[pnpgm] Game Update #208 - File #1360 - A Vong Lesson
Scott Adams
longshotgm at netzero.com
Tue Feb 7 08:48:21 CET 2012
HT Aliaver/Player Character Name Type Status/Notes Sex
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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
NPC...................Captain.Lin.......Warrior.Normal/Human..Ma
Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Tef'wo (Horse) Ben'dar,
Game Web Site - http:/nrgcomputers.com/pbem/
Public posts/actions to pnpgm at abroere.xs4all.nl (mailing list)
Private emails (not public actions) to pnpgm at comcast.net
Game Update #208 in sequence (file #1360)
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Admin Notes: None.
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[Recap]
From Kell: [Re: Actions[
[Scott, that last description helped a lot. I didn't get it's
like a manhole, and I do now. Thanks! Good updates btw. I'm
enjoying them.]
[Please insert at the right time:]
Pondering the strong possiblity of sticking his head up
through the hole and promptly loosing his head gives Ha'Kell
reason to pause. The tall half-elf is figuratively and literally
attached to his head. It's already been whacked extremely hard
once and the idea of the same thing happening again isn't
appealling, not at all.
"Does anyone have a small mirror? Just big enough to ....
----------
As the Markabath prepares his reigns Ha'Kell grins
mischeviously, "Well, you can go fight all alone or wait...
[Heartless yes - Kell's in a heartless mood.]
GM: Ack. Thanks. I was rushed in that description and got
a bit bogged down, redundant. So glad it helped. I
was waving hands back and forth! None seemed to
understand this as I described it. Geesh.
From Will: [Re: Actions]
OOC: Yes Scott thanks for the desciption. So if I am
understanding its like a hole in the middle of a lagre arena.
Will whispering to Kell says “Maybe if he someone could...
GM: Ack. Yep, See Close Encounters of 3rd kind. Think of
the mountain. Though it was mostly 3 sided this is sorta
shaped like it but with full sides. So if volcano goes
boom it came from this tunnel/hole. It goes up and fills
the place. Makes you wonder though if a place full of
lava 1000 feet deep, hate to have been there when it
exploded.
From Kell: [Re: Actions]
Whispering back to Will, "I think he can hear us..."
[OOC - no idea if this is true or not, but planning on him
being able to hear.]
-------
[Adding Scott and List. It was missed on response.]
"I bet he can. Not very subtle though with those horses...
GM: Ack. Looks like must've missed part of these msgs. Probably
non CCed email.
From Will: [Re: Actions]
“subtle no
Impressive yes” with a grin
GM: Ack. Think I goofed on one quote on the missing text. Think
I said it was Will not Kell. but only using quoted text to
figure it out.
From Z'leyra: [Re: Actions]
Z'leyra suggests "Some of us can cast invisibility....
If her Orient Self has worn off she will recast it, then
ready to cast Invisibility on herself.
GM: Ack. May have to remind me on spells. Just the talk
may last the duration of the spells. Who knows.
From Arawn: [Re: Actions]
Arawn raised a hand to pause the agent of Balance.
"Please wait a moment Champion of Balance," he said to ....
-----------------------------------------------------------
Stealth Discussion-
"It would appear that I forgot to pack my mirror," Arawn...
Nearby Caves-
GM: Ack. Good speech. Some is taking notes! Or just reading
Wiki? :) BTW you are still sending spam to the list so your
email is infected again. :< It doesn't get to the list but
I have to delete them. Just FYI.
--------------------------------------------------------------
[New Stuff]
[Augado 10th, 1634TH]
[Location: Middle Katai Plains]
[ Mountains west of Pamau]
[Time: 2:17:32 pm]
Farseeker warns the party of rushed actions but the
Merkabah is clearly eager to move on. As the party
considers Farseeker's words, Kell looks in the general
direction of the hole down the side tunnel though he
can't see it from this angle.
Pondering the strong possibility of sticking his head up
through the hole and promptly losing his head gives Ha'Kell
reason to pause. The tall half-elf is figuratively and literaly
attached to his head. It's already been whacked extremely hard
once and the idea of the same thing happening again isn't
appealing, not at all.
"Does anyone have a small mirror? Just big enough to hold
in my hand?" Kell asks. "Climbing to the top of the hole, I
can keep the mirror inside the hole and have a good look around.
Whilst I'm fond of my head, someone has to go look."
Z'leyra with some distracted thoughts on the Merkabah looks
to the trader. She does have a mirror in her sack. Of
course she seems to have everything. Xian always thought it
was silly to take it all. But maybe he wouldn't laugh now?
The Merkabah clearly looks eager to move on. Then this
well muscled humans speaks and makes him stop. He looks
to be a good fighter but no match for his skills. The
Merkabah grunts and lowers his hands slightly in disgust.
These beings call him here and have no plan? That seems
to lean toward Chaotic thoughts. Maybe he should return
this group to a more balanced state?
Kell adds to Farseeker looking toward the supernatural
being, "Well, you can go fight all alone or wait and help us
form a plan. There could be a hundred of the Vong up there. I
know you're tough, but are you that tough?" Thinking to
himself, if this guy goes and starts a fight then we'll have
the distraction we need to climb out of the hole and prepare
to attack. Whilst he'll probably die, the distraction could be
priceless.
The Merkabah grunts and flares his nostrils. He growls
at the challenge. This one the puny abomination doubt this
resolve? First some disgusting human mates with a Elf or
maybe it was a troll? Now he speaks as if he could sway
his strong will. Looks like the balance was tilted when
this creature was made. Maybe if these Vong creatures can
get rid of him the universe will be back to normal. Maybe
he should get a good warm up and deal with him.
Will whispering to Kell says "Maybe if he someone could put
an invisible head above the edge of the opening and see what
happens when he comes flying out and then while he draws there
fire we could plan an attack. "
Whispering back to Will, "I think he can hear us... If he can
hear us... good... someone has to take point and he looks
like just the guy to do it"
"I bet he can. Not very subtle though with those horses and
chariot." Grinning at the woodsman, Kell detects some disgust
in the new ally.
Farseeker doesn't have to lean over to hear Will, the
tunnel seems to be a good echo chamber. "With 30 or
so flyers it will take seconds if not maybe a couple
minutes to ...." He switches to Marentian. "Stop our
friend here." Back to Katai as if the creature seems to
understand though Farseeker has no idea how. "engage
our friend here. To sit and plan after that will be
too late. As soon as he leaves this area we should act."
Z'leyra suggests, "Some of us can cast invisibility. That may
allow us to scout or at least get closer to the Vong before
they sense us. Surprise will help us defeat the Vong."
The Merkabah looks to the ceiling which seems to be getting
lower by the second. This tight place is not his place to
be like in the open sky. He raises his reigns and grunts at
the talk around him. Why do these humans always just talk
and talk?
Arawn raised a hand to pause the agent of Balance. "Please
wait a moment Champion of Balance," he said to the Merkabah.
"This mission is of terrible importance and will require
some finesse as we are in their base and cannot afford to alert
them to our presence until the proper moment. Though time is
pressing I think it would be wise to share more of the Vong
before you dismiss them as a threat.
That the Vong are unknown to you is not a surprise. It seems
that they come from a place far beyond the Upper, Middle and
Lower Realms and even the gods seem ignorant of their presence
... or at least unwilling to acknowledge, much less discuss
their existence, but they have been here before and may have
come close to destroying all. They seem disconnected from the
flow of existence, the flow of mana, that we know of, having
less of an aura than dirt and rock, and because of this are
highly resistant to magic. Their weapons and their armor are
creatures shaped into tools, capable of tracking enemies or
magic, draining energies, even killing a man then restoring
him back to life to keep him in perpetual pain. And they
possess rock-hard craft that fly through the air and spit
fire as well as alien beasts. They worship gods I have never
heard of and seek to inflict pain on all before destroying a
world and moving to the next.
They have come to this world and are finishing something
called a World Brain. If it is awakened then it is powerful
enough to literally pull moons or other celestial bodies to
crash into this world and will likely do so. The time is at
hand and we must find it WITHOUT being discovered as we are
outnumbered, over-powered, and the Vong have means to spread
word throughout this base in a near instant through orb-like
creatures held by the female Shapers.
At the same time, if it is possible, I would see to the
rescue of any prisoners held by them and even the liberation
of their Outcasts that have been enslaved by the Warriors and
Shapers. Their world was once in peaceful balance until invaders
nearly destroyed their world until driven away through the might
of their warriors. But in the process fear and anger took a hold
and changed their ways, the warriors and darker gods becoming
dominant, destroying their harmony and setting into motion a
religious war that drives them from world to world, even to
the Upper Realms where even the mighty Balance Marches may be
threatened. Some of the Outcasts have stood up to them but lack
the power and, perhaps, a leader to guide them. I would hope to
see more than this reality saved by giving the Outcasts a chance
to heal their world and restore it to harmony, saving countless
other worlds in the process."
Arawn had been speaking quickly to save time and let out a
deep breath. Hoping that the Merkabah warrior was wise enough
to understand the importance of not charging in he continued.
"We may have hundreds of Vong, maybe thousands if they open
the gate to their world, and they have dozens of flying craft,
if not more. My companions, who are far more powerful than they
appear, and I seek to move forward, remaining unnoticed as we
scout, and taking out the Vong sentries when necessary to avoid
allowing them a chance to alert the others. If stealth is not a
strong suit then your strength will be appreciated but we must
coordinate our actions and I would ask that you work with our
plans."
The Merkabah glances to the Alfar with some annoyance. When
he mentions the flyers the creature snorts but it is unclear if
that is in disgust or surprise. Then when he mention the
lack of gods knowing he growls as if such a thing could be
done! This Alfar who is to be son of gods has to be mistaken.
No such thing could happen! The Master of the Eternal Triad
would kill him for this nonsense. At least after a split
second thought for being a Alfar. When the threat to his
Marshes is said the beast becomes placid. He lowers his hands
and drops the reigns. He seems to ignore the comments on the
outcasts. The Merkabah places a hand to his sword hilt and
dismounts the chariot moving toward Arawn.
He looked to the others to see if anyone had anything to add
before finally introducing himself. "I am Arawn. If we are to
work together on this I would have you know my name."
The Merkabah listens to the last of the words and stops to
charge the son of a god. He wonders if this is the one that
always argued about stupid things like dealing with beings
in this world. Then the Alfar mentions his name. No. Maybe
it is not. He was a bit better looking. The Merkabah
continues forward, grunting. If it was cold steam would be
rising from his nostrils.
"Qux'Tuv'eluv." The creature halts a foot away. Arawn
think that is his name? "These creatures sound like a nice
challenge. If you," he raises a muscled hand to Arawn's
chest, "called me now you should've had these plans done."
He glances at the Vong and the people around him. "My
horses are eager to graze again. You will have the time it
takes a Sed fox to give birth."
Arawn blinks his eyes? Sed fox? Those are those gray
foxes in the Marshes he thinks. But how long does it take
one to give birth? Is that minutes or hours? He figures
it best not to ask such a question. The Merkabah stalks
toward the Vongs to get a better look and kicks one or two
of them.
Arawn gives a slight visible sigh of relief. He looks to
Kell with immediate crisis over. "It would appear that I forgot
to pack my mirror," Arawn replied to Kell. "But Will's
suggestion might work if Unali or Fremea feel it's too difficult
to slip through unnoticed without magic."
Arawn glances to the only 2 caves nearby. He has to realize
there are more caves other than the big cavern up above. But
he adds, "While someone scouts we should search the caves for
clues, or at least, maybe something to use in our mission."
Kell realizes the sentry post is empty of any clues unless
you need to track down the pork dealer? That leaves only
the treasure room but he isn't sure how such a place full
of treasure would give clues.
Just then the earth shakes yet again. Rock, dirt and sand
fall from the walls and roof. The horses begin to neigh in
slight alarm which makes the echo chamber very noisy. The
Merkabah looks around and a few could've swore he ducked his
head as if claustraophic in this place. But it was a quick
reflex and he moves to the horses to calm them.
"That's not good." Caladan shakes a bit of dirt from his
left shoulder.
Farseeker grunts in frustration. "Regardless of who
goes where or when. Once we leave this tunnel its over.
We lose our stealth. This guy here," he points to the
new ally, "will clearly ruin that. Now it is just a
matter of who goes where and in which direction. If you
recall the map the villager made we have three options."
He looks around and rolls his eyes that no one seems to
likely paid attention to the map. "The ground floor which
is right over our heads. This houses the flyers, the
structures on the other side of the field and some what look
to be guard towers. At least two of the walls are full
of caves at various levels of the cavern. So if we had
to we could divide to two groups going to each side. We
then in each group use their own ladder things to get to
the side caves. Kill and kill more. At one point once
we kill some, will find us If not those dog beasts, their
bug things. The flyers as well might sense them but
I suspect that only when they are 'active' with a person
controlling it. Unless we just charge out we'll have no
choice but to teleport or run as fast we can invisible.
Problem is if you recall from the map that is about 500
feet from here to the walls. If this is dead center.
Let's say a fast runner. It might take what at least a
full minute maybe two to run? Can the spells last that
long and if not what the run will do to those who might
be caught as the villagers said there is no cover."
"If we do two groups each taking one side of the cavern
and going up. I say these two groups: Ben'dar, Unali, Arawn,
Will, Raban and Fremea." He knows Raban would prefer to
watch over Fremea. Arawn could be a good healer and the
others as support.
"Group two would be myself, Kiet, Z'leyra, Caladan, Chion,
Kell and Lin." He knows Z'leyra would be good for healer
in this group and possible as magic support.
"Some could scout like Raban or Fremea flying around and
risk exposure. Though at this great distance they might
not sense you until up close. We have option to run for it,
take it slow walk or teleport. But we need to decide
on these things. Any second now a Vong could come down
here to do something. Then what?" Farseeker crosses his
arms and frowns.
"Why not capture one of the flyers? Could we use it?"
Caladan asks.
"One of those hood things that Arawn wore would be needed.
That could be bad." Ben'dar adds his view.
[Time: 2:21:08 pm]
Actions? Comments?
Next Update....Friday?
GM: Ugh. Old computer locked up so lost alot of text I typed
up by mistake. So big scene with the Merkabah/Arawn was
gone. But tried to recover it a bit.
GM: Just to recap the info given by villagers:
Devils Tower style mountain. Circular. Top is
knobby and described by Fremea. Though it has been
shown to be fake. So the top is likely open for
the flyers to leave. From one wall to the other it
is 100 feet. Many estimate it is 800' at least from
the ground floor to the top. This would seem to mean
the 'ground' floor is elevated up above likely the
volcano (hopefully dead). So the ground is probably
200 feet above the normal forest ground.
The side caves are about 300' to 500' above the ground
floor in various positions. The caves can't be
seen from the ground but the villagers reported they
seem to be natural. Only two opposite walls have these
caves the other two do not. Around 300' above the top
cave is the lip of the top.
So imagine a glass. The glass is the mountain. It
is almost perfectly smooth glass like. The top of
the glass is the hidden Vong cover. The bottom of
the glass is the volcano. If holding the glass in
front of you to the right and left sides are area
along the glass. These areas are pits which are in
this case caves. The other two walls/sides are smooth.
The bottom of the cave has a flat surface. In what seems
to be the four 'corners' (though a round mountain has no
corners) are two what looks to be human like guard towers
that are raises up. Some estimate 30-50 feet up but
they were rushes down before could get details.
The hole which leads to the party's location is dead center
in this ground floor. Give or take 20-30 feet. The
walls are sheer smooth rocks walls carved out by centuries
of lava and water. One side of the ground floor are
the flyers around 30 they estimate. To the other side are
structures that look like mini domes or igloo style areas.
These domes are maybe 35-40 they estimate. The villagers
guess them to be possible tent or homes?
From the hole it is 150' at least to the domes. It is
they estimate about around 300' to the flyers. IT is also
estimated the guard towers are about 350' or so from the hole.
Behind the towers in between are structures that look to
be ladders that go up to the caves above. the Vong must
use them to go up and down to the ground level. There
is no way seen or known that connects the two wall cave
systems to each other at this point. So if one had to
explore one set of caves would need to go to the other side
and start over.
Hope this word picture is good. If not let me know I
can work on more details.
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