(TFT) Lurker's copy, Solo-Quest pbem Turn-1

["Mack Brewer" <mbrewer@psphalifax.ns.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mack Brewer <mbrewer@psphalifax.ns.ca>
To: Justin <grabowski@erols.com>
Cc: Mack <mbrewer@psphalifax.ns.ca>; Patrik <Patrik.Ohagen@eu.pnu.com>;
Pasha & Rick <pnrsmith@istar.ca>
Date: Monday, August 23, 1999 4:21 PM
Subject: Solo-Quest Turn-01 results!


>
>Solo-Quest Turn-01 results
>August 23, 1999.
>
>358 ATL, month of Planting, day 6th
>
>    The next morning, you awaken feeling refreshed and much more confident
>in your mission after having sorted things out in your mind last night. You
>remember Master Fenolan of the Fighter's Guildhall mentioning the Duke's
>preference for hiring already formed units. You have decided that the first
>item on your agenda will be to recruit a trusty band of adventurers so that
>you may present yourself to the Duke as leader of a diverse and talented
>band
>of warriors, and not just as a solitary priest of a relatively unknown
>faith.
>You feel certain that your ability to recruit such a force in the short few
>days you've been here will impress him with your drive and leadership
>ability.
>
>    Panem shows up from wherever he vanishes to when he isn't with you and
>you quickly fill him in on your plans to form a scouting party and offer
>your
>services to Duke Verron. He seems somewhat less than thrilled with the idea
>of leaving "the big city" to go running around the wilderness looking for
>trouble, but is willing to follow your lead. He does seem to withdraw a bit
>at the thought of leaving his audience behind but you assure him his
playing
>will be an invaluable aid to party morale and he perks up at the thought of
>being the only bard for miles around. He also thinks he may know a few
>places
>"off the beaten path" so-to-speak to spread the word of your recruiting to,
>if you don't mind the thought of a few "rogues" tagging along.
>
>    You take some time to consider his words (and what he left unsaid as
>well)
>and finally tell him to go ahead and see what he can do, based on the
>following priorities. You stress to him that you are looking first for a
>couple of tough, strong warriors that are well-equipped with their own
>weapons and armor, the heavier the armor the better. After that, you'd like
>to have a couple of skilled archers to back them up.
>    You also tell him to pass on that you will be at the Brave Lion Inn all
>afternoon to review applicants and he should have them come here. You don't
>think that Panem's sources will be able to come up with any decent wizards
>or
>healers but you mention that need as well. Panem takes off and says he'll
>spread the word around and see who turns up. He'll be back as soon as he
>can.
>
>    While you are sipping your ale and trying to decide which guildhall to
>visit first, your attention is drawn to a young man in plain robes who just
>entered the Inn. He scans the Inn and his eyes seem to lock onto you as he
>heads straight to your table, makes a short bow and introduces himself to
>you
>as Kwai Chang.
>
>    He says, "Sensei Yoshi told me that I was in need of more experience
>than could be gained from living inside the temple walls, and that he
>believed
>you could solve that problem for me as you were soon to be heading South to
>scout against the Orcs and would be recruiting companions for the mission."
>    "Sensei Yoshi also says that you require the presence of a skilled
>healer
>and I am a most humble follower of the healing arts, thus could be of
>service
>to you."
>    "Sensei Yoshi also says that he believes this could be a journey
towards
>great inner peace and knowledge, especially if we were to succeed in
opening
>up
>safe access to the ocean and be able to return home to Nippon with word of
>your
>civilization."
>
>    Kwai hesitates, then grins at you and says, "and lastly, Sensei Yoshi
>says that I say 'Sensei Yoshi says' far too often for my own spiritual
>development and must learn to stand on my own and stop simply repeating
>what Sensei Yoshi says", in other words, "Get out and don't come back until
>you've accomplished something besides parroting my every word!", and with
>that blessing to speed me on my way, he directed me to your service, if you
>will have me?", he asks hopefully.
>
>    This was a bit too good to be true and too convenient by far, you
>think, as you mull over his words. The "Willow Way Church of Inner Peace"
>was first on your just-made list of places to go this morning and now it
>seems that Sensei Yoshi knows your every move, even before you do.
>    Had he really divined your plans and sent someone to you on his
>own?
>    Hhmm....  Good guess?
>    Were your plans that obvious?
>    or has Yoshi simply lived long enough to aquire the wisdom to
anticipate
>the first steps of beginning adventurers?
>
> "Excuse me, please!", interrupts Kwai. "But Sensei Yoshi asked me to
>count slowly to ten and then tell you Yes, No, Yes, and most assuredly Yes!
>He said you would understand."
>
>   You don't! How in the name of Garda had he anticipated everything so
>accurately? Was he a seer as well as Priest? You shake your head to clear
>your thoughts and ask Kwai Chang to come back that evening and you will let
>him
>know your answer. With a last sip on your ale, you finally manage to leave
>the Inn to visit the guilds.
>
>    Master Fenolan at the Warrior's Hall smiles knowingly as you outline
>your
>plans to recruit a band of companions and offer your services to Duke
>Verron.
>He's seen it all before, of course, and understands your concerns about
your
>proposed pay offer. The only thing you have to offer them is a cut of
>anything
>you find and anything the Duke offers in his quest to open the roads south.
>
>    You start into your, "Garda has told me that in doing this you will all
>gain riches beyond reward. Come join and destroy the foul creatures and men
>who
>keep us apart to gain the fruits of justice." speech but he quickly shushes
>you into silence and tells you he'll make sure everyone who's interested
>shows up at the Brave Lion Inn sometime that afternoon. You were a bit
upset
>over being shushed like that as you spent some time last night carefully
>rehearsing and honing that speech until you were sure it was so convincing
>it might have been blessed by Garda himself, but then again Master Fenolan
>is a veteran warrior and maybe he was right in feeling you should save it
>"for the troops".
>    You gather your thoughts together and head for The Mercenary Guildhall
>to speak with Sven BloodAxe and inquire if he knows anyone who may join
you.
>
>    Maybe it's just that all veterans think the same way, or that all older
>warriors do, but your visit with Sven was a virtual repeat of your visit
>with Fenolan at the Warrior's Guildhall. Basically, "Yeah, Yeah, sure, sure
>and I'll see what I can do to help", all the time smiling fondly at him
>like he was a favourite puppy or something.
>    Most unsettling! Either they didn't take you seriously, and you don't
>think
>that was the case, or they were just too amused by the "ignorance of youth"
>as you seem to remember representative BloodAxe muttering those words under
>his breath.
>
>    Oh well, you sigh, off to see the Militia,
>
>          and then to the Wizards Guild,
>
>              and finally all the armor and weapon shops in town.
>
>    There must be some sort of conspiracy, you decide, as everywhere you
>went you were greeted with the very same bemused expressions and helpful
>services. Maybe you would be better received if you could ever get that
>damnable beard to grow at last. Thus far you've had to settle for some
>meager stray chin hairs and it just isn't your fault that your family
>doesn't "bloom" like that until later in life. You idly consider shaving
>them off until they gather reinforcements and present a better appearance
>but decide to heck with it! They'll have to learn to judge you based on
>your actions and not your lack of chin hair. It still lingers in your mind
>as you head back to the Inn to await the applicants you hope will show up.
>
>
>    . . . . . later that afternoon...
>
>    Panem is the first to show up as he wanted to make sure you were
>serious about including him in your band. His fingers twitch nervously as
>he awaits your answer and he seems on the verge of either running away or
>stealing something. He is so self-conscious and so desperate to be liked
>and included that you go out of your way to ensure him you were always his
>first choice. Then you suggest he settle himself down and would he please
>play for you to hearten your spirits and cheer up the place while you wait
>together.
>
>    The next to show up is a pair of tough young men with muscles on their
>muscles, as your dad used to say. Their names are Volkan and Kerras. They
>say that Master Fenolan at the Warrior's Hall suggested they come see you
>about joining your new band of scouts. They have a paper from him
testifying
>to their character and that there were "not the worst fighters he had ever
>seen" and could handle themselves pretty well for "young-uns". They also
>claim to have good mail armor and shields and could handle swords and axes
>better than most.
>    You'll have to take their word about the armor and weapons, of course,
>as anything above mere leather and a dagger is against the law inside the
>town limits of Wereskalot. Your own mail and weapons have been carefully
>packed
>away upstairs in your room since you arrived. Seems Duke Verron believes
>that
>only a fool would want to argue with his well-armed and armored militia
>without at least matching equipment, and he's carefully made that illegal
>within the town. Your own memories of consternation and vulnerability at
>being forced to dis-armor upon arrival lend credence to his thoughts. At
>least you can dress properly once more before leaving the town gates. Funny
>how that all came back to you again.
>    You tell them thanks and that you'll decide after supper and would they
>be so kind as to come back then. The meal and drinks will be on you. They
>grin and give your hand a good hard squeeze as they leave, probably to
>remind
>you of their strength.
>
>    Shortly thereafter, you feel a gentle tap on your right shoulder, turn
>around, and experience a moment of panic when you realize that there isn't
>anyone there! Suddenly a woman appears before you, dressed in grey and
>holding
>a wand. She smiles and introduces herself as Circe Dar'Keel, recently
>employed as a mercenary and here at the urging of Sven BloodAxe. Seems he
>felt she might like to take a trip south and try to impress the Duke with
>her
>abilities. She agreed! Then she winks at you and rambles on about her
>specialization with combat spells and such. You'd be more impressed with
her
>if you were actually listening, no maybe not, as you are incredibly
>impressed
>already and in awe of her great beauty! You notice that she's stopped
>talking
>and noticed you noticing her and you turn beet red! At least that's what
>color
>Panem calls it as he quickly works it into a song. You apologize for
>"drifting
>off" like that and ask her to return after supper for a feast when you'll
>make
>your decision. Many eyes track her exit and Panem seems to have been
>inspired
>to create a new song on the spot.
>
>    A few minutes later, a man dressed in green leathers drops by to see
>who's
>hiring and for what. His name is Erik "The Green" as he states it, and as
>you
>fill him in on the possible mission and terms of pay he responds by
>declaring
>himself something of a woodsman and Ranger. He claims experience with
>several
>weapons and knows much about surviving and tracking in the wilds. Sort of a
>jack of all trades and master of none as he calls it. Could come in handy
>you
>think as getting lost or starving to death wouldn't look too good on a
>resume.
>You thank him and invite him back for the feast where you will make you
>decision
>about the applicants. He smiles and departs.
>
>    As he is leaving, he pauses to watch as two young women, twin blondes,
>enter
>the Inn and head straight for your table. They introduce themselves as Anne
>and
>Anna, and claim to be archers of no little skill. You steel your thoughts
>this
>time as you don't intend to be caught off guard and embarrass yourself
twice
>in
>one day. In the name of Garda, were all the women warriors in this place
all
>so
>pretty? And could there talents match their appearance? You look and study
>them
>as they describe their militia training and hand you a reference from
>Captain
>Verron but be damned if you can spot the slightest little difference
between
>them. The reference looks good too as Capt. Verron praises their skill with
>a bow
>quite matter-of-factly.
>
>    As you finish considering their offer you notice out of the corner of
>your
>eye, a figure enter the door, turn to leave, turn around, and then finally
>leave again. It was too dark there to see who or quite what it was but it
>was
>decidedly strange behaviour for a tavern patron? Maybe an applicant
>chickened
>out at the last minute? Who knows?
>    You thank Anne and Anna for showing up and charmingly invite them back
>for
>the supper feast at your expense where you will announce your decisions
>about
>the party. They thank you and wander off to dress before meeting their new
>companions, joking about something like
>"Behind every good man is a good woman....archer that is!" as they go
>cheerfully
>on their way. They seem pretty confident they'll get chosen. Panem seems to
>have
>made up his mind already as new verses spring from his lips about "golden
>arrows
>from golden hands" or something too sappy to be believed. At least it made
>him
>forget about his work in progress on the ballad of "Lar the Redfaced" and
>it's
>rather embarrasing lyrics.
>
>    The afternoon is growing old and no-one else seems to be inclined to
put
>in
>an appearance. Time to think about your new recruits and whom you might
want
>to
>include. You'd hoped another mage might show up or another Battle Priest
but
>there
>are so few of you and you are so far spread it's not likely. As far as you
>know,
>yours is the first and only militant order of priests anyone has heard of.
>Time to carefully consider how large a band you feel you could affectively
>lead
>and how few might be too few to survive a pitched battle, if worse came to
>worse.
>Being a leader is harder work than you thought. You are pretty pleased with
>the
>number of recruits that showed up on such short notice and wonder if any
>more
>might present themselves tomorrow? You spend the remainder of the afternoon
>thinking
>and planning about your soon to be formed party and your audience with Duke
>Verron
>on the morrow.
>
>    What will you decide come supper time?
>
>--------------------<  end of Turn-01 results  >---------------------
>
>Hi Justin, Rick, and Patrik!
>
>    I'm sending this off to you, Justin as party leader, and CC'ing it to
>Rick
>and Patrik as well in case they want to add some advice for you and to let
>them
>see how the campaign is starting off. They will be getting complete copies
>of all
>turns (of course) and can contribute whatever they feel comfortable with.
>   Your plans for the audience with Duke Verron were excellent so be sure
>you
>resubmit them (maybe updated w/party info) for turn-02. Don't throw them
>away
>as I just decided to stop here and let you decide who and how many of the
>hopefulls
>you like before proceeding. More applicants may show up (or may not too)
and
>there
>is always the shadowy figure you saw in the doorway to consider.
>
>    Feel free to ask any questions that may come up.
>
>Did the maps come thru okay?
>BTW your character knows that just off the area map to the south is the bay
>seperating the north & south kingdoms from each other and that the Orcs
>probably
>hold that area in some strength.
>There are NO GATE SPELLS in my campaign so long range magical
>travel is very difficult. That's why the north & south couldn't
>co-ordinate effectively during the invasion once their lands had
>been split apart.
>
>Mack
>(the game is afoot)
>
>
>
>
>
>

=====
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