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<font face="Courier New, Courier" size=1>
<br>
HT
Alias/Player
Character Name Type
Status/Notes Sex<br>
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
R3
Balrog................Balrog............Warrior.Normal/Human
Ma<br>
?? Chris
Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma<br>
R4 Tom
Crockett..........Caladan...........Wizard..Normal/Human Ma<br>
R1 Marcel
Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human Ma<br>
W3 Ryan
Torres...........Farseeker.........Warrior.Normal/Human Ma<br>
W2 Sergi
Sallent.........Jordi.............Wizard..Normal/Elf
Ma<br>
R4 Tim Falkenberg........Malradh ben
Kasha.Merc....Normal/Human Ma<br>
R3 Wayne Richardson/Uji..Thig..............Sidh MU.Normal/Faerry
Ma<br>
Do Robert
Maxwell........Strie'bog.........Artist..Normal/Human Ma<br>
R3 Orion (Paul
Broman)...Trembyl...........Wizard..Normal/Human Ma<br>
W3 Wout
Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human Fe<br>
R3 Scott
Adams...........Xian..............Wizard..Normal/Human Ma<br>
W2 Alex
Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human Fe<br>
Animals: Ventrius/Pogo Thig's dogs, Firesnake of
Caladan's,<br>
Z'Leyra's Eagle, 2 Draft Horses,
Wolf - Boyzdar<br>
6 Captured Zen'da Horses<br>
<br>
Game Web Site - For updates, files, links,
etc.<br>
<a href="http://www.funport.com/longshot/pbem" eudora="autourl">http://www.funport.com/longshot/pbem</a><br>
<br>
Public posts/actions to pnpgm@abroere.xs4all.nl
(mailing list)<br>
Private emails (not public actions) to
longshot@darktech.org<br>
<br>
Game Update #69 in sequence (file #265]<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Admin notes: None.<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
[Recap]<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
[Info - For Reminder for you and me, easy quick
view]<br>
Group 1 - Balrog, Kasha, Thig, Strie'bog,
Trembyl, Unali, Zaka <br>
Group 2 - Caladan, Chion, Xian, Jordi,
Farseeker<br>
Group 3 - Z'leyra, Ben'dar<br>
<br>
[New Stuff]<br>
<br>
Octaqi 17, in the 163rd Year [TH]<br>
<br>
[Meanwhile somewhere in the
open plains - Location 7 miles<br>
south-east of Caladan's
village. Roughly 2.5 hour ride.<br>
Time: Roughly
12:22pm]<br>
<br>
[After the Hawk combat
Z'leyra figures out that that the Eagle<br>
is dead. She
doesn't actually go to it however but figures<br>
this out
somehow. She decides to perform a Time Travel<br>
spell to go back
and help the eagle. That night she plans<br>
her move.
Ben'dar and Z'leyra camp out on the plains to<br>
no other
events. In the morning Z'leyra informs Ben'dar<br>
she'll return in a
hour or so. As the sun rises she<br>
performs her Time
Travel spell.<br>
<br>
She arrives back
the previous day before the rider changed<br>
into a hawk.
She then casts spells to get close to the<br>
Eagle to warn it
and help prevent extreme danger. All<br>
the various spells
like Levitate, Invisibility and others<br>
work out in the
end. The Eagle is warned of the future.<br>
To Ben'dar on the
ground and the Z'leyra who is still there<br>
flying toward the
Hawk all seems normal. Z'leyra #2 allows<br>
the birds to
attack but the attack is of less strength due<br>
to the
spells. The Eagle falls to the ground but is aware<br>
of its fate and
prepares a slightly less effective fall.]<br>
<br>
[Z'leyra #1 sees the
Eagle fall just as she in Eagle form<br>
takes the Hawk and
kills it. Z'leyra #2 the time traveler<br>
backs away and
lets the combat end.]<br>
<br>
[The Timeline is
changed. Z'leyra #1 flies toward Ben'dar<br>
and leaves the
Eagle unchecked. Z'leyra #2 later comes<br>
to the Eagle and
helps its wounds. She uses her basic<br>
healing skills to
help the Eagle out. Both her and the<br>
Eagle head out to
the plains to hide the night away from<br>
Ben'dar and
Z'leyra #1.]<br>
<br>
[Near the time the Time
Travel would occur both Z'leyra #2<br>
and the Eagle head
toward Ben'dar's camp. The time is<br>
close enough it
only sees as if Z'leyra left a half hour<br>
ago when Z'leyra
and the Eagle enter the camp. To Ben'dar<br>
nothing seems
amiss or out of the ordinary other than the<br>
night on the
plains.]<br>
<br>
[During the hours on the
afternoon the Hawk's body is<br>
examined and its
clearly was killed in the air when its<br>
neck was
broken.]<br>
<br>
Z'leyra: "Hi
Ben'dar! How are their horses? Ready to go back<br>
to the
village?"<br>
<br>
GM: The combat in
the air occurred at 12:22pm yesterday.<br>
Z'leyra and Ben'dar then stayed the next 18 hours on the<br>
plains
so she could time travel. With the above in mind<br>
though
I must give a personal observation here. Time Travel<br>
is a
powerful spell which can affect many things. It<br>
can be
used for good and bad. It can be abused or used<br>
wisely. As you know I allow actions you guys choose to<br>
do
so. I have no problem for example with Time Travel.<br>
Its a
viable option. Now with that said there are problems<br>
with
paradox and affecting the future or messing with fate.<br>
I
spent a week with Alex in ICQ on this problem of the Time<br>
Travel
issues. Ironing out the paradoxes and getting a<br>
few
things straight. This is why 2 updates passed with<br>
nothing out there (among other reasons). The above text<br>
was a
bit bland for me. I had a more dramatic version (and<br>
Alex
saw it before it had to be rewrote due to a change<br>
in the
situation). Everything works out in the end but<br>
there
are some problems with the events as a GM that I see.<br>
I put
those up to Alex and we discussed them in great detail.<br>
For
sake of continuing the game though I ignored them and<br>
we'll
continue. The two big issues though as outlined are<br>
avoiding the eagle without at least checking on its body.<br>
The
second would be having Ben'dar be curious for 18 hours<br>
without checking on the eagle as well. But that's the<br>
problem with RPGs folks see things differently. Maybe<br>
I'm
just not seeing the things Alex is seeing. But I wanted<br>
to
only mention it here since there were issues and not<br>
everything is seen equally. Its not meant as an attack<br>
or
flame to Alex. In 7 years doing this I've not had<br>
a big
issue with actions from you guys. The only other<br>
time
was Greg aka Bertram where he separated from the group<br>
on
Clima. That caused virtually half a year's time wasted.<br>
I feel
I owe you guys reason for the delay in the update<br>
and
this is partially why as there were issues to iron<br>
out in
the Time Travel logic flow. Rant over :)<br>
<br>
[The Sun is now over the
horizon and its about 7am. Ben'dar<br>
and Z'leyra break
camp after a quick breakfast. Ben'dar<br>
notices the Eagle
seems especially perky this morning.<br>
But Ben'dar has no
clue as to why. While Ben'dar does not<br>
fully realize the
Eagle died the previous day Z'leyra still<br>
does. Having
it in the back of her mind forever. But<br>
in the back of her
mind something is still amiss.]<br>
<br>
[Around 7:20am Z'leyra
and Ben'dar head back west with the<br>
sun toward their
back. The morning is still a good chill<br>
but with the sun
it warms up slightly. With the warrior<br>
that attacked
Ben'dar buried they take the 2 rider's horses.<br>
Z'leyra looks back
to the plains and scans it. Wondering<br>
where the enemy
is. She realized near nightfall last night<br>
that since the
Hawk did not change back to human form that<br>
the rider was not
likely the hawk. The Hawk was probably<br>
a simple bird or
pet. That could mean many things. It<br>
could mean the
rider was more skilled. The Rider could've<br>
teleported or gone
invisible. The diversion of what looked<br>
to be a shape
changing event was not so? Z'leyra realizes<br>
it must have been
a diversion. Z'leyra and Ben'dar examine<br>
the spot where the
ride seemed to have changed to a Hawk.<br>
There were no
human tracks. That could then be either a<br>
teleporter or
shape changed into a even smaller animal?<br>
There were rabbit
tracks nearby. Maybe the rider changed<br>
to a rather large
rabbit? Then simply left the area. But<br>
before doing so
sent the birds toward the Eagle? But that<br>
doesn't make much
sense since the Eagle wasn't a direct<br>
threat to anyone
but the hawk? That alone might indicate<br>
a close pet?
All these things come to mind as Z'leyra<br>
scans the plains
but sees nothing but small prarie dogs<br>
scamper from
holes. Z'leyra looks back to the Eagle flying<br>
overhead and then
Ben'dar. She wonders if Ben'dar knows<br>
this or should she
tell him?]<br>
<br>
[Its about 3 hours ride
toward the Village. Only a half<br>
dozen miles or
so. Going at slow pace. Going slightly<br>
faster maybe 2
hours. The previous day's wolf kills are<br>
still there.
But in this case small insects and other<br>
predators have
found the bodies of the wolves. There<br>
is a foul smell of
the wolf bodies as they begin to decompose.<br>
On the ride home
Ben'dar notices the Eagle flies low and<br>
even tries to dive
bomb in jest Ben'dar. Tef'wo snorts when<br>
this is
done. Ben'dar guess the eagle is happy?]<br>
<br>
GM: Current Time:
7:25. Should get to the Village around<br>
10am or
roughly after. Actions? Comments?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
[Meanwhile at Zaka's village -
Location 6 miles south-east<br>
of Caladan's village.
Roughly 2.5 hour ride.<br>
Time: Roughly
11:03am]<br>
<br>
[Some of the party
members along with those in the village<br>
help bury the
dead. The enemy riders are given temporary<br>
burials.
They did fight though cowardly against women<br>
and children but
they were warriors. They deserve some<br>
respect but the
villagers know they will be sent back to<br>
their home
villages if they ever learn that information.<br>
One of the Zen'da
customs even through warfare is to give<br>
everyone respect
even if they act cowardly and attack<br>
innocent
villages. They won't be spoken over but they'll<br>
be buried away
from plain predators. The villagers that<br>
did die however
are given respect and a full burial to<br>
their
custom. This includes Elders, Cetric and the best<br>
warriors speaking
on their behalf.]<br>
<br>
[An hour after the
battle Cetric arrives with several warriors<br>
to help with this
burial detail. Since the village lost<br>
their shaman
(Laku), Cetric speaks over the dead and performs<br>
some of their
burial rituals. Very few outsiders see the<br>
burial dance by
the warriors and shamans of the plains.<br>
To the party
members its an honor they'll never forget. But<br>
since they helped
save the village no one speaks against<br>
their seeing the
ceremony.]<br>
<br>
[Thig eventually returns
from his flight checking on the<br>
tracks and finds
no other enemy in the area. He did<br>
find the tracks of
Ben'dar and Z'leyra. He wonders if<br>
he should have
followed them but he knows both can likely<br>
take care of
themselves. Cetric help attends to the<br>
wounded and
finally sees to the Elder.]<br>
<br>
Zaka: "Can't you
help him?"<br>
Cetric: "He is an
old man. There is danger to helping<br>
him more
than they [pointing to Strie'bog] have. It<br>
is up to
him. He is bleeding inside though and that<br>
I can't do
anything about. We can hope the spirits<br>
are watching
him and will stop the bleeding."<br>
<br>
[Lunch is eventually set
out. Those in the group wonder<br>
where Z'leyra and
Ben'dar are. Talk comes that some<br>
should go and find
them but nothing is decided. Hours<br>
pass in the
village.]<br>
<br>
GM: Since no posted
actions came in. We'll move on.<br>
<br>
[Around 5pm as the Women
start to prepare dinner fires<br>
a girl pops out of
the Tipi of the elder. She yells<br>
for Cetric.
Cetric comes running with some of the party<br>
members.]<br>
<br>
Girl: "He's
waking!"<br>
<br>
[Cetric quickly checks
him over and gives him some water.<br>
But the Elder
coughs it up. The elder is raspy in his<br>
speaking and
obviously very exhausted. The stab wounds<br>
are clear of blood
at least.]<br>
<br>
[Trembyl asks Zaka the
question again. Zaka asks the<br>
Elder about the
grave. Especially the one strange one<br>
with a strange
person in it. The elder looks to everyone.<br>
Zaka explains they
are friends and helped saved the village.<br>
The Elder begins
to speak.]<br>
<br>
Elder: "That tale I
have not told anyone in many years.<br>
...not even
Cetric knows...(cough)...The person is part<br>
of a people
we don't know of. Where they came from...<br>
or how they
got here we don't know. It started back<br>
with Great
Ga'sha T'ukot. A group of these people arrived<br>
on the
plains. Word spread quickly. They attacked village<br>
after
village...they rode strange animals...wore strange<br>
things...used strange weapons...After 4 villages were<br>
totally
destroyed a war band sought them out. A force of<br>
over 200 of
our best warriors against their reported 500<br>
or so.
Two days later word came they encountered this<br>
group.
Then soon after word came again only 1 warrior<br>
survived. That warrior would soon die from some strange<br>
illness. Three of our most skilled shamans died in this<br>
force.
All slaughtered....they spread out among the plains.<br>
It took many
tribes to form up against them. Finally we<br>
did....with
a force of 5,000 warriors we encountered their<br>
force of
2,000. We believed this to be their only size<br>
at the
time. After losing over 4,000 of our men we finally<br>
won but at
great loss. We had to get help from the Great<br>
Forest
people. They used their skills in help with us to<br>
defeat
them. That was the last we saw of them. There were<br>
so many to
bury we just burnt most of them. But to remind<br>
ourselves of
them we took some to some villages for burial.<br>
Stories were
told from Shaman to Shaman or elder to elder.<br>
The People
forgot and were not told of this dark past. It<br>
was for the
best....<br>
<br>
This is the
grave you speak of. He was buried here to<br>
remind us of
the past. This one ..we don't know their<br>
name...or
their people name...this one...was one of their<br>
best
warriors. He seemed to have the power to control<br>
nature....to
control animals....The old shaman's at the<br>
time
suspected it was a bear claw he wore. A item of<br>
great
power. It was discussed and no one wanted to test<br>
the
belief. It was buried with the body along with its<br>
other
strange items."<br>
<br>
Zaka:
"Claw?"<br>
<br>
[The party members
shake their heads. Thig speaks up.]<br>
Thig: "I
entered the grave. I saw nothing that looked like<br>
a bear
claw."<br>
Trembyl:
"Then that's what they were after!"<br>
<br>
Elder:
"After? They got it? No...it must not be so.
It<br>
has
been known to control animals and make them do<br>
strange things it...it.."<br>
<br>
[The Elder begins
to cough and convulse. Cetric approaches<br>
and checks
him over. The elder's eyes roll back into his<br>
head and the
Elder's pulse quickens. Cetric tries to<br>
cast a
healing spell but it does nothing. The man<br>
shakes as if
seizures hold the man. Then the Elder sags<br>
back as the
heart fails.]<br>
<br>
GM: Shock.
Heart failure with seizures.<br>
<br>
Cetric: "I'm
sorry....theres nothing I can do. He's dead."<br>
<br>
Zaka:
"Nothing? Can't you do that thing you've been known<br>
to
do? Save warriors after they die?"<br>
[Cetric looks at
the Elder, Zaka and the party members.]<br>
Cetric: "Let
me speak to his family. Bring them and leave<br>
us
please."<br>
<br>
[The party members
leave the Tipi. Several women and a<br>
man in his
early 40s enters the Tipi. Several minutes<br>
later Cetric
exits and approaches Zaka.]<br>
<br>
Cetric: "My
power to save him would only injure him further.<br>
Make
him less of a man he is...was...His family has<br>
decided its best not to. He was old. He lived a full<br>
life. It would reduce him. Disrespect him. No I
can't<br>
do
anything without their permission."<br>
<br>
Zaka:
"Fine. We could've questioned him further."<br>
<br>
Kasha:
"Z'leyra could've helped maybe. If she was here."<br>
[Kasha
murmurs..]<br>
<br>
Zaka: "It is
said. Our village loses our oldest elder.<br>
Keeper
of the stories. Much before he could've shared<br>
such
stories to the young ones. Our village history<br>
may be
lost..."<br>
<br>
Balrog:
"Maybe not. Strie'bog collects your stories.<br>
Maybe
he can record for the time we are here?"<br>
<br>
[Zaka explains
from his story that the time period he<br>
spoke of was
around 350 years or so ago. For<br>
the body to
be in such good shape after that time?]<br>
<br>
GM: Actions?
Z'leyra and Ben'dar will rejoin soon.<br>
But
its still the previous day here. Theres 18 hours<br>
or so
of action time if you want to do anything?<br>
Current time: 2pm<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
[Meanwhile somewhere in the
mountains to the east of<br>
Woundenal's Cabin, At
the Castle Time: c. 10:35am]<br>
<br>
[In the Castle -]<br>
<br>
[Chion talks
quietly to the old man in the other cell.]<br>
Chion: Never get
guests eh? "What are you doing here if<br>
they
never get guests?"<br>
Man:
"Captured from my village. One minute I was asleep<br>
and
the next I was here...don't recall in between<br>
any
details. The Dwarf over there was captured trying<br>
to
explore the mountains for mines I believe."<br>
<br>
GM: Incidently the Dwarf
was to be a PC. Mark But he has<br>
never
returned to me in email. So guess he died or<br>
something.<br>
<br>
[The Guard yells
something. Chion suspects it was<br>
"Quiet!"
in L'p'nth from his tone. Time passes as<br>
Chion prepares his
move. Maybe a half hour passes<br>
and then Chion
stands and casts some spells. First<br>
he casts a
detection spell to check for cell magics.<br>
He finds nothing
on the bars or walls. He then turns<br>
and murmurs a
quiet spell. He casts an illusion of<br>
him sitting in the
back of the cell in the shadows.<br>
He then quickly
casts a Ward pact on the cell to start<br>
when the guard
approaches within 4 feet. He then<br>
places the ward
permanently onto the cell bars. He<br>
then waits a few
more minutes.]<br>
<br>
[Chion then casts
Invisibility, levitation (so he<br>
can move while
insubstantial and then finally<br>
insubstantial. He levitates through the cell bars<br>
into the middle of
the room. He floats over to<br>
where the guard is
and looks closer but doesn't see<br>
anything of
interest. He looks at the female to<br>
wonder why the
guard leered at her. She is good<br>
looking but
nothing of greatness. He exits the<br>
room into the
darkened hallway.]<br>
<br>
GM: I missed you last
night in ICQ? I was up from 10-3<br>
but didn't
see you get online. :< We can maybe<br>
do it this
weekend (saturday?). I will be busy<br>
tonight
(friday). How do you wish to explore?<br>
Do you want
to be just invisible able to act on<br>
things or
levitate/insubstantial? If non-solid you'll<br>
move slower
though. The first doorway you saw to the<br>
west.
Turns out to be a door leading to stairs up.<br>
But the
hallway continues west and north. Which way<br>
now?
See castle map on website for bigger map.<br>
Bottom map
(website) has updated with stairs now. There<br>
is no one
seen in the hallway in the immdiate area or<br>
stairs.<br>
<br>
<br>
Next update Monday...<br>
<br>
For Group 1 - Actions? Comments?
Questions?<br>
For Group 2 - Actions? Comments?
Questions?<br>
For Group 3 - Actions? Comments?
Questions?<br>
<br>
Group 1 - Balrog, Kasha, Thig, Strie'bog,
Trembyl, Unali, Zaka<br>
Current Time: 5pm,
Octagi 17<br>
Next Event: Morning on
Z'leya's arrival if no other actions<br>
<br>
Group 2 - Caladan, Chion, Xian, Jordi,
Farseeker<br>
Current Time: 11:45am,
Octagi 17<br>
<br>
Group 3 - Z'leyra, Ben'dar<br>
Current Time: 7am, Octagi
18<br>
<br>
[Once Z'leyra and Ben'dar return both
times will match for<br>
group 1 and 3. Group 2 has a
good 19 hours or so before<br>
their timeline matches up.
This could work out though<br>
if other groups somehow can get to
know where Group 2 is<br>
they could join in with the castle
exploration? :) But<br>
there could be free form actions yet
to come. Let me k<br>
know what you guys want to do.
There is now a major new<br>
clue on what's going on given
above.]<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
[It has come to my attention of some
concerns on the game.<br>
The delay and lack of PC
participation. I'm happy to take<br>
comments like that in email or
here. I know the game has<br>
been rather slower lately. But
there are times of the year<br>
this occurs. I've been doing
it though for 7 years now. I'm<br>
not going to up and quit :).
There are things going on in<br>
my life very stressful. Alex
sorta knows some of this. More<br>
of that stuff even occurred this
last week to a critical point.<br>
But I still continue this game to
relieve that stress. It<br>
helps. I did separate the
players into smaller groups for<br>
various reasons. 1) To manage
things better 2) to quicken<br>
things. By doing more groups
things can be dealt with faster<br>
rather than sequentially. if the
party had done Village, Grave<br>
sites, Robber Chase and then Castle
we'd only be up to the<br>
village at this point and the robber
chase and Castle stuff<br>
wouldn't have occurred. Thus
delaying things a bit. This way<br>
its quicker. I also know we
have alot of inaction on some<br>
player parts. But let's go
down the list:<br>
<br>
Balrog: Halle runs this character
for me. I talk to him In<br>
ICQ. But
theres limited actions he can do so he'll post<br>
actions to me when
he can in ICQ. His email at times<br>
is unreliable so
he doesn't post via here. I've known<br>
him for over 20
years so know how he runs characters :)<br>
He is a low active
person yes.<br>
<br>
Ben'dar: Active obviously<br>
<br>
Caladan: Tom is found on my
BBS. He posts actions there and<br>
I transfer them here
when he can.<br>
<br>
Farseeker: Ryan lives across the
street from me. He's been<br>
my best friend for over
30 years. He will actually come<br>
in and type in his own
actions :)<br>
<br>
Chion: Active.<br>
<br>
Jordi: Been active but work has been
heavy so been a low<br>
profile for now.
I'm sure he'll get time eventually.<br>
<br>
Kasha: True NPC. No player
behind him.<br>
<br>
Thig: Wayne is a musician on the
road alot. I'll talk to<br>
him by
phone. He gives alot of "future" what if actions<br>
enough for me to
run his character.<br>
<br>
Strie'bog: Active.<br>
<br>
Trembyl: Paul is like Caladan (on
the bbs).<br>
<br>
Unali: Active but with his work he
doesn't give much free<br>
time for the game.
Running in npc mode for now.<br>
<br>
Xian: Me, Myself and I.
:)<br>
<br>
Z'leyra: Active<br>
<br>
So in reality only Kasha is not
being really played. I do<br>
agree though its still a large
group. Next adventure I<br>
may lose 1-2 so we can get even
smaller. We'll see then.<br>
<br>
It may be delayed as Chion explores
but theres always things<br>
I can intercept into the village to
get things going there<br>
if it does take too long.<br>
<br>
The beauty about PBEMs rather than
table games is that one<br>
can be busy with work or life and
sorta step back. Let<br>
others do things. For Unali
and Jordi this is happening<br>
now. I'm sure when things
settle they'll return. But its<br>
a option open to them. Course
when I'm busy with life and<br>
work the whole game suffers!
:<<br>
<br>
<br>
</font>
<BR>
<div>Longshot - ZC of AdventureNet International Echomail Network</div>
<div>Fringe BBS - EWOG II - 904-733-1721</div>
<div>Telegard / Allfix Beta Site</div>
<div>Website:
<a href="http://users.cybermax.net/~longshot" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://users.cybermax.net/~longshot</a></div>
<div>ICQ: 24436933</div>
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