1067 lines
44 KiB
HTML
1067 lines
44 KiB
HTML
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<![endif]-->
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</head>
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<body>
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<header id="title-block-header">
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<h1 class="title">BASEMENT QUEST</h1>
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</header>
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<nav id="TOC" role="doc-toc">
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#about" id="toc-about">About</a></li>
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<li><a href="#characters" id="toc-characters">Characters</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#corraidhín" id="toc-corraidhín">Corraidhín</a></li>
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<li><a href="#glarg" id="toc-glarg">Glarg</a></li>
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<li><a href="#inky" id="toc-inky">Inky</a></li>
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<li><a href="#jarrod" id="toc-jarrod">Jarrod</a></li>
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<li><a href="#sneaky-willows" id="toc-sneaky-willows">Sneaky
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Willows</a></li>
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<li><a href="#tea-filler" id="toc-tea-filler">Tea Filler</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#meta" id="toc-meta">Meta</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#policies" id="toc-policies">Policies</a></li>
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<li><a href="#mechanics" id="toc-mechanics">Mechanics</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#epistolary" id="toc-epistolary">Epistolary</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#section" id="toc-section">00001</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-1" id="toc-section-1">00002</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-2" id="toc-section-2">00003</a></li>
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<li><a href="#meta-1" id="toc-meta-1">META</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-3" id="toc-section-3">00004</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-4" id="toc-section-4">00005</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-5" id="toc-section-5">00006</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-6" id="toc-section-6">00007</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-7" id="toc-section-7">00008</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-8" id="toc-section-8">00009</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-9" id="toc-section-9">00010</a></li>
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<li><a href="#section-10" id="toc-section-10">00011</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#bestiary" id="toc-bestiary">Bestiary</a></li>
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<li><a href="#geography" id="toc-geography">Geography</a></li>
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<li><a href="#cosmology" id="toc-cosmology">Cosmology</a></li>
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<li><a href="#history" id="toc-history">History</a></li>
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<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
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</ul>
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</nav>
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<h2 id="about">About</h2>
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<p>This is a game that me and the kids in the basement are playing over
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email.</p>
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<p><a
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href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00004.html">www
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thread</a></p>
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<p>You’ll probably be most interested in <a href="#epistolary">jumping
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straight to the story</a></p>
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<p>If you’re not on the mailing list and want to keep up with the story,
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you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
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||
the rss feed</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="characters">Characters</h2>
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<h3 id="corraidhín">Corraidhín</h3>
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<details>
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<summary>
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<p>Bio</p>
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</summary>
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<p>They call me Corraidhín, and while my wisened age may seem an
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impediment to our expedition I assure you I make up for it with my sharp
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wit and intellect! By trade I am a scholar, master of the histories of
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this realm, and a dabbler in the arcane and mystic arts.</p>
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<p>I believe my skills naturally lend themselves to this expedition. I’m
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certain you’ll need someone to elucidate upon the history of these
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artifacts, and should trouble come our way I’m ready at hand with spells
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a plenty. I’m not the best with a sword, but can hold my own with a bow
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staff, but it may be best to leave the fighting up to you younguns. If
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we encounter arcane ruins or cryptic texts you’ll find my skills just as
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useful as the finest blade in battle.</p>
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<p>I think with my share of the reward I’ll buy more books. Lots and
|
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lots of books, a whole library of books! And then I’ll start a library,
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yes that sounds delightful. And maybe one of those books will have some
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information on ridding me of that accursed demon, but that’s another
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story entirely.</p>
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</details>
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<ul>
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<li>Player: sinatra</li>
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<li>XP: 0</li>
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<li>Skills: Do Anything 1</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 id="glarg">Glarg</h3>
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<details>
|
||
<summary>
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<p>Bio</p>
|
||
</summary>
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||
<p>I am Glarg, an earth elemental who was conjured by a wizard who was
|
||
immediately beheaded after summoning me. By some freak accident I was
|
||
not sent back home to the earth elemental plane when the spell should
|
||
have ended. While I have learned the common tonge in my time on this
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plane, I have not developed the ability to speak it, because I have no
|
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mouth. I’m a very gentle soul who is misunderstood because of my hard,
|
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cold exterior.</p>
|
||
<p>I’m pretty durable and good with rocks.</p>
|
||
<p>With my share of the money, I plan to hire a mage to send me home, or
|
||
turn everyone else into earth elementals.</p>
|
||
</details>
|
||
<ul>
|
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<li>Player: kindrobot</li>
|
||
<li>XP: 0</li>
|
||
<li>Skills: Do Anything 1</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<h3 id="inky">Inky</h3>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<summary>
|
||
<p>Bio</p>
|
||
</summary>
|
||
<p>Inkulos Iridis greets you merrily! Some call me Inky the Tiny because
|
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of my slight size (perfectly average for imps, I assure you!) and a
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fondness for ink.</p>
|
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<p>I may be small and nowhere as battle-hardened as knights in shining
|
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armour, but I can skip out of a monster’s grasp before you can say
|
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“scram!”, slip through the cracks (often unseen), scout for useful
|
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items, and brew all kinds of ink with special effects for discerning
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drinkers.</p>
|
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<p>What do you plan to do with your cut of the money? Buy lots of ink
|
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ingredients, of course! With the money, the very first ink patio with
|
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the best paper nibbles will be opening to serve all from far and wide
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very soon!</p>
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</details>
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<ul>
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<li>Player: mio</li>
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<li>XP: 0</li>
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||
<li>Skills: Do Anything 1, Persuasive 2</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
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<h3 id="jarrod">Jarrod</h3>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<summary>
|
||
<p>Bio</p>
|
||
</summary>
|
||
<p>A broad-chested, olive skinned human finishes a pint of ale with a
|
||
long swig. He greets the group with a merry-looking smile, though it
|
||
doesn’t seem to touch his eyes. He seems a touch distracted, as if
|
||
something else is on his mind. A feeling of lingering sadness touches
|
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his aura.</p>
|
||
<p>“Greetings, my friends! My name is Jarrod. And this here …” he taps a
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||
heavy warhammer leaning against the back of his chair “… is Gertrude.
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When it comes to danger, consider us your shield. I will blunt what
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dangers may come from ahead and protect those who shelter behind. I’m
|
||
more than good in a fight, specializing in up-close battles and …” he
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||
gives a small smirk “… alternative forms of negotiations.”</p>
|
||
<p>He leans over and places his elbows on the table, tenting his fingers
|
||
and leaning in with his chin touching them as he continues. A thin
|
||
leather cord adorned with small charms carved from bone is draped around
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his left wrist.</p>
|
||
<p>“Other than that, I’m willing to take on cooking chores and spin the
|
||
occasional tale around a campfire. My cut of the money goes towards
|
||
opening my own tavern when I retire.”</p>
|
||
</details>
|
||
<ul>
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<li>Player: marc</li>
|
||
<li>XP: 0</li>
|
||
<li>Skills: Do Anything 1</li>
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||
</ul>
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||
<h3 id="sneaky-willows">Sneaky Willows</h3>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<summary>
|
||
<p>Bio</p>
|
||
</summary>
|
||
<p>I’m “Sneaky” Willows (nobody knows my actual name), an elvish
|
||
pickpocket with a love for sneakin’, stabbin’ and music playin’! Some
|
||
people say I’m no good at music playin’, but then I go sneakin’ and
|
||
stabbin’ em!</p>
|
||
<p>On this team I think I’m gonna be good at sneakin’ up to those
|
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crystals and grabbin’ em right from under the guard’s noses!</p>
|
||
<p>With my money I’m plannin’ to hire a bard to teach me more music, so
|
||
I can really impress people with my playin’ and maybe not even have to
|
||
stab them!</p>
|
||
</details>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Player: nico</li>
|
||
<li>XP: 0</li>
|
||
<li>Skills: Do Anything 1</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<h3 id="tea-filler">Tea Filler</h3>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<summary>
|
||
<p>Bio</p>
|
||
</summary>
|
||
<p>Who: Teefoon Filler of the Bucket, Knight of the 3rd order of
|
||
Balmarlovemeer, Crester of the Golden-Fringed Ridge and 2nd to the
|
||
Keeper of the Grimoire Glorious. You may call me “Tea.” (Tea is,
|
||
notably, a giant. ~11ft tall).</p>
|
||
<p>What: Retired Cleric turned Archeologist.</p>
|
||
<p>Cash: A sturdy wagon and 5 head of oxen to pull it. I wish to travel
|
||
further than my legs can take me.</p>
|
||
</details>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Player: eli</li>
|
||
<li>XP: 0</li>
|
||
<li>Skills: Do Anything 1</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<h2 id="meta">Meta</h2>
|
||
<p>Welcome to Basement Quest!</p>
|
||
<p>We’re gonna play this by ear, and cross each bridge only when we get
|
||
to it.</p>
|
||
<h3 id="policies">Policies</h3>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li><p>Safety: Practice safe roleplaying.</p></li>
|
||
<li><p>Cadence: I’ll move the story along roughly once a week. Hopefully
|
||
that gives everybody time to post something and participate.</p></li>
|
||
<li><p>Inclusion over realism: If you disappear for a while and then
|
||
come back, your character will immediately reappear as though they’ve
|
||
been there the whole time. Come and go as you please. Open door
|
||
policy!</p></li>
|
||
<li><p>Linearity: Respond only to the most recent email in the thread.
|
||
(We might play around with time later, but for now, let’s keep it
|
||
simple.)</p></li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<h3 id="mechanics">Mechanics</h3>
|
||
<p>Shoes in the Dark:</p>
|
||
<p><a href="https://dozens.itch.io/shoes-in-the-dark"
|
||
class="uri">https://dozens.itch.io/shoes-in-the-dark</a></p>
|
||
<p>To do something, say that you do it, and then it probably
|
||
happens!</p>
|
||
<p>If there is a risk, or chance of failure, we’ll roll dice to
|
||
determine the outcome. We’ll use a variation of “Roll for Shoes” because
|
||
it’s probably the most simple system there is. Everybody will start out
|
||
pretty even skills wise. But you will eventually get really good at
|
||
really specific things.</p>
|
||
<p>Everybody starts with one skill: <em>Do anything 1</em></p>
|
||
<p>So to attempt to <em>do anything</em>, roll 1d6.</p>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>1 - 3: Things go poorly. Gain 1 xp.</li>
|
||
<li>4 - 5: Partial success / success at cost</li>
|
||
<li>6: Great success!</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>If you roll all sixes, you gain a new +1 skill which must be a subset
|
||
of the skill you just used.</p>
|
||
<p>Example:</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Player: I kick down the door. I’ll roll Do Anything (1) aaaand,
|
||
that’s a six!”</p>
|
||
<p>Referee: You now have “Kicking Down Doors 2”</p>
|
||
<p>Later….</p>
|
||
<p>Player: I bust down the door with a flying kick! I’ll roll Kicking
|
||
Down Doors 2 aaaand, two sixes!</p>
|
||
<p>Referee: You now have “Doorbane 3”</p>
|
||
<p>Player: Siiiick, doors fear me.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Every time you fail a roll, you gain 1 xp.</p>
|
||
<p>You can spend xp to turn any die into a six for the purpose of
|
||
advancement.</p>
|
||
<h2 id="epistolary">Epistolary</h2>
|
||
<p>These are all the letters I send to the email list.</p>
|
||
<p>You can subscribe to these updates with the rss feed.</p>
|
||
<p><a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml"
|
||
class="uri">https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section">00001</h3>
|
||
<p>“Congratulations!” The slightly tipsy hobbit grins and salutes you
|
||
with his martini. “On Retrieval Team 43’s inaugural mission! I’m so
|
||
excited for you, I’m sure you’ll do fantastic!”</p>
|
||
<p>You are all seated around a table in the corner at Lucy’s Basement.
|
||
It is dimly lit and fairly noisy. The walls are covered in red velvet
|
||
curtains, and the tablecloths have little gold tassels. A cloud of
|
||
purple smoke from candles, cigars, and pipes hangs in the air. Waiters
|
||
bustle between tables refilling drinks.</p>
|
||
<p>“So to recap, the Benefactor has tasked you with retrieving the five
|
||
fabled Ginnarak Crystals. I, Blavin Blandfoot, will be your case
|
||
manager. You will be paid handsomely for each crystal you retrieve. And
|
||
if you retrieve all 5, you’ll get to meet the Benefactor at be their
|
||
guest at their <em>glorious mansion!</em>”</p>
|
||
<p>“The first crystal has been spotted near a Gnomish dig site in the
|
||
Tammineaux Forest, just east of here.”</p>
|
||
<p>“I recommend getting started right away!” He polishes off his drink
|
||
and squints at his empty glass. “Well, maybe first thing in the morning.
|
||
Waiter!”</p>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Who are you?</li>
|
||
<li>What role do you think you will fill on the team?</li>
|
||
<li>What do you plan to do with your cut of the money?</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00015.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-1">00002</h3>
|
||
<p>Blavin provides you with a multibeast for your excursion. “Courtesy
|
||
of the Benefactor!” You pack it up with food and supplies, and trek into
|
||
the Tammineaux Forest in search of the first Ginnarak Crystal.</p>
|
||
<p>The forest is lush, thick, and green. You have to hack your way
|
||
through the vines and the brush. There are stinging insects, squawking
|
||
birds, and dangerous forest creatures a plenty. It is hot and
|
||
sticky.</p>
|
||
<p>How will you ever find your way through this wilderness to the dig
|
||
site?</p>
|
||
<p>“Shouldn’t be too hard,” you remember Blavin saying back at Lucy’s,
|
||
gesturing carelessly and sloshing a little bit of his fourth drink.
|
||
“They’re gnomes, after all! Just follow the sound of explosions and
|
||
screaming.”</p>
|
||
<p>Sure enough, before long you hear a mechanical droning and some
|
||
blasting up ahead, punctuated now and then by high pitched screams, and
|
||
you guide the multibeast in that direction.</p>
|
||
<p>Suddenly you are ambushed by a troop of blahoblins! Awful looking
|
||
things. Taut rubbery gray skin. Long flat noses stick out way far from
|
||
their faces. And so do their protruding, lipless mouths full of sharp
|
||
pointy teeth. You didn’t hear them over the noise of the shrieking
|
||
parrots and, in the distance, the shrieking gnomes.</p>
|
||
<p>“SHOE SHINE!!” the first one yells. It is wearing a gold ring on each
|
||
finger (minus the three fingers it is missing), two in each ear, and one
|
||
in its nose. It is dragging a vat of black polish nearly as tall as it
|
||
is.</p>
|
||
<p>“SHOE SHINE!!” a second one agrees. It is wearing a nice waistcoat
|
||
with large gaudy buttons, and a nice looking pocket watch on a gold
|
||
chain. It is dragging a comfy looking chair stuffed with bits of fluff
|
||
and leaves and fur.</p>
|
||
<p>A third one screams, “SHOE SHINE SHOE SHINE!” It has several gold
|
||
teeth and carries a huge block of cheese secured to its back with long
|
||
loops of hempen rope.</p>
|
||
<p>The fourth and final one is wearing what looks like freshly painted
|
||
red shoes and is carrying a lit torch. “SHOE SHIIIIINE!” it screams. It
|
||
is wearing a gold medallion on a gold necklace.</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00015.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-2">00003</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>“SHOE SHINE!” Bellows Tea, with a full bodied laugh!</p>
|
||
<p>With a well practiced move, faster than one would think giant like
|
||
Tea could move, Tea removes an object from their satchel.</p>
|
||
<p>…at first glance it appears to be a flail without a handle, but is
|
||
actually a spare pair of giant boots, held by their laces.</p>
|
||
<p>“These could indeed use a good shining.”</p>
|
||
<p>The boot are spectacularly large, probably a 1/2 size too large, in
|
||
all honest, for even Tea’s feet.</p>
|
||
<p>The boots have gold eyelets.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Earrings greedily snatches the boots and start washing, drying, and
|
||
polishing them to a shine. Waistcoat eagerly tugs on Tea’s wrist and
|
||
guides him to the comfy chair, which is decidedly too small for his
|
||
bulky frame. Teeth graciously offers him a wedge of cheese.</p>
|
||
<p>Depending on how observant Tea is, he may or may not notice that the
|
||
boots are returned to him with 1 - 3 fewer eyelets.</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Bending down, Inky sniffs the bottles carefully, mumbling, “Creosote,
|
||
shellac, hopweed … ou, wild cherry liquorice.” Then, a little louder to
|
||
one of the blahoblins, though it came out not much more than a squeak,
|
||
“Might I ask from where did you get these?”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>“Shoe Polish! We Make! Roots and ash!” shouts Waistcoat. They seem to
|
||
only have the one volume.</p>
|
||
<p>“Beeswax!” yells Earrings.</p>
|
||
<p>“Resin!” cries Teeth.</p>
|
||
<p>“SHOE SHIIINE!” they all cry in unison.</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00022.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="meta-1">META</h3>
|
||
<p>This might be a good time to introduce the game mechanic.</p>
|
||
<p>For the most part, if you say you do something, it just happens.</p>
|
||
<p>But if you want to do something risky, and/or if the outcome is
|
||
uncertain, you can roll a number of six-sided dice.</p>
|
||
<p>I’d like to try using the <em>Shoes in the Dark</em> rules:</p>
|
||
<p>https://dozens.itch.io/shoes-in-the-dark</p>
|
||
<p>Basically, everybody currently has the skill “Do Anything 1”, which
|
||
means if you want to ‘do anything’, you can roll 1 die.</p>
|
||
<p>On a 1 - 3, things go poorly. (And you gain 1 experience point. More
|
||
on that in a bit.)</p>
|
||
<p>On a 4 - 5, you do the thing, but at a cost, or with a complication,
|
||
or it’s just a partial success.</p>
|
||
<p>On a 6, full success!! Yay, you!!</p>
|
||
<p>(When rolling multiple dice, you read the single highest roll.)</p>
|
||
<p>Here’s where stuff gets fun. If you roll all sixes (so, 1 six on a
|
||
1d6 roll, 2 sixes on a 2d6 roll, etc.) then you ‘level up’ and get a new
|
||
skill. The new skill A) is a subset of the skill/action you just
|
||
performed and, B) increases that skill by one.</p>
|
||
<p>e.g. I challenge a mugwump to a pie eating contest and roll Do
|
||
Anything 1. I roll a six, so I win the contest! And also I gain a new
|
||
skill, Belly Of Steel 2.</p>
|
||
<p>Finally, every time you fail a roll (by rolling 1 - 3) you gain 1
|
||
experience point. You can spend 1 experience at any time to turn any one
|
||
die into a six <em>for the purposes of advancement</em>.</p>
|
||
<p>SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN???</p>
|
||
<p>When you interact with the blahoblins, consider whether there is an
|
||
element of risk. If so, roll the appropriate amount of dice (1, in this
|
||
case) and include the result in your description. If it’s a success,
|
||
describe the success. If it’s a partial success or a failure, just
|
||
describe what you do, and I’ll describe the complication, or how things
|
||
get worse.</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00023.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-3">00004</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>“And jolly good polish too, it looks like,” Inky replies, squinting a
|
||
bit at the ichor being smeared onto the boots in Earrings’ large
|
||
calloused hands. “I hear there be some gnomes hereabouts? A camp? With
|
||
your remarkable service, I bet they’d be coming to you all the time to
|
||
get their boots cleaned.”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>“GNOMES!?” Earrings interrobangs loudly and questioningly. It brings
|
||
its hands to the sides of its face, covering its ear holes, and wags its
|
||
oversized head in dismay, squeezing its tiny eyes shut. In the process,
|
||
it smears polish around its face.</p>
|
||
<p>“Gnomes there!” shouts Waistcoat. Its hands busy polishing, it tosses
|
||
its head, gesturing with its prodigious proboscis in the direction you
|
||
were heading. You continue to hear bangs and booms in the distance every
|
||
once a while.</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Glarg gurgles something to the effect of “gluggurguuuurglaaaachhhh?”
|
||
Its stance is one of surprise as its disposition changes to that of
|
||
inquisition as its head cranes down to look at the blahoblin carrying
|
||
the smelly rock on its back.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Teeth looks questioningly up at Glarg and experimentally gargles back
|
||
up at it. “GURGLE BURBLE GLUG GLUG?” It smiles apologetically (a
|
||
fearsome sight, its protruding jaws full of tiny pointy teeth) and
|
||
shrugs and asks, “Shoe shine?”</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>It attempts to pick that whole blahoblin up and bring the smelly rock
|
||
to its face for a closer inspection.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>“WAAAAAAH!” Teeth kicks its feet ineffectively and is quite
|
||
helplessly tied to the big smelly rock when Glarg picks it up. The
|
||
smelly rock smells pungent, sharp, earthy, moldy. Definitely could be
|
||
food.</p>
|
||
<p>By this time the blahoblins have polished the shoes of everybody who
|
||
has consented to it, and are packing up. Except for Teeth who is being
|
||
detained by the earth elemental.</p>
|
||
<p>Red Shoes reappears from wherever they have been this whole time with
|
||
a sly smile and rejoins its comrades.</p>
|
||
<p>Your pockets have successfully been picked while you were distracted
|
||
with the shoe shine, but not of anything of particular value.</p>
|
||
<p>What small item(s) will you notice is missing in the hours and days
|
||
to come? How will its absence be a minor inconvenience?</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00031.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-4">00005</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>As the blahoblins were packing up, Inky persuades Waistcoat to sell a
|
||
few small bottles of shoe polish, a roughly round piece of broken glass
|
||
and scraps of cheesecloth from the mountain of debris previously on the
|
||
ground. Inky rolls Do Anything 1 and rolls a 4.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Inky successfully persuades Waistcoat to sell a few baubles and
|
||
trinkets with the first roll of the game!</p>
|
||
<p>They haggle back and forth a little bit, and Inky ends up paying a
|
||
little more than they wanted to, but they get all the stuff they wanted.
|
||
Yay commerce!</p>
|
||
<p>Having concluded business, the blahoblins pack up and disappear into
|
||
the bushes toting their chair, cheese, and vat of polish.</p>
|
||
<p>The sound of mechanical droning and periodic explosions compel you
|
||
forward to the dig site.</p>
|
||
<p>It is easy to find.</p>
|
||
<p>It is a large hole blasted deep into the ground. There are drills,
|
||
and conveyor belts, earth moving machines, and all kinds of gadgets and
|
||
gizmos, the purpose of which is not always readily apparent. And there
|
||
is a zip line that seems to be the only way down to the bottom.</p>
|
||
<p>The site is absolutely teeming with gnomes. Diminutive humanoids with
|
||
bright red noses and long, long ears, and long, nimble fingers. All
|
||
gnomes are compulsive tinkerers and mechanics, and build fantastic
|
||
contraptions. All gnomes are women, and are all highly explosive. Which
|
||
makes their combustion powered machines extremely dangerous, both for
|
||
themselves and for any unfortunate bystanders close enough to get caught
|
||
in the blast.</p>
|
||
<p>A gnome in a white hat comes running up to you. “You there! Hey! Yes,
|
||
you!”</p>
|
||
<p>“Are you the retrieval team? We’ve been expecting you! The whole dig
|
||
is halted because we accidentally blasted into a whole nest of Kobits,
|
||
and they won’t let us get near to keep digging! They keep sabotaging our
|
||
machines when we try!”</p>
|
||
<p>“They also stole the Ginnarak Crystal that we found! That thing could
|
||
have powered such glorious new machines!” She pouts.</p>
|
||
<p>In the background, a gnome who had crawled half way into a coal bin
|
||
in the side of some kind of excavator suddenly scrambles quickly out,
|
||
smoking, and runs around in circles in a panic. Nearby gnomes dive out
|
||
of the way as she erupts in a small ball of fire. The gnomes wait for
|
||
the smoke to clear and then immediately return to working on the
|
||
contraption.</p>
|
||
<p>The foreman continues talking to you as though nothing happened. She
|
||
leads you over to the edge of the hole and points to the bottom.</p>
|
||
<p>“The entrance to their cave is right down there! The zip line is the
|
||
second fastest way down.”</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00035.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-5">00006</h3>
|
||
<p>Suddenly three anthropomorphic gophers come crashing through the
|
||
trees behind you into the dig site. The first is wearing a sash of many
|
||
pockets. The second is wearing cargo shorts of many pockets. The third
|
||
is wearing a vest of many pockets. Each wears a pair of goggles with
|
||
thick smokey black lenses, and a floppy checkered hat that looks like a
|
||
waffle.</p>
|
||
<p>They march up to the zip-line.</p>
|
||
<p>“Out of the way, losers!” Sash cries. It grabs the zip-line trolley,
|
||
and immediately dives off the side of the cliff and zooms down into the
|
||
deep, deep hole.</p>
|
||
<p>Vest introduces itself, “Retrieval Team 70 here! We are here to
|
||
recover the Ginnarak Crystal that is reported to be at this location.
|
||
After we collect all five, then it will be <em>us</em> who get to hang
|
||
out in the Benefactor’s hot tub! Not you! Ha!”</p>
|
||
<p>Sash has reached the bottom of the deep, deep hole. Shorts starts
|
||
reeling in the pulley.</p>
|
||
<p>Vest leans in close and peers at you through its foggy lenses. “You
|
||
must be the new Retrieval Team 43. Hmmph. Shame what happened to the
|
||
previous Team 43. Hope you know what you’re doing! Would hate to see you
|
||
end up like them!”</p>
|
||
<p>Shorts grabs the trolley and leaps down into the deep, deep hole. It
|
||
sails all the way down, and joins Sash at the bottom.</p>
|
||
<p>“Welp!” Vest concludes with an air of finality. “No hard feelings,
|
||
and all that! After we collect this crystal, we just need four more. And
|
||
then we get to meet the Benefactor! Ha!”</p>
|
||
<p>It waddles off and starts reeling in the trolley.</p>
|
||
<p>Meanwhile, another gnome explodes behind you.</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00036.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-6">00007</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Inky peers down at the hole, and after some time, turns to the party.
|
||
“Do you think they’ve cleared most of the gnomes by now, or should we
|
||
wait until they emerge and grab the crystal then?” Gazing at some
|
||
invisible spot farther among the trees, Inky continued, “One of the old
|
||
miners back at the tavern said there used to be a natural maw on the
|
||
southwestern side, but it was blocked when the tunnel caved in many
|
||
years ago. The gnomes don’t waste their efforts on blowing up things
|
||
knowing someone’s already been through them. Chances are there’s only
|
||
one exit, unless this mine is a decoy.”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Inky peers down the hole and watches Retrieval Team 70 approach the
|
||
kobit caves.</p>
|
||
<p>The maw on the southwestern side did indeed collapse several seasons
|
||
ago. If you know anything about the industrial and intrepid kobits
|
||
however, it is that they have probably dug several alternative, secret
|
||
entrances since then.</p>
|
||
<p>Just as the gophers reach the cave entrance, a large erge, muscles
|
||
rippling beneath its white feathers, emerges from behind a boulder and
|
||
blocks their way forward.</p>
|
||
<p>It raises the feathery crest on the crown of its head, and fluffs up
|
||
its plumage in a dramatic display. It appears to be arguing with the
|
||
gophers. All three gophers appear to be arguing back.</p>
|
||
<p>The egre gestures angrily at the gophers’ feet, shakes its head, and
|
||
crosses its arms defiantly. The gophers look down at their own feet and
|
||
shuffle about as though embarrassed.</p>
|
||
<p>They all exchange a few more words and then the gophers retreat away
|
||
from the egre and the cave entrance. They huddle together briefly and
|
||
then start slowly climbing the scaffolding back up to the top of the
|
||
hole.</p>
|
||
<p>“Oh yeah,” the foreman remarks absentmindedly. “There’s an egre
|
||
guarding the kobit caves.”</p>
|
||
<p>The egre below preens and struts about proudly having chased off the
|
||
gophers.</p>
|
||
<p>“Stubborn things,” the foreman continues. “Easily provoked to
|
||
violence. Impeccable fashion sense though.”</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-08/msg00003.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-7">00008</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Inky blinks down at their pinecrab apple leather boots consideringly.
|
||
“Tea’s got the fanciest footgear, but at least we aren’t sporting fetid
|
||
foot fungi like stockings. Maybe we could persuade the egre to let us
|
||
through? It might set us back half a day trying to find any kobit holes
|
||
that aren’t just non-portable potties.”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>You look down at your boots. How serendipitous that you just had them
|
||
shined by the blahoblins! You feel confident in your footwear.</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Corraidhín: I may have a solution to the Egre problem. I gesture
|
||
grandly, as it so happens I always come prepared for a fashion show.</p>
|
||
<p>With a grand gesture I cast a spell to transform my robes into a
|
||
stunning suit, complete with top hat, monocle, and cane</p>
|
||
<p>I’m certain we can convince the fine fellow to let us pass if we look
|
||
the part. Or better yet, I’m almost certain I can distract him while the
|
||
rest of you sneak past, I’ve been told I can be quite verbose and
|
||
boisterous.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Corraidhín successfully conjures up a stunning suit, surely the envy
|
||
of every dandy, fop, and gentleman in the southern continent, if not all
|
||
of Basmentaria!</p>
|
||
<p>A nearby gnome gets flush, starts to fan herself excitedly, and then
|
||
explodes dramatically.</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>“A splendid idea, with an equally splendid outfit to match!” Inky
|
||
exclaimed. “Then, shall we proceed? Master Corraidhín, at your
|
||
signal.”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>You proceed down into the gnome hole.</p>
|
||
<p>Retrieval Team 70 glares at you from behind their smoked glass
|
||
goggles as you zip line past them. They continue their slow, defeated
|
||
climb up the scaffolding. Vest shakes its gopher fist at you and swears,
|
||
“You haven’t seen the last of us, Retrieval Team 43!”</p>
|
||
<p>At the bottom, on solid ground, you approach the entrance to the
|
||
kobit caves.</p>
|
||
<p>Standing guard at the entrance to the kobit tunnels is a massive
|
||
egre, a fearsome bird beast, muscles rippling and bulging beneath its
|
||
beautiful white plumage. It turns its head and regards you with one jet
|
||
black eye and then the other, snapping its sharp beak in the air as it
|
||
tosses its head back and forth.</p>
|
||
<p>It looks you up and down, and its gaze rests on your freshly polished
|
||
shoes. It huffs and grunts, “Your shoes look clean.” It rests its
|
||
scrutinizing gaze on Corraidhín’s garments. “And YOU look FABULOUS!” it
|
||
exclaims as it tosses its head and beats it wings excitedly.</p>
|
||
<p>“You may enter.” It graciously steps aside with a flourish.</p>
|
||
<p>The smallest of you can stand upright in the kobit tunnels. The
|
||
largest of you have to crawl.</p>
|
||
<p>Kobits are small, vaguely mammalian, vaguely reptilian bipedal cave
|
||
creatures. They are scaly and furry, and live in tunnels deep in the
|
||
earth. They have huge yellow eyes, and long fine whiskers on their
|
||
snouts and faces, all of which help them find their way around in the
|
||
dark. They also have long, thick, coarse, drooping mustaches. The
|
||
overall effect is that they look like tiny, monstrous, perpetually
|
||
startled cowboys.</p>
|
||
<p>You follow the winding tunnel down into the earth.</p>
|
||
<p>You come around a corner and almost bump right into a kobit. It has
|
||
eyes like saucers and an awe-inspiring mustache. It wears a name tag
|
||
(“Corey”) and carries a clipboard. It blinks at you in surprise and then
|
||
asks, “Who are you? What are you doing in here?” Corey flips through the
|
||
pages on its clipboard. “There are no upsiders scheduled to arrive
|
||
today. I don’t think you’re supposed to be here!” Corey glances around
|
||
nervously with its huge eyes and looks about ready to cry out for
|
||
help.</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-08/msg00012.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-8">00009</h3>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>Inky smiles at Corey. “Hullo! We’re the waterworks crew from the
|
||
neaby town, here to check the outhouse tunnels, inspect all the pipes
|
||
and so on. We received reports of a blockage somewhere inside the
|
||
networks. Have the tunnels been flushing well lately?” While speaking,
|
||
Inky flashes a waterworker’s ID briefly at the kobit before pocketing it
|
||
and pulling out a pressure gauge, giving the little handle on one side
|
||
of the device a few cranks, and looking back at Corey expectantly.</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>Corey slowly blinks its eyes. “Inspektor?”</p>
|
||
<p>ASIDE: I rolled for Inky and rolled a six, which according to the
|
||
rules means GREAT SUCCESS, and also Inky gets to Level Up: they gain the
|
||
skill Persuasive 2.</p>
|
||
<p>“Of course! Inspektors! Yes, yes, right this way! A surprise
|
||
inspection, how exciting!”</p>
|
||
<p>Corey continues to chatter excitedly as it leads you further into the
|
||
branching, winding tunnels, pointing out particular bits of stonework
|
||
and engineering, and also baubles and trinkets and fossils and artifacts
|
||
that the kobits uncovered in the process of digging their tunnels.</p>
|
||
<p>Your tour eventually brings you into a large cavern with tunnels
|
||
exactly like the one from which you just entered branching off in all
|
||
directions. It makes you dizzy to think of finding your way through this
|
||
labyrinth without a guide.</p>
|
||
<p>In the middle of the cavern is a deep pool with a fountain. At the
|
||
bottom of the pool, a SWORD is thrust into the ground almost up to its
|
||
hilt. A large jewel set deep in the pommel rolls around like an eye in a
|
||
socket and tracks your movement around cavern. A few bubbles float up to
|
||
the surface of the pool.</p>
|
||
<p>And set into the wall on the far side of the room is a massive stone
|
||
door reinforced with thick iron bands. There is a keypad and a small
|
||
printer on the wall next to it.</p>
|
||
<p>“….and so our tour concludes here in the central atrium!” Corey
|
||
concludes excitedly. “Behind this door is the VAULT, where we keep all
|
||
the valuables. Gemstones, gold, crystals, et cetera.”</p>
|
||
<p>“Top notch security!” Corey exclaims tapping the keypad. The printer
|
||
spits out a square of paper. It reads</p>
|
||
<pre><code>ed v1.16
|
||
*
|
||
?
|
||
*
|
||
?
|
||
*e door
|
||
19
|
||
*,n
|
||
1 the door is Locked
|
||
*wq</code></pre>
|
||
<p>“Ha ha!” Corey shakes its head in amazement. “I have no idea how this
|
||
thing works!”</p>
|
||
<p>The eye in the sword watches as Corey clips the small printout to its
|
||
clipboard.</p>
|
||
<p>“Now, I trust you’ll find that everything was in tip-top order! Yes,
|
||
indeed!” Corey wriggles its mustache proudly. “Now if you’ll excuse me,”
|
||
it flips through the pages on its clipboard, “I am late for my next
|
||
appointment. Good day!” Corey turns and walks toward one of the twisty
|
||
little passageways, all alike.</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-08/msg00016.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-9">00010</h3>
|
||
<p>Once Corey the Kobit exits the antechamber, you are free to look
|
||
around a little bit.</p>
|
||
<p>The eyesword continues to watch from the bottom of the pool, and the
|
||
Kobit Ed terminal continues to await you by the vault door.</p>
|
||
<p>But also you notice a couple of alcoves along the walls between the
|
||
twisty little passages. Each of them holds a relief sculpture depicting
|
||
one of the three deities of Basmentaria.</p>
|
||
<p>There is Neddas, the wise god of sages and starlight. Androgynous,
|
||
clad in purple robes, depicted with a golden third eye in the middle of
|
||
their forehead. They are shown here stoically bestowing gifts upon the
|
||
inhabitants of Basmentaria.</p>
|
||
<p>And here is Nullar, god of time and tides. A bespectacled male figure
|
||
with a golden third eye on his forehead. He is dressed in a dapper vest
|
||
and bow tie, and is adorned with small cogs and gears. He is depicted
|
||
here looking up at the stars from a mechanical contraption he is working
|
||
on.</p>
|
||
<p>Finally, there is Liandt, goddess of war and flame. A primal,
|
||
elemental deity, she is depicted as a fiery warrior with a golden third
|
||
eye. The relief shows her on the battlefield during the Artifice wars.
|
||
The wars which reduced Ginnarak to the wastes of cinder and ash that
|
||
they are today. The wars which drained Liandt’s divine energies so
|
||
thoroughly that she fell into a deep sleep and has been absent from the
|
||
mortal realms ever since.</p>
|
||
<p>But enough of this lore dump! There is something important
|
||
happening!</p>
|
||
<p>You hear a shuffling and a mumbling approaching from one of the
|
||
twisty little passages.</p>
|
||
<p>You’re already in one of the alcoves studying the relief, so your
|
||
press yourself flat into the recess.</p>
|
||
<p>Three gophers with smoked glass goggles spill out from one of the
|
||
passages. Retrieval team 70! They made it past the egre after all!</p>
|
||
<p>They don’t see you, but head straight to the keypad by the vault.
|
||
They crowd around it and start pressing buttons, arguing and bickering
|
||
with one another.</p>
|
||
<p>The sword at the bottom of the pool seems to roll its eye in
|
||
exasperation.</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-08/msg00017.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h3 id="section-10">00011</h3>
|
||
<p>The Retrieval Team 70 gophers are absolutely losing their minds over
|
||
the ed terminal.</p>
|
||
<p>“It just keeps printing a question mark!” Vest sobs.</p>
|
||
<p>“Try pushing escape?” suggests Shorts somewhat panicking.</p>
|
||
<p>“I’ve tried it! It’s not vi! It doesn’t do anything!” Vest moans.
|
||
“Here you try it if you’re so smart!”</p>
|
||
<p>Sash is balled up on the floor crying, having already had a turn at
|
||
the terminal.</p>
|
||
<p>Shorts carefully steps over them and timidly prods at the keypad.</p>
|
||
<p>A throng of beefy guard kobits come charging into the hall, alerted
|
||
by the gopher racket.</p>
|
||
<p>“Here now! You’re not supposed to be in here!”</p>
|
||
<p>One of them trips over Sash, still balled up on the floor, and
|
||
crashes into Shorts’s back, pinning them to wall. They squeal. Another
|
||
guard grabs Vest by the collar, and after a brief scuffle all three
|
||
gophers are escorted out of the hall despite their howls of protest.</p>
|
||
<p>“I had better check on the vault!” exclaims one of the kobits who
|
||
remains behind.</p>
|
||
<p>They bang a few keys on the terminal and it spits out a slip of
|
||
paper.</p>
|
||
<pre><code>ed v1.6
|
||
19
|
||
P
|
||
*,n
|
||
1 the door is locked
|
||
*1s/locked/open
|
||
?
|
||
*H
|
||
no match
|
||
*1s/Locked/Open
|
||
the door is Open
|
||
*wq
|
||
17</code></pre>
|
||
<p>There is a mechanical whir deep in the walls, and a click and a gasp
|
||
of air as the door swings inward.</p>
|
||
<p>The kobit slips into the vault and the door swings only partly closed
|
||
behind it.</p>
|
||
<p>The sword in the bottom of the pool pointedly narrows its eye at
|
||
you.</p>
|
||
<p>The gods of Basmentaria observe passively from their reliefs in the
|
||
alcoves around you.</p>
|
||
<p>The door to the vault is ajar, the first of the five legendary
|
||
Ginnarak crystals presumably behind it.</p>
|
||
<p>From one of the twisty little passages, you hear a guard kobit
|
||
approaching, singing a sad cowboy song to itself.</p>
|
||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||
<p><a
|
||
href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-09/msg00001.html">www</a></p>
|
||
<h2 id="bestiary">Bestiary</h2>
|
||
<p>Some of the creatures who inhabit the world of Basmentaria</p>
|
||
<p>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>Blahoblin</dt>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
a little goblinoid with the head of a goblin shark
|
||
</dd>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<figure>
|
||
<img src="goblin.gif" alt="blahoblin" />
|
||
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">blahoblin</figcaption>
|
||
</figure>
|
||
</details>
|
||
</dd>
|
||
</dl>
|
||
<p>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>Egre</dt>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
Giant muscle bird. Proud, muscly, vain, fashion forward. Beautiful
|
||
plumage.
|
||
</dd>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<figure>
|
||
<img src="egre.png" alt="egre" />
|
||
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">egre</figcaption>
|
||
</figure>
|
||
</details>
|
||
</dd>
|
||
</dl>
|
||
<p>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>Gnome</dt>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
Tiny tinkerers. Highly combustible. Very explosive. Like making
|
||
contraptions powered by steam and/or coal
|
||
</dd>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
All gnomes are women. All gnomes are engineers. They have bright red
|
||
noses, and very long ears. And long nimble fingers.
|
||
</dd>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
<details>
|
||
<figure>
|
||
<img src="gnome.gif" alt="gnome" />
|
||
<figcaption aria-hidden="true">gnome</figcaption>
|
||
</figure>
|
||
</details>
|
||
</dd>
|
||
</dl>
|
||
<p>
|
||
</p>
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>Kobit</dt>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
literally “tunnel host”
|
||
</dd>
|
||
<dd>
|
||
Subterranean scaly ratdog creatures. Big luminous eyes, long droopy
|
||
mustaches.
|
||
</dd>
|
||
</dl>
|
||
<h2 id="geography">Geography</h2>
|
||
<p>Basmentaria</p>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Primora: northern banana
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Vay’Nullar</li>
|
||
<li>Tammineaux Forest</li>
|
||
<li>Gnomelands</li>
|
||
<li>Rana’For Valley</li>
|
||
</ul></li>
|
||
<li>Agendell: southern banana</li>
|
||
<li>Ginnarak: donut hole</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>names to integrate: tildetown, commonhealth of casakhstan,
|
||
federation</p>
|
||
<h2 id="cosmology">Cosmology</h2>
|
||
<p>trine:</p>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Neddas – the god of sages and starlight</li>
|
||
<li>Nullar – the god of time and tides</li>
|
||
<li>Liandt – the goddess of war and flame</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>Fourth god = ????</p>
|
||
<h2 id="history">History</h2>
|
||
<p>Long ago, the Artifice Wars ravaged the lands of Basmentaria.</p>
|
||
<p>They reduced the once fertile lands of Ginnarak to ash and
|
||
embers.</p>
|
||
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
||
<p>the five Ginnarak crystals:</p>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>earth – cave</li>
|
||
<li>water – underwater pirate shipwreck</li>
|
||
<li>fire – volcano</li>
|
||
<li>wind – cloudstuff</li>
|
||
<li>heart? ice?</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>The Benefactor is Nullar</p>
|
||
<p>Blavin is a secret agent, working for the Golden Iris, a secret
|
||
society that wants to ‘create balance’ by seating a fourth god</p>
|
||
<p>Nullar got tired of being a god and wanted to die, and Neddas agreed
|
||
to help him. Shit went bad and turned Liandt to stone, and Nullar’s leg
|
||
to stone.</p>
|
||
<p>Now Nullar is trying to gather the Ginnarak crystals to assemble the
|
||
<em>God Slayer</em> to attempt once more to end his own life.</p>
|
||
<p>The gang has a rival: the gophers of Retrieval Team 70</p>
|
||
</body>
|
||
</html>
|