Completed [Play-by-Post] Magic World/BRP: "In Search of the Sorcerer"

[Wayward Son]

"My friend here saw a vision, presumably from his god, of where and who Una's kidnappers may be, milady and milord." He gestures for Rhenmyr to explain in further detail.

Spoiler

edit for inability to remember people involved in critical plot stuffs.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"Uvan was involved also. If anyone finds him, he is dangerous and should be dealt with swiftly. "

 

[Grimgravy]

"There was evil afoot in Crannogmere. The king's sorcerer was a werewolf and he infected the king and his household. We aided Brule in rooting them out. Uvan and his slave Rashid are the last of the werewolves. Sadly, they killed Fidach and kidnapped Oona while they were seeking safety here. Through Ymae's magic we saw Oona, Uvan, and Rashid captured in turn by a group of small green "men." We believe the green men to live near a giant oak. That oak is our destination; rescuing Oona our goal."

 

[nikolokolus]

Apologies

Sorry, I've been very busy with work, life, and everything the past few weeks. I will have a post up tomorrow when I finally have some time to sit down and do it right.

Cheers, til then.

 

[nikolokolus]

Segovax's face slowly becomes an unreadable mix of emotions, but Verica is clearly overcome with anguish.

Segovax clears his throat and breaks the long silence that has fallen over the hall, "This is a lot to digest, but if you speak truly then our kinsmen in Crannógmere owe you a debt of gratitude ... But you've brought distressing news for my wife." He motions to a man who steps out of the hall, "you may stay here for the night, but I ask you to confer with our Druness Ríona and the elder Ruarc; curses, werewolves, and 'green men's are beyond my ken. Perhaps they can provide some insight?"

With that, Segovax rises and makes a dismissive gesture before turning and placing a comforting hand on Verica's shoulder.

Hulticannos ushers you outside and leads you to the village common house, and a pen where you can leave your horses, "Make yourselves at home. If you would do me the honor, I invite you to eat with my family tonight. You can go wherever you wish, but take care not to enter the shrine to Cailleach, men are prohibited as I'm sure you are aware. If you want to properly take care of your dead companion's last rites the Druness will know what to do." He gestures to Mab knowingly.

Hulticannos leaves with a Curt nod and walks away, leaving you outside of the ramshackle, thatched hut that serves as the common house at the center of the hillfort. You glance around and see a cluster of single storey huts flanking Segovax's timber hall in the center of the village. Numerous thatched roof structures are built up against the log palisade that surrounds the hillfort. One structure stands out in particular, a low stone tower that leans at a drunken angle at the opposite end of the village.

 

[Siveon]

"To the Druness, then? We have a lot to talk about, it seems."

 

[L'ennui]

"We have much to talk about, and much to arrange for Ker. We have delayed his final departure long enough. Do we have any idea where we may find this Druness?"

Urash looks around, evidently not yet accustomed to the layout of Pictish villages.

 

[Wayward Son]

Seeing his friend's confusion, Mab says, "Come. Follow me." And then tries to find an area reminiscent of his and the other small villages he's visited where the Drunes would be.

 

[nikolokolus]

Segovax's longhouse is in the center of the village, the common house is near the NW gate to the right, and Mab intuitively made note of the large two-storey log building against the south wall, as you entered the village, as being the most likely place for the shrine (An antlered totem over the doorway indicative of Cernunoss, and a graven sigil of protection related to Cailleach Bheur on the double doors).

You walk toward the likely shrine and rap on the door politely, several dozen seconds later the doors creak open a crack and a woman garbed in a black feather cape and her face heavily painted in woad gazes out at you imperiously, "Egron told me there were strangers in town. What do you want here? Men are not permitted within the holy of holies of Mother Cailleach, and certainly not outsider men." She levels her gaze and draws the corners of her mouth down, and looks like she is used to getting answers.

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

Urash will wait for his more culturally acclimated fellows to answer diplomatically.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Segovax's longhouse is in the center of the village, the common house is near the NW gate to the right, and Mab intuitively made note of the large two-storey log building against the south wall, as you entered the village, as being the most likely place for the shrine (An antlered totem over the doorway indicative of Cernunoss, and a graven sigil of protection related to Cailleach Bheur on the double doors).

You walk toward the likely shrine and rap on the door politely, several dozen seconds later the doors creak open a crack and a woman garbed in a black feather cape and her face heavily painted in woad gazes out at you imperiously, "Egron told me there were strangers in town. What do you want here? Men are not permitted within the holy of holies of Mother Cailleach, and certainly not outsider men." She levels her gaze and draws the corners of her mouth down, and looks like she is used to getting answers.

Borric simply stares back at the old woman, as though he didn't understand a word that was being said.

 

[Siveon]

"Pardon us madam, we don't wish to break your laws by entering the shrine, but to speak with Druness Ríona. We seek counsel on saving King Segovax's niece, as well as helping us give a proper burial to our departed companion, who died on the journey here."

 

[nikolokolus]

Make a Charisma roll Siveon

 

[Siveon]

Charisma Check (95) vs [1d100] = 85

Spoiler

 

[nikolokolus]

Social Rolls

I've been thinking a bit about how to handle reaction rolls and this is what I've come up with. Just like combat has attacks and parries that compare levels of success, reactions operate in a similar way (aside from the Oratory, Fast-Talk, and Bargain rolls which involve trying to manipulate people in very specific ways; i.e. long arguments, lying/decieving, and haggling).

The basics are this:

• you make a Charisma Roll and the NPC gets an opposed Luck roll (since it's based on POW). Levels of success are then compared. As long as the Charisma roll is successful, the initial disposition can't get any worse, but failure's or fumbles can diminish an NPC's disposition depending on their level of success with their Luck roll.
• If your Charisma roll is a special success or a critical success, then you can improve an NPC's disposition by up to 4 steps, depending on the result of their opposed Luck Roll (Critical, Special, Success, Failure, or Fumble)
• There are 5 basic levels of response: Friendly, Amiable, Neutral/Indifferent, Wary, and Hostile. Most reactions will start off Neutral, unless there are racial/cultural differences. In this case Riona starts off Suspicious and has a successful Luck roll: Riona's Luck roll (85) vs [1d100] = 49 which means her disposition did not worsen, but didn't improve either because Marcán's roll was also a normal success
• Caveats: If you are trying to lie to someone, then you use your Fast-Talk skill vs an opponent's Insight skill. If you say overtly hostile things, then the reaction can worsen without a roll. Sometimes a reaction roll just isn't necessary; not ever interaction is critical or has consequences.

The woman arches her eyebrow at Marcán's words, "Maybe your charms get all of the pretty girls in your village to bat their eyes at you Kelt, but the women of the Dardanii are made of sterner stuff. But I'll hear you out." She slips through the crack in the door and pushes her way into the muddy track that leads away from the shrine. She turns and plants her hands on her hips, "Well, spit it out Kelt, what are you on about? Segovax has no nieces that I'm aware of, only three nephews by his sister."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán holds his hands up in meek defense. "Excuse my mistake, I am referring to Queen Verica's niece, Una. She was kidnapped in her village by a man named Uvan, and all we had on his whereabouts were clues gained through the means of magic that I am not entirely familiar with, along with a dream that my friend Rhenmyr here had." He gestures his hand at Rhenmyr. "We hoped you can help in pointing us in the right direction, so to speak."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac mutters under his breath. "Of course, very stern women. Exactly what my cousin is looking for." Cormac rolls his eyes at the crone.

 

[Siveon]

Marcán coughs, masking his chuckle.

 

[nikolokolus]

Riona sniffs a little derisively at Cormac, and shoots an icy star at Marcán's laughter, but eventually her gaze softens a little as she masters whatever annoyance she clearly feels and her tone shifts from haughty coldness to concerned confusion. "Verica's niece Una, taken by Uvan the huntsman? The Uvan who is King Talorc's loyal henchman?" She trails off a bit . . . "How do you lot fit into this? Have you been to Crannógmere recently? Is the plague over?"

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Talorc is dead and rotting, by far. This Bard before you, slew Blaidd Mawr. How we fit into this, well, does it matter?"

 

[Siveon]

"Manners, my friend. We are still strangers to them, speaking of death and kidnapping." Marcán turns to Borric, before meeting Riona again. "Yes, dreadful news, a legendary beast rose up again to attack Crannógmere, all in some plot led by werewolves in an attempt to overthrow the king, many of whom served right under him including Talorc the Sorcerer and Uvan. We were only there just a few days ago and helped put a stop to it, but Uvan managed to kidnap Una right under our noses. We know not of this plague that you all keep speaking about, but I suspect it was a diversion so that your village wouldn't aid Crannógmere. The only plague we know of was the werewolves."

"To find Una, we sought the help of Ymae the Witch who gave us a vision of little green men capturing Uvan, his slave Rashid, and Una and we believe their whereabouts to be near giant oak through a premonition."

Marcán takes a breath. "Right now, all we want to do is find Una, hopefully that's all you need to know?"

 

[nikolokolus]

"Ah, it speaks?" she says wryly to Borric. "What do you mean Blaidd Mawr or 'Great Wolf' (she translates the Pictish to halting common) and what's this about Talorc dead and rotting, and yes it does matter . . . very much Kurgan!"

She then turns and listens to Marcán recall his tale and her eyes go a little wide, before she recovers her stony gaze and seems to weigh his words for several moments before replying

"That is quite a tale Kelt and despite my better judgment . . . I think I believe you. I studied with Ymae many winters ago for a season, if you saw what you say you saw, that means you gazed into her bowl I'll wager? But what you describe is something that hasn't been seen in a very long time. Was this tree enormous beyond reckoning? Not simply a great oak, but a great oak, the likes of which would dwarf all but the mightiest mountains?"

 

[Siveon]

Marcán nods in thought. "Yes. It wasn't a tree like any we've heard of... except in stories."

 

[nikolokolus]

Riona nods slowly as if she's trying to digest everything you've told her, "That means we are in Convergence. I've seen hints in the stars that this might be coming, but I did not believe it had already come."

She inhales and exhales sharply before continuing, "What you saw was likely the 'sapling' of Crann Bethadh; A dark child of the 'Tree of Life,' corrupted eons ago by Darkness himself. If you believe the tales, it's said that the its foul roots spread throughout the Coedwyg Cyfnos -- the "Duskwood" -- to the west and north of here, and laid its taint on that place. Over the centuries many have sought the tree, either lured there by a promise of power, or to root out its evil influence, but the place is tricksome and is 'there, but not there' except for those with the eyes to see it . . . or on those rare occasions, when whatever glamour hides it, falls away (such as a Convergence). On such an occasion the geas that binds the foul creatures of that place diminishes, and it reveals itself in all of its dark glory."

She looks at each of you intently as if measuring your mettle, "If you seek Una and believe she has been carried there by the 'green men' then they are the curst fey of the Unseelie court; thralls of the Goblin-King who is said to lair in the Dark Tree. This Una must be very dear to one of you if you would follow her there. I don't mean to question your courage, but I would suggest you abandon this quest. There are very few 'happy endings' in the legends about that place."

 

[Wayward Son]

Mab looks at her and says, "While I value your counsel, wise woman of Dinas Dardanii, I will have to tell you that I will follow this lead regardless. I gave my word to Brule that I would find her. And my word is not something I Break easily. I will not abandon another fellow Pict to a possible painful death. I cannot speak for my friends here, however, and would not blame them for heeding the advices of one so wise as yourself."

Spoiler

Can I roll toknow what the Convergence is as a Pict?