[User] Game 2 Map

[User]
 First Settlement: KOP
Road Leading To: KLP

[User]
 Originally Posted by LordOfCain
 First Settlement: KOP
Road Leading To: KLP

Acknowledged and mapped. Silent_Interim, place your first settlement/road.

[User]
 Originally Posted by AvatarVecna
 Acknowledged and mapped. Silent_Interim, place your first settlement/road.

Shouldn't my road be going up and to the right? KOP to KLP?

[User]
 Originally Posted by LordOfCain
 Shouldn't my road be going up and to the right? KOP to KLP?

Fixed, sorry.

[User]
 The Cult arrived on the island.

Analysis was made, plans were drafted. Others had already arrived, and more were on the way. Foundations had to be laid, and fast.

The great statue they brought with them was erected near a field, to gather wool and meat from. Clay suitable for brick making had been found, although it was minimal- the supply was much the same the whole island over.

Harvesting began within moments of the settlement being erected. The meager supplies of wood went to building a road, and were almost entirely depleted immediately. Still, a base of operations was procured.

From here, the Cult would rule.

First settlement: IM...M? I'm guessing that second M, on the right, should be an N. I'm going on that assumption.
First road: IMN-IMH

[User]
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 The Cult arrived on the island.

Analysis was made, plans were drafted. Others had already arrived, and more were on the way. Foundations had to be laid, and fast.

The great statue they brought with them was erected near a field, to gather wool and meat from. Clay suitable for brick making had been found, although it was minimal- the supply was much the same the whole island over.

Harvesting began within moments of the settlement being erected. The meager supplies of wood went to building a road, and were almost entirely depleted immediately. Still, a base of operations was procured.

From here, the Cult would rule.

First settlement: IM...M? I'm guessing that second M, on the right, should be an N. I'm going on that assumption.
First road: IMN-IMH

((Dangnabbit, I fixed this after it got brought up in Game 1 but forgot to fix it on the template!!))

Acknowledged and mapped. Generic-Guy, your first road/settlement.

[User]
 Spoiler: Technical Stuff
   "DIE!"    But seriously, the Settelment on DIE, whit a IA Road.

After a tradeguild got wind of the basicly free, unclaimed resources on this island, a small town got build.

Lumberjacks cutted down the trees needed to setup the buildings and construct the roads. To the peoples disapointment, most of the wood proved to useless for building purposes.

The Canyons proved to be near worthless, lacking most of the resources the townsfolk hoped to find there. Only the clay existed in a big enogth amout to be stoved to bricks.

Shepherds on the wide hills with its small streams and fresh, green grass provide the settlers whit cloth and food, and more important, the main income of this little place.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Generic-Guy

 Spoiler: Technical Stuff
   "DIE!"    But seriously, the Settelment on DIE, whit a IA Road.

After a tradeguild got wind of the basicly free, unclaimed resources on this island, a small town got build.

Lumberjacks cutted down the trees needed to setup the buildings and construct the roads. To the peoples disapointment, most of the wood proved to useless for building purposes.

The Canyons proved to be near worthless, lacking most of the resources the townsfolk hoped to find there. Only the clay existed in a big enogth amout to be stoved to bricks.

Shepherds on the wide hills with its small streams and fresh, green grass provide the settlers whit cloth and food, and more important, the main income of this little place.

Acknowledged and mapped. Hamste place your two settlements and two roads.

[User]
 The elves has lived on the edges of the forest for ages. They gathered the wood conservatively helping it to grow and keeping the desert robbers off of their territory. Sometimes they gathered the nearby wheat and extremely rarely they went out to the desolate wasteland of brick and stone.

 Spoiler

First placement KFJ with road to EFJ.
Second placement KGL with road to KLP

[User] Acknowledged and mapped. Generic-Guy, please place your second road and settlement.

[User]
 Spoiler: Technical Stuff
Settlement eDA - Road Ag
gaining   1 Wood   and   1 Sheep   by placement

In a northwest port, a shipment of wool was the first to leave the new build harbour.
While there was still a shortpass of bread and alcohol, created by the general lack of corp,
it looked like buissnes would go up soon. The workers checked a last time the warehouses,
listing down a few loadings of wood and several diffrent animal products.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Generic-Guy

 Spoiler: Technical Stuff
Settlement eDA - Road Ag
gaining   1 Wood   and   1 Sheep   by placement

In a northwest port, a shipment of wool was the first to leave the new build harbour.
While there was still a shortpass of bread and alcohol, created by the general lack of corp,
it looked like buissnes would go up soon. The workers checked a last time the warehouses,
listing down a few loadings of wood and several diffrent animal products.

Acknowledged and mapped. Silent_Interim, place your second settlement and road.

[User]
 The Cult was angry.

The first settlement had been built carefully... and slowly. Scouts revealed that the trade guilds had already stepped in on their next planned villages, and the local elfin population was occupying their secondary planned location.

A change of plan, then, had to be made.

A forest was found, though the wood was hardly usable. The field next to it was harsh, and unproductive. Still, wood was wood, and crops were crops. The settlement was built. A trade route could be set up nearby. A valuable resource for the coming settlements.

Settlement: gDH
Road: giH

[User]
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 The Cult was angry.

The first settlement had been built carefully... and slowly. Scouts revealed that the trade guilds had already stepped in on their next planned villages, and the local elfin population was occupying their secondary planned location.

A change of plan, then, had to be made.

A forest was found, though the wood was hardly usable. The field next to it was harsh, and unproductive. Still, wood was wood, and crops were crops. The settlement was built. A trade route could be set up nearby. A valuable resource for the coming settlements.

Settlement: gDH
Road: giH

Acknowledged, mapped, and gathered. LordOfCain, please place your second settlement/road.

[User] LordOfCain, place your second settlement and road, and then take your turn.

[User] LPI? It's next to the ocean so formatting for the location is more confusing. Road heading towards KPL

[User]
 Round 1 Turn 1: LordOfCain.

 (2d6)[ 9 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 I don't have enough resources to do anything and am not interested in trading.

 Spoiler: Current Resources

 1x Wool
 1x Brick

[User]
 Round 1 Turn 2: Silent_Interim.

 (2d6)[ 12 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 The Cult was pleased.

Enough bricks had been gathered to begin working towards construction on a road network. The land was not favorable, but luck had brought them a deposit almost immediately.

The only hope was that more could be found soon.

Building a road from DgH to gHi, then ending the turn.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 Settlement: gDH
Road: giH

 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 Building a road from DgH to gHi, then ending the turn.

That road is already built by you. Would you like to build a road elsewhere?

[User]
 Originally Posted by AvatarVecna
 That road is already built by you. Would you like to build a road elsewhere?

My mistake- I meant gHi to iHk.

[User]
 Round 1 Turn 3: Generic-Guy.

 (2d6)[ 8 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 The 'Gray Hand'-tradeguild currently lacks resources.
Because of this, we end this turn (month?) in stagnation.

[User]
 Round 1 Turn 4: Hamste.

 (2d6)[ 10 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 The elves send out a delegation to the trade organization and Lord of Cain asking if either are interested in trading Sheep for some of this wood.

 Spoiler
Anyone interested in a 1 wood for 1 sheep deal?

[User]
 The tradeguild would be willing to trade the sheeps against ore.

 Spoiler

Sheep is to me of more worth than wood, but i would trade the sheep 1:1 to stone.

[User]
 The elves with out need for ore accept the trade. They then send out a trade delegation to the Cult and the Lord of Cain seeking to trade a some stone and wood for a some brick.

 Spoiler

Accepting the trade of stone for sheep.

I now offer a stone and a wood for a brick

[User]
 The faceless representative of the cult considers.

 "Yes."

 Spoiler
Accepting the trade of one brick for one ore and one wood.

[User]
 The elves having been successful in their trade quickly expand outwards. After all, if they wanted to keep their sacred lands safe they needed numbers and ways to hire protection.

 Spoiler

So in summary after trades I used 2 stone and wood for a brick and sheep.

I have 2 bricks, 1 sheep, 0 stone, 1 wheat, 2 wood after trades

I use a brick and wood on making a road from KFJ to BEF

 and then the rest on making a settlement on BEF

Turn one fourth player making a settlement is the fastest I have ever seen in Catan :P I hope I did the math right.

And end my turn

[User]
 Round 2 Turn 1: LordOfCain.

 (2d6)[ 4 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 Spoiler: Current Resources

 1x Wool

I build a road from KOP to SOP and have an open deal for 1 wool (mine) for 1 wheat (anyone else's).

[User]
 Upon hearing the offer, the Cult representative stood.

 "We will consider."

It withdrew, returning after a brief consultation.

 "No."

[User] My turn is now over.

[User]
 Round 2 Turn 2: Silent_Interim.

 (2d6)[ 7 ]

You may move the thief, and trade/build.

[User]
 The Cult reached out to the desert bandits they had heard so much about.

A deal was reached- the bandits would raid the forests of the elves, expanding into their territory and leeching from their wood supplies. The Cult would arm them, and take some of the brick supply the elves carried.

[Moving the thief to tile K, stealing from Hamste.]

[User]
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 The Cult reached out to the desert bandits they had heard so much about.

A deal was reached- the bandits would raid the forests of the elves, expanding into their territory and leeching from their wood supplies. The Cult would arm them, and take some of the brick supply the elves carried.

[Moving the thief to tile K, stealing from Hamste.]

Brick has been transferred.

[User]
 Round 2 Turn 3: Generic-Guy.

 (2d6)[ 6 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 Spoiler: Building Stuff
A Road, DJ, and i end my turn.

Takeing advantage of the current absence of the robbers and bandits that usually camped in the dessert,
the tradeguild starts a road project to the south.

[User]
 Round 2 Turn 4: Hamste.

 (2d6)[ 3 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 Without much to do the elves wait.

 Spoiler

End turn, you appear to have forgotten to give me my stone for the 3 this turn though.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Hamste
 Without much to do the elves wait.

 Spoiler

End turn, you appear to have forgotten to give me my stone for the 3 this turn though.

 Spoiler
Looking back over things, it looks like I gave you a brick for that 3 instead of a stone, so that's been fixed on both ends of it.

Round 3 Turn 1: LordOfCain.

 (2d6)[ 9 ]

You may trade/build.

[User] I did not receive any resources from the rolls so I will offer my deal again of 1 wool for 1 wheat. If that gets rejected, my turn's over

[User]
 Round 3 Turn 2: Silent_Interim.

 (2d6)[ 7 ]

You may move the thief, and trade/build.

[User]
 There was a sense of smugness through the Cult. The relationship with the bandits was working out finely. They were now moving down to the mountains where the self-proclaimed "Lord of Cain" was harvesting stone. This meant the forest was now safe, but that was an acceptable loss.

As the bandits were moving, the Cult was building. A coastal settlement, where ships could easily land to trade, opening new possibilities for the Cult.

[Moving the robber to O5 (Insert SCP Foundation joke here). As per the rules, I believe I get a random resource from LordofCain. Then, building a settlement at iHk. My final actions will depend on what resource I get from LoC.]

[User]
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim
 There was a sense of smugness through the Cult. The relationship with the bandits was working out finely. They were now moving down to the mountains where the self-proclaimed "Lord of Cain" was harvesting stone. This meant the forest was now safe, but that was an acceptable loss.

As the bandits were moving, the Cult was building. A coastal settlement, where ships could easily land to trade, opening new possibilities for the Cult.

[Moving the robber to O5 (Insert SCP Foundation joke here). As per the rules, I believe I get a random resource from LordofCain. Then, building a settlement at iHk. My final actions will depend on what resource I get from LoC.]

Accounted for and mapped. Final actions?

[User] Ending my turn.

[User]
 Round 3 Turn 3: Generic-Guy.

 (2d6)[ 9 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 It was a peacefull month/week(What time intervals are we representing?), at least for the guild.
They heard just some rumors about the bandits, but this was in the Cainregion.

End Turn, nothing happend.

[User]
 Round 3 Turn 4: Hamste.

 (2d6)[ 11 ]

You may trade/build.

[User] Are you still open to the deal Lordofcain?

[User] I guess the elves end their turn.

[User]
 Round 4 Turn 1: LordOfCain.

 (2d6)[ 5 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 Round 4 Turn 2: Silent_Interim.

 (2d6)[ 8 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 The Cult had slumbered for the longest time. Now, they still slumbered, but the engines that drove them began to churn again.

A road was constructed, along the line from HID to HIM.

The Cult then ended its turn, and slumbered again.

[User]
 Round 4 Turn 3: Generic-Guy.

 (2d6)[ 4 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 Slowly, the guild builded along the barren region in the middle of the island.

 Spoiler: Technic
Building the Road EN
Allready end of the turn

[User]
 Round 4 Turn 4: Hamste.

 (2d6)[ 6 ]

You may trade/build.

[User]
 The elves send out traders to see if they could make some deals for stone. They offer a wheat for it but are open to other offers.

 Spoiler
Offer 1 to 1 my wheat for stone though I may be willing to trade other resources.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Hamste
 The elves send out traders to see if they could make some deals for stone. They offer a wheat for it but are open to other offers.

 Spoiler
Offer 1 to 1 my wheat for stone though I may be willing to trade other resources.

Since the tradeguild doesn't got cornfields on this island, we agree.

[User]
 The elves needed just one more stone so they continued trying to get stone from the other two factions.

 Spoiler
 Trade accepted and now looking to trade again for more stone.

[User]
 The Cult openly laughed. "We have no need of your wheat. We do have need of our stone."

(Declining the offer, especially since. Well. That's a city right there if I agree.)


[User]
 Ah, Olympus. Home, at least in the mortal realms. How has it changed, you wonder, in the time gone by...

You appear in a public restroom. It's a  (1d2)[ 1 ]  1) men's or 2) women's restroom. The toilets are clean, and highly advanced compared to the holes your people were using long ago, but you've gleaned enough knowledge to know what it is, at least. There are a few occupied stalls, but no one seems to have noticed your arrival, or at least not made much note of it. Long gone are the days of thunder and storms, now, a simple quiet flash of light heralds your arrival.

However, one of the people in the stalls does say "Hey, who's got the light? Can you not?"

[User] "Apologies, my good man! Not to worry, we shall be out of your hair soon enough."

[User] Why are you on Olympus?  Rhythm asks the mortal.  'Then again I am now mortal, should I be up here myself?'  Rhythm steps out of her stall.

[User] "Do you mind? I'm trying to take a dump here. Go ask the info booth if you care."

[User] What is the info booth?

[User] "I am trying to poop here! And you sound like a woman! Just leave me alone!" the man in the stall says.

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker

Looking on the scene with confusion and bemusement, Serena sighs softly.  "My apologies. We shall be leaving you to do your business in peace then."

 "Now then, why did I get dragged back here...?"   With a confused frown, she slowly walks out of the bathroom, taking one last look at the strange addition to her old home.

[User]
 Outside is a bustling atrium, with various signs pointing in many different directions. They read, in several different languages, "Lobby 1", "Lobby 2", so on and so forth. People are moving about, most carrying suitcases of some sort or another. It's mostly adults, but there are a few children amongst the crowds.

In the corner is a man dressed in a robe, railing on in a high voice, shouting "Repent! Repent, ye sinners, for the time is nigh!"

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker

Looking briefly around for any sort of desk (probably with information written nearby), Serena wanders over to the loud man and smiles at him.  "Excuse me, but why exactly is the end nigh?"

[User] "The gods are coming! Their holy wrath will purge the unclean! Give up your worldly possessions, and embrace the peace of true nature!" he says, shouting despite being a few feet away.

[User]
 Rhythm steps out into the Lobby with her fellow goddess.  She spots the many children in her home and frowns.  When did so many child gods come to exist?

"The gods are coming! Their holy wrath will purge the unclean! Give up your worldly possessions, and embrace the peace of true nature!"

 Wait this is the home of the gods, how are the gods coming if we are already here?

[User] "What?" the man says, quiet(er) for once. "You are no god. The gods are mighty, and will tear down this decadent civilization!"

[User]
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions
 "What?" the man says, quiet(er) for once. "You are no god. The gods are mighty, and will tear down this decadent civilization!"

  "Why? Legitimately asking, what are this civilization's flaws that are worth tearing the whole thing down and starting anew?"

[User] I agree.  It takes a lot of time and energy to tear down a civilization so unless it is a big crime no sell.  Although I am a little annoyed you guys moved into our home, I think we will need a new one.    Rhythm thinks for a moment considering some possible locations.

[User]
 "What?" he says, then thinks a moment.

"HERETICS!" he shouts, pointing a slightly shaking finger at the two of you. "BLASPHEMERS! WHEN THE GODS RETURN, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE SMOTE BY THEIR DIVINE WRATH!"

A few security guards sigh, putting their coffee down and approaching the man.

[User]
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions
 "What?" he says, then thinks a moment.

"HERETICS!" he shouts, pointing a slightly shaking finger at the two of you. "BLASPHEMERS! WHEN THE GODS RETURN, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE SMOTE BY THEIR DIVINE WRATH!"

A few security guards sigh, putting their coffee down and approaching the man.

  "Heretic? I asked what seemed a fairly simple question about humanity's crimes. How are people supposed to know what to do differently to appease the gods if you won't tell them what unspeakable crimes have put them on that divine hit list?"

[User] Well this is dull.  Have I been awakened just to be put back to sleep by this odd conversation?   Rhythm pauses for a moment.  We need some sort of priest to find out what is going on here.  That said I'd rather not destroy the world and start again.

[User]
 The guards come over, and two of them start to lead the man away. He resists, and they sigh, forcibly grabbing him and pulling him away.

The last of the three guards turns to the group, saying "Sorry about that-we get crazies every once in a while. Damn Luddites... Anyway, you guys look a little lost. Where's your flight going?"

[User]
 Are we flying?   Rhythm considers a flying mountain as their new home, it would look impressive and stop any full from climbing it but wouldn't it just look like a flying island at that point.

 I suppose we would like to visit a temple of some sorts.  Do you have that serves all the gods?

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker
 "A temple would be nice. I want to learn more about what the world is like, yeah."  Serena nods slowly, smiling softly to Rhythm. She looks over at the guard and asks,  "Oh, where's the 'info desk'?"

[User] The guard looks a bit confused, but says "Right... No, Olympus is not flying. The info desk is right around that corner-just take a left. And don't cause trouble, hear?"

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker
 "Of course! Wouldn't dream of it."  Serena gives the guard a dazzling smile and heads off in the direction of the info desk, beckon her fellow deities to follow.

[User] Over at the info booth, a polite-looking woman is sitting behind the desk. Her smile seems fake-plastered on-but she does say "How may I help you folks?"

[User] We are looking for places we can get information about history and religion very quickly.   Rhythm smiles back at the infodesk.

[User] "Google it," the info lady says. "I'm here for information of the spaceport-I'm not a history teacher."

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker
 "Ah, could you point us to a place where we can 'Google it' then?"  Serena asks hesitantly, trying her best (and failing) to understand the strange word.

[User]
 "..."

The lady looks at you like you're a touch dense.

"Right... I think that-"

Then, there is an explosion. Three men charge through the rubble and smoke, one shouting "DOWN ON THE GROUND! NOBODY MOVE!" and all brandishing guns.

People obey. What do you do?

 Spoiler: OOC
Roll initiative. They're about 50' away, and the path is considered difficult terrain to get to them since there's lots of people on the ground. There is ample cover available.

[User]
 Spoiler: rolls

 (1d20+7)[ 10 ]   (1d20+7)[ 18 ]  advantage from primal path
I can act in the surprise round if I rage, but I don't plan to do that.  So let me know when I can go.

Rhythm quickly recovers from her surprise and readies herself for anything

[User]
 The men, having blown their way in, are the first to react to the explosion. They target the only three people left standing-the gods.

 Spoiler: OOC
Shots at Rhythm:  (1d20+4)[ 9 ]
 (1d20+4)[ 17 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 12 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 20 ]

Shots at Serena:  (1d20+4)[ 15 ]
 (1d20+4)[ 8 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 13 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 7 ]

Shots at AV:  (1d20+4)[ 14 ]
 (1d20+4)[ 7 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 9 ]
 (3d8+1)[ 14 ]

And your guys's go.

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker

Leaning to the side as the strange fire-spitting staffs shot at her, Serana frowns.  "Hmph. Looks like Olympus' security has really fallen by the wayside if this sort of thing is happening."

She gestures in the direction of the three with her hand, and clenches her fist. A swirl of water in the air begins to form around them before rapidly expanding into a massive ball of water to surround them.

 Spoiler: Actions
 Action:  Cast  Watery Sphere  around the three gunmen. DC 19 Str save or be retrained and engulfed by the water.

[User]
 Rhythm rubs her ears after the loud bangs  Agreed.   She dashes over to the trio seemingly ignoring the debris. She draws her axe and stops 15 feet behind them.   If you three continue this we will eject you from our home... I mean from the space port.

 Spoiler: Actions

Using a dash action, with the mobile feat Rhythm ignores difficult terrain. So up to 100 feet of movement, she travels around there threatened area if she can.

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
 (1d20+1)[ 7 ]
 (1d20+1)[ 7 ]
 (1d20+1)[ 10 ]

Saves for the gunmen.

They kinda gurgle a little bit, being surrounded by water.

[User] Chrexis stares down the intruders, as their odd projectiles bounce uselessly off his massive chest. Without a word, he brings out his humongous axe - not attacking, but getting a good grip should he need to swing it.

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker

Walking up to the now disabled gunmen, Serena gives them a bright smile full of steel. She beckons the sphere toward her and pushes the currents around to bring them closer to the surface of the water.  "Now that we've all calmed down, why don't you drop your weapons? Otherwise, I won't let you out."

 Spoiler: OOC
 Deception (to convince them that she can keep this sphere up all day if necessary):   (1d20+12)[ 24 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
Wisdom check.  (1d20-1)[ 13 ]
 (1d20-1)[ 19 ]
 (1d20-1)[ 0 ]

DC 18 to keep their nerve-they CANNOT pass the insight check.

They drop their guns. The weapons fall slowly through the water, before plopping out and clattering to the ground.

Their faces are pale and nervous.

[User]
 Rhythm looks at the weapons.  She wasn't sure those had been weapons but blowing up a wall and that loud noise was very rude.  It was bad enough to have all these mortals in her home.  She takes her axe and tries to shatter the strange devices.

 Spoiler
Not sure what to roll but I assume attacks.

 (1d20+16)[ 34 ]
 (1d12+16)[ 22 ]
 (1d20+16)[ 28 ]
 (1d12+16)[ 25 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
Three guns, three attacks.  (1d20+16)[ 32 ]
 (1d20+16)[ 24 ]

We're out of combat now (Good job, guys!) so don't feel restrained by the combat round.

Oh, and everyone gain 100 XP.

Three fell strikes later, and the guns are in pieces. The security guards slowly begin to rise, hands on the rods holstered at their waists.

One of them says "Right... Um... Let them out, so I can manacle them."

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker

Snapping her fingers, Serena lowers the sphere to the ground before cancelling the magic on it, dropping the three to the ground. Ignoring the guards momentarily, she walks over to the gunmen and begins rifling through their pockets to see if there was anything interesting. Regardless of her finds, she stands back up and smiles to the guards.  "Of course. They're all yours."

[User]
 Serena finds a small amount of cash and one set of keys. Other than that, nothing-they traveled light.

The guards come forward, nervously, and begin to secure the gunmen. One of them approaches Serena, saying "Um... Can we talk to you and your group? Somewhere privately?"

[User] If you wouldn't mind answering some questions for us, we would be happy to return the favor.  Just don't ask a bunch of things you don't want to know.  'How will I die.' 'What is Kord like.'  Yeah none of those questions please.

[User]
 Serena Mistbreaker
 "Of course. I too would prefer no questions about the nature of the world and such. They are things best not known to mortals."  Serena smiles at the guards and follows them to wherever they may take her.


[User]
 Game rules

 Spoiler

In this game, we're going to make a fantasy world, and roleplay pivotal envets in them.

(1) Every player plays a god. Chose your  name  and your  domain .
Also pick a  race  (this does not  have  to be "your" race as god, but you are considered the patron of them). And if that race existed before the starting event or not (more on that later).
Also, you'll have to decide which order you enter the world.

These will be guidelines to what your character can do, but these guidelines are very broad (for example, Afrodite, goddess of love, and patron of Satyrs can start the Troyan war (which has nothing to do with Satyrs, and is a war, dispite being goddess of love)

(2) Turn by turn we're going to make a timeline. This timeline will be determined by the things that happen, not by dates (think mythology. The Trojan war started ... one day, and it ended ... some time later. The exact dates are less important then the things that happened). Things also don't need to be added in chronological order:

- The first player can create the magnificent city of Atlantis
- The second player can create an event that Atlanis gets blown up
- The third player can create an event between those two that the Athlantians created a pact with the dwarves.

Also, and this is perhaps the hardest part: you can't take suggestions of people. This way, the created history will be a more realistic patchwork of events. The other players can ask for clarification, but you have to determine those. It's not the intent to create a history line of tropes - but patchwork cloth of events. Yes Atlantis was a beautiful city full of potential, that makes it all the more tragic that it got blown up.

(2.1) in practice: the first player ("the lens") gets to pick a topic. This can be as broad or specific as you want. Lets say Alice, the first player, picks "Sauron" everyone will make something around this topic.

(2.2) Now, the round starts.

During your turn, you can add something in  about the length of one sentence  somewhere in the history. You can either

- make a  Period  between 2 other periods

for example, Alice, the first player and God of war, says
 "between The Opening of The Gate and The Cleansing, I create the Age of Sauron: this dark and dangerous period is marked by a great evil that walked the earth, Sauron"
Someone can ask " this sauron character, is he human? " , to which Alice can reply things like " yes ", " no, he's an elf " or " it's unknown ". The last answer might leave it open for another player to determine the race of Sauron.

- make an  Event  in a period

for example, Bob, God of love and patron of elves says
" 12 Elven archmages, excommunicated for breaking their vow of chastity, swear vengeance and do so by combinging their magic and create Sauron "
Likewise, people can ask questions about this, if things are unclear.

- make a  scene  in an event.

Carla, God of the hunt says
" During the ritual, a few brave souls try to stop the ritual "

When a scene is possible to be played out by a party, this can be roleplayed (see part (3) )

However, still keeping in mind that the topic is Sauron, the 4th player, Donnie, patron of fairies says
 "During the period, The Cleansing, one of the fairy folk finds the Sauron's ring, which is able to make the wearer invisible"
It's not because the topic is Sauron, you're forced stick in the timeframe The Lens made.

(2.3) at the end of a round, once everyone had a turn, The Lens (in this example, Alice) goes again gets to create another event or scene on the topic she's chosen (she can, for instance make an event on how he died). Then the next player (in the example, Bob), gets a new topic and goes 'first'.

(3) when a scene is roleplayed, everyone makes character accordingly, and this is played out. (one person, me, will have to be player & DM at the same time).

For example, to stop try and stop the elven archmages, I'd rule that everyone makes a lvl 15 character and play this out. These characters can be chosen by the gods, someone who's immortal and thus able to partake in all the scense, etc ...
Typically you'd make someone that is the race of your chosen.

 Extra clarification

 Spoiler

 Race : you are not limited to the 'typical' fantasy races. You can chose one of them, yes, or you can invent something else. We're making our own fantasy world here.

 The lens / topic : the point of this mechanism is to flesh out the timeline around something - but as history goes, not everything always goes according to plan. For example, the US today probbably isn't the US as Washington envisioned it. Some things went right, some things went wrong (from his perspective). That's why each player gets to make a decision for a topic, but the person who started the topic, gets two things.

  Starting situation
 Period :  The Opening of The Gate
 In a world, where the old gods have fought and died or left, a mystical portal opens.

 Event : God 1 steps through the portal, into the world
 Event : God 2 steps through the portal, into the world
 Event : God 3 steps through the portal, into the world
 Event : God 4 steps through the portal, into the world
 Event : God 5 steps through the portal, into the world
 Period :  The Cleansing
 The Cleansing is an apocalyptic event

 Event : Thoughout the world a the sound of a single bell is heard. The Cleansing has begin.
 Event : Thoughout the world a the sound of a single bell is heard for the fifth time, the world is Cleansed.


[User]
 It's been about a day since Aranthakas was killed. The last (or close to it) of your tribe has come out from the various hiding holes. You can feel their eyes on you-they don't know what to do.

What will you do?

[User]
 Brix goes to survey the damage done by the invaders and catalog any missing tombs.

She had spent much of her life caring for the books in Aranthakas' library. It was a constant battle against the moisture in the caves to keep the books free of mold. If any of them were taken she will whatever it takes to get them back.

[User]
 Yirrs feels a taste in his mouth... something he has never felt before. The sudden feeling that, if he wanted to breathe a different air that those of the caves, all of a sudden, he could. If he would like to eat an entire sheep, rather than licking the leftover bones, all of a sudden, he would not be killed for it.  He can't describe it: the world "freedom" is unknown to him and it doesn't come to his mind.
Yet he feels it and, somehow, he recognizes it.

He inhales deeply, assuming a taller, confident posture. His tail with the charred tip vibrating, as if electrocuted. He looks at all the eyes, staring from the dark of their hideouts. "Out" he says "out, brothers! Let's see what food and materials they have left."
He has always been a weirdo, and probably not the best one to try and calm the others...but someone had to do it.
Looking for food, probably not the biggest dream of glory...but somewhere you need to start, to put home back in order.
"...OUR home ? ..." he says loud.

[User]
 Originally Posted by Izzarra
 Brix goes to survey the damage done by the invaders and catalog any missing tombs.

She had spent much of her life caring for the books in Aranthakas' library. It was a constant battle against the moisture in the caves to keep the books free of mold. If any of them were taken she will whatever it takes to get them back.

Looking in the library, you see they're mostly there. The books are scattered about, as if someone had rummaged through them with no care for their proper placement, but they seem to be all there.

Except for a few-the books that your wyrm refused to allow you to ever see, the books that he himself maintained. They're gone. All five of them.

 Originally Posted by Chas Kramer
 Yirrs feels a taste in his mouth... something he has never felt before. The sudden feeling that, if he wanted to breathe a different air that those of the caves, all of a sudden, he could. If he would like to eat an entire sheep, rather than licking the leftover bones, all of a sudden, he would not be killed for it.  He can't describe it: the world "freedom" is unknown to him and it doesn't come to his mind.
Yet he feels it and, somehow, he recognizes it.

He inhales deeply, assuming a taller, confident posture. His tail with the charred tip vibrating, as if electrocuted. He looks at all the eyes, staring from the dark of their hideouts. "Out" he says "out, brothers! Let's see what food and materials they have left."
He has always been a weirdo, and probably not the best one to try and calm the others...but someone had to do it.
Looking for food, probably not the biggest dream of glory...but somewhere you need to start, to put home back in order.
"...OUR home ? ..." he says loud.

The others stare at you, nervously. They're definitely gonna take some prodding.

[User] Greytail squints and tries to get a head count from his perch atop a stone he plopped himself down on.  His old bones were tired with the chaos of the past few days, and he hazarded to guess the others weren't in top shape either.

[User] You've got a little under a hundred kobolds, of varying ages and shapes.

[User]
 Mal took a deep breath and stood up to assess their numbers for a moment.   "Alright people, we need to get an idea of what we've got left. We can come back from this, but it might be rough-going for a bit. See what food and supplies we've still got and report back here!"   she put out in as authoritative a voice as she could manage.

 Spoiler: OoC
Persuasion:  (1d20+6)[ 12 ]

[User] They look at each other, then at Mal. Some of them voice agreement, and head to the stock rooms, while others are still too petrified to do much.

[User] Brix goes to address the tribe   "The great Aranthakas is dead, yet we live. We should honor his memory with a feast, they we will hunt down those that did this foul deed and punish them."

[User]
 Yirrs-Yirrs-Yirrs walks next to the kobold named Mal. He knew her for being one of those who didn't lose hope. Actually one of those who could even give a bit of hope to others in dire times. Her methods needed a bit of extra kick, though...only someone as important as Yirrs-Yirrs-Yirrs whould know what it really takes.

"  MOVE! YOU SCALY BASTARDS!!  " a fiery cantrip bursts into reality almost spontaneously. A fire bolt hits the roof of the cave with a loud bang, doing little damage other than upsetting a flock of bats.
"  You heard the gal...food, we need it. Water, we need it. Do you wanna starve? Come out here, report, and count ourselves, then we'll organize searches and hunting. Move, move MOVE!  "

[User]
 A decent amount more kobolds, after a few moments of panic, start heading for the stock rooms.

Eventually, on their return, you're able to appraise your situation. You've got a good amount of water, stored from the rainfall-enough for a month. You don't have as much food, though-maybe a week, if you ration it well.

[User] While the rest of the tribe is taking inventory of supplies Brix spends a few minutes putting away the books in the library.

[User]
 After seeing the amount of food and water that is left, Yirrs thinks he has seen worse. But it will not hold for long.
He gives dispositions to ration it. He is good in telling people what to do. He is not good in making people feel happy about his orders though...However, he hopes that Mal would back him up, in case.

"  Arright, folks...looks like we be needin' some huntin'... Fresh meat  " he slurped in anticipation, and noticed (but maybe he just imagined) that others did too. For some used to scrap some meat off the bones, the perspective of a decent meal looked like a most precious treasure. "  Come on, let's gather the weapons that we can find  " He raised his own crossbow and waved it around.   Then we could go out and see what we can see...

[User]
 Greytail contemplates on the current season and availability of food.

 Spoiler
What season are we in?  Is hunting a sustainable option?
Nature, if required:  (1d20+3)[ 5 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: Nature DC 5
It is the middle of summer. You know that without having to make a check.

As for whether or not hunting can sustain you all... That's a much tougher question, one you do not have the answer to. You know that with your wyrm's assistance, there's plenty of meat, but he hunted BIG game. The kind that would tear you to shreds.

[User]
 Brix locates her two assistants and gives them a rundown of what what she expects them to while she is away.

She then goes and starts preparing to head out.

[User]
 The day winds on. You hear some mumbled complaints as you put them to work-voices that would never have dared raise themselves when your wyrm still lived.

What will you do, as the sun lowers itself in the sky?

[User]
 Greytail secludes himself to consult the stars and their wisdom.   Should we have more kobolds on watch than usual? , he wonders.

 Spoiler
Casting Augury

[User]
 Yirrs-Yirrs-Yirrs is concerned by the mumbles he heard. He notices that the situation would quickly drift towards chaos, if left un-managed. Should he hard-punish those who raise their voice?
What would that newfound freedom be for his folks, if it lasted less than one day? Plus...he is not the Wyrm, he forced himself to remember, in a rare moment of modesty. He would not have the sheer power to keep them in control with force.

However, he spends the rest of the evening appraising the work of his fellow kobolds, checking the weapons and the goods that they collected. He gives compliments and friendly taps where is due, and yells and snarls in disappointment in other cases. Either way, he makes sure that HE is the one dictating the good and the bad.

 Spoiler: Intimidation & Persuasion

Intimidation:  (1d20+5)[ 8 ]
Persuasion:  (1d20+5)[ 16 ]

[User]
 Your family's not scared of you-they know you're stronger than any one of them, but maybe not any two of them. Whereas the old wyrm... He was scary no matter how many kobolds you threw at him.

But, they respond well to your encouragement. They seem comfortable with you in charge, and are settling down a bit from the panic of before.

[User]
 Originally Posted by WhismurWanders
 Greytail secludes himself to consult the stars and their wisdom.   Should we have more kobolds on watch than usual? , he wonders.

 Spoiler
Casting Augury

 Spoiler: Augury
Woe is what you get.


[User]
 The start of a new term at the House of Bells is always an auspicious occasion.  New students enter the academy for the first time, eager for the chance to learn, or else achieve glory and honor for their House.  Often, they don't truly realize what they're in for, at library not yet.

Orientation was a surprisingly brusque affair.  A small speech from the faculty before the assembled students, then off too recieve dormitory assignments.  All of the new recruits are divided into Fangs of five, who room together, eat together, train together, and perhaps most importantly, are graded together.

The five of you are one such Fang. You may not all be the same age, but each of you is about to begin your first year at the academy.  Your dorm is smaller than you might be expecting, more austere in nature than you might be accustomed to. Also unexpected is that rather than five beds, there are six, one of which is already occupied.

A young woman sits on the bed farthest from the door. She's not very tall, or muscular, but she has an air of experience.  Perhaps she's not a first year.  She's dressed in white, and her dark hair is cut short, though the bangs on one side are longer, keeping her eye out of sight. She stands when the five of you enter.

"Good evening, recruits.  My name is Nellens Xiulan, and I'll be your commanding officer for this term.  Older students, like myself, play the role of officers during our weekly trainings and mock battles, while those in their early years play the part of rank and file soldiers.  I hope that one day, you'll all be where I am now." She clears her throat before continuing, "I'm not sure if you've all gotten a chance to know each other yet?"

[User]
 Canaro had listened patiently to the orientation and been pleasantly surprised by how quick it was. As he walked to his new Fang's dorm he took a deep breath and smiled at finally being here, having almost felt like it was a dream.

As Nellens Xiulan introduced herself Canaro listened carefully to her explanation, straightening his posture and putting on a respectful neutral expression the moment the word 'commanding' reached his ears.

Canaro cleared his throat with a slight cough before chipping in after it seemed she was finished.  "Mnemon Canaro. Pleased to meet you...uh, maam? ... Sir? ..."  he says with some hesitancy, not knowing what kind of title his new commanding officer would want to be addressed by.  "I just got here and haven't had the chance to meet much of anyone yet, but I'm looking forward to working with and learning from all of you."  he says, the last part directed at his fellow Fang members as well as Xiulan.

[User]
 A young man with brown hair and green eyes his heritage betrayed by his slightly green skin tone. Enters the room cautiously. On his back a sea sack accompanied by a tied in pan, multiple smaller bags, on top a wrapped gift in red wrapping paper. On the right side of the sea sack what appears to be a small fishing rod, on the left side a relaxed bow.  He appears to be looking for the extra space this room in his mind obviously had. All in all it looks like somebody packed to be sent abroad right away.
Raising his fist to his chest and bowing his head.  Senar greets his new superior with what appears to be a earnest but badly performed imperial greeting. Although he appears to be tall for first year standards during the tour it was easy to notice Senars governess packed heavy and he is not used to carrying heavy weights for a long time.

"Good evening. My name is Senar Cynis. Glad to meet you!"

Nodding twice once to Canaro once to his new CO.

[User]
 The moment orientation had ended Ryoko had gone off to the stables to see Rokash. She spent some time making sure he had his food and stroked his scales along his head and just behind his the ridges on his skull. After making sure her companion was being treated well she made her way to the dorms, which were about what she was expecting. Less then she was used to, but Cathak was a military house she'd seen the barracks for her house's soldiers before so it wasn't that big a shock. Though even then Cathak barracks weren't as spartan. Benefits of being house military she supposed.

Ryoko smirked and saluted.  "Cathak Ryoko, I just got back from the stables. Had to make sure Rokash wasn't causing any trouble."

The girl had ashen white hair, copper-colored eyes, and a thin scar between her eyes. She was dressed in military-style clothes bearing the sigil of her house. She laid down daiklaive, wrapped in silk onto what she hoped was her bed and stood at rest in front of it.

[User]
 Senar turns around to the door.

To the gathered: "What exactly is like the plan or the schedule after well now?  Can we bring our own horses? I did not know that was a possibility."

[User] Ryoko smiled,  "Oh, Rokash isn't a horse,"  her smile widened eyes closed.  "He's a tyrant Lizard! Had him since he was an egg. I still have the shell back home!"

[User] Senars eyes widen: " Tyrant Lizard , as in those big big.. that is brilliant !  We all receive a horse as a birthday present around our 12 Birthday but Rensika would have real problems if I unleash my Anima for to long. I guess you do not have that problem. How does he fit into the stable?  Can I see him?"

[User] "I don't mind if you want to meet him, he's still rather young and only about the size of a Claw Strider. Though a lot thicker."  Ryoko chuckles.  "I was planning on having a saddle made to help with the whole Anima thing. I'd hate if I hurt Rokash while fighting an Anathema."

[User]
 " I would gladly take a look, if we do not have other things to do now?"

Hearing about Anathemas Senars face becomes serious for a second. "I kind of hope that those will be back where they belong until we graduate. I mean I know there are some but ... well the immaculate order and wyld hunt will take care of it or...?"

[User] Ryoko sighs.  "That's my hope too, my Grandmother died slaying one of those beasts. I don't know the finer details it was before I was born. One of the Moon Mad ones, the shapeshifters. Least that's how the story goes."  She brightens up again after a moment.  "I'm fine with you meeting him. Long as I'm with you he'll be pretty docile."

[User]
 Ledaal Kiburi
 Stats: Personal 8/12, Peripheral 27/27 (0 committed), WP 5/5, Anima: Dim, Aura: Fire
Initiative -, Parry 5, Evasion 1, Soak 10, Hardness 2 // Resolve 3, Guile 4, App 5

Austere is relative. Compared to the homes the Fang had left behind they were obviously stark. But there is a hierarchy in everything; and compared to some of the worn down and ramshackle dorms, the one the Fang entered was freshly painted with battle honours of former high-achieving occupants adorning the walls.

A few well placed slips of silver had crossed the administrator's palm as Kiburi registered, ensuring she and hers were redirected to the nicest barracks. Soldier or not, she wasn't about to put up with second-rate accommodations.  She arrives with another junior classman in tow, bringing her trunk and wardrobe. She thanks him with a brush of her hand on his face, he leaves blushing despite his obvious strength and martial bent (those with keen senses might note a jade obol vanish into his pocket as well.

Ledaal Kiburi arrives wearing finely made blue and silver clothes. Her hair is long and pale blue, her eyes swirl revealing her high breeding as well as her effortless beauty. An iron dagger sits in her belt.

 "Hello boys and girls. Ledaal Kiburi, an absolute pleasure to meet you Canaro. Ryoko, Senar, I hear excellent things about you."  Her tone is warm and animated, and she has intentionally addressed her Fang-mates first. Her voice and chills to formality when reaching the CO, nodding in a short but deliberate bow.  "Fanglord Nellens, a privilege to work with you. Your victory in last year's war trials was inspirational.

-----
Kiburi has Resources 5, let me know if anything in this is an issue.

Inspire - Create a attractive emotional response to Kiburi in her Fang-mates vs Resolve
Charisma+Socialise (8) + Stunt (2) + Loquacious Courtier Technique (+1 sux, 2m personal): (10d10)[ 1 ][ 7 ][ 5 ][ 1 ][ 7 ][ 5 ][ 9 ][ 1 ][ 8 ][ 3 ](47)  + 1 sux  = 5 sux

Instill - Positive Tie towards Kiburi in Nellens Xiulan vs Resolve
Charisma+Socialise (8) + Stunt (2) + Loquacious Courtier Technique (+2 sux, 4m personal):  (10d10)[ 10 ][ 9 ][ 4 ][ 5 ][ 1 ][ 2 ][ 3 ][ 4 ][ 9 ][ 4 ](51)  + 2 sux  = 6 sux

Regardless of outcome, triggers Fire Aura.

[User]
 Canaro greets Senar and Ryoko as they enter with a polite dip of the head and says nothing as they discuss mounts, having no real experience himself to chime in with. As the discussion turns to the anathema he frowns and his eyes narrow for a bit. It seems like he's about to chime in with his own comments on those...things...when the fourth member of the fang arrives.

Canaro turns to greet them in the same way he'd greeted the others, but instead freezes up for a moment.

After a few failed attempts to respond to her greeting, his jaw clearly moving as though he's about to speak but no noise coming out, he settles for a polite nod and turning most (but clearly not all, as his eyes dart Kiburi's way once or twice) of his attention back to their commander to wait for their response.

[User]
 As the introductions roll in, Xiulan greets each of you, in a not-quite aloof fashion.  It's professional.  Respectful.  But until Kiburi comes in, there's little real warmth behind it.

"Canaro, ma'am will do.  Or Fanglord, if we must resort to titles."

When Ryoko mentions her Tyrant Lizard, Xiulan's one visible eye widens with an almost childlike sense of wonder.  "That sounds like quite a sight, I'm certain he'll be quite useful of the battlefield.  And..."  she sighs heavily, "I've heard the tale of your grandmother's bravery.  It was a terrible loss for all the Realm when she died."

After Kiburi enters, her demeanor changes.  Flattery, it seems, goes quite a way with Nellens Xiulan.  (And being pretty doesn't seem to hurt much, either...)  "Oh, how kind of you to say so.  Though I doubt that Mnemon Ruomei and her Fang will forgive me for getting the better of her any time soon.  I expect she'll attempt to interfere with our progress this year, in any way she can.  I'd advise you all to stay on alert."

Her gaze turns back to Canaro.  "You wouldn't happen to know her, would you?  If it's not too presumptuous for me to assume you're familiar with her simply because you're from the same House."

[User] Ryoko smiles at Xiulan's words but she looks away for a moment and wipes her eyes.  "He'll be a force to reckon with...and thank you for saying so. I wish I could have met her at least once."   Ryoko sits down on her bed and listens to the rest of the conversation. Mnemon wasn't a house she'd dealt with personally but she was aware of its reputation.

[User]
 "I would not say I know her, but I certainly know of her ma'am."  Canaro says with some hesitation, clearly uncomfortable at being called upon for something he probably should know but does not.  "I've been told we met a long while back in one of the larger family gatherings, but I do not honestly recall it and I doubt she would either."

He looks as though he's about to add something else, but simply shrugs, deciding to wait to find out why anyone would bother interfering with the progress of their fellow students. After all, are they not all here to learn from each other?

[User]
 For a moment Senar just stands there not entirely sure what to say. House Cathak was renown for its heroes and his own family may be due to a lack of martial talent remained relatively safe in comparison. What comfort would the words of a supposed soldier be, genuinely afraid by the mere idea of facing such a beast?

Senar needs a bit of time until he takes his eyes off  Ledaal Kiburi and decides to move in her direction.
Stepping forward Senar bows a bit and holds his hand out to kiss her hand if given.
 "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Kiburi!"
Senar probably does not know who this woman is although if she or her family line are well known it is possible. But then again, nobody ever heard anything good about Senar as a soldier so I am more than willing to live with a pleasant lie or two.
No matter if successful in offering pleasant greetings or not Senar turns to the fanglord and others:  "Well then this probably is a good thing ? Nobody would want to slow down a family member from graduating so there is no reason we cannot all get along?"


[User] Welcome, hero’s, to the world of RAVENLOFT.


[User]
 Spoiler: Allen and Julienne
It was the wee hours of the morning when Julienne walked into the clinic. Her customer that night had been rougher than she had wanted, and he had cut her up a bit before she stabbed him in the thigh and left him in his apartment. Leaving a slight trail of blood, she stumbled into the clinic, hoping that a doctor would be awake. Fortunately for her, Allen hears the sound of someone entering his clinic, and walks into the entry room to see who it is.

 Spoiler: Soren and Ulrich
It was late when Soren entered the tavern. All the other patrons had cleared out at that point, so Soren sat alone at the bar. He knew the bartender, Ulrich, pretty well; this was his favorite place to drink, and it had been for a while. When Ulrich hears the tapping of Soren’s shoes on the hardwood floor, he comes out of the backroom and sees his customer.

[User]
 Allen hears the bell on his door ring as Julienne enters and quickly rises from his desk, moving to his front to greet his guest and grabbing the first aid on the way. He doesn't get many visitors after dark, but when he does it tends to be because they need medical attention. When he reaches the front room, he gives his guest a quick once-over.

  No risk of bleeding out, but best to get her lying down. Better use a salve for this one, too.   He thinks, looking at the blood oozing from a long cut in her abdomen.  "Another one?!"  He exclaims aloud.  "How many bloody rapists can there be in one city?"  He sighs.  "Come on, you know the drill by now. I'll help you up onto the table."

[User] Uli appeared from the back room, polishing a mug with a rag and ducking his head under the door frame.   "Ve are closed for the night, friend. Come back to-"  , he raised an eyebrow in surprise,   "Mr. Princeton! A pleasure to see you. Please, sit down. Sit down."   He motioned toward the bar and walked over.   "Vhat vill it be? Gin? Vhiskey? Perhaps a nice beer to put some meat on your bones."   He gave a small half-smile.   "Or perhaps you are here on... company business?"

[User]
 "One fewer, if this one's got any kind of sense at all,"  says Julianne, wincing as Allen helped her up onto the table.

 "Honestly, you'd think the sword would get the message across before I have to use it, but sometimes these morons just have to press their luck. Made sure he paid for it, in blood and coin."

[User]
 Originally Posted by Rokku
  "One fewer, if this one's got any kind of sense at all,"  says Julianne, wincing as Allen helped her up onto the table.

 "Honestly, you'd think the sword would get the message across before I have to use it, but sometimes these morons just have to press their luck. Made sure he paid for it, in blood and coin."

 "We can only hope,"  Allen replies, effortlessly hoisting her onto the table. Swiftly grabbing a poultice from his kit, he gently places it over the wound, and it's edges visibly seal up as the glue substitute gets to work.

 "That should take care of it."  He says, and bustles towards his alchemy supplies.  "The wound is sealed, but I'd prefer you wait for me to brew up something for the blood loss"  He calls back over his shoulder.  "Or if you'd like to spend the night, I have a spare couch, and coffee in the morning."

 Spoiler
Salve  (1d8+5)[ 11 ]
Allen is making a dose of Panacea, hich takes 30 minutes.

[User]
 "And to think I just wanted the pleasure of your company Ulrich."  He laughed.  "Double or nothing on a whiskey?"  he asked, flashing a card, before smiling ruefully at the reaction.  "One of these days."

He sighed, as the burning liquid went down.  "A man's allowed to enjoy the calm before the storm, isn't he?"

[User] The big man shrugs.   "I vas never good at gambling. You have cleaned my pocket more than vonce vith your cards. Remember that time you had that Spaniard girl on your lap half the night, but you vere so focused on the game that you didn't even notice she left! Ha! Here."   He refills the shot glass.   "Don't vorry about your tab tonight. You need something to warm you before that storm, ja?"   Uli places the bottle on the bar and starts polishing the wood absent-mindedly. He looks left and right rather obviously, as thought checking for listeners.   "Soren, do you... happen to know about the storm? Do I need an.... umbrella? Or a... rain-jacket? Bah!"   He threw the rag down dejectedly.   "I vas never good at innuendo."

[User]
 Spoiler: Soren and Ulrich
After a few minutes of banter, the room grows silent. Suddenly, you hear a knock on the door. A man walks in, oddly well-dressed for this time of night. He speaks with an accent that you can’t quite place, although it sounds vaguely Bostonian. “ Is this place private? I have something to discuss with you both, and perhaps a job offer. ”

 Spoiler: Allen and Julienne
Julienne waits patiently as Allen prepares and applies medicine for her blood loss. Just as Julienne is about to get up and leave, the door opens and a young woman, looking slightly flustered, walks in. “ Sorry, sorry! I know it’s rather late, but I’ve been looking for you two. I’ve got a job offer that you may like, if you’re interested. ”

[User]
 "No, I should get home,"   says Julianne,   "I leave the place empty too long and those vultures in the building will start circling."

Then the stranger barges in. Julianne's stare bores through her.

  "I'm not sure I want to be involved in any job you'd need a doctor and a whore for in the middle of the night."

[User] "Indeed!"  Allen chimes in.  "And though I won't say no immediately, I'd first like to know what, precisely the job is, as well as why and how long you seem to have been watching my apartment."

[User]
 "And so it pours. As private as a bar this late at night can be. A drink, is your night already old?"  He flicked a coin between his fingers.  "To decide your tab or mine, if you're interested. What do you have to lose?"

It was amazing how much you could tell about a man by what he was willing to gamble.

[User] Uli looks sideways at Soren, then to the newcomer, and back again. He folds his arms across his chest, content to watch.

[User]
 Spoiler: Allen and Julienne

 Originally Posted by Rokku
   "No, I should get home,"   says Julianne,   "I leave the place empty too long and those vultures in the building will start circling."

Then the stranger barges in. Julianne's stare bores through her.

  "I'm not sure I want to be involved in any job you'd need a doctor and a whore for in the middle of the night."

“ Well, ah, that’s not why we want you. You seem to be... adept with the use of knives. And the job isn’t now— I just figured it would be easier to talk to you both at once. Kill two birds with one stone, eh? ”

 Originally Posted by Spiritus
  "Indeed!"  Allen chimes in.  "And though I won't say no immediately, I'd first like to know what, precisely the job is, as well as why and how long you seem to have been watching my apartment."

“ Well, we haven’t been observing your apartment— we’ve been observing  you . As for the job: I’m a member of the Shining Steel; you may have heard of us. We help people get what they want, and we get paid for our troubles. Now, as for this specific job, there’s an underground fighting ring that operates near here, and word is that they’re having some big brawl in a day or two. We’ve been hired by some big industrialist— don’t remember who— to break it up.
 You may make a Knowledge: Local check to learn about the Shining Steel.

 Spoiler: Soren and Ulrich

 Originally Posted by kjelfalconer
  "And so it pours. As private as a bar this late at night can be. A drink, is your night already old?"  He flicked a coin between his fingers.  "To decide your tab or mine, if you're interested. What do you have to lose?"

It was amazing how much you could tell about a man by what he was willing to gamble.

The man chuckles. “ Sure, go ahead. I like tequila. ”

[User] Uli nods, and reaches under the bar for a bottle of Jose Cuervo. He pours a shot and sets it in front of a stool next to Soren.

[User]
 "Your call."
 "Heads."
He flicked the coin, the silver tumbling through the air, landing on the edge of the shot glass, before rolling around its edge and sliding off the other side, coming to rest on tails.  "Seems luck's on my side today."  He flicked the coin again, this time to Ulrich.  "One for me as well. Well then, what sort of problem has a respectable gentleman like yourself looking for help from a dashing rogue like myself at this hour?"

[User] "I'm not terribly comfortable knowing you've been watching me all hours either, "     says Julianne,  "and I can't say I've heard of your club."

[User]
 Originally Posted by Rokku
   "I'm not terribly comfortable knowing you've been watching me all hours either, "     says Julianne,  "and I can't say I've heard of your club."

  Basically a job hall for hired blades,  he informs her.  They do just about Abby job for anybody who pays excepting assassination.

Allen turns back to  the other woman.  I have no particular love for such things, but what does the job pay, precisely?


[User]
 Sigil is located atop the Spire in the Outlands. It has the shape of a torus; the city itself is located on the inner surface of the ring. There is no sky, simply an all-pervasive light that waxes and wanes to create day and night. Sigil cannot be entered or exited save via portals; although this makes it quite safe from any would-be invader, it also makes it a prison of sorts for those not possessing a portal key. Thus, sometimes Sigil is called "The Cage". Though Sigil is pseudo-geographically located "at the center of the planes" (where it is positioned atop the infinitely tall Spire), scholars argue that this is impossible since the planes are infinite in all dimensions, and therefore there can never truly be a center to any or all of them; thus, Sigil is of no special importance. Curiously, from the Outlands one can see Sigil atop the supposedly infinite Spire.

Sigil contains innumerable portals that can lead to anywhere: any bounded opening (a doorway, an arch, a barrel hoop, a picture frame) could possibly be a portal to another plane, or to another point in Sigil itself. Thus, the city is a paradox: it touches all planes at once, yet ultimately belongs to none; from these characteristics, it draws its other name: "The City of Doors".

 Spoiler: Sigil

Interactive Map of Sigil:  https://nether-whisper.ru/rp/planescape/map-of-sigil/

Population: Approximately 250,000. Representatives of nearly every race and monstrous kind can be found somewhere in the city.

Government and Defense: The only being in Sigil who wields any real authority is the mysterious Lady of Pain, the uncaring guardian and protector of the city. The touch of her gaze causes wounds to spout blood, and her smallest gesture can banish someone or something into an endless maze spawned in a pocket dimension. Her presence is said to prevent deities, demon princes, primordials, and beings of similar power from entering the City of Doors, and the fear of her is sufficient to keep a modicum of order in the streets. Crime is common, but rebellion is unthinkable.

Inns and Taverns: Sigil’s inns and taverns cater to diverse clientele. Efreets from the City of Brass can find flaming halls of sumptuous luxury. Devils can enjoy a night spent in unthinkable debauchery. A traveler might lodge in an inn whose interior is like a twilit fey grove or a sunless cavern, or eat in a place that’s virtually indistinguishable from Fallcrest’s Blue Moon Alehouse.

Supplies: The Grand Bazaar, located in the city’s Market Ward, is a huge square overflowing into side streets, alleyways, and even nearby taverns. It is filled with caravan tents and market stalls. It pales in comparison to the bazaars and markets of the City of Brass, but deals in commerce appropriate to the size of the city. Other marketplaces spring up in many places throughout the city. Most appear during the day, but some appear only at night.

Temples: Temples to all the deities—including evil gods whose shrines are rarely seen in civilized lands—can be found in the streets of Sigil. Most of them are small, and few claim any significant power in the city’s affairs.

There is no sensation in passing through a portal. No tingle, no rush of air or sense of movement. You merely move through, and the world changes around you. From your home, to a warm and pleasant afternoon in the big city.

The architecture looks strangely archaic. The buildings are almost all made of the same shade of gray stone, with balconies, walkways and railings made of elaborately wrought black iron. This makes it very difficult to tell when one building ends and another begins. There's no pattern to give a clue, save that the builings get narrower as you go up. Almost every roof is flat, and forms a balcony of some sort, and exterior doors seem almost as common on the higher floors as they are on the ground.

The people are... varied. Humans are the most common species, and most of the crowd are humanoid, after that, outsiders are most common, with a sprinkling of stranger things, like giants and abberations.

However, what is most strange is that the horizon curves upwards on two sides, rising almost to overhead before disappearing behind a bright light in the sky. Ahead, above, and behind you more city streets can be seen, rising into the sky. The city, it appears, is on the inside of a giant ring. To either side there is nothing but sky.

More immediately, you have just emerged from an archway set into the side of a blank-looking building. All the windows and doors have been bricked up quite some time ago, including the archway you've just emerged from. It is apparently the 3 inches or so that the frame of the old arch extends from the brickwork that provides you with the frame for the portal. Watching one of the large wagons emerge from the portal is quite strange. Even when the portal is active, you can't see through it, so it looks like people are just stepping from the wall.

The arch faces west. To the north the street forks to form two narrow lanes, running either side of a large pub. Scattered tables and stools fill most of the street, and have attracted a handful of creatures, most of them looking tired, more in need of a seat than a drink.

Across the street to the west is a shop filled with wooden plates, bowls, candlesticks, and so on. It is partly obscured by a cart parked in front, filled with a single enormous barrel. The front, facing south, has a tap, and an illuman taking coins from a queue of people using the tap, each of whom seems to have their own mug. Near them, a group of assorted humanoids with faced painted scarlet with black stripes, are setting some clubs and seem to be about to give some kind of juggling performance, despite the press of the crowd. Beyond them, to the south, the market proper begins. There are four rows of stalls, featuring a wide variety of good, mostly in the cheap fairground vein. A few further stalls dot the east wall. To south of them you can just make out a cafe and a small reataurant, both of which seem to have an elven theme. To the east, past the jugglers, are a series of small booths showing puppet shows, and selling toys, dolls, and obviously fake weapons.

In the middle of press of stalls is a large booth piled high with mirrors. Standing next to it is a pale faced lady dressed in figure-hugging velvet corsetry and dress and silver jewelry.

 Spoiler: OOC
Just a bit to get going

[User]
 Leigh pauses for a moment to take in her new environment.  While she had read a few dusty old tomes about the City on the Spire, seeing the spherical city continue into the horizon was still breathtaking.  Not knowing exactly where the portal was going to drop her when she entered, Leigh wore her finest clothing, something given to her by a wealth merchant as payment for information regarding his rival business associate.  He had been so please with her "corporate espionage" that he even through in a few hundred gold worth of fine jewelry. The finely crafted dark blue dress fit her perfectly and gave her a bit of confidence.

 Perhaps that is why the similarly dressed woman in the velvet dress caught her attention... or perhaps it was something... more.  Nonetheless, Leigh approaches the woman with mirrors all around and decides to strike up a conversation.   "A fine day, eh?  Seems the entertainer has everyone's attention?  Any chance you could give me directions, maybe help me get my bearings?"

[User]
 The woman looks you over for several seconds in silence.

 Verezza Tanijar   "Open Door, I'm Verezza Tanijar, Lady of Shared Dreams.  The day is fine....but then they all are.  Directions?  Bearings? You sound lost, in more ways then one.  What help do you need?

[User]
 Leigh thinks for a moment knowing what she says next could have a cascading effect on her future in Sigil.  She planned never to reveal her true identity in Sigil, going only by aliases and monikers.  Yet, for some reason she feels compelled to be truthful to this woman; the first person she meets.  Was Leigh growing soft?  Or was it something more?  Fate perhaps?  Leigh decides to be truthful... though perhaps not fully... not yet.

Call it intuition, but Leigh is certain that if she lies to this woman she will know.   "You are correct Verezza.  I am lost, in more ways than one.  I am trying to find my bearings and how to be successful in a new, exotic place.  I've had many names in my time; some of them were even my own.  The name I hope to be know by again is the Whisperbroker."   Leigh steps in close to Verezza and softly speaks.   "Perhaps you can tell me what you think I need.  It seems that you are quite insightful and I would hope to learn from and about you."
 Sense Motive:   (1d20+8)[ 20 ]
 Diplomacy:   (1d20+12)[ 29 ]

[User]
 Verezza Tanijar   "Well, the Cage is full of lost souls...some even for sale...so you will fit right in.

Whisperbroker?  Sounds more like a title then a name...and it's not every lady-like.  But to each her own.

I would have no idea what a whisper person would need....you might look for someone who does that and may hap become their apprentice.

You do seem like a fine lady yourself, and I can always use another ring in my circle of friends.  And my dreams do give me much wisdom, something I'm more then happy to share.

I take it you need a place to stay?  I have a guest room at my home.  You could stay there, and I'd only ask you for a dream to share."

 Spoiler: Sense Motvie

Verezza Tanijar does have a basic sense of trustfulness about her...but maybe not 100%

[User] The Whisperbroker smiles and nods in thanks to Verezza.   "I accept your terms, as they are more than fair.  Whisperbroker is a title, the only thing I bring with me from my past life.  A new life deserves a new name, don't you think?  I think I will go by Hope.  If you wish, I would be happy to share a recent dream with you.  I stand at the foot of an enormously high mountain.  As I look up, all I can see is it stretching impossibly high into the heavens.  I begin climbing.  I climb and I climb, for what seems an eternity without making progress.  I continue.  Eventually I look down and their are clouds below me, and above I see the peak nearly within reach.  I continue and finally I have the end in sight.  I pull myself up to the top of the peak and turn to look at what I have accomplished, only to find I am back at the bottom, exactly where I started.  Then I woke up."

[User]
 Verezza Tanijar    "That does sound like a lovely dream.

But I meant share in a more intimate sense.  I have a Dream Sphere at home.  I can share in your dream through it."

[User] "Lead the way.  Or do you wish to meet up later?"

[User]
 Verezza looks around rolling her eyes.

 Verezza Tanijar   "Might as well be now.  It's not like I'm doing anything.  And would not want you to get more lost."

Verezza leads away down the street.  The street is fairly crowded both with people and various items, but not so much that it's impassible.

Turning down a narrow street of much more plain gray stone buildings, Verezza turns and enters a narrow row house.  The house is also very simple on the inside, with only small functional furniture.

 "Your room is upstairs, the whole third tier.  "

Verezza directs you over to a room, with a large glass orb, set into a gold holder

 "It's simple enough.  Just touch the Dream Sphere and think of your dream...it will make a share."

[User] The woman, once known as Leigh, now going by Hope shrugs and follows.  She nods when told the third tier is hers.  She squints a bit at the Dream Sphere, but complies, touching it as she thinks of the previously verbalized dream.

[User]
 After you touch it and think of the dream, the Dream Sphere glows your a second.  You don't feel anything.

Verezza Tanijar walks over and touches the Dream Sphere and it glows  "Ah, Dreaming with my eyes open"

Verezza Tanijar wlaks away from the orb   "That will do nicely.  Anything else I can help you with?""

[User]
 Hope thinks for a moment.   "Is there a nearby orphanage in need of help or funding?"   The Whisperbroker knows it may sound altruistic, and to an extent it is, but she expects a certain quid pro quo for any help she may provide.  In the past she has provide the children with clothes, food, candy, toys, a few coppers, or just spending time with them.  In turn she has a small army of spies who can see and hear everything without drawing attention to themselves.  She hopes she can do that here.  She only has a few gold coins, but she may be able to leverage that into more if she can start gathering information.

She is open to how that information is used.  Whether she sells it to local crime syndicates to increase their presence, whether to the city guard to take out said syndicates, or to a merchant looking for a certain item, it matters not.  Only that they pay for her information.

[User] Verezza Tanijar   "Well, a lot of the temples have kid workers.  Most lost kids become servants or apprentices.  I guess the closest thing is the Night Playground....they keep unwanted children.  It's run by a coven of night hags.  Is that what your looking for?"

[User] Hope grimaces at the thought of earning the ire of hags so soon.   "How do they treat the children?  Would the be offended if I gave the children food, clothing, bits of coin and the like?"

[User]
 Verezza Tanijar   "I guess they treat them like kids....I'm not so sure.  The average hag is not so nice, you know.  Though I doubt they care about the kids that much.

If your looking for a job, they might hire you.

Or if its your thing, maybe you can start your own home for kids.  Save up some money, rent a house, gather up some kids."

[User]
 The girl calling herself Hope just smiles.   "We'll see.  I have to be able to provide for myself before I can worry too much about a bunch of kids."   Hope then sets off towards the haggery... er orphanage.  Once she is a little way from the house she will find a hidden alcove or somewhere with a bit of privacy and change to her cheap dress and dark wig.  Once it is on she makes her way towards a market or bakery that might have some day old bread or other rather cheap food.

Disguise:  (1d20+9)[ 18 ]
Appraise:  (1d20+10)[ 20 ]

[User] It's easy enough to find a small halfling run bakery just a street over.  All the backed goods are cheap in prices, but also fairly cheap in quality.  There is a pile of small baskets with a sign 'fill a basket, one gold coin'.

[User]
 Though low on coins, she looks at it as a potential investment.  She drops a coin and fills her backpack with the cheap bread.  She then makes her way to the orphanage.

OOC

 Spoiler
Sorry for the post delay.  I spoke with a friend who is deployed overseas via skype and had the opportunity to play games via internet for a bit yesterday and I lost track of time.

[User]
 The Night Playground is a tall building of dark stone with several sharpened stone points, and a lot of gargoyles.  It has few windows, but those few are closed with iron shutters and iron bars.

The front doors are open, leading in to a small waiting room.  A younger dark haired human looking woman sits behind a dark wooden desk here, reading a small back book.  She looks up as you come in and raises an eyebrow,

[User]
 The Whisperbroker smiles at the woman.    "Hi, I'm Elenore.  I had some extra bread.  I was hoping I could deliver it to the children and maybe speak with them, or even tell them a story?"

Bluff:  (1d20+9)[ 16 ]

[User]
 The woman at the desk looks over 'Elenore'.

 Spoiler: Sense Motive

Sense Motive Roll  XX

Woman at desk: "Sure, right through the green door over there.  Don't hurt any of them.  The walls have eyes."

The green door at the end of the hallway opens on it's own.


[User]
 The dream starts as many do, with the sensation of falling.
No rushing air, no wind in your ears,
just the certain sensation within you that you are going DOWN... and fast.

Without any perceivable transition, you are no longer falling.
You are floating, adrift in nothing.
You look down at yourself, and there's nothing there.
You wave your arms, and they aren't there either.
The panic rises within the body you don't have
and just before it consumes the essence of your lack...
a voice intervenes, filling the absence of your ears.

 "Your World Needs Heroes.
You Are Not One Yet.
Follow The Path, Choose.  Grow.  Learn.
Become More.  Take Risks.
LIVE."

From nothing, you become.
You each open your eyes.  You are familiar with those around you, though you know them not.  Awake, this isn't your body.  But asleep and dreaming... is it a dream?  It feels right.  It feels true.  This is your reality.

Your reality appears to be an immense square stone room, easily one hundred feet to a side.  The ceiling is low, maybe ten feet tall.  There is no apparent source of light here, but somehow you can see clearly.  There is a door in the North-North East corner, and another in the South-South West corner.

What do you do?

[User]
 Orfan
Waking up, he begins to cough violently, he was dreaming of...water? was he  underwater?  he shook himself and stood to his full height of 3'2.

Looking around he narrowed his eyes and pierced the darkness, or tried to.

He looked around and tried to see what he could listen, and spot.

 Spoiler

  spot  - (1d20+5)[ 14 ]
  listen  - (1d20+7)[ 17 ]

[User] As Iniki wakes, she takes in her surroundings and is quick to snap to her feet, readying her spear until she realizes those around her aren't foes.  "What is this place?"  She hisses, sounding not unlike an angry cat.  "Who are you? What are your names?"  she inquires of the others in the room, roughly barking the common language at them.

[User]
 From the corner of the room:
" Uuuurugh, what the hell is this? "

Sitting up is a young man of average height with shoulder length brown hair. His gaze passes over the room, stopping on the kobold.

" What the hell is  that ? "

[User]
 This is not here.  I am not me.  And I have somewhere else to be.

A small man blinks and looks around the room.  His hair is neatly braided and speckled with spots of gray that stand in stark contrast to the darkest strands.  His large almond-shaped eyes are an intense shade of lavender that likewise jump out against his dark skin and clothing.

 Originally Posted by Derjuin
  "What is this place?...Who are you? What are your names?"

 Originally Posted by Stevesciguy
  "Uuuurugh, what the hell is this?...What the hell is  that ? "

The small, dark man raises a finger to his lips in an attempt to quiet the questions of the others
  " This is not here, and we are not us, "  he whispers.  Placing a hand on his chest, he continues,   "This is Flash, and  that--"  his voice raises ever so slightly, brimming with contempt as he points at the hissing creature,   is a kobold.  Now, I have somewhere else to be."    With that, he starts moving toward the door in the North-North-East.

 What is a kobold?  And why do I hate it so much?

[User]
 Orfan
Ignoring the others, Orfan moves to the top left door,   "Well when you're in a room, and theres a door, you open it"   he says, as he opens it.

[User]
 " I'm pretty sure this is me, got two arms, two legs, and I don't have a mirror, but my face feels right. "

Zac feels around at his new clothing, finding the two kukris sheathed in his belt.
" Huh. Pointy. "

As Orfan opens the door:
" Yes, let's charge through doors at random, in a world with small dog-lizard things... "

Just now Zac notices the stature of the two other humanoids.
" ...and dwarves? "

[User]
 Originally Posted by BelGareth
   "Well when you're in a room, and theres a door, you open it"   he says, as he opens it.

Flash shakes his head at the other gnome's suggestion, but can't stop him in time before he opens it.  Instinctively, Flash clenches his eyes shut and braces for something bad to happen.   " Listen.  Look.   Then  open ,"  he suggests quietly.

 Originally Posted by Stevesciguy
  ...and dwarves? "

  "Gnomes,"    Flash corrects the hulking giant.

 But aren't gnomes like, lawn ornaments or something?  I think I'm more like the giant than I am like myself.  Something is up.  No time to ask, I have somewhere else to be...but where?

As the party makes their way through the door, Flash looks up to the inquisitive human and softly asks,  " Your name, please? "

[User]
 After the shock of waking somewhere she didn't go to sleep wears off a bit, Iniki looks down to her spear.  Spear? Why does this feel familiar?  Then to her hands. Scaled, clawed hands.  Are those... mine?  She turns about, finally snapping to clarity as the realization that she's stuck in a room with two   vile gnomes  .

 Wait. Why are they vile?
 "No matter. We'll look around, figure out where we are."  She grumbles to herself, hoisting the slab of metal strapped to her arm as though it were nothing and scampering after the others. Her gait felt weird, legs short, and she realized she was much closer to the ground than normal. And the others were much taller.

 "Do whatever it is we're supposed to do. Fight things, I guess."

[User]
 The door swings open at a touch, passing through a gleaming white field that glows with brilliant energy.  It gives you pause, a moment at least, considering the implications of stepping into an infinite white expanse... and into that pause a voice speaks.

  Travelers, Chosen...
Growth is required.  Power is needed.
Conflict leads to growth.
Danger brings experience.
Experience is Power.
Go forth, face conflict, overcome danger.
Grow, gain experience, become Powerful.
You will be rewarded.
The white radiance increases in intensity until a brilliant flash washes through the room, and the door is now open, leading into a wide hallway of rough stone flags that extends to the right.  Two doors are visible from where you stand, one immediately across and the other further to the right.

[User]
 "If this place is opposite,"   Flash muses,   "right is wrong.  We stay left."

With that, he makes his way slowly and quietly to the leftmost door in E2, keeping an ear out for danger.  When he gets to the door, he motions for the others to join him...maybe one of them knew how to check and make sure it was safe to open?

  Move Silently  - (1d20+10)[ 19 ]
  Listen  - (1d20+9)[ 15 ]

[User]
 " Still not sure what's going on, but might as well stick together... do  not  just blast through there, let me check it first... "

Search Check:
 (1d20+6)[ 9 ]

 Spoiler: OoC
Good lord, that was bad. Can I take 20?

[User]
 Leaning close to the door you smell something.... off.  A faint foul smell tickles the back of your mouth, causing a bit of worry about what might lie on the other side of this door.  Zak, you're not sure if there are any traps but you're pretty sure the door isn't locked.

As Flash listens, he hears voices grumbling from the distance, echoing from the hallway to your right.

 Spoiler: OoC
You can take 20, understanding that it means that you might have a catestrophic failure as part of that (ie. You try every avenue to find/disable a trap... but at least one of those avenues would trigger said trap).

 Originally Posted by SRD
 Taking 20
When you have plenty of time (generally 2 minutes for a skill that can normally be checked in 1 round, one full-round action, or one standard action), you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20. In other words, eventually you will get a 20 on 1d20 if you roll enough times. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled a 20.

 Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding.  Taking 20 takes twenty times as long as making a single check would take.

 Since taking 20 assumes that the character will fail many times before succeeding, if you did attempt to take 20 on a skill that carries penalties for failure, your character would automatically incur those penalties before he or she could complete the task.  Common “take 20” skills include Escape Artist, Open Lock, and Search.

Emphasis mine.

[User]
 Flash snarls at the sound of voices in the distance to the right.    "If this is not here & I am not me...maybe right is wrong,"   he suggests.   "We always go left,"  he says to the others before opening the left-most door.

 Spoiler: DM
Flash opens the door into E1.


[User]
 The battlefield is a somewhat dense asteroid field. The field itself is approximately a mile wide and vaguely square shaped.

There is a gnoll raiding party, hunting for an Astral Dreadnought while astride Giant Owls. Numbering a hundred and twenty strong, they are currently searching for it as best they can. What exact formation are they in?


[User] Deleted....


[User]
 You step through the portal, and just beyond... The sun shines brightly, birds are chirping, dogs are barking, and in the distance, you can see children playing in a village.

The portal also appears to have lit the area around you on fire.

What will you do?

[User]
 Zorgog looks around, taking stock of the situation. It's.. beautiful, like nothing he's ever seen before. He looks to his comrades for an explanation.  OI! Wut iz dis place?! Iz we ded?

He considers for a moment.  Nah. We'z not ded. We'z tellyported! Alright you lot, I'm gonna go talk to dem grotz an' find out where da fightin' is.  He stomps off towards the children, ignoring the fire.

[User]
 Bal steps though the portal and looks around at all the things that need fighting. Somebody been scorchin' here. It was a good start. The Boy wins Bal's attention when he starts talking about grotz.

 "Get a snak for da fightin'. Mork knowz ya lot need ta eat propa. Grotz'l do n a pinch."

Bal hoists his claw over his shoulder and starts after Zorgog.

[User]
 Grozk steps into the portal and is immediately flung 10 feet out of the portal and lands on his face. Why everyone else stepped he was flu g who can say.

He rights himself, grabs his piratey hat off the ground, and pulls his eye patch back over to the "correct" eye.

 Arg No no no ya got! Wez ain't ded.  Erey time wez go somewhere diffent yuz sayz we ded.  Then yaz say we tellyportd well I ain't fallen for it againz...wait hold on wherez you headed?  Well dont just leave old Grozk will yea?

With that Grozk fumbles after

[User]
 Spoiler: Cybric
Please select a different text color. That's hard to read.

You begin heading over at a good clip-no need to rush TOO much, but this is exciting! As the young, pointy-eared humans see you approach, you hear them scream and start to run. Nothing unusual there, and the little houses they're in look pathetically weak.

Currently, you're about 400' from the village.

[User]
 Grozk points at the pathetic Hume houses and was just absolutely disgusted by them

 Look at dem shaky Hume huts.  Nothin' lik good ol fashion orky construcion.  Let's knock em down boyz and show em how proper huts get made!

Long ago Grozk had a weakling eldar slice out his throat but he got over it. He actually took the time to install a speaker into his throat to let him talk but mainly cause why not talk louder than everyone else.

It let him shout really load and he yells  Waaaaaaagghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Spoiler: occ

Sorry about that text color. I meant to do the darker color

Grozk is using thaulmaturgy to amplify his war shout

[User]
 As Grozk shouts, the last of the children vanish into their homes.

But out steps a single man, tall, and dressed in simple robes. In one hand he carries a staff. "You'd best begone, foul beasts, unless you wish to taste my wrath!" he shouts, just as loud as Grozk.

[User]
 Zorgog looks disappointed.  Is dere jus' won of you? And youz roight weedy, like a grot. Dat's not much for foightin'. Is you havin' ladz you cud bring fer us to foight?

He draws his pokin' stick.

 At least youz reddy to skrap.

[User]
 "One last chance!" he counters, holding his staff aloft.

 Spoiler: OOC
Now, you can listen, or you can fight. You're currently some 300' away from him.

If you want to fight, roll initiative.

 (1d20+3)[ 20 ]  for Mr. Stick Holder.

[User]
 Zogg off 'umie, wat wraff ya got? Ya got a stik dat don't got no poke!  Bal looks at the lot beside him.

 "Let's do like Mork. WAAAGH!

Bal charges the human.

 Spoiler: Initiative
 (1d20)[ 5 ]

[User]
 Wwwwaaaaagghhhhh  grozk reaffirms is loud speaker roar. No one yells leader than Grozk

 Spoiler: roll

 (1d20+2)[ 5 ]

[User]
 Thanks for da warnin'. Don't wanna miss da last chance for a skrap! WAAAAAGH!

 Spoiler: OOC
 (1d20+2)[ 17 ]

[User]
 Your foe raises his staff high, shouting out words of arcane power, and you see above you swirling clouds manifest.

As the last word leaves his mouth, hail begins to pound down, slamming into your bodies and freezing you.

 Spoiler: OOC
 (2d8)[ 10 ]  bludgeoning and  (4d6)[ 12 ]  cold damage, half on a successful DC 13 Dex save.

In addition, a 20' radius (centered 20' in front of you, for 40' in a straight line) of terrain is now difficult.

[User]
 Zorgog fiddles with his Tellyporta as the ice slams into him.  OI!  There's a whoosh, and a large puff of green smoke. A moment later, he's standing inches away from the human's face.  STOP MUCKING AROUND!  His eyes glow green, and a ghoulish face briefly appears around the wizard's. Ethereal chains wrap around his legs.  FEAR DA KURSE OF MORK!

 Spoiler: OOC
Action: activate Tellyporta. Bonus action: Dex hex.

[User] "Oh gods!" the man yells, flinching back. He clearly did not expect you to close so fast.

[User] Bal charges forward and lifts his Klaw high above his head with both hands. The ground is hard from the human's spell and his foot twists against the frozen earth. He falls with his tusks digging into the soil. A second passess before his head pops up  "Waaagh!"

[User]
 WAAAAAAGH!  Zorgog goes into a frenzy with his pokin' stick, slashing at the wizard with the sharp end and clubbing him with the haft. With each strike, the green mist around the wizard pulses and flares.

 Spoiler: OOC
Two attacks, then bonus action PM attack, all with hex riders.

 (1d20+7)[ 15 ]  damage  (3d6+4)[ 18 ]
 (1d20+7)[ 23 ]  damage  (3d6+4)[ 16 ]
 (1d20+7)[ 18 ]  damage [roll]1d6+1d4+4[/roll]

[User]
 Before Zorgog manages to get his blows in, the man steels himself. Charging his hand with a bolt of electricity, he attempts to slam it into Zorgog and flee.

 Spoiler: OOC
 (1d20+5)[ 11 ]
 (2d8)[ 11 ]  electric damage

If it hits, you cannot take reactions until the start of your next turn. In addition, assuming it hits, he'll flee 30' away.

[User]
 Bal scrambles back to his feet. And walks forward to keep his balance better.

 "Stupid ground!"

[User] Grozk stands up and makes sure all his bits are still in place before advancing on the hume

[User]
 The man, wisely, attempts to flee as fast as his legs can carry him.

 Spoiler: OOC
Dashing away, for 60'. But he does provoke an AoO.

 (1d20+7)[ 27 ]

I'll roll for you-any hit from you will put him down, so this will save some time.

Zorgog, though, has none of that, and cuts him down cleanly, sending bits everywhere. He is most definitely dead.

Behind you, you can see the fires spreading a little more.

[User]
 Dat was fun, but we need a proppa skrap. Dese 'umies look like dey dunno how to fight. If dere's wun thing you can count on, though, it's dat 'umies know where to find things to fight. Wen I woz a Freeboota, dey told me about all da best fights. Den I'd go fasta than dem and nick all da fightin, hur hur hur.

He goes up to the houses and knocks on the doors. He politely yells in the doors and windows.  Excuse me, 'umies, we is looking for a proppa fight. Sorry about krumpin' your weirdboy. Ta make it up to you, we will krump whatever big fighty thing you like nearby. Does you know of anything danjerus and thretening dat needs krumpin'?

[User]
 Initially, there's no answer. Only some quiet talking, too quiet to be heard properly, from within. But, just before his patience runs out, a woman talks loud enough to be heard through the door. "Um... There's a gladiatorial arena to the north, in Edinborough. They've got really strong things there?"

She seems unsure of herself.

[User]
 Bal marches down to the the houses. He goes into the dead human's house and starts looking around.

 'e ain't no got good loot in 'ere."  Then Bal starts looking around the human's room to find something to loot.

 Spoiler: Investigaion
 (1d20)[ 11 ]

[User]
 There are plenty of shiny trinkets, but nothing too interesting until you reach the upstairs cupboards.

Inside are, among the bottles of brandy and wine, four vibrantly colored potions. You can feel a faint whiff of power from them-these are no ordinary drinks!

[User] Bal slings a pouch full of straw until it is empty. Then he shoves everything that he can find into the bag and ties it onto his armor.

[User]
 Roight. Thank you. Come on you grots, let's get to the fightin'. It'z been too long since we krumped anyfing.

Zorgog stomps off to the north in search of krumpables.

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
Are you going to travel the road, or just stomp straight north?

[User] "Let'z get dis 'umie'z teef! Den we go."  Bal moves over to add the human's teeth to his spoils sack. The sack is poorly tied to his armor and clinks when he walks.

[User]
 While his mates are lootin Grozk waits and then tackles then one by one to the ground and applies his tender healing which takes the form of two heat panels and he presses to wounds to seal them.

 Spoiler: dok tools

 (5d6)[ 15 ]
 (5d6)[ 7 ]
 (5d6)[ 18 ]

[User]
 "Aghhh!"  Bal falls to the ground and tries to fight off the painboy.  "Let me go, ya git!."

He stands up and looks at the scars on his body. He smiles and nods to Grozk approvingly.

[User]
 Graw, now you lot back at it again!!!
Look!  Dem dumb humies have roads leading righ to them cities. No smart at all like da boys have

[User]
 After determining no one in the town is worth your time, you stomp your way northwards.

A night passes, with you all finding a good patch of dirt to nap on, and in the morning, you set off again. Just as boredom starts to settle in, you hear something, and round a bend to see that thing.

Off in the distance, you see an orky figure-not dressed as you are, but with skin of green and bulky with muscle-fleeing from a large group of people. The ork is sprinting away from some well-armored people, looking to be about half a dozen of them all told, and beyond them you can see a few pinpoints of people on horseback, rapidly approaching the others.

Due to just rounding the bend, the ork is a mere 60' away, with the people in pursuit some 20' further and gaining.

[User]
 Bal watches the Ork run towards them and laughs,  “ ‘e must be a Blood Axez, runnin’ away like that. I’ll call in some rockz.”  Bal points at the closest human and yells,  “Rockz!”

 Spoiler: Rockz!
Calling Sacred Flame (divine strike 😁) when the humans come into range (60ft) DC 14 Dex Save 2d8 damage if failed/ ignores cover.

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
Do you mean Sacred Flame? Because I think you mean Sacred Flame.

Regardless!

 (1d20+1)[ 4 ]  vs. DC 14
 (2d8)[ 5 ]

The human out front takes a blast to the head, but stays trucking. The orc in front, though, calls to you, yelling in orcish "Get them!"

[User]
 Hur hur hur, itz zappy time. Taste da lightnin'!

Mork's face appears around the lead human as bolts of green lightning shoot from Zorgog's hand.

 Spoiler: OOC

Bonus action Dex Hex, action Eldritch Blast.

 (1d20+7)[ 9 ]  damage  (1d10+4)[ 10 ]  and  (1d6)[ 3 ]
 (1d20+7)[ 14 ]  damage  (1d10+4)[ 14 ]  and  (1d6)[ 2 ]

[User]
 With another blaring blast Grozk gives a might yell tossing just awful insults at the human

 Spoiler: occ

Casting toll the dead

If there is another target within 5 ft of the human I get to target him as well thanks to the death domain