[LP] The Riddling Reaver!

[Dr_Noface]

Are we allowed anything from our previous adventures?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Alas, no.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Dirk O'Killitwithfire carries a dirk mounted in a long, hard wooden shaft. He uses this spear to penetrate his foes.

[Silent Wayfarer]

The Manastave of Manstaff has a knob on the end. The adjectives of firm, rigid, stout and veiny have been applied to it from time to time.

So how many spells does Manstaff get?

[angelfromanotherpin]

13, same as his Magic score.

[SGamerz]

So how many spells does Manstaff get?

Manstaff will look like: SKILL 10, STAMINA 14, LUCK 8, MAGIC 13. The MAGIC score is how many spells you can prep from the Spell Book at the start of each chapter, and what you must roll less than on 3d6 to cast successfully.

*Sir Puppykicker puts his sword to Manstaff's throat and threatens him to pick more STAMINA spells in order to provide him free healing.*

[Silent Wayfarer]

Silly mans, Manstaff is already going to pick lots of Stamina spells. Don't they cost Stamina to cast?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Nope.

[SGamerz]

Sir Puppykicker insists that he gets to bring his red giant's handkerchief from Scorpion Swamp with him on this adventure to use as a cloak! It's the only thing from that adventure that he hasn't yet pawned off for cash.

Times are hard......

[angelfromanotherpin]

The only backstory of the adventure is that you are a bunch of yahoos out for excitement and money. Not exactly great stuff.

Given the distinguished nature of our group, I'm going to say that there was a great banquet held for heroes to boast of their recent deeds and complain of how much bullshit they had to wade through (kind of like an awards show). Anyway, a lot of trash was talked and wagers made, one thing led to another, and now you're engaged in an impromptu contest. Each of you could bring only the most basic of gear on a search for another opportunity for adventure, and whoever makes it out with the most treasure wins the poorly-remembered stakes.

Still waiting on those spell picks.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Sorry about that. Manstaff has the following spells picked out:

Skill x1
Luck x2
Stamina x4
Creature Copy x3
Levitation x1
Illusion x1
Weakness x1

Anybody want to make changes?

[angelfromanotherpin]

ACT ONE
THE CURSE OF KALLAMEHR

You have been trekking across Allansia, in search of adventure, excitement – and above all, treasure! Forsaking the western shores, you headed south, and came to the land of Kallamehr, which is ruled by the noble house of Rangor. Compared to the hardships you faced on the journey, Kallamehr promises comfort and rich pickings. Judging by the rounded bellies of the traders you have passed on the road, business must be good around here.

After two months' solid travelling, interrupted only by the occasional skirmish with beasts and bandits, you have caught the scent of sea in the wind. The road broadens as it approaches the town of Kallamehr, and you see its famous tower looming majestically in the distance. As you draw near the town, you catch signt of the sprawling collection of buildings which huddle beneath the tower. The twisting architecture is strange to your northern eyes; it seems to have no order to it. You wonder how on earth people can live in such chaotic squalor.

An imposing pair of gates looms before you. Strangely, no guards seem to be around, and the gates are open. You can make out the faint sound of shouting from the other side of town, but the houses block your vision and you cannot see what the commotion is about.

As you stand in the gateway, you hear thumping from the gatehouse to your left. Someone seems to be trying to attract your attention.

'In the name of charity, let me out!' a tiny voice implores. 'Surely I, one of Baron Bluestone's most loyal subjects, should have right to witness his struggle? Let me out!'

Edging closer, you see a man's gaunt face pressed against the door's grille. Manacled hands grip the bars and tears stain his grubby face. He does not look much like a loyal citizen to you, and he has almost certainly been locked in the gatehouse for a good reason. There are no keys near by.

Abandoning him to his fate, you hurry towards the sound of the crowd, which gets louder as you get closer. Carts sit unattended, stalls unguarded, and livestock runs free. Minutes after leaving the gate, you arrive at the central square – the scene of the commotion. Packed into the square is a vast crowd (surely the entire population of Kallamehr, apart from the wretch in the gatehouse!). Each pair of eyes is fixed on the top of the tower, where a spindly figure is struggling to free himself from the clutches of a short robed man, who in turn is trying to force the other off the edge of the balcony. The spindly man is teetering on the edge. With every twist and turn the onlookers gasp. The tension is unbearable.

You are in the throng of townspeople, struggling to avoid being crushed against the sea wall. People are shrieking in disbelief, and pandemonium reigns. You guess that it is the Baron up there, fighting for his life. But why?



Nobody seems able to do anything; guardsmen are pounding in vain on the mighty oaken doors of the tower. The crowd just stands and stares.

The sea crashes against vicious rocks at the foot of the cliff below the tower. Now is your chance to demonstrate your heroism. Can you save the Baron? But how do you reach him?

What do?

Bajinga Ladyparts [12/23/11]
Sword, Backpack, 10 Provisions

Dirk O'Killitwithfire [12/22/12]
Spear, Backpack, 10 Provisions

Dirk von Facestabber III [12/24/12]
Axe, Backpack, 10 Provisions.

Manstaff Cockbeard [10/14/8]
Staff, Backpack, 10 Provisions.
Skill, Luck x2, Stamina x4, Creature Copy x3, Levitation, Illusion, Weakness

Sir Puppykicker [11/16/11]
Sword, Backpack, 10 Provisions

Willie Johnson [11/21/10]
Sword, Backpack, 10 Provisions

[Dr_Noface]

Dirk attempts to bumrush the tower and begin a perilous climb.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Levitation, dur. Unless we can persuade the Baron to jump off and then Stamina him back to health.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Levitation, dur.

Not sure who your target for Levitation is?

[Darth Rabbitt]

I believe that you could use Levitation to bring the Baron down, although I have no idea how he'd feel about that.

EDIT: Otherwise, Dirk will attempt to climb with his fellow Dirk.

[Starmaker]

The tower definitely looks climbable. Climb to the lowest window, then proceed upwards in a more civilized fashion.

[Sirocco]

Help batter down the door so that reinforcements can go up.

SW, can Manstaff cast Levitation on the Baron just to be on the safe side?

[Silent Wayfarer]

Yep, let's Levitate the Baron.

[SGamerz]

*grumbles*

"Whoever this baron is, he'd better be a rich one..."

*Sir Puppykicker employs his puppy-kicking skill to kick his way to the front of the crowd.*

"Out of my way! Heroic rescue squad coming through here!"

*Sir Puppykicker looks up at the tower.*

"Baron or no, ain't no way I'm risking breakin' my own neck climbing this thing."

*Looks at door."*

"A good kick should open this as easily as it open the skull of any goddam puppies.....hey, you guys, out of the way!"

*Sir Puppykicker makes a running kick for the doors to break them down.*

[Silent Wayfarer]

Manstaff swats annoying peasants out of his way with the Manstave (he'd only saved them from Balthus Dire, what was their problem, anyway?) and squares himself under the Baron. Now, he had an interesting relationship with the Levitation spell; it'd saved him from gruesome mob-stabbings on his way out of the Citadel of Chaos, but he'd never found having multiple iterations to be terribly useful; and it consumed his aetheric energies that could have been better used for other spells, like Fool's Gold (he'd never been able to fully master that one).

Now seemed as good a time for a Levitation as any other, but then he wouldn't have more to save his own butt in case of some other dire (or Dire) emergency. Still - the Baron was bound to pay well. And if he didn't, well, he could always put him back where they'd found him.

[SGamerz]

*Grumbles at the wizard's choice of spells.*

"A bloody fireball could have been useful here. I'd have turned that bloody door into a pile of charred cinders if I were you, but nooooo, you had to "save your mental energies for them Creature Copy Spells". What good does that do here? Maybe if the Baron falls to his death you can make a Copy of him, and he can pay us?"

*Draws back his sore foot to kick the door again.*

[Darth Rabbitt]

As Dirk readies to scale the tower he calls over to Sir Puppykicker. "You can burn things without magic, you know. I've had to do that on many an adventure. It's a proud O'Killitwithfire tradition. Not that I consider such a course of action wise in our current situation, lest we burn down our potential employer."

Dirk fondly recalls his use of killing things with fire (and the proud combination of stabbing and fire with the Fire Sword he once owned) on the aptly named Fire Island, and allows a smile before turning back to the tower. There will be more time for stories later. With that, he follows Bajinga and his fellow Dirk's lead, and begins the climb to the nearest window.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Bajinga, Dirk, and Dirk find that the ivy that covers the tower provides plentiful (if somewhat unreliable) handholds, and begin to scale (roll, roll, roll), all making it up a floor. The crowd gasps at such bravery. But it is a long way to the top of the tower. A large window is nearby, though curtains prevent looking in at the moment, and other similar windows are above. Entry is possible, and so is risking further climbing.

The guards step aside as the formidable and grim-faced Sir Puppykicker and Willie Johnson approach and apply their strength to the problem of the door. (Roll, roll.) Sir Puppykicker's foot rebounds from the wood, as does Johnson's shoulder; while the door groans and cracks, it does hold fast for the moment.

Manstaff utters his incantation (roll), and he feels the spell take effect. Whether he knows it or not, the Baron is now safe from falling; but perhaps not all his peril is so obvious? In addition to whatever he does next, Manstaff can try to raise the Baron off the roof and out of reach of his assailant – although this will prevent the Baron from using his footwork and thus may render him more vulnerable to other dangers.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Dirk decides to enter the window he has just reached.