Common Worlds

"Why else to travel but to see the world, right?"

"The mistress recognized my talent with fires immediately and hired me on as firekeeper and caravan sorcerer..."

"Of course there were some insignificant reasons from me to leave..minor really..."

"There were a ... couple.. tavern owners who refused my good word on payment..."

"Also, a few guards were getting too big for their britches and were beginning to enjoy stomping on my face a bit too much..."

"And the doxies seem to be asking for more copper rather than less for repeated patronage. Ungrateful wenches... Perhaps some time on the road would fog their memory a bit.."

Yes, spy, you would like to know wouldn't you? :? May I propose
you expend your inquisitive energy to the matter of what sorcerous attack will come next so that I may know how to get out of the way.

When evening comes and Garusharp is able to sit with the main Characters alone, he says…
“I am a servant of Pubnushap the Vessel of Light and have the privilege of being commanded by him. By his grace I have a wonderful home and riches more then a man could want. By his will I was sent afar to hunt for that which could threaten Teshnos. I have found Chaos in many terrible forms, dealt with the Lunar officials, seen the effects of a god dying, eaten the heart of a vile spirit and been shown the horror of the dark underground as a prisoner of Thanatari. When I return to Teshnos I will present myself to him. I will also make him aware of the sacrifice you made by knowing me. I will ask his blessings for you and to reward you for helping his lowly servant. You will not go unnoticed for your bravery, I swear this.

I am sorry for the grief I have brought upon you but it seems that I am destined to deal with problems I have heaped upon myself through my foolish youth. I made an enemy who I know but will not name yet and he hates me as much as most men naturally draw breath. I must deal with him when I return but this I will not involve you in any further. I have endured much in the last year of my life, I have learned many hard lessons and know my own short comings, all I can hope is that when my fire is passed on it will bring with it experiences that another person can learn and grow from.

You were all deceived by me and I will accept your will…if you want to be rid of me I will go and hope that the small amount of gold sent by my assassin will in some way pay measure to the problems I have caused. You decide my fate and I will abide by the decision. If you wish to keep my company know that I am indebted to each of you and you can call upon me as friend and ally”.

Sitting cross legged on a pink and egg shell pillow he got from who knows where, with more grace than some of the most graceful virgins in the court of the Celestial Pure, caressing his greasy goatee with a greasy hand, Neeri says:

"yes...you do owe us, don't you?"

ah crap... :shock:

What say the rest? Do I go from you or Stay and try to help this group?...and try not to get you all killed. :shock:

Such honesty now, plus your obvous concern for us, shows me that you are learning your life's lessons, but that you still have far to go. Assuming all of your responsibilities, in order to make up for past negligence is commendable and I especially like what I hear you say. From what I have seen and by your God's blessing and by Ganjandiri Sa's inspiration I have hope for your future.
If there is another firey attemp upon your life, I believe that we can be more effective on your behalf. When Xhen dumped you in the water barrel I got an idea. Just like confectionary desert tops can be squirted through a sqeeze tube, so can water be directed and squirted from a hose in a water barrel if the top can apply enough pressure without forcing water to leak from other areas. One of my customers has a small water cask with such a top and tube that she uses to put out small kitchen fires plus drunken and unruly patrons. So, let us continue together toward my Master's Irredescent Palace.

pulling Garusharp aside privately:

"I have seen a thing which you do spy. Others did not see it, but their eyes are not as keen as mine. I saw the smallest of cracks appear in the circle of flame trying to engulf you. I saw you squeeze through this crack - no! you cannot dissuade me, I know what I saw! How did you come upon this wonderous talent? Is there a tale of Vaneesha Kan Sa's that enlightens us on this featt? I desire to know this o' obscure one. I have powerful patrons in seats of power who desire to know this. Perhaps I can introduce you to them? Mayhaps we can help one another? Hmm?"

So Jon, why when you metion creating a water contraption that I get nervous and picture a behemoth water essence rampaging around Pavis? :)

Brian - I plan on unleashing the thing next Fireday and if it takes over the wastes, so much the better. Mike - If there is still another fireday before our party arrives at the Palace then Erani spends less time managing her caravan in order to secure an oil soaked hide seal to the edge of a barrell top. The lid also has a tube made from animal intestine (flexible and water proof). As long as there is enough water for the group to drink then extra water (I know H2O is running low) will go in the barrell for firefighting.

You guys have more to worry about than next Fireday.

I hope to have an update in the morning, depending on my work day.

After bringing Khalsa back to the Orange palace, Garusharp continues readying hmself to be Erani's escourt. He tries hard to ignore the snide remarks of Neari and continues telling Erani the horrible story of his last years in the west. He shows her the horrible ritual scars and even the one on his back (as Oshun told him to do). He promises to take her before the Vessal of light in the capital city and swears that fro helping him cross the wastes she will get the notice she deserves as a hostess and cook!
(not that he is sweet talking her or anything). :twisted:

He tries later to again explain how they should act when near his-High-Opal-Essence (sp) to Neari and also points out that theives have been made into soft beautiful shoes for nobles in high court...

(stroking goatee with a sarcastic look of amusement) "Why, what a waggish snippet of information! Now I on the other hand, when acting in the capacity of server help, have heard many a noble whisper how uncovered spies are turned into silken loin sashes. That way, they will forever have something fascinating to spy upon. Oh how truly ironic it would be if the loin sash I am wearing now was once a spy! Charming!"

It is statments like the last that always gives people pause to wonder about the Greasy Eel.

"In the best interest of our appearance at the palace, I must point out that theivery and sculduggery are generally not tolerated. In bringing attention to these aspects of your respective personages, regrettable and unfortunate consequences are sure to result. To avoid becoming sacrificial eunichs, with nothing facinating beneath your loinclothes, I recommend amity and congeniality for the duration of our stay. Let no more discordant words pass between you lest I feel ultimately reponsible for my indiscreet servants' future childlessness."
sorry about any bad spelling - all this, despite how entertaining I find the characters' bickering to be, as a player.

Just checking here---

Do I understand that your entire plan can be summarized thus:

Break into the Glass Palace
Dose everyone around the target with sleeping drug in their food
Leave
Come back when they're asleep
Carry off the target
Deliver him to Dass.

If I have that right, I have some other, discouraging info for you.

OK Mike,
None of us have tried to kidnap someone before...so we are flying blind. Here is that little trick about not knowing what our characters would know in their world. We have to know what questions to ask to get the answers we want but we don't know those questions.

Do I involve other people or keep this between the charcters only?
Do I make someone watch the palace or will they be noticed?
How the hell do we plan for this? You tell us to be more proactive but how can we with no knowledge of Teshnos or Zanozar customs or magic.

It doesn't matter since most of you will be burned alive and disembowled before we get to the palace anyway...

I think everyone should watch 'Sneakers' as inspiration for planning before a job. We might not know what the Zanozar customs are, but we still need much more information. Time to roll those spying skills, zanozar contacts skills and spread that wealth around to buy information (discreetly). Guards schedules, layouts of the palace, secret entrances. All the things that heroes acquire before they sneak into the guarded fortress.

First off,

the Glass palace is large, with people coming and going all the time. They may provide cover, but it makes it problematic to drug enough people that no one will bother you. Rather, if 50 people fell unconscious, another 50 would notice.

I'll try to post some exteriors of the Glass Palace today, though I'm having trouble making it look right--it kinda looks like a football stadium at the moment.

by "proactive" or whatever term I used, I was suggesting that you might be able to say things like:

Let's go see my buddy whose body odor is so bad that he clears any room he enters
Ride? of course I know how to ride a fast horse!
You can make stuff up and if I like it, its in.

I'm not sure this is helpful, but I offer it in that spirit.

You guys are (I think) approaching this plan with the wrong outlook. I think you're asking "What do we have to do?"

The real question should be "What are we best at doing?"

Yes, what ARE we best at doing! Mistress' idea of dressing up as a courtesan, while abhorrent to me (in the sense of her safety, and not in the sense of any - ahem - skills she may have in succeeding) did remind me what indeed we are good at. Garusharp and I, with spying and "visiting" skills, enter the temple. The Hero and the Harem will give us info on our quarry. The Mistresss' cooking skills will allow us to incapacitate. And Zhen will knock heads of those who wish to prevent us from delivering our package. And Kulsa...well, if any stinking, putrid, festering gutters try to get in our way, they'd better think twice I tell you!

Great priestess of the Ebony Walk, I am done...please take these holy gifts that were given to me by our Shadow lord in his wisdom. Take from me the knife, All-edge, the Cloak of light and shadow and what is left of the Blue tipped arrows. From here forward I will walk that fine line that I have so rudly drawn for myself without envolving you and yours any more. I could not bare one more destructive thing done in my name to VKS, my child and Teshnos. I wish you to leave this place and ask only one more favor of you...Please take the people that foolishly came with me, my friends, take them and hide them from the retribution that I surely have brought down on myself. I will owe you beyond words if you will do this for me.

Erani, I am sorry for all that has happened to you and your family and if it is in my power in the days to come, will find where my daughter, your niece, is and ask that she be delivered to you and yours. I am going to face my judgement for what i have caused in this land and I do not want to get you envolved so please listen this time and stay away from this fight that I face. Could you tell Neari and Khalsa that I will try to give to them my estate...it is so little to repay for so much but I can think of nothing else to give.

Xhen, you have proven to be more intelligent then the people that rule this sad land. Tell me what of mine I can pay you for your help and I will try. Make sure that Teshnans learn that you are to be feared and respected as i do.

Please go now as the Hero's of Teshnos come for me and I will own up to my faults.

Goodbye all.

Garusharp Banaru

"Um. Ok."

"Ack..Spit..Drool...Commmeee Cloooseeerrr...Come share the fate of the lost fat one"

I missed playing Xhen so I wrote this:

Xhen Chess

In the course of his monastic upbringing, Xhen learned many things. One of the most important is to play a good game of chess. This is simple self-protection, as a young boy growing up in an environment of bored lonely men will be the entertainment one way or another.

Curiously, although Xhen seems to grasp the mechanics of the game, his playstyle is unusual and sometimes challenging, even for experienced players. Those not familiar with Xhen can spend a while attempting to study his strategies. Although these are clearly purposeful, and sometimes consistent, Xhen's chess strategy was clearly not learned from a book.

Why does he chuckle about losing his queen? What is the meaning of the reverent way he removes his opponent's pieces from the board? Why, although almost anyone can beat him, does Xhen sometimes baffle chess experts?

As with most things Xhen, the answer is simple. Xhen has no conception of strategy, in chess or in life. He applies his tactics as dictated by the stories he makes up about the pieces. Every chess game, to Xhen, is a tale of murder and betrayal, court intrigue and the noble sacrifices of warriors and peasants.

See? A revelation without enlightenment. Who says it can't be done!

Looking forward to the big conclusion!
-Brad