Crypt of the Everflame - OOC

[Rakeesh]

I "met" Lotofsnow via Buffalo sports twitter (so he needs the joy of gaming), and also DnD twitter.  Should fit right in with the rest of you clowns. :D

Fortunately I've mostly fallen off of my old love for the Dolphins, or else bombs might get misapplied and such;) Howdy, Lotsofsnow:) I've played in a couple of games on another forum with some folks, one of whom was Scott and perhaps Tick, I can't recall?

[TheTick]

I only played in BB's Rise of the Runelords game when it was running back in the day...I was too new to gaming to feel comfortable joining The Expanse game.

[Scott R]

You were too new to play in 2350?  I thought you were older than me.

[TheTick]

I never played pen and paper RPGs until the games started at Sakeriver. 

[Rakeesh]

Tick, I was thinking of a small vignette to establish a connection with the Silvers, given Kirdo's background as a brewer. Scott did something similar but I wasn't sure if he'd asked about that beforehand, so I thought I'd check.

[Scott R]

Scott does whatever the flip he wants to do.

(I agonized about whether or not to write up something featuring one of the NPCs mentioned. Finally just resolved that that was why Tick posted them, so i should just do it.

I also think it's interesting we are both focused somewhat on liquor for our backstories.)

[TheTick]

Perfectly fine idea, Rakeesh.

[Lotofsnow]

Hm. Wonder if I can link my PC to one of the NPCs. Maybe Olmira Treesong was the person who wrote Maura the letter that brought her home.

[Rakeesh]

Scott does whatever the flip he wants to do.

(I agonized about whether or not to write up something featuring one of the NPCs mentioned. Finally just resolved that that was why Tick posted them, so i should just do it.

I also think it's interesting we are both focused somewhat on liquor for our backstories.)

Yeah, sorry about chomping on your flavor there a bit. It'll become more clear in the interaction I'll be posting tonight that for Kirdo, that focus is really more of a side gig. More application in the big world for booze than alchemical concoctions, after all. I wonder, if you were interested, whether Kirdo and Sandy knowing each other in some capacity might be interesting to explore. I also thinking this out realize I completely forgot to include a bit about 'why is this gnome partaking of this human village's dubiously-relevant ritual? Something to expand on!)

[Scott R]

I am always down for some PC interaction, Rakeesh!

[Scott R]

A Spirited Affair

"This would never have happened if you had come with me," Sandy says.

Jimes holds out a rather greenish looking chunk of meat that Sandy snatches out of his fingers and presses to his eye.  The halfling says, "Woodsmen are a suspicious lot."

"They're worse when they're drunk.  Well, no-- they're worse when they want to be drunk."  Sandy pulls the meat away from his face, sniffs it.  "Is this...what kind of meat this?"

Jimes pushes the meat back toward Sandy's bruised face. "Don't worry about it.  It's fine. But what possessed you to spend the night in Ostetter's camp?"

"I got lost in the woods.  Not very lost, but lost enough.  Didn't hit camp until it was almost sundown."

"All-Saints Tippenroe, I swear... what was it this time?  A faery ring?  An odd looking tree?  What were you out looking for in the Fang Wood when you should have been delivering..." Jimes realizes his voice has gotten a little loud, and quiets himself.  "...delivering our goods?"

Sandy shrugs, grins.  "This beautiful old ruin.  I found this stone marker on the path that I'd never seen before, and it pointed the way down this narrow path.  It was rough going at first-- I had to practically carry the mule through the briars-- but then I found a broken road.  And there were statues, Jimes-- eroded, sure, but statues of dragons!  I think they were dragons.  Do dragons have four eyes and tentacles?"

"Did you find anything interesting?"

Sandy squints his one good eye at Jimes.  "I just said: a ruin.  With dragon statues."

Jimes huffs.  "I mean, did you find anything valuable?  Something to make up for the fact that Ostetter will probably never buy from us again?"

"No.  Anyway, by the time I made it to the camp, it was too late to start back.  So I sacked out, and listened to the lumberjacks getting drunk."

"Trying to get drunk," Jimes says ruefully.

"Right.  Well.  I blame Ned's new wife— she keeps putting flower water in his still.  I think we need to find a new supplier."

"Hmm," Jimes says.  "Might be a good idea anyway.  Arnama has been casting eyes at me.  I'm sure she suspects us of collaborating with Bison.  As it just so happens, there's a new fellow here for the Everflame ceremony.  Little fellow."

Sandy snorts.  Winces.

Jimes continues as if never interrupted.  "He's an alchemist, name of...Keermo.  No— Kirdo.  That's it— a gnome.  Sold some kegs to the Seven Silver— pretty staunch stuff.  He's got to have a still or something somewhere to make it.  Maybe that's our next move, eh, All-Saints?"

Sandy forgets the slimy hunk of meat pressed to his face.  Forgets the aches and bruises and embarassment of being chased half naked through a night and half a day through the Fang Wood. "An alchemist?  Really?  Here, in Kassen?"

"Boy, why is it when I say, "possibility-of-making-money", you only hear 'alchemist'?"

"I know what's important is all."

Jimes reaches up and flicks Sandy's ear.  "That's for having your priorities askew."

Sandy massages his ear.  "All right.  Where do we find him?"

"We?  You.  I've got to work."

"Your diligence at waiting tables is cutting into our bottom line.  What about money making?"

Jimes says, "I keep having to spend my wages on bandages, poultices, and barghast meat."

"This...this had better not be barghast meat."

Jimes just laughs, and says, "Find Kirdo.  And keep that meat on your face."

**

It took a day, but Sandy finally catches up to the gnome.  He watches the fellow for a bit— he'd never seen hair quite so red.  Or anyone with quite so many glass bottles around their belt.  Glass was a precious thing out here in Nirmathas— Sandy knew ol' Holgast would pay nicely for a good, glass flask. 

So if the spirits didn't work out, maybe he could angle to sell the gnome's glassware...

"Lo, Master Alchemist," Sandy says, feeling a bit foolish.  "I'm All-Saints Tippenroe.  I...um...I heard you're joining in the Everflame ceremony.  Uh...so am I!  Quite...quite a coincidence.  You going.  Me going."

He takes a breath, smiles, tries not to wince.  His face still hurt a bit.  "I hear you sold some kegs to the Seven Silvers.  I'm curious if you have ever...distilled...anything more interesting than ale..."

[Rakeesh]

One thing Kirdo had learned in his time on the open road: for all that they were so often almost alike, their similarities concealed a breadth of differences. Humans, that is. Kirdo glanced up at the...youngster?...yes, youngster, he decided after some scrutiny, trying to determine what was behind this interruption. Not that the lad could have known he was interrupting, Kirdo making his quiet way back to his chosen campsite with his pony, Hauler. Someday, Kirdo would be the sort of alchemist and eventually wizard who could secure his belongings even when he wasn't around, but that day hadn't come yet. In any event, keeping a room was both expensive and undesirable should-in the unlikely event!-one of his experiments go wrong.

"Don't I know you? You've done work for some of the merchants a bit all over the place. I'm sure I've seen you before," he squinted. To a gnomish sensibility, human faces could be difficult to recall if they were strangers. "Ah! Sandy, isn't it?" he said, recalling the nickname and unaware if using it might be presumptuous. Just the sort of fellow Kirdo would like to know, someone connected to trade in these parts. And apparently a soon to be traveling companion, as well. He offered his small hand to shake, marked with curious burns not just of flame.

When All-Saints mentioned brewing, however, Kirdo's glance sharpened. Competition, perhaps? No, it didn't quite feel right for that. "Well there's interesting and then there's interesting, Mr. Tippenroe," Kirdo replied and appeared suddenly much more invested in the chat with this young human. With a start, he jerked his hand back and then offered it again, as though resetting himself. "Ah! Right. Sorry. Kirdo Dunritty, at your service, Mr. Tippenroe," he said, remembering his niceties.

(OOC: A couple of questions: I'm not clear just what if any laws might regulate alcohol or its production around here. Don't know if that's something Tick wants to decide, or if we simply feel out as we go. The second question: I've read over alchemists on the website, and I'm not sure if the 'needs no prerequites' in brew potion applies to the gold price or not.)

[Lotofsnow]

Hm. Based on the number or ranged style characters, I wonder if I should redo my warpriest to work better in melee.

[Nighthawk]

My two-weapon ranger is up... I hope I did him right. To be honest, I've never done a dual-wield ranger before.

Background is pending... Gonna need to think about that one.

[Lotofsnow]

Updated Maura to be a front line fighter type.