Homebrew tabletop game system thread the II

[Feralgnoll]

OOC:
So when you set up something like that, under conditions different from the ones they were taught to you, you have to ask why the tactics are like that, and whether it's such a good plan.

OOC: Rohal isn't the smartest or most military minded out there thus his plan isn't too thought out. He is used to working with a pack in this form. On the tactics part of it, if you are moving vertically towards and away from a point target you are harder to detect compared to lateral movement. It technically would be easier with one person due to less noise, viability, and all factors. But the point is incredibly valid that there is no one to watch my back, and in a "lone wolf" style I cant risk it. That definitely looks like a good read, I do love military history. Plus the battle developed so that the plan wouldn't have ever gone off, so at least we wont have to deal with the repercussions.

OOC: not to tangent to far but as unbiased people, would the thought of a Cthulhu style game set in Colonial times (circa 1760) be appealing?

IC: I would also like to return to this battle site on the return route to pick up evidence of the Dark elves.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

The svartalfven won that one with superior tactics really; in terms of skills and talents it should have been a much more even fight than it came out, but they basically harried the elven group, pushed inside their decision loop, prevented them using their strengths, bluffed a lot, tricked them into inferior options, and managed to do it almost entirely their own way.

They left one grave for the one they had time to inter- although this seems to have consisted of using earth magic to make a hole, rolling him in and then covering over with molten rock. Three dead bodies, one with an artillery bolt through his chest and two ripped to bits with claw and sword. Not much finesse there at the last.

Interestingly, all the elves smell slightly of sulfur, molten metal and fungus; if that's anything to go by, they may have been scouting, found a way into wherever it is the dark elves come from, and were being chased as they ran away- and there were three of them who did manage to run clear and were not pursued. They'll probably come back to see to their dead soon, all the quicker if they see a wolf nosing around the bodies.


Meanwhile the next morning, the rest of the party are doing what?

[Kaelan]

William's tactics tend to be slightly more primative.
Step one - shoot them with the crossbow
Step two - hit them with the axe
Step three - If this doen't stop them, run away!

Must be working to date as he's still alive!

Anyhow. Plans for the morning - track down and eat breakfast. Try to get the lowdown on the would be firestarter and wait for Mr Snuggles to make it back, hopefully with a return note. Other than that william may head down to the practise yard to get some sparing in - it looks like we're going to be in combat again in the near future up in the hills.

Also, whats the current bounty on the bandits in the hills, and do we have a rough number of how many groups there are. With Mr Snuggles noze, Larric's alchemy, and the rest of our skills we could probably clear them out by the end of the month. It would do wonders to calming down some of the immediate problems in the area (apart from the political fight for the barony).

[Simon_Jester]

Larric's still waiting to see what comes of the werewolfgram sent off to the verderer.

Other things on his mind...

-The elf's papers- no. He can't read them, he could probably find someone who can, but he doubts there's anything in them that was all that urgent. It will wait until later in the day, at least.

-Radulf! Someone's got to watch him. He'd rather it wasn't him, but he doesn't really want to rely on Eliska now that there's other Krylanyans about to give her even more ideas, William's already run off, and he doesn't know what Sir Alfred has in mind. He'll ask Alfred, though. If Alfred's decided to watch Radulf, then that leaves... hm, what would he default to from there...

-His own private affairs! Never hurts to plan for the future. Remember that he was a refugee when all this started. Now that he happens to be in a relatively major town that's in the process of rebuilding, assuming he's not busy guarding the southron, he's going to go nosing around to find out which (if any) alchemists are still in business here, and try to get a sense for how they're doing.

The key question he's trying to get an answer to, tactfully, without being too nosy and direct about it to his fellow alchemists, is: are there enough customers that setting up shop wouldn't just be a pointless waste of time, along with being an imposition on those already in business here?

This place is stuffed to bursting by carpenters, a business in wood glues and finishes might do tolerably well here, and he's sure Magnus in Byland will be overjoyed if he decides to set up a practice for himself elsewhere rather than horning in on Magnus's own market.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

The hall is still being run by the baron's family and servants- displacing them would be more trouble for anyone else than it's worth; although they are almost certainly using it's position as semi- neutral ground to listen in on everyone else.

Rumours about Caer Edric are flying thick and fast, although there is much confusion- travellers passing through picking up various garbled versions form the garrison.

The assassin is a known local troublemaker, who on being put to the question implicated the baron's half- brother, the constable's right hand man, and three undersheriffs- one of whom is Ridebert Norden, a relation of Alfred's.

Finding someone organised enough to pay out is the hard part; for a man with no specific crimes to his name, it's twenty copper pieces, known individuals are more- there are at least two renegade knights named, one with a reward of twenty-five and one with a reward of thirty silver pieces. That's house prices, or getting on for.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Ah, right, Larric; the short version is yes, very much so. There was a court alchemist who vanished with the Baron, and on the assumption that he's dead, some of the people Larric ends up talking to mention that the court alchemist's job was antidotes- day in, day out, healing salves, poison antidotes, potion antidotes, antidotes for people who had overdosed on antidotes- bit of a one note job, and involved playing with a lot of explicitly poisonous things, and dealing with some quite poisonous people. No names, though, they're careful about that.

A lot of the wood related things are really simple stuff that's more cookery than alchemy, pitch and so forth, and usually done by the lords and merchants who have the timber in the first place. They may need an alchemist from time to time for process and quality control, but it wouldn't be a steady job. Setting up for yourself would need just that- setting up, a premises and a lot more equipment than can be fitted on the back of a mule. Adventuring for startup capital?

Away from the industrial side, it makes more sense- there are more than enough people to serve and not enough alchemists to do it; there is sort of a guild, but it doesn't exactly have a guildhouse, there being just about enough of them to fit round a pub table- you can find the pub but not the people, they're all busy. The apothecaries are crying out for pills and potions, the veterinary side's the same, the priests are being demanding- there's apparently a severe incense shortage- the number of people who want something to help them sleep approaches a hundred percent.

Trade, not so much, people yes.

[Simon_Jester]

IC:

Startup capital would be nice. His arrangement with Magnus involved something a bit too close for comfort to a second apprenticeship- a long stint of work in which he wouldn't see much of the profit, and putting together the capital for an independent operation could have taken him a long time. It beat trying to start over in Peredburh as far as he was concerned, and that was about the only reason he was trying to swing it.

Something to think about. All right, then. First priority will be for him to find some place to stow what equipment he has so that it won't get lost or stolen. That means he can ditch the pack mule, which is a liability if he has to do more traveling. A few packs of equipment would be a bit big for a safe deposit box, even if they existed, so alternatives are called for. Obvious candidates:

One, the temple complex. I'm not entirely clear on whether there are separate buildings for the various gods, something like a scaled-down version of what you described in the last thread, for the temple district in Auvaine City (probably complete with some of the buildings being demolished). I'd think so, since from the sound of it this is probably the biggest city in thirty to fifty miles.

As a craftsman looking for a minor form of succour, the logical place to check is with the priest(s) of Ikhran- talk to them, explain that he's looking for is a disused corner in a building secure from thieves and other roguish characters, and how would he go about arranging that?

Two (and one may lead directly to two), a fellow alchemist, one of the... what, 4±2 in town. He'd be willing to let someone else use the equipment, so long as there's some guarantee it'll still be there when he comes back looking for it. If that or something close to it is fair compensation for storing it safely, good. If not, time to do some more bargaining.

OOC:

Larric's idea of glues could escalate a bit above the typical cookery. Once set up doing- well, whatever, he might very well start fiddling on the side, reasonably confident of finding something interesting. Alchemy is so recipe-based, there's a lot going on beneath the surface, low-hanging fruit for someone with an idea what they're doing.

There wouldn't happen to be a coal seam about, would there? Bituminous shale? Never mind, don't answer that, that's a problem for later.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

The temple complex in the castle is one large building, with what are almost sub- buildings, wings inside it for each of the gods; bit like the stalls at a convention except larger, not as smelly, and made of stone- has to be, especially in a town largely of wood, this is most people's refuge from fire.

Security is relatively hard to come by, under the circumstances; too many displaced people crowding into each other's space, too little effective law with the authorities all more or less openly at each other's throats. In that inn Larric's fairly sure he overheard a couple of thieves complaining about it- that it was bad for business.

Divine retribution still counts for something, and the goodwill earned by those of the religious that actually tried to do something useful probably more. There are temples in the town as well- question is, whether you're safer at, or away from, the castle?


For coal, the people to talk to are glassblowers. As wood- oriented as this town is, it gets by fairly well on burning that and charcoal; most smithing can be done with coal or charcoal, the only thing (short of actual steam- age metalbashing) you really need higher temperatures than a charcoal fire can give, and you have to go to proper coal for, is working in glass. They'll know where it can be got and who to buy it in from- and their ovens are fairly distinctive, there is a glassworks on the windward edge of town.

[Simon_Jester]

I figured that the unsettled conditions

Temples- again, Ikhran would seem like the way to go. The castle complex seems to be especially densely packed; a temple in the city might be a better choice, but he'd have to check it out to know.

Thinking about it, alchemical equipment is valuable, but bulky and fragile compared to something like jewelry. And it's got limited resale value- most of it is only useful to another alchemist. So advantage of dealing with the city's alchemists directly is that 'they know that he knows that they know,' as it were: that if one of them buys a suspiciously familiar-looking retort from a dodgy individual, Larric may come looking for it.

Larric's inclined to try going to the alchemists directly and see if he can make some kind of arrangement for storage with them. Bargaining time- he puts together an itemized list of what he's got. He's happy to agree to use of any of the pieces of equipment that would be helpful while he's away, as an opening offer. If he has to trade away off one or two items, a small percentage of the total value, he can live with it.

[Panzersharkcat]

In the meantime, Alfred prepares a eulogy for the fallen.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Ahem.

The assassin is a known local troublemaker, who on being put to the question implicated the baron's half- brother, the constable's right hand man, and three undersheriffs- one of whom is Ridebert Norden, a relation of Alfred's.

Eulogies may be advisable- I had high hopes for the character, at least- but there is a definite call on Alfred's time and energy here. The baronetcy of Norhowe, in the family's keeping, is not so far from here- southeastern edge of the lower foothills on this side of the Orhan Hills, closer to Auvaine City than to Qulan, but still a reasonable place to run into kinsmen, or expect to do so.

Ridebert is a cousin, not desperately close but known, and appears to be in significant trouble at the moment, if the rumours flyng round the castle are anything to go by.

[Panzersharkcat]

The eulogy is finished, to be delivered when everybody is together again. He gets up, aching a bit, and gets on with what he needs to do. As he leaves, he hears the rumors involving his cousin. While they aren't close by any means, he rushes off to find him. If asked about seeing Ridebert, he will rattle off his usual reply of "I am Alfred Norden, son of Friedrich Norden, baronet of Lillehammer." and demand to see his cousin.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

I'd forgotten you'd actually come up with a name for the baronetcy- and ironically it is in a place where the skiing is good. Ridebert- couple of years older than Alfred, not as broad across the shoulders, but few are, and could run up and down hills all day long- is probably to be found somewhere in the keep; Alfred heads for there.

Lots of people would like to stop him, but he's a new face, an unknown, and nobody takes the risk of stopping him and offending all the others. the "great Hall" has all sorts of living spaces and chambers built into it, it isn't just one big room, and in normal times the barony was more or less administered from all the side wings and sub- halls and other odds and ends. Bailiff's likely in there, and the place is surrounded by his and the chancellor's men, glaring at each other.

The constable, the sheriff and a handful of the verderer's men who he left behind to keep an eye on things have the keep, and as an undersheriff Ridebert is likely in there.

So are the dungeons- but he's not in them; he and a score of other men are sitting round one of the large tables in the castle's first floor hall, arguing. He still has his sword, is evidently not under arrest- although that is what they're arguing about. He breaks away quickly, runs to Alfred, grabs him and tries to swing him round, in a friendly way, but Alfred's bigger than he is.

Ridebert looks as if he's put on weight, overall, but lost a lot of it recently; too many worry lines, too, for someone only a couple of years older than Alfred. 'Good, a fresh mind, maybe you can help find the truth. I did not hire an assassin to disrupt the succession, I swear- but unfortunately it looks very much as if I did.'

[Panzersharkcat]

He embraces him in a big hug. With a hand on Ridebert's shoulder, he says, "I believe you, cousin. Please, start from the beginning. I want to hear it from you and not from the mouths of rabble."

[Simon_Jester]

OOC:

While I would dearly like to think your cousin's telling the truth, this could get especially interesting if Ridebert's lying...

[Panzersharkcat]

(OOC: That will be why he'll try to grab some other people who are more investigation-savvy later. He'll still interrogate, as he has the highest interrogate score. I think he has the highest intimidation score, too. If evidence points towards dear cousin, prepare for Alfred's best Batman impression. Well, the best that can come from a world without Batman.)

[Simon_Jester]

Remember, Interrogate is Temper-based: it's a singularly unsubtle way to go about getting information, and might be situationally inappropriate. I don't know what to make of that, though.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

'There isn't really a short version, but the very beginning goes back a few years into old politics- best start with the summer. When the King managed to cock it up- trust me, it's quite safe to speak thus, there are no ultra- royalists here- and summon an army of men who had been dead a century, you know how it went. deMarail up at Karvalheim loyal to the office but contemptuous of the man, Kardren at Carfax openly hostile to both but willing to take the king's shilling to persecute his neighbours, the Count conspicuous by his silence, and us...somewhere in the middle.

The sides that we've all ended up on now are the same sides that we started out on then; same alliances, same friendships, same under the table deals. It's the easiest way to make sense of this. It also means I'm in danger of being hoist by my own petard.

Baron deVerett has mistresses, a dead wife, too damned many cousins and half and step brothers, but no clear succession, not one that puts the leadership in the hands of someone fit to lead. There's a table of precedence, but half his close kin are glorified yeomen and the other half backstairs schemers.

I've been one of the loudest saying that it was no way to run a barony, that deVerett enjoys having people hanging on his every word, needing him, much more than he understands he needs- or needed- people he can trust to do their jobs properly- lordship but no leadership. I was in danger of being sacked anyway.

I know, disloyal words, goes against everything about good governance, but give me a man to follow I don't need to talk like this about. At least we are rid of him, although not in a way anyone could have wanted. You notice who's been accused? Pushy seconds in command, malcontents like me, fellow troublemakers.

Men- and Dame Andrea- who the old core of baron's men don't want confusing the issue with things like chivalry. It stinks of a setup, a scheme to keep the prize within the circle of the baron's lackeys and to hell with the actual situation, with the rest of us.

The worst of it is that this accusation is believable, because I have said we'd be better off without them, I do know the toerag arrested, and people do at least believe that I could lose my temper badly enough to set something like that up.'

[Kaelan]

If you want assistance in interrogation let William know. He will require an upfront fee to cover the acquisition of the basics (oil, pliers etc). He’ll also want to know what you want the confession to be.

Oh – he’s family.
In that case, either double the fee, or try the gently art of persuasion – depending on what you want to do and how close you are.

OOC
Skill point spend as follows:
1 point stealth; 1 point X-bow, 1 point Axe, 1 point resist magic, 1 point tracking.

Back IC
When William has finished with his morning training routine, he will try to find out what’s been happening over the mid-day meal with the rest of the castle staff. In-between he’ll check that nobody has either freed of killed Radulf. He’ll also try to find out if Radulf has had any visitors in the interim.

[Simon_Jester]

Hmm.

Crap.

Actually- Alfred went off to do other things. Remember the conditional statement here?

So Larric would have been watching Radulf in the morning, not going out looking for a place to stow his gear, he'd have to do that in the afternoon. Perhaps William can relieve him of guard duty then?

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

Depends- what's Eliska been up to?

If you want shot of him, the logical people to hand Radulf over to are the sheriff and his men, at least in normal circumstances they would be. Otherwise, Tamarin's handful of retainers (two long bowmen and five foot soldiers) can probably keep him in check, and are standing watch and watch anyway.

Mid day is about the earliest Rohal could be expected back; it's tense in the great hall, people trying to stagger their times so they don't come across personal enemies while both have knives in their hands, and not always succeeding; a lot of them are glaring daggers at each other, but at least not yet throwing daggers- although all it would take is an idiot to kick something off.

Someone who may be that idiot walks in. Armoured, of rank but looks a bit wandered, bit bertie wooster, upper class without the backbone that should go with it, an he's holding a rock.
'Just had the oddest experience. A man rode up to me, stopped a couple of hundred yards away. Dressed as one of the king's heralds, no less.
Shouted something from too far away to hear, and threw this at me. Well, you can't be having with that sort of thing, herald or not, so I went after him and found this rock, with a bit of parchment tied round it.'

Anyone doing anything to him?


That reminds me- admin note; I'll be in a field for a few days very soon, now looks as if it's going ahead, Wednesday through to Saturday, down in York for the festival. Tomorrow, then out of contact for a few days, back Sunday, unless I can find some late night internet cafe or something. Hopefully.

[Simon_Jester]

Depends- what's Eliska been up to?

If you want shot of him, the logical people to hand Radulf over to are the sheriff and his men, at least in normal circumstances they would be. Otherwise, Tamarin's handful of retainers (two long bowmen and five foot soldiers) can probably keep him in check, and are standing watch and watch anyway.

In normal times, we'd have been able to get Radulf safely clapped in a dungeon by now... by the baron.

If Tamarin's men are possibly available to do it, he'll ask- assuming he catches it before Tamarin goes to sleep, at which point he has a problem unless he can arrange it with them on the side. He'd try to persuade them, though- he really isn't a good prison guard by temperament and has other things he'd rather be doing

Larric doesn't really trust Eliska to watch Radulf alone; he no longer knows what she'll do next.

Mid day is about the earliest Rohal could be expected back; it's tense in the great hall, people trying to stagger their times so they don't come across personal enemies while both have knives in their hands, and not always succeeding; a lot of them are glaring daggers at each other, but at least not yet throwing daggers- although all it would take is an idiot to kick something off.

Someone who may be that idiot walks in. Armoured, of rank but looks a bit wandered, bit bertie wooster, upper class without the backbone that should go with it, an he's holding a rock.
'Just had the oddest experience. A man rode up to me, stopped a couple of hundred yards away. Dressed as one of the king's heralds, no less.
Shouted something from too far away to hear, and threw this at me. Well, you can't be having with that sort of thing, herald or not, so I went after him and found this rock, with a bit of parchment tied round it.'

Anyone doing anything to him?

Larric's out, one way or the other- watching Radulf, or out on business.

That reminds me- admin note; I'll be in a field for a few days very soon, now looks as if it's going ahead, Wednesday through to Saturday, down in York for the festival. Tomorrow, then out of contact for a few days, back Sunday, unless I can find some late night internet cafe or something. Hopefully.

Have fun! Get some sleep in there too, if possible.

[Eleventh Century Remnant]

After having the situation explained, although she might not have taken it all in, she agrees; Tamarin's retainers are guarding Radulf, a sound deal is possible with Maker (the appropriate term for a senior priest of Ikhran, as Father is for christians) Eli Wright, the temple being right on the lake shore and more than half boat yard. Lots of alchemy required there, and after a few questions- how much space do you need, you don't do sudden explosions, do you? Larric gets pointed towards a large shed.

Recently used by refugees who moved out into one of the new houses thrown up, it's still a bit cluttered and hasn't been swept out properly, but it's dry and watertight, and there's a ring of large flat stones in one corner that could be used as a fireplace. 'Don't worry about the money for now- I might need your help from time to time though.'


William's been wandering round listening and is now in the great hall, Eliska's been doing- what? Rohal's out in the broken ground- moving on from the scene of the fight?

Alfred's getting odd looks from the rest of the hall as Ridebert says all of that, from the sheriff in particular.

And there is a man with a rock with a sheet of parchment wrapped around it.

[Kaelan]

If Larric needs a break from watching Radulf, william will step in. I promise to return him in the same state that he was delivered in.

[Feralgnoll]

OOC: Has Rohal delivered the message? Also long term goals for Rohal would be to make a series of safehouses for travelers to stay at during their travels, in addition to hunting down members of his kind who embrace their dark desires.