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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    For reference this is taken from Alone Against the Flames written by Mike Mason, Paul Fricker, and Gavin Inglis, thank you!

    Do You Hear the Call of Cthulhu?
    “The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.”
    —H. P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

    Welcome to Call of Cthulhu, a Horror/Investigative roleplaying game of mystery wherein you, an ordinary person, shall encounter and confront the terrifying alien forces of the Cthulhu mythos. Now, to begin is quite simple, and this first introduction shall operate similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story (this is done in order to help with an easy transition between the investigation-heavy Call of Cthulhu, and most other RPGs). Nevertheless, it is time to begin... welcome, to Alone Against the Flames.

    ----
    Plymouth NH, 2:44 PM, September 1st, 1921.

    The sun is high in the sky, a merciless ball of heat. You feel scorched by the time you reach the bus halt in front of Osborn’s Drug Store. It’s a relief to put down your heavy cases and take off your hat for a moment. You fan your face. It has been a long summer here, in your hometown, and yet a curiously empty one.
    You look across the street at the grubby butcher’s shop, the grocers with its faded awning, and the shabby tobacconist. Mistrustful faces glare at you as they pass, eyeing your clothes and luggage. It was your parents’ choice to live here, not yours. You were happy down south as a child, among Providence’s white-walled houses and leafy churchyards. Perhaps this new job in Arkham will supply the change you need.
    Yet everybody you know in the world lives here. You know nobody in Arkham, not one soul. You ask yourself one last
    time if you are doing the right thing.
    The answer is here. None of your supposed friends have come to see you off. You are alone. Whatever challenges lie in Arkham, it will be a new life, and a brave one.
    A small gray motor coach approaches and rattles to a stop. You put your hat back on and pick up your cases.

    Two young men with sullen expressions alight from the coach. One looks you up and down before heading away. The driver also steps down, glancing at you before crossing the road to visit the tobacconist. When he returns, he is rolling a cigarette between his yellowed fingers. He gives it a final twist and examines you as he reaches for his matchbox. He is a thin man in his fifties, dressed in a stained shirt with the bus company emblem. Yet his eyes are sharp in their dark sockets.
    Where to?

    You show him your ticket for Ossipee. From there you will connect to Rochester and Portsmouth, before the coastal line to Newburyport and, finally, Arkham. You should be able to afford a rail ticket for at least some of the way; otherwise this will be the first of many long bus trips.
    Mmm-hm.” The driver scratches the match and lights his cigarette. The end flares as he takes a draw. Then he exhales and gestures to the back of the coach. “Luggage rack’s up there.

    ----
    In Call of Cthulhu (somewhat like most other RPGs) there are eight characteristics Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Appearance, Size, Power, Education, and Intelligence
    • Strength: This is a measure of the physical prowess of your investigator
    • Dexterity: This is a measure of the agility and speed of your investigator
    • Constitution: This is a measure of the physical toughness and stamina of your investigator
    • Appearance: This is a measure of the physical appeal of your investigator
    • Size: This is a combined measure of your investigator's height and weight, also used in determining their force behind their attacks and health
    • Power: This is a measure of your investigator's mental stability, force of will, or spirit
    • Intelligence: This is a measure of the logic and cunning of your investigator
    • Education: This is a measure of your investigator's tutelage, be it from formal education or the "school of hard knocks"

    For the very early image you have of your character, please rank these characteristics in whatever order you choose. No need for anything else than this right now. Also, yes, I understand that this is not really your standard introduction to an In-Character Thread, but let's roll with it!

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    That was a great, if unusual, thread start. Apparently, in this IC thread we'll not actually start In Character (how could we, if there's not much of a character yet).

    More to the point, here is what I envision somewhat, from higher to lower:
    1 - Intelligence: He is curious and open minded.
    2 - Power : He is calm, methodical and determined.
    3 - Education: Mostly home schooled and self-taught, he is an avid reader but had no money to pursue a higher education, which he somewhat fantasizes about, with a mix of envy and derision.
    4 - Constitution: He is scrawny, but kind of tough. More as a result of his determination than of any physical gift.
    5 - Dexterity
    6 - Strength
    7 - Size : He is a bit shorter than average and scrawny.
    8 - Appearance: It's not that he is ugly, actually. But I imagined him as multiracial at a time and place that would not be so open to different looking people.

    Cheers.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    The driver continues to enjoy his cigarette, watching with keen interest as you struggle with the cases. You grit your teeth and heave the second one into place. Perhaps the residents of Arkham will have better manners.

    The driver flicks his cigarette into the gutter and steps into the motor coach. Its engine coughs into life. You board, grateful that you will be the only passenger for the initial part of your trip at least. With mixed emotions, you watch from the window as the tired avenues of your old home slip behind you, receding into the distance. For a few minutes, you can still see the church spire over the brow of a low hill. Then the road dips and it, too, is gone.
    Arkham is your new home. You will travel there, and make a new start.
    ----

    Note that you have a certain amount of Sanity and Magic Points that will fluctuate throughout the game based on your Power. Magic Points regenerate over time and while Sanity sorta does, it will change much more than Magic Points will (if they'll change at all).
    ----

    The coach putters through the countryside. At first, the interior is stifling and your stomach lurches with every bend in the road. However, the driver opens his window, and by switching seats you find a spot where the breeze hits your face. You soon relax into the journey, observing the quaint little hamlets that the coach serves. A heavy-set woman boards at one settlement and gives you a polite nod. She gets off at the next one.
    ----

    You also have a number of Hit Points based on your Size and Constitution. These too will fluctuate, and while they do regenerate like Magic Points it is nowhere near the level of D&D regeneration (also it's unlikely to ever exceed your maximum).
    You also have something called a Luck score, which basically determines how things outside of your control respond to you. Please roll 3d6 to help me facilitate determining your Luck.

    ----

    The road rises a little, passing cornfields and orchards. The leaves are turning and the trees are alive with glorious reds and golds. You have just begun to doze when the driver takes a tight bend at speed.
    ----

    In addition to the Luck roll, please also give me a Dexterity roll by rolling 1d100.
    Also, sorry for all of the OOC notes...

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    At the first hours of travel, he tries his best to scribe a few passages about the trip in his journal, but his handwriting is getting increasingly worse as the coach moves and turns about the road. Eventually, he puts his journal down and commits the scenery to memory.

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Luck roll: (3d6)[12]

    Dexterity check: (1d100)[66]

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    You rolled above your dexterity, which means that you have failed your roll. Interestingly, in Call of Cthulhu, your stats are what actually determine the difficulty of your attempt as opposed to a set DC like in D&D.
    ----

    A desperate yell shakes you out of your reverie of the beautiful view. You feel yourself slide from the seat as the driver spins the wheel and the motor-coach plunges off the road. Too late, you reach for the seat in front. You fall into the aisle and your ribs crash against the edge of the seat opposite. Breath rushes out of you. The coach stops with a thump.
    Your driver leaps from his seat into the road. As you sprawl, dizzy, in the aisle, you hear a string of incendiary curses.
    The driver climbs back into the cab and sees you on the floor. He looks concerned and assists you back into your seat. You see what has happened now. A Fordson tractor has stopped in the road and he had to swerve to avoid this steel obstacle.
    Sorry,” he says. “All them fields and he has to pick the road to park. You all right?
    You don’t think anything’s broken. But you’ll have a colorful bruise for the next few days. The throbbing pain itself should hopefully end with a good night's rest. The driver then backs the coach up a little and threads it around the tractor, glaring at the farmer.
    ----

    You have sadly lost 1 hit point in this accident. Your hit points will fluctuate, recovering and depleting over time (although rarely [if ever] going above your maximum), but note that if you sustain a massive amount of hit-point loss, or if you fall to 0 hit points, you will fall unconscious or even die.
    ----

    You resume your journey. The driver takes the curves with more caution than before. He glances over his shoulder at you a couple of times.
    Sorry about before,” he says. “That fella was dumber than a hog. I’m Silas. What’s your name?



    The accident was at least as much Silas’s fault as the farmer’s. But it doesn’t seem shrewd to antagonize the man while he is driving you through the middle of nowhere.
    ----

    Make up a name for your character and I'll mark it down. You may add your age; for the purposes of this adventure your character should probably be aged between 23 and 36.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    "Uh? Oh... I'm William. William Russell, actually." - He stutters a bit, as he tries to take a deep breath and winces in pain - "Nice to meet you, sir."

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    William is a black haired 24 years old man. His family by his mother's side is of English ancestry, connected to the pilgrims of Plymouth. His father's side of the family, though, is of French and Lakota ancestry, with a history that he only half knows.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    The coach turns onto a narrower road, which weaves uphill through woodland. Silas becomes chatty.
    Going to Arkham, eh? Can’t say I ever heard of the place. Went to Boston once. Didn’t like it. Too much hustle and bustle. You got family there? A special someone waiting?
    The afternoon is wearing on. You see no harm in confiding in Silas about your new life.
    A job, eh? What’s your line?
    ----

    Now it's time for your character to choose an occupation. In Call of Cthulhu an occupation provides you with several occupation skills. It's comparable to a class, but the main distinction is that it's not representative of all your characters abilities, and it does not really affect advancement.
    Some common occupations for investigators include:
    • Antiquarian
    • Doctor of Medicine
    • Journalist
    • Private Investigator
    • Professor
    • Something Else... (we can discuss)?

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    "I'm a writer. Fiction mainly... Aspiring writer, as a matter of fact. I'm moving there as a journalist... Someone apparently read some columns I wrote on Plymouth's Western Evening Herald... That's a first." - He looks around at the scenery again. Taking in as much as he can. He seems to almost drift off for a while, but comes back to the subject, before the man can interject - "I think journalism can be an interesting career, if I can't sell my fiction to some big time editor. They said I'm too nitpicky to write fiction..."

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    As you mention the reporter’s job, you recall how you managed to secure it at the Arkham Gazette on the strength of the aforementioned work in the Herald, just a few freelance pieces. It will be a relief to try something new, maybe writing will help you understand your place in the world. You understand the Gazette covers everything from the breakthroughs of researchers at Miskatonic University to the most sordid exploits of local ne’er-do-wells. It should be something to get your teeth into, at any rate, as well as maybe get a bit of inspiration and improve your writing!
    A writer? For a newspaper?” Silas seems confused, as if he thought the stories somehow wrote themselves.
    ----

    Your occupational skills are: Art/Craft (Photography) (we can change this to Writing if you so wish), History, Library Use, Own Language, Psychology, as well as a choice from the following:
    Which conversational skill would he use to get the scoop from people?
    • Charm - physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply warmth of personality.
    • Fast Talk - limited to verbal trickery, deception, and misdirection, such as bamboozling a bouncer to let you inside a club, getting someone to sign a form they haven't read, making a policeman look the other way, and so on. Although sometimes it's just persuade that takes a short amount of time.
    • Intimidate - browbeating or making verbal threats to get your way.
    • Persuade - convince a person of a particular idea, concept, or belief through reasoned argument, debate, and discussion (although this does not necessarily have to employ the truth). This normally takes quite a bit of time.
    .

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    "Yes, sir. Journalism... I'm still new to the trade, but I believe there's a future for me in it." - He looks through the window, into the distance - "I want to believe it, at least."

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    I believe he's most suited to the Persuasion skill.
    Writing also suits him better than photography.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    You may now choose two skills from the following list that you would perceive to be related to William's career as a journalist. I'll also provide a short sentence description or so for each.
    Spoiler: Skills (so many)
    Show
    • Accounting - understanding of accountancy procedures; reveals the financial functioning of a business or a person.
    • Anthropology - identify and understand an individual's or culture's way of life through observation
    • Appraise - estimate the value of a particular item, including the quality, material used, and workmanship.
    • Archeology - allows dating and identifying artifacts from past cultures as well as detecting fakes
    • Arts/Crafts (you have this one, but you may pick it up again for a different art/craft) - allows the creation, making, or repair of an item which could be artistic (painting, singing, etc...) or craft-related (woodworking, cookery, etc...). Each one requires its own choice.
    • Charm - physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply warmth of personality.
    • Climb - climb trees, walls, and other vertical surfaces with or without ropes or climbing gear.
    • Disguise - used whenever you wish to appear to be someone other than whom you are.
    • Dodge - allows one to instinctively evade blows, thrown missiles, and so forth.
    • Drive Auto - drive a car or light truck, make ordinary maneuvers, and cope with ordinary vehicle problems.
    • Electrical Repair - repair or reconfigure electrical equipment, such as auto ignitions, electric motors, fuse boxes, and burglar alarms.
    • Fast Talk - specifically limited to verbal trickery, deception, and misdirection, such as bamboozling a bouncer to let you inside a club, getting someone to sign a form they haven't read, making a policeman look the other way, and so on.
    • Fighting - one's skill in melee combat. There are also different specializations such as Sword, Axe, Spear, or Whip, which each require their own choice.
    • Firearms - covers all manner of firearms, as well as bows and crossbows. There are different specializations including Handguns, Rifles/Shotguns, Bows, and Crossbows
    • First Aid - emergency medical care, not for diseases (see Medicine).
    • History (you have this one) - recall a historical detail or event, the significance of a country, city, region, or person, as pertinent.
    • Intimidate - browbeating or making verbal threats to get your way.
    • Other Language - Knowledge (ability to understand, speak, read, and write) of a language that's not your own. Each language is its own choice.
    • Own Language (you have this one) - Knowledge of your own language (presumably English)
    • Law - represents the chance of knowing pertinent law, precedent, legal maneuvers, or court procedure.
    • Library Use (you have this one) - Find a piece of information, such as a certain book, newspaper, reference in a library, or a collection of documents (assuming there's information to be found).
    • Listen - interpret and understand sound, including overheard conversations, mutters behind a closed door, and whispered words in a cafe.
    • Locksmith - open car doors, hotwire autos, jimmy library windows, figure out Chinese puzzle boxes, and penetrate ordinary alarm systems.
    • Mechanical Repair - repair a broken machine or create a new one.
    • Medicine - diagnose and treat accidents, injuries, diseases, poisonings, etc...
    • Natural World - represents the traditional (unscientific) knowledge and personal observation of farmers, fishermen, inspired amateurs, and hobbyists.
    • Navigate - take the correct path to a destination, whether in a strange city or the wilderness.
    • Occult - recognize occult paraphernalia, words, and concepts, as well as folk traditions; can also identify grimoires of magic and occult codes.
    • Operate Heavy Machinery - required to drive and operate a train, steam engine, bulldozer, or other large-scale land machines.
    • Persuade (you have this one) - convince a person of a particular idea, concept, or belief through reasoned argument, debate, and discussion (although this does not necessarily have to employ the truth).
    • Pilot - allows the safe operation of a boat, aircraft, or dirigible. Each one is its own skill.
    • Psychoanalysis - refers to the range of emotional therapies.
    • Psychology (you have this one) - perception, common to all humans, to form an idea of another person's motives and character, and detect if a person is lying.
    • Ride - applies to saddle horses, donkeys, and mules, granting knowledge of basic care of the riding animal, riding gear, and how to handle the steed at a gallop or on difficult terrain.
    • Science - practical and theoretical ability with a science specialty gained from some degree of formalized education and training, although a well-read amateur scientist may also be a possibility. These specializations include: Astronomy, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Cryptography, Geology, Pharmacy, Physics, Zoology, etc... Each one is its own skill.
    • Sleight of Hand - allows the visual covering-up, secreting, or masking of an object or objects, perhaps with debris, cloth, or other illusion-promoting materials.
    • Spot Hidden - find a secret door or compartment, notice a hidden intruder, see an inconspicuous clue, recognize a repainted automobile, become aware of ambushers, etc. - an important skill in the armory of an investigator.
    • Stealth - when attempting to avoid detection, moving quietly, and hiding without alerting those who might hear or see.
    • Survival - expertise required to survive in extreme conditions, such as in desert or arctic conditions, as well as on the sea or in wilderness terrain. Each environment is its own skill.
    • Swim - the ability to float and to move through water or other liquid in times of crisis or danger.
    • Throw - hit a target with an object.
    • Track - follow a person, vehicle, or animal over earth, and through plants.


    Oh boy, that was long. I listed all of them for later reference, as well as to let you know that as long as it makes sense, any of these can be involved in your occupation. So, with all that out of the way, choose two!

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    He'll have Anthropology and French. He will also be particularly interested in History, but this already is on his list, as you said.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    You realize Silas hasn’t made a stop since the incident with the tractor. The motor coach winds its way uphill. However, your thoughts are interrupted as the road crests a ridge and you are treated to a magnificent view of the vista below.
    ----

    Note that even if you don't pick it as an Occupational Skill or a Personal Interest, you can still attempt any skill roll, having what's called a Base ability in it. There will more than likely be a slight, but nevertheless present, chance of you succeeding on anything you attempt.
    ----

    A creek snakes through the valley, breaking the rich autumn palette of the tree line. In the distance the White Mountains rise into hazy cloud. There is no settlement, not even a cabin, as far as the eye can see. Birds drift through the treetops, and you can just make out what might be two white-tailed deer lingering by the water.
    Perhaps you are making a mistake by moving to the city. Could you survive on your own in this lush wilderness?
    ----

    Speaking of Personal Interest Skills from before, please choose four skills that represent William's Personal interests (so things unrelated to his occcupation, in fact they cannot be the same as his occupational skills).

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    For a moment, William loses himself in the view. Memories of his childhood and of hiking and camping in the wilderness of New England, when his father was still around. The man, as he recalls, was usually quiet and submissive when in town, but became a lot more self-assured in this trips. The melancholy was still there, though, deep in his eyes. William loved those moments, for they were their moments.

    But his father left. Not a word to him, not a goodbye. He recalls him rambling sometimes of not belonging and now looks back at those moments as a clue of what would come to be. He never actually said goodbye, though. William never went hiking again and spent most of his time in libraries and at home, between books.

    He feels torn between the past and his rough plans for the future. But that past is long lost and he feels now he does not belong anywhere near it. He wonders if he's not just walking the same road his father did before.

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Personal Interest skills:
    Survival (Northern USA or something like this, I don't know how specialized this one is)
    Spot Hidden
    Navigate
    Firearms: Rifles/Shotguns

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    As you're driving along, gazing out at the luscious world, you recall that you had made plans with Boston and Maine to catch a railway early tomorrow. It's going to be a night full of wakefulness and travel it seems.

    The motor coach rattles on through the hills and Silas lapses into silence. The sky darkens behind you, pinks tinting the clouds as the sun descends. Finally a welcome sight comes into view: a settlement on the crest of a hill. This doesn’t look like the pictures you’ve seen of Ossipee. But perhaps you can persuade Silas to stop while you stretch your legs.
    ----

    Please do not comment on anything related to IC just yet. I need to know the order of your skills. You currently have chosen: Art/Craft (Writing), History, Library Use, Own Language, Psychology, Anthropology, and Other Language (French). Please rate these from highest to lowest.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Library Use
    History
    Own Language (English)
    Art/Craft (Writing)
    Anthropology
    Other Language (French)
    Psychology

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    That order actually gives you one more additional occupational skill, what would you like for it to be (and subsequently rank it, although I'd assume it'd be at the bottom)?
    ----

    Minutes later, a harsh stuttering from the engine interrupts your reverie. Silas frowns and rattles the gear stick. The motor coach falters in its ascent. Silas utters a curse you don’t recognize and grinds his teeth, struggling at the wheel. You seem to inch up the hill until you reach the first buildings, low dwellings constructed from a rough red stone. Silas wrestles the coach into a small bay off the road. He scrambles from his seat and makes for the engine compartment.
    ----

    Please give me either a Drive Auto (you consider yourself an amateur in this field) roll or a Hard Psychology (you consider yourself an amateur in this field) roll. A Hard roll means that you must roll equal to or under half of your skill level.

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by zingbobco000 View Post
    That order actually gives you one more additional occupational skill, what would you like for it to be (and subsequently rank it, although I'd assume it'd be at the bottom)?
    If I understand this correctly, the extra occupational skill must come from Charm, Fast Talk, Intimidate and Persuade (already chosen), right? If so, I choose Fast Talk, as the one at the bottom.

    Solicited checks:

    If it's one or the other, I would choose the one with the higher modified skill level for this roll.

    Drive Auto (I don't know the skill level) (1d100)[95]

    Hard Psychology (I don't know the skill level) (1d100)[45]

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    It can be from any of the skills I posted in the massive skill list. It is one or the other and it's your choice of which one it is, which is supposed to be made without knowing said skill level based on descriptions, but shrug it doesn't matter too much anyway.
    ----

    Silas opens the engine compartment open and sticks his head inside. The hot metal pops and sizzles. He pokes at various components, then withdraws and wipes his brow, smearing it with dark grease.
    I ain’t sure what’s wrong. Might be the oil pressure. Might be something knocked off kilter when we took that spill. Can’t do much until the engine cools neither. And with the light failing… I reckon we’ll be here through the night.” He wipes his hands on a rag.
    The shadows from your surroundings are already long, and the air is chilly. You feel stiff from the journey and a night in the rickety coach sounds unappealing. Silas sees your dismay.
    This here’s Emberhead. Miles from anyplace. I only come through twice a week. But the folks here are good people. May Ledbetter keeps a spare room. She’ll look after you. Up that alley, turn right, first house on the left.
    He scratches his cheek, looks again into the engine compartment, and spits on the ground.
    Meet me back here at eight in the morning and we’ll see how’s we stand.
    ----

    Now we're entering the more freeform part of the adventure. Nevertheless, given that this is still an introductory scenario. I'll be providing little prompts at the bottom of example things your character could attempt so that you can formulate a post in-line with general Call of Cthulhu ideas. In this instance, I have three possibilities.
    1. Head out and look for this May Ledbetter's house
    2. Ask Silas where he's going to stay the night
    3. Challenge Silas about the breakdown

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Amanamana Alone Against the Flames IC

    Spoiler: OoC - Skills
    Show
    I misunderstood your intention with the tests. I thought I would somehow be able to guess which would be the most likely approach for my character. No harm, no foul, the test results were awful, anyway.

    For the extra skill, I think Stealth would make sense as the one at the bottom, to represent some residual knowledge from his camping, foraging and hunting days.


    William seems confused for a while - "What? Are you serious?" - He looks around - "Don't you have any idea what's wrong with it?" - He initially seems upset, but then tries to speak calmly, trying to avoid insulting the driver - "Don't you know any mechanics in town?"

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    His brow darkens and he shows a mouthful of twisted teeth.
    Ain’t that just like you city types,” he spits. “Thinking the worst of a man after he’s gone out his way to attend to your comfort!” He stalks around to the back of the coach and hauls your bags from the rack, dumping them on the ground at your feet. “Take them! Otherwise, I guess you’ll be accusing me of thievery in the morning!

    He marches off into the darkness, raging. That could have gone better. You look around and soon realize you strongly doubt there'd be a mechanic in this town. In fact, there are virtually no lights at all save the bright glow from the emerging stars (including a church). With nowhere else to turn it seems as good a choice as any to follow Silas' directions. Despite his sullen attitude, he's probably upset with having to stay overnight.

    You drag your cases between the sullen buildings. You feel surprisingly weary, considering you have spent all day sitting down. Silas’ directions lead you to a modest dwelling with a slate roof. A nameplate reads LEDBETTER, and underneath, a sign in neat copperplate reads, LODGING ROOM. The lane around you is gloomy, but a lamp flickers in the window.
    A breeze chills your face. You’re not about to begin your new life by sleeping in the street. You rap on the weatherbeaten door.

    After a moment, you hear footsteps inside the house. A bolt is drawn back and the wooden door swings open. A figure with loose curls and a rough-looking housedress peers at you. Her gaze takes in your traveling suit and your cases. Her voice has a slight Irish lilt.
    Hello. Should I take it as you’re looking for a room for the night?
    You enquire as to her rates, suppressing a grimace. As far as you’ve seen, the village does not offer you many alternatives.
    Oh, you’ll find them very reasonable,” she says. “You look tired. I’m May. Come inside and we’ll talk over a cup of tea.



    The Ledbetter house feels cramped, with a low ceiling and simple fittings. But it is well kept and a cheerful fire crackles in the grate. The aroma of the tea is soothing and the cup warms your fingers.
    Have you come to Emberhead for the festival?” asks May.
    ----

    Would you like to explain what happened with Silas and the coach, or ask about this festival?

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    As the man rages, William seems to realize he could have been gentler - "Darn it..." - He mumbles under his breath - "I'm sorry, Mr Silas, that was not my intention..." - He says in a soft tone, knowing the man will barely hear it, let alone change his mind.

    ------------

    Meeting May, the young man speaks in a somewhat sorrowful tone - "Thank you, ma'am. I'm William." - When she talks about the festival - "I was on the road, as a matter of fact, but the coach had some kind of problem. I was not aware of any festivals... Not sure what to do now..." He spends some seconds in silence, but eventually says - "I had plans to catch a railway tomorrow morning... I had some more road to cover." - He looks for a window, trying to get a glimpse of the town from his seat - "Actually, I thought we were nearing Ossipe... Never heard of this town."

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    From the window and your previous view you see maybe twenty houses or so, situated on this clifftop. It's quite dark, so you don't know for sure if this is the case, but that's your guess.
    May shakes her head and you glimpse a moment of deep-seated anger in her green eyes.
    You came in with Silas then... He always drives too fast. Thinks the road is made for him and him alone. He hit a mare some years back, that was a terrible thing. You should have seen the state of the coach. You’d be surprised at the damage done. As for Ossipee, it's quite a bit of travel to the East, but if you're coming in from the West. (you are) Then you'll be on the right track.
    She sips her tea and gazes past you, into the corner of the room.
    With living here, though, we can’t afford to antagonize the man. He’s about the only link we have to the world at large. And he’s not a bad soul at heart. I suppose that going the same route for fifteen years makes a man careless. You have to forgive him.
    May goes silent for a long moment. Then her eyes flick back to you.
    But you didn’t come here to listen to me blather, and you must be hungry. I can rustle you up a bit of stew. How would that be?
    You ask again about her rates, and May names a price so low you accept it without hesitation. The room is small but comfortable, and the stew dark and hearty. After dinner, you have a couple of hours before your usual bedtime.
    ----

    Would you maybe like to talk to May some more? Try and walk around town and get your bearings? Or just go to sleep?

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    "Well, ma'am, thank you for the stew, it was hearty and surely welcome... But, if you don't mind, I would like to take a walk around town." - William walks around town, if possible. He looks for a mechanic or a postal service or telegraph. He tries to be civil with anyone he meets, but his mind is focused on making his predicament known to his employers, if possible.

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    May’s brow creases when you announce your intention to take a stroll. “Mind how you go,” she says. “Emberhead’s surrounded by cliffs and we don’t have your fancy street lamps here. Take the lantern and watch your step.
    Outside, you see what she means. The sky is overcast and only a few glimmers of moonlight peek from the clouds. Without the heavy lantern you would be walking in near-total darkness. You cannot hope to get an overview of the village tonight. You most certainly don't notice anything like a mechanic, a post-office, or a telegraph (you don't even notice any other motorcoaches except for yours).
    May’s street is a narrow passage hemmed in by squat, dark dwellings. At the end, however, it opens up. A wide thoroughfare leads off to your right. A crude sign names it Silbury Street. To the left, a few yards away, your light picks out the crooked posts of a simple fence, and beyond that, the ground drops away into darkness. You take a couple of steps closer, but you can see nothing. Air from below cools your face. Then some instinct makes you look around.

    An ink-black figure stands in the road, about twenty yards behind you. It stares at you. You form the sudden impression that it will run at you and throw you over the cliff edge. This is unsettling.
    Seeing it has been spotted, the figure slips down an alley.
    ----

    Would you like to confront this figure? Or return to the safety of the Ledbetter Household?

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    "What the..." - William seems startled and immediately walks back to the house, looking over his shoulder.

    Once inside, he snuffs out the lantern and peers through the window, trying to take another glimpse at the figure.

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    You head back down the narrow street, the lantern swinging in your grasp. You reach the door and pound it urgently. May is surprised to see you so soon.
    The air up here can tire you out if you’re not used to it,” she says.
    You glance back once before you close the door. The dark figure is standing against the wall at the end of the street, still staring at you. Or is it? The murk may be deceiving your eyes. You slide the heavy bolt into place.
    May has settled back into her chair, but now she blinks and yawns. “I believe I’ll turn in. When would you like your breakfast?” You recall Silas mentioning leaving at eight, so seven-o'-clock sounds like enough time to be well-rested for yet another day of intense travel.

    As May stands, you hear a clunk behind you. You look over your shoulder, but all you can see is a wooden door, securely closed.
    May tuts. “The young lady of the house. She’ll have been listening to us. Ruth! Come and greet our guest.
    There is a short pause, then the door creaks open. Two wide eyes peer at you from the gap, between tousled hair and a rough nightgown.
    What do you say?
    The eyes blink. “Pleased to meet you.
    Now get back to bed.
    The door closes again.
    My daughter Ruth. Ten years this summer. She’s a delight and a torment all in one. Don’t worry, she sleeps in with me. She’ll not disturb you. Good night now.
    You retire to your room. It is a little chilly, but you are too tired to worry about lighting the fire. The sheets are clean and the bed soon warms up. The silence outside is strange after living in a town for so long, but you soon drop off.
    ----

    Make sense so far? Sorry I just don't want to make a really long post (for right now).

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    While May speaks, he repeatedly sneaks a glance at the window. But, when the girl speaks, he candidly smiles and gives her a slight nod.

    -----

    After lying down to sleep, he rises again and checks the window to see if it's properly closed.

    This whole situation of being unexpectedly stranded in this town has his mind in a rush, but the weariness eventually gets the best of him.

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    The window is properly shut.

    You dream of fire in the grate; coruscating colors shimmering through the dancing tongues of flame. At first they are tiny, almost microscopic, but they grow, and grow, until a kaleidoscopic inferno spills from the fireplace, spreading across the floor, up the sheets…
    You wake with a start. Daylight glints through the curtains. You get up and examine the grate, blinking the sleep from your eyes. It is quite cold. You may heal 1 hit point back for your night’s sleep.
    ----

    Yes, that's right, Long Rests heal 1 hit point. Let's just say that taking damage is of much more consequence in this game than most.
    ----

    You get a better look around your surroundings as you see that your room has very little furniture, if anything. There's a small cold hearth, a nice bed, a chair, and a desk of sorts. There is of course also the window you looked out of last night.
    As you head out May seems to have no running water, but has supplied some in a ceramic jug. You freshen up at the washstand and go in. She cooks a hearty breakfast and leaves you in peace to eat. At about seven-thirty or so, you are paid up, packed, and ready to go. You bid May goodbye and she wishes you the best for your new career in Arkham.

    You are already tired of your heavy bags. Hopefully, Silas has repaired the motor coach and you can resume your long journey. A sourpuss he might be, but the old driver seemed to understand his vehicle well enough. You pause to check your watch—still twenty minutes early—and round the final corner.
    The motor coach is gone.
    You put your bags down and search the area, trekking up and down slopes and around corners. At the edge of the village, you trace the long road back as it winds across the hills. Eight o’clock comes and goes. There is no coach to be seen.
    A passing villager notices your bags.
    Looking for the bus? I heard him take off at first light. He’s due back in three or four days. If you need a place to stay, May Ledbetter rents a room.” The man raises his hat to you and strolls on into the village.
    You curse Silas under your breath. Perhaps he went for parts. But you wonder if the old goat has stranded you here on purpose.

    May is doing laundry, and looks surprised to see you again. “Forgot something?” When you explain the situation, she offers to store your bags while you try to arrange alternative transport. You are grateful to relinquish the load.
    Nobody here has anything like a car.” She strokes her chin and narrows her eyes. “Maybe you could find somebody with a horse and a cart for your bags. I could ask around later. Try Mr. Winters at the village hall, he’ll know if anyone will. Or ask among the artisans. Their workshops are first left on Silbury Street.” She reaches over and squeezes your wrist. “Don’t worry, I won’t see you sleeping in the street, money or no money.
    You thank May, and turn to face the village.

    You wander the streets of Emberhead without any particular destination in mind. The village is built on a relatively flat upland with splendid views. To the north, the hazy tips of the White Mountains reach for the heavens; to the south, the sparkling waters of Lake Winnipesaukee touch the horizon.
    The village itself takes less than five minutes to cross from edge to edge. However, it is literally edge to edge, as with the exception of the two roads out of town, all that's there is a massive drop-off. You arrived on the winding road to the west. The only other road leaves to the south, following a lower ridge of land as it turns east. In the northernmost part of town, you see the courtyard mentioned by May home to several artisans. Next to that is the town's largest building (which isn't saying too much) - presumably the village hall. Meanwhile, in the southwest of the village, an open grassy space borders a ruined church, its graveyard cresting the cliffs. To the northeast, the three main thoroughfares, with a general store being one of the only real businesses open, meet at a raised black metal structure. It looms, stark against the blue sky.


    ----

    Oh boy, that was long, I hope you got all of that, but basically... where do you want to head now to find transport out of here? Some places of interest that I listed were: The lower ridge of land that heads eastward, the artisan's courtyard, the village hall, the church, the general store, or the raised black metal structure?

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    HalflingRangerGuy

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    William stands there aghast, before eventually going back to May's.
    ----
    When talking to May, William seems confused. - "Has that happened before?"

    When she gives him the options, he thanks her and walks away.
    ----
    After wandering about, he heads up to the town hall.

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