[pnpgm] Game Update #154 - File #1071 - Goz'Yung

Scott Adams longshotgm at netzero.com
Thu Mar 3 18:57:36 CET 2011


            
  HT Alias/Player          Character Name    Type    Status/Notes  Sex
  -- -----------------------------------------------------------------
  R1.John Haight...........Arawn.............Druid  .Normal/Alfar  Ma
  ??.Chris Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human  Ma
  R4.Tom Corckett..........Caladan...........Wizard  Normal/Human  Ma
  W2.Marcel Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human  Ma
  W3.Ryan Torres...........Farseeker.........Warrior.Normal/Human  Ma
  --.Tobie Bonahoom........Fremea............Sidh....Normal/Faerry Fe
  R2.Mark Murtha...........Kell..............Trader..Normal/Human..Ma
  R1.David Sanders.........Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human  Ma
  R4.J H Hooten............Raban.Usherwood...Bard....Normal/Human..Ma
  W2.Robert Maxwell........Strie'bog.........Bard....Normal/Human..Ma
  W4.Wout Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human  Fe
  R1 John.Stowman..........Will..............Hunter..Normal/Human..Ma
  R4.Alex Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human  Fe
  R1 NPC...................Zhou Kiwat........Noble...Normal/Human..Ma
     Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Tef'wo (Horse) Ben'dar, 

     Game Web Site - http://www.furvert.net/longshotgm/pbem/index.htm
     Public posts/actions to pnpgm at abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list)
     Private emails (not public actions) to longshotgm at netzero.com
                                               
     Game Update #154 in sequence (file #1072)      
     ----------------------------------------------------------------
              
     Admin Notes: None. 
     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     [Recap]

        From Kell: [Re: Actions]
          [Kiet & Kell conversation.  It began as Dave and I chatting in
          email. There was some good stuff, so I converted it to an actual
          post ala conversation.  Had we known it was going to be a post,
          we'd copy you. Maybe.  Surprising the GM can be fun!  :)

          Good adjustment for the conversations.  Ours was not linear, so
          your changes worked just as well.  Thanks.

          Libyan enforcers start out all right, but they quickly move up
          and take over, then have to be deposed.  It's not worth it, trust
          me.]

          [in Dark Lands]

          [Oby Wan?  I have to say it - I almost choose Luke as a name,
          just because.  Or Lone Star.  Has anyone seen Hardware Wars?
          Masterpiece. I'm all over the place today.]

          Listening to the small girl tell of Squirt's exploits make...

          Gently he takes the girl's hand and heads to the closest markets,
          helping her find a treasure she wants as a thank you.  Kell
          bargains hard and after shows the girl a bit about bargaining,
          if she is interested.  If not, Kell thanks her yet again.

          "Thank you again for watching him.  If I need someone to...

          Before begging to eat the wonderful lunch, Kell approaches Oby privately.

          During lunch as Zhou is telling Oby of the past few months, Kell
          makes sure that Zhou is telling facts and not fiction.  Fiction
          where he is the constant hero or the one saving the day.  After
          all, everyone knows Kell is the one saving the day and getting
          the girl.

          Asking Oby while eating, "Have you heard any other news about...

          Ha'Kell looks Oby in the eye, holding his gaze.  "Thank you...

          "Why don't we use the mapping bugs now to pinpoint the base?...
        GM: Ack. Surprise the GM?  Want to learn that lesson eh? :)
            Oby Wan jokes were in last adventure. :) But I was having
            some fun.  Hardware Wars? No. 

        From Kiet: [Re: Actions]
          Kiet is not surprised he is the only 'no' vote.  He's used to
          it.  It's likely the items back at the Dark Lands will prove
          helpful, but only a limited number.  Even the proverbial staff
          that shoots fireballs has to overcome the Vong's immense magic
          resistance.

          Kiet doesn't have anything in his possessions that he can use
          against the Vong.  Since he has not yet had time to train with
          the sword, it won't do him much good.  He hopes the conjecture
          about magic is good, though.  It means that Kiet can chuck out
          ropes without being targetted by the anti-magic critters of the
          Vong.

          Kiet wonders about Ki'ama permitting the items back in our
          possession. If he didn't want us using them, why give them to
          us.  Of course, he also gave us the option of taking what we
          wanted when we first started out.

          Ki'ama...Kiet bristles over that.  He was sorely, sorely tempted
          to go back with Chion for the sole purpose of confronting, or
          even challenging, the High Elder.  The fact is little Kiet thinks
          his chances against the HE are greater than against the Vong.  At
          least the HE would simply Oblivi-ate Kiet...but he'd still be
          alive, at least.  The Vong won't have any problem with simply
          killing the lot of us.

          This whole situation just leaves Kiet grumpy.  Kiet will leave
          ALL of his magic items behind in the DL...but will accept his
          javelins.  The items may as well stay there, since all of his
          money...the substantial part of it, anyway...is still there too.
          He's already got his ropes. There won't be much a Vong can do
          trussed up like a New Year's dinner  turkey...except expire,
          perhaps.  Dagger thrusts to the vitals will do that for ya.
        GM: Ack. Good stuff. 

        From Fremea: [Re: Actions]
          Fremea didn't really care one way or the other about the....

          Once her mind was on the task properly again, she scouted and
          started to look for the signs of anything unusual or what would
          probably be out of place, until she found the destroyed village.

          "As for the bodies, we can not afford to spend time here...
        GM: Ack. Good post.

        From Mark: [Re: Spells]
          Hey Everyone,
          I've been thinking on this for a bit and need to make sure...
          [***rest deleted for space and not really for update***]
        GM: Ack. Theres your problem. Been thinking.  Don't do that! :)
            But hope you got your answer?

        From Kiet: [Re: spells]                                 
          The caster is the center of the effect
it’s a radius.....
          [***rest deleted for space and not really for update***]         
        GM: Ack. 

        From Alex: [Re: Spells]
          Back in the '80s I asked Richard Snider about alignments....
          [***rest deleted for space and not really for update***]         
        GM: Ack. 

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     [New Stuff]



         [Augado 9th, 1634TH]
         [Location: Middle Katai Plains] 
         [          Mountains west of Pamau]

         [Time: 12:12pm]

           While the trio teleports to the dark lands the party wait
         and eat a quick lunch. 

           Listenting to the small girl tell of Squirt's exploits make
         Ha'Kell smile widely.  He's missed the furry devil and all the
         fun he brings. Scratching his ears and feeding him a tidbit, Kell
         needs to decide if bringing him back now is smart, or if he should
         stay for a bit longer. Possibly the most dangerous parts are yet
         to come.  But having a very small scout and distraction may be
         useful.  Squirt can get into so many places, not just to cause
         havoc.

           "Thank you for watching him for me. I can tell you took very
         good care of him.  He hasn't been this clean, well, ever.  I would
         like to go buy you a little something in the market if you'd like
         that and your parents don't mind."  Kell glances down at the
         girl who stands just to the top of his chest.  From her
         vantage point the man with long hair and the hat looks a bit
         scary but the half-elf does his wry smile and she nods.

           The Citadel sometimes hosts a market inside but this time
         of year tends to be hot and rainy so the market is in the
         town to the north west of the citadel.  It takes a good 10
         minute walk to get to the market.   Kell knows he won't have
         much time.  The market is small and compared to those in Katai
         could fit inside a Katai horse selling barn.  He shakes his
         head but knows these markets are limited in their audience and
         supply.

           The girl, named Nakomis, eyes the small jewelry stands.  She
         gulps and sighs at the various nice necklaces, rings and earrings.
         As she looks she eyes the tall man next to her.  She shifts
         from foot to foot as she realizes she was doing the duty for
         Oby and the High Elder.  They already gave their support in
         terms of some resources for the task.  It soon becomes clear
         she finds this task a bit hard guilty wise taking this prize
         from the trader.

           Finally the girl eyes a nice silver bracelet with a small
         but insignificant topaz set in the top.  The small chain
         links look like rich silver metal.  There are slight runic
         markings indicating the power of the sea the merchant explains.
         The girl spends some time with it and the merchant bargains
         the item down to 2 Silver.  Kell finds it a bit pricey but
         finds the girl really appreciates the item.  The merchant
         explains the topaz is worth at least half a silver alone.  The
         work and silver adds the rest.  Kell knows the market is
         limited making supply low so price high.

           "I can't mister....it is too much."  The girl shakes her
         head.  "It is a nice thought though. "  She pushes the
         bracelet back to the merchant.  She then glances back to a
         nearby table of shoes.  "But..."

           She walks to the table and finds a nice pair of work shoes
         not quite boots but good walking and working shoes on the
         table.  The gray pair is simple leather and looks built for
         an adult man. "Father needs a new pair of shoes.  He is the
         local mason and keeps the stonework up.  Could I get him these?"

           The merchant and girl glance at the man with the red eyed
         beast.  Kell shrugs and can't stand it when a girl frowns and
         pouts like that.  He nods.  The merchant sells them rather
         cheaply for 11 brass bits.  The merchant throws in an extra
         pair of shoe string and a small vial of oil to keep the shoes
         clean and scar free.

           The girl notices a man she knows and brings the shoes to
         him.  She asks him to take the shoes to her father.  As she
         does this, Kell goes back to the other merchant.  He slips
         the merchant the 2 silver and buys the bracelet anyways.  For
         some reason this could be his last day alive.  What would the
         Life Review be if he made a girl sad?  He pockets the
         bracelet and smiles.  Leading the girl back he hands the
         ferret back to her to hold one last time.

           It is now only 20 minutes before the trio have to leave.
         Kell takes a quick lunch and chats with the girl on the
         fun they both had.  

           Kell has missed much of the conversation Zhou has told
         Oby and the few others gathered around including the Citadel
         Herbalist and chief of security.  But when Kell is finally
         around he listens for half truths.  At one point Zhou does
         mention he helped by waking everyone and rushing to help
         Raban against the giant worm.  But Kell clears his throat and
         Zhou changes it slightly to reveal he meant Farseeker did that
         and Zhou slept through it.  This draws a few laughs.

           Asking Oby while eating, "Have you heard any other news about
         the, er, situation we are handling?  Has anything been discovered
         anywhere else we should know about?"

           Oby shakes his head, "only that some new areas have been found
         with them around.  One of our...contacts in Thaliba found a large
         force in the forest near a spring but were slaughtered and
         we've not heard of them since.  There are at least 5 new areas
         with their presence since we've last talked.  Of course this is
         where we have...friends...this might be twice or triple that
         in other areas we jus don't know."

           Finally Kell gathers up Oby and speaks to him privately
         for a few minutes while Chion grabs his own quick lunch
         after he returns from his mysterious errand.  Oby nods a few
         times and they finish their quick conversation in muted tones.

           Just before the trio leave they gather outside one last time.
         Kell grabs Squirt from the girl and as he does he slips the
         bracelet into her money pouch deftly.  His skill in such things
         usually works in the reverse but in this case it is simple as
         she is distracted by the beast.

           "Thank you again for watching him.  If I need someone to watch
         him again, could you?" Kell asks the girl.
           
           The girl nods slightly.  "If I would be allowed.  I should
         be picked for apprenticeship soon. I should have been two
         years ago but was passed over." She looks up to Kell with
         a wide grin. "I hope to serve with Sven and learn some sea
         magics."

           Kell grins knowing the bracelet is very appropriate. No
         wonder she choose it. "For now you're done, I am taking him with
         me.  We both missed each other, and maybe he can help us all."  He
         gives the girl a warm hug, and slips her three silver coins telling
         her to give the money to her parents.  They had to put up with
         Squirt too, and probably they have broken things to replace.  Kell
         doesn't like being in anyones debt.

           Nakomis palms the silver coins.  Her eyes widen in shock.
         Her mouth opens and closes with lose of words.  She begins
         to shake her head but Chion drags Kell inside the building
         to teleport away.  The girl knows this could feed her family
         for a few months.  But she also knows the cost for her
         apprenticeship would barely amount to this.

           Ha'Kell looks Oby in the eye, holding his gaze.  "Thank you for
         the lunch.  It was excellent.  Hope we can stop this in the next
         days. Or the world may be like a deaf leopard hunting with both
         eyes missing, nothing but hysteria."  He gives a short bow to
         Oby.

           Oby returns the deep vow as the group stands inside the Teleport
         Ring building.  Oby nods to Chion that all is ready. 

           Nakomis rushes inside knowing her parents would be scared
         to take the coins.  But as she gets alongside Oby she
         sees Kell wave and disappear in a blue haze.

           As the group gathers up their magical items and some new
         food and water supplies, Kiet stands with arms crossed.  He
         wonders if the whole thing is a trap or another test.  It seems
         odd that the Elder would just let the items go.  Maybe the
         old man is weaker than he looks.

           Almost by some odd timing, Caladan looks to the group placing
         magic items in their bags. "I wonder how many items might now
         be tainted.  Like Chion's staff.  If it can be used to sense
         and spy can now other items?"  He grins and adds a bit of
         paranoia to those gathering items.

           Fremea didn't really care one way or the other about the
         teleport. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't
         even really notice that it had even happened before Chion
         reappeared with a lot more stuff. At that point she needed to
         remember what she was here for and to get her mind in the right
         place. Her lapse in missing that detail really could have been
         bad if it was something worse coming at them instead.




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


         [Augado 10th, 1634TH]
         [Location: Middle Katai Plains] 
         [          Mountains west of Pamau]

         [Time: 7:23am]

           Fremea roams around the dead village in disgust and anger.
         She has seen many horrors in her young life but such a waste
         of life saddens her.  But her anger erupts and she funnels it
         into her determination to end the Vong threat.  

           Feeling outrage at these creatures for what they had done to
         children and even the simple villagers that didn't seem to be
         schemers. When she saw the Vong in the tree that Raban had moved,
         she realized that she could aim for that neck spot a lot more than
         others can hit at it. Fremea would make sure she remembered to do
         that more.

           "As for the bodies, we can not afford to spend time here burying
         them all. Though I would love to give the innocent a proper burial,
         if we spend any time here we might just be ambushed ourselves. If
         we can we will report this or come back. It is time for us to move
         quickly and strike fast before these Vong", she spits on the
         ground, "can be ready for a group like us. Right now, I think they
         either believe they are safe from detection or think a raiding
         party that is large is coming to greet them. We may have a few
         members here with us, but we are certainly a small party and can
         be deadly on first strike." Fremea is showing her anger and seems
         quite ready to take flight and fight what ever comes her way.

           Zhou wraps his arms around his chest as if in a chill. "I'm
         afraid she is right.  To gather up the dead..the...pieces would
         take some time even with our numbers.  Arawn should say a few
         prayers and then we should move on.  Most of the bodies we've
         seen are so badly decomposed or in pieces it would be a mass
         grave at the very lease."

           At that a thunderclap is heard overhead.  It is as if the
         gods themselves are disgusted by the sight.  But to those
         who noticed the skies have been getting darker and more omninous
         by the minute.  The sun has been a distant memory and now only
         shines white in a few dotted gray clouds.  Most of the sky has
         become light gray-black to black-black dark clouds.  Winds have
         started to also pick up.  Some might consider the whole event
         an omen of things to come.  But to many it is a simple summer
         morning storm caused by morning uplifts of air.

           Ben'dar finishes his patrol of the village perimeter and reports
         no tracks of those who might have escaped this horror.  But then
         the recent rains might have washed them out.

           After Arawn, Raban and Strie'bog give prayers for the dead
         and blessings for the village the party starts to mount back up.
         The village doesn't even have enough wood structure anymore to
         even made a decent pyre to burn the body remains.  It is clear
         the Vong Flyers uses their fire to rain down on the village.

           Kell looks to Arawn before he mounts up.  "Why don't we use the
         mapping bugs now to pinpoint the base?  If it is close enough
         maybe we can see exactly where it is from their map?  Do some
         scouting and planning tonight, then start the final countdown."

           Arawn nods and pulls the Vong Bowl creature out of his pack.
         For days and about every 3 days the Alfar has been taken many
         readings.  At one point yesterday afternoon he found one of
         the small bugs dead.  It is unclear what the cause was but it
         could be use by non Vong.  The other bugs take up the slack
         and point the party in the right direction.  Some after seeing
         the dead bug wonder if the map bugs could be sending them in
         a wild goose chase.  But the other evidence points to this
         general area, mainly that of Shu's information and maps.

           Lightning strikes in the west and the party scan the skies
         to see the storm moving from west to east.  In the mountains
         the clouds move fast as long as the mountains are level and
         somewhat equal.  Mountain passes help to speed things up but
         a deep valley can cause winds to stall and storms to slow down.

           After a few minutes the bug and maps report north and a bit
         north west.  Using the map, Arawn tries to trick the bugs
         by moving around in different directions but the Control Bug
         seems to force the others to reorient.  Suddenly a few drops of
         rain wets the map and Arawn quickly packs it up.

           The party moves forward through the moderately tall mountains.
         In this region, almost the center of this range, the mountains
         tend to be 8 to 12 thousand feet high above sea level.  This
         time of year few have snowcaps except the really tall ones.

           The particular region has less valley areas and more interlocked
         mountains with low hills and deep ravines.  It seems like the
         area was uplifted from massive volcanic activity or giants who
         may have wrestled for years.

           As the party moves toward the suspected Vong base the rain
         begins to increase.  Due to the winds and lightning, Fremea is
         forced to ride with Ben'dar who doesn't have much in the way
         of saddle bags.  This frustrates the party a bit as they lose
         a good scout.  But in this rain it is either stop or move
         slowly.  Since the weather also hides their movement the party
         continues onward.

         [Time: 9:15am]

           The rain and lightning has been intense for some time now.
         Everyone is cold and drenched.  At least one time Unali's
         horse slipped in a hole and almost fell in but Unali was
         experienced enough to whip the horse backward in reflex.  The
         hole was hidden by thick mud and water.

           Even though the rain has been a problem the party does
         make some good time.  It may be they are only two maybe
         three miles from the village.  The slopes seem to help
         by speeding some of the travel up.  Those with high mountain
         survival also pick the best and fastest ways up the rising
         slopes.

           Behind the party to the south east is the village.  In that
         area three mountains jot up with the one to the rear and right
         being the highest at a bit over 10,000 feet.  To the right
         is a smaller mountain maybe 8,000 feet and a mile or so away.
         To the left are two mountains maybe 6-7 thousand feet but
         are further away at around 2-3 miles from the blur that can
         be seen through the rain.

           As the party tops the rise of a small inter-mountain hill
         they look down to a new valley.  The valley is open to the
         far left for some distance and a mountain pass seems to be
         in the north-east.  To the far other side about 3 miles away
         a tall mountain maybe 8 or 9 thousand feet high protrudes out of
         the dark clouds and its summit fades away as if eaten by the
         storm clouds.

           For those who are used to mountains the tight closeness of
         many of the Katai mountains is a bit unusual.  But then
         some comment about the Marentian mountains are more spread
         out due to thick forests.  Here in Katai forests are around
         but would be considered simple woods in most lands.

           As the party gets to the top and scans the valley the sheet
         of rain and low hanging clouds in the valley some 3 or 4
         thousand feet below obscures the best sights.  But it seems
         there is a thick forest of green below.  

           Raban sits on the horse and wipes his face from the thick
         rain and tries to comb his hair.  He is tired of riding and
         thinks maybe it might be best to rest from the storm.  But
         then a scene emerges from below.

           In the center of the valley a bit to the left or west is
         some tall hill.  White fog like clouds seem to drift fast
         around the hill.  It almost looks like a giant tree that
         is shrouded in the fog.  Overhead lightning flashes and
         creates shadows in the valley.  As the group watches the
         fog seems to dissolve from a sudden gust of wind.  This
         cases the hill to become more revealed.

           The hill is soon discovered to be a very tiny mountain
         in itself.  It can't be but a thousand feet from side to
         side and a thousand tall above the valley floor.  In fact
         it might only be a few hundred feet below the party's
         current height.  The tiny baby mountain juts out to the
         sky like a round table.  The side of the mountain looks at
         this distance to be a sheer drop of 90 degrees.  The top
         is jutted with bits of rock like pointers and jagged rock
         formations.  But for most of the top it is flat like a table.

           At the base of the baby mountain is a green forest that
         stops about 200 feet from the very bottom of the tiny
         table like mountain.  Fremea dismounts to see what the
         stop is and gets out her spyglass.  So does Unali.  the
         rain is starting to ebb and from sheets of rain to a light
         drizzle and it allows the women to view the mountain in
         better detail.

           But at this distance most can see the basic details of
         the terrain and structures.  When the clouds part revealing
         the true shape of the mountain, Arawn lets out a gasp. At the
         same time so does Unali.

           to those who look to Arawn he mouths silently "Rising Mount".
         There is no doubt to the Alfar.  He has seen in it a dream
         just weeks prior.  Then there is the description from that
         scroll found in Vassa territory.  No doubt to the man.  He
         points and grins.

           Unali also recognizes the place from her youth.  This valley
         is a rich fertile one known for apples that grow here during
         the right season.  What makes it rich is a tiny stream that
         winds west to east but was reported to have dried up years ago.
         This didn't destroy the forest but it hindered its growth a bit.
         The baby mountain is also famous and known as Goz'Yung or "the
         mountain of sleeping fire."   She recognizes it from stories
         as it is famous in this region as the place where 2 centuries
         or so ago it rose from a massive volcanic event.  The entire
         valley was drenches in lava and villages were all destroyed
         within about 5 miles of here.  The mountain itself a very
         small one is more technically a volcanic tube than a true
         iron rich and dirt mountain.  There were rumors from prospectors
         for years it might be hollow.  But the thick walls didn't allow
         mining that was cost effective or dangerous.  Stories say that
         days before the eruption the bulge in the ground looked like
         a giant mushroom where the lava was the top section until it
         erupted and the top now seen leveled out.  This created ash
         rich land for the trees to grow.

           Unali lowers her spyglass and watches with her naked eye.
         Ash that was used by wizards as well in rituals.  A group
         of Heretics was known to use the valley to gather the ash
         for dark rituals.  Details of such are not known by her but
         might be known by some in the empire. 

           Arawn pulls out the bugs and tries to trick them into
         finding the mountain.  But they all seem to point to the
         baby mountain.

           Caladan comments, "that thing looks rough to climb."

           Fremea dismounts and notices the rain and winds are ebbing.

           Farseeker scans the skies, "the storm might be over in 10 or
         15 minutes.  We should head down to the forest to hide.  We
         don't know how long it will get them to send out patrols with
         those flying things."

           Squirt hisses at the rain soaking his fur and at the valley.

           Unali is upset now that she didn't recall this place.  She
         never visited it but heard about it for years.  She just forgot
         to put the two things together.

           Farseeker gives a puff of breath out and sighs.  "We've not
         seen the military in what..two days?  Fremea has been looking
         for hours with her spyglass.  Either they are well hidden or
         just not in this area.  Now we are here and have no support."

         Actions? Comments?

         Next Update...Monday...

         GM: At this point things will slow down.  I'll not urge or
             push the party into the next situation until plans are
             formalized and some consensus is formed with leadership
             voting (Unali/Zhou) to approve or not.  The problem is
             I know many will want their own distinct plans and may
             even act on them early its best to form a plan first.

         GM: Minor mistake.  Said 7:12pm for Aug 10th on last update. I
             meant AM not pm.   Sorry for the confusion this caused in
             time frames. 

         GM: Ugh.  That was meant to be a far better descriptive update.
             But some time ran out and need to finish up.  Oh well.
             Hope the basics are enough to work with.  Think of it
             as 1k side to side and 1k tall roughly.  But at closer
             range it might be bigger.  Think of Devil's Tower if you
             google a picture.  That mountain that Kirk climbed in
             one Star Trek movie (El capitain?) also might suggest how
             it might look.  

         GM: Character sheets sent for final battle ....
             These include minor edits to show gear now on person
             rather than DL.

                Player          Sent
              Will               Yes      Ben'dar            Yes   
              Caladan           No need   Farseeker          Yes
              Arawn              Yes      Raban              Yes

              Chion             Not yet   Fremea            Not yet
              Kell              Not yet   Kiet              Not yet
              Strie'bog         Not yet   Unali             Not yet
              Z'leyra           Not yet   Zhou              No Need

              Hopefully by end of weekend all should have updated sheets.









More information about the pnpgm mailing list