Lonewalker

Best quote from tonight's game, from a Holy Warrior regarding a emotionally-repressed PC: Father Winter: "You know, I have Cure Disease. Does it work on Asperger's?" - Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... More quotes from QuerySphinx's Teen Champions game. --- Player Characters Magni the Mighty: Manny Thorson is the son of the Norse god Thor sent to Midgard to learn humility and mortal morality, as well as to lead the football team to the state finals. Ladybug: Sadie Miller gained insectoid powers thanks to a genetic experiment involving the alien Metrolix. Her role as class president, gymnastics captain, and science team lead was her own doing. Melt: Yvette "Ivy" Durden is one of the loner, a punk goth who gets ignored because she's weird. It might have something to do with her ability to kill you if you look into her eyes. Visionary: Zachery Shin is a computer expert with the ability to project quantum energy from his eyes. This doesn't protect him from being shut into his locker by the jocks though. Seraphine: Luci Fontaine was once the most popular cheerleader until she sprouted monstrous wings. Now she hides behind a suit of power armor and a false devil-may-care attitude. Night Spider: Carter Macall was the son of super-villains and inventor of a combat suit and designer drugs that give him spider-like abilities. He's a super-genius - just ask him. --- Ivy: Show us on the doll where the cat licked you. Manny: I'm fond of my neck. Ivy: Then why do you keep sticking it out? After Magni is used to bludgeon Melt during a superbrawl... GM: Magni is not a Killing Attack. He's not that sharp. Skuld is one of Manny's three ancient aunts with very old-school Norse beliefs... Auntie Skuld (NPC): You don't want cunning and intelligence to be the hero - only the big and strong can be the hero. Ivy: You voted Republican, didn't you? Referring to Zach's prescient powers... Luci: Wow, dude, you're like a ouiji board. To Magni, regarding their bromance... Zach: I'm either gay or your sidekick. Ivy: Or both. Janessa "Boom Boom" Spinner is one of the normal students, save for her possessing the "Most Common Superpower..." Sadie: Why don't you just ask Manny out. Boom Boom (NPC): I'll do it if you ask Zach. Sadie: Deal. Zach (a couple miles away): Why did my Danger Sense just go off? Ivy: But I don't wanna end the world! Luci: Why am I getting a dial tone in my head? After Melt reveals a prophecy involving Magni and the fate of the world... GM: While they didn't outright say so but the Norns [Magni's aunts] strongly implied that you weren't supposed to reveal the prophecy to Manny. Ivy: The Norns haven't dealt with teenagers much, have they? Manny: What did you do? Ivy: I didn't do anything! Manny: What didn't you do? Manny: I am NOT in Camelot!! Manny: They called it Destiny. They don't call it Options. To Magni regarding his cousin... Ivy: You know how I know you're not going to kill Rolf? I'm going to get there first. Ivy: You'd kiss Boom-Boom, but you won't kiss me? Manny: Well, I like you! Regarding Visionary's seemingly obsessive habit of Tweeting/texting everything, including secrets... Ivy: Don't you have a Complication against this? Zach: My Complication involves not using my powers for wrong reasons. Nothing about using my iPhone for wrong reasons. Enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Most of us playing in QuerySphinx's game also played in the "Agents of the Agency" campaign as well. That quote from Clubber has become something of a catchphrase with our group. Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Tight. But doesn't that exceed the campaign point limit on Complications....by about two or three hundred? Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... QuerySphinx has started a Teen Champions game with our local group. The basic premise is that the characters attend a secret metahuman school called Sanctuary that operates beneath Cherry Creek High School in Denver (a la PS238). Denver is right next to New Capital City, the appropriately named new capital of the United States following a terrorist attack that took out Washington DC. Sanctuary teaches young metahumans how to properly use their powers and hopes to instill a level of morality in its students, though none are expected to become superheroes. --- Player Characters Magni the Mighty: Manny Thorson is the son of the Norse god Thor sent to Midgard to learn humility and mortal morality, as well as to lead the football team to the state finals. Ladybug: Sadie Miller gained insectoid powers thanks to a genetic experiment involving the alien Metrolix. Her role as class president, gymnastics captain, and science team lead was her own doing. Melt: Yvette "Ivy" Durden is one of the loner, a punk goth who gets ignored because she's weird. It might have something to do with her ability to kill you if you look into her eyes. Visionary: Zachery Shin is a computer expert with the ability to project quantum energy from his eyes. This doesn't protect him from being shut into his locker by the jocks though. Seraphine: Luci Fontaine was once the most popular cheerleader until she sprouted monstrous wings. Now she hides behind a suit of power armor and a false devil-may-care attitude. Night Spider: Carter Macall was the son of super-villains and inventor of a combat suit and designer drugs that give him spider-like abilities. He's a super-genius - just ask him. ----- During Ethics class, popular superheroine and instructor Argent doles out homework on morality.... Argent (NPC): For Monday, decide how you would calculate the value of a life and be prepared to defend your position. Manny: Is this going to be on the test? Zach: Do we have to show our work? Manny's cousin Rolf Lokison [aka Fenris the Wolf] takes great pleasure in demeaning Manny, though sometimes the insults just roll of the big lug.... Rolf (NPC): So you continue to play the game [football] with slightly better strength...slightly better stamina...slightly better speed....? Manny: Well, yeah...they don't let me play if I don't help them win! The young heroes stumble onto a dead man and Carter, trained in forensics, determines the cause of death.... Carter: From the looks of the body, the victim was killed by something ripping his throat out with its mouth. The mouth appears to be human sized and shaped but with shark-like teeth. Zach: So...a lawyer? A conversion between Visionary and Melt.... Zach: Would you please not read my mind. Ivy: I can't do that. I can only really, well....melt your mind. Zach: Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that either. During the investigations, Ladybug finds a strange pucker-like mark on the ground and calls Night Spider for help.... Sadie: Come on - we need you to examine a pucker. Carter: I'm not studying for that kind of doctorate. None of the characters has a communicator, but as teenagers, they do have smartphones.... Sadie: I'm going to text my teammates for help. The heroes find out about a breakout by a trio of dangerous supervillains.... GM: There are known as the Masters of Mayhem. Ivy: They're called "M.O.M."? The team splits up to pursue different leads with plans to rendezvous later.... Sadie: Let's meet at the chinese buffet... Manny: I'm not allowed in there anymore. Visionary has trouble keeping up on the story, explaining it as.... Zach: Sorry, I was texting - what did I miss? Magni punches a powerful villain knocking him off his feet and putting him down and out.... Manny: Booyah! I mean...Have at Thee! Reference to another game in which a character tended to pick up the plot threads of other characters.... Luci (OOC): So this character doesn't have Absorb Complication? The young heroes find themselves needing to break into a ritzy club, something none of them is particularly skilled at.... Sadie: I hate to say this, but I wish Rolf were here. Manny: Zach: I'm sure she didn't mean that personally. Visionary describes a beautiful metahuman club owner named Goldilocks, detailing her form-fitting, low-cut gown, but.... Zach: I didn't mention the mask? I must not have made it that high up. Fighting a mercenary meta called Pipeline, Magni gets teleported to the Nevada desert.... GM: You appear over a desert. Manny: How far over?? Magni gets into metahuman speech, making his father proud.... Manny: If thou knowst what be benign to thee, thou shalt stayest down! During a metahuman fight, Magni is on the receiving end of a beatdown by a pair of villains.... Ivy: Huh. Magni getting his @$$ kicked is trending on Twitter. Unknown to the rest of the team, Carter is the vigilante Night Spider, who has a reputation for murder. Despite this, the group has teamed up with Spider to stop another group of villains, though they plan on getting answers from the mysterious meta.... Zach: While we're out scouting, you need to figure out what his deal is. Manny: Yeah, what's your deal, dude? Magni warns off Rolf.... Manny: After this, you and I are going to have words. And by words, I mean fists. Night Spider resents the notion that he is a savage creature with a vicious bite.... Carter: I'm not going to bite off his face - that would be wrong. However, I am going to wrap him up in webbing and drink him like a Caprisun. Surrounded by a duplicating meta called Roadie, Melt releases psychic energy in a cascade around her, striking a half dozen of her foes.... Ivy: I'm just a small little thing. Zach: So are grenades. During the final fight, Night Spider keeps drawing aggro.... Carter (OOC): Night Spider has Striking Appearance. Every time he appears, someone strikes him. Random tactical thinking from Magni the Mighty.... Manny: The best thing to hit a bunch of roadies with is a giant elephant... Visionary cuts loose with a powerful optical blast that sends the deranged (but hawt) mentalist called Mad Madame Meme through a wall, ruining her plans to turn Las Vegas into a bunch self-eating cannibals.... Carter: Did you just hit a girl? Zach: No, I hit a psychopath. --- Enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... I've delved into my own Rogue Trader campaign just to try out something new. So far the player seem to be enjoying themselves, though they could just be humoring me. Dramatis Personae Lady-Captain Morgan D'Stayn - Reluctant leader of her family Dynasty following the death of her father and brothers. Clueless about the duties of a Rogue Trader but good with people and surprisingly talented in battle. Lady Janessa - Loyal seneschal to Captain D'Stayn. Savvy and clever with an unhealthy fascination with Xenos (particularly Eldar). Vesperevasaraphangeline - Hard-living helmswoman who was born and raised aboard the Dynasty flagship, the Tyrant Sun. Morgan's bastard half-sister with a penchant for insane flying. Tryft NaLiptik - Career Battlefleet officer who served on a D'Stayn ship until it was lost under mysterious circumstances. Las-marksman, tactician and the official second in command. Eurydice Magdalene - Former Sister of Battle banished from service for the sin of falling in love. Rescued Morgan from an Ork attack and became close friends with the Lady-Captain. Pulveria Nocte - Astropathic songstress pressed in service by the Imperial Black Ships. Went freelance until she and Eurydice saved Morgan from an Ork attack. Maretek Omnus - Explorator tech-priest with dangerous ideas about innovation and heretical curiosity about "how stuff works." Hoping the Adeptus Mechanicus won't track him down. ----- “Praise the Emperor and Pop the Clutch!” - Vesper, with what passes for her battle-cry “You know what planets are? They’re just very slow moving spaceships that only go around in circles.” - Vesper, indicating her disdain of planet-born folk “Only sixty million more payments and this sucker is mine!” - Morgan, regarding ownership of her family’s flagship the Tyrant Sun “It’s actually Little America.” - Tryft, regarding Port Wander “Would it have killed you to show some leg?” “It may have killed someone.” - Vesper and Eurydice, following a failed contract negotiation with a junker salvage team “Have you even heard a smile?” “I have read about them…” - Vesper and Eurydice, discussing Eurydice’s aloof demeanor “So…just her foot, right?” - Janessa, when told that Lady-Captain D’Stayn must be the first to set foot on a salvaged ship “I’m already halfway to my first insanity.” “Normally not a character development goal.” - Vesper and the GM, discussing starting insanity points “You really don’t need to wind up the ex-Sister of Battle.” - Vesper, lecturing Pulveria on constantly teasing Eurydice “Lady-Seneschal, what does the captain tell us to do?” - Pulveria, recognizing who is really in charge “I assume that you’re all going in armed and armoured. Unless you’re completely incompetent.” “Captain, do you have your arms and armour?” - The GM and Vesper, before the Explorers ventured into a derelict starship “We’re one blood test away from a new Dynasty.” - Vesper, secretly Morgan’s illegitimate half-sister “You data may be damaged if you do not first safely remove your Tech-Priest.” - Maretek, when he is forcibly unplugged from a cogitator console “Ready?” “0! 0! 0! 0000!!” - Vesper and Maretek, just before Vesper hurls Maretek into the open void “I wear both boxers and briefs. Just to keep the enemy guessing.” - Tryft, with a random comment “Don’t do that! I only have four senses left!” - Pulveria, after Eurydice fires a bolter over the Astropath’s shoulder “Where you born in a primitive construction made of wood and plaster? Perhaps one used for storing animals?” - Maretek, attempting to insult Vesper “We lost her at fisting.” - Eurydice, during a discussion about Captain Morgan’s power fist “In my experience, cannibals always attack.” - Pulveria, showing her wisdom in all things “I switch to hellpistol and give them a little high-wattage love.” - Tryft, switching weapons in battle “I’m attached to this leg.” “Not by much.” - Pulveria and Vesper, after a monster nearly slices Pulveria’s leg clean off “I’m not wrong. I’m just less right.” - Morgan, showing her razor-sharp Captain’s wit “Maybe if one of our acquisitions had been for fire extinguishers…” - Vesper, after three simultaneous fires break out aboard the Tyrant Sun “Prepare for the cleansing backhand.” - Eurydice, typical retort “Vesper, bringing peace to the universe, one airsick bag at a time.” “Motion sickness makes strange bedfellows.” - Vesper and Tryft, regarding how both mutants and missionaries fear Vesper’s flying “You’re like a sentient alcohol-soaked scar tissue.” - GM, regarding Vesper “Gretchin and squig are just Ork sliders.” - Tryft, regarding lesser Ork species “Look, I landed it. I even used landing gear.” “Yes, but you didn’t use ours!” - Vesper and Pulveria, following a forced crash landing of a gun-cutter “I’m going to subdue him by killing him.” - Eurydice, showing typical Battle Sister tactics “Have a few less Wounds and maybe I’ll come help you.” - Eurydice, when Vesper complains that she never assists her in battle ----- Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... More random quotes from teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign. ---- Dramatis Personae Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Lieutenant Niahm O'Derry: Professional warrior, medic, and officer serving in the Epotic Corps of the Demorian Draconians - the elite police force of the kingdom. Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Sergeant Will: A very personable and friendly jack-of-all-trades - everyone likes Will - second in command for the Draconian night shift. Officer Uri Barechest: A powerful warrior originally from Valorsheim - a tough fighter with a soft side for his family, a love of a good brawl, and no line between his brain and his mouth. Officer Candor Silverstone: An Elven wizard from Pasion - curious, analytical and infinitely proper and polite. Officer Radley "Tunnelmouse" Jones: A Hobbit ex-thief now on the side of the law - still finds old habits hard to break - has an immense appetite. Trainee James Jameson: A young priest of Durom, from a long line of cops - still in training, but with the potential to be a great officer...if he can overcome his nervousness and fear of blood. ---- No one would call Isobelle Hawthorne a meddler but... GM: Isobelle doesn't have her own subplots. She takes subplots from other characters when she doesn't think they're doing them right. During a tutoring session with a local young Giant... Gunn: This is your alphabet. There are many like them but this one is yours. During a discussion Damien is having with Rishi, the local "madam" within the town of Foxton... Rishi (NPC): You know, when a man and a woman love each other very much, he doesn't stab her with a knife. Hawthorne: Well, he does...but not with a knife. Damien: No wonder my relationships have all ended badly. In reference to Hawthorne's propensity for trying to "fix" her companions' problems... Damien: Hawthone is like Jiminy Cricket with a sword. In reference to the Captain of the Draconians, the local military policing force... Jameson: He does run a tight ship...until the night shift. Then it's a loose collection of rowboats. Thunnelmouse: Leaky rowboats. Uri: With rats. One of Damien's underworld contacts has heard rumors that Damien is employed by the Baron's Captain, Lady Hawthorne... NPC: I hear you're working for The Man these days. Damien: I wouldn't call her that to her face. Random suggestion... Quion: Always take the job - you can always betray your employer later. During a routine patrol, Niahm is attacked by an undead ghoul and takes a savage hit to the torso... Jameson: No one bites the lieutenant in the chest and gets away with it! Candor: Really? I thought that adventurer Benedikt did. Uri and Tunnelmouse arrive to the ghoul fight but may be too far away to take part... Candor: Quick! Throw the halfling at the ghoul! Tunnelmouse: What? Uri: That was the plan! Tunnelmouse: WHAT?! teh Bunneh lets characters with Luck make one roll per session per level of Luck and save those results to replace any 3d6 roll that directly involves the character. Wythri rolls a 4, a 6, and a 9... Wythri: These Luck rolls are like nuclear missiles. You never actually use them, you just threaten to use them. During a divine consecration that Gunn performs when the group discovers a days-old corpse in an isolated shack... Gunn: Body, this is Ground. Ground, this is Body. I hope you two will be very happy together. Hawthorne: It's a burial not a marriage. Damien: So? Both indicate an end to life. Random comment about Quion... Damien: Now he smells like pickle and bubblegum. While staying the night in the dead man's shack, Hawthorne's watch is alerted to a scratching at the front door....which after many a tense moment turned out to be a tree outside blowing in the wind... Hawthorne: I am going out there and cutting it down...and all its friends. Quion: You mean...all of its fronds. What passes for dramatic speech during one of Gunn's attempts to rebuke undead attackers... Gunn: I step outside and tell that undead monstrosity in no uncertain terms to return immediately to whatever misguided hell kitchen gave you that hall pass and STAY there! Random Quion comment... Quion: I'm looking forward to this in a dismal way. ---- More when I get 'em. Enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton (This was compiled and written up by BunnySue - all rep should go to her.) Session 34: Against the Giants, Part III 11 Sunsheat to 12 Sunsheat, 960 RM Valley of Steading, 11 Sunsheat, 960 RM While the rest of the party moved the horses to a new campsite, Errol and Keinan stealthily moved toward the stronghold to gather more information. By the time the two reached the fortress, it was past dark. Keinan saw two or three figures walking around the watch tower. Errol cast an invisibility spell on himself and Keinan. The two moved closer to the stronghold. Keinan noted that the walls were made from very large logs. The main door was twenty feet high. There was a gap between the ground and the bottom of the door that Keinan thought most of the party could crawl under. While Keinan climbed over the door to get a better look around the complex, Errol climbed under the door. Keinan saw light spilling out into the courtyard from a big double door and light coming down from the watchtower. Keinan saw two more doors, one next to the front door, which had no light coming from it, and another at the base of the stairs to the watchtower. Keinan listened at the main doors and heard over a dozen different voices, it sounded like a feast was taking place. He listened for any human voices, but did not hear any. However, one of the giant’s voices sounded like it had a Kalonese accent. He also noticed several bags and clocks hanging on pegs in the courtyard. Errol and Keinan then climbed the stairs to the watchtower. Keinan saw three giants playing dice by a fire pit. He also spotted a ballista sitting by one of the windows and a large dog curled up by the fire. Errol got nervous around the dog so the two moved to leave the compound. Keinan checked the small door by the gate and found it was unlocked. Pushing the door open, he saw a dark hallway leading into the main building. Once Keinan and Errol returned and made their report to Captain Hawthorne, the group headed out. Moving stealthily, the group approached the fortress. As they drew near, Benedikt inadvertently caused a load noise that drew the giants’ attention. Captain Hawthorne ordered everyone to scatter as ballista bolts started flying at them. Benedikt was hit in the chest by one of the giant’s arrows and fell to the ground. When the giants exited the fortress, the others used Benedikt’s “distraction” to enter unseen. They quickly entered the main building via the first door and followed the hallway. The hallway ended with a passage leading to the right and the left. Damien scouted the left hand passage and found a door with a light spilling out under it, further on the hallway ended. Returning to the group, they then headed down the right hand passage. Again, Damien scouted ahead with others a safe distance behind. The first door that Damien came to had no light spilling out from under it. Listening at the door, Damien heard someone snoring. Moving down the corridor was another door; this one had light spilling out from under it. Damien could hear something, but could not make it out. Wythri used her magic to allow Damien to be able to see through the walls, and Quion did the same thing on himself. Both men saw a well-appointed room with trophies on the walls. Randell pushed open the door. The group searched the room and found another door. Damien, Keinan, and Brictius moved to open the door. When Damien opened the door the group was attacked by a large bear. The bear managed to injure Damien before the group killed it. While Gunn healed Damien; Captain Hawthorne, Randall, and Errol searched the room the bear had come from. That room was a bedchamber which contained a coffer filled with cash and gemstones. To their surprise, Captain Hawthorne let the monster hunters keep the coffer. Tatiana took the lead in scouting ahead this time. The group came across a large set of double doors that were barred closed; they discovered that this door was an exit from the stronghold. Continuing on, they entered another room. This room had a crude map of the barony on one of the walls. After studying the map, Quion determined that is was thirty years old. Keinan found a large skin hanging on another wall that concealed another door. Randall carefully opened the door and found a stairwell leading down. Keinan carefully replaced the skin before following the others down the stairs. The stairs continued down for quite a ways and lead to a large cavern that look as if the walls had been worked rather than being of rough stone. Along one wall was a door that had been smashed down and lead into what appeared to be a store room. The corridor continued into a large room. The magic users could tell that this room contained magic. Captain Hawthorne asked Errol to illuminate the room. The room was large and square shaped with a prison type area in the back. Quion determined that the magic was coming from that area. Approaching gates, Quion heard someone muttering, but could not make out what was being said. The rest of the group approached the area and saw a red headed woman chained to the wall. Captain Hawthorne recognized Bri, and ordered Damian to open the gates. When the second set of gates were opened, Errol shouted out that he though some type of alarm had gone off. Captain Hawthorne and Damien unchained Bri, and saw that she was in a weakened state. Brandwyn took charge of the injured Bri while the others prepared for the arrival of the giants.

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton (This was compiled and written up by BunnySue - all rep should go to her.) Session 33: Against the Giants, Part II 10 Sunsheat to 11 Sunsheat, 960 RM Valley of Steading, 10 Sunsheat, 960 RM Once the battle was over, the first order of business was to hide the bodies. After that Captain Hawthorne sent Keinan and Gunn to scout out the stronghold at the center of the valley. She sent Damien and Tatiana as one group and Brictius and Benedikt as another group to find campsites and food. Wythri linked the scouting parties and Brandwyn and Hawthorne. The two groups looking for campsites found several likely spots, with Benedikt’s being the best. Keinan and Gunn stealthily made their way toward the stronghold. They saw several small groups of giants patrolling the valley, but not in any regular fashion. Keinan realized that security was good, but not great. The stronghold had a watchtower that could see all the way around the complex. There were two entrances, one in front that was regularly used and one in back that looked like a stockade gate. There were no trees in the valley, but the grass was very tall. Gunn talked to a bird who told him that there were big dogs and big men in the stronghold. The two men scouted around the fortress to see if they could find a water supply or herd animals. While the scouting parties were out, Wythri, Quion, and Errol analyzed the Flow of the area. Brandwyn sang a song to help the mages concentration. Quion and Errol saw that the valley was flooded with magic, but a type that Quion was not familiar with. The magic had an old taste to it, very primitive with a touch of theologic taint to it. The three thought it might be grimerist magic. Wythri told the others that she had seen the magic flowing into the valley this morning. Captain Hawthorne asked if one of Nosrea’s magic items could have caused the magic, but the three mages thought that would not be possible. On the way back to the others, Benedikt noticed that the stronghold was made from a great many trees, but there were no signs of major deforestation in the valley. Keinan and Gunn continued to scout around the perimeter of the stronghold. They did not see any cultivated fields, although they did see some wild sheep and mountain goats. The two thought that was strange as they thought the animals would have been severely culled by hunting by now. After the two scouting parties had returned with their reports of campsites, the party moved to the site Benedikt had found and waited for Keinan and Gunn to rejoin them. It was well past dark before the two men returned to camp. The first watch passed without incident or those on watch falling asleep. During the second watch, Wythri noticed that the magic in the valley was beginning to fade. Those asleep had bad dreams, similar to the previous evening. During the last watch, Quion noticed an influx of magic entering the valley. 11 Sunsheat, 960 RM After breakfast, Caption Hawthorne asked Wythri, Quion, and Errol to continue to study the magic in the valley. Keinan, Gunn, and Damien went with them for protection. Studying the area, Quion and Keinan noticed that the foliage and insects were from the late summer or early fall, but the Summer Solstice had past just last month. Wythri tried tapping into the magic by creating a fireball, which had all the normal effects and effort usually associated with casting that type of spell. Errol suggested she try casting an illusion spell. Wythri created an illusion of Captain Hawthorne. Errol pointed out that the spell seemed very easy for Wythri to cast and that he could actually touch the illusion and that the illusionary Captain Hawthorn reacted to his touch, both things that should not happen with this type of spell. Quion then created an illusion of a raven, which ended up being better than his level of skill should have produced. Wythri then summoned an earth elemental, with the same effects and effort usually associated with casting that type of spell. Errol and Quion noticed that when that spell was cast, the flow rippled with the energy. Captain Hawthorn had decided a night assault on the stronghold would be strategically wise, so the rest of the afternoon was spent resting. The first watch was uneventful. The second watch had trouble staying awake in the warm afternoon sun. Captain Hawthorne kept herself awake by constantly patrolling the area. She heard something approaching the camp and sent Brandwyn to wake the rest of the party. Captain Hawthorne and Tatiana spotted a giant stealthily moving toward them. The giant threw a boulder at Captain Hawthorne, but Wythri had prepared a spell that deflected the boulder away from the Captain. Suddenly, Randall was hit by a second boulder that had been thrown from a different direction. Tatiana ran toward the first giant hitting him in the arm. Hawthorne drew her swords and yelled at everyone to look lively. Brandwyn starting chanting a song of fighting to aid her companions in the battle. The rest of the party rose from their naps and prepared for battle. Wythri was struck by a boulder and Brandwyn pulled her back out of harm’s way. While Quion bandaged Wythri’s wounds, the rest of the party attacked the two giants. After several blows had been exchanged, the two giants started to flee. Errol caught one in the edge of a fire ball, stunning him and Gunn hit him in the vitals, dropping him. Brictius and Tatiana chased down the last giant, killing him. While Benedikt healed Wythri, the unconscious giant was bound. When the giant regained consciousness, Brandwyn, Hawthorne, and Quion questioned him. They learned that Baylor was a giant with “big magic” who had come from far away. The giant could not remember how the stronghold had been rebuild, or how long Baylor had been in the valley. They learned that Baylor was planning on attacking the humans, but that he was still gathering together the rest of the tribes. They also learned that the giant had been impressed by Baylor’s magic, including making the dead talk; he had seen Baylor do that to the giant Orda, after killing him for disagreeing with Baylor. The giant had also not seen any other “little” people in the valley other than the party. The party moved the bound giant into the cave they had been sleeping in and moved to a new camp site. The giant had confirmed Brandwyn’s suspicion that Baylor was not a local giant. Wythri, Quion, and Brandwyn discussed the different types of giants that could work magic. There were the Fire and Ice giants to the north and the Carraig Daoine, or Stone Giants, and the Formorian giants from Kalon.

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton (This was compiled and written up by BunnySue - all rep should go to her.) Session 32: Against the Giants, Part I 1 Sunsheat to 10 Sunsheat, 960 RM Prelude: Gray Haven 929 RM Link du Clef looked at the five people standing before him. They had answered his call for help fighting the giants attacking the outlying villages and mining camps. The leader had introduced himself as Dragun, a paladin of the Trinity. The Baron felt as if he should know the young man, but could not quite place from where. The big warden was called Balph. The Baron had never met an Osiran before; the extremely tall and thin man wore a hawk mask and his skin was as black as ebony. The man calling himself the Black Rat came from Kidbod and was apparently a Jack. The woman said her name was Bri O’Derry and she came from Kalon. The Baron was not sure if she was a fighter or a spell user, or perhaps both. “The trouble started when a giant chief named Nonsra started gathering together the different tribes.” Link explained. “Before him, they would group together in family tribes, were mostly nomadic and kept to the far hills. The reports tell us that Nonsra is a fierce fighter and very intelligent. He has made the more powerful chiefs his lieutenants. He has built a stronghold in the Valley of Steading that is far more advanced that anything we’ve ever seen the giants construct before. He also is reported to collect magical items, although I’m not sure how much stock I would place in that.” Link added seeing the expression on several of the faces of the adventures. “I have already lost several good men and Demorian soldiers in this fight. I fear if Nonsra is not stopped, Foxton and Crow’s Head Mountain will be destroyed.” “We will not let that happen.” Dragun assured the Baron. And so the heroes joined the fight and eventually took the fight to the giants themselves. They attacked the stronghold at night, killed Nonsra, and burned the fortress to the ground. With Nonsra dead, the giants disbanded and returned to the far hills, leaving the people of Foxton in peace. Gray Haven, 1 Sunsheat, 960 RM “So what do we know about the current situation?” Isobelle asked, looking up from the records. “As far as can be determined,“ Mathieu du Clef replied, “There are three large clans. The Bearhunters lead by Sinja, the Firelighters lead by Orda, and the Snow Mountain clan led by Zind. Sinja is a young fighter full of fire and said to have many wives. Orda was one of Nonrsa’s subchiefs and lost a hand and eye in the final battle. He’s much respected due to his age and experience. Zind is said to be the smartest of the three and is held in awe as he is rumored to know magic, although how much of that is true, who can tell. If you start with these three, the smaller clans might follow suite.” “What do you know about their culture and customs?” Isobelle asked. “Technology wise, they are still pretty primitive.” The Baron explained, “They know how to use metal weapons, but can’t make them. They work mostly in stone and flint. They like our processed foods, like cheese, and wine. Oh, and the leaders are always male and show their status by how many wives they have.” “What about this magic lute the old bard sang about?” Isobelle looked at Wythri, who was studying another book. “From what I can tell,” The young elf looked up from the tome she was reading, “The Lute of Doss was created by the founder of that Bardic College. It’s rumored to contain all his knowledge and power, as well as being able to, I believe the quote was charm the birds from the trees. According to the reports, there was a cave system under the stronghold, if the lute was in Nonrsa’s possession, then it could be there.” 3 Sunsheat through 8 Sunsheat, 960 RM Early the morning of 3 Sunsheat, Captain Hawthorne led her group out of Gray Haven. Wythri, Gunn, Quion, and Damien had become the standard troubleshooting group. The Deadly Seven arrived, ready to go, Lucky George the goat in tow. The trek into the hills was not easy. The roads were not well traveled and the few mining camps the group passed through were far apart. At each camp, the group inquired after Bri and any information on the giants. Bri had apparently passed this way as all the camps reported her presence. All the camps also reported no contact with the giants, which Hawthorne took as a good sign. 9 Sunsheat, 960 RM The day had begun sunny but changed to cloudy skies, developing later into a dense fog that descending on the travelers, then sleet driven by heavy winds pelted the travelers. Keinan found the group shelter in a large cave just off the trail they had been traveling. Watches were set for the night with Brandwyn, Benedikt, and Randall on the first watch. Brandwyn started to compose a new song about this current adventure to keep herself awake, but she kept thinking about the Taleweaver competition held during the Baron’s Festival. She should have won; she just knew it, so why had she not even placed? 10 Sunsheat, 960 RM The fog had cleared by morning when everyone woke. Hawthorne demanded to know why she had not been woken for her watch. Quion reported that the first watch had fallen asleep, although he had not slept and knew no one had entered the cave. Gunn checked their equipment and verified that nothing was missing. Hawthorne ordered Errol to discipline his teammates; she then brushed Night to calm herself down. Errol pulled Brandwyn, Benedikt, and Randall outside to talk to them. Brandwyn explained that she had not realized she had fallen asleep, her mind had been focused on something else, and then it was morning. Errol admonished the others to start behaving professionally; otherwise their reputation would start to suffer. Brandwyn interrupted Errol to point out that below them in the valley was a large fortified structure. “I think we’ve found the Valley of Steading,” Brandwyn commented, “We’d better tell Captain Hawthorne.” While the others were packing up, Wythri checked to see if there was any magic in the area and noticed a residue around the cave receding to the valley below. Keinan and Tatiana were scouting out the surrounding area when they heard loud footsteps approaching them. Investigating, they spotted three giants approaching the cave area along the path. Tatiana warned those in the cave and everyone began preparing for the encounter. Damien, Gunn, and Errol moved out to form a perimeter around the giants and provide backup. Wythri, Quion, Benedikt, and Brictius stayed in the cave with the horses and Wythri concealed the entrance. Brandwyn and Captain Hawthorne went to intercept the giants and talk with them. Before actually talking to the giants, Brandwyn listened in on their conversations. The three were joking and in good spirits. One of the giants told the others, “The world is agonna change. Chief Baylor will bring back the old days.” Brandwyn relayed the information to Lady Hawthorne. Wythri linked minds with Hawthorne, Brandwyn, Gunn, Damien, Quion, and Errol. Brandwyn and Captain Hawthorne approached the giants. Hawthorne instructed Brandwyn to tell the giants that they had come to pay their respects to Baylor. The giants seemed surprised that the women had heard of Baylor. Brandwyn tried to flatter them, saying Baylor was known far and wide. The lead giant approached the two women, holding out his hand, but reaching for his club. Keinan let loose an arrow at the lead giant, hitting him in the head. Tatiana ran past the other two giants, hitting both of them. Damien moved up behind the second giant. As the lead giant swung at Brandwyn and Hawthorne, Hawthorne leaped off night and kicked the giant in the shoulder, but he still hit the two women. The third giant chased after Tatiana hitting her in the shoulder. The second giant attacked Damien but missed. Errol shot the lead giant in the head with a wizard’s arrow. Gunn cast a flash on the lead giant, blinding him for a short time. Tatiana recovered from her injury. Wythri boosted Brictius, Benedikt, and Quion’s speed and strength. Keinan, Hawthorne, Brictius, and Damien all attacked the giants. The lead giant kicked Hawthorne away, the landing knocking her out. The second giant attacked Damien, hitting him in the shoulder, but he was missed by the third giant. Brandwyn told a joke to the lead giant, causing him to laugh uncontrollably. Benedikt and Randall charged the lead giant. Errol hit the lead giant in the chest with another wizard’s arrow. Gunn and Quion moved to help Hawthorne. Tatiana leaped over the second giant, hitting him in the shoulder. Keinan jumped out of the tree he was in and shot the third giant, hitting him in the hand. Hawthorne regained consciousness. Brictius did a moving attack on the third giant, hitting him in the vitals. Wythri cast an aid on Hawthorne, helping her recover quicker. Damien rolled under the second giant and hit him in the foot. The lead giant broke out of Brandwyn’s spell and stopped laughing. The second giant attacked Damien, hitting him the chest, stunning him. Brandwyn started chanting a song of strength. Benedikt and Errol attacked the lead giant, Errol’s wizard’s arrow dropping him. Randell and Gunn both attacked the third giant. Quion picked up Hawthorne and throw her towards Damien. Tatiana did a running attack against the two remaining giants. Tatiana and Keinan attacked the second giant as a team. Hawthorne jumped up to attack the third giant in the chest. Brictius charged the third giant, hitting him in the vitals dropping him. Wythri cast a fireblast in the shape of a dragon at the second giant, dropping him. While Benedikt tended to the wounded; Randall, Brictius, and Errol looted the giant’s bodies but were disappointed with what they found.

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton (This was compiled and written up by BunnySue - all rep should go to her.) Session 31: A Visit to the Good Doctor 19 Lightening to 28 Lightening, 960 RM 19 Lightening, 960 RM Captain Hawthorne, Wythri, Damien, Niamh, and Gunn traveled to Hill Rose. Gunn went ahead to try and locate Featherlight. He found her a few hours later and the two of them headed back toward the rest of the group. 20 Lightening, 960 RM Gunn and Featherlight meet the rest of the group on the road. Featherlight reported that Dr Rothbury had six large, not very bright men working for him. They performed various tasks around the grounds, and she had never observed them talking to each other or Dr Rothbury. She also had never seen Dr Rothbury without his two large dogs and she had only ever seen him going back and forth from the house to the barn. She also thought there were more than two dogs as she had heard barking coming from the barn. There was always someone on guard at the house and at the barn when Dr Rothbury was working in there. Several of the cattle had been slaughtered and taken into the barn. After dark, Damien and Gunn approached the barn to see if they could get a look inside without being spotted. When they got within fifteen feet of the barn, they heard a dog start to bark and was answered by more barking from the barn. One of the men came out of the house with one of Dr Rothbury’s large mastiffs. The man checked on the cattle while the dog sniffed around the barn. The dog looked at where the two men were hiding and started to approach. Gunn tried to convince a night bird to distract the dog, but the bird refused. As the dog continued to approach, the two men moved back deeper into cover. The dog found their trail, but did not pursue them. Gunn and Damien returned to Hill rose to report to Captain Hawthorne. They realized that the barking started inside the house and then was picked up by more than one dog in the barn and that the barking stopped when the door to the house was opened. 21 Lightening, 960 RM First thing in the morning, the group approached Dr Rothbury’s house. The men were already outside working when the group arrived and one of the men went into the house. Knocking on the door, they were lead into the kitchen. Dr Rothbury apologized for not having breakfast ready for them, but the group explain they had already eaten. Captain Hawthorne asked Dr Rothbury how his research was going, and he went into a long technical conversation that made everyone wish Quion was with them as he was probably the only one who understood what Dr Rothbury was saying. Captain Hawthorne told Dr Rothbury about the other creatures the two groups of monster hunters had found. Wythri asked if the squid creatures could fuse with something else. Dr Rothbury admitted that it might be possible, although he had not been able to test that (but was very interesting idea). It could be possible that a budding creature could attach to something else and fuse with it. He had discovered that the smaller squid things tended to eat each other, much like spiders. Dr Rothbury sounded doubtful that a new creature had been discovered, and suggested that the monster hunters had fabricated the creatures in order to gain more money. The group doubted that the monster hunters would be smart enough to pull off such a hoax. Niamh asked if Dr Rothbury had any reports ready that they could take back for Quion to review and Dr Rothbury retrieved his notes for her. Captain Hawthorne was convinced that something was going on, but could not gain any concrete evidence to prove her suspicion. After leaving Dr Rothbury’s house, Gunn found a mouse to talk to. The mouse told Gunn that the smaller creatures did not like the barn because it smelled like death. They also did not like the dogs. 21 Lightening to 28 Lightening, 960 RM The group set out to find where the Deadly Seven had claimed to fight the owlbear creature and spent several days tracking through the woods. Finally finding the spot, they discovered that not much was left of the creature after the monster hunters had burned the body and scavengers had picked through what was left. They also found the den and Gunn confirmed that it had only recently been dug out. 28 Lightening, 960 RM The group returned to Foxtown. Niamh checked in with a very irate Lieutenant Tower who was not happy she had been gone for so long. She also learned that Captain Waggoner had not returned from Crow’s Head Mountain. Captain Hawthorne reported to the Baron, who had also been concerned they had been gone for so long. Captain Hawthorne gave her report and her conclusion that Dr Rothbury was hiding something, but there was no hard evidence to act on yet. The Baron agreed and suggested she prepare her delegation for the trip to visit the giants. Captain Hawthorne and Wythri spent the next few days researching the subject, delighted that the Baron’s library contained a wealth of information on the subject. Niamh informed Captain Hawthorne that she would be unable to accompany them on this trip. She was needed on duty in Foxtown, especially since Captain Waggoner was still gone. She did suggest that Captain Hawthorne enlist Bradwyn, the Deadly Seven’s taleweaver, as the bard did speak giantish. Since the Deadly Seven would not let their taleweaver go on a dangerous mission without the whole group, Captain Hawthorne was forced to hire the entire group of monster hunters. Very strict ground rules were established to keep them on their best behavior.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Catching up on months of quotes from teh Bunneh's Chronicles of Foxton campaign. Some of these gems are from a while back so I may be guessing about some of the context. But at least my fellow players will stop nagging me to post these! ----- The Baron's Court Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Lieutenant Niahm O'Derry: Professional warrior, medic, and officer serving in the Epotic Corps of the Demorian Draconians - the elite police force of the kingdom. Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. The Deadly Seven Errol Wanderfar: A Goodfellow Hobbit, battle wizard, and team leader. Very dedicated to making the team work. Brictius the Gray: Gray Elfin Preliator (spearfighter) from Pasion. Cool and collected with only a hint of superior snoot. Tatiana: Green Elfin Jill also from Pasion. Mistress of the hand axe, the swift attack, and the inability to sit still and shut up. Benedikt: Human Seeker (priest of the Cold Gods). Pragmatic, aggressive 'worshipper' for Cromm - god of war and strength. Randall Stowes: Human Warrior from Demoria. Academy trained swordsman and budding knight. Strong-armed but slow thinking. Keinan Murdoch: Human Warden (holy warrior of Adrom - Druidic god of the hunt) from Nekia. Expert archer and tracker. Brandwyn Wright: Human Taleweaver from Demoria. Bright, cheerful, friendly, and wondering why she's with this group of misfits. ----- Benedikt can be a little crass and direct. Just a little... Benedikt (OOC): Roleplaying Benedikt is like trying to roleplay blunt trauma. The Deadly Seven has been hired to protect a party of the Baron's court on a diplomatic mission to the Giants' lands. Things turn south quickly... Errol: We're not at war with the Giants. That wasn't part of our contract. Dammit. Lady Hawthorne has a certain degree of pride but not unjustly so... Brandwyn: Does Lady Hawthorne know that the world doesn't revolve around her? Wythri: No, because the the world's been to scared to tell her. While making a Presence Attack to intimidate a group of giants, Hawthorne overshoots just a bit... Hawthorne: You can surrender at any time. Tatiana and Wythri: Okay, we give up! Wythri, never the most durable of Elves, gets hammered by a thrown boulder... Errol: You look like you've lost weight. Wythri: Yeah, it's over there. As part of a peace bargain with the Giants, a couple of young Giants are "adopted" by the Baron. Hawthrone naturally takes charge of them... Wythri: These kids need a strong father figure....so they called for Lady Hawthorne. Regarding the lack of overt crime and disorder in the Barony thanks to two of the more ruthless members of the Baron's Court... Hawthorne (OOC): You see, Damien handles the night shift and Isobelle handles the day shift, and between the two of them, the town is scared into inaction. Some people know the dark rogue Damien better than others... Hawthorne: You don't have to append every statement about murder with "I didn't do it." Niahm: Yes, he does. Making accusations about who was at fault... Damien: Well, you didn't hold the knife, but you did jiggle the arm. Discussing assigning the Deadly Seven adventurers the duty of delivering a message to a neighboring town... Gunn (OOC): It's like sending the Dukes of Hazzard out to buy milk. Elves can live for centuries and take a long-term view of events... Wythri: Elves don't farm - they terraform. A typical adventurer trait...? Tatianna: The Deadly Seven have a drinking game .... whenever we take a drink, we take a drink. A statement about Master Rake's outlook on life... GM: Quion, no one comes to kill you. Quion: Drat. To Wythri after she'd been possessed by ancient Elven spirits... Gunn: A little disoriented, are you? Understandable, since you've been mostly insane all day. An epiphany...or just another typical aspect of adventurers...? Tatiana: I just realized why we're called the Deadly Seven - each of us is our own sin! Conversation between two members of the Baron's Court... Hawthorne: Politics elude you, don't they? Quion: No, they follow me around. Speaking of Errol, leader of the Deadly Seven... Benedikt: You're like a kidney stone! Randall is the Deadly Seven's heavily armored warrior... Randall: I can't even think without clanking. The dogma of Cromm perhaps...? Benedikt: Never die sober. Regarding the team of Randall and Benedikt of the Deadly Seven... Tatiana (OOC): Ren and Stimpy go adventuring. More adventurer logic... Tatiana: How do you just pass through the middle of nowhere? Randall: Well, when we're going nowhere, we must eventually pass through the middle of it. Facing down a troll, Tatiana wants to send in the team mascot... Tatiana: Go get Lucky George. Trolls are scared of goats. Meta observations about the Deadly Seven... Brandwyn (OOC): I'm like the group's Intelligence stat. Benedikt (OOC): I'm like the group's dump stat. When Tatiana mistakenly called Kienan "Randall," he gets upset... Kienan: No wonder we don't like you - you can't keep us all straight. Tatiana: Oh, I can get all of you straight. ----- I've got some quotes from my Gamma World games that I'll be posting soon. In the meantime, enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... WAAY behind on my quotes-posting duties for Bunny Sue's Chronicles of the Agency game (Golden Age superheroes). So here's the vast memory dump: ---- The Agents The Patriot - Mild-mannered Army Captain Tom Jefferson transforms in the star-spangled powerhouse when he shouts the magic words, "By the Dawn's Early Light!" Rocket Ranger - Aviator and inventor Brett Tucker uses his murdered uncle's advanced rocket pack and weapon gauntlets to protect the innocent. Clubber - Folk musician Charlie Varens uses his superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability to defend the common, working man. Havoc - Mysterious Annabelle Leonard gained ghost and luck powers and gave up the thieving life to seek new, more worthwhile challenges. The Mighty Huntress - A blood transfusion gives mousy librarian Elsie Ashby the ability to take on a half-tiger and all-woman feline form. Nightwatch - Texas Ranger Jeb Kane utilizes his dark shadow powers to deal with kind of threats even Rangers cannot handle. Artifact - World-traveling archaeologist Esther Rausch is determined to protect the unknowing public from dangerous magical devices that don't stay lost and uses some of those devices in her quest. ---- Random comment about visitors from another world... Clubber: They can't be tentacled monsters, they aren't ripping people's clothes off. The Syndarians - a race of beautiful woman from the edge of the solar system - meet with the Agents and are particularly interested in Rocket Ranger's weapons and technology. Ranger walks in the meeting a little late but his teammates get him caught up... Patriot: Brett, these women want to examine your tools. Nightwatch: So you going to let them touch your junk or what? Nightwatch has more than a passing interest in Agent Libby Belle - the team's government liason - but when she starts acting more secretive than usual, he considers following her around to see what she's up to. His teammates advise against it... Rocket Ranger: When you're romancing a woman, you want to stop at the point of illegal. Patriot: Yes, stalking is not sexy. Nightwatch and Clubber share a personality trait in common... Nightwatch: Does any of this strike you as suspicious? Clubber: Everything strikes me as suspicious. The Syndarians have traveled the length of the solar system on a mission of peace and cross-cultural exchange. As a sign of good faith, they are even willing to share some of their advanced technology with the Earthlings. Clubber is dubious... Clubber: You don't trust chocolate cake falling from the sky; you don't trust space babes showing up with high-tech gifts. While explaining why the Agents refuse to follow the Syndarians around the city or try to break into their spaceship... Rocket Ranger: We're far too law-abiding to around stalking people or intruding on their property. That's why we hired Havoc. The armed and dangerous Radio Marauders are robbing a bank, holding a number of employees and customers hostage. The Agents arrive on the scene and make a plan - with Patriot and Rocket Ranger dominating the scheming as usual... Patriot: I say we charge in. Rocket Ranger: I'm with Patriot on this. Patriot: That's two against... Rocket Ranger: ...no one who matters. The Agents battle the Radio Marauders, making short work of them, but the high-tech crooks continue looting valuables even in the midst of the fight... Rocket Ranger: You've got to admire these guys' confidence; they still think they can get away. Patriot meets up with a mysterious woman who claims to have knowledge of the origins of the Radio Marauders. Her speech pattern and dress mark as not from around here... Patriot: Are you from the future? Mysterious NPC: Um, no. Patriot: Are you from another planet? Mysterious NPC: What? No. Patriot: Are you from the center of the Earth? Mysterious NPC: I beg your pardon? Patriot: Sorry. It wouldn't be the strangest thing we've heard. Left to her own devices, the Mighty Huntress decides to sneak into the hideout of the Radio Marauders. Unfortunately, her plan involves changing from her daring and overconfident half-feline form back to shy and reserved Elsie Ashby... Mighty Huntress (OOC): Huntress finds a secluded spot and turns back into Elsie.... Rocket Ranger (OOC): ...and promptly realizes this is a crazy idea and runs away. Mighty Huntress (OOC): Yeah, pretty much. The Mighty Huntress' plan sort of backfires and she ends up captured by the Radio Marauders... Mighty Huntress: That worked out much better in my head. Havoc: It usually does. The Agents meet back up and discuss how to find and rescue their missing teammate... Nightwatch: Do we know where Mighty Huntress is? Havoc: In New York? Nightwatch: Can we be more specific? In the middle of their search of the Mighty Huntress, the Agents get word over their radios that some sort of disturbance was occurring at the World's Fair... Patriot: Well, wherever there's a disturbance, we can expect to find the Mighty Huntress. There may be a bit of bias in this statement... Rocket Ranger: Nothing says progress toward the future like rockets! After helping defeat the Radio Marauders, the mysterious woman casts doubt upon the Agents' loyalty to their mission commander, Agent Libby Belle... Mysterious NPC: Do you trust your Agent Belle? Patriot: Well, we did...up until she started showing interest in Nightwatch. Nightwatch: But she hasn't shown interest in me! Patriot: Oh, really? Well then...yes, we trust her implicitly. Random pulps era comment... Rocket Ranger: Never underestimate the evil of evil-doers. During an encounter in which the Agents are breaking into a warehouse, looking for evidence of illegal trafficking of stolen museum pieces, Havoc's player forgets which figure on the hex map is hers... Havoc (OOC): I'm so sneaky I can't even keep track of myself. Havoc and Artifact devise a scheme to meet with a Tong leader named Doctor Fang. They intend to use some of Artifact's magical devices in a false sale to Fang, though Artifact becomes concerned about letting dangerous items out in the open... Havoc: Don't worry. Any sales can be totally temporary. If we want it returned, it'll get returned. Another standard Patriot credo... Patriot: When in doubt, knock it out. While investigating the disappearance of several animals from locals zoos, the Agents find that the creatures have been transformed into anthromorphic imitations of themselves! Patriot's double is a gorilla clad in a red, white, and blue uniform, which promptly offends his sensibilities... Patriot: You beastly abomination...take off those colors or I'll take them off of you! And I mean that in a totally non-sexual, hetero sort of way! Clubber's animal double grabs a hold of the Mighty Huntress and Nightwatch wonders if the creature also knows Clubber's tactics... Nightwatch: It's going to realize that the best thing to hit a hero with is another hero. The Mighty Huntress springs onto the back of Clubber's bear doppelganger... Mighty Huntress: I'm riding a bear! And that's not a euphemism! During the fight with the bestial duplicates, Havoc is instructed to search for Francine Ashby, evil twin sister to the Mighty Huntress... Havoc: I'm looking for someone who looks like Elsie but crazy. Wait...that wasn't clear enough... Rocket Ranger shouts at Patriot to go and assist Nightwatch, who has drawn the attention of two of the beast-men along with a couple of Tong warriors... Patriot: What's attacking him? Nightwatch: Everything! The battle with the beast-men goes poorly for a number of the heroes, especially Patriot, who gets punched, kicked, tossed, stabbed and shredded to an inch of his all-American life. It's a far-cry from how most of the Agents' battles go... Rocket Ranger: Damn it, Patriot. You're supposed look good while Nightwatch takes the damage. Get it right. Patriot: Hey, that's right - Jeb, get over here! Nightwatch: I can't. I'm too busy looking good. Finally, when Patriot is in turn surrounded by opponents, the oft-abused Nightwatch offers... Nightwatch: Are you going to get your star-spangled knickers in a twist if I save you? Seeing a wave of Tong warriors coming toward him, Clubber cracks his knuckles and grins... Clubber: Time to get cinematic. While the Mighty Huntress is tackled by a half-dozen Tong fighters, she is also assaulted by her white tiger doppelganger. Her teammates protest that the picked-on Huntress could take as much damage as she does... Rocket Ranger (OOC): But she has a protective shells of ninjas! Thanks to his Rocket Ranger Rocket Pack, Rocket Ranger manages to avoid the worst of the combat by flitting about the battlefield. Nightwatch wonders when the high-flying hero is going to draw some of the fire... Nightwatch: How about you take one for the team for a change? Rocket Ranger: I'd like to...but you and Patriot keep hogging it all. Only a couple of the beast-men are still standing. Rocket Ranger tries to decide which of the two to attack next... Rocket Ranger: Let's see, the gorilla is based off of Patriot and the bear is based off of Clubber...and Clubber is the bigger threat... Patriot: Hey! Having just used her "luck powers" to heal Artifact, Havoc rushes over to do the same for Patriot, only to have Clubber take a bad hit as well... Havoc: C'mon, guys, there's only one of me! While looking around for which teammate to help next, Havoc is called by Artifact for some backup... Havoc: You only have the one ninja now. You'll be okay. With the bear-man dazed and the gorilla-man still nearby, Clubber decides to give the bear the boot, driving it straight into the gorilla... Clubber: Let's try soccer...that's a real working man's game. Bend it like Charlie. Patriot turns his attention to the attacking Tong warriors, shouting at them with his usual pro-America rhetoric... Patriot: Get out of my country, you foreign devils! Tong Warrior (NPC): What are you talking about? My grandfather came here in 1840 - I'm a third-generation native! Patriot: If there's one attribute that Clubber has never lacked, it's self-confidence... GM: You're surrounded by two ninjas. Clubber: What a coincidence...I have two hands. ---- Whew! Sorry of the long post! Hope you enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Chronicles of the Agency (Golden Age) The Furry Doppelganger Throwdown While the rest of the Agents were conducting their varied investigations, Nightwatch had chosen a different avenue to pursue. His suspicious nature and amorous fixation on Agent Belle led him to tail her after she left the last briefing. He trailed the mysterious Agent back to her home – a rather nice home on the outskirts of the city – where she collected a large travel bag and left for the airport. Making impromptu arrangements as he gleaned information on Belle’s movements, Jeb took a flight to Denver and rented a car to drive down to an isolated town called Roswell in New Mexico. Having caught up with Belle, he watched as she entered a nondescript complex on the edge of the town. Stepping into the shadows, he teleported into the building but found himself in a dark room filled with exotic and unearthly machinery. Agent Belle was nowhere to be found. After a few haphazard attempts to figure out what the equipment was for, Jeb ended up calling back to Agency headquarters, where he eventually reached Tom Jefferson and Brett Tucker. Brett admitted that the technology that Jeb was described sounded similar to the Syndarian devices, but he wouldn’t be able to tell for sure without hands-on study. Tom informed Jeb that trailing Agent Belle was not the priority and that he needed to arrange transport back to New York as soon as possible. Nightwatch had a sneaking suspicion that the machinery was some sort of teleportation technology…and that his would-be paramour was being less than honest with the rest of the team. The rest of team, used to trusting Agent Belle, scoffed at the idea, which grated on Nightwatch’s nerves. Meanwhile, since Annabelle and Esther’s plan to meet up with the Tong boss Doctor Fang would take a few days to arrange, the team chose to focus their investigations on the disappearances of various zoo animals. Elsie was still certain that her conniving sister Francine was involved in the crime and was eager to get on the trail. So the Agents did some recon of the three likely sites for a hidden animal preserve. The first spot they investigated was the actual animal preserve east of the city. They took a two-pronged approach with Patriot, Rocket Ranger, and Clubber arriving publically at the front door while Artifact, Havoc, and Mighty Huntress sneaking around to see what was behind the scenes. The men were met by one Safari Sam, the boisterous head of the reserve. When the Agents explained that there had been a rash of animal disappearances and that they simply wanted to make sure all was well here, Safari Sam welcoming them cheerfully. He told the Agents that his preserve catered to the rich and influential who wanted a chance to hunt without the inconvenience of traveling far from their urban homes. Occasionally, Sam got requests for specific quarry or situations but most of his customers just wanted the feel of a safari hunt. Safari Sam showed off the public facilities and the animal pens, which were stocked with all manner of creatures. He also told the Agents that there had been no disturbances or problems on his property. The Agents thanked Safari Sam for his cooperation and asked that he contact the Agency if any trouble cropped up. The Agency ladies, easily avoiding the security around the preserve, searched the grounds and the storage areas, but found nothing incriminating. Mighty Huntress could detect the old scents of numerous prey and predator animals that lived in the preserve but she did not find the specific creatures that had gone missing. In the end, they concluded that Safari Sam ran an honest business and probably wasn’t involved in the animal thefts. The Agents took a break from their recon for an outing to the World’s Fair. They saw many cultural and technological wonders (with Annabelle working very hard to keep her sticky fingers to herself) and sampled a variety of foreign cuisine. Martha Washington (Tom’s ladyfriend) tagged along and mentioned that she’d been keeping tabs on the Syndarians’ movements and that their numbers didn’t add up right. There seemed to be far more Syndarians spread out around the country and Europe than their ship seemed able to transport. The next day (after Nightwatch had arrived back in New York) the Agents resumed their investigations. They first paid a visit the Sorras farm, which had recently been purchased by a German family named Von Hammersmark. When no one answered the front door, the Agents naturally became suspicious. But a stealthy search of the grounds revealed nothing other than a building full of chicken pens. There was no sign of any animals on the property beyond poultry. That left the large estate located north of the Von Hammersmark farm. Like the previous location, there was no answer at the front door to the expansive manor. Mighty Huntress scoured the grounds around the main building and Elsie soon picked up on the scent of wild animals, though there no outward signs of any beasts. Havoc and Artifact snuck into the manor itself and found the servants busily preparing for some sort of banquet. Talk among the servants revealed that Doctor Rani Shaby (the head of the newly established World Wildlife Foundation) would soon be returning…and that Shaby was something of a harsh taskmistress. Following the trail of animal scent, Mighty Huntress led the team to a cave sunk slightly into the earth. A large and secure door blocked the entrance but Havoc and Artifact were able to disable the locks and open the portal. Beyond the doorway was a large chamber with electronic and laboratory equipment on the far wall. Most startling were the seven cages along the side walls…each holding a half-man, half-beast hybrid! The creatures were obviously the missing animals, altered to possess humanoid characteristics. The lion-man, the black panther-man, and the condor-man all wore elaborate bracers on their wrists. The bear-man had a wide belt around its waist. A large ferret-like humanoid was wrapped in a hooded cloak as well. Finally, the gorilla wore a red, white, and blue vest. “Sweet Lady Liberty!” Patriot exclaimed in horror, “Are these twisted mockeries supposed to be…us??” At that moment, the cage doors all swung open and the beastmen rushed out to attack! Mighty Huntress was the first one hit, bowled over by her white tiger doppelganger. The rest of the beastmen also focused on their counterparts – Rocket Ranger dodged crude missiles fired from the condor’s bracers. The black panther teleported closer to Nightwatch and threw blast of inky darkness at the Texan. The bear ignored the closer Nightwatch to lunge at Clubber. The tiger pummeled Artifact with glowing fists. And the ferret caused light fixtures from the ceiling to crash down near Havoc. Patriot was quick to meet his own star-spangled opponent head on, though the gorilla’s bestial reflexes were quicker than the hero’s and more than one furry fist slammed into America’s Hero. Being at the far end of the room, Patriot was the first to notice a hidden door slide open near the lab apparatus. From this passageway streamed a dozen or more Chinese Tong armed with swords, knives, and throwing stars. Their intent was obvious. “Ninjas!” Patriot bellowed, warning his comrades. While the beastmen focused on their Agent counterparts, the Agents did not have the same concentration. Havoc pulled on the strings of fate to trip up the bear, allowing Huntress to pounce on the creatuere’s head. Artifact dodged her lion and closed with the panther, sending it into the far wall with a single blow from her Norse Hammer, before turning back to the lion. The heroes started out doing well, but the arrival of the Tong warriors soon tipped the balance back in favor of the bad guys. Deadly throwing stars flew through the room, whittling down the Agents with cuts and slashes. A number of the Tong closed with Patriot, cutting into him with their swords while his attention was drawn by the gorilla. Nightwatch and Artifact hurried to help Patriot – Nightwatch managed to teleport the bleeding hero away but that left Artifact at the mercy of the Tong, who swiftly cut her down. Rocket Ranger poured explosive and other area effect missiles into the clusters of Tong but the warriors were more durable than the usual thug and kept coming on. Nightwatch threw up a miry wave of blackness that slowed a large group of Tong to a molasses-like crawl. Patriot (having taken a moment to recover) started throwing Tong warriors into the morass. With its target out of reach, the star-spangled gorilla chose to pounce on Clubber. Mighty Huntress continued to wail on the bear until the beast finally dropped, stunned. But then the white tiger and the black panther (both having recovered) double teamed the feline heroine. The ferret continued to prove troublesome as it dropped more debris from the ceiling (mostly on Rocket Ranger) and moved about the battlefield completely invisible. Havoc rushed over to where Artifact lay unconscious and punched out one of the Tong standing over her. Using her luck powers, she mended Artifact’s wounds and brought the woman back into the fight. Meanwhile, the condor made the mistake of closing with Rocket Ranger, who ducked the bird’s attack and countered with one of his patented Rocket Punches, sending the creature flying across the room and into the shadowy mire. The bear started to recover from Huntress’ attack, only to have Clubber hurl the gorilla into it, putting it back into dreamland. To add insult to injury, Clubber than leapt over to the dogpile and kicked the unconscious bear into the staggered gorilla, sending both monsters flying. The Tong got themselves organized and started ganging up on Mighty Huntress, Clubber, and Patriot, injuring them all. Seeing the need to push the fight along, Rocket Ranger sent a wave of fire from his flamethrower over the large group picking on Patriot then followed up with a blinding flare into a second pack. The beastmen started following the Agents’ tactics and began switching up their target, with the white tiger gouging Clubber badly. In pain and anger, Clubber grabbed one of the closest targets (in this case, the gorilla) and hurled it into a mob of the Tong. Most of the warriors dodged, letting the flailing animal plow instead into Rocket Ranger and Patriot…and knocking the Patriot out! The white tiger lunged at Mighty Huntress again, shredding her badly, then began smashing her with heavy blows. Rocket Ranger shouted in fury and blasted the tiger with an energy beam that sent it staggering. Havoc managed to heal Clubber, who started grabbing Tong left and right and slamming them together like meat-and-bone cymbals. Nightwatch fired bolt after bolt of painful shadow at the black panther, driving it back to where Patriot grabbed a hold of it and hurled it none-to-gently into one of the cages. Several pieces of Rocket Ranger’s gear started shorting out, a sure sign of the ferret’s Havoc-like powers at work. Mighty Huntress used her superhuman senses to get a rough location of the rodent, allowing her and Rocket Ranger to concentrate their claws and rockets into where the ferret hid under its cloak of invisibility. The ferret managed to ‘luckily’ escape the first barrage but not the second…and like Havoc, it tended to crumple under physical violence. Nightwatch threw a shadow blast at the condor, who dodged aside…only to discover the Texan had maneuvered it into Artifact’s hammer range. With a mighty blow the condor was sent barreling into a bank of electronics. Clubber pounced on the barely conscious white tiger and pounded it into the ground. By now the Tong had lost too many of their number and had begun to retreat back down the passageway. The Agents, occupied with the final push toward beating their bestial doppelgangers, were unable to stop them. The Agents took a long moment to catch their breath and secure their fallen opponents. Rocket Ranger examined the electronic equipment and discovered that it was in fact Syndarian technology, though about thirty years out of date – rather like his own equipment reputed was. Comparing notes with Nightwatch, the Agents determined that this technology was very much like the devices that Nightwatch had found in New Mexico. After being healed by Havoc, Mighty Huntress tried following the escaped Tong back down their bolthole-passageway. It emptied out into the forest to the rear of the estate and there was no physical sign of the Tong warriors. Mighty Huntress searched around some more and discovered the scent of her sister – about two hours old – near the entrance to the hidden passageway and in parts around the estate. It was then that she realized that the name “Shaby” was an anagram for “Ashby.” The head of the World Wildlife Foundation must be her sister Francine in disguise! Patriot radioed the Agency, calling for a containment team to pick up both the beastmen and the surviving Tong. The manor would also need to be occupied and the servants questioned about “Shaby’s” whereabouts. When the containment team arrived, there was an urgent telegram for Tom Jefferson…

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... More catching up on my duty as quotes-recorder for teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign - the Chronicles of Foxton. --- Relevant PCs Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and serving as Court Magician in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Errol Wanderfar: A Goodfellow Hobbit, battle wizard, and leader of the Deadly Seven. Very dedicated to making the team work. Brictius the Gray: Gray Elfin Preliator (spearfighter) from Pasion. Cool and collected with only a hint of superior snoot. Tatiana: Green Elfin Jill also from Pasion. Mistress of the hand axe, the swift attack, and the inability to sit still and shut up. Benedikt: Human Seeker (priest of the Cold Gods). Pragmatic, aggressive 'worshipper' for Cromm - god of war and strength. Randall Stowes: Human Warrior from Demoria. Academy trained swordsman and budding knight. Strong-armed but slow thinking. Keinan Murdoch: Human Warden (holy warrior of Adrom - Druidic god of the hunt) from Nekia. Expert archer and tracker. Brandwyn Wright: Human Taleweaver from Demoria. Bright, cheerful, friendly, and wondering why she's with this group of misfits. Featherlight: Green Elfin Master of the Hunt in Foxton. Taciturn and precise. Deadly accurate with her bow. --- Wythri the eccentric Wild Mage is called to a private meeting with the Baron of Foxton.... Baron du Clef (NPC): Just so you know, you're not in any trouble. Wythri: Give it time. Baron du Clef (NPC): Fair enough. Wythri is referring to her Wild Magic's Wild Surge tendency. No, really... Wythri: It's not healthy for me to go off like that. The Baron's elite are battling a vengeful revenant and finally have it on the ropes... Featherlight: Can you enchant my bow, Baron? I intend to killsteal. During a discussion as to whether or not Lady Hawthorne tends to be overly harsh and final in her judgments... Hawthorne: I have a warm personality. Quion: Yes, when you're on fire. Errol, Hobbit Wizard of the Deadly Seven, has improved some of his spells... Errol: I upgraded my Summon Monster spell! Kienan: So you have what...a border collie now? Shortly after the reckless Tatiana has dashed ahead of team and gotten into a spot of trouble... Kienan: Would it be foolish of me to ask if you learned anything? Following the dead silence that usually greets Tatiana's mile-a-minute hyperactive speech patterns... Randall: You know, the reason no one responds to you is because they have no idea what you said. The Deadly Seven are sent out into the woodlands with a flock of carrier pigeons with which they can send regular reports. Of course, adventurers get hungry... Tatiana: We should send a pigeon back asking for more pigeons. While trekking through the forest, the Deadly Seven are caught in a downpour. Benedikt is the most vocally annoyed... Kienan: But we thought the rain would remind you of home. Benedikt: I left home for a ******* reason! During a discussion about how closely related Hobbits and Humans might be... Randall: I don't think you're the same species. Kienan: Can you in fact crossbreed with Humans? Errol: Well, I've been trying really, really hard the past few days... What passes for a war-cry from the false refined Elven spearfighter... Brictius: Come on, you goat-shagging wool buggerer, let's see what you look like in the open. The Deadly Seven find their quarry, namely a massive owlbear with taloned tentacles instead of arms and a troll's ability to regenerate... Benedikt: Can we fight normal monsters? Randall: "Normal" and "monster" don't usually go together. After the promiscuous Tatiana makes a concerned comment about the tentacles... Brandwyn: Waitaminute, the Elf is afraid of being violated? Randall, a close-quarters fighter, bemoans the seemingly more effective ranged attacks of his companions... Randall: Well, if you're just going to shoot it, I'm going back to bed! Kienan puts two arrows into the skull of the mutated owlbear with next to no effect... GM: The arrows in its head aren't really bothering it. Brictius: But with Another arrow it should be able to get HBO. Random comment about Tatiana... Benedikt: She's a lick-and-stick Elf. Following the harrowing battle with the owlbear, the Deadly Seven find evidence that hints at the involvement of Doctor Rothbury, another Monster Hunter. Errol tries to talk them out of an immediate attack... Errol: We could try talking to the Doctor. Deadly Seven: Errol: Am I not speaking any language you understand? The Deadly Seven adopt a goat, naming it Lucky George. After Errol's poor performance in the battle with the owlbear, the eccentric adventurers suggest making the goat their new leader... Tatiana: Lucky George says you're fired. Errol: You guys suck. Tatiana: That's how I got him to fire you. Quion and Wythri pool their knowledge and skills in analyzing alchemical and biological remnants found by the Deadly Seven. Their coordinated skill rolls are impressive... Quion: We are awesome together. Wythri: But it's still just a platonic relationship. Quion: Agreed, we are platonic awesome. In a discussion about the variety of deadly creatures to be found in the faraway desert kingdom of Kidbod... Baron du Clef (NPC): There's a ****load of poisonous things down there. Damien: And that's just the women. The Baron orders his elite team to question Doctor Rothbury. He emphasizes that no harm can come to the Doctor without evidence and a proper trial... Gunn: Ah, you Demorians and your due process. Doctor Rothbury launches into a complicated discussion about biology, genetics, and xenobiology...then notices a distinct lack of comprehension from the characters... Damien: You're not talking above our knowledge base....you're talking above our Give-a-**** base. Wisdom from Benedikt... Benedikt: Save a horse. Ride a Monster Hunter. Doctor Rothbury implies that the Deadly Seven might be responsible for the increase in monster activity, despite Hawthorne's doubt as to the intelligence of Adventurers... Dr Rothbury (NPC): True that Adventurers are not very intelligent, but they possess a certain low cunning. Traveling back from the home of Doctor Rothbury, the city-based characters discover that they have a serious lack in outdoors skills. Even hunting is tricky... Damien: I could assassinate a deer. Hawthrone discusses with some of her aides who should accompany her on a diplomatic mission to the local Giants clans... Hawthorne: We should take Quion, though he doesn't travel well. Wythri: Have we tried a big Tupperware? Wythri comments on Baron's wisdom in hiring Damien as a spymaster... Wythri: If Damien didn't have a constructive outlet for his violent tendencies, he'd have to be an Adventurer. Brandwyn, young Taleweaver of the Deadly Seven, is invited to join the diplomatic group because of her language skills... Brandwyn: I speak both High and Hill Giantish...y'know, country AND western! Random comment relating to professional adventurers... Benedikt: I have Survival: Tavern. After the first day of travel, the party prepares to make camp... Hawthorne: We should set watches. Wythri: Isn't that why we brought the Adventurers? During the night following a few days of travel, the party is plagued by frightening dreams or painful memories. The GM calls each player out of the room one at a time. As Gunn's player comes back from his turn... Gunn (NPC): Next up for a bit of existential angst. Fairly typical sweet talking by an Adventurer... Brictius: Miss Majaera, do you have any hobbies? Because you can do me in your spare time if you'd like. Benedikt, Randall, and Brandwyn all manage to sleep through their watch. Errol pulls them aside for an explanation... Errol: Since I'm not going to get a coherent answer from these two, I'm asking you, Brandwyn. Randall: But I actually I have my answer ready this time! Before Quion can launch into an overly wordy explanation of the situation... Hawthorne: Quion, please keep the facts to a minimum. More typical Benedikt, who worships Cromm, God of Strength... Benedikt: Not now - I'm yelling at my god! Randall and Benedikt spend themselves ferociously against a powerful Hill Giant when Hawthorne springs forward to finish it off... Randall: Killstealer! Following a battle with a patrol of Hill Giants, the party realizes that one of the giant clans is plotting conquest of Foxton. Hawthorne appropriately interrupts Wythri when the Elf is trying to talk some of the Deadly Seven into giving up the adventuring lifestyle... Hawthorne: Wythri, make them better people AFTER they help kill all the giants. --- Hope you enjoyed. Next up will hopefully be quotes from BunnySue's Golden Age Champions game. Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Catching up on my duty as quote-taker for teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign - Chronicles of Foxton. ----- Relevant Cast Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Lieutenant Niahm O'Derry: Professional warrior, medic, and officer serving in the Epotic Corps of the Demorian Draconians - the elite police force of the kingdom. Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Officer Uri Barechest: A powerful warrior originally from Valorsheim - a tough fighter with a soft side for his family, a love of a good brawl, and no line between his brain and his mouth. Officer Candor Silverstone: An Elven wizard from Pasion - curious, analytical and infinitely proper and polite. Trainee James Jameson: A young priest of Durom, from a long line of cops - still in training, but with the potential to be a great officer...if he can overcome his nervousness and fear of blood. Errol Wanderfar: A Goodfellow Hobbit, battle wizard, and team leader. Very dedicated to making the team work. Benedikt: Human Seeker (priest of the Cold Gods). Pragmatic, aggressive 'worshipper' for Cromm - god of war and strength. Randall Stowes: Human Warrior from Demoria. Academy trained swordsman and budding knight. Strong-armed but slow thinking. Keinan Murdoch: Human Warden (holy warrior of Adrom - Druidic god of the hunt) from Nekia. Expert archer and tracker. ----- Regarding the difference in volume between reports from Lt. O'Derry and those from Master Rake... Hawthorne: Niahm understands the concept of brevity. Quion: I understand it. I just don't agree with it. Regarding Damien Wrathchild's rather permanent way of dealing with even the most minor of annoyances... Wythri: Damien is one of those men with whom you have to be extremely precise with his instructions. As a follow-up to the above... Hawthorne: Mass murder is not part of the plan. During the trials for Court Wizard, the Baron du Clef relates his feelings on the various candidates, one of whom is female... Baron du Clef (NPC): And I don't have a good read on the chick yet. Quion: Perhaps because you just referred to her as "the chick." From a secret conversation Damien has with his evil necromancer brother... Damien: You know that raising people from the grave tends to make people a little edgy. The adventuring band called the Deadly Seven arrives at Grey Haven manor to find a swarm of giant wasps loitering in the courtyard. They are pets of the half-mad Druidess Nikki who is a guest to Baron at the time and thus under his protection. The sword-happy adventurers have a little trouble with that... Kienan: Ma'am, are you aware...? Hawthorne: Yes. Randall: And shouldn't we...? Hawthorne: No. The Druidess Nikki has developed an infatuation with Quion, who most certainly does not share her affection... Hawthorne: Perhaps we can continue this talk in private. Nikki (NPC): He can come too. Quion: I cannot. I have a tower to throw myself from. Amused by Nikki's interest, Hawthorne makes arrangements for Nikki to work with Quion. Shortly, she realizes her error and tries to distract Nikki but... Damien: Y'know, it's a little late to pull him out from under the bus. Quion retreats to the safety of his office where his young apprentice hits him with a barrage of questions... Cici (NPC): Master Rake, are you dating that woman? Quion: Only in the carbon sense. Cici (NPC): Quion: No. Cici (NPC): I think she's dating you. Quion: In the sense that my days are numbered, yes. Random quote number one... Quion: There has been...no rape. In regards to Lady Hawthorne's meeting with Captain Waggoner, the hidebound captain of the local Draconians... Niahm: I don't recall if it was lunch or a lecture. After Hawthorne reports to Draconian headquarters that Lt. O'Derry would be missing duty, Lt. Tower - the second in command of the Draconians - has a number of uncomplimentary things to say about Niahm... Hawthorne: Lt. Tower hit the top of my **** list pretty much immediately. Wythri: Admittedly, that's not that hard to do. Quion has a tendency to be extremely precise in his theories and conclusions... Wythri: You're going to guess, Master Rake? Quion: I'm going to extrapolate. Hawthorne: That's basically guessing while showing your work. Random quote number two... Gunn: You could set your watch by this monster's decay! The Baron du Clef, who has an annoying habit of wandering out of the protection of the Grey Haven manor and his bodyguard Lady Hawthorne's watchful eyes, makes a query about Quion's safety during a recent endeavor.... Hawthorne: I will make certain nothing happens to Quion. He leaves notes. During one of the many irreverent discussions between members of the Deadly Seven adventuring band... Errol: Okay, next time we get paid, we leave town immediately. We spent all our funds here in town. That's not spreading the wealth. Benedikt: Oh, I was spreading wealth. Randall: I didn't know her name was Wealth. Discussing Lt. Tower's obvious distaste for the irregular and oft-times unprofessional Draconian night shift... Uri: I don't think he likes us. Candor: I don't think I like us. Jameson: Hey...! Uri: Well, I like us and that's all that matters! Jameson: I...no, I'm with you now, Candor. Niahm has been 'romancing' the Uruk adventurer Benedikt while under the influence of a werewolf curse. Realizing the relationship was meaningless, she tries to break it off... Niamh: I was just using you. Benedikt: I don't see how this is problem. ----- Lonewalker

Re: The Chronicles of Foxton This was a bit done over email between myself and teh Bunneh. I consolidated the posts into one long prose. My apologies if it's a bit choppy. ----- It was the evening on the 25th of Coolwater. Once again, Master Eldamoth had come home from the Baron's trials exhausted. He ate his supper quietly then excused himself to go up to bed. The old man was never one to admit defeat, but going down to the castle every day and performing feats of magic (not to mention the physical trials) had begun to take a toll on his endurance. The first few days, Eldamoth returned home a little bit exhilarated from the tests, but now... Luckily, the trials are almost over, and the Baron is set to make his final decision any day now. Wythri was busy cleaning up the kitchen, washing supper dishes, when there is a knock at the door. "Go away!" she called out. "We're closed!" There was another knock, a little louder, and she sighed. It was probably someone here on city business. It was like these people to have no concept of regular business hours. She dried her hands and walked to the door. "This had better be important!" she said as she opened the door. Standing on the doorstep, in a brightly-patterned shirt and broad-brimmed straw hat, was the Baron Mathieu du Clef. "Good evening, Ms. Majaera," he said, giving her a smile and a curt bow. "I apologize for the late visit, but yes, in fact it's kind of important. May I please come in?" Wythri could only stare for a long moment, her voice refusing to work. Then finally, her instincts (and manners) returned and she opened the door, stepping to one side to allow the Baron to enter. "Forgive me, my Lord," she said, flustered, "You were the last person I would expect to see at our door." She gestured for him to have a seat in the main room while she ducked into the kitchen to fetch the still warm pot of tea. She placed it on a small side table and poured the Baron a cup. She remained standing, feeling too unnerved to sit just yet. "Does, ah, does Captain Hawthorne know you're here?" she asked, hoping a guarded humor would conceal her skittishness, "You know how she gets when she loses track of your whereabouts...." The Baron chuckled. “Yes, she does get a little antsy when I leave the castle. But I’m the Baron here, and I’m allowed to walk my lands when I need to. Besides, this is official business.” “I’ve come here for two reasons,” he began, sipping his tea. “Please, Ms. Majaera, sit down. You’re pacing around like a nervous cat. I’m not going to bite.” “OK, where was I? Right. Two things. First, you know about the trials for the Court Wizard position I’ve been having? Well, they’re pretty much over. I’ve got all the information I need from them. The good news is that Hugo has done very well in several of the categories. He knows these lands and the people here, and is well-regarded and trusted by pretty much everyone. And he’s got the knowing of a lot of things. He would make an excellent advisor.” Wythri waited for the other shoe to drop. It didn’t take long. “But…” the Baron continued. “Foxton is, even now, a frontier town. We’re not like Drache, where you can ride for a week in any direction and see nothing but towns, cultivated fields, and civilization. We’re at the very edge of world here, surrounded by dangers of every sort and a long way from help.” “My Court Wizard has to be more than a simple advisor. He (or she) must be able meet threats to the Barony head-on; he needs to be able to ride out with the troops, to sleep in the hills for days at a time, and to use his intelligence and skills to protect the land and its people. “And sadly,” the Baron shook his head, “That’s beyond what Master Eldamoth is capable of any longer. I’m sure in his youth he could’ve been quite the adventurer, but those days are behind him now. So as much as I’d like to, I cannot offer him the job.” “But there’s another but,” he continued. “You, Ms. Majaera. I’m offering the job to you.” Suddenly, Wythri's legs would not support her. She dropped into the chair opposite the Baron and stared open-mouthed at him. She could feel the cold trickle of fear creeping up her spine. For several long moments, she didn't (couldn't) say anything. Then she turned her gaze away from the Baron, looking down at her clasped hands in her lap. She couldn't allow herself to be drawn into a post that depending on spellcasting - not with her form of Magic. There was no way she would be able to conceal her erratic power in such a position...and then she would be shunned and banished for sure. Or worse, when she inevitably lost control of her Magic, someone could be hurt. "Why me?" Wythri asked, her voice trembling with anxiety. "I...I have no intention of applying for the position. I'm...still an apprentice. I don't have the skill required. And if I lost..." She stopped her flow of desperate excuses, realizing she had almost cited what would happen if she 'lost control' of her power. She realized that the Baron was only staring at her. Without looking up, she added, "It's...it's not that I'm not honored by the offer, my Lord, it's just that I have no right to...or ambition for...the position." “OK, let me stop you there,” the Baron said, holding up one hand. “Here’s my reasoning. First, you (like your master) know the town, the province, and the people. You’re well-liked and generally trusted. And I believe you are loyal to the Barony. That’s important to me. Second, you’ve been recommended to the position by people whose judgment I trust, including Captain Hawthorne. Third, you’ve worked closely with both the Draconians and with my own guard; you know them and they know you. Add these three things up, and you have more than a right to the position.” “As for your ambition…” He chuckled and shook his head. “May the gods protect me from people with no ambition. This province seems to be full of them! I could count myself among them, in fact. I didn’t ask to be Baron here; I was perfectly happy with my life as an ambassador. But fate has a way of nudging us in the direction we have to go; at some point, we have to leave our comfort zone in order to grow.” “On top of that, I’m not overly enamored with any of the other applicants. Oh, their magical skills are fine, but I fear I can’t trust their motivations. Two of the three applicants from Cli are most likely spies, and the third I think has less interest in working for the people of the Barony than he does in having a quiet place to conduct experiments. Of them all, only Ms. Jocelyn has a future here, and I have the feeling that she sees this job as merely a stepping stone to something greater.” “And to your next point, that you are only an apprentice without the skill required?” The Baron grinned. “Don’t try to kid a kidder. I’ve read the reports. You stood up against the Demon Lord Lethargicus. You killed one of Nobbin’s werewolves with a single spell. And my friend Otiluke walked away very impressed by your fireworks show at the ball. If you try to tell me that you lack the skill, I will say you are being much too modest.” A flush came to Wythri's face at the praise. The Baron's words revealed a trust and respect she hadn't known he possessed of her. She hadn't reviewed her past exploits into the arcane, not wanting to dwell on what might have happened if she had lost control. As with everything, she had acted simply on instinct - she faced down the Demon to protect her master; she battled the werewolves to protect the fallen Rich. If she had been granted time to consider her actions, she may have acted differently. Maybe. But the Baron seemed to show confidence in her. She hadn't realized that he had even registered her since, following their first uncomfortable meeting, she had tried to avoid his scrutiny. The same issue that made her nervous around Baron du Clef even now was also the same reason she was frightened of accepting such a prestigious post. Wythri stole a quick glance at the Baron, who was still watching her patiently. Taken logically, his arguments all made perfect sense. She was powerful, her Magic grew in potency ever time she used it. She did know and love the town and its people, which was why she was always worried about being banished again. She did work well with other members of the Baron's so-called 'task force,' and they had voiced their open support of her abilities. (Lady Hawthorne had even looked annoyed when Wythri refused to take part in the trials.) Surely, all of that outweighed any potential skill and experience one of the other candidates might bring to the barony. There was no way to counter the Baron's suggestions without giving up her secret. She thought about her talk earlier in the week with Hugo Eldamoth and, with a feeling like a fist around her heart, she decided that if she was going to be cast out of her home, she would at least go away an honest Elf. "Master Otiluke is very kind as well as forgiving," Wythri finally replied, surprised at the steadiness in her voice, "especially after so much wine. I do fear you overestimate my abilities; the incidents with the Demon and the Lycanthropes were more luck than skill." That much was true; a little less control of her Magic and she may have summoned a flock of chickens instead of a focused lightning bolt. "But I still urge your Lordship to select another candidate. You see..." She hesitated then with an effort of will forced herself to say the words. "...I'm not a true Wizard. I'm what's called a Wild Mage. When I cast spells, I don't have full control over the effects and I could just as easily lose my grasp on the Flow and let it run chaotically all over. Worse, sometimes the more Magic I use, the more....insane....I become, which makes it even harder to control the Magic." She looked up. "As Court Magician, I'd be as much a danger to my allies as my enemies. I've only been using my Magic because Master Eldamoth has been too weak to do his own spells. I've suspected that this would get out sooner or later, especially whenever Master Rake has the opportunity to witness my spellcasting. But...it's because of this that I must decline your appointment, my Lord. I feel I would be dangerous to you and the province." Baron Mathieu did not react the way Wythri would have expected. He neither recoiled in distrust, nor did he crinkle his brow in confusion. Instead, he laughed. “And that brings me to the second reason I wanted to come visit you tonight.” He leaned forward and in a low voice says, “You aren’t the only person here in the Barony with a secret.” “Perhaps you’ve heard (as it’s no great mystery), I attended the University of Cli in my youth – that’s where I met Otiluke, in fact. But apart from he and I becoming friends, it was pretty much a waste of three years of my life. No matter how hard I tried, they couldn’t teach me a thing. I was one for the record books. Worst student they ever had.” He leaned back in his chair and looked Wythri in the eye. “And can you guess why?” The Elf maiden stared blankly at the Baron for several long seconds - while her memory reflexively called up her conversation with the high Wizard Otiluke. Suddenly she gasped, her hand going to her mouth. "You...you're Master Otiluke's Wild Mage friend?" She spoke softly, as if afraid to believe it. Or if she dared believe it, not to allow the damning secret to be heard. "But...you're kin to King Durom. How did you curse yourself? Is this why you were sent to Kidbod...then out here? How do you hide it? How did...?" Wythri stopped herself, reigning in her wagging tongue before she could offend or insult the Baron any further. "Merciful Hekatos, is this for real?" Still smiling, the Baron nodded. "Yes, it's for real, and yes, I am Otiluke's Wild Mage friend. And yes, I am King Durom's cousin, and no, it wasn't always easy to hide (and speaking of which, I'd appreciate it if you kept this under your hat, please), and... um... I'm sorry, you were going really fast. What were your other questions again?" "Forgive me, my Lord," Wythri said, her hands fluttering nervously, "I think I'm still trying to process all of this." “That’s all right,” the Baron says reassuringly. “I assumed you would have a lot of questions. I didn’t quite expect all of them to come out as a single sentence…” The Elf took up her cup of tea, spilled a bit onto her skirts, and took a long slow sip, trying to get control of herself. After a moment, she said, "I, uh, I promise that I won't reveal your secret to anyone. But if you are also a Wild Mage, you understand how dangerous it would be to have one as your Court Magician. It would be hard to conceal my cursed Magic if I'm called upon to throw spells around regularly. I assume that's why you don't cast spells out in the open. The danger as well as the risk of being ostracized by the townsfolk and your family.....well, it makes sense to hide your curse." She looked up at Baron du Clef. "Don't you find the risk of damage to the Barony - physically and socially - too much to warrant putting a Wild Mage in your court?" “I have considered the risks, yes,” he replied. “And I feel the benefits far outweigh them. I, of all people, know full well exactly what a wild mage is capable of, and I still want to give you the job.” “Also,” he continued in a serious tone, “I don’t consider my talents (nor, by extension, yours) to be a curse. I keep them hidden because it is advantageous to have my enemies underestimate me, not because I’m ashamed or frightened of them. And I am not frightened of nor ashamed by you.” "Well, you would be only the second person in my life to mean that, my Lord," Wythri said. As she spoke the words though, she thought about her friends in Grey Haven - Damien, Lady Hawthorne, and Lieutenant O'Derry among others. Would they be frightened or ashamed of her if they knew her secret? None of them seemed the type to judge a friend. Sure, most of them thought she was a little insane (and, in fact, she was), but they had rarely failed to give her a respect and trust that she never knew back at her family estate in Pasion. She found herself wondering for the first time if it would be safe to try trusting them back. "I appreciate your confidence, Baron," Wythri added, "It actually makes me feel much better knowing that I'll not be cast out of Foxton for being a Wild Mage." She paused to take a sip of her tea then realized she wasn't thirsty at all and set the cup back down on the table. "My own family banished me from my homeland because of my Magic, and I've always assumed that anyone who found out what I was would do the same. That's one of the reasons I've kept my Magic so secret. But...after talking with Master Otiluke, I realized that I do love my Magic as much as I fear it. I still wish I could be a real Wizard with proper Magic that doesn't follow its own whims or twist my thoughts into more madness...but throwing Magic is like...music and dancing....and passion....it's hard to resist. Which, of course, only made me feel more like it was wrong." Wythri sighed heavily, still surprised at how much she wanted to share now that she had started. "What about you, my Lord? What is the Magic like for you?" “Cast out of Foxton? Is that what you’ve been worried about?” the Baron frowned. “So much is explained. No, Ms. Majaera, I have no intention of banishing you. I’m sorry to hear that your family sent you away, but rest assured that you have a home here for as long as you want.” “What is magic like for me?” he leaned back in his chair and scratched his beard thoughtfully. “It’s hard to describe. It’s power and playfulness, at the same time. When I concentrate on the magic, it’s like, in my mind’s eye the whole world shrinks down to the size of a dollhouse. And like a toy, I can move it, or change it, or even break it if I want to. The feeling can be intoxicating. I’ve spent many years practicing, learning, focusing my mind to control it – both the power, and the temptation to use it indiscriminately.” "It isn't just me then." Wythri let out a long breath. The knowledge that other Wild Mages also struggled with their power was something of a relief, though she also realized that it meant she would be grappling with control of her Magic for the rest of her days. That was less encouraging, but maybe she would not have to face the ordeal alone. "If it pleases your Lordship, I think I'd appreciate the chance to discuss Wild Magic with you in the future," Wythri told the Baron, "Maybe with your own insight and experience, I might be able to reach the level of control that Master Eldamoth believes I'm capable of." She paused and glanced toward the stairs leading upstairs to where the old Human sage slept off the exertions of the recent trials for Court Magician. "But maybe we should table that for now," she said, "About the Court Magician post....I have to admit that I'm running out of arguments. Let's say I do accept the position as you request - and I'm not saying that I will - what about Hugo? The Court Magician undoubtedly needs to reside in Grey Haven to be on hand when called for. But I can't leave Hugo on his own." A touch of sadness crept into her voice but it was mixed with a sincere affection. "As you said, he's very old...and while his mind is still sharp, his body struggles with even day-to-day activities. I try to take care of him as best I can - I owe him a great deal for taking me in off the streets of Warford and making me his apprentice fifteen years ago. How would you propose I continue to watch over him around my duties in Grey Haven?" “I’m glad you’re thinking of him,” the Baron said with a nod. “How the two of you want to arrange things is up to you. I will tell you that the Court Wizard receives a generous stipend, more than enough to maintain this home. Or if you prefer, Hugo can move into the castle with you. You will have a suite of rooms at Gray Haven, though of course you’re not required to stay there all day, every day -- even Captain Hawthorne maintains a second household.” “The castle has a full staff to take care of your day-to-day needs. There’s a kitchen, laundry, maids, and so on. He would never be far from help, should he need it, even if you were away. If you want, we can arrange a small staff for your office. And I’m sure Hugo would be able to keep himself occupied in the castle library and the gardens, if nothing else.” “And yes, I would love to discuss magic with you,” he finished with a smile. “There aren’t that many people here in the area who know much about it, and it’s one of my favorite subjects to talk about.” Wythri considered the possibilities. A full castle staff meant more people to help care for Eldamoth - she had to admit that it had been very hard to keep up on the household duties, the shop responsibilities, and the services to Grey Haven all on her own. Moving to the manor would mean she could focus primarily on the latter, though she knew she would always check in with her master when not otherwise occupied. Eldamoth would be sorry to let the business end, though there was nothing saying that he could not continue to do research work for the Foxton townsfolk from within Grey Haven. He himself had recently mentioned savoring the opportunity to explore the Baron's reputedly grand and complete library. Knowing the knowledge-hungry sage as she did, Wythri had no doubt that the old man could while away whole weeks with access to so many tomes and volumes. Quartering at Grey Haven would make sense for the Court Magician - the better to be on hand for emergencies. It sounded as though Baron du Clef intended to keep his Magician in good comfort. Having visited Grey Haven many times in the past few weeks, Wythri knew it was a well-appointed dwelling with plenty of room. It would mean selling their house in the Silver Quarter...but Wythri realized that it would not be a problem. Geoffrey Crown, the moneychanger, had been wanting to move out of his humble home in the Trade District into more comfortable quarters...but there had been very few houses for sale of late. He would undoubtedly jump at the opportunity to take over the sage's two-story house, especially with his wife expecting their second child. And finally, Wythri would be in a position to speak with the Baron on a regular basis. He was the only other Wild Mage she had met, and no doubt he would be able to offer insights into Wild Magic that would help her develop and control her own power. Maybe with his help and advice, she could eventually get to the point where she would stop fearing her spells. Wythri let out a long sigh, sounding as if she had just lost a battle. Then she looked up at the Baron and smiled. "Very well, my Lord," she said, "I can't seem to come up with any more objections. If you're certain about this choice, then I would be honored to accept the position of your Court Magician." She poured some more tea. "I'll break the news to Hugo in the morning," she said, chuckling, "I'm certain that he won't be disappointed, especially since he's been encouraging me to apply. In fact, I think he'll be particularly glad that he won't need to endure any more of Lady Hawthrone's physical trials." Leaning back in her chair, feeling oddly relaxed, Wythri added, "This won't cause any issues with the other applicants, will it? Since I did not 'officially' apply for the position?" “Wonderful!” the Baron grinned broadly. “Don’t worry about the other candidates; I’ll break it to them personally. You’ll just need to keep this between yourself and Hugo for a day or two until I’m able to disseminate the news to those who need to know. After that, feel free to tell everyone.” He stood up and offered his hand to Wythri. “I’d like you to begin your duties on the first, if that’s not too soon. It’s good luck to begin a new venture under the full moon.” Wythri took the Baron's offered hand in her own and returned his smile. "As you wish, my Lord. Hugo and I will probably need a few days to get things in order for the move. If you have any porters that could help with the heavy lifting, I think both of us would appreciate it." Taking a step back, Wythri curtsied and added, "Thank you, my Lord, for this opportunity...and for the faith you seem to have in me. I'll endeavor to do my best for you and Foxton." ----- Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... A fistful of quotes from teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign - Chronicles of Foxton. --- Referenced Characters: Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Radley "Tunnelmouse" Jones: Hobbit member of the Foxton Draconian force. Stealth expert. Always hungry. --- When the stable hands jump to when the diminutive Tunnelmouse orders them about... Tunnelmouse: Hey, I have a commanding presence with stableboys! During a discussion after Wythri had asked Damien handle a situation. She didn't say anything about violence but... Wythri: I asked Damien Wrathchild to go there and take care of the problem. How much more clear could I be? When some of the main characters ask the seemingly eccentric Baron for an appointment later on... Baron du Clef (NPC): Well, let me check my daytimer. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Blank. Hey, birthday! While searching of local area for an escaped prisoner... Wythri: It's a sparsely populated barony. Gunn: It didn't start that way... A comment about conversations with professional adventurers... Gunn: Don't be witty. I'm not sure they're up to it. --- Enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... A quick handful of quotes from teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign - Chronicles of Foxton. --- Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Bri Leith: Boisterous and rough-and-tumble taleweaver from the realm of Kalon across the southern bay. Takes the same fervor to both the battlefield and the bedroom. --- Opening the session with the indomitable Captain Hawthorne making her way through the town... GM: The sunrise creeps up over the horizon... Quion (OOC): The sunrise has to creep because it noticed that Hawthorne is angry and it's scared. It's the truth... Bri: We don't just embrace crazy here - we buy it a drink and start french-kissing. During a description of Lady Hawthorne's duties in town... Hawthorne (OOC): Hawthorne keeps the peace. Wythri (OOC): Yeah, and it's a .45 Colt. Annoyed with Quion, Wythri drops him from the magical Mindlink... Quion: I believe I've been unFriended. Opening statement during an interrogation... Hawthorne: Let me put you at ease. You cannot run fast enough. Regarding one of the other players... Quion (OOC): He's like a onion with feet. During a discussion on Charisma/Presence and how much it relates to personality or just a nice set of bewbs... Gunn (OOC): It's really just theoretical charisma versus practical charisma. --- Enjoy! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Some belated quotes from the last session of teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign - Chronicles of Foxton. There's a ton of characters (Bunneh gave us all one primary and up to three secondary) so pop over to the campaign thread to learn all about these folk. ---- After being beaten to an inch of his life by an old enemy, Quion Rake attempts his own form of investigation, hoping to do so before his superior, the fiery-tempered Lady Hawthorne finds out about the assault... Quion: I do have a limited amount of time. Wythri (OOC): Quion has to do something before Hawthorne detonates. Young Trainee Jameson is constantly being put into mortifying situations by the older, more boisterous Officer Uri Barechest, who sincerely wants to see the boy get on with a young woman... Jameson: Stop being my friend! During a discussion about what Lady Hawthorne would do to the men who attacked and almost killed Quion... Hawthorne (OOC): You're talking about a woman who just killed her own husband; she's not above much of anything. In the middle of explaining Quion's plan to the Baron du Clef and Lady Hawthorne... Niahm: So for the moment, Master Rake is dead. Baron du Clef (NPC): Lady Hawthorne's reputation precedes her when Damien Wrathchild is speaking with the Baron du Clef about Quion's assault.... Damien: Speaking of stabbing people, Lady Hawthorne would like to see you. Baron du Clef (NPC): I don't really want to be stabbed. Damien: I'm pretty sure it won't be you. Hawthorne (OOC): Exactly how many points is Reputation: Evil Bitch worth? During a briefing between Lieutenant Niahm O'Derry and her Draconian squad... Niahm: Officer Barechest, I ask that you please use restraint. Uri: Oh, I've got plenty of them - steel and rope! Jameson: Candor has fuzzy ones. Niahm: How do you know that? Tunnelmouse: He's been getting dating lessons from Candor. Niahm: Really? Jameson: Well...not with her knowledge. Still battered and recovering from grave injury, Quion runs into his apprentice back in his office... Cici (NPC): Master Rake, were you in a fight? Quion: No. A fight involves two sides. A Sergeant in the Draconians, Will is criticized for lacking a certain flair for romance... Will: I don't need a romantic soul. I have three stripes instead. During a grand ball at the Baron's castle, Wythri is surprised that the dour Quion seems to be getting along with the powerful Master Wizard Otiluke... Quion: Master Otiluke appreciates my sense of humor. Wythri: ---- Sadly, the campaign may not be continuing for a couple weeks. More quotes then! Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... More quotes from BunnySue's Chronicles of the Agency campaign. --- The Agents: The Patriot - Mild-mannered Army Captain Tom Jefferson transforms in the star-spangled powerhouse when he shouts the magic words, "By the Dawn's Early Light!" Rocket Ranger - Aviator and inventor Brett Tucker uses his murdered uncle's advanced rocket pack and weapon gauntlets to protect the innocent. Clubber - Folk musician Charlie Varens uses his superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability to defend the common, working man. Havoc - Mysterious Annabelle Leonard gained ghost and luck powers and gave up the thieving life to seek new, more worthwhile challenges. The Mighty Huntress - A blood transfusion gives mousy librarian Elsie Ashby the ability to take on a half-tiger and all-woman feline form. Nightwatch - Texas Ranger Jeb Kane utilizes his dark shadow powers to deal with kind of threats even Rangers cannot handle. Artifact - World-traveling archaeologist Esther Rausch is determined to protect the unknowing public from dangerous magical devices that don't stay lost and uses some of those devices in her quest. --- The Agents face down a Mummy guardian who hits them with a Presence attack totaling somewhere in the high 40's. Patriot is unlucky enough to be the first one it attacks... Rocket Ranger: Remember, Patriot, these colors never run! These! Colors! Never! Run! Patriot: They never run. They can stand here in a puddle of their own urine with a snot bubble up their nose... Still rattled by the Mummy's Presence attack, Patriot's oratory skills are not up to their usual flash... Patriot: Don't move another step, you fiend from another dimension...or world...or time...or whatever! In the middle of the Mummy fight... Patriot: I'm not thinking rationally. Rocket Ranger: Do we ever think rationally? Patriot: We're 1930's pulp heroes - what you do expect? The Mighty Huntress tries her hand at some of Clubber's tactics... Mighty Huntress: The best thing to hit a mummy with ... is his own arm! Clubber: Actually, a leg is better. It's a heavier limb. The Agents find themselves in an empty burial chamber... GM: According to the scents, three people came into this room and six came out. Mighty Huntress: That math doesn't make sense! It still doesn't make sense. The Agents track down the evil cult in the midst of a resurrection ceremony. A number of goons take aim at Nightwatch... Patriot: Don't shoot this man - he's from Texas. It'll make him mad! The GM's damage dice hated Nightwatch... GM: Wow - they're really mad at you or something. Nightwatch (OOC): And that makes their bullets hit harder?? During a brief pause in the climatic battle, Patriot and Rocket Ranger discuss tactics against the horde of armed cultists... Rocket Ranger: Y'know, I'm seriously thinking about using my flamethrower on these guys. Patriot: Sure. Why not? Rocket Ranger: That's been your question every time I consider one of my more destructive weapons. Patriot: And you have yet to give me a satisfactory answer. Havoc is too far away to use her Healing Power on the badly wounded Patriot... Havoc: Could someone hike Patriot over to me? Artifact takes control of the magic wand animating several mummies and orders them to attack the evil priests... Rocket Ranger: Go, mummies! Wow - never thought I'd say that. Artifact uses an enchanted blade to sever the soul of the resurrected dark priest... GM: His scream is so horrible it will haunt your nightmares forever... Patriot (OOC): After this adventure, it's going to need to stand in line! Good advice in any setting... Nightwatch: Important diplomatic note - do not walk up to the ancient Egyptian secret society and say 'Sup?' Their mission in Egypt completed, the Agents return home to New York to meet with their commander - Agent Libby Belle... GM: The duty watch tells you that Agent Belle is on the roof. Havoc: Oh, no! I didn't think we did that badly! During the debriefing with Agent Belle... GM: Agent Belle is aware that you succeeded in your mission. Rocket Ranger: How? We only just got back. Patriot: Well, the world hasn't come to an end. Patriot's mild-mannered alter ego tries to balance the books following the Egypt mission... Tom Jefferson: You all saved your receipts, right? Havoc: Yes, for everything that I actually bought. At the session's cliffhanger ending, a vessel from outer space lands in New York. Stunningly beautiful women dressed in bikini tops, mini-skirts, and fish bowl helmets emerge... Rocket Ranger: Bet you wish you hadn't worn spandex today, huh? Patriot: Kind of regretting it, yes. --- More in a few weeks. Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Just a quick handful of quotes from BunnySue's Pulps Champions campaign: Chronicles of the Agency. --- In regards to 'desert ninjas' that Patriot's alter ego can take on... Nightwatch: You know you've got a problem when you can't beat up the accountant. Pretty much a standalone statement... Patriot: I only had to die once to learn my lesson. Regarding the HERO Language rules... Rocket Ranger (OOC): I speak Arabic at "basic conversation" level. I'm pretty sure that means I can understand swear words. Sometimes we're better than we realize... Patriot: You'd be surprised the things we know. Nightwatch: WE'RE often surprised by the things we know. When Rocket Ranger and Mighty Huntress both miss their Perception checks while on watch... GM: While you two were making out, nothing happens. Mighty Huntress: --- Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... A handful of catch-up quotes from teh Bunneh's Fantasy HERO campaign. --- The main PCs: Lady Isobelle Hawthorne: Noblewoman and duelist from neighboring Shelinsibeau appointed Captain of the Baron's Guard. Takes her responsibilities very seriously. Lieutenant Niahm O'Derry: Professional warrior, medic, and officer serving in the Epotic Corps of the Demorian Draconians - the elite police force of the kingdom. Damien Wrathchild: Blademaster and expert procurer of information serving the Baron of Foxton. Outwardly charming but hides a cunning, ruthless streak. Quion Rake: Taciturn and emotionless (by choice) alchemist serving as records clerk to the Baron. Tortured by guilt over a perceived crime from the past. Wythri Majaera: Young Elf exiled from her homeland of Pasion and working as an apprentice sage in Foxton. Slightly mad due to the influence of her Wild Magik. Wallace Gunn: Humble and simple druid and woodsman hired on as the Baron's Forester. Slow-witted and uneducated but dedicated to his duty. Also includes the following professional adventurers: The Deadly Seven Errol Wanderfar: A Goodfellow Hobbit, battle wizard, and team leader. Very dedicated to making the team work. Brictius the Gray: Gray Elfin Preliator (spearfighter) from Pasion. Cool and collected with only a hint of superior snoot. Tatiana: Green Elfin Jill also from Pasion. Mistress of the hand axe, the swift attack, and the inability to sit still and shut up. Benedikt: Human Seeker (priest of the Cold Gods). Pragmatic, aggressive 'worshipper' for Cromm - god of war and strength. Randall Stowes: Human Warrior from Demoria. Academy trained swordsman and budding knight. Strong-armed but slow thinking. Keinan Murdoch: Human Warden (holy warrior of Adrom - Druidic god of the hunt) from Nekia. Expert archer and tracker. Brandwyn Wright: Human Taleweaver from Demoria. Bright, cheerful, friendly, and wondering why she's with this group of misfits. --- Speaking of the hyperactive (and promiscuous) Tatiana when Master Wrathchild comes to interview the Deadly Seven... Benedikt: She does nothing but talk. She has two sets of lips. Damien: That wasn't the conversation I wanted. Being adventurers with fresh silver in their pockets, the Seven interrogate Damien about where to spend their money... Benedikt: Where is the magic shop? Kienan: What do you mean you don't have any +1 swords? Damien: Slow down, guys, you're in the wrong game system! The creepy monster hunter Dr Rothbury is talking with Wallace Gunn about the recently slain Chimera... Dr. Rothbury (NPC): Yes, I have just finished 80-page report on creature. Quion (OOC): Slacker. Damien has been asking Quion about getting the Baron's permission for specialized (and slightly illegal) equipment... Quion: I can just add the permission form to all the other paperwork he signs without reading. Damien: Hey, I'm glad I stuck in that pay raise request! Quion: I do still read them all. Damien: Damn it! A newly arrived monster hunter called Nikki has arrived. In the course of her interview, she mentions an exotic lycanthrope cure but doesn't go into details... Nikki (NPC): It's a magical Druidic thing - you all wouldn't understand. Gunn (a Druid): Try me. Nikki proves to me rather foul-mouthed and loud, especially when told that she must sign a contract before she can start hunting the local monsters... Damien: I don't think **** is a legal term. During a discussion about potential threats to the Baron of Foxton... Quion: All the insane people already work for him. Master Gunn is ordered to organize a team of trackers and woodsmen to hunt down the werewolves terrorizing the roads... Gunn: Hmm..."Wanted: Volunteers for the Human Wave attack method." Quion visits the local temple to investigate the recent death of one of the Iron Circle, another band of adventuring monsters hunters working in the town, at the 'hands' of the Chimera creature... Quion: And she died of what exactly? Trauma? Poison? Priest (NPC): The loss of her head mostly. Quion: Let me know if anything changes. Commenting when Quion attempts to interview the Iron Circle directly... Hawthorne (OOC): These are adventurers. Their vocabulary is limited to things that have tried to eat them. During the above interview... Quion: Indiscriminate death is appropriate in this situation. A couple members of the Deadly Seven discuss the beautiful Captain Hawthorne... Errol: You know, I like tall women. Kienan: Hate to mention this, boss, but all women are tall compared to you. Errol: Yes, well, I do like to break out the mountain climbing gear. Kienan: Can I get a Scour Imagination spell please? Random quote... Gunn: Is it possible to reincarnate this guy before he actually dies? A couple members of the Deadly Seven are confounded by Master Rake's educated vocabulary... Benedikt: I will hit you until you use smaller words! Oft-repeated... Various Members of the Deadly Seven: How do you learn these things? Brandwyn: Uhm, Bard! During a visit to the nearby town of Golden, Wythri suggests to Niahm that they enlist Damien's aid in secretly absconding with one of the citizens for questioning... Wythri: Damien doesn't think of it as kidnapping. He prefers to call it a forced extraction. --- Lonewalker

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... A few more quotes from BunnySue's Chronicles of the Agency (Pulps Champions) campaign. ----- The Agents: The Patriot - Mild-mannered Army Captain Tom Jefferson transforms in the star-spangled powerhouse when he shouts the magic words, "By the Dawn's Early Light!" Rocket Ranger - Aviator and inventor Brett Tucker uses his murdered uncle's advanced rocket pack and weapon gauntlets to protect the innocent. Clubber - Folk musician Charlie Varens uses his superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability to defend the common, working man. Havoc - Mysterious Annabelle Leonard gained ghost and luck powers and gave up the thieving life to seek new, more worthwhile challenges. The Mighty Huntress - A blood transfusion gives mousy librarian Elsie Ashby the ability to take on a half-tiger and all-woman feline form. Nightwatch - Texas Ranger Jeb Kane utilizes his dark shadow powers to deal with kind of threats even Rangers cannot handle. Artifact - World-traveling archaeologist Esther Rausch is determined to protect the unknowing public from dangerous magical devices that don't stay lost and uses some of those devices in her quest. ----- Backtracking through the Egyptian tomb, it is suggested that Havoc use her ghost powers to trigger a hallway trap harmlessly... Mighty Huntress: But I want to set off the traps! Rocket Ranger: You set off the last one. Give everyone else a turn. Examining a nasty wall trap involving giant crushing stone wheels, Clubber wonders if the local guides the Agents are looking for came this way... Clubber (OOC to GM): Are the wheels gummed up with anything native-guide-like? Random comment during a battle with mummified animals... Patriot: You can't negotiate with hippos! During that same battle, Patriot is attacking by a herd of mummified felines... Patriot: I can't hit a cat! It's un-American! Clubber: Sure, you can...though it if were a dog, that would be another story... More Patriot battle cries... Patriot: Taste star-spangled justice, you horrible undead horror! During the fight against the mummified beasts, the Agents' can't seem to roll well enough to hit and damage properly... Rocket Ranger: C'mon, guys, just pretend that they're dinosaurs! Typical Clubber style... Clubber: Well, you know what the best thing to hit a hippo with is? Later, the Agents must cross through a wall of flame, knowing that only the "pure of heart" may pass through without being incinerated. Nightwatch makes a comment about the Agents' chances... Nightwatch: I don't know if pure of heart is the same as empty of brain. Patriot is not one to balk from such a challenge though... Patriot: I'll go first. I'm pure of heart! I'm true-blue American! GM: Make an EGO roll. Patriot: I'll use my Luck! GM: "Lucky" for you, you're very pure of heart at that moment. Rocket Ranger is next to go through the flames, though at the time the Mighty Huntress has been fussing over him since he was wounded in the last fight... Nightwatch: How are you supposed to be pure of heart with five foot eight of slinky catgirl draped on you? Rocket Ranger (OOC): I rolled a five! Havoc: If I were the Mighty Huntress, I'd be insulted. In the next chamber - full of treasures - the Mighty Huntress tries to figure out how the Nazi ally escaped... Mighty Huntress: I don't know what Teleportation smells like. Repeated several times to many Agents during the evening... Artifact: What did you touch? Post-session, after the Agents have discovered that the Egyptian traitor and ally of the Nazis was the same woman who met them at the tomb and helped them inside... GM: What did you learn? All: Don't trust anyone!! ----- Enjoy! Lonewalker