Ardenas looks relieved.  "Mancini, we need to talk about risk assessment."

Nodwin looks at Ardenas quizically.  His head angles slightly while he asks "What do you mean by...risk assessment?  I do not understand what you mean by this."

Mancini looks at Ardenas quizzically. "Ok, what is on your mind?"

"We need to do a better job of finding out what's up before we charge in."

He shifts his gaze to Kalima.

"I can't claim to fully understand your need to hunt demons, and you've probably been doing it longer than any of us has been alive, with the possible exception of that elf lady in the group that joined up with us.  But when you let hunting demons overtake any attempts at subtlety, you might wind up getting us mortals killed.

"I don't know what happens to you if some demon overpowers you and cuts your heart out or lops off your head -- but we humans would die.  Our spirits would be separated from our bodies and wind up wherever our beliefs and life actions send them.  And for us, it's permanent.  Forever."

He turns to Sederic.

"And what in all the Hells was that back there?  You acted like an ill-trained dog chasing after a cat that bolts."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:00, Thu 09 Apr 2020.

"I agree", Mancini said testily. "But when we have other groups doing their own thing, it makes it harder to formulate a plan of action."

He paused, grimacing as the events replayed in his head. "Too many chefs in the kitchen."

Nodwin watches the interplay between the two, feeling his young age and lack of experience in the moment.  When he senses a gap in the conversation, he interjects his comments a bit sheepishly, but honestly.

"That's probably my fault.  People respond well to me, but I'm a healer not a soldier, or tactician.  The floating magical shop was beyond what I had seen before, and most of my time there was just trying to get my bearings.  Instead of organizing my group, my curiosity got the best of me.  I saw all the novelties and that strange hunter type, and the distractions proved to be too much.

Now that we are all out, and safe, what are our current plans?  I assume we should examine the items we retained to make sure none of them are dangerous?  And then probably take our friend to the Hadereum."

Nodwin then leans his staff against his shoulder while he pulls out crystal ball containing a small castle with snow that falls when you shake it.

"This items seems safe, but I don't know if the image inside is real.  Maybe it contains another little room like the place where we just visited?  I would not have thought that an hour ago, but now I have to consider all the possibilities."

In his other hand, Nodwin pulls out a lightweight metal cylinder with a screw cap at the wider end.

"And I don't know what this does at all.  Perhaps I should unscrew it and look, but i was hoping one of the people with more experience could look at it first."

OOC Are there any markings on the cylinder?  In my mind I'm picturing one of those old 1950's cigar cases, is that accurate?

From his seat against the wall Jareth calls over to Nodwin, "Before ya begin unscrewin thing, maybe gather up all an give t'e ole 'Is it cursed' holy sniff test?  Yer stuff t'ere probably safe, but most t'e rest us non-holy adjacent types can't feel t'e weight t'e divine on stuff.  T'en t'e mages got t'e detect magic spell... say Nodwin, do you holy types got detect curse spell?  Be safer than havin touch everythin."

Indeed I can detect magic, but it does not always tell you as much as you would like to know other than it is magical.

Nodwin nods and turns to face Jareth, nodding as he does.  "You ask a fine question, Jareth, but I have not been graced with that ability.  I can see the hidden, but I cannot sense evil."

OOC:  It's not a matter of sensing Evil.  If you have Holiness* and you touch a Cursed item or enter a Cursed area, you immediately get a Per+Holiness* roll to detect the curse.  Not its nature, just that it is in fact cursed.  This is the same roll to detect Blessed Items or areas...

With a Theology or Occultism roll, and something to investigate (like an item, or an altar, or runes, etc), anyone can determine the general nature of the Curse, once they're sure it is Cursed.

And using Exorcism, anyone with Holiness* can try to remove the Curse, the long slow hard way.  This takes 3 hours.

Specifically Clerics† can pray over Blessed/Cursed Items (or areas) to determine the specifics of the Blessing/Curse.  This is how most adventuring parties identify Holy magic items... it takes 4 hours and a Religious Ritual skill check.  A critical failure while identifying a Curse triggers it on the Cleric.



* Power Investiture (Holy) counts as Holiness for any test that requires Holiness.
† I've seen GMs allow Holy Warriors who have Clerical Investment also do this.


For Mages, Magery imperfectly 'detects' magical items and shifts in the magical area.  And of course they have very specific spells for Detecting and Analyzing Magic.  They have no way to detect curses except to "Barbarian it".

After a moment, Nodwin changes his mind.  "I will try."

In reply to Nodwin Zideqick (msg # 825):

Clarence has a silver hand mirror, which he can tell is magical. His reflection looks pretty good.

Mancini has a worn leather wallet with a brass zipper closure. Inside is a greasy piece of wax paper wrapped around half a sausage.

The silver chased, velvet lined ebony case contains a diamond necklace that looks to have a base worth of $10,000

Nodwin's cylinder has something faintly off about it.

The snowglobe with the castle would be valuable for the quality of the glass alone, never mind the rest of it. The base has a plaque that says "Neuschwanstein" https://images.app.goo.gl/Rso7VrDhwrz1s92d7

Jareth's case contains a rosewood device inlade with silver, mother of pearl and ivory that looks like the stock of a crossbow without the bow. Also in the velvet lined case is a horn with a strap and a silver lid, a rod and brish, and a velvet bag with six spheres made of a strange iron.

In addition to the bracelet with miniature enameled shields, Oly has a slim black book, two scrolls and a wooden case containing a small fine silver knife, and a matching silver pen.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:49, Sat 11 Apr 2020.

After spending several minutes examining the items, Nodwin seems uncertain of himself.  He has never done this sort of thing before, so he really doesn't know what he's doing.  But, it seemed like something he should be able to do, and he was curious if it would work or not.  Eventually he offers up his opinion, although he isn't certain how much he should trust it.  "The only think that I got a sense of was this cylinder with the screw end.  It seems mildly off to me.  Do any of you have a feel for what might be going on there?  I haven't every tried anything like this before, so I wasn't sure if Vejovis would lead me on this or not."

OOC  Thanks for the pointer Jareth.  Nodwin has Power Investiture (Holy), and after a re-read your interpretation looks correct.  I always thought this was more a function of True Faith, but in retrospect that looks like a misinterpretation.  While I have been playing GURPs on and off for 25 years now, it still amazes me that I somehow managed to miss details like this. 

OOC:  No worries.  DF/RPG really recodified what Power Investiture is about.

Technically if Jareth fondles everything he could tell if it's got any Squid on it... and I suspect Aoife could lick everything and tell if it's got Bunny in it.  :P

gwythaint?  That's what four rolls (against a 17) when Jareth pulls stuff out of the leather satchel to see if it's got team Squid in it?

"Wow.  The shop was falling apart into nowhere, and you guys stopped to loot?  No wonder I'm always broke."

Mancini shrugs nonchalantly. "How else am I going to pay for my extracurricular activities?"

After putting his trophies on his satchel, Mancini looks over towards Johann, then back towards the group of motley adventurers. "Do any of you wish to join us as we deliver our guest to his new home?"

He shakes his head no... there were a lot of places he'd go before he willingly went to the Hadereum.

"We were hired originally to escort Kalima around town while she hunts demons.  That got us into this, along with summoning her back, well, because we'd come to like her.

"That said, I'm pretty much with you on Hadereum; I'll wait with you while Mancini, Aoife, and Kalima take this traitor to his worls to meet his justice."

Ardenas pauses for a moment, brow furrowed.

"I wonder what that Hunter will do now?"

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 828):

There is something very faint that Jareth senses about the sack of iron balls. Anyone else want to touch them?

(Or anyone else's  gear; wild talent doesn't give you the focused abilities that PI or magery give.

The Ymid has about three doodads; a small wooden box, a jar of eyeballs, and a peculiar stick like device made of shiny red material with a painted tin sphere at one end.

He is most interested in the bracelet of shields.. .
He asks Jocelyn about it, and she casts a spell...



[Private to GM: 14:10, Today: Jocelyn Lemru rolled 11 using 3d6.  Detect Magic   by 2 ]

In reply to Oly (msg # 834):

The shield bracelet is definitely magical.

Are any other items being examined?

In reply to Narrator (msg # 835):

"Don't know about you, but we were hired to kill demons, so I want to get paid." he sniffs, annoyed at how things worked out.

OOC:  Yes, any else want to fondle handle caress stroke touch Jareth's iron balls?

He will produce the slim black book, two scrolls and the wooden case containing a small fine silver knife, and a matching silver pen.
Jocelyn cast on each ...


[Private to GM:
19:35, Today: Jocelyn Lemru rolled 14 using 3d6.  Detect Magic - wooden case et al.     missed by 1
19:35, Today: Jocelyn Lemru rolled 13 using 3d6.  Detect Magic - Scroll 2.    just made it
19:35, Today: Jocelyn Lemru rolled 8 using 3d6.  detect Magic - Scroll 1.        made by 5
19:34, Today: Jocelyn Lemru rolled 18 using 3d6.  Detect Magic - slim black book.   Oh Ouch!   ]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:38, Mon 13 Apr 2020.

In reply to Oly (msg # 838):

Clarence will look at his reflection in the mirror he has.

"A magical mirror...what do you think it might do?"