TFRPG: The Bright and the Bastards

[TheDiceMustRoll]

The shade returns, glaring at the Lich. "There is a single being on the other side. Does not look human. Waved in a friendly manner to me. Otherwise, there are stairs going downwards that are locked off and a door that exits across from the entrance, to the east." She scowls at you.

 

[Humbaba]

(Molag introduces himself to Hobart and walks up to join the rest of the party)
"Hello there! Might want to be mindful of the residents in these here parts son. So far they haven't been very friendly! Granted we only have one example, but peas of a pod ya know! I'd bet grog to greenbeer you could probably handle yourself in dust-up though... good god man, what do you do in your free time!? Bench-press that boar?!"

When I was a lad I ate 4 dozen eggs every morning to help me get large. Now that I'm grown I don't want to eat eggs ever again.

The shade returns, glaring at the Lich. "There is a single being on the other side. Does not look human. Waved in a friendly manner to me. Otherwise, there are stairs going downwards that are locked off and a door that exits across from the entrance, to the east." She scowls at you.

I suggest talking to this being. Lich, please open the door. If it is trapped, you're the only one here who wouldn't notice.

 

[Andnjord]

Waved in a friendly manner to me.

Lich, please open the door.

Normally I would think that having the lich being the first face someone sees of our party might not be best proposition, but if the creature on the other side reacted positively to its shade...then let's have the lich open the door.

 

[xerosum]

Send the shade.

Waved in a friendly manner to me.

Lich, please open the door.

Normally I would think that having the lich being the first face someone sees of our party might not be best proposition, but if the creature on the other side reacted positively to its shade...then let's have the lich open the door.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. Hey Lich what do you want us to call you? Should we just keep calling you Lich?"

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

I don't know my name. In truth, I don't know anything about who I was.

 

[Humbaba]

I don't know my name. In truth, I don't know anything about who I was.

Everyone knows that Lich is short for Lichard. That must be your name. And what you are is a necromancer. Case closed. Tiberius oinks in agreement. Would you now please push open the door for us?

 

[baud]

Normally I would think that having the lich being the first face someone sees of our party might not be best proposition, but if the creature on the other side reacted positively to its shade...then let's have the lich open the door.

I was about so say that being friendly to that... ghost wouldn't mean the creature behind the door would react positively to us, but that makes sense. Though the creature could have been left there by cultists of Kerrack to guard their wealth and react badly if we take anything.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

Sigh heavily and open the door.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Sigh heavily and open the door.

Mood music


Upon opening the door you step into a well-lit, nicely carpeted(red) room with soft pleasant music eminating from magical devices in the walls. There is, as the shade said, a creature with long sharp teeth that don't quite go together, cracking and snapping and re-growing horribly whenever it speaks, reddish skin covered mostly by fancy courtly garb. The stairs are there as well, leading downwards and locked behind some kind of metal cage. He waves to you with a cheery smile and indicates a sign written in common; all visitors please wipe your feet.

He beckons you over.

 

[Andnjord]

Upon opening the door you step into a well-lit, nicely carpeted(red) room with soft pleasant music eminating from magical devices in the walls. There is, as the shade said, a creature with long sharp teeth that don't quite go together, cracking and snapping and re-growing horribly whenever it speaks, reddish skin covered mostly by fancy courtly garb. The stairs are there as well, leading downwards and locked behind some kind of metal cage. He waves to you with a cheery smile and indicates a sign written in common; all visitors please wipe your feet.

He beckons you over.

I carefully move towards him, keeping a good few meters of distance between us. I do wipe my feet on the way. Do I have any idea what creature this is?

(Somewhat unsettled) Hello there! My name is Andnjord, and we mean you no harm. What would be your name good sir? You see, this is a bit embarassing, but we were looking for the Castle Dusk and instead found this cave in its place. Would you happen to know anything about it?

 

[baud]

I enter as well, wiping my feet on the way.

hello.

If the creature doesn't speak common, I use the communicate skill to learn its language

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Upon opening the door you step into a well-lit, nicely carpeted(red) room with soft pleasant music eminating from magical devices in the walls. There is, as the shade said, a creature with long sharp teeth that don't quite go together, cracking and snapping and re-growing horribly whenever it speaks, reddish skin covered mostly by fancy courtly garb. The stairs are there as well, leading downwards and locked behind some kind of metal cage. He waves to you with a cheery smile and indicates a sign written in common; all visitors please wipe your feet.

He beckons you over.

I carefully move towards him, keeping a good few meters of distance between us. I do wipe my feet on the way. Do I have any idea what creature this is?

(Somewhat unsettled) Hello there! My name is Andnjord, and we mean you no harm. What would be your name good sir? You see, this is a bit embarassing, but we were looking for the Castle Dusk and instead found this cave in its place. Would you happen to know anything about it?

The creature blinks and smiles. "You cannot harm me friend, so long as I stay behind this desk. I am the Vulca of this particular staircase, and as long as I stand here, I cannot age, get tired, hungry, thirsty or suffer physical harm. As for Castle Dusk, it is very near the cave, less than a few hours walk, but it is hidden without a pass-phrase, one of which I am not of liberty to divulge. You're likely to find people...or things....that know it to the south. Otherwise, the entrance fee to enter Kerrack's Die House is 10,000 sovereigns."

The language isn't common, but completely understandable.

 

[baud]

Upon opening the door you step into a well-lit, nicely carpeted(red) room with soft pleasant music eminating from magical devices in the walls. There is, as the shade said, a creature with long sharp teeth that don't quite go together, cracking and snapping and re-growing horribly whenever it speaks, reddish skin covered mostly by fancy courtly garb. The stairs are there as well, leading downwards and locked behind some kind of metal cage. He waves to you with a cheery smile and indicates a sign written in common; all visitors please wipe your feet.

He beckons you over.

I carefully move towards him, keeping a good few meters of distance between us. I do wipe my feet on the way. Do I have any idea what creature this is?

(Somewhat unsettled) Hello there! My name is Andnjord, and we mean you no harm. What would be your name good sir? You see, this is a bit embarassing, but we were looking for the Castle Dusk and instead found this cave in its place. Would you happen to know anything about it?

The creature blinks and smiles. "You cannot harm me friend, so long as I stay behind this desk. I am the Vulca of this particular staircase, and as long as I stand here, I cannot age, get tired, hungry, thirsty or suffer physical harm. As for Castle Dusk, it is very near the cave, less than a few hours walk, but it is hidden without a pass-phrase, one of which I am not of liberty to divulge. You're likely to find people...or things....that know it to the south. Otherwise, the entrance fee to enter Kerrack's Die House is 10,000 sovereigns."

The language isn't common, but completely understandable.

So we've met the bouncer of a gambling house? Weird.
Note that he said that he can't be physialy harmed, but some of us have access to magical damage, between my smite, Andnord's touch powers, the shade and whatever else the lich has. I'm not saying it's a good idea; I mean whoever had the power to put an immortal and physicaly invicible creature as a bouncer would have set up some other defences.

When you talk about people or things to the South, you mean underground in this cave, right? Also I guess there isn't any way for you to waive the fee? Though we are mostly penniless, so it wouldn't be of much use to go to this die house.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Upon opening the door you step into a well-lit, nicely carpeted(red) room with soft pleasant music eminating from magical devices in the walls. There is, as the shade said, a creature with long sharp teeth that don't quite go together, cracking and snapping and re-growing horribly whenever it speaks, reddish skin covered mostly by fancy courtly garb. The stairs are there as well, leading downwards and locked behind some kind of metal cage. He waves to you with a cheery smile and indicates a sign written in common; all visitors please wipe your feet.

He beckons you over.

I carefully move towards him, keeping a good few meters of distance between us. I do wipe my feet on the way. Do I have any idea what creature this is?

(Somewhat unsettled) Hello there! My name is Andnjord, and we mean you no harm. What would be your name good sir? You see, this is a bit embarassing, but we were looking for the Castle Dusk and instead found this cave in its place. Would you happen to know anything about it?

The creature blinks and smiles. "You cannot harm me friend, so long as I stay behind this desk. I am the Vulca of this particular staircase, and as long as I stand here, I cannot age, get tired, hungry, thirsty or suffer physical harm. As for Castle Dusk, it is very near the cave, less than a few hours walk, but it is hidden without a pass-phrase, one of which I am not of liberty to divulge. You're likely to find people...or things....that know it to the south. Otherwise, the entrance fee to enter Kerrack's Die House is 10,000 sovereigns."

The language isn't common, but completely understandable.

So we've met the bouncer of a gambling house? Weird.
Note that he said that he can't be physialy harmed, but some of us have access to magical damage, between my smite, Andnord's touch powers, the shade and whatever else the lich has. I'm not saying it's a good idea; I mean whoever had the power to put an immortal and physicaly invicible creature as a bouncer would have set up some other defences.

When you talk about people or things to the South, you mean underground in this cave, right? Also I guess there isn't any way for you to waive the fee? Though we are mostly penniless, so it wouldn't be of much use to go to this die house.

Blackshirt You know that 'Vulca' is old abyssal for 'Jailer' or 'Gatekeeper'. It's a demonic title.

GrafvonMoltke You remember a rumbling in your head. A name. Guerm Di Vulca.

The creature shrugs. "I cannot open the doors myself in any way, 10,000 uncleaned tomb-gold coins must be deposited into that gate, which will return to you, enough chips for some games. You can win much in Kerrack's Die-House, but most here do not survive long. As for directions, I did mean so the south of the entrance. South-West, actually, but everywhere you go you will find tombs of the Yemani's greatest champions here and there. I would not recommend anywhere to the North-West...the...King is there, but if you want sovereignty over Dusk-Fort, you'll need his crown. I doubt you'll do much for yourself." He shrugs. I do not know much else than that, just things I've been told.

 

[GrafvonMoltke]

Guerm.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Guerm.

The creature looks at you, its eyes filling to black like a shark's. "Speak not the name of the Wratch." It's friendly demeanour is gone and it seems rattled by the mention of that name. Otherwise, it resumes its calm and friendly demeanour.

 

[baud]

Seems it's a dead end. So we turn back to the room with the stairs and go South, I guess?

 

[Humbaba]

Guerm.

The creature looks at you, its eyes filling to black like a shark's. "Speak not the name of the Wratch." It's friendly demeanour is gone and it seems rattled by the mention of that name. Otherwise, it resumes its calm and friendly demeanour.

Hobart and Tiberius enter the room. The latter's hooves remain unwiped. Hobart turns to the demon and speaks to it in the abyssal tongue.

Hail Gatekeeper. I am Hobart, Knight-Errant of the Kulmish branch of the Order of Saint Albright the Sealbreaker of Bomboria, Castellan of Castle Erzberg and Lord of the surrounding lands of Koberland. One of your kind has no doubt heard of his lord's Truffle Knights. We will not fall victim to the temptations of the Die House, we merely seek the means to enter Castle Dusk. If you are indeed unwilling to tell us more about the password, the king's crown and how to obtain either, then I am afraid we will have to part ways with you and leave you empty handed. However, we are willing to fulfil one of your desires in exchange for ours. Whichever master you serve will most certainly appreciate the tribute you will be able to pay him.

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

The creature grins. "You don't know very much about demons, do you, boy?" I have no desires. Everything I love is this task I have been created to do. When it ends.." he grins, showing broken and regrowing teeth. "When it ends, so shall I."

(To remind everyone, while the gate, stairs and desk are at the north side of the room, there is another door leading east opposite of where you entered. I'm not telling you where to go, but its not a 'dead end' here. )

 

[Andnjord]

Guerm...if you cannot help us or act in the interests of your masters beyond the narrowest interpretation of your mandate then so be it. What can you tell us of the other door, the one that leads to the East. Is that one under your scrutiny too?

 

[Humbaba]

The creature grins. "You don't know very much about demons, do you, boy?" I have no desires. Everything I love is this task I have been created to do. When it ends.." he grins, showing broken and regrowing teeth. "When it ends, so shall I."

(To remind everyone, while the gate, stairs and desk are at the north side of the room, there is another door leading east opposite of where you entered. I'm not telling you where to go, but its not a 'dead end' here. )

I knew I should've paid more attention in Goetic class.

 

[baud]

(To remind everyone, while the gate, stairs and desk are at the north side of the room, there is another door leading east opposite of where you entered. I'm not telling you where to go, but its not a 'dead end' here. )

ah, yeah, I missed that:

The shade returns, glaring at the Lich. "There is a single being on the other side. Does not look human. Waved in a friendly manner to me. Otherwise, there are stairs going downwards that are locked off and a door that exits across from the entrance, to the east." She scowls at you.

So the map looks something like that (not to scale)

(and we're in the room circled in red)

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Guerm...if you cannot help us or act in the interests of your masters beyond the narrowest interpretation of your mandate then so be it. What can you tell us of the other door, the one that leads to the East. Is that one under your scrutiny too?

Calling him Guerm seems to cause him great anger. He slowly leans forward, his clawed fingers scratching deep gashes in the desk with little effort. "Do not name me as the Wrach again, little Dwarf. I will make sure every denizen in this nightmare abyss will filled with news of the fat, useless dwarf, pockets full of coins and a heart bleeding sweet blood."

 

[Humbaba]

Guerm...if you cannot help us or act in the interests of your masters beyond the narrowest interpretation of your mandate then so be it. What can you tell us of the other door, the one that leads to the East. Is that one under your scrutiny too?

Calling him Guerm seems to cause him great anger. He slowly leans forward, his clawed fingers scratching deep gashes in the desk with little effort. "Do not name me as the Wrach again, little Dwarf. I will make sure every denizen in this nightmare abyss will filled with news of the fat, useless dwarf, pockets full of coins and a heart bleeding sweet blood."

You seem upset. Has the Father of Thimmer wronged or offended you in some way? Are you sure there is nothing we could do for you?

 

[TheDiceMustRoll]

Guerm...if you cannot help us or act in the interests of your masters beyond the narrowest interpretation of your mandate then so be it. What can you tell us of the other door, the one that leads to the East. Is that one under your scrutiny too?

Calling him Guerm seems to cause him great anger. He slowly leans forward, his clawed fingers scratching deep gashes in the desk with little effort. "Do not name me as the Wrach again, little Dwarf. I will make sure every denizen in this nightmare abyss will filled with news of the fat, useless dwarf, pockets full of coins and a heart bleeding sweet blood."

You seem upset. Has the Father of Thimmer wronged or offended you in some way? Are you sure there is nothing we could do for you?

He looks the Halfling over. "You can leave and only return when you have provided the gate with 10,000 gold coins." With that, he seems to lose interest in discussing things with the party, and begins to work on repairing the damage to his podium, muttering a small cantrip of some kind. "And they must be tomb-gold." he adds.

Blackshirt This seems to semi-confirm a theory occultists discuss from time to time: Tomb-Gold, or Forgotten Gold is the kind of gold that is found in tombs. It seems to possess a magical property that is lost once it is recovered safely to the outside of crypts, tombs, sepulchers, caves or wherever it is found. Experiments to recreate this odd property have ended in failure, and some theorize that this is due to the fact that most Tomb-Gold specimens recovered have no clear owner or anyone who knows who it could belong to.