just a group of zealots who see the system as wrong. But to kill all these people by the resistance? Likely it was done by parents who tricked the group to help them. Cornered parents can be quite dangerous and risk their own lives for their kids. Will walks along the eastern side of the square. He watches the north-east side of the stores. Something about that one window seems to draw his attention. Raban and Fremea turn to watch the square one last time. They are confused by why Kell and Will aren't following them. but they know that Kell has a better chance of blinding in than they do. Will be a bit harder but not as rough as a giant and kid. They watch as now more people stream into the square than have been fleeing. People of all classes rush in to help. Peasants, merchants, laborers, sailors, guards and even one or two well dressed possible low level nobles run in. About 1 out of 10 bring buckets of water to douse the fire. Guards begin to issue a bucket brigade to ship in water from a fountain nearby. This human chain begins to form. Other guards begin to check bodies to see who is alive and who is dead. Based on satchels, bags and sacks carried there are maybe 3 healers on the scene now. They quickly begin triage and tell guards and other civilians various orders. One healer in his possible 60s seems to take over the site for the first minute or two. Thisis when the team of six horses rush past crowds and stop in the square. Six men in full Katai military uniforms dismount and one orders two peasants to watch their horses. One who is dressed better and with stripes begins to issue orders. He walks pointing this way and that while barking to people in various places. "...Hurry up that bucket line!...collect witness statements... we need to know who was involved..." The military commander begins to walk toward the stage. This is when Raban and Fremea find it a good time to walk down the street back east toward the place they left the wagon. A guard rushes up to the commander. "At least 32 dead so far. We think 18-20 wounded and alive so far." The commander places hands on hips. "Traitor scum. I told the count these public deals were stupid. But no. He wants the people to see this." He crosses his arms. "Now look we have this slaughter." Kell notices the commander walk right beside him with 2 other guards in tow. He breathes out a sigh of relief when they don't notice him helping a man remove clothing for one man who has taken burns. The commander gets to the head of the stage. Kell decides to head closer to a girl in her late teens who seems to have taken a flash burn to her face and hair. Most of her hair is gone now but he begins to help her stop shaking from the shock of it. He begins to speak softly as he tries to listen to the guards. "At least these...wait...that's the man we caught?" He points to the head of the man decapitated by the executioner. One guard nods. "You fools! This is not the father. I never saw this person! They must've tricked this innocent person or something. That's the female?" He goes to the blackened nude body of the female. He kicks it but her face is so messed up he can't see much but a lump of burnt flesh. "Can't tell...but might be her..." Kell moves to the west side of the stage to help a healer there, pretending to know what he is doing. Will turns to watch the commander but out the corner of his eye he notices a female in her 30s exit the shop he saw a person looking out the second floor window. She stands in the doorway half a second then exits and moves down the north east street heading east. He finds that a bit odd that her reaction was calm. Suddenly a woman yells from the western side of the square. Two guards rush off to her where she is standing in the doorway of the apartment building. "He's dead!" She rushes off but is stopped by another guard. The two guards enter and then quickly exit back out. By the time the commander gets there one reports. "A man only in his underwear dead from a bash to the head it looks like." Kell is lucky to hear this as he notices the commander go in the building then exits about 30 seconds later. He hears him tell the guard who must be his direct aide in a very low voice. Thanks to Elf hearing he hears it just barely. "That's the local executioner." The aide mutters, "so they took the role of the executioner and killed him? How did they lure him inside?" "Well organized. This will take time to investigate. Where are the archers?" Both men walk away and Kell tries to follow but finds his hand is being used to hold down a strip of flesh from a teen boy as a healer frantically tries to stop his bleeding. If he moves now the boy could die the healer states. The only thing Kell hears is the aide saying, "Should we close the city?" But the commander shakes his head. Then the talking is too low to be heard even for his half elf ears. Kell notices Raban and Fremea are no where in sight. Will takes a few seconds to find but he is finally seen. It seems there is no open detectors but he knows his range for such things is limited. At best 40 feet. Even Arawan would be strained to find them in this large square. He notices more guards stream in. It helps to have a local garrison it seems. At least 2 guards on horses take up each of the square corners along with a guard on foot. By now there are maybe 20-25 other guards in the square helping with the wounded. With the mass of people piling in it is harder to see from a kneeling position around him. Too many people are blocking most views. [Time: 4:10pm] ---------------------- [Time: 4:07pm] Arawn glances around the alley and back of the warehouse to decide his options. "Unless anyone here can pick a lock how about stacking the crates and trying to get up to the second story window? I'd like to see just how many Brigaders and Vong we'll have to deal with." The Alfar knows standing on crates would be noisy and could cause them to crash inward. With his luck of frames like a barn roof that just might happen. With Chion's weight alone it could be a problem. Chion nods and waves the others toward the back door. He inspects the door and tries the knob to find it locked. He bends down to inspect the lock. Then glances west. He makes a noise and points in that direction. This causes Arawn, Ben'dar and Z'leyra to look that way. When the three see nothing all turn around in time to see Chion place something in a pocket and then places fist to the lock. After a few seconds a click is heard. He opens the door slowly. The door opens up to a darkened area. Arawn decides to head in first as his night vision is better. AS he slips inside the door he scans the room. It looks to be a office of some kind with a desk and wooden cabinet. Another door on the other side is closed. As all four enter the exterior door is shut. Arawn heads to the inner door and quietly cracks it. He hears men talking. Glancing out he doesn't see them so opens it a bit wider to hear. "You sure this is the last shipment of these coffins? They give me the creeps." "That's what I'm told. Whoever we work for says they don't need them anymore." "I still don't trust the full plan they spout. How can we take over certain areas of cities and not be crushed by the military? I think its suicide. I may not stay if it becomes too hot for me." "They are full of secrets for sure. But they promise big changes. Look what they did here. Crime is down and that allows our shops to expand. All operations are up in profit including protection." "But who are they?" "I don't know but -" A 3rd voice now is heard with footsteps. "There is some fire outside. Bells as well." The sound of walking feet is heard as it moves away likely toward the front entrance. Arawn opens the door and scans the area. It appears to be a wider warehouse area. There are coffins, boxes, crates stacked all about. there are wider open areas as well. Some crates go as high as 8 feet high. Quick feet is heard behind some boxes and a bit muffled. It almost sounds like stairs. Arawn begins to motion for the others to enter back into the office. As he backs up another man rounds the corner of coffins and looks down to smash a smoke stick under his feet. He glances up just in time to see Arawn close the door. "Hey! You! Stop!" [Time: 4:10pm] ---------------------- [Time: 4:07pm] Unali at the window glances down. The broken window glass is out about 3 feet. She'll have to jump out of the window. She turns to walk about 3 feet back so she can get a running jump through the almost floor to ceiling tall broken window. Unali, while approaching the window will to Kiet: "Get those scrolls from the fire and douse them." She then runs and jumps out of the window and adds, "and tend to Fu Sa." Kiet and Zhou glances over to see the woman dressed in a noble silk dress take a running jump out of the window. It is a strange sight to see her leap out with full confidence and begin to twist her body in a acrobatic tumble. She quickly leaves their field of vision. Unali knows that if glass in the grass it could slice her if she lands wrong especially with her hands touching the ground. She pivots her body so she does a somersault once and then lands on her booted feet with bent knees. A two story jump like that could hurt most but her acrobatic training has helped her in this case. But the dress pulls and strains as she impacts. She almost loses her balance backward as the dress pulls downward on her back. She risks it and places a hand behind her to regain her balance. Lucky her hand hits no shards of glass. She quickly stands while watching Nom Amor running away toward the shrub maze about 200 feet ahead of her. He is fast and nimble but it seems he has a good head start. Unali stands glancing left and then right. There are no workers out here. She can't tell of course if any are inside looking but she can't risk that now. Their cover is a bit blown now for sure in some degrees. She stands and knows that fighting in this dress will be difficult to impossible. Especially to run. It will slow her down. She pulls it off over her shoulders revealing her black leather suit and armor. A dagger is seen in her boot and a couple on her belt as well as a sling. Dropping the cumbersome dress she runs after Nom Amor. Inside the small study, Kiet finds himself narrowly missed by a thrown Amphistaff. He can't believe he is here. In this room. He was determined not to enter! In fact he was about to tell Zhou to get behind him when the noble rushed in. Sometimes it is difficult to protect the fool if he rushes into danger. But now to his full surprise he is in the room following Zhou. Maybe it was instinct to help the girl ad Zhou second. Kiet glances at Farseeker and the baron grabbing this faces. Then Unali leaps out and orders him to get the papers and tend to Farseeker. He rushes to the fireplace and grabs the stack of scrolls. He doesn't get burnt and uses his feet to stop the few flames. Looks like one or two were destroyed but others remain. Farseeker rushes on his knees over to one of the satin chair. He begins to use the cushion on his face moving it back and forth smothering it. Kiet rushes over as Zhou checks the Baron. "I'm fine..I'm fine..." He uses part of his shirt to wipe his face. "I thought it burnt for a second like acid." He sits back on his butt and checks his face. "Whatever that was ..was weird. I rushed in and he had that eye thing that wasn't an eye. It popped out a foot and opened up like a mouth and spit at me. I thought based on what the Baron was screaming it was dangerous. But it wasn't burning after the first second or two. Maybe the eye-spitter wasn't doing a full dose or he didn't have time to do one. I don't know." Kiet is amazed at the almost supernatural speed of Farseeker. He is usually the first to move in a fight. He got in the room and tried twice to attack even before the others could do anything. As Kiet watches Farseeker he notices some of his face is dark and blotchy. It does seem the acid or whatever it was did some slight damage but the tough warrior hasn't felt it yet as he is full of adrenaline. Both turn to watch Zhou and the Baron. The baron has stopped screaming and is slumped against the front of the desk. His arms are limp and it appears he is unconscious. "Papa?" Zhou turns to the girl. "He's ...just sleeping. Go fetch help girl." "No!...Papa!" She leans down and looks at the Baron's face and it looks like ground up meat. Flesh is dripping off his face and acid burns are seen all over his face. She screams and backs away. "Papa!" "Girl do you know a healer? Go get help now!" He grabs the girl and shoves her toward the door. The girl struggles then stops. She begins to whimper and turns back to look at the Baron. She then decides maybe it is wiser to get help. She rushes out the door and is heard running down the hall. "Quickly stash those scrolls in your tunic. I don't know if we should stick around or leave..." Zhou looks around the room for clues. Farseeker stands and sheathes his great sword. he walks to the window with tears in his eyes from the sting. "What is she doing?" Outside on the ground Nom Amor has dashed into the shrub maze and just as Farseeker looks out she enters the darker are of the shrubs. Unali now with both daggers in hand slows down at the edge of the shrub maze. She has seen such things around Marentia. Snobby nobles like them for fun for guests. The bigger the maze the more powerful and richer they tend to have. She finds them plain silly. King Maros has one in Maren behind the palace she visited with Aren that takes a full 20 min to run through if you know where to go. If not then walking could take over an hour just to explore. This one appears to be a tenth of that size. These shrubs are as tall as her hip or as tall as 8 feet in some places. As she enters moving north she sees the shadows on the left side since the sun in that direction. The right side is sunny and open to being seen. Unali has her magical dagger and hopes it will warn her if there is an ambush. It has in the past. AS she moves silently she makes the twists and turns. Suddenly a warning tingle rings her mind. She crouches down and gets to a corner. She jumps forward and thrusts her daggers. But as she does she stops short of killing a old man gardner. The man who must be in his 70s gets within half a inch of certain death. The old man staggers back since he is too old it seems to jump. Unali notices him squint and likely is half blind. She tells the man to move out and pushes him back the way he came. The old man staggers but looks back. He squints and mumbles to himself. "What...who..where...what is .." But Unali has moved on. She rounds 3 more corners and comes to a four way intersection. Where did he go? Noise in this maze is distorted. She hears a grunt from the left or maybe its forward. She takes the left on a quick random decision. Rounding the next 2 corners she notices Nom Amor in full Vongness squatting down at one large 3 foot thick shrub. He is pulling something out. Something on his shoulder begins to stir as Unali approaches for the kill. She notices they are two small bugs. They begin to move fast and take to the air and head directly for Unali. Nom Amor watches the bug fly toward the darkness and buzz around. he pulls the object out and drops it to the ground. He then pulls something from his hip. He crouches and draws his Coufee dagger. "Magik! You will die." He speaks to the wind. Unali backs away and around the corner. Did Nom Amor detect her magical dagger? No those bugs did. They buzz around her body but do not seem harmful. she knows the Vong is more dangerous. She backs away and waits for the fool to approach. Unali can hear grass movement but the bug noise is a bit distracting. Then time seems to slow down as Unali jumps around the corner and stabs forward. She was hoping for an ambush but that isn't going to happen. At least he won't ambush her. Both daggers strike his leather armor and she isn't sure he is wearing crab armor. But his head and underarms are vulnerable. She swipes toward his head. One dagger strikes his left shoulder drawing slight blackish blood. The other swipes his neck but it seems the crab armor is tough there. The dagger slices through the animal creature but does light damage. Nom Amor thrusts his Coufee dagger and it impacts on Unali's middle left ribs doing light penetration. It draws blood but doesn't go deep to do massive damage. But Unali fails to see his other hand which grabs from his belt bag something. He tosses that something a very fine white sand like dust toward her face. It gets into her mouth, nose and eyes. It stings and blinds her. She backs away and draws one dagger up to defend but tries to wipe her eyes. She could be killed right here with a good blow. She finally clears her right eye out and finds no Nom Amor. she clears her other eye and hopes it isn't poison. She rounds the corner and sees Nom Amor climb onto the thing he pulled out. It looks to be a leathery disk thing. This disk is a lot wider now about 4 feet. It begins to move forward and Nom jumps on it. Nom Amor steadies his feet and the thing, no a creature of some kind quickly hovers to the air and lifts up. So the clever Vong had an escape plan. Unali rushes forward and tries to reach him but finds gets there too late. Nom Amor begins to circle above and the creature begins to move its wing like arms about wildly. How it can lift this Vong is not known but it seems to have the power. Unali considers her options to throw her dagger or use her sling? She could climb the shrub fast but will Nom remain in the area long enough to attack? Though if she climbs she might have more options to attack with her sling. [Time: 4:10pm] Actions? Comments? Next Update...Friday... GM: Wanted to do a bit more for warehouse and Unali but ran out of time. Should've started earlier. Oh well. Good short update for now. Square - Raban/Fremea do you head back to the wagon? Kell/Will can do their own actions I suppose. Warehouse - You are in the office. Seen now but do you act in what way? Baron group - Couple minor things Unali can do. But those inside have a few things as well they can do if so desire. GM: Warehouse group - I wanted to a quickie map. But I ran out of time. If you guys need it I can work on it tomorrow and email it to you guys? If not will do it for next update. GM: Task groups: Baron House - Zhou, Unali, Farseeker, Kiet Investigate - Arawn, Ben'dar, Chion, Z'leyra Watch deaths- Fremea, Kell, Raban, Will Stay wagon - Strie'bog, Caladan, GM: Square Generic Map - /I\ = North, 1 Row = 100', 1 Col - c.50' I I________I I Resi homes I IJewIBak IWine I -------------/I\----------------- ___ <- Street -> _______ R I IJew I E I I____I S I<--500'-->*<--500'-->ILeather I I IClothing ___I P I_______ <- Street -> -------------\I/----------------- Resi area I I Cafe I Land I apartments I I IofficeI * = Stage/platform - 20 odd feet x 20 odd feet 8 feet high. P = group of 4 from party rough position 1 Row above is roughly 100 feet. So the square itself is 500x500' Resi = Residential homes or apartments. Jew = Jewelry shops Leather/Clothing - Leather clothing shops Bak - Bakery shop Wine - Wine shop Cafe - Small cafe Land - Land office to buy/sell land After the inferno effect I I________I I Resi homes I IJewIBak IWine I -------------/I\----------------- ___ <- Street -> _______ R I IJew I E I ..... ... ..... I____I S I<--..... ... .....-->ILeather I I ..... ... ..... IClothing ___I I_______ <- Street -> -------------\I/----------------- Resi area I I Cafe I Land I apartments I I IofficeI . = Area on fire or those affected by inferno GM: Warehouse district - /I\ = North, 1 Row = 50', 1 Col - 50' 1 2 3 4 5 12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 -------------------------------------------------- M-Street -> A _____ C_____ _______ _________________ _____ B I I I IClothI I Furniture I I C<-\ I I ?? I I I I Warehouse I I D<---Warehouses I I I I I I I I E<-/ ____I I___ I I_____I I_______________I I_____ F H _____ ___________ ___________________ ______ i I___I : R :_____________________________][______________________________: S T street U V --------------------------------------------------------------------W / - Doors :, _ around perimeter of house - Gate 10' high made of iron. Tall green bushes block view between bars. Fence consist of tall spikes connected by iron bars at top, middle and lower levels. Spikes are a foot spread out from each other. Making entry between the bars hard. North wood s- Woods that go back about 100'. Light woods other homes in the north. Grass field is one open field not gardens on the left. ][ - Front guarded gate made of iron with hard lock [] - Front porch area/doors with steps. Stable - one story only very small for maybe a few horses. Garden on the right and north east areas are well maintained gardens of major flowers, shrubs, mini-mazes and simple walkway paths. Some statues and a fountain is on the right side. Pond - man made shallow pond about 5 feet deep only. It is mainly for what looks like fish decoration. Patio is sitting area with large stone table and chairs. A small party of maybe 3 dozen could be held here. Second story rough map 1 2 3 4 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890 ---------------------------------------- __________________________________________A I I Baron I I IB I ?? I____/_____I________/__I__/____IC I _/____________/_____/_____/_ I<-Hallway I I PartyI I I IE I Unknown area I I I IXX IF ------------------------------------------G / - Doors I, _ = Walls ?? - Likely stairs downstairs XX - Stairs from first floor leading to garden door and other areas No clue what the other rooms contain Baron - Estimated room holding the baron Party - Room small study/lounge where party was placed Hallway is 10 feet wide since small tables or lamp spots are along the wall so really at places 7-8 feet wide. Door icon is just to show door placement not that large. * Baron's Ka office 1 Row = 2 feet, 1 Column = 2 feet 1 U = Unali, Z=Zhou, B=Baron, G=Girl .123456789 F = Farseeker, K=Kiet ___..._____ I U [==]IA / = Door @ $IB .. = Window @ FK IC @ = Fireplace I * ## ID # = Desk wooden I B##* IE * = Cushioned chair I *V ## IF ` = Bookcase I IG ]] = Couch I` ]]IH $ = Small water/drink stand I`Z ]]II [=] = Small table I`__/___]]IJ