Don has joined the game.

[Don] Heyyyy

[James] Howdy

[Jeff] Hey

[Don] Were we starting now?

[Don] I thought we were starting an hour from now

[Don] Conveniently, it doesn't matter for me. ;)

[James] We're still missing a couple..., but we were supposed to start at 12 noon CST

[Sedlack] We are starting nowish. Noon (Central) is what Mike said

[Master] soon

Tamora has joined the game.

[Don] Oh.

[Don] Well, like I said, no problem

Client has joined the game.

[Sedlack] Aedean: Will: (d20+10+6) [5+10+6] 21

[Brian] good morning/afternoon

[Sedlack] SEBBY!

[James] SEBBY!

[Brian] SEDLACK! GRAVES!

[Brian] hey james, you going to LISA? looks like i'm not.

[Master] Jared sends his regrets.

[Master] Okay, this week sucked, so I'm gonna be doing a bit of map-making, et cetera mid-session, especially while y'all chat about what to do next.

[James] No, I didn't have time to help Albert this year, though I'd have liked to go.

[James] Way, way, way too much work.

[Sedlack] 'Kay.

[Brian] We're in the middle of a huge budget crisis, so the training money has basically disappeared.

[Master] Everbody receiving the map of Czina? Any questions . . . ?

[James] Cool

[Angie] got it

[Brian] i see Czina. don't see any PCs

Joe has joined the game.

[James] I meant cool map, not 'cool' about the other things...

[Master] That's on purpose.

[Sedlack] Joe!

[Don] Ok

[Joe] sorry about that. errands ran a little long.

[Sedlack] We're just getting started

[Brian] jared can't make it today?

[Master] Yep -- Zach and Matt Hayward are in town.

[Brian] ah

[Brian] hey, it's the Tanners...wonder if Uncle Joey is home.

[Joe] I think he's just avoiding me. As I will crush him this week in fantasy football.

[Master] ...and take his Miller Lite.

[Joe] Indeed.

[Sedlack] I doubt "seadock" is a word. If it were, I bet some spellchecker would have suggested it as the correct spelling of "Sedlack"

[Master] Heh. That's the formal name.

[Master] Folks call them the seadocks.

[Joe] Dadocks

[Master] Bodocks

[Sedlack] Ack!

[Joe] BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODOCKS

[Brian] Goondocks

[Master] Oops!

[Master] I just noticed that I labelled the common room as level 2 and level 2 as the Common room.

[Master] Don, my ping time to you can be measured in days.

[James] Can you just put temporary labels on?

[Master] how's that for a quick fix?

[Sedlack] Fine

[James] peachy

[Brian] i'm not getting horrible times to don

[Roger (Jeff)] The furniture here is all so big. I need to buy a wand of reduce size

[Master] hehe.

[Brian] hey it's darth sidious. i mean wellington

[Master] Or have Shottamip grow you up a bit.

[Roger (Jeff)] Hey, I'm normal size. All y'all are freaks

[Aric (Brian)] Mordenkaiden's Magical High-chair

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I could enlarge you if you'd like. Just to check it out.

[Angie] Why is Eric still heavily wounded?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Beats me. I would think he should be all healed up

[Angie] Aric, sorry

[Brian] Aric's hit points adjusted by 36 to 70.

[Velkyna (Joe)] i don't think he's been healed since the combat.

[Aric (Brian)] unless you don't want me doing that. i was thinking i was all healed after last time

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right, but if we were stopping for the night, he would have been. Aedean had a ton of spells left

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ditto Shottamip

[James] As did Arkady, and he could have healed himself or Defthon could have done it.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (in that she should be healed up)

[Master] You stopped for the night in the Landhurst Inn. No problem.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I don't think she got hit. That might be left over from her gaining a level.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ah.

[Joe] Shottamip's hit points adjusted by 8 to 80.

Tamora has left the game.

[Velkyna (Joe)] SORRY

[Velkyna (Joe)] Goons? I've always wanted to be a goon.

[Don] Hare today, goon tomorrow.

[James] Alright, you win Don.

[Angie] So who's little bunny foo foo?

[Don] ;)

[Master] heh.

[Master] Okay, you get to the inn and start arranging yourselves.

[Aric (Brian)] anyway, shall we get moving? shorter game time today

[Wellington] I don't really sleep much . . . I'll stay in the common room for a while, I think.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel is definitely keep a (surrupticious) eye on Welly.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] [Wellington] I don't drink....wine.

[Wellington] hehe.

[Master] You're basically okay with this?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] What do you mean by "this"?

[Master] Wellington being two floors away. YOu're a suspicious lot.

[Arkady (James)] Shottamip, could you set up an alarm spell or two?

[Master] :)

[Master] (This is not a hint. When you receive hints from me, they will be packaged as such. Usually after a WIS check.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel and a few others could "play some cards" down in the common room to keep an eye on him.

[Master] You are all at least a little bushed.

[Arkady (James)] We'll keep watches going while most of us sleep, just like when we're camping out.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Playing cards is where Vel is a viking!

[Lia (Angie)] And those watches should include keeping an eye on Wellington

[Master] okay, gimme watches.

[Arkady (James)] Arkady and Praxis first, I suppose.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (4 watches, 2 people a piece?)

[Don] I'll take the last watch

[Master] Good think y'all are healthy, with all these 6 hour interrupted-sleep nights.

[Lia (Angie)] I'll take one of the middle watches

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean can do last watch, as well

[Roger (Jeff)] I'll go second

Tamora has joined the game.

[Master] I'm gonna go make tost.

[Aric (Brian)] i can go whenever. but as monk sleep is partly meditative, having the time uninterrupted would probably be best

[Master] toast.

[Lia (Angie)] OOC food is good

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will take a watch with Lia.

[Aric (Brian)] I SAY YOU GOTS TO TOAST ME

[Aedean (Sedlack)] what food u got?

[Lia (Angie)] Why don't Vel and I go third then?

[Velkyna (Joe)] S'fine

[Tamora] Sorry bout that. Where do I fit in?

[Tamora] Second watch?

[Arkady (James)] That's fine.

[Lia (Angie)] So I'm going to get out of this armor and get some sleep

[Tamora] (You have probably all noticed by now that I only sleep a couple hours a night anyway.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] So we've got: Arkady/Praxis, Shot/Rog, Vel/Lia, Def/Aedean

[Shottamip (Tamora)] test

[Master] ...and how does that work w/r/t Wellington?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Put Dral in with Shot and Roger so they've got some beefcake.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I will be up for watches 2-4.

[Master] k

[Arkady (James)] Tammy, that color is hard for me to read.

[Master] (Tami)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think we'll leave Wellington to his own devices, I guess. We should probably stick together.

[Arkady (James)] If you want, you can have this lighter purple, and I'll pick something else.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, if you're asking what story we're selling to Wellington, then it'll be "We're on guard in case more Formians show up"

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Amusing as I haven't changed it since last month. I did just notice that it's less readable on our main computer than this laptop.

[Master] More what Joe was saying. Wellington is not the sort to question paranoia.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Dusting off my screen helped...

[Lia (Angie)] I do not want to leave Wellington unsupervised

[Arkady (James)] Actually, I was slouching too, at a better angle it's not so bad...

[Shottamip (Tamora)] test

[Shottamip (Tamora)] How's the bluish purple?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The other purple was better

[Shottamip (Tamora)] fdang

[Master] (eats toast)

[James] I agree

[Master] I'm glad you like toast.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] This one?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, what do we do if Wellington decides he's going to wander off into the night?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Let him?

[Velkyna (Joe)] If Vel had her way, they'd keep an eye on Wellington.

[Master] hehe

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That blue is better than the other blue

[Velkyna (Joe)] She could tail him invisibly.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] He showed us a nice hotel, that's nice; but not a reason to, y'know, lock him up.

[Velkyna (Joe)] But again, I don't know if we want to split up.

[Aric (Brian)] have we paid him yet? if not, and he wants to wander off, well, it's not like it would be that hard for baddies to find us

[Defthon (Don)] Actually, that looks pretty close to my blue

[James] Praxis could go with Vel, so they can report back to the rest of us.

[Defthon (Don)] In fact, it's identical

[Shottamip (Tamora)] oops

[James] Praxis can to short-range telepathic to Vel, and up to 1 mile empathic w/ Arkady

[James] He's his own walkie-talkie.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Well, I agree that it's a pleasant shade of blue.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Cool!

[James] Arkady will just cast regular invis on Praxis

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Every couple hours?

[James] What, inivs? Lasts 12 hours

[Aedean (Sedlack)] 10 min/level

[James] whoops, playing by old rules...

[Velkyna (Joe)] OMG THEY PIMPD INVISO

[Master] ?

[James] Well, Praxis is pretty good at hiding, he can just do that instead.

[Master] Yes. Yes, he is.

[James] Still slap an invis on him to start though.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay. What if Vel's asleep?

[James] Whoever's on watch will just have to wake her up.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She hasn't been sleeping much lately, anyway.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Gotcha.

[Master] hehe

[Velkyna (Joe)] She may already be up.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Fair enough. Sounds like we have a plan.

[Master] Okay, summarize for me:

[Master] Watch 1?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Ark/Praxis

[Master] Watch 2?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Shot, Roger, Dral

[Master] Watch 3?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Lia Vel

[Master] Watch 4?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Def Aedean

[Master] Wellington?

[Master] (Beef!)

[Shottamip (Tamora)] (and me)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Aric can go with Arkady, I suppose.

[Master] right.

[James] Roger should just stay asleep, he needs his rest.

[Roger (Jeff)] Fine by me

[James] Until he gets his own ring of sustanance.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Then put Dral with Arkady and Aric with Shottamip.

[James] fine.

[Master] ok.

[Master] Wellington...?

[James] What about him?

[Master] Okey-dokey.

[Defthon (Don)] We're ignoring him, I think.

[Master] You go to sleep.

[Master] THose of you who do.

[Master] I need Listen checks from Shot, Lia, and Aric.

[Master] (Oh, and where are you putting the Alarm spells?)

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Shottamip: Listen: (d20+6) [14+6] 20

[Aric (Brian)] Aric: Listen: (d20+9) [9+9] 18

[Lia (Angie)] Lia: Listen: (d20+11) [3+11] 14

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I would get the door out... are there windows?

[Master] I think Aric should have white text. :)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh

[Aric (Brian)] Ok

[Master] Yes, there are four windows.

[Aric (Brian)] it was a little close to angie's anyway

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Where?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are they shuterrable?

[Master] Yes.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Lock 'em by default.

[Master] They're along the lounge area there; the bedrooms have no windows, probably because the view sucks in that direction.

[Master] ok.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Another one around the window area, then, if there's a corresponding circle that doesn't intersect the walkway.

[Master] Vel, gimme a Search check; you're probably feeling paranoid.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] No use in setting it off as we change watches.

[Master] ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Search (traps, secret doors, etc.): ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+22+1) [7+22+1] 30

[James] Well, we'd all know the password, right?

[Master] There's a trap door under a carpet in the common room.

[Velkyna (Joe)] !!!

[James] As a group, we'd probably just pick a word we'd ust all the time for alarm spells.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or would that lead to a root cellar?

[Master] IT leads directly down into the hallway below and has not been used for a dog's own age.

[Master] Crap.

[Master] In the lounge area, not the common room.

[Master] Sorry. :)

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Is that how that works? I haven't used the spell since we moved to Klooege, and that's been a while.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Ah!

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will point out this trap door, odd though it is.

[James] As long as you say the password, the spell won't go off.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I'm confused.

[Master] Yeah, this is a pretty coherent group; you've got a shibboleth at this point, with occasional sly references to it.

[Master] I'm sorry.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Isn't the lounge area az section of the common room?

[Master] There is a trap door in the lounge area on the 3rd floor.

[Master] It goes down to the hallway on the 2nd floor.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ah.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Oh, I thought you meant the part of the common room with tables.

[Master] You can use the Alarm spell to catch it if you're careful.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I couldn't even see the tables under all fo us.

[Master] hehe

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Do we know if the rooms on the 2nd floor are occupied?

[Master] They happen to be unoccupied. Czina is experiencing . . . economic difficulties.

[James] ... just what we're here to fix. Sorta.

[Master] Really, Keeper Landhurst was fawning over you; apparently you're feeding his kids for the next few weeks.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So we hav ethe whole place to ourselves?

[Master] There were some barflies in the common area, but they'll go home shortly after dark.

[Master] Wellington is nursing an odd local beer.

[Defthon (Don)] He'll fawn less when the transdimensional portal opens and our epic battle destroys his inn...

[Master] ...or he was, when you went up.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ok, then. THe trap door is something we should be aware of, and possibly alarm, but poses no obvious threat

[Lia (Angie)] ooc what watch are we on?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I will set one big alarm spell around the room, then, I guess. Spherical.

[Master] None yet, I'm still doing setup.

[Velkyna (Joe)] As far as we can tell.

[Lia (Angie)] So how are we keeping an eye on Wellington?

[Master] mental or audible?

[Master] (for the Alarm)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I assume that the watchkeepers will be down on the first floor

[Defthon (Don)] Oh?

[Defthon (Don)] I assumed we'd be up here.

[Master] That hadn't occurred to me . . .

[Velkyna (Joe)] What if someone busts in the 3rd floor?

[James] Maybe one down and one up?

[Defthon (Don)] Since we have two per watch, could we split them?

[Defthon (Don)] Right

[Velkyna (Joe)] That could work.

[Master] first watch:

[Master] down?

[Master] Up?

[James] Arkady will be down, Praxis up.

[Master] second watch:

[Shottamip (Tamora)] So no one should be coming up from the first floor but us?

[Master] You've instructed Landhurst to this effect.

[Lia (Angie)] I don't like leaving anyone alone with Wellington

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Then I can alarm the second and third floors, separately, audible.

[Master] ok

[Shottamip (Tamora)] He really doesn't seem that dangerous.

[Lia (Angie)] Do we know if/where Wellington plans to sleep?

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's what he'd like you to think.

[Master] No.

[Master] You do not know that information.

[Aric (Brian)] We could ask him.

[James] Arkady will ask him.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Exactly.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] He implied that he would be staying up, I thought.

[Wellington] Hm?

[Arkady (James)] Don't you need to get some rest?

[Wellington] (smiles tiredly) I don't sleep well, really.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC Wait, is he up here now?

[Wellington] I'll catch a few hours in a chair down here.

[Arkady (James)] If you like, we could do something for that.

[Wellington] No, that's okay, thanks.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (Arkadty went down for first watch)

[Defthon (Don)] Aha.

[Defthon (Don)] Btw, fyi, Wellington's not _evil_.

[Arkady (James)] So what's you first name?

[Velkyna (Joe)] But is he eeeeeeeeeeeeevil?

[Wellington] (thinks on how to respond)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (His last name is Yueh)

[Wellington] I don't have a family name, really.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC (yeah, I was gonna say)

[Arkady (James)] My family is far, far away.

[Wellington] This is my name. Perhaps someday it will be some child's last name.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC or first name

Wellington shrugs

[Arkady (James)] So where will you go after this?

Wellington 's face is faintly visible in the dark, but is still essentially cloaked.

Wellington smiles.

[Wellington] Honestly, if I knew that, I wouldn't be showing paranoid strangers around a half-destroyed port town.

[Arkady (James)] OOC: LOL

[Master] (feel free to break out the Sense Motive at any point. :))

[Arkady (James)] Well, just becuase you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you...

Wellington shrugs

[Arkady (James)] Arkady: sense motive: (d20+14) [18+14] 32

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Woo!

[Lia (Angie)] wow

Wellington has been extremely honest, including his vague longing for a family.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC awww....

[Master] (I'll give you more subtext for the remainder of the conversation.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Maybe he can impregnate an elf)

[Arkady (James)] So what's the plan for tomorrow?

[Wellington] Show you to the mayor's; let you conduct your business. (gather information on the mayor in the process)

[Master] (parentheses are subtexts)

[Arkady (James)] OOC: what are the elves offering to trady, anyway?

[Master] The elves are looking for well-crafted mundane weapons, et cetera.

[Master] Arrows, swords, that sort of thing.

[Master] They're willing to trade magical items and their leftover high-end luxury goods.

[Arkady (James)] OOC: Gotcha.

[Master] Also, they wouldn't mind contracting a few mercenary companies or adventuring bands to do some raiding.

[Lia (Angie)] ooc Orc to kill'

[Arkady (James)] So, have any other strange groups passed through recently.

[Arkady (James)] ?

Wellington smiles

[Wellington] Besides yourselves?

[Arkady (James)] yeah.

[Wellington] Because you kind of set the bar.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "other"

[Defthon (Don)] OOC hence "other"

[Wellington] (I am strange, but not as strange as you)

[Wellington] Yes.

[Arkady (James)] Heh.

[Wellington] I wanted to wait for the Mayor to explain it himself, but I suppose there's no harm in hearing my third-hand account.

[Wellington] This city pays tribute to a local lord.

[Arkady (James)] Hmph, that's interesting.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC for a second i misread that as nerd

[Wellington] I do not know much about him, but the mayor's men function as . . . tax collectors, if you will.

[Wellington] And so Czina falls to pieces for lack of care.

Wellington shrugs

[Arkady (James)] And in return for this tribute, they don't seem to get much protection from invaders.

[Wellington] It is the way of things. Either Czina will re-arise, or a new city will use its walls a hundred years from now.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] It is not a matter of fee for service.

[Wellington] Or, rather, the service is provided by the local lord.

[Arkady (James)] Well, even if you're trying to squeeze the city for every last copper...

[Wellington] The service is simple -- the local lord will not release his inhuman mercenaries to rape and murder the remainder of the population.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] I do not pretend to understand the motivation of this man.

[Arkady (James)] ... it doesn't do to have others taking advanage of your own "crop".

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (I see Czina as a mere province of my great empire. If you pay us tribute, I will refrain from crushing oyu"

[Wellington] I think, however, that those ant-men were simply a result of the wyld storms, nothing more.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC WYLD STALLYNS!!

[Velkyna (Joe)] !!!

[Wellington] No more easily anticipated than an earthquake or tornado.

[Arkady (James)] I take it, that's been happening more often lately?

[Wellington] Define lately.

[Wellington] (yes.)

[Arkady (James)] Sounds like some mage in on the rampage.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] (I want to use you to gain more information on all of this.)

Wellington sips his beer

[Arkady (James)] OOC: I take it the Elves just wanted trade. They didn't seem to me to want to solve all the world's problems.

[Master] The elves sent you to get trade opening for the purpose of getting relief from the orcs.

[Master] How you do it is up to y'all. They trust you to be intelligent.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Czina can't trade if all their shit goes to this local lord.

[Master] They also know you're good people, so you're not likely to just pass up horrors and whatnot.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Indeed

Arkady (James) sipps his beer thoughtfully.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC something tells me there's going to be one less local lord once we finish here :)

[Roger (Jeff)] We could make a pitch to the local lord

[Defthon (Don)] heh

[Arkady (James)] OOC: I doubt they'd be able to trade weapons anyway.

[Master] The beer is unimaginably shitty.

[Arkady (James)] If they had weapons, they'd use them to fight.

[Arkady (James)] At any rate, the local lord wouldn't want the locals to have weapons anyway.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Most likely, yes. But they may have all been confiscated by the lord.

Wellington notices the look an Arkady's face.

[Wellington] You ordered the small beer, didn't you?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Sounds like it's time to redistribute some wealth.

Wellington slides his tankard across

Arkady (James) nods.

Arkady (James) gives it a try.

[Wellington] This is the local brew; it's heavy and odd, but it doesn't taste like you're licking a donkey's balls.

[Lia (Angie)] LOL

Arkady (James) snorts.

[Master] The beer isn't to your taste, but you can tell that one might get used to it with some effort.

[Arkady (James)] Hmph, not what I'd prefer, but it's not bad either.

[Wellington] They've got some kind of bizarre orcish hops they use for this one.

[Wellington] They mix it in with their barley and get this . . . thing. It is growing on me, I must admit.

Wellington sips

[Arkady (James)] Huh. Well, I haven't seen everything yet, but I guess I'm getting there.

Wellington smiles.

[Arkady (James)] Thing?

[Arkady (James)] Do I want to know?

[Master] (wellington was referring to the beer, is all.)

[Wellington] I had not yet seen everything.

[Arkady (James)] Do I want to know what the barley has been mixed with?

[Wellington] Then I saw a party of nine elves, half-elves, humans, halflings, half-orcs, and gnomes destroy a contingent of ant-men who had just slaughtered a half-dozen strong docksmen.

[Wellington] /me

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Now I have.

[Lia (Angie)] LOL

[Defthon (Don)] OOC THATS RIGHT

[Arkady (James)] Heh, we're just missing a dwarf.

[Defthon (Don)] heh

[Wellington] Mm.

[Aric (Brian)] YOU HAVE MY AXE

[Velkyna (Joe)] BRING YOU PUSSY FACE TO MY ASS

[Defthon (James)] ... and my bow.

Wellington sips his beer.

[Lia (Angie)] OOC I wonder what he'd say about the Nightflyer fight?

[Dralafi] My bow. His flaming sword thingy.

[Aric (Brian)] are any of us down there?

[Velkyna (Joe)] No, we're all sleeping.

[Master] The rest of Arkady's watch passes without incident.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Except Praxis and Dral.

[Aric (Brian)] love to have someone say "oh, they weren't that bad, compared to the nightflyer and nightcrawler"

[Master] (unless you have another question you're burning to ask.)

[Aric (Brian)] "...and the bodaks"

[Arkady (James)] No, it's all becoming clearer...

[Master] kewl.

[Master] 2nd watch:

[Arkady (James)] ... not necessarily better, but clearer.

[Master] up? down?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Should be Shot and Aric

[Aric (Brian)] i can go down

[Aric (Brian)] so shot has the help of the beef up there if need be

[Aric (Brian)] (not that she can't defend herself i'm sure)

[Master] ...?

[Aric (Brian)] just saying that i think she'd be more than capable of defending herself if something did come in

[Velkyna (Joe)] Shot's up, Aric's down.

[Master] ok.

[Master] Listen check for Shottamip.

Wellington nods

[Aric (Brian)] is wellington still awake?

[Wellington] Yep.

Aric (Brian) nods to Wellington.

[Wellington] Aric, right?

[Aric (Brian)] I'm surprised you're still awake. You should get some rest.

[Aric (Brian)] That's correct.

[Master] Gimme a Sense Motive.

[Aric (Brian)] Aric: Sense Motive: (d20+1) [9+1] 10

[Aric (Brian)] durr...what a nice guy!

[Master] (no subtext for you, but you won't be totally bamboozled easily.)

Wellington slides a beer across to you.

[Wellington] It's the local stuff.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (BEER ME)

[Aric (Brian)] No thank you, I try to avoid drinking. Is there tea perhaps?

Wellington looks surprised.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Everyone who drank the beer, make a Fortitude save)

[Wellington] I don't know; let's see if we can rustle you up something in the kitchen.

[Wellington] Keeper Landhurst gave me the run of the place if I promised not to unlock the front door.

[Aric (Brian)] Just one of the sacrifices one must make to be a monk.

Wellington smiles quietly.

[Wellington] Ah, is that what you are?

[Roger (Jeff)] rustle up some grub

[Aric (Brian)] Indeed.

[Wellington] I'd wondered about your relatively . . . unarmored appearance.

Wellington fiddles around in the kitchen.

[Aric (Brian)] I find armor...unneccessary.

[Wellington] hm.

[Wellington] I've heard.

[Arkady (James)] (and his bulgie muscles)

[Wellington] Encumbering, for how you move, I imagine.

Wellington finds a pot and sets it to boiling.

[Aric (Brian)] That's mostly it. We are trained to avoid being hit in the first place. Wearing armor would make that more difficult.

[Wellington] mm.

[Wellington] Where did you train, then? I know of no . . . is monastery the right word . . . no areas around here.

[Master] the pot boils, and Wellington adds tea.

[Aric (Brian)] We're not from around here. I trained ... very far away.

Master smiles

Wellington smiles

[Wellington] Like me, then.

[Aric (Brian)] How did you come to this place?

Wellington pours the tea

[Aric (Brian)] Thank you.

[Wellington] happenstance

[Aric (Brian)] OOC Welcome to VAGUE CONVERSATIONS 101

[Master] The tea is decent -- it's mediocre tea, but Wellington did a good job of timing the process.

[Lia (Angie)] LOL

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (RealPlayer sez: "We're just two lost souls swimmin' in a fishbowl")

Wellington sips his beer.

[Master] ANything else you'd like to discuss?

[Aric (Brian)] Are you from this area originally?

[Wellington] What do you mean by "this area"?

[Aric (Brian)] (i'm gonna try to weasel out of him whether he was brought by the storms, but will probably fail)

Wellington fails the Turing Test.

[Aric (Brian)] Czina, the Alemanic States, the Estin duchy perhaps?

[Aric (Brian)] You don't seem to have enough scars to have come from the Orcish wastelands.

[Wellington] I came here from one of the intermediate areas which is neither Alemannic nor Estin.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC he said Alemanic States last time.

[Wellington] I say Alemannic because it was near there, but that's not quite exact.

[Velkyna (Joe)] D00D ITS THE DANE

[Wellington] You know how it is -- if you come from a village near a big city, you say, "I'm from Dessit!"

[Wellington] Not, "I'm from Podunklund, five miles from the walls."

[Aric (Brian)] I see. And apparently we're being visited by goons #1 and #2, Joanne, and the mayor

[Aric (Brian)] (that last part OOC)

[Aric (Brian)] Right. You've been to Dessit?

[Defthon (Don)] OOC I have a friend from the Jersey suburbs who claims he's from NY and gets really defensive if you call him on it

[Aric (Brian)] (the right was agreeing with him, btw, not sarcastic)

[Wellington] Once, a long time ago.

[Aric (Brian)] I would be cautious approaching there right now. There was recently some chaos, but order is being restored.

Wellington is obviously letting Aric drive the conversation . . .

Wellington laughs out loud.

[Wellington] Sounds like a vast improvement over Czina. I shall book passage immediately.

[Aric (Brian)] Well, by chaos, I mean plague.

[Wellington] Is it over, then?

[Aric (Brian)] But the cure has been given to the people.

Wellington nods.

[Wellington] You sound like you had something to do with that.

[Aric (Brian)] A little. *smiles*

Wellington smiles quietly and sits back in his chair.

Wellington looks lost in thought.

[Aric (Brian)] (as a note, sorry if vel's about to beat me if she heard, aric's a little more naive and willing to talk)

[Wellington] I, ah . . . I heard Shottamip casting some spells earlier.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON HIM)

[Aric (Brian)] Just a precaution.

[Wellington] Anything I should be aware of? I'd prefer not to stumble into a delayed fireball or something.

[Aric (Brian)] We just don't want anyone trying to sneak up on us.

[Master] (Diplomacy check for Aric)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Delayed _blast_ fireball.

[Aric (Brian)] Aric: Diplomacy: (d20+1) [7+1] 8

Master nods

Wellington nods

[Wellington] Er, if I were to run up the stairs, I wouldn't get eaten by a Fire Elemental or anything, would I?

[Aric (Brian)] We've had sleep interrupted by kobolds and any number of other unpleasant company.

Wellington lahs

[Shottamip (Tamora)] um...

[Aric (Brian)] Well, it wouldn't be a fire elemental.

Aric (Brian) grins.

[Wellington] That's reassuring.

[Wellington] I think.

[Aric (Brian)] We've contracted our elemental needs with the plane of water.

[Wellington] Oh, they do contracts?

[Wellington] I wonder if they need agents?

[Master] Aric takes a moment, then realizes Wellington is putting him on.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC ah, low charisma

[Master] Nah, Wellington is just a master of the droll statement.

[Master] Anything else you need?

[Aric (Brian)] But no. Just protecting against uninvited guests.

[Aric (Brian)] (he's heard, i'm sure he's guessed it's an alarm spell)

[Aric (Brian)] No, the tea was fine. Thank you, it was well made.

[Wellington] Why thank you.

Wellington sits back and dozes

[Master] Third watch.

[Defthon (Don)] Terrible show.

[Lia (Angie)] Vel, do you want to take down?

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's fine.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] [Velkyna] Let me at 'im!

[Master] Does Lia bother to change into Full Plate, or is she just in the Chain Shirt (for sake of non-noisiness).

[Wellington] Hunh.

[Wellington] Lost my bet.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Am I right in assuming that Landhurst is not around? (If Welly mad ethe tea?)

[Lia (Angie)] just the chain

[Master] Yep; Landhurst is in a nearby cottage.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel's going to ignore Wellington at first, rummaging around for some food.

Wellington relaxes back into a light doze.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] brb

[Sedlack] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] The second floor alarm goes off.

Wellington sputters

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel books ass to the second floor.

[Wellington] What? What the?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Do I see anything?

[Wellington] Spot check

[Master] hehe

[Master] Spot check

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Spot: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+12+1) [17+12+1] 30

[Velkyna (Joe)] BOOM

[Master] There's a fucking cat in the hallway.

[Master] Mangy little thing.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] What about those of us awake and waiting on the third floor?

[Aric (Brian)] Crap! We've got furries!

[Master] Everybody wakes up from the alarm.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I use the password to turn it off and scoop up the cat.

[Master] Lia and Shottamip, you get first action for obvious reasons.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I would want to reset it, I suppose.

[Master] Spot check for Vel

[Lia (Angie)] Maybe a different password?

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm going to look around a bit

[Master] Search, then.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Spot: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+12+1) [13+12+1] 26

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Search (basic): ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+17+1) [4+17+1] 22

[Defthon (Don)] Do we know that it's the second floor one?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I do.

[Master] Not really, but Shottamip does.

[Master] And the sound emanates from the area, so you can figure it out quickly.

[Sedlack] I am back at the keyboard.

[Wellington] (from down the stairs) Um?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel's poking around. She's pretty sure this is not an accident.

[Wellington] ok.

[Wellington] ER.

[Wellington] Should I be fleeing?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Is there a window I can throw the cat out of?

[Master] Yes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I do so. Gently.

[Aric (Brian)] wait, do i see the cat?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] If you have allergies, maybe.

[Aric (Brian)] from the second floor window you're throwing?

[Wellington] Right, then. I'll just stay down here.

[Velkyna (Joe)] They land on their feet.

[Master] There are gutters.

[Master] et cetera.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Exactly.

[Master] Vel's careful like that.

[Aric (Brian)] aric would want to give the poor thing some milk or something if it looked malnourished

[Roger (Jeff)] It's a monk cat

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Gently"

[Master] Aric didn't get a chance to get a close look.

[Aric (Brian)] yeah, cause someone's THROWING IT OUT THE WINDOW :P

[Defthon (Don)] More of a "drop" than a "throw", really.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Does Vel see anything on the third floor?

[Master] Vel finds nothing out of place on either floor.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Sorry, second floor?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel knows the spell resets, right?

[Velkyna (Joe)] So she doesn't have to get Shot to recast?

[Defthon (Don)] I assume I'm up and about now---I head down to the second floor

[Master] Yep.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Sorry. That was a fucking cat."

[Defthon (Don)] Ah.

[Defthon (Don)] That's all?

[Velkyna (Joe)] As far as I can tell. I looked around.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Nothing seems up.

[Defthon (Don)] If we know that the rooms are all empty, I'm checking 'em.

[Defthon (Don)] Oh, you already did that then?

[Master] Ok. Search checks.

[Master] Yes, she did.

[Defthon (Don)] Defthon: Search: (d20+1+0+1) [14+1+0+1] 16

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Search (traps, secret doors, etc.): ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+22+1) [6+22+1] 29

[Master] Yeah, there's nothing wrong here. The rooms look like what they are.

[Defthon (Don)] Better safe than sorry, though.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will return to her post on the first floor.

[Defthon (Don)] How'd the cat get in?

[Master] Not immediately obvious.

Velkyna (Joe) shrugs. "I don't know"

[Master] But hey -- cats.

[Defthon (Don)] Hm.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think that might have been a test.

[Defthon (Don)] Yeah, I suppose. But I'd think either our 1st floor or our 3rd floor watchmen would've seen it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Someone sent it in to see what's going on here.

[Defthon (Don)] Quite possibly.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think someone's messing with us.

[Defthon (Don)] Ok, I'm catching another hour before my watch.

[Master] ok.

[Arkady (James)] OOC: BTW detect scrying is running.

Wellington is sipping a beer quietly.

[Arkady (James)] On Arkady, at any rate.

[Master] Noted.

Velkyna (Joe) sits down at the table she was at and goes back to munching on some bread she found.

Master shrugs

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] S'cuse.

Wellington gets up and heads toward the door.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Door outside?

[Velkyna (Joe)] I thought that was locked?

[Master] It is.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Where are you going?"

[Wellington] Too much beer.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (is he going out the front door, or to a privy?)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (inside)

[Arkady (James)] OOC: What, no flush toilets?

[Wellington] (out the front door.)

Wellington steps outside

[Velkyna (Joe)] ... which is locked?

[Master] He's unlocking it?

[Velkyna (Joe)] He has the key?

[Master] From the inside, one needs a key?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] unbars, or whatever.

[Master] I'm not trying to be punky, I'm just confused a little.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Old doors, yeah.

[Master] Oh . . .

[Velkyna (Joe)] There's one lock, nto a latch or anything.

Wellington grabs the key from where it is hanging near the bar

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's why old keyholes go all the way through.

[Defthon (Don)] All true about old locks and such, but I promise that the inn would leave guests some way to get to the privy.

[Wellington] Landhurst left this behind.

Velkyna (Joe) nods, munching slowly on a bread end.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (More likely, Landhurst has two keys, and has the other one with him)

Wellington returns in a minute or so

[Velkyna (Joe)] (right)

[Wellington] We have an audience.

Velkyna (Joe) looks up. What do you mean?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Wellington got pee-shy)

[Wellington] Couple of toughs are watching us from across the way.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Toughs, or goons?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (JOKE)

Velkyna (Joe) ponders this.

[Velkyna (Joe)] How many?

[Wellington] I spotted a couple, then gave up looking so they wouldn't see me looking.

[Wellington] Cloak's good for that.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are they spread out, or just hanging out there?

[Velkyna (Joe)] In other words, casual or obvious?

[Wellington] Spread out; it's too late night to stake out in plain sight.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hm.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Stay right here.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will run up to the third floor to confer with Lia.

Velkyna (Joe) whispers: "Lia."

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Still up, also.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There's a couple of goons outside checking us out.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC BOWM CHICKA BOWM BOWM

[Lia (Angie)] OOC,are Shot,Aric and Praxis still up?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Am I included, or do I need to do a listen check?

[Wellington] Just Shot.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (shot is)

[Master] Only Shot is up.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Shot is included, forgot you were up too.

[Master] Aric and Praxis are getting their beauty sleep.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anyway, you want me to go out and scope them out?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Goons? If they're not undead I'm not too concerned.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Sure, have a look.

[James] On the one hand, having a powerful party of adventurers blow into town would cause anyone concen.

[Lia (Angie)] Yes, Shot, do you want to stay up here or go downstairs?

[Master] Shh, James, you're asleep. :)

Dralafi wakes up.

[James] That's why I wasn't speaking as Arkady. :-)

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Go down, I think.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, someone should stay downstairs. I'll be squeezing out a window or something.

[Dralafi] Is something going on?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel brings him up to speed.

[Lia (Angie)] Anyway we can keep in touch with you?

[Dralafi] I'll go downstairs, then.

[Lia (Angie)] (to Vel)

[Dralafi] If you need me, shout or something. I'll hear.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Praxis is asleep. Hm.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We'll shout if things go bad?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, I'll scream.

[Velkyna (Joe)] They're not too far.

Dralafi strings his bow and heads downstairs.

[Lia (Angie)] I'd rather not draw anymore attention then we have to

Shottamip (Tamora) packs up her cobbling and joins Dral.

[Wellington] Something up?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel's going to slip out an alley-facing window.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Hey.

Dralafi ignores him.

[Velkyna (Joe)] After activating her ring.

[Master] ok

[Aric (Brian)] her precious

[Lia (Angie)] Lia gets her armor and puts it on

[Velkyna (Joe)] MY PRECIOUS

[Master] Ok.

[Master] Lia, Listen check.

[Master] Vel, Spot check.

[Lia (Angie)] Lia: Listen: (d20+11) [16+11] 27

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Spot: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+12+1) [13+12+1] 26

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Those are nice.

[Master] Okay, Vel heads outside and scouts around a bit. She can't tell precisely, but she's pretty sure there are at least two different factions of watchers.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Who watches the watchmen?)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (makes sense... Lord's dudes, mayor's dudes)

[Master] Lia, the door to the second floor creaks almost inaudibly.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Door from 3 to 2, or door from 1 to 2?

[Master] From 3 to 2.

[Velkyna (Joe)] !!!

[Lia (Angie)] OOC I assume Aric is not where he looks to be?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are the watchers still just watching? Or are they more on edge/guard?

[Master] Watching.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are they mostly human, or what?

[Master] They do not appear to have noticed one another, amusingly.

[Velkyna (Joe)] FOCUS

[Master] All human, from what you can tell in this light. Conceivably half-elf or half-orc . . . you know.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Right.

[Aric (Brian)] have the rest of us been woken up?

[Lia (Angie)] Lia moves to position between the creaking door and the sleeping rooms

[Master] No..

[Master] Heh. Move silently check.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Feeling precocious, Vel's going to grab a rock, move herself near Group A Watchers, and chuck the rock at Group B Watchers.

[Lia (Angie)] I'm not trying to move silently, just casually

[Velkyna (Joe)] And then, y'know, step back.

[Master] Group B watcher notices group A watcher and fades out.

[Master] Okay.

[Master] You stand ready to fight if necessary. You haven't woken anyone up yet, but you will if you move around any more.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Fades out, as in vanishes, or as in steps back into shadows?

[Master] shadows. Uses tradecraft to bail.

[Lia (Angie)] (I assume I finished donning the armor?

[Velkyna (Joe)] gotcha.

[Master] Yep.

[Master] Listen check.

[Lia (Angie)] for who?

[Master] Lia.

[Lia (Angie)] Lia: Listen: (d20+11) [2+11] 13

[Master] ok

[Velkyna (Joe)] Do the watchers have any identifyable marks? As in, badges or sashes or anything?

[Master] Vel, what're you doing now?

[Master] Nah.

[Master] Certainly not in starlight.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Figured.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll sneak back to the second floor window.

[Master] Roll 1d4

[Velkyna (Joe)] Figuring they're just puds keeping a watch on the new stragers.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Me??

[Master] yep

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d4) [2] 2

[Master] There's a girl slowly opening the window and getting ready to climb out.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Young girl?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Age?

[Master] Spot.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Spot: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+12+1) [2+12+1] 15

[Master] Teenage, human, looks like.

[Master] Vel-sized.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Since I'm probably using slippers, I'll be standing/crouching on the sill.

[Defthon (Don)] and named "Joanne". Good spot, Vel!

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll turn visible suddenly.

[Master] She freezes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Help you with something?"

[Velkyna (Joe)] (not threatening, but not friendly)

[Master] Spot.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Spot: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+12+1) [14+12+1] 27

[Joanne] Joanne just totally pissed herself.

Joanne stares at you, terrified.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Joanne speaks about herself in the third person)

[Velkyna (Joe)] "_CAT_ got your tongue?"

[Defthon (Don)] hee

[Joanne] Little noises that might be words escape.

[Master] Initiative.

[James] Arkady: Initiative: (d20+3) [18+3] 21

[Master] Just Vel.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Initiative: (d20+7) [3+7] 10

[James] Praxis: Initiative: (d20+0) [15+0] 15

[Velkyna (Joe)] Suxx.

[Aric (Brian)] you know, if she actually said "Little noises that might be words escape.", sounds like the first line of a poem

[Velkyna (Joe)] Since I got surprise, shouldn't I be able to act first?

[Master] Joanne suddenly drops from the 2nd-story window.

[Master] You did. You spoke to her.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Ah.

[Lia (Angie)] DO I hear that?

[Master] Listen check for Lia.

[Lia (Angie)] Lia: Listen: (d20+11) [10+11] 21

[Velkyna (Joe)] What was Joanne's init?

[Master] Vel is saying something to Joanne.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I take it she beat me?

[Master] Yeah, she's got a decent dex, and you had a crappy roll.

[Master] But she's only en route to the ground right now.

[Defthon (Don)] I wonder what her tumble is...

[Velkyna (Joe)] When I get to go, I'm going to jump down on her and/or try to intersect my jump with hers.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Even Aedean gets a higher initiative than Vel, every once in a while...)

[Master] Not good enough; she's totally thrown.

[Master] She lands badly and ends up prone. Vel, you can land on her if you'd like.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll land near enough to her not to land ON her, but to land close enough to grab her.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Hot Rogue-on-Rogue axxxion)

[Velkyna (Joe)] AW YEAH

Joanne coughs

[Joanne] oh fuck oh fuck oh shit oh no

Joanne tries to get up and spots Vel.

[Joanne] Fuck, please don't kill me.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Calm down" Vel says.

Joanne coughs, obviously winded from the bad landing.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will have grabbed her, but not like a sleeper hold or anything.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I.e. enough to keep her in one place.

[Joanne] Grapple check.

[Master] sorry

[Velkyna (Joe)] But not like I'm about to kick her ass or anything.

[Master] Grapple check.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What is that?

[Lia (Angie)] If I hear anyof this , I'm waking up the others. Quietly, starting with Praxis

[Master] Base att + str

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Attack 1: Base Attack [w] hits AC: ((d20+9)) [(14+9)] 23

[Master] Okay.

[Master] Praxis is up.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Velkyn neck pinch)

Joanne is too scared to struggle

[Praxis (James)] "Huh, what? Where was that rabbit?"

[Joanne] I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry

[Lia (Angie)] then Arkady and Aedean

[Velkyna (Joe)] Look, I'm not going to hurt you.

Joanne coughs again

[Velkyna (Joe)] What are you doing here?

[Joanne] Please I'm . . . *coughs*

Joanne looks terrified

[Velkyna (Joe)] I can wait. You knocked the wind out of yourself. I've done that before.

Joanne coughs

[Velkyna (Joe)] Breathe deep and slow.

Joanne follows Vel's instructions

[Velkyna (Joe)] Deep.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Now blow it out.

Joanne is silent

[Velkyna (Joe)] What's your name?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] They're right outside the first floor now? Are we seeing them? Are there windows down here?

[Joanne] Jo . . . Joanne.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Joanne. I'm Vel. Now, what are you doing here?

Praxis (James) flies out to see what's going on.

[Master] Folks are pretty much awake and crowding to the windows. Vel is grappling and interrogating what looks to be a young human woman.

Joanne looks ashamed

[Joanne] I, uh . . .

Joanne can't bring herself to say it

[Velkyna (Joe)] (having a thought) Are you one of the Landhursts?

Praxis (James) lands near Vel.

[Joanne] The who?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Never mind.

[Lia (Angie)] I wa actually planning to just send Praxis out and have everyone else stay quiet

Joanne has a leftover cough

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are you with the goofs outside the inn? Checking us out?

[Defthon (Don)] Lia, who is that with Vel?

[Defthon (Don)] What happened?

[Master] Yeah, but moving around in plate mail around edgy people leads to wakefulness. :)

[Joanne] (quietly) yeah.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Who are they?

[Joanne] My brothers.

[Lia (Angie)] Quiet, I don't know but I think Vel is handling it

[Velkyna (Joe)] Do you guys work for someone?

[Joanne] Please don't hurt them, they're just stupid, this was a stupid idea.

[Joanne] We used to, but he's dead now, and everything's gone to shit . . .

Defthon (Don) nods and goes back to watching out the window

[Joanne] (starts sobbing quietly)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Shhh shh.

[Joanne] Oh . . .

[Joanne] Fuck I'm sorry

[Lia (Angie)] (Well I meant to wake everyone up, just quietly)

[Velkyna (Joe)] So tell me a story here. That usually calms me down.

[Joanne] My brother saw what you did on the docks.

[Velkyna (Joe)] /nods

[Joanne] He figured if we were clever, we could sneak in and maybe take something little you wouldn't miss.

[Joanne] Magic dagger or something.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, that was pretty stupid.

Joanne looks offended for a bare instant.

[Joanne] We got pretty close, I think.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Do you guys live in Czina (changing the subject)

[Joanne] Yeah.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So, you know what's going on around here, right?

[Joanne] Yeah.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Are your brothers expecting you back soon?

[Joanne] They probably ran as soon as I got caught.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well,that's nice of them.

Joanne shrugs

[Praxis (James)] Nice brothers.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Have you eaten recently?

[Joanne] ...

[Joanne] Yeah, I guess.

[Master] (not well, and not for a little while.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'd like to talk to you a little. We need to know things and I'm sure you can help. And I'll get you some food.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Sound good?

[Joanne] We?

[Velkyna (Joe)] We.

[Velkyna (Joe)] You know, my friends.

[Joanne] All of . . . Oh god, that orc guy's gonna fucking eat me.

[Velkyna (Joe)] They've very nice.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Aric is especially nice.

Joanne looks dubious

[Velkyna (Joe)] Trust me.

[Velkyna (Joe)] You shouldn't judge people until you know them.

[Praxis (James)] OOC: Isn't Aric like a vegetarian anyway?

[Joanne] ok

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will introduce Joanne.

[Wellington] Haven't I seen you before?

[Velkyna (Joe)] She just wants something to eat. And I'd like to talk to her.

[Joanne] My brothers, they work on the docks.

Wellington looks dark.

[Wellington] Workers or workers?

[Praxis (James)] ?

[Joanne] Just . . . workers. You know.

[Wellington] Okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Make yourself useful, Wellington. Get her some food.

Wellington glances at Velkyna, then shrugs

[Wellington] If I'm useful, I'm getting paid, then?

[Aric (Brian)] OOC probably not a vegetarian...would probabaly take an asian view of meat though, that being not to eat too much, and try to eat lighter fare like fish and chicken

Defthon (Don) raises eyebrows.

Wellington busies himself

[Praxis (James)] Yeah, but we'll have to talk about your rate.

[Praxis (James)] (that was to Wellington)

[Wellington] Heh.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Joanne here was just about to tell us all about Czina. Joanne, we're visiting and we need to know all about Czina.

[Joanne] Um, ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If you can help us, we'll, y'know, overlook certain things.

Velkyna (Joe) winks.

[Joanne] Well, it's fucked.

[Joanne] That's kind of it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Specifics.

Joanne looks baffled.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I mean, fucked how?

Joanne obviously doesn't think in those terms

[Joanne] First were the fucking wererats.

[Joanne] Then there was this insane gang war between two of the nobles.

[Velkyna (Joe)] To the others, Vel seems oddly protective of Joanne. Almost big-sisterly.

[Praxis (James)] Ewwh.

[Joanne] Then Baron Eflense came down with his fucking lizardmen army and fucked us again.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC Ah. Understandable.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Is he the guy charging tribute of Czinans?

[Joanne] I mean, what the fuck do you do against an army of walking fucking lizards riding dragon fucking turtles?

[Joanne] Tribute?

[Joanne] Yeah, I guess so.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Money.

[Joanne] Protection money, more like.

[Roger (Jeff)] GAMERA

[Arkady (James)] To Wellington: It seemed you were going somewhere about her brothers...

[Joanne] Fucking huge racket.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Tribute is diplomat speak.

[Wellington] Later.

[Defthon (Don)] ...for protection money.

[Defthon (Don)] So, yes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (shoot phone ringing and Erica's napping)

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] okey-dokey

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Does Joanne appear to be injured from her fall?

[Master] not permanently.

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, Aedean will tend to whatever injuries she seems to have (presumably, they're minor)

Joanne starts

[Joanne] Wha . . . who?

Velkyna (Joe) pats her shoulder. he's a nice guy.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Like I said, we're all nice guys here.

[Joanne] um . . . ok . . .

Joanne has eyes the size of dinner plates

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I'm Aedean. I just want to take a look at your injuries.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So your brothers. You all work on the docks?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (trying to distract her from Aedean)

[Joanne] Uh.

[Joanne] They do.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: Heal: (d20+6+5) [14+6+5] 25

[Velkyna (Joe)] What do you do, mostly?

[Joanne] I used to . . . well, I used to steal shit.

[Velkyna (Joe)] And now ...?

[Praxis (James)] Huh, last time I checked, "shit" wasn't very valuable?

[Joanne] Now I get fucking caught fucking stealing shit.

[Joanne] It's my new fucking line of work.

[Joanne] The hours suck, and the pay sucks, but I love the people I fucking meet.

[Praxis (James)] Looks like I've been leaving behind a fortune at every rest stop.

Defthon (Don) smirks.

Velkyna (Joe) nods. I know the feeling.

Joanne goes blank

[Velkyna (Joe)] Do you, y'know, work for anyone?

[Joanne] Used to.

[Joanne] Dead now.

[Velkyna (Joe)] And who was this?

[Joanne] Fucking turned into a fucking wererat.

[Joanne] Camden.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Adn who was he?

[Joanne] Pelor, if I'd said that name six months ago, it woulda been my fucking life.

[Joanne] Just some guy.

Velkyna (Joe) nods. I understand.

[Praxis (James)] OOC: My home town is Camden, IN.

[Master] JAMES IS THE MOLE

[Velkyna (Joe)] Your brothers ... are they your brothers or "brothers" (she puts in the little quotey marks)

Joanne looks confused

[Joanne] My mother's sons.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

Velkyna (Joe) looks at the group. Do we need anything else from her?

[Roger (Jeff)] Who was the other group?

[James] I am away from the keyboard.

[Defthon (Don)] A promise not to bother us again?

[Velkyna (Joe)] To Def: I think that can be arranged.

[Roger (Jeff)] Wait, Roger doesn't know about the two group thing

[Lia (Angie)] Will she be OK if we let her go?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (I don't think they knew about the two group thing either)

[Velkyna (Joe)] To Lia: I'm on that.

[Lia (Angie)] Allright

[Velkyna (Joe)] Joanne, if we were to go out the front door and, I dunno, someone were to see us together. Would that be a problem?

Joanne looks terrified

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or would slipping out the back be preferrable.

[Joanne] I can't come back with nothing.

[Joanne] oh fuck fuck fuck

[Velkyna (Joe)] Don't worry about that.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Would slipping out the back be prefferable?

Joanne starts crying silently

[Joanne] Please fucking tell me you're going to take me with you.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Okay guys (to the group), party's over.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Everyone, give me a couple minutes.

[Joanne] Please, I've been dreaming for years, get me out of this fucking town.

[Roger (Jeff)] Oops

Velkyna (Joe) makes "round 'em up" motions.

[Joanne] (have to go, got a huge phone call)

[Master] I am away from the keyboard.

[Lia (Angie)] Would youlike to stay down here or go upstairs?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Did Wellington come up with some food for the kid yet?

[Aric (Brian)] Joanne's got a cell phone!

[Lia (Angie)] (that was to Vel)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (Ah). We can chat on the second floor. No one's using it.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] D00d, Michael's talking to Congressman Abercrombie.

Velkyna (Joe) motions to Joanne. Come on.

[Aric (Brian)] dude. what about Fitch?

[Lia (Angie)] Cool

[Velkyna (Joe)] May as well get a pop.

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We're on first name basis with a US Rep and his wife, I'm still overwhelmed.

[Defthon (Don)] NICE.

[Aric (Brian)] via Dean stuff?

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Yes.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] One of Hawaii's 2 reps has endorsed Dean and has been working with us for a few months.

[Lia (Angie)] I think you are gonna get used to it, considering Micheal's career plans

[Velkyna (Joe)] SWEET

[Defthon (Don)] I should know this, but which rep?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii Dem

[Defthon (Don)] Yeah, no kidding; if Mike doesn't end up in Congress one of these days, he'll at least be high up on someone's staff there.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] That's one of the plans.

[Velkyna (Joe)] SAM SEABORN

[Shottamip (Tamora)] This is a good start.

[James] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Hey, while we're waiting...Don, what's the URL for last session's log?

[Defthon (Don)] www.blahedo.org/serendair/transcript-030824.html

[Defthon (Don)] I think

[Defthon (Don)] It's in that dir, though.

[Aric (Brian)] so tami, are you and mike hosting or attending a house party on monday?

[Angie] I am away from the keyboard.

[Roger (Jeff)] memoing spells

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Michael is attending one at Abercrombie's, and I might be able to pop out of work for a couple hours but I'm not sure.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] It's midafternoon for us.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Doo de doo.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Shit, I *did* level up last session and I missed it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hee.

[Velkyna (Joe)] See, I don't miss things like that.

[Praxis (James)] So who's played angband?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Lots of angband.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I have.

[Velkyna (Joe)] A ton.

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's been about a year, though.

[Roger (Jeff)] Hey, is Monday Night Football tape delayed in Hawai'i or is it on during the day?

[Roger (Jeff)] I have a little

[Praxis (James)] It's like a character-based Diablo

[Velkyna (Joe)] Tape delay, last I checked.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Tape delayed, I believe.

[Praxis (James)] ... as in ASCII characters...

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Never made it to the bottom, though.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I was in Hawaii many years ago and the Steelers played the Browns on MNF.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I knew the score before the game started.

[Defthon (Don)] ...and addictive as all hell.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Since the Steelers won, I insisted on watching it.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Only to dungeon level 70-something (out of 100).

[Angie] I am back at the keyboard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I remember getting quested from something rude and then quitting.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Possibly the Unicorn of order.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Like I said, it's been a while.

[Praxis (James)] Still on the 2nd character I created, a half-troll warrior.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I haven't played Angband in a couple months.

[Praxis (James)] He's easy to play, lots of STR and CON.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (admittedly, I was a save/restart weenie)

[Velkyna (Joe)] But we've been through that, James. You like the Hardcore Diablo and I don't. :)

[Roger (Jeff)] HARDCORE ASSASSIN ACTION

[Praxis (James)] Well, I don't remember if I ever finished it in HC mode...

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh.

[Praxis (James)] Actually, I'm pretty sure I haven't.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Then again, you loved the druids and necros and I can't stand them.

[Praxis (James)] I think I was going to do a Sorc or Necro for tjat.

[Praxis (James)] I just like having my own army.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Indeed. And I need to destroy everything on the screen as fast as possible.

[Velkyna (Joe)] STRAFE

[Praxis (James)] Yeah, I didn

[Aedean (Sedlack)] jhjhjh

[Praxis (James)] ... didn't finish with the bowazon in AR either.

[Praxis (James)] It wouldn't have been too hard though.

[Praxis (James)] Had lots of charms. Pleny of all types of damage.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah. Love me some AR.

[Praxis (James)] (That's Ancestral Recall, a mod for Diablo II, BTW)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Farmed the ... Glacial Cavern? For enough Elixir to make Zods and get me the +2 charms.

[Velkyna (Joe)] that was so broken.

[Praxis (James)] Heh, never bother do to that.

[Praxis (James)] But the Ancients were interesting.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hell diff drops enough Elixir, it's not so bad.

[Joanne] wheeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Aric (Brian)] clever way of avoiding spam filters... Subject: R‘: G‘t yoŸr RX šrders H‘re

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Really "Ancestral Recall"? I could have sworn it was different than the Magic"AR".

[Defthon (Don)] How was the call?

[Roger (Jeff)] Arrrrrrrrrrr

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's indeed Ancestral Recall.

[Velkyna (Joe)] ARRRRRRRRRR

[Master] ok where were we?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anyway, Mike. Once Joanne starts panicking, Vel shuffles her off to the second floor, giving everyone else a "don't worry I've got it under control" look.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Joanne was pleading for us to take her with.

[Master] ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We'll go into a room for some privacy.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Bel was looking for some privacy

[Master] ok

[Velkyna (Joe)] Jinx!

[Praxis (James)] That's actually kind of scary.

[Master] Joanne slips and murmurs the alarm-disabling word when you get onto the 2nd floor.

Velkyna (Joe) smiles.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Nice.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Heh

[Lia (Angie)] OOC I knew we should have changed it after the cat

Joanne looks embarrassed

Velkyna (Joe) sits Joanne down on a bed in one of the empty rooms.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Okay, we should talk.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Honestly.

[Joanne] um, ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What's your situation?

[Joanne] (bitterly) I'm fucked.

[Velkyna (Joe)] No. no, you're not.

[Joanne] This whole fucking town is on . . . opium or something.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (!!!!!!)

Velkyna (Joe) smirks.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC Read: "on crack"

[Joanne] There have to be better places than this.

[Velkyna (Joe)] No, I mean. Were you with a guild? Before. With Camden?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or just a gang?

Joanne sniffs

[Joanne] Kinda.

[Joanne] It wasn't real big, but Camden knew his shit.

[Velkyna (Joe)] How many of you?

[Joanne] Dunno. Lots of bullyboys, a few cat kds.

[Joanne] (kids)

[Velkyna (Joe)] So, what? 20?

[Joanne] Yeah, that sounds about right.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What happened when Camden died?

[Master] I am back at the keyboard.

[Joanne] Wasn't just him.

[Roger (Jeff)] ooc: cat kids?

[Joanne] Was most everybody I knew.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Wererats took the whole gang?

[Joanne] Either got turned and got kilt or got kilt outright.

Joanne shrugs

[Velkyna (Joe)] How'd you and your brothers survive?

[Joanne] Most of them.

[Joanne] Honestly?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yes.

[Joanne] I had the fucking flue.

[Joanne] (flu)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Luck comes strangely.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] \me sits down and aimlessly shuffles a deck of cards, lost in thought

[Praxis (James)] Roger: Cat burglers

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Damn, wrong slash)

[Velkyna (Joe)] So, you were a cat I take it?

[Joanne] Yeah, my best luck comes when I cough up a lung.

[Joanne] Yeah.

Joanne sniffs

Velkyna (Joe) nods. Me too.

Joanne smiles a little.

[Joanne] I kind of figured, way you nailed me.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Needless to say, I empathize with your situation.

[Velkyna (Joe)] It mirrors my own.

[Joanne] but.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So I'm willing to consider your request.

[Velkyna (Joe)] BUT

[Velkyna (Joe)] Tell me something.

Joanne looks bewildered and concerned

[Velkyna (Joe)] What about your brothers?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or other family?

Joanne thinks

[Joanne] I . . . I don't know.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (did Wellington ever get around to getting her some food?)

[Joanne] There's no other family.

[Master] (yes.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (okay)

[Wellington] (to Arkady) So, you wanted to talk rates?

[Velkyna (Joe)] If you come with me, I'm asking you, what about your brothers?

[Joanne] Fuck, I don't know.

[Arkady (James)] Yeah.

[Velkyna (Joe)] You think they'll be able to take care of themselves?

[Joanne] Yes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Would you miss them?

[Joanne] Better'n me, I think.

[Joanne] Yeah.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

[Joanne] If I leave, that don't mean I can't ever come back. It just means I left.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Right.

[Wellington] ...and?

[Velkyna (Joe)] But let's put it this way. My friends and I. We're from out of town. And we're going to be in town for a while.

[Joanne] Here?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yes.

[Joanne] Oh.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We've got business here.

[Joanne] Here?

[Arkady (James)] You'll be well paid while where here. But we're not giving you a percentage on the contracts. However...

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yes.

[Joanne] Oh.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So we'll be walking around, talking to people, generally out and about in public.

[Wellington] Yes?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Not exactly cat work, to be sure.

[Joanne] Yeah.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We're also involved in some ... ahem. Dangerous shit.

[Joanne] I'll earn my keep.

[Arkady (James)] We're not going to be the trade reps forever. I can put in a good word for you with Laucian...

[Wellington] Laucian?

Velkyna (Joe) nods. I'm sure you will.

[Arkady (James)] Maybe you can take over after things have settled down.

[Master] Sense motive for Vel.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I just want to make sure you're up for that.

[Arkady (James)] He's who we're representing.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Sense Motive: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+0+1) [13+0+1] 14

Wellington sighs

[Wellington] I'll take a per diem, and we can go from there.

[Joanne] Yeah.

[Arkady (James)] (I don't remeber how much he wanted.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (10 gp/day IIRC)

[Joanne] I, uh . . . what do we do now?

[Velkyna (Joe)] We take things one step at a time.

[Arkady (James)] (Arkady will pay Wellie himself, if the party can't agree to it.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Have you slept recently?

Joanne shakes her head

[Velkyna (Joe)] Maybe you should rest.

[Arkady (James)] (What's a normal day's pay in the DnD world, anyway?)

[Joanne] O . . okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I need to talk with my friends. About you, of course.

Joanne makes to curl up on the bed she's on.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So hang tight here. I'll wake you in the morning.

[Master] Sense motive again

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Profession gives "half your skill check per week of work"

[Roger (Jeff)] A silver piece for a laborer

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Sense Motive: ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+0+1) [17+0+1] 18

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (in gp)

[Master] Joanne probably won't sleep until you come back and tell her everything's settled.

[Roger (Jeff)] 1 gp/day artisan

[Velkyna (Joe)] I figured.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will close the door and return to the group.

[Lia (Angie)] How is she doing?

[Arkady (James)] (So considering there might be some hazards involved, would 5gp/day be more reasonable?)

[Velkyna (Joe)] She wants to come with us. I'd like to bring her. I'll vouch for her.

[Defthon (Don)] Noble, but what are we going to do with her?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Keep her out of harm's way as much as possible.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Fine with me. She's not the first youngster to get caught trying to steal something.

[Velkyna (Joe)] In the short term.

[Defthon (Don)] Do you have long term ideas, then?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yes, but that's for the long term.

[Roger (Jeff)] It

[Arkady (James)] (Maybe Vel wants a apprentice...)

[Roger (Jeff)] 's okay with me

[Lia (Angie)] What about today?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well, I figure I'm not doing much diplomacy. I'll keep her out of things while you guys are talking to potentates.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If we get into .. y'know, trouble. I think she's smart enough to avoid getting hurt.

[Defthon (Don)] O...kay. I just worry that she might get caught in crossfire.

[Master] Arkady, do a contested Diplomacy roll with Wellington.

[Arkady (James)] Fine. Maybe get her to give you a tour of the city.

[Master] Each point each of you gets moves it 2 sp above/below 7.5 gp.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Like I said, I'll keep an eye on her.

[Arkady (James)] Arkady: diplomacy: (d20+18) [1+18] 19

[Arkady (James)] Ah!

[Velkyna (Joe)] And, like Arkady said, she knows the city. She could be some help to us.

[Defthon (Don)] D'OH

[Lia (Angie)] Wellington, what were you going to say about her brothers?

[Master] 21

[Master] okay, 7.9 gp/day, let's round it to 8.

[Wellington] Huh?

[Arkady (James)] That's fine. It's not as if we're going to be in town for that long anyway.

[Lia (Angie)] Earlier, you had something to say about Joanne's brothers

[Wellington] Oh, right.

[Wellington] Yeah, some of the dockworkers got turned into wererats at one point.

[Arkady (James)] (Did Wellie ever mention wererats before?)

[Wellington] They're pretty much all dead now, but I had to make sure.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She mentioned the wererats. She seemed to imply she and her brothers had avoided that fate.

[Wellington] Yeah, that's what I read, too.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Aedean, is there a way to make sure?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] GM, is there a way to make sure?

[Arkady (James)] Like a 'detect lycanthropy' spell?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (right)

[Master] jas

[Velkyna (Joe)] WEE JAS

[Roger (Jeff)] throw silver pieces at them

[Velkyna (Joe)] Maybe like a generic "aura reading" spell?

[Master] wilderness lore

[Master] Bardic lore

[Master] That sort of thing

Angie has left the game.

[Defthon (Don)] What is lycanthropy considered, a disease, curse, or something else?

[Velkyna (Joe)] LIA DOWN

[Master] A little of both.

Angie has joined the game.

[Defthon (Don)] In a technical sense, though?

[Defthon (Don)] I.e. how might one cure it?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Could I try to do a Heal check to assess for lycanthropy?

[Master] To cure it, one uses remove disease and/or remove curse.

[Master] Aedean -- yes.

[Master] But you'd have to examine her.

[Master] C'mon, wilderness, bardic, et cetera.

[Velkyna (Joe)] That can be arranged.

[Defthon (Don)] That's what I was asking. I've got remove disease free.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right.

[Arkady (James)] Arkady: bardic knowledge: (d20+12) [5+12] 17

[Defthon (Don)] Also, I have wilderness lore, fwiw

[Defthon (Don)] Defthon: Wilderness lore: (d20+4+2) [13+4+2] 19

[Master] then roll it. :)

[Master] Heal is fine, too.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: Wilderness Lore: (d20+6) [4+6] 10

[Master] Whatever would give you insight.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: Heal: (d20+6+5) [19+6+5] 30

[Master] lol

[Master] She would have turned into a wererat when she got the wind knocked out of her if she were one.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Good

[Velkyna (Joe)] Indeed.

[Defthon (Don)] Interesting.

[Lia (Angie)] Just a note, any information on the cat earlier?

[Velkyna (Joe)] That was almost assuredly her work.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Clever, actually.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (I presume they snuck it in a window or something)

[Lia (Angie)] Also, I heard something at the door upstairs, it may have been her

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anyway, this is probably enough excitement for one night.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Indeed.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If no one has any objections to Joanne, I'll take her under my wing. Like I said, I'll vouch for her, she'll be my responsibility.

Wellington ambles over to his habitual chair and resumes his beer-nursing.

[Lia (Angie)] Let me know if I can help

[Defthon (Don)] Ok. My main concern would be that she'd get hurt, really.

[Defthon (Don)] If you think you can prevent that, fine.

[Lia (Angie)] (that was to Vel)

Velkyna (Joe) nods. Of course.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (to both Def and Lia)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Thank you. All of you.

Velkyna (Joe) heads back upstairs.

[Arkady (James)] So shall we try to get some sleep?

Wellington waves ironically

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I'm sure we can all pitch in to make sure she stays out of harm's way

[Roger (Jeff)] (To Wellington) So, do you know any magic?

[Defthon (Don)] (Also assuming she's not going to take our stuff and run, but you seem to have covered that alreadey.)

[Defthon (Don)] Sure.

[Wellington] Not as much as you do, I bet.

[Defthon (Don)] I might as well start my watch now, then.

[Roger (Jeff)] Phooey

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel will check on Joanne to see if she's asleep or not.

[Roger (Jeff)] Good night then

[Wellington] What's your focus?

[Roger (Jeff)] Evocation

Wellington grins

[Wellington] Fireballs.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ditto. I'll go upstairs, put on my armor, and then take up the downstairs watch

[Wellington] A halfling after my own heart.

[Roger (Jeff)] I like hands too

Joanne is curled up

Arkady (James) pays Wellington for yesterday and today.

[Wellington] Thank you, Arkady.

[Wellington] Bigby's, you mean, Roger?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (bathroom break ... You can focus on Welly for now)

[Lia (Angie)] I'm going back upstairs

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Defthon (Don)] I was gonna take down, Aedean, but if you prefer it I'll do upstairs.

[Roger (Jeff)] Yes, although I am not learned enough to cast them.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I'm louder, so it's probably better to keep me far from the sleepers

[Roger (Jeff)] But it's what got me interested in magic

[Wellington] Was that you that was toasting the formians, then?

Wellington nods

[Wellington] Makes sense to me.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Also, I might want to engage Wellington in a few hands of cards)

[Roger (Jeff)] The other halfling and I

Wellington smiles

[Wellington] The, ah, tallfellow?

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

Wellington watches Aedean sit down and shuffle.

[Roger (Jeff)] Yes

[Velkyna (Joe)] (can I tell if Joanne is asleep?)

Joanne is not asleep.

Velkyna (Joe) enters the room quietly. Joanne?

Joanne looks up

Velkyna (Joe) sits down at the edge of the bed.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I talked to the others.

Joanne sits up.

[Velkyna (Joe)] They agreed with my request to take you with us.

Joanne 's eyes widen.

[Velkyna (Joe)] As such, you are my responsibility.

Joanne scoots toward Vel and moves to throw her arms around her.

Velkyna (Joe) blinks, somewhat startled.

[Master] (do you let her?)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (sure)

Joanne hugs Vel close.

[Joanne] Thank you . . .

[Wellington] Darn, I bored him.

[Arkady (James)] (Check your pockets afterwards!)

[Velkyna (Joe)] After a moment or two of the embrace, Vel will separate.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There is always a 'but', of course.

[Wellington] He's got such a sharp mind, I sense there's quite a conversation in there.

Joanne nods

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Roger has kind of a short attention span sometimes

[Velkyna (Joe)] As I said, you're my responsibility. I vouched for you. Do you understand this?

[Wellington] Part and parcel of the sharpness, I think.

Joanne nods

[Defthon (Don)] (sometimes)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Good.

[Defthon (Don)] ?

Joanne takes Vel's hand in hers.

Joanne presses it close to her face; Vel can feel the salt tracks.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Indeed. The mind which is full of thought is constantly in flux.

Joanne lets it go.

[Joanne] Thank you.

[Velkyna (Joe)] You are welcome.

[Joanne] Do I . . . do I sleep here?

[Wellington] That is the trick, isn't it?

[Wellington] Instilling some order without losing the thoughts.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If you like. Or you could come up with the rest of us upstairs.

Joanne nods. I

[Velkyna (Joe)] Whatever you feel comfortable with.

[Joanne] I'll be with you. It's safer there.

Velkyna (Joe) smiles. Not always.

Joanne curls up on one of the chairs and falls asleep, exhausted.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll take her upstairs.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Nah, give her a bed. She can have mine.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] At the very least, it is necessary to find a way to turn the chaos to your advantage.

[Master] She's already gone.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll put her to a bed.

[Master] ok

[Wellington] Something like that.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Already keyed up, Vel will sit on a sofa nad start scribbling in her book.

[Wellington] I'm told that in Daneland, there are half-elves who ride tiny planks across huge waves,

[Wellington] solely for the joy of doing so.

[Wellington] I think that is the essence of what you refer to. Riding the chaos.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] It is certainly a nice mental image

Wellington sips his beer

[Wellington] Depends on the half-elf in question, I suppose.

Wellington smiles

Aedean (Sedlack) smiles

[Aric (Brian)] OOC am i still downstairs?

[Master] Only if you want to be.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] You mentioned that you're a gambling man, Wellington....

Wellington smiles

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Care for a game or two?

[Wellington] Let's start out cheap, friend. The men who ask you to gamble either get belligerent when they lose --

[Wellington] or they don't lose.

[Lia (Angie)] I'm going to meditate for awhile with the sword, don't worry about disturbing me and use the normal wake signals to get my attention.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Indeed.

[Aric (Brian)] i'll go to meditate. probably mumbling something about how vel can completely distrust a guy who openly offered to help us, but accept with open arms someone who tried to steal our stuff

Aedean (Sedlack) smiles.

[Velkyna (Joe)] WHAT A PUZZLER

Wellington nods to Shottamip.

[Arkady (James)] (LOL!!!!!!! Good one Brian)

[Wellington] Care to join us?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] How does 2 silvers sound to you?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Not tonight, thanks.

[Wellington] Sure.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (You will find Vel is full of surprises)

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Suit yourself.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (These'll be opposed gambling checks, naturally)

[Aric (Brian)] aric is far more willing to trust wellington than joanne. rogues tend to be too...chaotic.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (I figure we'll play four or five hands)

[Master] okay. Hm.

[Master] What's the base for Gambling?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Wis

[Master] heh.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] It's a Profession, so Wis

[Aedean (Sedlack)] But, I'd allow Int as well for untraiined

[Master] I'm thinking int; he's gonna rely on counting cards to get him through.

[Master] Also, he'lltry to distract you with patter.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Exactly. It's a matter of how you play.

[Velkyna (Joe)] 5 ranks of Bluff gets you a +2 synergy.

[Master] So let's do an opposed Bluff check first.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ditto Sense Motive

[Master] Right.

[Master] 32

[Master] nice bluff check.

[Velkyna (Joe)] !!!

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: Bluff: (d20+3+10) [6+3+10] 19

[Master] ok that'll give him a nice +2 bonus on the game.

[Master] Wellington successfully chats about all manner of extremely interesting topics;

[Master] he manages to talk about the very most interesting stuff (or draw Aedean out the most)

[Master] right when there's a major decision to be made in the game.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Roll #1: (d4+4) [2+4] 6

[Shottamip (Tamora)] That's my new hit points.

[Master] Okay, gambling check.

[Master] right.

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] 19

[Master] (you do get your synergy bonus from Bluff, if apropos.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: (games with bluffing): (d20+6+6) [15+6+6] 27

[Master] Okay, how much does he lose...?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (I was assuming we'd roll up four or five, 2 sp each)

[Master] ok

[Master] 25

[Master] He's giving it his all, this evening, really enjoying himself.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: (games with bluffing): (d20+6+6) [10+6+6] 22

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Even

[Master] 14

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: (games with bluffing): (d20+6+6) [5+6+6] 17

[Master] THe next hand, the cards aren't with him.

[Master] 24

[Aedean (Sedlack)] +2 sp

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: (games with bluffing): (d20+6+6) [17+6+6] 29

[Master] He gets a spot of luck on the fourth hand . . .

[Aedean (Sedlack)] +4 sp

[Master] But Aedean shuts him down with some clever play.

[Master] 19

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: (games with bluffing): (d20+6+6) [16+6+6] 28

[Aedean (Sedlack)] +6 sp

[Master] Still a competent player, Wellington puts up . . . but Aedean is in good form.

[Wellington] Goodness.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That was fun.

[Wellington] Well, of course it was. You're 6 sp richer.

Wellington cracks his knuckles

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I enjoyed the challenge as well as the profits.

[Wellington] You're too kind.

[Wellington] I don't mind tell you that you're easily the best card player I've ever seen.

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

[Wellington] I've got two tells that I don't think anyone else has noticed, and you picked up on them right away.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Luck is usually on my side.

Wellington grins

[Wellington] One would hope.

Aedean (Sedlack) winks.

Wellington stretches

[Wellington] Well, dawn approaches soon.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Indeed.

[Wellington] I suppose I'd best start earning my money.

[Wellington] I'm going to go wash up in back.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay.

Wellington leaves and you hear the sound of a pump running.

[Master] Anything else anyone wants to do yet tonight?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Mike; I assume Joanne's clothes are in pretty bad shape?

[Master] Yeah, they really are. Joanne herself isn't particularly clean, either.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Is she about Vel's build?

[Master] A bit smaller, actually. Now that you look at her, ehe's about 13.

[Master] (she)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll rummage through my Haversack for one of my spare changes of clothes.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] If she's small enough to be my size, I have nice clothes.

[Master] SHe's actually closer to Shottamip than Vel.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] brb

[Sedlack] I am away from the keyboard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hm, I would've thought Shot to be too small.

[Arkady (James)] Well, Lia would be a bit too broad across the shoulders...

[Master] Shot's shorter, but Joanne has no chest, so it works out.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I'm 3'5" -- a 13 year old is probably quite a bit taller, actually.

[Lia (Angie)] Malnutrition is a bear

[Master] oh, is that all?

[Master] nemmind, then she will be closer to Vel. She's gonna be 4'5 or so.

[Master] What with being close to her adult height and all.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I've got a full set of clothes, Vel-sized of course. Everything should be a decent fit except maybe the boots.

[Master] Yeah, she's gonna have to stick to her regular shoes unless Shottamip busts out.

[Velkyna (Joe)] COBBLER

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I can make her some boots! It would be fun.

Joanne is overwhelmed by your generousity, especially Shottamip's

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Vel, can you pick up a decent piece of leather sometime today?

[Velkyna (Joe)] While it would be appreciated, maybe not some bizarro color, like purple. :)

[Defthon (Don)] Shot cobbles? Ya learn something new every day.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I could have them done in a night or two.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, I'm on it.

[Master] In the daylight, Joanne is revealed to be a pretty girl, 13 or so, with flowing red hair.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] They'll be whatever color of leather you buy - your choice. :)

[Velkyna (Joe)] If Joanne's up, Vel will take her down to the water pump and get her cleaned up and clothed up.

[Master] She is intimidated by the men in the group, except for Arkady and Roger, who aren't quite so frightening.

[Master] Lia is scary due to her armor, and Shottamip is kind of overwhelming to anyone, so she sticks close to Vel.

[Master] The familiars completely throw her for a loop.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel does an excellent job of keeping her close.

Praxis (James) tries to be charming.

[Velkyna (Joe)] ... and trying to keep her at ease.

[Aric (Brian)] even with my shining clothes of white, i'm still scary?

[Velkyna (Joe)] NICE PANTS

[Defthon (Don)] heh

[Master] They don't help, really. :)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Last night, ahe thought you might eat her.

[Joanne] (to Praxis) (!!!)

[Aric (Brian)] OOC "I could sure go for some boiled human today!"

[Velkyna (Joe)] But they're dockers flat-front khakis!

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Give it time.

[Lia (Angie)] Yes, even in shining white, a half orc is scary

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I'm my usual cheerful and friendly self, of course. Even if I dislike wearing these stupid lenses when I'm in a human city.

[Master] That helps a little, but Shottamip simply has enormous presence, and Joanne's not used to that.

[Lia (Angie)] Maybe especially in shining white

[Roger (Jeff)] Roger is cuddly like a teddy bear

[Praxis (James)] To Joanne: Aw, come on! It's not like I'm going to breath fire on you!

[Shottamip (Tamora)] So... I'm starting to get the impression that the "Tallfellow" routine only goes over with commoners and uneducated merchants.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Praxis, you should probably give her some space

[Praxis (James)] To Shottamip: you could start wearing my hat of disguise all the time...

[Master] Wellington is actually one of the first non-Estin humans to notice, actually.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] How does that work?

[Master] The first, come to think of it.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I like hats.

[Lia (Angie)] Lia tries to be friendly without being obvious or pushy

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Does it go with my cloak and boots?

Defthon (Don) just keeps his distance.

[Joanne] Breathe . . . fire . . .?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I wouldn't want to look uncoordinated.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Okay, guys. Enough. We're going to get you cleaned up.

[Praxis (James)] It can go with any cloak or boots. It is like 'Alter Self'

Velkyna (Joe) ushers Joanne downstairs.

[Joanne] (whispers) Vel, you see the little talking dragon, right? It's not just me?

Velkyna (Joe) whispers back. Yeah. I'll tell you about him.

Wellington is just finishing getting dressed after cleaning himself a bit.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] If you aren't using it, then seriously, that sounds less bothersome.

[Wellington] Oh. Hey. It's open.

[Praxis (James)] "Whaaa? Do I smell or something?"

[Velkyna (Joe)] You'll find we're a little strange to get used to.

[Velkyna (Joe)] But we're all nice people.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] She's been through a lot, Praxis.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Even Aric, the half-orc.

[Joanne] Lia -- the half-elf lady?

[Arkady (James)] Arkady just needs it when he's going on undercover missions.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She's actually one of the nicest.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She's just a warrior-type.

[Joanne] Is that real dragon scale . . . ?

[Velkyna (Joe)] You know how they can be a little intimidating.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Actually, yes.

[Joanne] Fucked.

[Joanne] Up.

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's what I said when I saw it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There's a lot of fucked up shit in this party.

[Joanne] How the fuck do you get dragon scale plate mail?

Velkyna (Joe) starts getting her cleaned up while they talk.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Gift from the elves.

Joanne obviously enjoys the thought of being clean for once.

[Joanne] The ones to the south?

[Velkyna (Joe)] See, Lia's kind of a legend to the elves.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah.

[Lia (Angie)] (Vel might want to mention I heard Joanne at the door before)

[Joanne] No one's been there since before I was born.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (heh. Will do)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well, we have.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Part of why we're here.

Joanne shakes her head, almost disbelieving

[Joanne] You're here because the elves gave Lia armor?

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's a lot to take in.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Kind of.

Joanne thinks

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's a long fucking story.

[Joanne] I'd do a lot for a set of dragon-scale armor.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Lia got a sword. Elves think the sword is legendary. Makes Lia legendary.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So they gave her the armor.

[Joanne] Is the armor legendary?

[Velkyna (Joe)] We're helping the elves work through some shit.

[Joanne] Okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] How legendary do you think a dragon-scale plate suit is?

Joanne smiles

[Velkyna (Joe)] Right. Pretty fucking legendary.

Joanne playfully splashes Vel

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anyway, you don't need any of that dragon armor shit.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hey!

Velkyna (Joe) thwaps her with a towel.

[Velkyna (Joe)] ... quite masterfully.

Joanne giggles

[Master] It's a nice sound.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] "Weapon Mastery (towel)"

[Lia (Angie)] LOL

[Master] You get that 1st level if you take the Galactic Hitchhiker Prestige Class in D20 modern.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Heh

[Arkady (James)] very good.

Velkyna (Joe) pulls out a set of clothes; sundries, pants, blouse, overtunic.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Here, you can put these on. They should fit.

[Joanne] Oh, you don't have to . . . are these yours?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, but I've got a couple of pairs.

Joanne puts them on.

Joanne laughs a little to herself.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (One less pair, thanks to the Cube)

[Joanne] They smell like you, a little.

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's lesson number one. Always have something you might need. Be prepared.

Velkyna (Joe) smiles. I should hope so. No one else has been in them.

[Joanne] That backpack . . . is it bigger on the inside or something?

Velkyna (Joe) nods. Check it out.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel pulls out a big ass crowbar.

Joanne 's eyes widen.

[Joanne] Ooh, lemme see.

[Velkyna (Joe)] A pile of rations.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC Joanne sounds seriously starved for parent figures.

[Roger (Jeff)] Fig 1. Check this shit out

[Velkyna (Joe)] Four water skins.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Lesson number two is "Don't open the backpack in the treehouse.")

[Velkyna (Joe)] A spare short sword.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There's more in there.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anything I need.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Gotta be prepared for anything.

Velkyna (Joe) starts putting the shit back in the bag, except for the short sword.

[Velkyna (Joe)] You know how to use this?

[Aric (Brian)] do you have a ladder? cause that would explain Space Quest 3

Joanne obviously wants to touch the backpack to verify its verity.

[Joanne] Um, a little.

[Joanne] That is, yes.

[Arkady (James)] (let's see her moves!)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Here. (hands the sword to Joanne)

Joanne takes it clumsily.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (it/s a normal short sword)

Joanne holds it for a moment.

[Joanne] Do you have a, you know, scabbard?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Put your hand in the haversakc and imagine a scabbard.

Velkyna (Joe) offers the open bag to Joanne.

Joanne does so.

Joanne pulls her hand out

[Joanne] Oh fuck me.

[Defthon (Don)] Erm, the scabbard would've been on the sword when it came out of the sack....

[Velkyna (Joe)] (yeah, but I'm running with Kimmitt here)

[Defthon (Don)] :)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Shhh. This is fun.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's pretty much how it works.

Joanne puts her hand back in

Joanne pulls it out and looks disappointed.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What, you were looking for something?

[Joanne] Oh!

[Joanne] You have to put something in first!

[Velkyna (Joe)] Of course.

[Joanne] That makes sense.

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's not a magic goody creator.

Joanne sheathes the sword and straps it to her belth.

[Joanne] (belt)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Let's join the rest of the group.

[Joanne] Ok.

[Arkady (James)] (Though they have magic goodie creators...)

[Velkyna (Joe)] But before we do, you're obviously going to run into a lot of weird shit in our group.

[Joanne] Yeah, is it okay if I just ask you lots of questions?

[Velkyna (Joe)] You know, the little dragon, the half-orc.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Sure.

[Arkady (James)] (That's good, because strapping it to a belch would be very difficult.)

[Joanne] Then I'll be fine.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anyway, just take it all in stride.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll explain as we go along.

Joanne nods.

Joanne looks determined to make the most of this chance.

Velkyna (Joe) smiles. Come on, then.

[Master] Is everyone hanging in the common room, then?

[Velkyna (Joe)] brb ... pop run

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I thought so

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] Keeper Landhurst and his daughters serve up a mean breakfast.

[Lia (Angie)] Food is good (OOC)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] [Breakfast] Initiative: 14

[Wellington] . . . and so the farmer says, "Yeah, but not with the chickens!"

[Aric (Brian)] I'm going to lightning fists the mean breakfast.

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

Wellington waits for everyone to get the pun.

[Lia (Angie)] ????

Velkyna (Joe) is busy making sure Joanne gets food.

[Master] (i.e. I dropped y'all in at the end of the joke.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: INT check: (d20+1) [1+1] 2

Aric (Brian) laughs politely.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Heh

[Velkyna (Joe)] BOMB-O

[Defthon (Don)] I laughed.

[Wellington] Tough crowd.

Wellington eats

[Wellington] So, tour first, or mayor first?

[Aric (Brian)] ...with Colin Quinn

[Wellington] (munches)

Velkyna (Joe) scarfs food down like it's going out of style. Especially the meat, as we've been without for a couple weeks in elf veggie land.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, if you can arrange the tour so that we end up at the mayor's....

[Arkady (James)] Sounds like a plan.

[Aric (Brian)] It might be in our best interests to get a feel for the area before talking to the mayor.

[Wellington] No problem.

[Aric (Brian)] Although if he's been watching us we may just want to confront him first.

[Arkady (James)] The problem will be, if we can get in to talk to him, without the local lizard lord getting wind of it.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, we don't know who those guys were working for.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There were two groups of people eying us outside. One of them could've been either faction.

[Lia (Angie)] I thinks we have made enough noise we should assume pretty much everyone will know we're here

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I agree with Lia.

[Arkady (James)] Vel: could you (as best as possible) describe both sets to Joanna, and see if she recognizes any of them.

[Aric (Brian)] brb

[Brian] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] Vel didn't get that much info; it was dark.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Joanne mentioned to me that one of them was her brothers.

[Velkyna (Joe)] The other could've been anyone, and yeah, I didn't get a good look.

[Lia (Angie)] Are you sure that one of the ones you saw was her brothers?

Velkyna (Joe) turns to Joanne.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Were your brothers outside? Or down the street?

[Joanne] They were there; you probably spotted them.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There you go.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Figure the other group was mayoral in nature. Maybe unrelated, though.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Could've been anybody.

[Lia (Angie)] But can you tell us where they were? So we know which ones?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Does it matter that much? Vel didn't get a good look anyway.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] So, all we really know is that _someone_ was watching us.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Right.

[Lia (Angie)] If Vel can get anysort of feel for her brothers we can avoid hurting them by accident

[Joanne] They're gone.

[Joanne] I'll get them a message that I'm okay soon.

Velkyna (Joe) nods.

[Joanne] But they probably figured you're after them and hid.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So let's do Czina ... BROADWAY STYLE!

[Lia (Angie)] OK, Just please let me know if they come around

[Lia (Angie)] You can let Vel know if you see anything

[Joanne] I will.

[Brian] I am back at the keyboard.

Velkyna (Joe) gives Joanne a subtle thumbs up and wink.

[Defthon (Don)] MAP

[Defthon (Don)] So which district are we in now?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Dadocks

[Master] You're in the Tinkers' District, again by happenstance.

[Master] Who doesn't have the map?

[Velkyna (Joe)] I assume there's a bridge across the river.

[Lia (Angie)] to Joanne: Good, Thanks

[Velkyna (Joe)] (I've got it)

[Lia (Angie)] I've got it

[Aric (Brian)] i've got it

[Wellington] There used to be.

[Roger (Jeff)] me too

[Velkyna (Joe)] FUCK WAS THAT

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I have the map

[Lia (Angie)] So are we all going together or should we split up?

[Defthon (Don)] map transmission delay. :)

[Wellington] Those towers on the bay . . . they're ruined now.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I assume we're taking the tour together

[Wellington] They used to be watchtowers with trenches connecting htem, and there was a bridge.

[Arkady (James)] Was there some other invasion recently?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I don't see any reason to split up at this point.

[Arkady (James)] Yeah, stick together.

[Wellington] Nah, that was generations ago, from what I'm told.

[Wellington] The watchtowers.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Sticking together's what good waffles do.

[Wellington] Eflense took out the bridge one day when he got pissed.

[Lia (Angie)] I'm wondering if we want to send a smaller group to meet the mayor

[Wellington] He certainly won't see all of you at once, but that's a, ahem, bridge to be crossed later.

[Lia (Angie)] Maybe with reinforcements nearby

[Velkyna (Joe)] WHERE'S MY KNEE

[Defthon (Don)] THAT'S NOT MY KNEE

[Aedean (Sedlack)] "I said _her_, and I said _knee_"

[Arkady (James)] So who'd going? Arkady, Shot, Defthon, Wellington? Who else?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel can hang back with Joanne.

[Wellington] Like I said, let's wait and see what the Mayor needs.

[Arkady (James)] Actually, since we're representing the Elves, should we take at least one Elf?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] We'll worry about that when we get to the mayor.

[Wellington] He's not predictable to me.

[Roger (Jeff)] Is there a halfling consulate?

[Aric (Brian)] I can go if you want a show of strength

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Let's see the city first, then worry about the mayor.

[Arkady (James)] OK.

[Lia (Angie)] Yes, let's starat the tour

[Wellington] There really isn't much in the way of "consulates" as such.

[Lia (Angie)] start

Wellington shows you around.

[Wellington] This is the Tinkers' District.

[Wellington] It is where we used to make things.

[Wellington] Now it is where we fix what few things we make.

[Wellington] Excuse me. I say "we," but I've only been here a short time.

[Wellington] For some reason, I identified with this town quickly.

[Wellington] At any rate.

[Arkady (James)] It's the royal 'we'. We get it.

[Wellington] If you'll follow me, this is where the tanners used to ply their trade.

[Defthon (Don)] Or the scholarly "we"...

[Wellington] Eflense closed up the cattle drives that provided the leather, and there we are.

[Wellington] The seadocks were the center of the wererat plague.

[Lia (Angie)] (who is Eflense)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm thinking Eflense is the cause of our problems.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (THe lord guy with the lizardmen)

[Aric (Brian)] Is Eflense the lord who is paid tribute or the mayor?

[Arkady (James)] So can you give us more background on Eflense?

[Wellington] Not much reason to live there now between the leftover horrors and the lack of traffic.

[Wellington] You know, I actually can't.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm kind of in the mood for some dragon turtle soup.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Czina is protected by five towers, connected by walls.

[Wellington] When he showed up, Eflense turned the bridge and two of the watchtowers around the bay into mud.

[Wellington] Then he threatened to do the same to the walls, making Czina forever indefensible.

[Arkady (James)] So, Eflense is the local lord w/ the lizardmen?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] yes

[Wellington] The militias which had until then operated independently and defended the city gave in.

[Wellington] Then The Mayor arrived, bought up his bullyboys, and set to collecting the Baron's taxes.

[Wellington] ...and here we have nob hill, which used to be the home of the wealthy and powerful and now is the home of the formerly wealthy and powerful.

[Aric (Brian)] Wait, so the mayor is someone who works for Elfense, and not a preexisting mayor who gave in to his demands?

[Arkady (James)] So the Mayor is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Is a small pox mark a part of the problem?

[Defthon (Don)] How many people live in Czina?

[Lia (Angie)] Sometimes

[Wellington] Dunno.

[Wellington] Fewer than before.

[Lia (Angie)] Sometimes if you solve enough small problems the big ones get easier

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Given the level of poverty, much of the population is probably transient, and difficult to count.

[Arkady (James)] Do the local guilds retain much power?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Only the spacing guild.

[Wellington] No.

[Lia (Angie)] is anyone still trading or making goods?

[Wellington] NOt that I've seen.

[Wellington] Yes, but it is sporadic.

[Wellington] People live, and living requires eating, heating, hauling.

[Defthon (Don)] Is there anything outside the walls?

[Wellington] The remnants of a suburb, called "Trade town;" it is still a place where business is transacted.

[Arkady (James)] I'm wondering if it would be better to find some other place to open up trade routes.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The port is key.

[Arkady (James)] Business or "business"?

[Wellington] You will find no other deep-water port within four hundred miles.

[Wellington] Both.

[Defthon (Don)] Ooh, suck.

[Defthon (Don)] Yeah, we need to clear this out somehow

[Defthon (Don)] and let trade re-establish itself.

Wellington grins

[Wellington] Is that how it works?

[Lia (Angie)] Also, any other port would need to be made defensible

[Arkady (James)] Whereas this one is still in pretty good shape. I'm starting to understand.

[Lia (Angie)] often, yes, that is how it works

[Arkady (James)] So is Trade Town like Bartertown?

[Wellington] ?

[Defthon (Don)] Yeah, I think the damage here may be largely superficial

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Where does the mayor keep himself?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Oooh! They've got a Thunderdome?

[Wellington] Up on nob hill -- see that slowly decaying mansion?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aedean: Spot: (d20+6+8) [19+6+8] 33

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh

[Defthon (Don)] heh

[Wellington] Okay, then.

[Wellington] That's it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Greetings! I am

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: WIS check: (d20+0) [17+0] 17

[Velkyna (Joe)] .. pleased to meet you!

[Arkady (James)] (That was from when Gary Gygax was on Futurama)

[Velkyna (Joe)] (Put the dice away, or I TAKE them away)

[Wellington] Is that our next stop, then?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] How many ...uh..."tax collectors" are there?

[Wellington] At least a couple hundred at this point.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Only paying job in town, huh?

[Aric (Brian)] Are these men the mayor brought with him or Czinans who had no other options?

[Defthon (Don)] So sad.

[Wellington] Certainly it satisfieds their needs.

Wellington looks at Aric.

[Wellington] Mostly men who jumped at the chance.

[Lia (Angie)] hardly an unusual reaction

Wellington shrugs

[Arkady (James)] Well, is there really any point in talking to the Mayor?

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] What do you want him to do?

[Arkady (James)] What are we going to learn? And what will they learn about us?

[Velkyna (Joe)] He seems like a puppet.

[Wellington] He's a puppet with two hundred soldiers and command of the area.

[Roger (Jeff)] Tie him up, use the hat of disguise to impersonate him, and then, uh, profit

Wellington looks at Roger.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Step 2: ?

[Lia (Angie)] We are not going to be able to establish trade without dealing with him

[Defthon (Don)] He's probably greedy. Could we use that?

[Wellington] See, I knew there was a reason why I wanted to get to know you better.

[Defthon (Don)] We *are* a trade delegation, after all.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Probably.

[Arkady (James)] OOC: This is starting to sound like invading Iraq.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Except Czina is Kuwait.

[Lia (Angie)] the question is how do we want to deal with him?

[Arkady (James)] Yeah, but is the Mayor going to be providing what we need at anything close to a reasonable price?

[Defthon (Don)] Information about Eflense?

[Arkady (James)] He's going to be jacking us for taxes and usage fees left and right.

[Lia (Angie)] We'll never know unless we ask

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, that depends on how reasonable he wants to be.

Wellington watches

[Lia (Angie)] I'd rather not start with an armed takover of the city.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If he's at all intelligent, he's got to realize that the city has been pretty much sucked dry at this point.

[Arkady (James)] I'm thinking let's just go to the source. The Mayor's not a decision guy anyway.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] If he's a bad guy, *we* don't have to be reasonable.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] You can't get blood from a stone.

[Defthon (Don)] But we need to be reasonable until we know he's evil.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] What do we want? To make sure that he doesn't use his guys to interfere with us?

[Defthon (Don)] If we act like we don't realise that Czina has nothing to trade us, we might get further.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Get further towards what?

[Arkady (James)] ... further sucked dry.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] We might be able to convince him that creating a city which is friendly to trade (opening the port, lower taxes, reduction of thuggery) is in his best interests.

[Defthon (Don)] further towards Eflense.

[Defthon (Don)] The Mayor may just be opportunistic. Eflense is the evil one.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] How could it be? If the city were controlling itself again, I think that the locals would string him up.

[Defthon (Don)] If we knock out Eflense, the Mayor will not be an issue.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Obviously, we've got to shut Eflense down.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If we act like we don't know they have nothing to trade, we'll just look like idiots.

[Lia (Angie)] I'm not so sure of that

[Defthon (Don)] If we knock out the Mayor, then Eflense is tipped off and comes down to crush us.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I don't crush easily.

[Defthon (Don)] Well, try to anyway.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Just saying.

[Arkady (James)] Yes, that's why you go for the head first. Go after Eflense.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] What are the odds that Eflense hasn't been tipped off alrerady?

[Defthon (Don)] Well, that's true.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] He doesn't know that we care about the fate of the city. Most passing groups wouldn't.

[Arkady (James)] All Eflense knows, is a big party blew into town. He doesn't know our goals yet.

[Lia (Angie)] Let's start with talking to the mayor and see what he says

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We didn't, on our last time through.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Also, we don't necessarily want to "take out" the Mayor. But we probably do want to talk to him.

[Lia (Angie)] But does he know about our last time through?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Needless to say, anything we say to the mayor _will_ likely get to Eflense. So we should mind our words.

[Arkady (James)] D'Accord.

[Lia (Angie)] That's what diplomacy is for. (looks at Arkady)

[Arkady (James)] Fine, we can talk to him. I suppose we might learn a thing or two about the situation.

Wellington is still watching quietly.

[Arkady (James)] I guess the main question is, how smart is the Mayor? And does he want to be something other than a toady.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] How hard is it going to be to arrange an audience?

[Defthon (Don)] We should definitely act like we don't know the Mayor and Eflense are responsible for the town's problems.

[Wellington] Walk up to the door.

[Wellington] Say you'd like to see the mayor.

[Arkady (James)] And to be fair, we haven't gotten that many different viewpoints yet.

[Wellington] If they refuse, start incapacitating people.

[Arkady (James)] It might be wise to talk to some more people, before we jump into a war.

[Lia (Angie)] Not first thing in the morning

[Lia (Angie)] (that was to Wellington)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I love the smell of fireball in the morning.

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Fair 'nuff; you pay me to guide, not to advise.

[Master] So we are going to see the mayor?

[Defthon (Don)] oui

[Velkyna (Joe)] WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE MAYOR

[Arkady (James)] Yes.

[Roger (Jeff)] yes

[Lia (Angie)] Who's all going in?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Let's go.

[Arkady (James)] who all's going?

[Master] The mayor lives in a very pleasant mansion; it is surrounded by six-foot brick walls with wrought-iron

[Master] fencing on top that ends pointily.

[Velkyna (Joe)] No problem.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, we can all approach the place and assess the situation from there

[Master] The gate to the front of the mansion is half-removed, and a half-dozen thugs of a type Vel knows well are lounging on or near it.

Velkyna (Joe) snorts.

Joanne stays close to Vel.

Wellington waits

[Wellington] You want I should start this?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] You or Arkady.

[Arkady (James)] To Well: I'll start.

Wellington looks to Arkady.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] But, I'll stay close.

[Wellington] Do your thing.

Arkady (James) walks up to the group to introduce myself.

[Velkyna (Joe)] SMOOVE A

[Master] The thugs stand up and put hands on weapons.

[Master] Diplomacy check

[Arkady (James)] Gentleman, please! There's no problem here.

[Master] They watch Arkady carefully.

[Arkady (James)] We just need to talk to the Mayor about some "business".

[Arkady (James)] Do you know if he's available?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Arkady: diplomacy: (d20+18) [4+18] 22

[Arkady (James)] Hey!

[Master] hehe

[Aedean (Sedlack)] You didn't roll your own. I was tired of waiting

[Arkady (James)] Oh, sorry, I didn't see when you asked for it...

[Thug] Does he know you?

[Arkady (James)] No, we're from out of town.

[Thug] We?

Thug peers over to your motley crew.

[Arkady (James)] I and my associates.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Arkady: diplomacy: (d20+18) [19+18] 37

Thug taps one of his associates.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Everyone in the pool!

[Thug] Tell The Mayor he's got visitors and ask 'im if he wants to see 'em.

[Master] The other man runs off.

[Thug] We'll wait fer his reply.

[Arkady (James)] (trying to chat up the thug) My name is Arkady, what's yours?

[Thug] ...

[Arkady (James)] Been working here long? So how are the hours?

Thug casts Arkady a baleful stare.

[Thug] They fucking suck.

Aedean (Sedlack) boggles at Arkady's inexplicable poor small talk skills.

[Arkady (James)] Say, I've been working on a new song, would you like to hear?

[Velkyna (Joe)] JUKE

[Velkyna (Joe)] BOX

[Velkyna (Joe)] HERO

Thug looks at Arkday in disbelief.

[Lia (Angie)] LOL

[Lia (Angie)] OOC BTW

[Master] The runner returns.

[Arkady (James)] (Well, what do you say to thugs anyway?)

[Master] "Mayor says only two can come in.

[Master] "

[Thug] Ya gotcher answer then, Arkady. Which two?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Haggle him up to three.

[Defthon (Don)] I'll go.

[Defthon (Don)] And, of course, Arkady.

[Arkady (James)] OK.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That's fine by me.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] And an Invisivel? Whaddaya think?

[Arkady (James)] Praxis will stay will you guys.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I thought about that.

[Arkady (James)] We'll keep in touch that way.

[Aric (Brian)] She can't take Joanne with. She should stay with her.

[Thug] No weapons.

[Arkady (James)] That's fine. We're not here to cause trouble.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC I could go in that case...

[Lia (Angie)] Joanne can stay with me if thats OK with her

Arkady (James) hands implements of desctruction to Aric.

Joanne looks concerned.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Nah, Aric's not the best option for a Diplomatic mission

[Defthon (Don)] Hmmm.

[Master] Better than he was.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Still...

Defthon (Don) reluctantly removes his sword and bow

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I could go, instead of Defthon.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We could try the invisible Aric. He's pretty stealthy.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Enh. Best not to do anything too suspicious.

[Wellington] You'll want some muscle in there, jsut in case.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC are we saying all of this in front of the thugs?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Like disappearing)

[Wellington] Take the half-orc.

[Wellington] Show the mayor you're serious.

[Defthon (Don)] I think I'm a better all-purpose sort.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That works. Aric can be Arkady's bodyguard.

[Aric (Brian)] i don't need weapons

[Arkady (James)] That's true.

[Defthon (Don)] Um, yeah. And what's the mayor going to think when he sees a half-orc?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Aric doesn't have to do any talking.

[Arkady (James)] But he's a nice half-orc!

[Wellington] He'll admire your fucking commitment to diversity.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC again, are we discussing this in front of the thugs?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Of course not.

[Master] (I assume you had something akin to this discussion beforehand.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Arkady had left us a distance away when he approached the thugs./

[Velkyna (Joe)] We're maybe 30ish feet away.

[Arkady (James)] I'm fine with either. I'm not planning on fighting either way.

[Defthon (Don)] (Oh? Were we expecting to only be able to take two?)

[Defthon (Don)] Ok, whatever.

[Wellington] (or three or four and maybe no weapons, et cetera.)

[Wellington] but we digress.

[Master] odd error

[Defthon (Don)] I still have a mace in my BoH. I just need to remove the obvious weapons, no?

[Master] ok.

[Master] Of course...

[Defthon (Don)] Or, whatever, Aric can go if he really wants.

[Arkady (James)] Flip a coin.

[Aric (Brian)] i don't need to go. just thought if you got into a scrape with no weapons...

[Aedean (Sedlack)] H: Aric T: Def

[Aedean (Sedlack)] A flip of the ol' kLoOge Coin results in: Heads

[Master] Problem sovled.

[Arkady (James)] OK, Let's go.

[Lia (Angie)] Have fun

[Master] The thug leads you into the mansion, then down into the basement.

[Velkyna (Joe)] To Joanne: If some shit hits, I'm going to want you to stay out here. Make yourself scarce, while I go inside. Understand?

[Master] At least twenty thugs are lounging around the mansion, playing cards, and farting around.

[Joanne] Ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Good.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hopefully, it won't come to that.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Mmmm...dead money...so tempting.

[Sedlack] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Oops

[The Mayor] Well well well . . . what do we have here.

[Arkady (James)] Hello.

The Mayor is an unpleasant man with bad skin, overweight and sweaty, wearing badly-chosen clothes of some fineness.

[Arkady (James)] We're represening a country to the south, which wishes to open up some new trade routes.

The Mayor takes off a hideous beret and pats at his head (with a combover) with a woman's monogrammed handkerchief.

[The Mayor] Ah.

[The Mayor] Well, thank you for coming.

[The Mayor] But I must decline.

[The Mayor] Is there anything else?

[Arkady (James)] So your large city doesn't need to trade anything?

[Velkyna (Joe)] YO! BUM RUSH THE SHOW!

The Mayor shows a hint of steel in his voice

[Arkady (James)] There's nothing your people want which they don't make locally?

[The Mayor] I asked you if there was anything else.

[Arkady (James)] Well, that was it.

[The Mayor] Have a safe trip home. You are leaving soon?

[Arkady (James)] We were planning to talk to the major guilds in town as well.

[The Mayor] Don't.

[The Mayor] The answer is final.

[Arkady (James)] Any reason why?

[Velkyna (Joe)] SENSE MOTIVE

The Mayor looks at you silently.

[The Mayor] Thank you for your visit.

[Arkady (James)] Fine, le'ts bail.

[Arkady (James)] (No, I didn't actually say that.)

[The Mayor] Good day, sir.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (You probably ought to Sense Motive)

[Arkady (James)] The same to you.

[Aric (Brian)] Aric: Sense Motive: (d20+1) [15+1] 16

[Defthon (Don)] (or at least detect evil)

[Arkady (James)] (we already know what's going on).

[The Mayor] The mayor is too slick; you aren't getting anything.

[Aric (Brian)] btw, the mayor looked like a fisher price figure

[Master] hehe

[Velkyna (Joe)] Slick, yeah slick like butter baby.

[Defthon (Don)] So what happened?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (We suspect, we don't know)

[Arkady (James)] Aw, come on. He says there is to be no trade. Ever. How normal is that?

[Master] (10-minute break for me while you chat.

[Master] )

[Velkyna (Joe)] Horseshit.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yeah, but it might be nice to know if his adamance was borne of fear.

[Arkady (James)] Even a run-of-the-mill corrupt official would be looking for ways to line his pockets.

[Lia (Angie)] Vel, youu want to see what you can find out?

[Defthon (Don)] Did you mention how much money the shipments would be worth?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] So he's loyal to, or afraid of, his boss.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I can do that.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If you guys think it's prudent.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Either way, I don't see him as anyone with any legitimate power.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Which means he shouldn't have it anymore by the time we leave town.

[Lia (Angie)] I'd very much like to know at least some of the why

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. But it would suck if we removed one despot, only to have him replaced by another.

[Arkady (James)] True.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If the mayor is motivated by fear, things might clean up a lot if we remove the source

[Lia (Angie)] so we need more information

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If he's motivated by loyalty, things might not improve.

[Velkyna (Joe)] So let me poke around.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] If he's that afraid, he wouldn't have followed the guy to Czina.

[Arkady (James)] So let's gather a little information today/tonight, to confirm our understanding of the situation.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] It's not like he's a genuine elected local official.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] It might have seemed like a sweetheart deal at the time, but turned sour

[Lia (Angie)] Did he follow or was he already here

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Why would the locals *possibly* want to keep some outsider's bullyboy after they get rid of the main bad guy?

[Velkyna (Joe)] I got the impression he was installed by Baron Boy.

[Lia (Angie)] I think Vel should take a look

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We were told that he came with Eflense.

[Arkady (James)] To Shot: He wouldn't have believed us.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The locals wouldn't necessarily *want* him, but he still has the thugs.

[Lia (Angie)] Or do we want to try other means of eavesdropping?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Arkady: huh??

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Is eavesdropping likely to be effective?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I don't want him to believe anything.

[Lia (Angie)] Depends on how it is done

[Arkady (James)] Tami: Sorry, I mis-read what you were saying. Nevermind.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I doubt he's going to discuss important matters with the thugs.

[Lia (Angie)] But he might talk to himself, or a messenger

[Velkyna (Joe)] He might pick up the red phone.

[Lia (Angie)] I'd bet there is someone he has to tell about us

[Arkady (James)] S.O.P. for a thug mayor would be to do a raid on our hotel tonight.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. Well, we can send Vel in, and watch for messengers to way lay.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Er..."waylay"

[Master] ok

[Lia (Angie)] Vel, if you go in, where would you like Joanne?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Also, it might be worthwhile to talk to the guilds, despite the Mayor's protestations. We might be able to grease some palms to get some info.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think she'll be fine with you, Lia. Right, Joanne?

[Joanne] Um, ok.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm just going to do what I do best. I'll be back in a little bit.

[Master] There really aren't "guilds" as you know them elsewhere.

Velkyna (Joe) gives her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

[Arkady (James)] Well, maybe we should cruise around trade town for a bit.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, there is still some trade going on in Trade Town, right?

[Wellington] Yes.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We should get out of sight of the thugs before I go invisible.

[Wellington] Look, you met the mayor.

[Wellington] You know about Eflense.

[Lia (Angie)] Vel, do you want some backup around?

[Arkady (James)] Who should go w/ Vel?

[Wellington] If you want Czina, you have a limited number of options.

[Wellington] If you toss out the mayor, Eflense comes down to kick your ass.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] There's no trade now. There's not going to be any trade until Eflense & crew are gone.

[Arkady (James)] Or stay close to Vel.

[Wellington] If you kill Eflense, the mayor is still here.

Wellington shrugs

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll be fine. Give me a Message in case of shit, but I don't think there's anything theyv'e got that I cant' get out of.

[Arkady (James)] Yeah, but if Eflense is out of the picture, the mayor doesn't have any backup.

[Wellington] I'm not getting paid a lot, but I can see what the end of this story is.

[Arkady (James)] Vel: you mean the message spell?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah.

[Arkady (James)] That doesn't have much range.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I agree. We strike the head. At that point, we can probably exert pressure on the Mayor, assuming he doesn't just turn tail at that point.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm not going that far, am I?

[Arkady (James)] OK.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or stuff Praxis in my cloak.

[Aric (Brian)] How do you think this is going to end, Wellington? Come on, Elfense can't be any worse than the triumvirate.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm fine either way.

[Arkady (James)] Praxis, would you like to ride with Vel?

Wellington looks at Aric.

[Lia (Angie)] I'm thinking how close do you want the backup on the other end of the message?

[Wellington] Triumvirate?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Eflense, not Elfense. Not an elf.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Not your problem, Wellington.

[Velkyna (Joe)] IXNAY ON THE IUMVIRATETRAY

[Defthon (Don)] OOC did anyone else hear that musical motif when Aric said that?

[Arkady (James)] Its' these three guys we know. They're kind of a pain in the ass.

[Arkady (James)] OOC: do I get a bluff check?

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] If you know them, then I imagine they are.

[Defthon (Don)] OOC Kind of an omnious little melody?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (I heard the opening bits of a Jethro Tull song, but that's just what RealPlayer brought up on Shuffle)

[Velkyna (Joe)] THICK AS A BRICK

[Arkady (James)] OK, I'll cast invis on Praxis, and he can ride w/ Vel.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Actually, if he's in my cloak when I Ring, doens't he go invisible too?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Actually, "Overhang"

[Master] Put him in the bag.

[Arkady (James)] Yeah, but he might want to fly off at some point.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Fine.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Or you might want to tumble without a pseudodragon in your cloak

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel activates her ring.

[Arkady (James)] Praxis is _not_ going in a bag.

Arkady (James) casts invis on Praxis.

[Arkady (James)] 1h 40m should be enough time on the invis.

[Master] ok.

[Master] What's Vel doing, now?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel's going to slip into the compound and go to the mayor's office as described by Arkady.

[Master] ok.

[Brian] I am away from the keyboard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She wants to eavesdrop / look around for anything interesting.

[Master] Gimme 3 Move Silentlies

[Lia (Angie)] (I assume we moved away from the thugs first?)

[Master] Moves Silently?

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll take 10 on all of them (Skill mastery) to give me 33s.

[Master] Excellent; Vel sneaks in with little difficulty.

[Arkady (James)] Praxis will just sit on her shoulder for now.

[Velkyna (Joe)] For the record, I am quieter than "owl gliding in for the kill".

[Master] hehe

[Master] You head downstairs?

[Velkyna (Joe)] If that's what Arkady/Aric said.

[Master] are y'all receiving hte map?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Got it.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yep

[Defthon (Don)] yup

[Lia (Angie)] got it

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The mayor is Columbus

[The Mayor] Collections are fine this week...

[The Mayor] Well, there we go, then.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll creep over to see what he's poring over.

[The Mayor] Fellas, would you leave me alone for a bit?

[Master] (just some basic accounts-type stuff)

[Thug] Sure, Mayor.

[Thug] Doo doo doo

The Mayor sits on the couch

[The Mayor] Ah, it's nice to have the place to myself for a while.

Praxis (James) thinks: ... booring...

[The Mayor] I really oughta get a couple of wenches, keep 'em upstairs.

[Brian] I am back at the keyboard.

The Mayor shrugs

Velkyna (Joe) rolls her eyes.

[The Mayor] I'll do it tomorrow.

The Mayor stretches out on the couch

The Mayor falls asleep.

[Velkyna (Joe)] O. Kay.

[Roger (Jeff)] STEAL STUFF

[Defthon (Don)] ha

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Go through his stuff!

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'll look around the paperwork. Quietly.

[Master] There's surprisingly little of it.

[Master] He keeps some notes on each week's take, then subtracts a pile of gold from the bottom each month.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What else is there .. desk drawers, etc.?

[Master] Some gems, small magic items, suchlike.

[Master] Ink, pens, paper, dead spiders.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Velkyna: Search (traps, secret doors, etc.): ** MODIFIED BY: SKILL (+1) ** (d20+22+1) [10+22+1] 33

[Aric (Brian)] SPIDER ... HE IS OUR HERO ... SPIDER ... GET RID OF ....

[Master] You're extremely confident that there's nothing to be found.

Praxis (James) thinks: too bad they weren't live spiders. Those can be yummy.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hm.

[Master] The Mayor keeps most of his accounts in his head and pens very little correspondence.

[Roger (Jeff)] DRAW ON HIS FACE

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Someday, I should surprise Praxis with some Giant Vermin.

[Aric (Brian)] MIND MELD

[Master] There is stuff to steal...

[Velkyna (Joe)] So there doesn't appear to be any correspondence from anyone?

[Master] Not here.

[Velkyna (Joe)] What kind of magic items?

[Praxis (James)] Telepathically to Vel: So how does he communicate w/ his boss?

[Master] gimme a d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] To Praxis: Fuck if I know.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [5] 5

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (He might destroy the correspondence after reading it.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] No waste basket?

[Master] Nope.

[Praxis (James)] To group, so do we want to kidnap him or something?

[Velkyna (Joe)] What are those barrels and boxes over there?

[Master] Foodstuffs, furniture, wine and beer.

[Velkyna (Joe)] This would be the perfect time to grab him...

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I don't think kidnapping him is going to do much to further our cause.

[Defthon (Don)] What would we do with him?

[Master] Gimme another d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [99] 99

[Praxis (James)] Question him. At length.

[Master] ok 1 more

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [60] 60

[Master] ok keep gog

[Master] 1 more d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [15] 15

[Master] ok another.

[Master] (I really am following tables)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [36] 36

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I have a suspicion that kidnapping him will be more trouble than it's worth.

[Master] ok 1 more

[Defthon (Don)] He's just doing this to mess around with us, y'know.

[Velkyna (Joe)] S'fine.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [5] 5

[Master] You found some kind of (I shit you not) magic greataxe hidden behind a chest.

[Velkyna (Joe)] SNORT

[Master] roll 1d4

[Defthon (Don)] HA

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d4) [4] 4

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [16] 16

[Master] d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [72] 72

[Master] potion (remember that it's Ghoul Touch for me?)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah.

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [95] 95

[Praxis (James)] Vel, let's see what else is in the mansion after this. Why is he in the basement?

[Angie] I am away from the keyboard.

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Gotcha.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [60] 60

[Master] a pair of Bracers of Armor (remember that they're +2 for me?)

[Master] okay, d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Gotcha.

[Master] 74

[Master] hehe

[Velkyna (Joe)] CURSED

[Master] that one was lame.

[Master] Roll your own.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [6] 6

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [74] 74

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [72] 72

[Master] ok d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [71] 71

[Velkyna (Joe)] Nice grouping.

[Master] ok that was lame gimme a different d100

[Velkyna (Joe)] Roll #1: (d100) [7] 7

[Master] ok kewl

[Master] YOu found a +2 battleaxe.

[Velkyna (Joe)] is that the greataxe?

[Master] No, in addition.

[Aric (Brian)] now we definately need a dwarf in the party

[Master] THe mayor is an axe fetishist.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Nice.

[Master] (we're using this from now on...)

[Praxis (James)] Funny, he didn't see the type when we were first talking to him...

[Aric (Brian)] we can toss him out on his axe

[Angie] I am back at the keyboard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] BRING YOU PUSSY FACE TO MY ASS

[Velkyna (Joe)] If that's it, I'm going to wander upstairs. I'll pocket the battle axe, bracers, and potion, and the nicest looking gem, and wander upstairs to check out the rest of the place.

[Master] ok

[Velkyna (Joe)] Battle axe in the haversack, of course.

[Master] The mansion is a nice house that's being used by a mob boss who doesn't appreciate it.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Greataxe wouldn't fit.

[Master] It's full of nice stuff badly used.

[Master] Lots of thugs lazing about, with a few going in and out to run errand.s

[Velkyna (Joe)] She'll generally poke around for anything interesting ... in the line of papers, etc.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Maybe a palantyr ...

[Master] not much.

[Master] THis is an odd man.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Maybe scraps in the fireplace ... of correspondence burned?

[Master] nope.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Hurm.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Praxis: ask arkady if there's anything else we want.

[Praxis (James)] Arkady can't think of anything, unless you see a summoning circle or other funky stuff.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm assuming I don't.

[Master] jas

[Velkyna (Joe)] WEE JAS

[Praxis (James)] Was really expecting a heavily guarded room though.

[Praxis (James)] We really important stuff in it.

[Praxis (James)] /We/With/

[Lia (Angie)] Where are they keeping the taxes/

[Praxis (James)] Looks like they aren't.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I imagine those go out to Eflense.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Possibly on a daily basis.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Exactly

[Praxis (James)] It seems as soon as they get stuff in, it gets shipped off immediately.

[Praxis (James)] You know, we could cause some real trouble, just by stopping some of those shipments.

[Lia (Angie)] OK, then how are they moving it?

[Praxis (James)] Eflense gets pissed, thinks the mayor is cheating him or something. Comes to kick his ass.

[Praxis (James)] Then we ambush him.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think we're already causing trouble with the shit I lifted.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] But, is it enough trouble to draw out Eflense?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Probably not. He'll send a battle party.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Cadre of lizardmen or something.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yknow, the beatdown.

[Praxis (James)] He'll probably send out a small party at first.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right.

[Lia (Angie)] Where will he send it?

[Aric (Brian)] and gradually send out larger and larger parties, like any good evil overlord

[Lia (Angie)] After us or after the mayor?

[Praxis (James)] If we can find out how they're communicating, and stop it, then they'll probably send parties the most direct route.

[Praxis (James)] After the mayor.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Deopends on whether he thinks we or the mayor are the cause of the trouble.

[Roger (Jeff)] Maybe the mayor hasn't communicated with Eflense about us yet

[Praxis (James)] That's the trick. Making Eflense think the mayor is the problem.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] "Light" shipments might be better than stopped shipments for that.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] But that would be harder to pull off.

[Velkyna (Joe)] No problem.

[Defthon (Don)] If they're shipped under guard, Vel could probably sneak in and lighten them

[Praxis (James)] You don't think we'll have a problem jacking some gold?

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's what I'm sayin'.

[Defthon (Don)] What kind of sane brigand steals only part of a shipment?

[Praxis (James)] Exactly.

[Praxis (James)] That's why they won't think it is brigands.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, the idea is to create the impression that the mayor is skimming more than he should.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Thing is, they'll have invoices. And if the invoices don't match the cargo ...

[Praxis (James)] Well, that's not our problem if the invoices don't match. That's the mayor's problem.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Probably.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Or the goon's problem.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. The problem is, it's harder to sneak in, open a chest, remove a bunch of gold from it, etc. when the guards are two feet away from it.

[Praxis (James)] Hmph, too bad I didn't take 'modify memory' as a spell.

[Praxis (James)] Knock them out, take the gold, wake them up, and erase that they'd been asleep.

[Lia (Angie)] Do we have any idea how they rare transporting the money?

[Praxis (James)] Not yet.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Presumably the normal way .. cart and horse.

[Velkyna (Joe)] But that's just a guess.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] No. But we can stake the place out

[Don] I am away from the keyboard.

[Praxis (James)] The problem is, we don't have an excuse to stay in the city.

[Velkyna (Joe)] ... and we're not exactly inconspicuous.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That's _one_ problem.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well, some of us.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The other is, the longer we stay, the less likely this plan will work.

[Aric (Brian)] You know, though, Eflense is just as likely to assume the (more) innocent goons are behind any missing gold.

[Aric (Brian)] I'd hate for him to take it out on one of the men if they're just trying to make a living.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] This is a good point.

[Aric (Brian)] We could always tail a shipment, find out where Eflense's castle/etc is, and go from there.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (Vel is going to mosey out of the mansion, if no one else has anything for her do check out)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If the mayor were skimming, he'd no doubt falsify the invoices.

[Praxis (James)] Vel, please check the stables real quick. See what they're using (or not).

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I assume the location of Eflense's castle is a matter of public record.

[Lia (Angie)] depend on how well the shipment is checked, and when

[Velkyna (Joe)] Okay, then. Before she leaves, Vel will check the stables (if any)

[Aric (Brian)] You know where the Czina County Clerk's office is, Aedean?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, I assume it's public knowledge. It's a big old castle.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah, it's in Daley Plaza. That's where they got that Picasso.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Alternatively, we take a carpet up and find a castle.

[Don] I am back at the keyboard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (Ooh, my badd ... "The Honorable Richard J Daley Plaza)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Finding Eflense shouldn't be hard.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Mike?

[Lia (Angie)] Tami?

[Velkyna (Joe)] They might be, ahem, "talking offline". ;)

[Master] hang o

[Master] n

[Lia (Angie)] hanging

[Velkyna (Joe)] on

[Master] ok

[Master] what's the plan?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Stables?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel's about to skedaddle, but she's going to check if there are stables and if so, what's up with them?

[Master] There are stables, currently unused.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (on the mansion grounds)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Kay.

[Praxis (James)] Just to see what kind of transport they're using.

[Master] I know Vel likes the horsies, but oh well. :)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Anything else guys?

[Praxis (James)] That's kind of odd too.

[Lia (Angie)] So no sign of how they are transporting the taxes?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] "Unused" as in "haven't been used for weeks"?

[Master] Yes.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Or "no horses there right now"?

[Master] Apparently, the horses and carts are housed elsewher.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Vel gets out of there and reconvenes with the party.

[Master] ok

[Master] I'm gonna let you plan for another 5-10 minutes here.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Once she goes visible, she'll hand the battleaxe, potion, and largest gem to ... oh, say ... Aric.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Found these."

[Aedean (Sedlack)] As I see it, we have two options: screw with a shipment, or just go for the throat.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Whatever we do, we should do it asap.

[Lia (Angie)] Joanne, have you heard anything about how the "taxes" are transported?

[Praxis (James)] Yeah.

[Velkyna (Joe)] She'll also produce the bracers of armor. "If you don't mind, I think Joanne could best use these. Protection."

[Aric (Brian)] OOC i'm so waiting for vel to be crushed when joanne bails on us

[James] .... (thinking of the money)...

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: Yeah, it would break her heart.

[James] We'll need to ask Wellington about this too.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] OOC: Joanne, if we ever run into a magic deck of cards, don't draw any.

[Lia (Angie)] Do I get any answer from Joanne? (OOC)

[Velkyna (Joe)] DO YOU WANT TO DRAW SOME *SURPRISING TOYS*? NO! DO NO!

[Aric (Brian)] do not

[Velkyna (Joe)] (typo, sorry)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think Mike's letting us chat. We can get the Joanne feedback later.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We should maybe chat now.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Oh, right.

[Lia (Angie)] I don't think we can mess with a shipment until we know where it is

[Aric (Brian)] I just worry that if we tamper with a shipment, we will involve the henchmen, who may only be working in order to feed their families. Maybe they just enjoy being bullies. But just in case...

[Velkyna (Joe)] Right. Or _how_ it is.

[James] So plan A (mess with shipmets) or plan B (mess with the lord)?

[Aric (Brian)] I say we go for Eflense. Or at least case his castle, see what sort of troops he has, etc.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm tempted to go to the top.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, plan B gets to the heart of the matter

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Also, there's no guarantee plan A will have the desired effect.

[Aric (Brian)] I mean, the sort of things that can keep a town in terror might not be as bad to to a group like ours.

[Velkyna (Joe)] He mentioned lizardmen and dragon turtles.

[Velkyna (Joe)] The latter are kind of bad ass.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (OOC, of course)

[Lia (Angie)] OK, how do we check out Eflense?

[Roger (Jeff)] Plan B because I think Plan A is just dawdling on the way to Plan B

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. The only advantage would be the possibility of hitting Elfense outside of his stronghold.

[Aric (Brian)] OOC i have no idea how lizardmen or dragon turtles are. but i figured they couldn't be too much worse than orcs/ogre mages/that sort of thing. Which we've handled.

[Defthon (Don)] I lean somewhat towards plan B, myself.

[James] If we can escalate the situation here, he might be drawn out to fix things.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Also Eflense is, or has in his employ, a mage. Mike mentioned the rock to mud spell.

[Defthon (Don)] Fun though plan A might be, there are just too many ways it can go wrong (including those Aric mentioned).

[Master] ok.

[James] We don't really want to fight him on his own turf, do we?

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: Lizardmen are kind of like orcs on the studly/pudly scale. Dragon turtles are slightly less bad ass than dragons.

[Master] feedback?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Mike: we asked Joanne if she knew about the tax shipments.

[Master] She's pretty much totally ignorant.

[James] I think everyone except me wants plan B. Go mess with Eflense.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Does either Joanne or Wellington know anything about transport of the "taxes"?

[James] Wellington?

[Defthon (Don)] However, we can track the taxes to find Eflense, if we can't come up with some other way.

[Wellington] He comes by to pick them up every few months.

[James] We can find Eflense easily enough, it's where we want to fight him. That's the question.

[Wellington] Show of force and all that.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay.

[James] Ah.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Sadly, we don't have a few months to wait.

[James] That'd be the problem, yes.

[Lia (Angie)] Where are they kept in teh meantime?

[Wellington] Dunno.

[Wellington] I imagine they've got some kind of clever setup.

[Velkyna (Joe)] There was probably a secret room in the mansion.

Velkyna (Joe) shrugs.

[Wellington] I'd be surprised if it were there.

[Angie] I am away from the keyboard.

[James] How often are the "taxes" collected?

[Wellington] Eflense will want some sort of check on The Mayor.

[Wellington] Weekly, monthly, depends.

[Wellington] Protection rackets need some surprise, or folks get complacent.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yeah, all of this is too unreliable.

[Wellington] I don't think it's supposed to be permanent.

[Defthon (Don)] ?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Unreliable for _our_ purposes.

[Wellington] I think the idea is to run Czina into the ground for a couple of years, then take it over for real.

[Defthon (Don)] Huh.

[Defthon (Don)] So the mayor is just a stooge?

Wellington shrugs

[James] Well, it's already been run into the ground already, what's Eflense waiting for?

[Wellington] That's how I'd do it, anyway.

[Wellington] I'd have The Mayor just totally crush the population.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] We do have one other possible option.

[Wellington] Get them angry and desperately poor.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] But I'm not sure how feasible it is.

[James] Hit me (to quote Joe).

[Wellington] Then show up with tools and a gallows; hang the mayor, say things are gonna get better, install new noble.

Wellington shrugs

[Aric (Brian)] OOC the Baron Harkonnen maneuver

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Incite a revolt in the populace to hit the Mayor, while we hit the big guy.

[Wellington] Then build Czina the way you like it.

[Wellington] Why not just kill the mayor yourself?

[Velkyna (Joe)] A lot of innocents might get killed in a revolt.

[Wellington] Hell, fireball his damn mansion; he's got nothing that can handle that.

[Wellington] All the clerics and wizard-types have been chased out long since.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I could've killed him while I was in there.

[Velkyna (Joe)] (not that I would've)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, I was thinking more "oust" than "kill".

[Angie] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] And the possibility still exists that killing the Mayor is not necessary

Wellington shrugs

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, it sounds to me like hitting Eflense is the way to go.

[Defthon (Don)] Do any of us have even the vaguest idea where Eflense lives?

[Defthon (Don)] Maybe weshould take one of the carpets up to do recon.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Hey, Wellington, where's Eflense's castle?

[Wellington] Dunno.

[Wellington] Dunno that he really even has one, these days.

[Wellington] I think he's got more of a constant roving camp, with those Lizardman mercenaries as its core.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Look for the camp of lizardmen... doesn't sound impossible.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That's even better.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Roving camps aren't well-fortified

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: Lizardmen and dragon turtles are amphibious ...

[Defthon (Don)] And, while the camp itself might be camouflaged, it'll be hard to cover the trail.

[James] Yeah, they'll leave a lot of destruction in their wake.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] When Eflense comes to town, does he arrive by land or sea?

[James] They're not 'gentle' with the land, or its peoples.

[Wellington] By land.

[James] Always the same direction?

[Wellington] Down the river.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay, we'll concentrate the search on the land, especially near the river.

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: makes sense. Lizardmen like marshy areas.

[Defthon (Don)] Who's got good eyes? Let's go for a ride.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If that proves fruitless, we'll widen the search.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I can see pretty well.

[Roger (Jeff)] What about sending Dral's familiar out?

[Wellington] Okay, so the plan is to more or less ignore the mayor for new and look for Eflense?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yep

[Master] Sorry, that should've been me.

[James] We can all go. No sense in splitting up the party, unless some of us were going to scout trader town.

[Master] Ok, hm.

[Velkyna (Joe)] To Joanne: Another thing ... we have flying carpets.

[Master] I had a second encounter planned involving the mayor and his guys, and y'all bypassed it, which is fine.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The hope is that the Mayor might be more malleable with Eflense gone.

[Master] But I don't have stuff rolled up yet for Eflense.

[Defthon (Don)] We'll be back for him later.

[Defthon (Don)] Ah.

[Master] So I'm gonna frame things for next time, and we'll call it a (short) session, with the promise of much more love next time.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Fair enough.

[Aric (Brian)] we can go beat up the mayor if you;d like

[Master] hehe

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I still don't understand why we care if the fake "Mayor" is malleable or not.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Why do we want to go out of our way to ease out the local despot gracefully?

[Master] You do some scouting around; the area around Czina is hilly, with various levels of "rolling."

[Defthon (Don)] With Eflense gone, maybe we can drive him off without killing him.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] And this is a priority why?

[James] Of course, his type will just create more trouble somewhere else.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Or without killing a bunch of the Mayor's guys.

[Lia (Angie)] Exactly

[Master] Along the river, there is farmland and orchards; as one gets up to the hills, it gets terraced and with more olives and suchlike.

[Roger (Jeff)] Do we gain XP for a "driving off?"

[Shottamip (Tamora)] So that he can go somewhere else and terrorize villagers there?

[Master] (yes)

[Defthon (Don)] Not a high priority, but less killing is generally better.

[Lia (Angie)] Leaches who drain the locals should be killed

[Aedean (Sedlack)] He should be divested of his power certainly. It's not clear to me that he should be killed.

[Lia (Angie)] Why not?

[Master] Wellington, who seems to be taking this carpet thing in stride, points out the direction of local manors, towns, and principalities.

[James] Well, we could arrest him, and have the locals bring him up on charges.

[Roger (Jeff)] It'd certainly make for a less turbulent transition of power

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Because he's no longer a threat without his power.

[Master] "There is the necropolis . . . Boccob's citadel . . . if you follow the river up that way, you'll get a batch of manors who are feudal vassals of Eflense."

[Lia (Angie)] I would be willing to let laws deal with him if there were in in force right now

[Master] (necropolis and citadel are two different things)

[Defthon (Don)] Ok, let's go further up the river

[Velkyna (Joe)] Is the necropolis anything sinister?

[Defthon (Don)] (necropolis: city of the dead?)

[Lia (Angie)] sorry, any in force

[Master] "It is a small city devoted to the worship of Wee Jas; those who can afford it have their dead interred there and she watches over them."

[Master] "They also interfere occasionally in local politics.

[Master] "

[Master] Anyway, Eflense wants to make himself Bretwalda of the old Saxlund areas.

[Aric (Brian)] JAS

[Wellington] ...old Saxlund areas.

[Aric (Brian)] the who of the what?

[Wellington] It's an old term, meaning overlord.

[Wellington] He's started using it, and I've had a classical education.

[Wellington] Saxlund used to cover from just south of Czina, up to the Blasted Lands, and west a few hundred miles.

[Defthon (Don)] Is Saxlund part of the Alemannic states, or are we too far south for that?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] How do these other cities in the region feel about Eflense?

[Wellington] Too far south.

[Defthon (Don)] Ok, that question answered. :)

[Wellington] Eflense has ignored the Necropolis and vice versa, and nobody messes with the Citadel if they have any sense.

[Wellington] Mostly, he's taken everything near the rivers.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] As befits his forces

[Wellington] And is using that to squeeze the other areas with tolls and trade . . . he stops by a kingdom with his force,

[Wellington] has a "discussion,"

[Wellington] and then has a new vassal.

[James] Nice.

[Wellington] Actually, kingdom's kind of a misnomer; these places are Baronies and Earldoms at most.

[Wellington] Anyway, Czina's his first real city; I think he has plans to make it his capital.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think we definitely need to fuck Eflense up.

Wellington shrugs

[Lia (Angie)] My question is who might he be taking orders from?

[Wellington] I don't think that he is.

[James] AIR RAID!

[James] Do lizardmen get along with orcs?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That would be a good start, yes.

[Master] You follow rivers for nearly a day's travel, then spot what looks like an army in bivouac.

[Wellington] There.

[Wellington] Don't get too close.

[Wellington] I know he has some mages working for him.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] How large does the force look?

[James] Yeah, we've been shot down before. Don't need to repeat that.

[Master] The military folks in the group eye the area professionally.

[Master] Maybe a couple thousand troops; there is a core of 500-1000 lizardmen, then another 700-1000 human soldiers of various types, all kinds of combined arms.

[Defthon (Don)] wow.

[Lia (Angie)] great

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Hmmm

[James] If we can take out the mages, the rest are easy pickings.

[Defthon (Don)] Brute force is definitely contraindicated.

Wellington looks at Arkady, impressed.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] great cleave!

[Wellington] And you were waffling on the mage why?

[Wellington] (the Mayor)

[Roger (Jeff)] Maybe we could start some lizardmen vs. human strife

[Wellington] No one knows why the lizardmen serve Eflense.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Because you shouldn't necessarily do a thing just because you can.

Wellington shrugs

[Master] Okay ---

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Yeah. "Thousands" is a little much, even for us.

[Master] I'm going to have maps of the area laid out, with cities and rivers with names and stuff.

[James] Well, then, we're going to need help.

[Lia (Angie)] You know, taking out the mayor might draw out Eflense's force in pieces

[Wellington] No one gets close to Eflense, mostly because the lizardmen are just unbribable.

[James] Are there any local earls or such who are/want to resist Eflense?

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Not who are willing to take on a modern army with two battalions.

[Wellington] ...and mage support.

[Roger (Jeff)] What about the citadel? What force does that control?

[Wellington] He will draw on local levies, if we give him time.

Wellington looks at Roger.

[Wellington] I haven't the faintest notion. The Citadel frightens me.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Hmm...

[Velkyna (Joe)] Maybe we should hit the mayor and draw out a sortie...

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Seeing what we're up against, taking out the Mayor and hoping that it draws out a smaller force is looking more attractive.

[James] Divide and conquer, a classic strategy.

[Wellington] If you take out the mayor, he'll come down the river and lay siege.

[Wellington] With the whole force. Czina is the jewel in his crown.

[James] A tarnished crown it is, then.

[Defthon (Don)] Some crown.

[Wellington] Plus, he needs to project invulnerability by destroying you, or he'll start to lose vassals.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Should we locate his personal encampment and take out the head?

[Wellington] He'll muster, he'll throw his vassals' forces in first so you can chew them up and get them independently pissed at you, and he'll finish with the Lizardmen.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I.e. circumvent the forces?

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] You're a brave woman.

[Velkyna (Joe)] We're here to do a job.

[Velkyna (Joe)] It's looking like Eflense is that job.

[James] It would be nice is there was some lure that could separate him from most of his army.

[Wellington] He's just not that stupid.

[Roger (Jeff)] Do we know anything about what's causing the dimensional rifts? If only we could open one on top of his army

[Velkyna (Joe)] I don't think that's his style, anyway.

[Wellington] Eflense's fortunes sailed upward when he found those damned lizardmen.

[Lia (Angie)] So how do we take out the lizardmen?

Wellington shrugs

[Wellington] Only a few of them speak Common. No one knows anything about them.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Huh. OOC: He might have some sway over the lizardmen, like a talisman, or a promise of defeat against the sahaguin.

[James] Maybe he's got some kind of control device, that keeps them in his service.

[James] Jinx!

[Lia (Angie)] Any idea what they do speak?

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: They hate sahaguin.

[Master] bardic knowledge.

[James] Lizardmanese?

[James] Arkady: bardic knowledge: (d20+12) [19+12] 31

[Velkyna (Joe)] BOOM

[Master] Draconic.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] oo.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Makes sense

[James] Makes up for that earlier incicent w/ the thugs.

[Lia (Angie)] aha

[Defthon (Don)] !

[Shottamip (Tamora)] eavesdropping mission?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If you like.

[James] Maybe capture a lizardman, and interrogate him.

[Master] (we could do that as a between-session thing, actually, if you'd like.)

[Velkyna (Joe)] True.

[Master] (I feel bad for not having more prepared.)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I think fomenting unrest between the lizardmen and the humans is probably the best approach, if we can't muster other support.

[James] If that's the core of his support, then that's what we have to go after.

[Lia (Angie)] You had more prepared, we just sidetracked

[Master] Yeah, but I usually have a couple of plan Bs. :)

[Velkyna (Joe)] As a former DM, I assure you that's inevitable. ;)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Since it appears that we're going to have to face his forces at some point.

[Master] I am away from the keyboard.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] So, more information would definitely be good. Do we want to debate/vote about starting with a capture or stealth?

[Lia (Angie)] I say start with stealth

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think it might be worthwhile to nab a lizardman and ask him why they're serving this pud.

[James] Let's at least get the lizardman side of the story, before we do anything rash.

[Lia (Angie)] Any ideas on how?

[Velkyna (Joe)] If it's as simple as "Eflense has our king hostage" or something we may be able to work out a deal.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Right.

[James] I'm sure the lizardmen go out on patrol here and there.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I think a few of us on an invisible carpet, a sleep spell/hold monster ...

[Aedean (Sedlack)] It might also be interesting to check out the human side of the army and see if there's an existing mistrust of the lizardmen we can play off.

[James] Or maybe they'll be couriers for a package...

[James] We just need to find a small group we can capture/kill easily.

[Lia (Angie)] Another question is do we make it appear to the mayor we are leaving?

[Master] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aric (Brian)] or if we could take out the mages, we could just fireball the army from midair

[Velkyna (Joe)] I can always sneak in and club one (sneak attack damage as subdual).

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We kind of already left.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We're a day away from czina.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] We can't get the whole army. It's huge.

[Velkyna (Joe)] The mayor sees us leave, he's probably thinking we're following his request to leave.

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's why I think a surgical strike is the only feasible thing.

[Lia (Angie)] ok

[Lia (Angie)] what kind of surgical strike?

[Velkyna (Joe)] (as far as direct action goes)

[Velkyna (Joe)] Find out where Eflense's inner circle lives, hit it hard before the troops know what's going on.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Find Eflense. Kill him.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Take them out, let chaos take hold.

[Velkyna (Joe)] But again, if Eflense is exerting some kind of control/pressure on the lizardmen and if taking out Eflense could ease that, that might be a boon.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Which is why I think we should find a lizardman or three and talk to them.

[Roger (Jeff)] Yeah, the more info the better

[James] We just have to find out what hold he's got on the lizardmen. Removing that is probably easier than killing Eflense.

[Velkyna (Joe)] ... unless it IS Eflense.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. We can't brute force this, we're going to need some form of finesse.

[James] So we're agreed at least, to capture a lizardman (and mabye some humans) in the army?

[Velkyna (Joe)] That's where I'm a viking!

[James] I am away from the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] What do we do with the lizardman afterwards?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (If we capture it.)

[Lia (Angie)] depends on what we find out

[Velkyna (Joe)] OOC: Lizardmen aren't evil, IIRC. Though they're not good either.

[Master] Lizardmen Are People Too!

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, what if he says, "We like Elfense. He's cool."

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I guess we have to kill him, then.

[Lia (Angie)] obvious choices are kill it or set it free in some manner

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah. If it's "He lets us rape and pillage! That rules!" then we kill him.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] If it's "He threatens to destroy our sacred breeding grounds" then that's something else.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I think with the humans, observation might be better than capture.

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Their motivations are pretty clear: fear/desperation.

[Lia (Angie)] Possibly

[Shottamip (Tamora)] In an army?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] The lizardmen are his real power base

[Lia (Angie)] Observation should tell us more

[Lia (Angie)] How the forces interact

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Are you sure it isn't more likely that it's composed of all the 1 in 40 local guys who said "He lets us rape and pillage!"

[Aedean (Sedlack)] "Join me or die" is a common negotiating tactic.

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] And it seems to fit with his MO

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Humans aren't necessarily abused but well-meaning villagers, that's all.

[James] I am back at the keyboard.

[Lia (Angie)] No, I'm not at all sure. That's what I think observing how they act might tell us

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. Observing the humans should answer that question pretty quickly.

[Lia (Angie)] And I have no problem killing humans who decide to prey on others

[Roger (Jeff)] Could one of us try to join the army and see what's up?

[Velkyna (Joe)] IN THE ARMY NOW

[Velkyna (Joe)] VACATION IN A FAR OFF LAND

[Velkyna (Joe)] UNCLE SAM DOES THE BEST HE CAN

[Shottamip (Tamora)] That sounds riskier than grabbing a sentry, to start.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That would probably take longer than we want.

[Lia (Angie)] depends on your definition of vacation (OOC)

[Aedean (Sedlack)] It might also be suspicious if someone walks up and says "Hey I want to join"

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Especially if most people have to be pressed into service.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Sounds like the plan is "observe the humans", "capture and interrogate a lizardman"

[James] Fine by me.

[Lia (Angie)] I agree

[Velkyna (Joe)] "try to locate Eflense's encampment", as well.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Sure, but that's a lot riskier.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Since it presumably requires going to the core, where the mages are.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well, it may fall out from either of the two former options.

[Lia (Angie)] And we should start teaching Joanne how to use that short sword

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm hoping to keep her out of this.

[Velkyna (Joe)] "Stay here. Don't move."

[Master] So what's the first part of the plan?

[Master] Capture a Lizardman?

[James] Yes.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Let's observe the humans first

[Lia (Angie)] I agree, but hanging out with us is not a good way to avoid fighting

[Velkyna (Joe)] Very true.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That is less disruptiuve.

[Master] Er, was that a consensus yes on the lizardman capture?

[James] OK, observing is fine too.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] If a troop of lizardmen gets ambushed, the whole army might go on alert

[Velkyna (Joe)] We agree on both of them. Ordering is still up in the air.

[Defthon (Don)] I don't really care which one comes first.

[Master] ok.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Observe first, then capture

[Master] Then for next time, I'll put together some interesting characters and motivations, have maps up and running, and suchlike.

[James] ok

[Master] I'm kind of beat, actually.

[Lia (Angie)] Some observation will be neccessary in order to find alizard

[Velkyna (Joe)] Well, you started at 4 am or something.

[James] Go Owls!

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Why not observe first, and observe both groups? No reason to pass up on lizard observation while we're there.

[Master] So talk amongst yourselves, and I'm gonna wander off for a bit.

[Velkyna (Joe)] GO OWLS!!!!

[Aedean (Sedlack)] (Plus, we can take our captive far away, without having to necessarily come back before we want to strike.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Observing both is fine, too.

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm okay with a general observation session.

[James] Actually, we could watch first, and then have two teams capture small groups of lizardmen and humans.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] We might very well be able to observe during dinnertime-ish, after dark, then grab a couple sentries in the deep night.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Enh. I'm not sure how much we'll learn from capturing humans.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Hear them talk at leisure, then ask questions.

[Lia (Angie)] Why not?

[James] If we could find a captain-level...

[Shottamip (Tamora)] They don't usually sentry.

[Lia (Angie)] Observation should indicate some grab options

[James] No, but sometimes they're off doing an important courier mission or something.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Well, we'll do the observations and then see what we can get.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Agreed.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Maybe. I just don't want to hang around a long time -- if we don't see one out tonight, I'd like to move ahead.

[James] OK

[Velkyna (Joe)] Opportunities may present themselves.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Yes.

[Lia (Angie)] But I would in general agree with the sentry idea

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Right. Time is of the essence.

[Lia (Angie)] or Eflence?

[Velkyna (Joe)] Heh

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Heh

[Joe] I am away from the keyboard.

[Lia (Angie)] OOC how much longer are we going to go? because I need FOOD

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Do we have any other decisions to make at this time, or are we pretty well planned for the beginning of next session?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Ditto

[Aedean (Sedlack)] We can resolve any loose ends (plan-wise) over e-mail.

[Lia (Angie)] I think we're set

[James] I think we're done for now.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Sounds good to me.

[Defthon (Don)] Sounds good to me.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] :)

[Roger (Jeff)] okay

[James] So I guess the question is, do we get any XP for the spying and talking? Or is the loot its own reward?

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I would bet that we get something.

[Lia (Angie)] So do we have another date set?

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Or, for picking up Joanne?

[Defthon (Don)] I'm sure we do, but if we adjourn now, Mike'll do it at the beginning of the next session.

[Master] hey

[Master] Okay, 1,000 XP for the session.

[Defthon (Don)] We haven't set a date yet though.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Hey

[Defthon (Don)] hey

[Defthon (Don)] Nifty

[James] Wow, that's a lot.

[Master] Everyone send me dates for October and November via email; I'll turn it around.

[Lia (Angie)] ok

[James] ok

[Joe] I am back at the keyboard.

[Shottamip (Tamora)] I'll be levelled up and have a nice shiny new 6th level spell next time.

[Aric (Brian)] october is almost entirely booked for me. just a warning in advance.

[Master] Noted, thanks. It happens, unfortunately.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] I think you already have my bad dates for October

[Master] Yep.

[Master] Thanks, all.

[Aric (Brian)] i'll mail though

[Lia (Angie)] thanks Mike

[James] Thank you Mike.

[Aric (Brian)] thanks mike. sorry we didn't make it interesting :)

[Master] I had fun, as usual. Joanne is a blast to play.

[Master] :)

[Velkyna (Joe)] I'm also pretty booked for Oct. Nov. is clear.

[Master] And Wellington has his own charm.s

[Velkyna (Joe)] Joanne will definitely be interesting.

[Master] We may end up pushing thru Oct and into early Nov. if necessary.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] That would be okay.

[Velkyna (Joe)] Yeah.

[Master] Thanks again.

Brian is receiving the map...

Brian has received the map.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Late November is pretty crappy for me, but early Nov should be fine.

[Velkyna (Joe)] No, thank _you_!

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Thanks, Mike!

[Aric (Brian)] i have to book to pick up brent tyler from midway

[Aric (Brian)] see you all later!

[Roger (Jeff)] bye!

[Shottamip (Tamora)] Then I'm off to get ready for the football game. Bye everyone!

[Velkyna (Joe)] Later!

Jeff has left the game.

[Velkyna (Joe)] GO OWLS!!!!

Tamora has left the game.

Brian has left the game.

[Defthon (Don)] See y'all.

[Aedean (Sedlack)] Bye, all

[James] Bye!