-> Waderan Mottle

Chapter V is up, gentlemen, and so we begin anew after a nearly five-year absence from this yarn we've been weaving.

Again, wait for my leave to post.

However, you can be formulating your reply in the meantime.

Don't take this as an insult to your intelligence, please, but of course, you'll have plenty of questions for Durgin. He's not even revealed the true purpose of what he's facetiously calling a social visit, nor any details of how he expects whatever this mission is to be accomplished.

Again, not to insult your literacy, but to sum up the post, Durgin is saying there is an art auction in a wealthy estate in Rimuldar. While you all might be able to get in and burglarize the place, that must not be what he's after. Apparently, he wants you to infiltrate the event using false identities.

Those false identities, apparently, were gained by slaughtering a party on its way from Temecula to Rimuldar, sent by a wealthy lord in advance of his arrival. Obviously from the last paragraph, they were all killed, but an invitation was found.

Durgin must want you three to use that invitation to gain entry . . . but how and why? Surely, you can't just say, "Here's our invitation! Where's our rooms and wine?" ;)

There's a lot of holes, but the post was long enough! XD

As the GM I'll tell you that he has a copy of the invitation on the last-mentioned table and the seal on the original is unbroken, either fixed via the Repair spell or the letter was read via magic, so don't worry about that part. I'll also tell you Temecula (pronouced "t-meck-ula", the last like "Dracula") is the Reaper's home town. Heh, heh.

I'm withholding the Elsewhere post. It's three times longer than the post I just made and I don't want to drown you all. :)

One more reminder: never, never, never use the information gained in Elsewhere in-character as horribly tempting as it might be to do so. Metagaming is a huge no-no here.

Don't think that I, as the GM, am doing anything to try to get you, as the players, to, like, do something, either. You do what you want. You do what you think your characters should do. If they want to decline even this job, then you should decline. If you hear news there's a princess in a tower and a dragon guarding her, don't think I, as the GM, expect you to "take the hook." That's not how I work.

Last thing, always read the OOC thread first before ever posting! ;)

Okay, from now onward, I'll stop treating you like dullards. Forgive my insecurities. :)

Given that Martin has a side-venue as a smuggler, he has gone by several aliases: Moris, Charon Baier, Vanali.

He has passed several times through the Griffon's Gate under the alias Hugon Van Vorst, a wealthy wine merchant, though that is usually in the role of a people smuggler, as it is rare to find smugglers goods profitable enough to warrant the purchase of the wines required for that alias.

His favored alias is that of Travos, a petty merchant of farm produce. He is however, reluctant to use that alias for anything risky, as it is well established. The guards of Lion's Gate and Dragon's Gate has waved Travos through multiple times and it would be a waste to tarnish that alias with known criminal activity.

We're not meeting minds here. Maybe it's me, though as it's 8 a.m. now and I went to bed at 2 a.m.

I'm giving you, the player, the ability to set the name on the invitation (so you like it and I don't have to think of something) here in OOC, but your character doesn't even know what's on that piece of paper yet as Durgin hasn't said. The character isn't getting to pick his alias. That wouldn't make any sense.

You're getting ready to assume the role of a dead man who's name is on the invitation.

Feel me? :)

Post to Chaper V when ready.

Thanks for your patients. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:04, Mon 02 June 2014.

Alias?

Vanderan Shulz.

Durgin Khatzbaran then :)

Durgin? You really want the same name?

Oh.. and hadn't even realized that. I just figured it sounded dwarven :p

But sure, why not. He can't be the only Durgin in the world.

Fantastic post, Leon! I liked your "innuendo and subtlety." :D




No, but no need to make the narrative more complicated than it already is with 2/4 characters having the same name if you're not really sold on it. XD

Also, am I missing something about the dwarven remark?

No biggie if you want to stick with it. Just saying.

Posting from phone. Can't post tonight. Know I won't post tomorrow either. Sorry.

Meeshak? You around? Been four days. Just checking.

Sorry, work has decided to try and eat me alive lately. Posting now...

It happens. With the art auction at my mom's house yesterday, I got froze for the last two days as well. Today, I just did nothing I mean nothing. Slept until 10:30 a.m. Got up, ate, lounged around . . . Just couldn't put my mind to anything after so much work. So, yeah, it happens. :)

Don't worry, we'll get into the grove. :)

Again, I must also apologize for the delay. Sorry! XP

If the post was confusing, you've all been given your false identities (with the names you chose earlier). The people that you're replacing look at least somewhat like you with the exception of Meeshak, who will fashion an Illusion Disguise to fit the exact description as it appears on the copy of the invitation (the piece of paper).

You're all to go to Zuul (presumably at the Raven's Claw pawn shop), who will have your clothes, the same clothes the people you're replacing were wearing when they were killed and the invitation was stolen from them. Also, Martin is to give Zuul the invitation and copy of it to Zuul.

We all clear there?

Then, once you're all situated, you'll need to go to Lady Devonshire's house where the art auction will happen, pose as the people you're replacing by using their clothes and invitation, and steal the Tooth.

Obviously (I hope), you can't be there when the auction begins, because Dreadstone will have arrived by then and if he does, the jig is up. Dreadstone will know you're imposters, of course.

Sound simple enough? :)

I know you'll have a lot of questions and planning and things to do before you actually take off for the house, I'm sure. But first, you've been sent to Zuul. After that, you're free to do as you see fit.


Now, I have a question: What is everyone's physical description? I need height, weight, hair, eyes, and complexion, please. Anything else is also good. Some of you have given me some of that, but please give me a finalized version here. Meeshak, that will be for your human disguise.

gotta drive a lot today so I probably won't get chance to post until tonight..

I'll do everything needed then

It's 2 a.m., here. What time zone are you in, out of curiosity?

Martin is 6ft. 2 inches, and 120 pounds. He has brown, shoulder-length hair and eyes that are grey, hinting towards blue in the right lighting. And typical caucasian in complexion.

^You mean, "eye." ;)

Thanks.

I'm GMT (UK)


Leon is probably around six feet and weighs in the realm of 170lbs. He often wears bulkier clothes to give his frame a touch of masculinity. In addition, he likes to alternate between shaving his head (to keep away nasties) and letting it grow long; his hair is probably best described as dirty blond, but outside it will bleach to a lighter tone. Eyes are blue.

To add to the 'rugged edge' he likes to keep at least a minimal bit of stubble, but generally not long enough to qualify as a beard.

His complexion is light skinned and lightly tanned.

Great.

GMT? You're five hours ahead of me (CDT). I do most of my in-character posting from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., meaning 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., your time.

Also, I sometimes hang out as Sharpe on the RPG.net IRC channel: irc.magicstar.net #rpgnet.

Just FYI for everyone.

Before we get any further, a "gallery" is a wide balcony, wide enough that it needs supports, just so we're all clear. Used in my posts here, it's indoors and overlooks the floor below. Here is a picture of how the Quiet Lady bordello and tavern, where you all are currently, is basically laid out:



There's also bar under the gallery and stairs leading to the main floor on both sides.

Concerning my post, I hinted that thievery might result in losing a hand or getting the rope. Is this actually right? I can't remember if the subject of criminal punishments have come up. Except that Iridia and Frank got off light, when they just ended up in the stocks for their shoplifting.

What exactly is the penalty for 'refusing' durgin? Is there a precedent ?

Tomorrow, I'm driving from Illinois to Florida, making stops at friends' houses in a couple states. I will stay for more than a week. I won't forsake the beach to spend much time at the computer. However, my posting rate when not traveling should be normal. I can post when I wake up and before I go to bed, in other words. Friday through Sunday, I may not post, then again those same days the week after next when I return to Illinois.


It's come up before, but the original time I mentioned it was way, way back in Oct. 2008, according to a quoted post in my GM screen. I noted that the empire did away with the practice of amputating hands. However, when I read your post, I took it as an idiom, because the punishments they use are almost as bad.

You can be hung for violent robberies (highway stick-ups, home invasions, etc.) or stealing a horse or other livestock. Death is almost certain for commoners who commit high crimes against nobility.

The unofficial punishment for thievery is a severe ass-kicking, like broken fingers and missing teeth. Public flagellation is common. Branding a dot on the forehead is common for multiple offenses. Jail is common. The stocks and pillory are common. Public humiliation is common. Pretty standard stuff.

Treason against the empire and black magic, on the other hand, gets all that horrible medieval torture and stuff we've all read about.

The empire brought some order and consistency while doing away with many barbaric and/or superstitious practices. For example, no longer are people bound and thrown in a lake to see if they float guilty or drown innocent. None of that stuff any more now that the empire is around.

There are trials with judges, though commoners don't have the right to a free attorney and may languish in jail and nearly starve to death while awaiting one. There are established, written laws. The standing army also acts as police.

However, often, for poor commoners who have been caught red-handed, the sergeant on duty will simply doll out their punishment, such as throwing them in the stocks, flogging or beating them. That's socially acceptable and actually a legally protected practice (similar to "preponderance of evidence" laws in the US).

For every 100 soldiers there is a centurion. For every so many centurions, there is a prime centurion. A decanus or "sergeant" is often put in command of about 8-12 men, but are otherwise regular soldiers. There are all sorts of ranks other than that, but those are the main ones you'll hear me use.

One of the ways the empire keeps uprisings down and helps thwart internal corruption is by displacing fighting men. When the empire takes a place over, they take all their fighting men, swear them into service, and then spread them out to the distant lands. This also means the police are almost never "good old boys" and that they are more likely to take on nobility and organized crime with less fear of corruption or retribution.


After thinking about it, I'm not going to answer that question other than to say there is no direct precedent here. You'll have to use your imagination about how well you think Durgin will take no for an answer or Talk it out with Zuul.

I've thought a little more about your question in regard to a precedent for refusing  Durgin. First of all, I think you have enough IC and OOC information upon which to draw a correct inference already. However, I cannot deny you request for information your character would have.

There may very well be a precedent that implies Durgin will have you murdered depending on how you look at the big picture. Durgin is indirectly responsible for the murder of dozens, undoubtedly, and numerous scores of beatings, but it's not like you have any real details about any of those—only second and third-hand information.

There is no precedent of him harming your family/Dependents or using them against you. In fact, quite the opposite. He's always been one to take care of his own and do what he can to help with your families, to an extent.

Here's part of a PM I sent to Martin:



EDIT: To be clear, though, he's almost unknown to most members of the RC; Zuul does all the interaction with the street urchins. He's very hands-off. Remember, all the RC is at its core is a loosely-affiliated group of thieves who steal stuff and pawn it at the RC. Nothing more. Durgin has no reason to interact with RC members. He just owns the shop, which is a front for criminal activity. Zuul runs it. Durgin almost never steps foot inside.

However, and this is a big one, depending on how you might view Durgin's most recent behavior, specifically in regard to everything that just happened in Chapter V, msg #7, there may possibly have been a new precedent set.

I think that's all I can be required as the GM to tell you, and that's way more OOC talking about things than I normally like to do. The rest, you'll have to find out IC.


All right. I'm driving 1500 miles to Florida. I'll try to post whenever possible over the next few days. You may not notice any interruption, or I may not post until Monday. Dunno.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:43, Fri 13 June 2014.