< —— previous: Session 31 Carousing - - - - - - - - - - Session 32: The Anubis Caper - - - - - - - - - - subsequent: Session 33 Carousing - - - - >
This is a page for planning the carousing and inter-session activities in the week following session #32, The Anubis Caper.
Caswyn of Asclepius
Flush with wealth after the expedition to the tomb, Caswyn hires a full-time contingent of guards and lay workers to serve at the vicarage. This is not carousing, but a normal expenditure. (We can discuss the exact expenditure. I reckon that 1000gp in escrow will be enough to hire a bunch of people literally indefinitely while also laying in a sizable stock of supplies.)
I started a page for the vicarage if you want to provide more details: who are these workers, are you using another institution to do the escrow or is the 1,000 gold being held on site, etc.
Meanwhile, he spreads word (and a bit of gold) among the Company's mercantile contacts that he is looking for a sculptor — the finest to be found in these lands — to produce works that will be worthy of the glory and splendor of Apollo.
Caswyn needs spend no more than 150 gp to entice factors eager to connect him with the sculptor he seeks. His interactions with these greedy souls teach him much about human nature, and he earns 150 XP. His efforts are an unqualified success. He hears that, if he wishes his statuary to be absolutely lifelike, there is a medusa in the area, and likely looking for employment; not long ago she had taken a contract doing security for the beastmen in the Lost City, which work has since dried up. You may make contact with her, or describe an alternate artisan (or the qualifications for such you'd like me to fill).
The newly-fledged Bishop of Apollo will not truck with such a horrid abomination of Chaos! He sends a strongly worded note to John Fighter recommending that the Grey Company deal with the creature (and claim its treasure, if any). Fortunately, he hears word that Dwelko Halfdwelkin, a gifted dwarven sculptor from Shangrivet, is currently summering in Drum Coggo as a rest cure; apparently, the poor fellow is suffering from the black damp. Caswyn sends a letter to Dwelko expressing interest in his services, while sending another message to the Caves of the Conquered Dark requesting one of the Barrelmen come to the Vicarage to act as liaison.
Chrystos The Beholder Butcher
With the recent income to Chrystos he figures he should go get his eyes re-enchanted to their previous form. Since i believe o have 3 or 4 carousals saved up (unless they go away or something) After that i would like to carouse for a new mount, whether it be from my shelter or a merchant it doesnt matter. After that i would like to do some follow up on the magical sword Fedifensor. And then i have 1 more carousal which i want to hold on to so i can use it after i get these results
Chrystos figures that the Ninth Menegril is the best starting point for his search to re-enchant his eyes. That worthy is indeed glad to help: "I have long wanted a chance to experiment with the enchantments in the ancient orbs you wear!" the Ninth Menegril says. "I have some notes on an inversion of power word, blind that ought to do the trick; I will contribute my labor as a token of my appreciation for your assistance in rescuing me. There are some material components which will be useful - no, you must not leave the palace, these are items you might find on your world." Chrystos spends 1,800 gp on these items, learning much about where preserved alligators and witches' gallstones come from (and earning as many XP in the process). However, when the Ninth Menegril makes his mystic passes over the glass orbs in Christos's eye-sockets, the blind assassin sees at first only a sparkling mist of color. A few minutes later, a strange phantasm drifts into view; Chrystos finds he cannot touch this apparation, and the Ninth Menegril cannot sense it at all. "Unfortunate," says the Ninth Menegril. "All is not lost; you might regrow your original eyes while wearing the ring of regeneration I sold to your comrade, or more permanently by finding a god-pawn to use the scroll of the same which I see you found in the Pharoah's Tomb. Would you like me to dispel this enchantment? I cannot see what use it might be to you; although the workings of the spell are sound, it seems that the vision it grants you extends only into some unknown plane of existence." (Your carouse is an unqualified failure.)
"Lucky" Bellbottom, Archer Extraordinaire
After purchasing a sizable quantity of ice with which to preserve his recently acquired trove of beholder parts, Lucky sends out swift, discreet — and therefore expensive — messages to locales both near and far, seeking a wizard or high priest both willing and able to craft enchanted devices from the various creature components the Grey Company has harvested from the many peculiar magical beasts its members have slain in their travels.
Expensive plus enchanted devices also suggests that the Nameless City is the place to start. Lucky's research into what bribes the Ninth Menegril's servants would find most persuasive in moving this project up to the head of his schedule are most enlightening; he spends 1000 gp arranging for these desires to be gratified, and earns as many XP. Upon examining the assorted parts Lucky displays to him, the Ninth Menegril shakes his head sadly. "It appears that the spirits of the beasts still linger in these remains. It is a tricky situation. To enchant them would waken the ghosts to sentience, but this haunting is more potential than actual; prior to enchantment there is not even enough spirit to turn or dispel. One would need to first bring forth and then destroy the ghost, and I value my life-force too highly to risk such a procedure, as do all the reputable colleagues to whom I might refer you." (Your carouse is an unqualified failure.)
Sans Sobriquet
Sans retires to the Golden Balls in Belltower. He wants to set up a small smithy sufficient for the care and repair of swords fo the Grey Company, and seeks information on where to find a decent anvil, tools and a supplier of coal, charcoal, and other supplies. Since he is aware he is laughably uncharismatic, he attempts to build contacts in the weaponsmithing community through drinking, taking advantage of his hearty constitution (he is tough or exceptionally tough) to drink them under the table while generously footing the bill for the finest of ales, smoke, and victuals. (This is a pure carouse. Best case he makes positive contact with the local weaponsmith and learns where to get decent equipment (likely Drum Coggo?); worst case he is conned into spending a lot of gold on ale, food, non-existent or inferior equipment, learns nothing, gains an enemy in the local weaponsmith - who is not interested in competition - and commits embarrassing acts while drunk). The bulk of Sans' gold is stored in the Caves of the conquered dark with Barragin's troops; he offers Barragin a 500 gp bonus to hire/compensate dwarven troops to guard the place in this troubled time.
Sans finds that the smiths of Belltower are ready to party. Every one of them was already doing well from the contracts to arm and armor the Gynarch's troops and bard and shoe her horses. Her victory gives the weaponmakers reason to celebrate, as does the rumor that she brought back a fortune in gems from King Snurre's crown and belt and is preparing to spend them to hire and equip a mercenary army. Sans is as well-liked for his largesse as for his ability to put away a lion's share of the banquets himself and remain standing. He learns that there is a growing tension among the half-orc merchants, between those who are being drawn closer to the Gynarch's orbit by the booming wartime economy and those who would prefer to remain in the shadows if they cannot rule in her place. The latter group controls the importation of most of the raw ores used by the smiths, and receives many bribes to swallow their enmity for the Gynarch and keep the metals coming. Sans also learns that a morning spent sweating over a hot forge is a soverign cure for a hangover; he spends 400 GP, and earns as many XP. His carouse is wholly successful: please give me the name of the weaponsmith who Sans feels closest to, and what it is that they have in common.
Xeno
Xeno is stunned: having come to join the Grey Company based on thier growing noteriety and rumors of a fantastic library of spells, he has suddenly become a wealthy member of a high-end adventuring troupe. He decides to try and re-pay the Company by contributing to the group spell-book. He begins researching a first level spell he has heard rumours of, enlarge. He retreats to the Vicarage of Apollo to spend his time in meditation and research. (This is a pure carouse, hopefully using the standard "research a spell" move and taking advantage of his "bright" int rating.) Being bright he stores half his gold hoard at the Fortress of First Principles, and the other half at Caswyn's Vicarage.
If Caswyn has no interest in pursuing the medusa-sculptress, he will most courteously offer her a job as a hireling, guarding the underground tunnel entrance to the Vicarage.
My understanding of the above is that Caswyn wants nothing to do with the medusa; does Xeno want to hire her to guard the underground without Caswyn's knowledge or approval?
Jarri
Jarri's gold will be held in the Caves of the Conquered Dark with Barrogin's Barrelmen. He would prefer to spend this carouse amongst the clans of the Dwarven Nation, if that qualifies as metropolitan (d12) carouse due to the somewhat constructive nature of the project. If not, to Limbo it is, as he is looking for the best trainers and commanders for combat amongst tens or hundreds of combatants, and surely the Nameless City would be a source of capable leaders. As Jarri has average Charisma, no descriptors here, but his history of patronage to Barrogin's men could serve as a positive modifier.
We haven't made contact with the Dwarven Nation in play, so what clans Jarri may know about are presumed to be further away than he can reach in the week before the next adventure. He thus heads to the Ninth Menegril's palace, who is loath to allow Jarri to go out recruiting in the Nameless City for fear that what returns will be a member of the Assassin's Guild wearing his skin. The Ninth Menegril does arrange for mercenary captains to visit his palace to be interviewed; he requests that Jarri cover the cost of the additional security during this procedure. Jarri finds the expense well spent, as he learns much about the kinds of threats the Ninth Menegril worries about and how he wants them to be countered; he spends 1,650 gp and earns as many XP.
Jarri finds three likely candidates. First is a skeleton animated by a general who attained great distinction in the Nameless City's past. Jarri is sure that the skeleton would be unparalleled as a teacher of tactics, strategy, and siegecraft; only its ethical teachings are in doubt. The skeleton values its bones too highly to risk them by fighting. The second is a half-dozen white-furred tripodes. They are demonstrably fierce combatants and would be an asset to any squad they led, but communication difficulties mean their savagery might be hard to restrain and disqualifies them as instructors. The third is an expatriate dwarf ready to return to familiar lands. He is by no means the most capable fighter, nor does he bring any qualities except tenacity to the position of drill instructor, but of all of them Jarri feels that this dwarf would be the one whose orders as a sub-commander he could trust to reflect his own values. Unfortunately, none of these are willing to work with the others; if you wish to choose one, provide them with a name & assorted details and pay them as captains.
Not sure how this is determined in Chainmail and OD&D, but in the AD&D DMG, captains are from 4th-8th level and can command 20 men for every level they have. After this carouse, Jarri will be 6th level; would he be able to lead 120 dwarves then? Further, a captain’s level determines how many lieutenants can serve under him; they are 2nd-3rd level and can lead 10 men for every level. Sergeants (1st level) can lead 10 men; lieutenants can command the same number of sergeants as they have levels. Fully maxed out, a 6th level captain can lead 120 men, with 6 lieutenants serving. Assuming 4 2nd level and 2 3rd level
lieutenants, they would be able to lead 140 men, with 14 total sergeants serving. Those sergeants would lead another 140 men for a total of 420 men.
We will eventually work out how leadership works at this scale; for now the essential limit is the number of henchmen allowed by one's Charisma.
Once a number of lieutenants and sergeants have been acquired, word will be spread out of the giants and the volcano situation as a threat to the land in general and dwarves in particular. Volunteers to fight the threat would be greatly appreciated; paid service, though, is also a possibility. Engineers specializing in sapping and mining will then be sought; the dwarves want to fight the giants in constricted tunnel space. Special forces training is wanted; we may want to place a shield wall of dwarven stonebeards in front of every dwarf formation. Lastly, (for now), development of siege engines, particularly ballistae (as they may be useful anti-personnel against giants) will be advanced.
I'll roll for the success of this recruiting effort once I have the Ready Ref Sheets handy.
Tobias the Awkward
Tobias will take a few days to return to the Brotherhood of the Void, to try repay his debt to his old master. (The repairs to the abby may be quite expensive) If he is returned to the good graces of the brotherhood, he will spend his time back at the Abby researching in the library's stacks some sort of Magical Missile type spell.
Upon returning to the Brotherhood of the Void, Tobias is struck by the way that although ten pounds of gold represent an almost insignificant portion of his wealth, this is more than enough to hire and supply a crew of skilled workers devoted to the abbey's repair. This insight into the relativity of all things earns him 100 XP, and costs him as many GP. Your carouse is partially successful; choose one of the following:
- You overcome a false start: 50 of the gold pieces you just spent count toward the research of this spell.
- You back out of a blind alley, with no research but 50 gp intact.
- You get distracted, and accumulate 100 gp worth of progress toward the research of an entirely new & different spell.
- You learn from failure, and gain a +1 bonus to all future rolls to research this spell.
You can also spend toward the research of this spell apart from the GP that was invested from the carouse result above (if any). Each 2,000 gp invested grants you a 20% chance of successfully researching a first level magical missile before Session 33; spending 10,000 gp would result in certain success. This spending does not earn XP.
(also according to the whitebox M-U page, Human Magic users get two special abilities- Can Tobias get a familiar?)
We haven't been implementing the extra special ability for humans, but all characters do get an additional special ability at 4th level and a familiar would be a good one. You could select an animal of your choosing, or I could roll one for you using the AD&D tables (in which case you trade the possibility of getting an animal that's not your favorite for the chance to get an imp or a pseudodragon or something equally more powerful).
EN Lightenment
EN Lightenment is quite occupied with convalescing. Understandably, he can't do much in the way of carousing. However, he was hoping to somehow deal with getting a new arm. He was hoping that someone from the Grey Company, who is not otherwise busy, could go off in search of resolving this for him. Barring that, he was hoping that he could hire someone, discretely of course, to do so. He would look into both magical and spiritual methods. He has some money, and hopefully could rely on his companions to help pay for it, if needed. He is both Bright and Insightful, and he believes that either of these attributes will help in deciding how to plan this all out, who to get to help him, how to instruct them, etc. (Assuming of course, that he is able to do this at all.)
Over the course of the week, EN Lightenment's arm regrows very nicely under the influence of the ring of regeneration. He also knows that using the scroll of regenerate from the Pharoah's Tomb would bring it back more permanently. Pondering these mysteries, and the related one of how his body is attached to his soul, will occupy all his attention this week and next.
Darwin of Drumthwacket
Darwin of Drumthwacket is new to this area. Drumthwacket is some distance away, being farther away than even Drum Coggo. To the best of his knowledge, no one here in Hruhrudingfallor is worshipping Bard Hargain, and he would like to change this. He would like to collect information in order to start to build a following for Bard Hargain. He will both pay people directly for the information, as well pay people to go out and find this information. (And if he ends up spending lots of money, he is happy to start hiring, buying the materials, etc, as appropriate.) He is Exceptionally Insightful and believes this will help him in both finding the right people to talk to, as well as figuring out the best method for gathering what he needs. He is looking for: other dwarves who would be (or already are) interested in worshipping Bard Hargain, a possible location to build a place of worship, materials to build said place of worship, a builder knowledgeable in building practices and holy rituals, etc. He is not looking to cause any trouble by converting those who have already found a way to worship which is meaningful to them, rather he is looking for lost souls who could really benefit from the teachings of Bard Hargain. He knows it is a long and arduous process, and that the steps he takes this week are but the beginning of a long journey. However, he knows it is a journey he must take, for there is much work to be done in the name of Bard Hargain.
Darwin finds that there are many in Hruhrudingfallor who are ready to spend his gold, but that it is a test of wisdom to ensure that the resulting flurry of activity is well directed. This insight costs him 1,200 gp and earns him as many XP. His test is only partially successful; he may choose two of the following:
- he finds other dwarves who would be (or already are) interested in worshipping Bard Hargain
- he secures a possible location to build a place of worship
- he acquires materials to build said place of worship
- he hires a builder knowledgeable in building practices and holy rituals
- he causes no trouble by converting those who have already found a way to worship which is meaningful to them
- all those in his flock are lost souls who could really benefit from the teachings of Bard Hargain
Darwin chooses to find other dwarves who would be (or already are) interested in worshipping Bard Hargain, and he causes no trouble by converting those who have already found a way to worship which is meaningful to them. Not all those in his flock are lost souls who could really benefit from the teachings of Bard Hargain, but he figures he will eventually sort the wheat from the chaff.
Orb of the Spider Tribe, Servant of Lolth the Beneficent
Lucky subcontracts the matter of the enchanted materials to Orb, tasking him with investigating the possibility of "tying up those monster ghosts in some kind of magic web, man." Orb accepts a parcel of funds from Lucky, which he changes into gems and hacksilver for the sake of portability. Then, escorted by four trusted members of the Spider Tribe, he sets off for the city of Yatakar, at whose Vulpaeum he studied high sorcery many years ago. He is sure that he will find useful information regarding the possibility of rendering the monster remains safe for enchantment.
Orb spends 400 gp hiring Celerion's chariot to take him to and from the fabled city of Yakatar. Travel broadens the mind, so this sum earns him a like number of experience points. His researches in the Vulpaeum are satisfactory, although not as much so as he might have wished. Although he has coaxed the spirits out of the monster remains, he was not able to store them in the net for further use, nor is he sure that the process of extraction he used will not lead to some unforeseen kink in the item crafted from them. Additionally, the enchanters he knew and trusted in Yakatar are traveling. (Your carouse was partially successful; note that this was the standard "Plan the Enchantment of a Magic Item" move, and that I chose the "beast part collector" benefit based on the context. When someone does use these to create a magic item, the beast parts will contribute at least 400 gp to the cost of item creation.)
Arnold Littleworth, d/b/a Zolobachai of the Nine Visions
Arnold tries to summon Bambang's spelljammer yacht, preferably to the Fortress of First Principles (things may still be hot in Limbo, I don't know).
This plan is made difficult by several factors. First, all potential traces of Cahaya are in the Nameless City. Second, the Ninth Menegril's state of high alert vis a vis the Assassin's Guild prevents him from allowing Arnold out to wander the city trying to pick up Cahaya's trail. Third, Cahaya betrayed the Ninth Menegril, so any clues left in the Menegril's palace leading to Cahaya's current location have almost certainly been pursued with unfriendly intent. Balanced against this is the likelihood that Cahaya is still in the import/export business and thus needs to have a way to contact potential customers. Arnold visits the Ninth Menegril's palace under other pretexts and spends 1,800 gp bribing his servants to obtain clues about how Cahaya might now be operating. He finds this process illuminating; none of the servants he talks to know that the Ninth Menegril had been captured and impersonated by Arnold, but they do speak freely about how their master acted strangely for a while, so Arnold earns as many XP from the glimpse of how others saw him. Before the week is out, Arnold wakes from a dream in which he went to the ancient, stalactite-shrouded temple in the Lost City, called out Cahaya's name, and beheld the spelljamer yacht waiting for him beyond one of the doors there. He feels that this dream was a sending, but it leaves him with no way to contact its originator, verify their identity, renegotiate the location of contact, ask for more details, or establish any of the things that would make him feel this something he could do under the assuredly non-lethal aegis of carousing. (Your carouse is an unqualified failure).
Ookla the Mok
Ookla would like to work to find an entrance into the subworld currently housing Maldoor the Twice Deceased. He begins by following up with the mystic elves that Lotur the Scurrilous Cur spoke with when he was working to raise Ookla from the dead. Perhaps they have some knowledge as to where we might find an entrance/passage to the underworld. In addition to being Wise and Charismatic, Ookla is a mighty and ancient elven warrior, long thought dead himself, from an ancient elven family. He wears the elven cloak of invisibility bestowed upon me to demonstrate my having been anointed as an elven warrior, as well as ancient elven wooden armor (it's under his normal clothes, but if requested he will display his briar-wood codpiece).
Ookla visits the twisting organic shapes of the Lotuskeeper's town Mitha, where giant day geckos sunning themselves on spires woven from mangrove roots like a Roger Dean Yes album cover, exactly as Lotur described it. The elves are awed by the descent of the sky-chariot, and Ookla's dramatic entrance when he lifts the hood of the elven cloak. They rush to notify the Great One, whose gate-keepers arrange for the ranger to gain an audience with that divine avatar. After listening to Ookla's description of his quest, the Great One consults with his shamans. "A fortunate fate directed you here," he says. "Myfanwy, the Dreaming God, can help your fallen comrade. You must only pass into sleep while listening to her name being chanted, and she will appear to tell you what must be done. The juice of the black lotus will hasten the contact, if you wish to stop in the marketplace as you depart…" All of this has a strange quality of timelessness, but Ookla's extra-sensory perception and insight into the nature of consciousness verifies that it is so; the Great One firmly believes that Myfanwy will lead the astral projections of those who follow this procedure, and in the minds of the shamans Ookla finds memories of journeying far from this world, silver cord trailing behind, and reaching destinations on other planes with the Dreaming God's guidance. Ookla spends 600 gp hiring Celerion's chariot and obtaining as much black lotus juice as he can in the market; he gains as many XP from this glimpse into the state of at least one village worth of elves in the current era.
I imagine that the choice is now mine, based on what I have seen and heard as to whether I should consume the Lotus juice and take part in the dreaming ritual. I will consume the Lotus juice and proceed, providing the following two things are true:
- That what I have seen in the minds of the shamans leads me to believe that the experience they have had is probably "real" and not simply the result of what is clearly an addictive substance
- That my considerable experience with herbs and plants, being both an elven ranger, and perhaps more importantly, an elven ranger raised by elven druids, does not lead me to think that a one-time consumption of the black lotus juice is likely to lead me (Tough) to become addicted or reliant on the stuff.
You sense that the memories of the shamans reflect a real experience, even if perhaps it was of a numinous other-planar reality. Study of the black lotus juice suggests that it addicts the mind, not the body. You believe that even the frailest and freshest member of the Grey Company should be proof against its enthrallment because they have had a wide enough experience of life's rewards to compare against the drug's visions. It is those who have never tasted adventure, like the lotuskeeper elves or mere hirelings, who would be fatally drawn to its charms. Thus convinced, you partake of enough of the dreaming ritual to be convinced that it does transport you to the presence of a starry-eyed goddess floating in an astral space full of potential dangers from which worldly stealth and invisibility will not protect you, and that you can wake yourself from this dream by hauling yourself hand-over-hand along your silver cord until you re-enter your body with a jolt.
Otherwise, if I think it is possible, I will attempt to commune with Myfanwy by first entering a state of deep meditation as I have been instructed to do by Zekon's Valkyries, and then attempting to enter a deeper sleep.
A subsequent night's experimentation proves that you are able to re-enter this state without the aid of the black lotus, although this time the sensation is of Myfanwy lifting your soul from your body rather than emerging to meet her; the goddess's expression is less benign as you hasten back to the world you left.
In such circumstances, I always sleep with one hand on Thirster, and with my psychic eagle awake and commanded to protect me if anything untoward should occur.
The eagle senses your thoughts more dimly the further you proceed along the silver cord. You suspect that even if it tried to waken your body, this would merely produce a tug on your astral cord that might be enough to remind you to return, but not enough to drag you back.
Obscura
Having been briefly reunited with her ex-girlfriend Mareth, the bewitching Visionist Obscura is now ready to move on; it’s hard to resurrect old passions, especially when your ex has risen from the dead. With a shrug, a sniffle, and a half-promise to return to her champion-paladin in the near future, the magic-girl has decided to rejoin the Grey Party. What’s needed? Powerful friends. Being smart (17), quick (17+1), tough (15), and really cute (15) just isn’t enough in such a dangerous cosmos with so many powerful enemies. One powerful friend was Maldoor, and Obscura was disappointed to learn that he has passed on. However, when she’s learned that the Greys consider it quite possible to bring the Magic-user back, she decides to help the party purchase some of the scrolls for sale by the Ninth Menegril, such as Salamander and Most Horrible Absorption. Can illusionists use any of these weird unfamiliarly named spells?
Obscura spends 2,000 gp in the Ninth Menegril's palace, where she achieves an unqualified success. She learns the nature of many of the unfamiliar spells, and determines that two of the scrolls - Seven Gates and Word of Ioun - utilize principles which she can understand and master. Of the ones found in the Pharoah's Tomb, she believes that some will be usable by her alone: Summon Shadow and Blur, while Timaharn's Blind Spot Spell, Detect Undead, and Dar-Thom's Doomlight Spell can be used by her as well as by other magic-users.
Obscura also consults with the Ninth Menegril as to the nature of the plane in which Maldoor is trapped. He says that demi-planes and pocket universes litter the fabric of creation, and that it is likely Maldoor now resides in such a place. His own magic allows him to establish gates between known planes of existence, but the description of the place which the dead report having seen means nothing to him. He feels that the best way to find this place is via astral travel, since a similar soul-journey brought Maldoor there, and it seems plausible to him that the Dreaming God might be able to detect and follow the traces of his passage.
"It would please me to repay my debt to the Grey Company for rescuing me by in turn rescuing your most potent magic-user - please understand that I consider you in another category and thus incomparable, dear Obscura. To this end, I can contribute the following: a ring of astral metal; a chime with which it can be struck; a rod tuned to this ring; and a scroll of planar gate. My advice to you would be as follows: Place the rod in an existing gate that is convenient to you. Bring the ring through the Astral Plane. When you reach your destination, strike the ring with the chime, which will cause it to materialize in the sub-world you have discovered. Pass through the ring to materialize your own bodies at that location. You may then read the scroll to open a gate back to your chosen location, so that you may pass back and forth without having to suffer the hazards of astral travel more than once."this information is also stated here to assist in planning.
She looks over the Hobbit Blade (750 gp); is this blade small enough for a magic-user/illusionist to use?
No, despite its small size it remains too proud to be borne by any other than a fighting man. Only the blunted sword is too lobotomized to care who wields it.
Having not caroused for several sessions, Ookla is wondering whether it might be possible to have two carousals?
Firstly, he would join in with Lucky (if he will have him) in an attempt to find a craftsman capable of creating magic items out of the party's various monster-corpse-acquisitions. To this end he would lend his abilities to move silently, invisibly and to read minds. He also has a considerable amount of gold on hand which is of little use to him. In particular, he is interested in finding uses for his expertly-skinned displacer beast hide, and one of the two horns removed from the skull of the Beast Lord. There has been some discussion of "displacer cloaks." Could other vestments be made? Displacer Boots? Displacer Gloves? Perhaps a tentacled Displacer Scarf? He also brings to all of these discussions/investigations his keen insight into human nature which sometimes helps him get a discount on stuff.
More importantly, if only one carouse can be effected this session, Ookla would like to work to find an entrance into the subworld currently housing Maldoor the Twice Deceased. If two can carousals can be made then I would do these both. If looking for a lead, he would follow up with the mystic elves that Lotur the Scurrilous Cur spoke with when he was working to raise Ookla from the dead. Perhaps they have some knowledge as to where we might find an entrance/passage to the underworld.
As to the first, I suppose that the best place to start would be in Hruhrudingflor, but I'm not altogether welcome in those parts (although I'm not altogether certain as to why, I haven't done anything wrong, I haven't broken any agreements that I made, I just haven't helped E.N. Lightenment with his High Priestess problem/obligations. If anyone asks, last I heard he was dead so I suppose I don't have to honor those any more. Can I somehow conceal my appearance (dark hooded cloak? and face paint? Funny clown nose?) If I'm pressed for a specific location then I'll say that I'd try to get a clue from that magic tent guy. I have special insight into human nature, I am Wise (14) and reasonably Charismatic (13).
As to the matter of where I would carouse in order to gain information about an entryway to the subworld containing Maldoor, I recall that Lotur caroused with/in the elven village or somesuch to which I make reference above. In addition to being as Wise and Charismatic as I was in the last paragraph, I am a mighty and ancient elven warrior, long thought dead himself, from an ancient elven family. I wear the elven cloak of invisibility bestowed upon me to demonstrate my having been anointed as an elven warrior, as well as ancient elven wooden armor (it's under my normal clothes, but if requested I will display my briar-wood codpiece).
Since all my gold was last in the keep of the nobleman that John Fighter knew, is it possible to keep it there, barring perhaps 1000gp in small gems?
Huh. Crap…. where did I put my keys… Hey, has anyone seen my keys? Come to think of it, not sure where my wallet went. Now, where did I have it last…
I will be updating carousals by editing the page above. Please be sure that, when you make a carousal request, you tell me where you're doing it and what descriptors you have that might apply (bright, insightful, inspirational, whatever; feel free to make a case for which descriptor you think this carouse will use.) If that isn't given above, add it now!
Also, please use this opportunity to let me know what you're doing with your gold - all the tons of it if you were part of the Anubis Caper, or your less-voluminous wealth if not. Like, where is it; is it invested in a project; who's watching out for it; that kind of thing.
Requests for multiple carouses: I will be trying to process carouses between each session, so that a backlog of carouses doesn't build up. To help keep this straight, if you did miss out on a previous session's carouse, please add your carousing to the page for that carousing session (add a comment on its page or send me an email to make sure I don't miss it).
Having been briefly reunited with her ex-girlfriend Mareth, the bewitching Visionist Obscura is now ready to move on; it’s hard to resurrect old passions, especially when your ex has risen from the dead. With a shrug, a sniffle, and a half-promise to return to her champion-paladin in the near future, the magic-girl has decided to rejoin the Grey Party.
What’s needed? Powerful friends. Being smart (17), quick (17+1), tough (15), and really cute (15) just isn’t enough in such a dangerous cosmos with so many powerful enemies.
One powerful friend was Maldoor, and Obscura was disappointed to learn that he has passed on. However, when she’s learned that the Greys consider it quite possible to bring the Magic-user back, she decides to help.
First, she decides to purchase the Elven Cloak (6,000 gp); is it still available?
Second, she looks over the Wand of Enemy Detection (10,000 gp); she purchases it.
Third, she looks over the Hobbit Blade (750 gp); is this blade small enough for a magic-user/illusionist to use?
Next, she’d like to help the party purchase some the scrolls advised by Xeno, such as Salamander and Most Horrible Absorption. Can illusionists use any of these weird unfamiliarly named spells?
She has other plans on this plane, but this should suffice for now.
As always, Obscura's mechanical cat QT watches and listens to everything quite closely.
I put in my bid for the following 2/15: not sure how Tavis is deciding who gets what. Could be first-come, first-serve or a random roll.
Yes, I know! I'm sorry! However, we'll just have to see how the rolls go. You were first! I'm well aware of that, Thaddeus! However, if you missed out by a bad roll and you've pointed out your precedence, I'll be happy to pass on one of the great treasure finds of the game—a Cloak of Elvenkind just like Frodo wore!
(I saw the treasure list first, started to salivate over that cloak, and then a few hours later, saw your claim. Still I figured I should go for it—just in case. However, if it's really important to you, I'll pass on it.)
And hey! Maybe there's two cloaks for sale!
Tavis, I can't really remember how many carouses Arnold's got, or when he earned them. But I want to carouse by trying to summon Bambang's spelljammer yacht, preferably to the Fortress of First Principles (things may still be hot in Limbo, I don't know).
I suspect that it's probably cleaner to enter the Afterlife via various portals in Limbo, but I'm worried that these will be under the control of some third party who may impose conditions. Having a mobile, dimension-hopping vehicle that covers a lot of ground and has heavy artillery on board would be useful in our Viking Raid on Hell.
Seems like it makes sense to spread the magic items around so that all participants at the table on Saturday have a nifty new treat - now that there are so many in the Grey Company who are rich, rich, rich!
Xeno's spell research is a pure carouse. Let the dice roll to determine exp gained and extent of the disaster!
He will of course consult with Caswyn before inviting such a dangerous monster onto the premises. Xeno argues that a powerful monster guarding the tunnel is a good precaution against whatever may travel the waters below; it is better to have such a powerful and mercenary creature close at hand and in our pay than wandering around being employed by Philomena, the Deaconess Caja, Fingle-Ungle-Narn, etc.; and finally that having her here will be an opportunity to convert her to the ways of Apollo.
Should Caswyn not agree, then Xeno still wants to hire the Medusa (whose name is…?). He will hire her to harass or kill the cave of orcs we discovered about 10 miles to the west of the vicarage. If she can defeat the orcs, then he will pay her a retainer to take up residence in their cave. If they are too powerful, he wants her to harass them and will pay for that. He tells her that he hopes this is the start of a mutually beneficial relationship.
Q: Does carousing location still have an effect on size of die roll? I thought you were declaring Belltower, the Vicarage, Stronghold of 1st Principles, Pharoah's tomb, etc. to be 1d12 rolling locations. Or did you mean that you only gain exp if you are carousing through construction activity in those locations?
Thanks!
The construction sites are d12s only insofar as it has to do with the building going on there. The Vicarage is an exception in that it's also a d12 for spell research, due to the magical properties of the vine which provide metropolis-level resources for a wizard's laboratory etc.
So you're saying that you only want to invest as much into the spell research as the result of your d12?