Setting: Fantasy. D&Dish.

Humans are the most common race and, consequently, own the most territory. Elves are relatively friendly, but tend to have a slight disgust for the lack of respect for nature and lack of trees in human lands. Dwarves just wanna be left to their thing for the most part, but aren't enemies of humans either (Some gruffer humans insist the dwarves know how to have a good time). Halflings are considered untrustworthy and piggish due to their seemingly nonstop eating.

Beyond that, most other races are considered "dangerous" by the humans. Some are tolerates (such as centaurs) for being friends of allied races.

Raichel is of a race of cat-like people who are considered related to lycanthropes, although they aren't quite lycans. Most humans, however, still treat them the same and don't think them any different from lycans.

Today, the setting starts in an ancient ruin of a forgotten city. Raichel is taking advantage of a nearby steam of fresh water and drinking from it.

  For once Joe isn't doing something that (hopefully, but who are we kidding most likely) doesn't involve violence or duplicity.  Mapping out chunks of abandoned real estate just because he can.  As ever though, room is left on the back for extra details such as listing what kinds of murderous wildlife hang around the area.

  He has higher up view of the stream, being perched on less fall aparty stonework.  Joe figure's he'll wait and see is the lycan knows that ancient yet difficult technique of looking Up while he scribbles down a few more lines.

Raichel is not looking up, though the fact she pauses and looks around shows she is either paranoid, has survival habits, or at least SENSES someone is near. She goes to a corner to use it as cover and hugs it before peaking around to see if anyone is around. But yeah... doesn't think to look up.

Brazen and unstealthy as ever, Mittens returns to her sis.  "Wussup?" she asks.

(( Tim said I can join.  Whee! ))

  Joe guesses he's just dealt with more Cave Spiders than she has.  Now THERE's something that will hammer in habitual vertical awareness... Even in an open field.  Though speaking of habits, breaking one Maverick like one now of being stealthy on principle.  "I suppose technically you found me.  You're right next to me now after all."

  Such habits would have been better to stick to, if Raichel was an overly hostile sort that could flying jump kick him from where she was as opposed to mostly reasonable.

EDIT LAND: Or... Whatever Mitten's was today, she was a lot more versatile than Fantasy DnD Darkthornes.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:26, Mon 09 Apr 2012.

Raichel is startled by Joe and seems to initially reach for Mittens as if preparing to stand in front of her defensively, but when she looks up at sees Joe, she just holds her ground, with a serious expression. "....are you here to harm us?" she asks.

Mittens is outfitted something like this at the moment: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/...476_4f7b5c5deb_z.jpg

"Oh hi, lurking-yet-gives-himself-away-in-a-calm-voice person," Mittens answers, looking up, seemingly much less on guard than the other cat lady, "My name is Mittens.  This is my sis Raichel.  What's your name?"

 Joe thinks the Red Magealike is used to this sort of thing.  "Hello, I'm Joe, and no I'm not here to drop rocks on you or anything like that.  I've just been poking around this place is all, abandoned ruins are visited with some frequency.  Just look at us."

Raichel says, "Coincidence... I haven't seen anyone else around. Thanks for not immediately treating us as hostile..." she relaxes some, as her arms slowly go down from defensive to being at her sides. She is still looking up, though, as Joe never climbed down. "So why didn't you try to run or try to drop rocks on us then run?"

"I think he was including wildlife in his figurings," Mittens guesses, "You know... drakes, fire beetles, dire wolves, etc, etc.  Even if you only include things with a language, it's still surprisingly crowded in 'abandoned' ruins.  Kobolds, goblins, orcs... the list goes on and on."

She doesn't offer any guesses on why not be hostile, though.  Seems the default attitude of all things that mill about ruins after all.

  "Because you seemd afraid of the fact that I might be here, and then at the fact I was here.  Not really the usual mindset of something ready to kill on sight over everything else."

  He nods in regards to Mittens.  "You run into enough Giant Freakin Spiders, and remembering to look up is never something that is difficult.  Provided you aren't eaten by spiders."   Now if the guy NEXT to you is eaten, you'll be checking ceilings and treetops and bookshelves and everything even in your sleep.

Raichel says to Joe, "Then come on down here." as she waves him over. "This stream water's quite nice and I'd rather not continue craning my neck to chat."

"A reasonable enough outlook one would think," Mittens answers, "But imagine our surprise when most humans assume our kind are bloodthirsty lunatics hell bent on chaos and evil.  Not often we get to have a civil conversation with one of your kind.  We've had more success with chatting with 'savages' such as kobolds."

  Joe shrugs, "Leftover nerves from our days without the luxury of fortified walls, most humans can't easily kill someone with their bare hands and teeth as a default trait like you could after all." Of course, that hasn't given much trouble to the halflings so who knows.

  He lowers himself to the ground.  "He said as he landed between two of them."

Raichel says, "Nobody's saying human fears of my kind are unfounded." she says with a slight bow to Joe, keeping her eyes on his. "Just saying it's... refreshing to meet someone who isn't afraid." She then lets her eyes wander to the map Joe was drawing. "What's this?"

"I'm a monster, rawr!" Mittens says with teasing grin and clawing hand gestures.  But she moves to be next to her sis so she's not flanking the guy... and so she can see the nifty thing that's caught Rai's attention.

  "If I couldn't selectively apply my crippling paranoia, I'd never get anything done."

  Joe brandishes Map.  "Work in progress, So many places on maps that don't have maps themselves." Unless you're the Module designer making them.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:59, Mon 09 Apr 2012.

Raichel giggles a little from Mitts' monster impersonation. Then gives Joe a bright smile, tail wagging. "You make maps? Is it a hobby or do you do it for a living?"

Mittens kinda blushes at her sis.

"Selective paranoia.  Handy skill.  As is map making.  Don't suppose this one is near completion?  Or...  just started."

  "Mostly Hobby, though I'm not above selling em when I can actually get some money out of it.  As for here, just the border of the place so far really.  If there are any lurking horrors I haven't found em yet, but I'll be sure to write any I find down."  You Are Here ->  So Is Dire Bear Scorpion.  A giant scorpion with an angry Dire bear for a stinger.

Raichel nods. "Well then let's explore together. If something dangerous happens, my sis and I can protect you."

Mittens smiles proudly and nods.  "Professional adventurers.  I'm a sword wizard and she's a thunder monk.  Deadly combination."

  Joe nods, "Stabbing people with lightning, and punching people with lightning.  I can see why.  I just shoot arrows like anyone else with a bow.  Not as many conveniently large spaces to do that from safely in tunnels and stuff as I'd like.  Not that I don't appreciate the assist, but I'm not interrupting anything on your end am I?"

Raichel hrms. "Not really, no." She then looks over at her sister.

"Arrows take down threats too.  So the assist is welcome.  Would you believe we were just here to get a nice cool drink of water?  Kidding."

  Joe shrugs, emote quota met for this post. "I'd believe it.  Gotta get water somewhere after all.  Though if you are indeed kidding, why were you here?"

Raichel says, "To explore the ruins. I imagine it's the same for you?"

Mittens snickers and nods.  "What she said.  And I'll take point."

She casts stoneskin and looks for a dungeon entrance.

  "Well, that's convenient."   This response applies to both catgirls.  Joe finally readies his Novelty Size Bow (because calling it a Greatbow just feels like bragging).  "Hopefully any problem that cant be avoided or talked through has easily shootable faces."

As the trio enter the ruins, the walls seem to be lined with glowing horizontal strips of light blue. Raichel keeps curiously looking at them in amazement. There are hieroglyphs on the walls also, often depicting shackles, jail, chains, closed doors and other such things of "locked" assortment.

"Huh.  Wonder what this is all about.  Maybe this is their subtle way of saying, 'It's a trap.'"

If she were an actual redmage, she'd be buffing the team right now.  Instead she just readies her sword.

  "That or hinting at lots of dangerous things only locked up just enough to keep them in one spot until we're around, when they break free."   Or, you know.  They unlock things themselves to go farther.

  Joe considers the glowy lines for any possible color or style coding, "Wondering it these are supposed to be low effort directions, or just to look good."   Dungeoneering skill is often surprisingly useless at deciphering dundeons.

Raichel shrugs. "Maybe they just had a thing for bondage?"

As they get deeper in, the glowy lines are all the light they have. Finally, they get to a room where there is what looks like a key in the center of the room, resting on an altar.

"Well it sure ain't walls covered in smilie faces.  Let's use a torch or sunrod in case this dungeon decides to turn out the lights on us."

---

OOC: Pesky off hand must be free to gain full benefit of swordmage shield gimmick.  Maybe the sibs invested in an everburning torch to save on long term sunrod costs?

  "Yeah, on that note let's not mess with that key that has somehow remained unswiped for all these years just yet.  At least until we get bored and can't find other places to poke though."

OOC: That's what lanterns are for.  Everburning torches are useless for Ranged PCs or Melee PC's seeing what's off in the distance darkness sniping anyways.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Wed 11 Apr 2012.

Raichel nods. "Good idea."

This room appears to be a central room. The other halls that lead out from here are lined with different colors for their respective glowy lines. Red, Green, Yellow.

"Eenie meanie minie moe...  Aw who am I kidding, I wunna go the red path!"

Mittens heads that way.

  Joe can't possibly guess why Mittens would want to take the Red path.  Because he can't see the narration to see that Red was listed first so obviously it's the first level.

  "I guess the budget ran out before they got to the Blue lines.  That way is as good as any other for now, yeah."

Or the fact Mittens has red text. Or the fact Mittens loves fire. Yup. However, Raichel knows Mitts loves fire. She just chuckles before following. To Raichel, all paths are neat.

The red path shows hieroglyphs of explosions and people bleeding. The hallway eventually leads outside just like the blue-lines hall does.

"Well that was unexpected," Mittens says, looking around, "Won't take long to exhaust our options outside fussing with the key at this rate."

Back inside.  Yellow path this time.

  Joe wonders what Yellow will be, the Hall Of Bees? Lightning Strikes? Angry Sun? Lemonade With Too Little Sugar?

  "Maybe the place was abandoned in search be less morbid interior decorating teams?"

Raichel hrms... "Or maybe the key is just the beginning of this ruin. Or maybe this is all there is BECAUSE it's a ruin..."

Yellow hall has depictions of people's souls exiting their bodies. There's also depictions of the sun being put in a cage...

"Cheery.  Next!"

Mits takes the green hall.

"Yeah.  Not every ancient ruins has to be full of danger and treasure..."

  "True, most of them just have Danger." It's hard to get excited about experience points when you don't notice them.

  "Otherwise it's just abandoned scenery, not abandoned ruins."