Classic AD&D - GM- Cindy

[little_golden]

The word of the quest had spread through the Kingdom of Chilven and then through the countryside. If the stories were true a local magistrate had offered 1000 gold pieces for the return of his virgin daughter Saria.

The quest was simple enough. Travel to the Port of Zar (4 days by horse), then take to the sea for a week or two to the Island of Handova, then travel the Caves of the Minotaur to the secret city of Bala.

If the last information was true, Saria was being held in the Temple of Jalu, being prepared as a human virgin sacrifice.....

OCC.... I need a few interested players... I'll start with two and take up to six. I'll GM it ... no dice... just up to my discretion.... I will control the monsters and a number of NPCs. Get gold, magic, fame, fortune and have lots of fun frolicking too..... Be bad or good......

 

[poohlive]

I'll take this up.
Glad to see it up and running.
Let's see. How about a rogue human.
Onnwall is his name.
Not sure what levels you want, start with one and move on up, or what, but I'll work with whatever you give me.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Bah, I sold all my 2nd edition books awhile back, could this be third edition? And how do we handle dice rolls, honor system (snicker,snicker)?

 

[little_golden]

In any handful of bits and bites... there is always at least one nut.....


If you read the first posting it explains there is no dice. If you don't like AD&D don't play....

Smiles

Cindy

 

[Maka]

I'd be interested. Not sure what I'd play; maybe a fighter or a paladin. Do you want a fully done out character sheet or just a general description?

 

[little_golden]

Please make the PC as detailed as you can including attributes. I'm hoping each player makes a balanced character. Let's say the PCs can start at level 5.

Please make a history up too.

If you have a favorite fantasy gif that represents your PC please post it.

As soon as three PCs are listed with reasonable detail we'll start....

Smiles

Cindy

 

[Maka]

It's been a while since I played AD&D, and I don't have the books but I can make a guess at stats and such:

Name: Alea Thrice-Blessed
Sex: Female
Race: Human
Class: Paladin
Alignment: Lawful Good

Strength: 15
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 17

(rolled 'em up, honest! Well, okay, actually just made 'em up)

Appearance: Alea is angelically good-looking, with wisps of pale, honey-blonde hair cut short to her shoulders and clear blue eyes. Her body is slight and slender but still tightly muscled, thanks to years of sword play practise.

In battle, she dresses in full armour with a white surcoat over, emblazoned with the symbol of her god (what gods are we using? Greyhawk's defaults or just making up our own?). Otherwise she typically wears a leather jerkin, a white hooded cloak and tight breeches.

History: Alea was a foundling left as a baby on the doorstep of a convent, as was traditional with unwanted daughters. She was brought up with the other abandoned or orphaned girls in the kind but stern ways of the convent, and grew up deeply devout.

She earned her nickname in adolescence; the mother superior said she was thrice-blessed; in her beauty, her talents and her virtue. It was expected by all that she would take the triple vows of chastity, poverty and temperance and join the convent herself on her eighteenth year, but Fate intervened.

A darkness came to the convent, carried by an unknown sister of the order claiming to come from a far land. She was actually a disguised demon-worshipper and she spread her vile cult into the convent; converting, enspelling or sacrificing the ones who stood in the way. The cult was not so fast in spreading down to the novices and foundlings in the convent, as they were not seen as a threat, and this proved the saving of the convent.

Alea, alerted by a mysterious instinct, noted the growing poison at the roots of the convent, and rallied the remaining good sisters, novices and foundlings. Using holy magic and bitch-fight tactics such as only girl-school attendees' can know of, they fought back against the enemy within and triumphed, driving the darkness from the convent.

Alea might still have gone back to quiet convent life after this but for a prophecy made by one of the oldest sisters. She prophecied a strange wyrd for the thrice-blessed child; a life of adventure, battling the forces of evil. The order took this very seriously, and so immedietely advised Alea to go and seek training for this great destiny.

She sought and gained lessons in the sword from a foulmouthed, golden-hearted old swordmaster and now, after three years of training, punctuated by a few adventures, feels ready to take the fight to the forces of darkness

Personality: Alea is a little shy, especially around men, due to her relatively cloistered existence. She is emotionally naive but in many ways tougher than she seems, and is very passionate about her quest to fight evil.

Equipment: Dunno how much magic we're being allocated. Regardless, Alea carries a longsword, possibly enchanted; a present from her instructor, a shield, a suit of plate armour and an amulet that hangs around her neck (a golden circle pierced by an arrow; if permitted a +1 Amulet of Protection).


That sound good?

 

[little_golden]

It looks great!!!!!!!!

I suggest you just make up a god that she serves but I would like to know how she pays devotion and what are the symbols of the god.

I'll assign her a quest at the beginning. I may send it by PM to keep it secret. That might be a fun twist that different players have mixed purposes.

Smiles

Cindy......

 

[little_golden]

Capital City of Chilven/ Port of Zar

The Kingdom of Chilven was one of the smaller kingdoms on the eastern continent. It was a warm place, cursed by desert like conditions on much of its lands, save for the many oasis that allowed it the precious water to sustain life. The City was blessed by trade and the many merchants and pilgrams that visited the city.

Chilven boasted a large army to protect the integrity of its borders and the local ruling family. Though many towns and villages exists, the capital city of Chilven, boasts the most venders and is famous for the Temple of the Red Moon.

Walking through the city, visitors are surprised by the mixes of races of the inhabitants. Free residents and slave roam the city, its streets and alleyway. Law and order is maintained by the local city guard and by the elite palace guard.

Residents are all too familiar with their recent military conquest and the end result - the Port of Zar now being annexed to their Kingdom. A local step many had argued, a trading kingdom needs the sea to truly be a leading trading nation.

Many free ships travel to and from the Port of Zar. Merchants are a suspcious lot. They want to be paid in gold by passengers and prefer transporting merchandise than people.

Zar is a rough and compromised place still under military occupation. The native residents are resentful and bitter. Many of the women had been taken, used and sold as the spoils of war. Most of the riches was carried off as loot.......

A blind man sits on the dock day after day.............

 

[poohlive]

Onwall. Male Rogue
Human.
Lawful Neutral.

Str. 12
Dex. 15
Con. 14.
Int. 18
Wis 9
Cha 12

Six feet tall, with curly brown hair and dark piercing eyes. He wear a common explorer's outfit. Some leather armor, and a tunic over it. (green)

He was orphaned as a child. No mother, no father. Raised up in the streets with strangers. He grew to know a life of stealing and treachery. Now that he is a man, he travels throughout the world in search of treasure.
Very good with a crossbow. He has been practicing with it since he was a child. Nothing wrong with melee weapons, but as a rogue, he feels if he doesn't actually have to touch his opponent to win, all the better.
He carries, along with the bow, a scimitar and a shortsword. One never knows.

Loud, obnoxious in public. He feels himself, despite his position in life, to be better than most, and has no disregard to tell them so. He gets concentrated and quiet when in tough situations though, he knows how to buckle down and do the job.
Nothing wrong with looking good while he does it.

 

[Maka]

Alea worships Coran, Lord of Dreams and Sunlight; an aspect of the Allfather; the patriarchal god whom her convent was devoted to. Coran was once a mortal, ascended to godhood by the Allfather to guard the realms of sleep from demons. His symbol is a butterfly and it is common in areas where he is worshipped to hang paper butterflies over the pillows of young children to bring them good dreams.

Coran is very active in the struggle against evil; often sending inspiring dreams to his favoured champions. It is traditional for his followers to give a brief prayer or a moment of meditation at sunrise and sunset, his two most sacred times

 

[little_golden]

Like any port city Zar has a collection of sailors and soldiers. The victors linger in the taverns and whatever remains of the shops. The vanquished are now mostly older men, women and children. A number of the best looking women have been taken away and sold as slaves.

There is an extensive black market and the Thieves Guild is most successful. The plundering of ships, the reselling of looted goods and the ample pick pocket opportunities has been a blessing to the many rogues, brigands, pirates and other scum that occupy the lower quarters and tunnels under the city.

There is much talk of a young couple that set sail weeks ago aboard a fast galley. Such a beautiful girl, reported stolen under the nose of one of the ruling families and now to await the fate of a sacrifice to a strange foreign god.

But the locals just snicker, for she isn't of Port Zar, and their residents know only hardship.

On a side alley, in the lower quarters lives a prostitute names Dalia........

 

[Daroob]

Hello,
I would like to participate in this adventure, if I am not too late. I would like to employ an old NPC of mine, that I had used with a group of characters playing in a heavily modified version of the Dragonlance setting. As we are not there, I have modified him accordingly.

Name: Daroob Galab

Str 13
Dex 18
Con 16
Wis 7
Int 14
Char 10

Allignment: Chaotic Good

Race: Hobgolblin

Class: Fighter

Favors sabre, medium armors, crossbow.

Description: Pale green, fuzzy hobgoblin. Like all Hobs, he enjoys bright colors, often without consideration of anything remotely approaching good taste. He is about 5'6" tall, and weighs about 120 lbs. Anyone knowing anything about hobgoblins would assume him to be very young.

Daroob is the only son of a valorous Hobgoblin warrior. His father, Sithistok is strugling to show the race of hobgoblins a better life, and hopes to find a peaceful way to secure a place for his race among the brotherhood of goodly races. The reputation of his people, coupled with their violent dispositions threaten to thwart these goals.

Sithistok sent his adolescent son out into the world with a group of adventurers. It was Sithistok's hope that this would protect Daroob from the many enemies Sithistok had made in the pursuit of his quest, while still giving Daroob the opportunity to gain experience of the outside world, particularly of friendly races.

Daroob is at once noble in bearing, and clumsy with youthful sillyness and exuberance. He speaks with an accent that I generaly feign in text with exotic grammar.

 

[Daroob]

Oh, one other thing...
As I would like to contribute in a manner consistent with the enjoyment of everyone, what frequency of postings is desired? I.E., how often should I check this forum?

 

[little_golden]

Start

OCC:

Our paladin will start in the capital and the the other two are starting in the Port of Zar. Please start and make your way towards the NPCs. Just as important to the game itself is your individual posts. Please write "as if" you are looking and feeling through your PCs eyes. I'd like to read a lot of detail about the environment you are traversing, the people you meet, how you communicate (verbal and nonverbal). The key isn't to get points but to enoy the adventure and the relationships while it lasts....

Ideally post as often as you want. Beware of getting caught posting and having to wait for another player. At minimim please post 3 times per week unless you've advised me you are away on vacation or something.

As time goes on, you should be adding to the introduction page for your character. Please build the history, personality, likes/dislikes, etc... to add depth to the character.

Let's begin........

At any time PM me with questions....

 

[little_golden]

The trip into the city had been non-eventful for the paladin woman. Apart from the stares and gawking most of the
slaves and peasants had simply ignored the strange figure of a human woman dressed in a suit of battle
armor with a white surcoat. Although the armor made her look larger than normal, she was not particularly tall in the saddle and not seen as a menace to their health and safety.

"Another lost knight" laughed one of the travellers as they pointed at the woman.

"or a soldier-come-too-late for hire" laughed another.

"You missed the war merceneary... It's over" spoke a commoner woman dressed in simple brown peasants smock and black skirt.

The sun blazed down on the woman paladin. The heavy armor must have felt even heavier on such a hot spring day with the sun burning down. As she and her mount rode toward the main gate, she could see the guards where checking the coming and goings of visitors and residents alike.

....Welcome Paladin.... It's all yours to continue.....

 

[little_golden]

Daroon the Hobgoblin, had arrived in the Port of Zar that morning aboard the Galley Mars. The ride had been treacherous between the gails and the pounding storms. Alive and thankful, he half walked and half staggered off the galley for his land legs hadn't yet returned......

The docks were alive were sailors mooring and getting ready their boats. In the distance, a number of smaller fishing boats were already out casting their nets and hauling in their fish. Slaves hurried back and forth to warehouses as they moved packages of goods, animals and other transported goods back and forth from warehouses.

To the trained eye, some of the port city looked burnt out and was potmarked with damage from recent conflict. The locals seemed moody and an unusually large guard protected the port.....

 

[Maka]

Alea

Alea blushed, not just from the heat of the sun and her armour. The comments from the crowd flustered her.

Her horse, Beggar’s Wish, whinnied under her impatiently, and the paladin drew a gauntleted hand through his mane soothingly. The white warhorse had had a hard ride of it; all the way from Imirc, the little village where Blaen the swordmaster lived, to the capital. “Oats soon”, she whispered to him, “Lots of them, I promise”. He twitched one ear doubtfully, like a horse grown sadly accustomed to the lying ways of human riders, but continued forward at a gentle walk.

“Halt!”. Chilven, an aggressively expansionistic nation, maintained a strong guard force. Two of the gate-guards had dropped halberds to stop her riding under the archway.

“Yes?”, inquired Alea politely, “What would you wish of me?”

Despite the sword she wore and the horse she rode, she did not look dangerous, more like a schoolgirl dressed up in her older brother’s armour for some strange reason. The guards were relaxed.

“Y’have to state your name and business in the city”, said one laconically, eyeing her up and down as though her body interested him more than either.

“I’m Alea Thrice-Blessed. I come to the city of Chilven to fight evil”

There was a pause.

“Uhh… right”, said the first guard.

“You’ll have to do a bit better than that, miss”, added the second, who was older, helpfully, “ We have to write it all down, y’see”

Alea frowned. “Well, I’d hoped to see some of the city as well. The Temple of the Red Moon, the great bazaar, the spires and the domes…”, caught up in her own enthusiasm, she craned her neck as though she could see over the walls and catch a glimpse of the sights of Chilven already.

“That’s grand then”, said the second guard, slightly amused, “We’ll put your business down as ‘sight-seeing’”

The other one winked as Alea rode by. She fought down the urge to blush again, recalling knightly dignity.

Three paces forward and she was swallowed up, horse and all, by the surging city crowds. The streets of the desert city were packed with people of all descriptions and races, from beggars squatted by bowls in the shadows, to proud merchant princes all in silks and velvets, sitting in sedan chairs borne through the streets by muscular slaves. Alea caught a glimpse of a party of elves walking with uncanny grace through the streets and her breath was taken by their strange beauty and dignity; somehow making the humans around them seem awkward and dirty by comparison. But in another instant a new sight caught her eye; a stall selling illusions, deliriums and potions; a man juggling fire, a game of cards, played by off-duty soldiers over a glittering heap of treasure, probably loot from the recent sacking of Zar

“Exciting, ain’t it?”, a dry voice croaked near her ankle.

Startled, Alea looked down. An old woman stood by her horse, dressed in an odd, shabby leather coat with odd things such as feathers, black and brown tassels and heavy, unmarked lead medals hanging all across it.

“This here’s an exciting city. Not nice, mind, not even pretty, but exciting. I can tell you’re new here. I can tell by the look in your eyes. Pretty blue eyes, they are, ain’t seen much of the world yet. I can tell. I can tell”

“Who are you?”, asked Alea.

“They call me Guni. Mad Guni”

Despite Guni’s odd manner of dress and speech, Alea wasn’t worried by her. She had a sense of people, a half mystical instinct, that belied her apparent naivete. She could tell Guni meant her no harm.

“I don’t think you’re mad, Guni”, she said, “ I think you sound saner than a lot of people in this place”. She indicated the rushing crowds with a wave of one slender arm.

The woman cast a surprisingly sharp eye at her. “That’s very nice of you, girl, if a touch patronising, but actually they’re right. I’m as daft as a broom”

“I’m sorry, Guni. I didn’t mean to condescend”

Guni blinked. “Oh, it’s alright, girl. I wasn’t offended. Precious little offends me these days”

“Do you know of a good inn where I can stay?”

Gunni frowned. “The Caught Fox isn’t too bad. Beds are clean, food’s all right, and the innkeeper, Halron, don’t cheat you any more than most do. It’s down by the bazaar. I’ll take you there”


Half an hour later, Alea stood in her room in the Caught Fox. Beggar’s Wish was in the stables, enjoying a complementary feedbag and being attended by a stableboy Alea had coaxed into giving the horse a rubdown. She’d changed out of her armour and was just doing up the last button on her shirt.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she eventually decided to put on her white hooded cloak; light enough to be endurable in the heat and the colour kept the sun off, and left the inn in hopes of visiting the great Temple of the Red Moon.

 

[little_golden]

The night had descended across the capital city. For the most part the honest folk and merchants had left their stalls and crowded back to their homes in the city or beyond the walls. The guards had reported back to their captain the presence of the paladin.

"A woman paladin.... fight evil.... small like a schoolgirl..... is this a joke?" the Captain of the guard had chastised the two guards.

"No, Sir... she was for real. Looked pure as a virgin lamb... I'd have done her myself for a silver piece" suggested one of the guards.

"I'll advise the council... just in case.... might go stirring up trouble ... or causing a riot" replied the captain.

Elswhere in the city, at the Caught Fox, several men had warily eyed the young paladin woman. With a sly grin they had been monitoring her comings and goings and had their own little plans for her. The men drank beer, and after they saw the woman leave the Inn they followed her at a discreet distance.

"No armor... and maybe no sword either" one of the men whispered to the other four.......

....

Meanwhile at the Temple the High Priest Jennina sacrificed two virgin lambs on an alter devoted to his god.

"Let the messenger come... we offer this sacrifice.... guide us with your messenger....." the high priest spoke.

 

[Maka]

Alea walked through the crowds, feeling no whit less overwhelmed by the size of it all than she had that morning. The sweet smoke of sandalwood fires and burning incense guided her towards the Temple, down a long avenue of huge red stone buildings and statues.

The ubiquitious stall-owners and freelance hucksters were here too, yelling out with cheerful volume the qualities of their wares and services. "Pretty lady!", called one, "Pretty lady, buy a necklace! All the way from Zar!" Alea had to stare at her shoes to avoid blushing when she realised she was being referred to.

The crowds were beginning to thin as she walked down the avenue, although there were still enough to jostle her. Alea, good-natured to a fault, apologised even when it was blatantly their fault, and kept her cloak over her sword, not wanting to intimidate the people.

The Temple's dark red bulk loomed before her, and several men's footsteps sounded behind her, unnaturally loud in the almost deserted square directly in front of the building. With an uncharacteristic twinge of wariness, she turned to see who was behind her.

 

[little_golden]

The five men that had followed the young women were agile and quick footed in their light leather armor and short swords. They were a mootly group of human men aged 18 to 42 years of age. They followed the woman and blended in with the crowd until they reached the alleyways that led to the temple.

They rounded a corner and were surprised at the silence and the growing darkness. The woman had stopped. There was no sound of steps. She knew of their presence and now they would have to make their play. Scrambling forward and spreading out they moved towards her with drawn weapons.

"Come come... girl.... we just want to talk with you" explained one of the bearded older men.

"Will you come with us peacefully to the Rocking Mountain Tavern?"

 

[poohlive]

"That is indeed the way you do it."
Onnwall leaned against the side of a building now boisterous with life. The sounds of laughing and drunken singing even reached his careful ears. The night had not yet reached full potential, but there was still plenty of opportunity.
He just stood there beside the wall, waiting, and watching.
Every now and then people would walk out. Some of them alone, others in big loud obnoxious groups. He dismissed the parties, letting them to their evenings pleasures. When a loner came it, his eyes caught interest. As they turned to slits, he watched the man with perfect clarity.
The poorer souls were forgotten. If he saw tattered dress, or light money pouches, he would go back to his intent listening. He didn't rob from those who needed money. He only robbed from those who could afford to lose it.
Did it make it any better?
No.
He wasn't stupid. He knew he was taking money that wasn't his. He didn't pretend society had dealt him a bad hand, and he was forced to do this. Oh no, he did this of his own free will. If you are going to do something though, might as well do it right.
A man came out, with a brightly colored tunic, boots that looked like they had just been shined, and a drunken slur in his step. He mumbled something to the effort of a goodnight, as the rest of the men inside cheered his departure.
Onnwall didn't move a muscle. His entire body froze up in this position as he waited for the man to pass. Once he did, Onnwall moved with careful precision up to him, snatching for his money pouch on his right side.

 

[Maka]

"I'm afraid not", said Alea politely, "I have business in the Temple of the Red Moon"

Somewhat redundantly, she waved a hand behind her to indicate the vast, very noticeable Temple.

"Perhaps another time", she added. Her voice was pleasant, but still managed to convey the idea that this was a polite way of saying "Not under any circumstances"

 

[little_golden]

The folks in the Port of Zar resented their occupation. The main streets had soldiers and mercenaries scattered about. But people still thronged the taverns and alleyways in the heat of the night. It was sweltering and only a soft breeze from the water could cool the residents.

The man with the brightly colored tunic and expensive leather boots was late to an encounter of his own. She as waiting and he needed to hurry. Her husband would be back soon enough and he needed to make the most of his time. If only he had drunken so much in the tavern with his city council friends and they drank to better times and liberation.

The money pouch slid easily into Onwall's agile's hand. The man was none the wiser and continued with a hurried step down the alleyway. It was only a shortwhile later that he arrived to his mistress's hut in the lower quarter.

After some more wine and caresses, he positioned her on the bed and began to remove her garments.

"Don't worry ... I have to be fast tonight..... My wife is waiting at home.... Your sailor husband is at the taverns tonight but no doubt he will return....." the man soothed her.

He didn't care about her...........

After using the woman to his selfish pleasure he returned to his own quarters in the upper side. The servants were quick to help him on his arrival. He brushed them aside and hurried to his room. There he reached for the money purse... but it was gone.

"No... No...No!" he screamed out in frustration. It wasn't the handful of gold and silver pieces that drove him into rage. Rather, a small amulet of white gold with strange inscriptions.......

 

[little_golden]

"I'm afraid not", said Alea politely, "I have business in the Temple of the Red Moon"

The five men began to laugh as she spoke.

"Those priests couldn't protect this city from us and they certainly aren't going to protect you!" snickered one of the older men as they started to circle around smaller human woman.

"You'll never reach the temple alive" laughed another as saw her waving her hand towards the temple. He smiled at her honey blonde hair and imagined her with a wisp of white silk barely covering her charms.....

The woman seemed to have a certain confidence and arrogance about her as she spoke calmly without a hint of panic:
"Perhaps another time".

"No..no... wench.... you decide... you forfeit your life traveller.... if you refuse to yield to our swords........" screamed out one of the younger men.

The men moved within combat range of the woman. With swords drawn they moved towards her waiting to see if she would surrender or fight them.......