The Gaming Den

"Well, that was easier than I expected. Ah blade of pain and fear... lovely spell..." Akarchin says, carefully cupping a hand over a wound and pressing hard but gently. "Don't think they'll be troubling you much more Nymon, they'll be more preoccupied decided whether they want to join us or kill us."

Nymon fades back into existence, his invisibility exhausted. He has a few new items in his hands. "Thank you for your assistance, friends. Your intervention was most convenient. Keep the crystals free of charge, and take this belt as well. It has the power to channel positive energy and heal injuries very slowly. It should last for a few months of moderate use, and the intended owner is now dead. In addition, a few scrolls out of my standard stock that you may find useful, plus another that could help in escaping future danger.

Am I correct in assuming that you are involved in the district security force the Voices have been planning?"

[Party gets a moonstone-studded Belt of at-will Cure Minor Wounds (burns out after a few thousand HP healed) and scrolls of Obscuring Mist + Disguise Self + Ghost Sound + Protection from Arrows + Unseen Servant

Also signal crystals]

"Thank you Nymon, these items should prove useful." Akarchin says, taking the items, "Yes, you're correct in that assumption. Looks like we have our work cut out for us, maybe we can talk at another time about what we'll be dealing with, when the group's all together?"

"Very good then. I wish you fortune, and may see you all again at some point in the future."

With a wave, Nymon extinguishes the runes throughout the shop. He then casts a spell that summons an invisible servitor and tasks it with dragging out the body while he looks for a mop and bucket for it to use.

A small group of Collectors are gathered over the bodies outside, and there are a few other onlookers.

Baldraxe shrugs nonchalantly and goes outside, stopping only to close the woman's eyes before continuing on.

"The group will be in touch." Akarchin says to Nymon, following Baldraxe out of the shop.

Akarchin then stoops to rummage through the woman's clothes for bits of shiny and magic*



*unless that kind of thing would get her killed/imprisoned

Baldraxe stops as Akarchin loots the woman's body. He says nothing but looks pretty embarrased for a guy in a gimp suit.

Akarchin looks up at Baldraxe, "Hey, I gotta eat and defend myself too, right to be respected ends with the heartbeat, I say."

Shokal's eyes have closed in death, and she looks oddly peaceful. Under her leather coat (reinforced with what are probably metal strips in the lining and runes of protection on the interior) are a variety of small blades and throwing weapons. Iron rations (a couple days worth), lockpicks, a few carefully labeled healing potions, and a set of small, unlabeled vials filled with black ooze stand out. A pouch contains a mixture of silver and gold coins, probably enough to live of off reasonably well for around a week.

The coat is obviously magical, as are the vambraces. Her gear is high-quality, but unadorned and plainly functional. The sole exceptions are a gold locket containing a picture of a man with leaf-green hair, including a large beard, and a silver ring with eyes inscribed on it tightly bound around one ankle.


The Collectors eye the pair of you for a moment, but soon shrug and return to their own bodies.

Akarchin takes Shokal's jacket and vambraces off, slipping them onto herself (putting her bracers in her bag for now) and pockets the blades, picks, rations, vials, and money pouch, leaving behind the necklace and ring. She stands, then thinks better and takes the ring as well, leaving mundane clothing and the locket for the collectors to pick up and heading back to the Inn with Baldraxe.

The return passes without incident.

{Alright. I'm going to give people a day or so to post if they want to do anything in the here and now, then probably do a timeskip forward to a point where several specific leads are open for investigation. I'm going to drop some of the PCs that haven't done anything for a while, but there's going to be an in-game reason for their departure.

If there's anything you'd like to see in the game or something you feel should get more focus, this is an optimal time to post about it in the OOC thread. Particularly, how much focus should patrol encounters get? There are a number of encounters that could be summarized, but if this stuff is fun, I could string it out for a while, dropping bits of useful information and loot and giving people an opportunity to learn about the district and its inhabitants in play.}

Back at the inn, after Baldraxe changed back into his armor, still masked, he speaks to Akarchin, "I apologize for being offended by your actions after we slew that woman. I tend to forget my home is rare exception in its disinclination towards looting the dead. Not since- hrm."

"Eh, you're entitled to your opinions. Around here we tend to be more... mercenary, left her the picture of her beau or father... or both... er, to be buried with. I was only concerned the collecters my beat on my ass, not real sure how they live, or if they even do." Akarchin says, sitting down with a mug of beer, "Any clue where the other berks of our little group are at the moment?"

{Ack! Sorry, looks like I left this thread alone rather longer than I had initially anticipated. I discovered Retsupurae ( http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Retsupurae ) a little under a week ago, and it’s surprising how quickly those 10-minute video clips can consume free time and vitriol capacity. I haven't logged in here for a couple of days.

Also, I started taking a summer weight-lifting class, and that means I usually won’t be able to post until after Noon for the San Francisco Bay Area during Monday through Thursday for the next month or so. Now, time for the fastforward.}


Over the next week, the party develops a better understanding of the area and gets to know a number of locals. There are more minor incidents during patrols, but nothing as severe as the portal monster or open assault on Nymon’s shop. Most are dispersed fairly easily when a large group of heavily armed adventurers express a willingness to involve themselves in the dispute. Many locals recognize most of you by name, and you know about the players in local politics {I’ll try and write down something about local factions in my next block of time if it isn’t already in the OOC thread somewhere.}

However, quite a few of the team drift away after the first few days. Whether because of inadequate pay, the tedium of the daily patrols when nothing happens, or simply distaste for the Hive, a number of adventures depart looking for better things to do with their time. Most memorable was the occasion when a group of Grey District natives confronted the knights and their associates about the disguise idea. The accusation that the entire “knight” thing was a smokescreen for their true mission of establishing a brothel “or something” and driving the local Jinkskirts and jinkshirts out of business for some insidious reason seemed to be offensive enough to prompt an immediate and mildly violent departure on most of their parts.

A few leads that probably bear investigating in the near future have popped up:

- The “Beast of Rattling Alley” has struck again and left a live victim, who seems to have left his work and retreated to his home. An interview might yield valuable information about what the entity is and how to find it.
- There’s an old, supposedly haunted house that nefarious types might be lurking in. It certainly looks spooky enough that the boss of Team Fear might have decided to move in.
- Someone left an anonymous tip allegedly indicating when and where the crazy Xaositects are going to strike next.

Also, the team got paid, and since the amount of money for this pay period was aimed at a group considerably larger than its present size who resolved two significant outbreaks of unrest, the split per person is almost what you'd get from a standard troubleshooter contract for adventurers of your skill level. The opulence, it is astounding.

{I think I'm going to declare this game dead. Perhaps I'll try starting something less ambitious here in the future.}