The Secret of Bone Hill - L1 DCC conversion Play By Post

[Raven_Crowking]

Cathbad will briefly examine the spellbook, to determine whether or not it contains anything of interest.

Then, next day, she seeks out her employer to report/collect her wage.

[GnomeBoy]

Darrow is heartened to be back among his hunter folk, and takes great pleasure in soaking in their familiar company. He spends much time contemplating Rudra and attempting to see the world as Rudra would want him to see it, taking in nature as if all is new.

He also visits Flavia's family to take them her earnings, and tell them of her bravery.

Of course, before that point, he's face to face with Salazar. He questions the rogue about his boss and about their motives -- he mentions that there were others trapped out there who had been sent as they were to investigate the keep, something that had been left out of discussions originally. He presses the man over this, looking for any hint that this was not an exploration but more a cattle drive of some kind, sending fodder out to the man that ran the place. He gives Salazar a choice: fund a better equipped, better manned force to go out there and clean up the place once and for all (Darrow will join them, to make sure it is done), or give them all much more gold for the risk they were blindly lead into...

Some time later, when Chendriss shows up and asks him to join a return to the keep - he is at first surprised (and a bit disturbed to see the alchemist). He really wants nothing to do with the man. But the temptation to go back and be sure the evil is purged from that place grows in him, and the thought of that one fleeing bug has nagged him since that morning... He agrees and sets terms with the cloaked man (modified by how things with Salazar turn out).

[Sveden]

Bypeld will spend his time reading his Spellcraft and Warlike Denizens. Looking for spells to learn and contemplating on the source of arcane power. Being Neutral he wants nothing to do with the disturbing power Chendriss displayed outside the ruins. While thankful he survived the terrible power wrought on Chendriss' physical being, the experience scared him plenty. If the Warlike tome is too dark and black he will gladly give it over to Orastes.

Tonunt will buy some Thieves tools.

Fritz will buy some Thieves tools. He will also seek a imam who is willing to examine the black blade. If that doesn't work he will seek a master of magic.

Orastes will study the peon's grimoire having been gifted it by Fritz. And contemplate on the pools or arcane power available to a chaotically aligned person as himself.

Portly Trim will seek out a proper sacrifice as shown to him by the Great Spirit. With help of the local Imam he will sacrifice the lamb. He will spend his time thereafter meditating on why the Great Spirit chose to punish him for calling on his protection against the unnatural creatures of the ruins.

[beermotor]

You can spend as many days in down time as you wish. Everybody earns, on average, 1 silver piece per day, so call it 7 silver pieces per week. This is just an average approximation. If you want to do something specific, it might be higher or lower (could be some Luck rolls involved).

Didn't Chendris get the key? The snake-skin bound tome opened already, I think and had the strange writing in it. After a few days reading it, he begins to notice certain patterns, and then overnight, in a dream, the secrets within are unlocked to him, perhaps by his Patron. The strange, vertical writing is an ancient language long forgotten by those still alive here. The book is essentially a diary of sorts, the journal of a mid-level bureaucrat in an ancient imperial faction. There are many strange, mysterious things mentioned in the book, including ships that rise into and descend from the sky, ancient wars, beings of strange powers, particularly over their shapes and physiology which are alluded to but not detailed fully, as if any reader of that time would know what the writer was talking about. Perhaps most interesting is that it talks in some detail about the city itself, although it uses a different name, and seems to refer to an older, less sprawled out city. Toward the end of the book, it devolves somewhat, the writer seems to become paranoid, and continually references to some great beings that arrived and destroyed many (all?) of the old ships, cities, empires, etc. The last page is a suicide note, oddly enough, and a strange prayer to "the ancestors" to forgive the pride and hubris of the old, fallen empire.

Bypeld, reading Spellcraft is very much like a text book. There's no spells contained within it, but it is chock full of practical tips and tricks for the aspiring wizard. So long as it is studied along with another spell, it will grant a +2 circumstance bonus to your roll to learn the spell. This cannot be used when "learning on the fly/slippery slope of arcane doom" though. "Ye Warlike Denizenes Auf Europa" is a bestiary of sorts, with a lot of faded pictures of horrific looking monsters that seem to be half-reptilian, half-humanoid, all to varying degrees. The language is crude and difficult to understand, perhaps the expressions are idiomatic? It seems very, very old, at any rate.

Tonunt and Fritz can find some suitable tools for 15 gold pieces each, but there's a price: they have to pledge to a Guild. There's several to choose from, and they don't look kindly on non-aligned folks (i.e., you can't really operate as a solo gang of one, without getting whacked). Once pledged, the Guilds are very much run like the mafia. They can immediately recognize the Black Skull Company, the Flame Knives, and the Crescent Moon Guild. These are all about equal in power, and operate with tacit approval from the ruling political factions (families) in the city. Both Tonunt and Fritz pick up on the fact that Roberto and his slave seem affiliated with the Black Skull Company.

There's one random 1st level spell in the black grimoire for Orastes, in addition to the random spells he may attempt to learn. That goes for Bypeld also (he gets 4 random 1st level spells to try to learn).

Darrow confronts Roberto Salazar about the fact that there were others imprisoned at the keep, and Roberto just smirks, his eyes glittering with what looks like the promise of violence. "Mr. Pollux's business decisions ain't your concern, friend. You've been paid according to the contract, and more. Besides, you didn't lose anything, didja? You're still breathing. As for going back, sounds like there's nothing left to go back to... we'll be heading on out with the caravan in a week, then. It's a long trek across the desert. But if you want to go back and see what you can find, well, that's all on you. Good luck."

Cathbad, the spellbook is impenetrably dense. You need a Read Magic spell to see what's inside. It looks like a certifiable treasure of immeasurable value, though. Guard it jealously.

[Sveden]

What about the other random books that Bypeld picked up?

Will you please quantify how much gold and silver Tonunt was able to grab?

Which of the three guilds seems more Lawfully aligned? Crescent Moon? If so Tonunt joins their guild.

Fritz will join the Flame Blades as he plans to murder Roberto someday.

[beermotor]

What about the other random books that Bypeld picked up?

Just alchemical texts and the like. Nothing particularly interesting.

Will you please quantify how much gold and silver Tonunt was able to grab?

Uh, roll 3d4 for gp, 4d7 for sp. That's all.

Which of the three guilds seems more Lawfully aligned? Crescent Moon? If so Tonunt joins their guild.

Fritz will join the Flame Blades as he plans to murder Roberto someday.

They're all "Lawful" Guilds, at least nominally. They tend to operate as mercenaries for the various factions and they tend to assassinate each other pretty regularly. So long as you're not "operating" within the city, you could probably skate by as an unaligned Thief. But if you're going to ply the Thiefly trade within the city, joining a Guild is a wise long term goal. Not saying it won't get you killed, though... that's a non-zero possibility.

[Sveden]

Rolling 3d4
( 2 + 2 + 2 ) = 6gp

Rolling 4d7
( 7 + 3 + 6 + 1 ) = 17sp

[Sveden]

Portly Trim spends all his time learning as much as he can at the mosque.

His spell knowledge manifests in the following ways.

/ooc Since I'm a level 1 cleric I simply am rolling 1d11 four times on chart 5-9(page 128) Is that right?

10 - Second Sight (are you fing kidding me?!)
11 - Word of Command
3 - Detect Evil
9 - Resist heat or cold

[Sveden]

Bypeld pours over his spellcraft tome. Attempting to understand the raw power he feels manifesting.

Using Beermotor's spell generator found here

1d5= 1

A result of 1 = 3 offensive, 1 defensive

Offensive spells, rolling 1d6
2, 5, 1

Choking Cloud
Magic Missile
Chill Touch

Defensive spell, rolling 1d8
4

Feather Fall

Correct me if I am doing something wrong here:

To learn these spells. I spend one week studying per spell.
To successfully learn the spell I roll:
1d20+caster level+intelligence mod+luck mod+2(bonus from spellcraft book)
With the DC for learning a spell being 10+Spell level

[beermotor]

Yes, that looks correct to me.

[beermotor]

Portly Trim spends all his time learning as much as he can at the mosque.

His spell knowledge manifests in the following ways.

/ooc Since I'm a level 1 cleric I simply am rolling 1d11 four times on chart 5-9(page 128) Is that right?

10 - Second Sight (are you fing kidding me?!)
11 - Word of Command
3 - Detect Evil
9 - Resist heat or cold

Second Sight is perfectly acceptable, I think it's more of an intuition thing, not necessarily a "sight" thing, but I could be wrong...

[Sveden]

While it would be very like a wizard to stay locked away for four weeks learning new spells, Bypeld will keep in touch with the others that survived Bone Hill so as not to miss out on any adventures.

Weeks one through four spell checks to be applied when possible:

1d20+1CL+1INT+0Luck+2Book

Choking Cloud > 7 Fail
Magic Missile > 17
Chill Touch > 22
Feather Fall > 21

Mercurial Magic Rolls 1d100+0%luck:

Choking Cloud - 06 Counter-magic bubble. In the round following the casting of this spell, all other spells (including the wizard’s
own) cast within 100’ suffer a -4 penalty to spell checks.

Magic Missile - 25 Terror-inducing. Casting the spell inspires terror in animals and creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or
less. All such creatures within 50’ flee the caster as quickly as possible for 1d14 rounds. If restrained, the
animals panic, insensate to all commands. The caster’s familiar, if any, is immune.

Chill Touch - 94 Fine control. The wizard is adept at reigning in the magical energies of the spell and can choose any result
on the spell chart equal to or lower than the one rolled.

Feather Fall - 41-60 No change. The spell manifests as standard.

[beermotor]

Nice... what about Orastes?

[Sveden]

Orastes is studying too... does he find any spells in that grimoire?

/ooc Doing the spellchecks takes me about 15 minutes, so I'll have to do his once I get off of work.

[Raven_Crowking]

Cathbad has pretty well made her poor attempts with the materials at hand, until she can find the means to learn Read Magic....

[beermotor]

Maybe Orastes can teach her!

[Raven_Crowking]

Perhaps. Cathbad will approach Orastes with her request. If he is willing, and can successfully teach her read magic, she will share the secrets of the book with him.

[beermotor]

Think we're just waiting to hear what Orastes learned...

Chendris, your patron speaks to you in a dream one night... "Seek the black blood of the earth, the coldest obsidian, to build the altar. It must be the length of three men's height on each side; five sided. An ivory horn shall you place at each vertex, for the blood to be poured upon. And in the center a hole, three hands-breadths in diameter, for the blood to flow down to the ground, and me. Seek you these things, and I will reward you. But here is a taste of the power I shall endow you with, if you please me. Learn it, if you are able."

Chendris awakens with the incantations for ... (will determine tomorrow) ... in his mind, and may attempt to learn it if he wants.

[Sveden]

/ooc No pressure or anything! Please give me read magic, please give me read magic.

[Sveden]

Orastes spends long hours hunched in study.

/occ Choosing the "Chaotic" template for spells.

Two offense
Sleep
Magic Missile

One defense
Ekim’s Mystical Mask

One utilitly
Ventriloquism

[Sveden]

Spell checks to learn 1d20+1+1+0

Sleep = 14
Magic Missile = 5 Fail
Ekim’s Mystical Mask = 5 Fail
Ventriloquism = 3 Fail

[Sveden]

When Bypeld learns of Orastes' pitiful attempts at learning new magic. He offers to lend him his Spellcraft book when he no longer needs it.

/ooc Basically I think of our group meeting up every few days or once a week while in Portsmouth. If for nothing else but to talk about the night terrors that wake us up every night. :]

[beermotor]

Orastes, awesome. Epic levels of failure.

Chendris, your Patron teaches you the incantation to Read Magic. At least, you may attempt to learn it if you choose. By this time, your teeth have mostly all fallen out, and the palate is hardening above and also below on your mandible. It's very, very painful. You're also moving at -5'/round because of the leg issue, too. And, on your forehead, a strange mark has appeared. It's pentagonal in shape, with curvy rays that snake out from the vertices, and darkly purplish in color, like a birthmark, somewhat raised and puffy. It unnerves anyone who sees it, and your physical deformities are going to requiring hiding very soon, or you risk being killed or, perhaps worse, exiled to a leper colony.

Assuming you can learn Read Magic, what you do with that knowledge is up to you. But remember that he's sort of in a predicament. To save his sorry life, he called upon something ... not of this world ... or at least, outside of it. The price of that aid has been terrible for his physical form, but he lives. It might be possible to reverse, but it could take years of study, perhaps as yet undiscovered arcane secrets. And, all the while, he is now increasingly at risk from the random citizenry of Portsmouth, and especially the guards of the noble houses, because of how he looks. He is becoming more isolated with each passing day.

[Sveden]

/ooc If anyone would like to take over Portly Trim or Fritz's characters let me know. I feel odd having 5 PCs.

[Raven_Crowking]

Turn 'em into "backup townies". i.e., folks who stay at home until your principle PC is killed, if your principle PC is killed.