Viscosity: IC Thread

[alchemyprime]

(Sorry about that. I'm a tad dysphagic. I normally type everthing into word due to my mentally caused bad spelling. But I can't catch when I hit the wrong numbers on the keyboard.

The real amount of coins in the bag: enough.)

[Sucrose]

(Understood.)

Menten nods at each of his new compatriots' introductions, slightly smiling at Athanasia's self-analysis.

After eating in silence for a while, Menten finishes his food, and says,

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Athanasia, Draxaphix. However, unless either of you sees anything to discuss further, I would like to begin preparation for the journey. I don't want to leave any unfinished business, and I'd like to know as much as possible about the region before we set off."

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Unless either of the characters objects over the next couple of real-time days, Menten stands up, and walks off to tell his family that he will be leaving soon.
DC 25 spot checks only

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At third bell, Menten meets with the serving girl to see what she wanted to speak about.

Beginning the next morning, Menten will be researching the Blue Desert, particularly anything regarded as magical about the region, and even more importantly, anything involving curses. He's doing it now, as he has the advantage of Silver City's vast wizard's libraries.

[KaganMonk]

Xeresaph pulls himself out of his thoughts and nods to Menten before the man walks off. I will be doing the same. My name is Xeresaph, by the way, a master of strategy and swords. I'll be in here about once a day and you can surely find me around town.

With that, Xeresaph tips his hat, takes his pay, and walks off to begin his research.

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Sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a change in situation, but I'll work at posting reasonably.

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Percep1 - (d20+8)[19]
Percep2 - (d20+8)[14]

[alchemyprime]

MENTEN

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The woman was just trying to say how cute you were and if you wanted anything she could give, she would. And she menat anything.

The Blue Desert is known for being part of the ancient Von Empire during the ancient Dragon-Von wars. It is said that it used to be a verdent jungle before the end of the war. But that war is the stuff of legends.

As for curses... It is said the Von were fleshweavers and bone users. They could make a man's own blood attack him if they wished it.

EVERYONE
[spoiler]
Describe your next few days, including purchases and activities with proper rolls if need be.

Then I will start you on the road to the Blue Desert.
[spoiler]

[Meek]

Athanasia departs, heading back as surreptitiously as possible to the manor where she resides. She spends the next few days preparing for the trip. Firstly she explains to everyone why she is going, that a noble has hired her for help and that she wasn't doing anything of importance around here anyway. She explains it's not for the money anyway, and deflects any further comments. She takes her meals, bathes, and her preparations consist of doing little to nothing, as she already had supplies ready. She decides she'll try to shop a bit tomorrow though. There are probably things she's forgotten.

On her second day, Athanasia shops for an item she had some faint idea of, an Everfull Mug. She figures it will be helpful in the desert even though she has 5 waterskins. She'll also buy a good parasol (preferably with a lovely decoration) and a filter mask to protect from desert perils, and see if she can pick up four pots of Keepcool Salve while she's at it.

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Everfull Mug is 200 gold, and fills up 3 times per day with 12 ounces per use of water, cheap ale or watered-down wine. Parasol/Filter Mask are 4 gold together (3 gold/1 gold respectively), four pots of Keepcool Salve are 200 gp. Parasol is a +1 bonus to Fort saves against Dehydration, Filter Mask protects from gases/desert storms, and the salve protects a medium creature from hot environments for a day each. Overall spent 404 gold.

On her last day before leaving, she goes to meet with her best friend to chit-chat and spend the day together. She'll try prodding her gently about what the rest of the nobles might think of her leaving to the desert to help some other noble out, and for any general gossip. But mostly she just wants to spend time with her only friend – who knows when they'll meet again...or under what circumstances. They'll go to a good restaurant, Athanasia's treat, and generally have fun before saying their farewells for the moment.

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We never really fleshed out what her friend's name was, the sorceress friend, nor what she looks like. That'd be good to know >_>. I'm treating this as taking 20 on Gathering Information since she's spending the whole day out with her friend and they'll likely gossip and talk and SOMETHING of importance would probably come out of it. So 31 total on it.

Any concerns on the post and I'll edit.

[Sucrose]

Menten del Drachiel

Realizing that he may want to acquire a few supplies while they're easy to come by, Menten acquires three waterskins on the next to last day of the week of prep time, which he will fill before leaving. He also looks for scrolls of Endure Elements and Mage Armor, which, if found, he'll try to copy into his spellbook, in case of desert emergency.

If there's any time amongst his preparations, he'll spend it equally amongst his friends and family.

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I know it wasn't your main intention, Meek, but thanks for reminding me that our characters would want to be ready for actual desert difficulties.

If there's not enough time for all of his activities, then Menten prioritizes the three purchases in the order that they appear.
Endure Elements Spellcraft check - (1d20+11)[26]
Mage Armor Spellcraft check - (1d20+11)[14]
Edit:If a mage can take 10 on these checks, then Menten does so, but otherwise, it seems that he'll need to learn a bit more before he can actually use Mage Armor.

[alchemyprime]

Meek

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Okay, you used your contact. You name her. She's your friend.

And good job on the items. Can you tell me where they are? I hope not in one of the 3 books I don't have...

Sucrose

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Hey, you got Endure Elements...

Besides, sheild trumps mage armor. Anyhoo, you can try again next level.

Oh, and btw: you have four days to spend with friends and family.

[Meek]

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Okay, you used your contact. You name her. She's your friend.

And good job on the items. Can you tell me where they are? I hope not in one of the 3 books I don't have...

Everfull Mug is in Magic Item Compendium. The rest are from Sandstorm. I just got out of a desert campaign, so I remember those things well. They're pretty nifty.

Okay, info on the Sorceress:

Amoenida Phagor: A proud, slim, straight, silver-blonde haired woman who looks as though she has barely escaped her teenage years with a smiling face and lightly developed figure. Positively radiant face. Carries herself in a charming, if slightly immature way. Total gossipmonger, and loves it when people shut up and listen to her, or just put in cursory remarks every once in a while – which Athanasia is very good at, so they get along extremely well. Athanasia actually likes just listening to chit chat for once as opposed to having to be socially forward herself.

[alchemyprime]

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Kay, thanks.

[Sucrose]

Menten del Drachiel

Menten spends his last four days before the journey shooting the breeze with Arcturus, meeting new Boartusk recruits, choking down his father's cooking, and helping his brother with a few of the subtler nuances of spoken Elven.

ALCHEMYPRIME

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Oh, I wasn't complaining, just stating the obvious. The last thing that he'll do before he leaves town is pick up some food for trail rations from the tavern.

[KaganMonk]

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I don't know how research works so add any bonuses as needed.
Nobility - (1d20+15)[21] about our employer.
Random - (1d20+10)[29] about the the condition people died of (from the description).
Random - (1d20+10)[28] unusual information in the Blue Desert.
and
Diplomacy - (1d20+13)[25] to find what the people of the town we're in might know about the Blue Desert or our noble friend.

Going to steal a couple of ideas from Meek. 201gp

Xeresaph spends the first morning shoping for some useful items, including a filter mask and an everful mug. After that, he starts interviewing people to get some idea of what they are walking into.

He then spends the next three days researching anything on the Blue Desert and the ark-eo-logical expedition.

[Arayl]

Draxaphix spends his mornings practicing his magic and fighting moves, in the afternoons he goes looking for information on the archaeological dig site.

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Knowledge: History check[roll]1d20+10

[alchemyprime]

(Okay.

I'm bumping this for now. Come tuesday, I'll be able to be here more consistantly. But some events have come up. On Tuesday, my priorities change from Job to Vacation. So I'll be on more often.

And thanks for letting me know about what everyone is doing.

Oh, and if Menten has 400gp lying around, he can buy a schema of Mage Armor. Works just like a scroll, but it recharges every day. So It's Mage Armor 1/day and you can keep it to try for your spellbook later. Just and idea Sucrose.)

[Sucrose]

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Thank you for telling me about this item; unfortunately, Menten doesn't have that kind of cash right now. Unless things go horribly awry, it won't be a huge deal anyway.

[alchemyprime]

After all of you met up with your patron, he gave you a map to go to the Blue City. And your trip there was pretty much uneventful. But once you get into the city, an odd man stops you along one of the dustier side streets the map indicated to get you to the train station.

“What are you Silver Folk doing in this town? Don’t y’all know thar be a tax for Silver Folks around here?”

This man obviously has a wheellock and a Morningstar. And he means business.

[Meek]

Athanasia looks at him disinterested and dismissively. "I know of no such tax."

[alchemyprime]

As the man is about to tax you, a man that looks like a humanoid panda bear walks up and looks at him.

"The tax applies to you too, Pandaman. Pay up."

The panda just shrugs. He looks to the man. "No money. I am sorry."

"Then you aren't allowed in town. Besides, we don't take kindly to pandamen round here."

The thug attempts to attack the panda, who just sidesteps him and smacks him behind the neck, knocking out the thug.

"These men have been hustling travellers for weeks. However, I am here to find my brother. Why are you here?" The panda asks you as he looks at you all. He seems... to be very wise.

(Perception to see what you notice about him)

[Meek]

Athanasia watches everything unfold with an eyebrow quirked. What...what in the hells...?

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Perception (1d20+8)[16]

Also: Sense Motive to see what, if anything, Athanasia can make out from his body language and such. She's not exactly a very trusting girl. (1d20+8)[13]

[Sucrose]

Menten del Drachiel

Though taken aback by the pandaman's appearance, Menten keeps his composure, and replies,

"We're here to help this village in what ways we can."

Glancing to the "taxman" on the ground, he adds,

"It seems as though there's quite a lot to be done."

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Perception - (1d20+5)[24]

[alchemyprime]

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My reason for stealing the pandaren from Warcraft. Only watch up to 1:01.

ANd what's being made fun of

This is a Pandaren, a creature from the far eastern continent. He looks to be telling the truth.

"If where I wander I can help, then I shall..."

And with that he passes you on your riding birds and walks into town.

You have a few suggested options while in Blue City, but you can come up with anything. You can:

Go to the noble's house.
Go to the tavern to pick up on rumors and booze it up.
Go straight to the village.
Follow the Pandaren.
Do... something else...

[KaganMonk]

Xeresaph
Well, that was interesting. But as interesting as it was, we do have a mission while we're here, so I suggest we get going to our good friend's house and get on with our mission. Looks at map Now if only I could figure out these hand drawn directions...

[Sucrose]

Menten del Drachiel

"Agreed."

Menten takes a close look at the map.

"I think that the lopsided castle is his place, and the arrow is at the entrance that we're at now, so it should be..."

Menten points directly toward the center of the city.

"That way."

[Meek]

Athanasia briefly looks at the map, and then immediately gives up trying to understand it. Trusting that someone else must somehow figure it out, she keeps quiet and tries to follow their lead. Nobody has asked her anything about herself or how she feels...and that's perfectly fine. In fact, best case scenario.

[alchemyprime]

Yeah... this thread is going to go into Hiatus. I'll contact you all when I can restart. My other games, which are older and/or longer, come first. Sorry guys. You can join Lords of Creation if you want! Look in the Homebrew thread.

[Sucrose]

Acknowledged; thank you for the closure, alchemyprime.