In reply to McNealy (msg # 255):

Christine will try to stop him using Alchemist's fire, using magic instead.

"Save that. We may need it later..."

McNealy resists at first, but then when he realizes that she plans to do it with magic he steps back to watch.  "I feel most comfortable when we have a robust fire.  It keeps the predators away, and I enjoy it's warmth."

"We are not great friends of fire, but we need warmth as much as the next person -- and we can put it out quickly at need."

In reply to Evelina Grattan (msg # 258):

The night passes uneventfully!

In the morning, Masugatan gnaws on some jerky, does a few easy thug stretches and otherwise behaves like he’s starring in a commercial for Folger’s coffee.  But with swords.

Jednesa rolls up her huge fur blanket, ties it onto her harness, and the shrugs into and straps on her harness.  She checks to make sure her handaxe/mace is in place, and then sits down next to the cart to wait on everyone else while chewing a food brick.

Jednesa laments the taste of the iron ration, "Not as good as donkey."


If Masugatan is a morning coffee commercial, Jednesa is a primitive 'soldier gearing up for battle montage', ending with what soldiers do best.  Sitting and waiting.

The sisters, who've been up for a couple hours by sunrise, have already rolled up their bedding and packed up their things; once others start stirring they turn to breakfast.  This close to the city, they'll eat rations without bothering to try to gather or hunt.

"Holy Sister, it's good to be out of the city again."  The older sister turns to the other travelers.

"Do we need more water?"

McNealy for the most part is up with everyone, but off doing his own work.  He has potions brewing on his miniature horse, and needs to add ingredients before their morning travel.  In his experience, the movement of the walking horse is good enough to mix the less volatile potions quite nicely.

Once that is done, he collects his belongings, rolls them up, and has a ration until they are ready to leave.

In reply to McNealy (msg # 263):

Before everyone started noshing, Valerie had her pan over the fire, and with water and some seasoning, had made a bit of a stew.

"Oh, nice, Valerie.  Can you do that with a fresh-caught duck or rabbit?"

"What'cha cookin' Val?"  Masugatan's spice-craving nose leads him to the fire.

He laughs to himself as he thinks about how much his life has changed since an adventurer tossed him a silver piece in return for his services.  These days he was a classier breed of scum.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:31, Sat 09 May 2020.

In reply to Masugatan (msg # 266):

"Eggs, bacon, mutton, beef, fish, fowl. Hare is better that rat, had to cook that often enough."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:12, Mon 11 May 2020.

In reply to Valerie (msg # 267):

"Impressive. We should see if you can make created food taste nice next. That will be the real test!"

The canteens still full from last night, we should be good for water. Christine has Chris pack up the tent and bedding and put it on his back as she guards the others doing their morning rituals.

As soon as food is eaten, she is ready to move on.

"I wonder what awaits us today...anyone else have any enemies we should know about?"

"Jednesa begin believe nejvyšší Raniba sold Jednesa and other warriors to Great Army... but not see how that come up now."






[Private to GM: nejvyšší means 'supreme' and I'm using as 'master' in this instance.  Raniba was the Martial Leader who convinced the warriors to join the monster army.]

"Then perhaps we can make camp tonight with enough daylight remaining for Holy Sister and me to hunt up some small game.  Neither of us is much of a cook."

In reply to Evelina Grattan (msg # 270):

"I am not keen for anyone to be running off on their own, or even in pairs. The attack on Masugatan indicated that together we are strong, but I do not want to find out how strong we are or are not individually. But if you want to scout ahead a little to hunt game as we travel, then that is fine."

"As long as we're following roads or a visible landmark, we can do that.  We're neither of us great navigators, but we can keep track of a road or a mountain top well enough -- and we'd normally set traps for rabbits, squirrels, and the like while we sleep rather than hunting as we travel.  We didn't bother last night because we were still so close to the city."

In reply to Evelina Grattan (msg # 272):

"That is fine, we can set traps in the evening and then clear them in the morning."

McNealy makes small talk while he mixes potions over on his diminutive horse.  He throws herbs in here, some liquid in there, and then shakes it up by walking the horse in a circle.

"What kinds of traps do you use?  I generally prefer the live traps, because the meat is fresher that way.  What do you typically favor?"


OOC McNealy is chatty this morning, and he's well versed in traps.  He'll have a lot of questions to ask, and suggestions to make.  We can do this IC or behind the curtain, whichever.

"We usually use deadfalls -- you can make one from twigs and a rock or log, no wire or string needed.  As long as you set them in the evening and check in the morning, the meat will still be fresh.  We never leave them set longer than that."

Masugatan turns to Jednessa.  “Did you say they freakin’ sold you?  Oh man, I’d be out for big time revenge.”

Jednesa  knows that the nejvyšší Raniba is still alive, they are far to cunning to have been caught by men, and wealthy enough with the coin they raised as to have hired another army again...


Thank you for worldbuilding!
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:33, Thu 14 May 2020.

McNealy grins.  They think like he does.  The more efficiently you work, the more you can get done.

"My favorite is to use a deadfall variant, with a little twist.  Being that I have a certain talent for mixtures, some good old-fashioned stickum works way better than a log.  It locks the critters down hard, without all that lifting and moving. And it works when you aren't in the forest.  Maybe we can set something up tonight and see what you think."


OOC A couple things with McNealy, now that the customer is just about finished.  Most of this should be "common knowledge" from when he joined.  Still, it should be fleshed out since he has become a PC, and thus is a full character now.  I welcome GM or player comment, to find what feels appropriate to everyone.  A happy agreement would have been ironed out at the time he decided to come along.

1. He prefers to be addressed by Alchemist McNealy, or Tradesman McNealy. It's a quirk, and seemed fun to me.  Advertising, you know.

2. As a tradesman, I assume he was retained (way back when) as a healer.  He'll provide healing potions for free as needed to fulfill his part of the 'contract'.  We should probably include antidotes as part of that, when appropriate.

3. Specialty items (Alchemical potions, known formulas, or poisons) will be provided at some level of cost.  For people in his party it will be very cheap.  I'm putting this here to try and maintain game balance on behalf of the GM.  Please remember McNealy has to manage materials and inventory, where casters can use fatigue to power their abilities.  He has to think like a businessman if he wants to break even.

4. Item cost can be paid in coin, services, or materials.  Herbs are always useful because he can gadgeteer them, if anyone has Naturalist.  Monster parts, animal venom, and whatever else the group can harvest also counts as payment.  McNealy is a team player, and he'll give you what you need for a couple chickens if necessary.

5.  Since McNealy is very talented with traps, I expect he should have some idea of the various kinds.  Hence, I researched a few kinds of traps.
https://www.outdoorlife.com/ho...best-survival-traps/
Bait Stick Snare
Motion Triggered Snare
Fixed Snare
Peg Snare
Drown Snare
Treadle Snare
Squirrel Pole Snare
Rolling Snare
Deadfall
Figure 4 Snare
Pine Pitch Bird Cup Trap
Paiute Deadfall
Greasy String Deadfall
Toggle Deadfall
McPherson Spring Deadfall

In reply to Narrator (msg # 277):

"Sure, McNealy, you are welcome to set traps as you wish.

Jednessa, after listening, these enemies of yours could be a concern. Tell me more about these...nejvyšší Raniba. What are they, and how did they 'capture' you to sell in the first place? If we meet them, we need to be prepared to deal with them...please tell us what you know of them."

"Oh, like the way pitch or sap can capture an insect?  Even mice are too strong to get trapped that way, never mind rabbits, but if you can make something stickier than pitch, it could be useful."

OOC: Both sisters have Naturalist, as well as Pharmacy (Herbal); Her Holiness also has Poisons.  Both have Esoteric Medicine as well as a number of healing spells.  Between your potions and our spells, we should be well set, even with an ogress as tank.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:18, Thu 14 May 2020.