Purr
Kaerri's Man. =)
<p>
<strong>Prelude: </strong>Heya, folks! I have been wanting to share these thoughts with you ever since some of you expressed an interest. This is just over 4,000 words, so I hope you have some time, a drink, and some snacks on hand. If you have any questions, let me know by replying to this thread? Enjoy, friends! <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> Behind the Scenes (or "What was I thinking?!") =)</span></strong> So how did this all start off? Basically, Kaerri and I really felt "homesick" for that home-away-from-home, Sharseya. It's a vibrant place; one of many realms and cultures, each with their own histories and challenges, surprises and mysteries. There is always adventure if you know where to look. But above all, Sharseya is full of fun characters and stories. =) Kazuo Koike, the creator of <strong>Lone Wolf and Cub</strong>, has a saying I like: "Comics are carried by characters. If a character is well created, the comic becomes a hit."* I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Some of my favorite stories involve characters who just come alive in the mind. They make you wonder, bring you joy, sadness, and every emotion in between. Sometimes you admire them, other times you loathe them, but no matter what <em>you enjoy them.</em> You want to shake the hands of the good guys and kick the hell out of the bad guys. At least, that's how I feel about it. =) Sharseya is home to <em>a lot</em> of characters of mine. As a hyperactive human being, I come with an overactive imagination and usually plenty of energy to fuel it (All stock Dannigans do - it's there in the fine print). So, about a year ago, when Sherwood invited us to RPdom.com (now RP Nation), how could we resist? A website Sherwood has trusted for over 9 years (and provided over 15,000 posts!!) with good times that can be remembered for years on end? With like-minded people (if you're careful about whom you chat with)? Wow! Sounds great! Sign us up! <strong>But back to the characters... </strong>When I was growing up and reading comics (Marvel and DC especially), it was really easy for me to get into my interpretation of the characters. Take Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men, for example. Kitty Pryde, Ororo Munroe, Kurt Wagner, Logan, Charles Xavier and the others, my mind attached "voices" to those written words in the comic, so that I "heard" them (down to the inflections when the letterer put words in bold). Logan growled, Kurt had a rich German accent, Peter Rasputin's husky voice matched his body and approach to life. So it was when I began designing characters of my own. Characters I have had for years have all gone through changes of one sort or another. Most have grown in some way. Some have become more than what they were as a result of their life challenges. Some died. Still, their voices never really changed. When I role-play Bria, for example. I "step back" and practice two words attributed to the wonderful Sir Ian McKellan: "Actors inhabit." I let Bria "tell me" what she is going to say, what she is going to do, and so forth. I can't "act" like her or "do" her - I am only the vessel in which each character expresses themselves. I inhabit all that they are, and in turn, they tell me what to write. =) Remember this? When Otiorin, the silver-dragon-blooded half-elf, swore on his very name to help those victims of the Burning of the Wild Elves' Wood, Bria could not help her reaction. She just wanted to rush into his arms and hug him. His act of loving those who would <em>kill </em>him just for being a half-elf so moved her tender heart that she couldn't help but be moved. "If only <em>everyone </em>felt that way about their neighbors," she "tells" me. With her soft, girlish way of expression, Bria may be the most golden-hearted, sweetest character I have ever created - for she really means no harm to anyone (a fact some of you quickly noticed). =) Or how about this? When Powerpaw is having it out with Luna after a near-defeat against the Bloodland Minotaurs, Powerpaw "came to me" and "told" me flat-out - "I haz ta haz a talk wif her - <em>now</em>." It was so very important to him to express himself to Luna, to let her know how he felt. As the storyteller, I didn't know just how far his feelings went until <em>he</em> "told" <em>me! </em> I knew this: He wanted to tell her that the Wanderers needed stronger tactics for everyone's benefit. I <em>didn't</em> know that he would tell Luna that Bria was his soft spot, and that if anything happened to her as a result of Luna's leadership (or <em>anyone's</em> decision really), that they would be in for it. Whoa! That surprised me! =) So yeah. Kaerri and I missed Sharseya because I have dozens of other characters in my head for you to meet, to challenge, to teach, to learn from, to grow with, to enjoy! Some you'll love, some you'll loathe (or worse). Part of being alive on our planet Earth is the company we keep, right? Well, I have had well over a decade to make interesting company on Sharseya, I suppose. Kaerri certainly wanted to play Kitrin, and in doing so, she realized that this RPNation + Sharseya thing was a keeper, and found herself really missing one of her deepest characters, Bren. Since our table-top game is indefinitely on hold, where better to really role-play folks like Bren than here with you? But the real purpose behind my writing this is to tell you what I was thinking and feeling when I was storytelling all of this. You know. Behind the scenes. So, here we go. =) <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Chapter One: The Road of Kings</span></strong> I wanted to create just enough game for all of you to get started. Once started, you guys could go anywhere you wanted (and you still can!). But for a guy like me to get that going, I feel you need a few important ingredients: Your situation, your locale, your goals and reasons behind them. It's not enough just to roll up some good characters and let them wander around in the dark. So I fired up my energetic engines and went to work. <strong>1. You had to know where you were. </strong> Summerset is a thriving metropolis, the largest of its kind on that continent. However, it's not where the action is. That's Highwind. <strong>2. Your goal.</strong> Get to Highwind. Many great stories begin with a journey of some kind. It happens all of the time in books, movies, and even in Real Life. <strong>3. Your reasons and situation.</strong> Why go there? Here's a reason that will motivate <em>any</em> adventurer - you're out of money (I understand Cher was once asked why the Rolling Stones were <em>still</em> on tour after all these years. She replied something like, "Easy. They ran out of money."). Well, "it ain't funny when you're low on money" so I figured that empty stomachs would be <em>plenty</em> of motivation to get to Highwind, where there is no shortage of work. <strong>Now all we need are the means.</strong> Well, the Road of Kings is the most famous road in that region. People from all over have traveled that one sure highway to riches or ruin. Well, like whom? Why not a rich merchant? You know, some hustling, go-getter with big dreams of getting rich enough to retire in lavish style. Enter Bilal the Rich. Why is he rich? Well, what's the point of following some poor merchant who doesn't know what he's doing? Heck with that. Give this merchant his own entourage, his own mercenaries (who, like him, have goals of their own). Give him the biggest damn BMW of all wagons evar and an "I'm-in-charge-because-I-have-the-gold" approach to life and there we go! Bilal wasn't really a bad guy (though he was obviously far from good). He fully intended (or so he "told" me) that he wanted nothing more than to get to Highwind and impress that young new king and queen! By golly, he wanted to see if he had what it took to get the Wildegard family on his happy list! And at that point, I had to hand it to Bilal - he was full of passion for what he loved to do. Unfortunately, he was also full of <em>greed </em>(and full of something else - Hardy har har). =) <strong>Indeed, the Wayfaring Wanderers and Bilal the Rich </strong><strong><em>might </em></strong><strong>have even hit it off in time except for </strong><strong><em>two</em></strong><strong> things:</strong> Bilal had Powerpaw as a prisoner and you guys had a <em>half-elf</em> in the party! Holy Wowzercows! A half-elf in the menagerie?! Bilal felt that was just a fortune waiting to be made. Bilal was smart enough to know a "twin-blood" when he saw one and after that, you could forget about any good intentions. One look and he wanted Otiorin in chains. And if that meant the rest of you were screwed, well, he could make that happen too. This is probably a good time to bring up Bria of the Ko and Powerpaw. We're going to talk a little meta-game here. As your storyteller, <em>I want you to play what you want (within reason).</em> I just don't feel comfortable forcing folks to play certain roles. It happens every game: "Hey! We have a cleric yet?" "Who's going to be the wizard?" "Aw, dang. I guess I'm stuck playing another fighter..." Screw that! <em>Your characters are just as important to you as mine are to me. </em> So, in MMORPG terms, there is this thing they call the "Holy Trinity." Tank + Healer + DPS = well-balanced party (that is, unless you're playing Guild Wars 2! Hooray!). A similar set-up happens in D&D games. Cleric + Fighter + Rogue + Wizard = well-balanced party. And I can understand the logic behind it. Who wants to blow the hell out of a lot of bad guys, just to get to the treasure chest (<em>not</em> a mimic this time! I swearz!), and no one in the party can pick the darned lock? Well, I'm not that kind of storyteller. Play <em>who </em>you want. If you like, allow me to provide the Tank and Healer and you guys can play all of the DPS you want (or whatever role). <strong>So, enter Powerpaw and Bria, your tank (or DPS) and healer.</strong> If you wanted them in the party, they joined. If you didn't, then they're gone (to follow their own goals, which they do should you part company). I wanted a story for them, too; a reason to be there. Well, how about Powerpaw is in a pickle and Bria is there to help get him out of it? They are teammates in our table-top game. Would Bria, even by herself, try to find and free Powerpaw, a fellow who "haz" no friends out here besides her? Definitely! So, Bria hoped to join a party (<em>any</em> party) just to get Powerpaw back. Good thing yours spoke up first (<em>yes,</em> those other two parties "voiced" their disappointments when they lost out). So, back to Bilal and the Wanderers. He attempts to "divide and conquer" the Wanderers, and his plan worked brilliantly! <em>Another</em> surprise for this storyteller! While each of you were walking your characters straight into his trap, I remember thinking, "Oh, crap. They're falling right for it. They don't even seem to suspect!" And while my heart goes out to you, my sense of fairness does not allow me to warn you. I know full well Bilal means to capture, not kill you (well, not immediately, anyway). Still, I <em>cannot</em> just throw a rope to you guys (<em>especially </em>in a new game with players I have not yet run with before - for one thing, it sets a bad first impression). Besides, that's not how things work in Sharseya. What you earn in Sharseya, you've <em>earned.</em> I didn't just hand it to you because I like you ; one way or another, you came by it honestly (and I can say that because I'm not really into playing evil-aligned campaigns. It's bad enough when those assholes are in my head when they're plotting and fighting you - to role-play evil for months? I don't think I would have fun). <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Chapter Two: Bilal's Menagerie</span></strong> <strong>So, Bilal the Rich, on his first try, bags every last one of you.</strong> I can't believe it! Captain Hesperus, I recall, put up a post in the Adventurers' Table that spoke quite true to the situation and all I could do was nod along while I read it. He loots you, binds you, and wonders what to do with the rest of you. At this point, I'm thinking, "Ol' true-hearted Killfire and Wonderful Wolf are brand-new to my game and <em>this</em> happens... What if they get killed?" It could definitely happen. That's when I fall back on my experience as a storyteller. I've been doing this since I was 13. It's what brought Sherwood, Killfire, and I together in Real Life all those years ago. I found the solution to this problem while remembering an article in <em>Dragon</em> magazine (I don't recall which issue or article; just the advice). It goes like this: A good GM lets players kill themselves. Sometimes they fall to bad die rolls, or worse still, bad decisions. But they can learn from those, even if the cost is rolling up someone new. Was I ready to help you all roll a whole new party if Bilal won? Yes, I'm afraid so. I think only Otiorin and Powerpaw would have "lived" (and that's unless Bilal figured out who Bria really was - A <em>healer</em> of the Ko monks is just about as rare as a, well, silver-dragon-blooded half-elf?). <strong>And then it was Bilal's turn to screw up.</strong> No, he didn't mess up because I wanted an "out" for the players; he did this because he "told" me he wanted to play around with his newest addition to the menagerie - Powerpaw ("The Beast"). He had fed the creature two hobbits; how much more could he eat? Let's throw them all in there and find out! What a show that would make if it worked out right! Where else would the high and mighty see something like this? Only at Bilal's Menagerie! Spread the word, all you kingdoms! Little did he know that Powerpaw had <em>not </em>eaten the hobbits (which, at that point, were just a pair of hobbits. I didn't know who they were yet). And Powerpaw would not eat Bria if she were the last "piece of nom" on Sharseya. So yes. He throws you in the prison wagon and I'm thinking, "You ignorant idiot! You just reunited a party with their large-sized, face-nomming, would-be buddy!" But he had no way of knowing that. What works against the players works against the bad guys too. <strong>Then Stewart had his change of heart to aid you. </strong> That really made me wonder. Bilal the Rich could afford anyone who was willing to work under him. So, why Stewart? Well, I'll keep some of those reasons on this side of the screen until you discover them (if you want to). Stewart's reaction to your capture was rather unexpected. One day at work, I'm thinking of Sharseya and he "says" to me, "I have had quite enough of Bilal the Rich. His road and mine <em>must </em>diverge." And I thought, "Well... brother, aren't <em>you</em> the master of good timing? They could sure use your help. But you realize what this means?" "Yes," Stewart seemed to say. "If I fail, or even if I succeed, I might wind up the next figure bound up as dinner, this time, probably for the hydra." "And you're O.K. with that?" A pause. "Yes. A man must live and die guided by his heart and Bilal has proven to me that he has none." Next thing I know, he's grabbing all of your gear on a <em>Floating Disc</em> spell and sneaking it to you while gnolls and mercenaries are howling and hacking all around him. He told me that if he had to run and leave all of it, he would have kept Sparkle with him, no matter what. About that time, I thought, "I think Stewart is becoming a real character here..." Yet another surprise. As were the hobbits becoming more than just hobbits - I decided they were Bonny and Whittle Meadowsweet. They seem to add a welcome flavor to our game and I am glad you rescued them. =) I think it is safe to say that the longer player-characters hang out with non-player characters, the more development both seem to get. The "secret" is in the interaction. Questions come up. Answers follow. From those answers, come more-fully developed characters. For example, Stewart is about to open the door to your prison wagon when lo and behold, you've found your own way out! He gets immediately tackled and now what? Do the Wanderers kill him? Feed <em>him </em>to Powerpaw? Parley? These are the ingredients that lead to a full-flavored role-playing game. =) <strong>Once free and geared up, the Wanderers were (understandably) eager for some payback. </strong>The chaotic mess that awaited you outside was <em>not</em> my ideal choice for your first battle in Sharseya. There was waaay too much going on out there. However, major battle or not, I was grateful that this was my world to make happen. I could mold the chaos as I pleased. So... I did what seemed practical and divided it all into "bite-size" chunks, and hoped none of you you wouldn't bite off any more than you could chew. =) Gnolls, by themselves or even in trios, are no match for a single 6th-level character. But<em> two combined hordes</em> of the greedy, cowardly suckers? That could mean serious trouble for any 6th-level party. For one thing, the gnolls knew what they were doing; the Grand Caravan was <em>ambushed </em>after all - not something even the gnolls do without thinking ahead. The gnolls ambush was precisely planned. <strong>I'm not certain how it would have went if the Wanderers had not intervened. </strong> Grimdell's Guardians numbered 40 fighters among their ranks (with an edge in gear and skill), and Bilal himself had entered the fray with his hydra, his (escaping) umber hulk, and his frost giant (who, unfortunately for the giant, was a little too dazed and confused from his own circumstances to be much trouble unless he was attacked). But they were up against about twice that many gnoll fighter-types along with a little over a dozen gnoll shamans who were acting from the cover of the woods. That's around 100 gnolls! Again, not my ideal first fight, especially for the two of you who had never played Pathfinder or D&D 3.5. <strong>But it all worked out pretty well. </strong> You came together as a team, learned about each other, learned about yourselves, and survived one of the numerically biggest battles I had ever put together (the largest being about three times those numbers, and <em>boy</em>, was that fun!). But the ambush, for all that it was, had a purpose. You may recall that the gnolls were <em>not </em>trying to wipe you out (let me guess, "They could have fooled me!"?) - they were performing what strategists call a holding action. This means they wanted Bilal's Menagerie <em>right where they were.</em> And, despite the gnolls' losses, they succeeded in that. If you haven't already, ask yourself: Just where did the cosmic ball of fire from the sky land? Now, how could the gnolls have known that? Well, they brought shamans (clerics) and they had a certain frighteningly-evil, blood-lusting deity as you might recall (Erythnul, God of Slaughter). Divine leaders can seem like an all-knowing bunch when they put their minds to it. Unfortunately for their foes, it is all to the betterment of whatever agenda their god has, and if you're in the way of that agenda, you're just another infidel. And one way or another, the gnolls would have their god's will be done. <strong>Back to the falling rock of fire. So, a feeling takes hold of your characters ("Run!"). </strong>This... I'm afraid... is your storyteller <em>not </em>wanting your whole team to get wiped out by something you have <em>absolutely </em>no control over - a cosmic event. I really don't make a habit out of doing this. Plus (so my Real Life experiences shouted), I have had many instances in my own life when that Feeling In My Gut says, "Do it!!" And if I do it, things work out for the better! If I do anything else but follow that feeling, I pay for it (I have a lifelong scar on my body to prove it - no, it's small, but every time I see it, I remember to listen to my gut). So... if, by some insanity, one (or more) of you would have said, "Hell, no! I'm staying!" then you would have gotten a response from me that my long-time players have learned to <em>dread.</em> Here is that saying: "<strong><em>Your character is in mortal danger."</em></strong><strong> </strong> Since you have read this far, you have likely garnered that I'm not a player-killer. But I'm not the opposite, either (you have your character jump off a high cliff, expect to roll a new character or ask for a rez; I am <em>not </em>saving you just because we're friends - that is not good storytelling). That very important saying means this: Your storyteller believes your character to be in a situation where his or her life is about to <em>end</em>. It's me acting as that Feeling In Your Character's Gut. You would have gotten the same saying if, say, one of you had totally lost your marbles and tried to attack Koshianth, the Elder Silver Dragon (her mate and she are widely known among non-dragons as "Holocaust" and "Aftermath" for <em>good </em>reason - just ask the Kuo Toa or the Sahuagin - oh, wait. <em>They brought both races to extinction!). </em> Koshianth, if pressed, would have killed any or all of you had it gone that way (as long as it was in-character for her). As it so happened, you had a silver-dragon-blooded party member which changed things for the better <em>and </em>added some <em>terrific</em> roleplaying! But to rewind a little, from when the cosmic ore fell from the sky, you guys wrote some absolutely <em>wonderful</em> lines. This is what I call fun: Kaerri sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Hey, Bria, it's some kind of really big thing on fire - lots of fire! - heading down, with smoke trailing behind...uh-oh!" On her wagon-roof perch, Kitrin grabs secure holds with both hands and finds a crevice or two to wedge her feet into. Once more her hobbity voice rises high to be heard by all her friends: "Hang on, it's going to hit the ground back there - any moment now!"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Killfire sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Brace for Impact!" Gives the hobbits a hug using himself as a living seat-belt.
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Wolf Rawrrr sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Erythnul." Wolf says in a half whisper, then speaks louder: "God of Slaughter, a bloody deity that exists solely to bring death to the world. I remember now." When the young ranger looks at Dina, his face is marred by worry and dread, but there is also contempt and quiet wrath. "The druids seldom speak of him, and even then rarely ever utter his name, but I was present in their number at one such occasion. It was years back, before I met you and the others." He shifts his gaze back at the battlefield, mere moments before impact. "This is bad, Luna. Really bad. You've done well to marshal us out of that place. For what is about to unfold there... is death incarnate."
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Sherwood sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Luna stared up into the sky as the majestic form beat its wings, her jaw hanging open. Finally, she is able to find her voice, "Oh, my stars and garters! A silver dragon! Whatever you do, <em>don't attack it!</em> I suspect that it would wipe us out in a heartbeat if we make it mad! But, how? Where? Was it trapped in this fallen star? Who could do such a thing to a elder dragon? Sparkle, can you tell if we are in any danger from your giant cousin up there?"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Captain Hesperus sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Otiorin's eyes narrowed in a barely contained instinctual hate and fury. His lips rolled back to expose his pearly-white teeth as he growled deep within his throat. His claws were full-grown now, glistening in the light of the fires that flickered around him. If he's had wings, they would have been fully extended, flared out in a territorial display. If he'd had a tail, it would have been aggressively lashing the ground like a drumstick against a skin. Within the rational, Half-Elf part of his mind, this behaviour was ridiculous and futile. If the draconic part of his brain....<em>shut the fuck up and get ready to subjugate this trespassing bitch!!!!!</em>
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
To which Koshianth could only reply,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Koshainth's eye returns to Otiorin along with a soft smile. Then, unable to resist, she bursts into gushing again. "<em>Before I take you home and snuggle you all up, you cute widdle half-baby yooooooou!</em> And just look at those shiny eyes! Don't you look fierce? Oh, do your feets have little clawsies too? Mommy wants to see!"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Fantastic! Utterly wonderful! Ha ha! How could I <em>not</em> award bonus RP points for scenes like that? You guys did great! =) And while that last quote comes from the next chapter, I will draw this to a close (perhaps to continue if there is interest?). In the meantime, what we have here brings me a tremendous amount of joy. Thanks for being part of it! Kaerri and I are happier people now that we've been playing in Sharseya again; happier still to enjoy it all with you! Honor and fun, Dannigan * <strong>Lone Wolf and Cub vol 1 - The Assassin's Road</strong> (page 299 in the small paperback version by Dark Horse).
</p>
<strong>Prelude: </strong>Heya, folks! I have been wanting to share these thoughts with you ever since some of you expressed an interest. This is just over 4,000 words, so I hope you have some time, a drink, and some snacks on hand. If you have any questions, let me know by replying to this thread? Enjoy, friends! <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"> Behind the Scenes (or "What was I thinking?!") =)</span></strong> So how did this all start off? Basically, Kaerri and I really felt "homesick" for that home-away-from-home, Sharseya. It's a vibrant place; one of many realms and cultures, each with their own histories and challenges, surprises and mysteries. There is always adventure if you know where to look. But above all, Sharseya is full of fun characters and stories. =) Kazuo Koike, the creator of <strong>Lone Wolf and Cub</strong>, has a saying I like: "Comics are carried by characters. If a character is well created, the comic becomes a hit."* I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Some of my favorite stories involve characters who just come alive in the mind. They make you wonder, bring you joy, sadness, and every emotion in between. Sometimes you admire them, other times you loathe them, but no matter what <em>you enjoy them.</em> You want to shake the hands of the good guys and kick the hell out of the bad guys. At least, that's how I feel about it. =) Sharseya is home to <em>a lot</em> of characters of mine. As a hyperactive human being, I come with an overactive imagination and usually plenty of energy to fuel it (All stock Dannigans do - it's there in the fine print). So, about a year ago, when Sherwood invited us to RPdom.com (now RP Nation), how could we resist? A website Sherwood has trusted for over 9 years (and provided over 15,000 posts!!) with good times that can be remembered for years on end? With like-minded people (if you're careful about whom you chat with)? Wow! Sounds great! Sign us up! <strong>But back to the characters... </strong>When I was growing up and reading comics (Marvel and DC especially), it was really easy for me to get into my interpretation of the characters. Take Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men, for example. Kitty Pryde, Ororo Munroe, Kurt Wagner, Logan, Charles Xavier and the others, my mind attached "voices" to those written words in the comic, so that I "heard" them (down to the inflections when the letterer put words in bold). Logan growled, Kurt had a rich German accent, Peter Rasputin's husky voice matched his body and approach to life. So it was when I began designing characters of my own. Characters I have had for years have all gone through changes of one sort or another. Most have grown in some way. Some have become more than what they were as a result of their life challenges. Some died. Still, their voices never really changed. When I role-play Bria, for example. I "step back" and practice two words attributed to the wonderful Sir Ian McKellan: "Actors inhabit." I let Bria "tell me" what she is going to say, what she is going to do, and so forth. I can't "act" like her or "do" her - I am only the vessel in which each character expresses themselves. I inhabit all that they are, and in turn, they tell me what to write. =) Remember this? When Otiorin, the silver-dragon-blooded half-elf, swore on his very name to help those victims of the Burning of the Wild Elves' Wood, Bria could not help her reaction. She just wanted to rush into his arms and hug him. His act of loving those who would <em>kill </em>him just for being a half-elf so moved her tender heart that she couldn't help but be moved. "If only <em>everyone </em>felt that way about their neighbors," she "tells" me. With her soft, girlish way of expression, Bria may be the most golden-hearted, sweetest character I have ever created - for she really means no harm to anyone (a fact some of you quickly noticed). =) Or how about this? When Powerpaw is having it out with Luna after a near-defeat against the Bloodland Minotaurs, Powerpaw "came to me" and "told" me flat-out - "I haz ta haz a talk wif her - <em>now</em>." It was so very important to him to express himself to Luna, to let her know how he felt. As the storyteller, I didn't know just how far his feelings went until <em>he</em> "told" <em>me! </em> I knew this: He wanted to tell her that the Wanderers needed stronger tactics for everyone's benefit. I <em>didn't</em> know that he would tell Luna that Bria was his soft spot, and that if anything happened to her as a result of Luna's leadership (or <em>anyone's</em> decision really), that they would be in for it. Whoa! That surprised me! =) So yeah. Kaerri and I missed Sharseya because I have dozens of other characters in my head for you to meet, to challenge, to teach, to learn from, to grow with, to enjoy! Some you'll love, some you'll loathe (or worse). Part of being alive on our planet Earth is the company we keep, right? Well, I have had well over a decade to make interesting company on Sharseya, I suppose. Kaerri certainly wanted to play Kitrin, and in doing so, she realized that this RPNation + Sharseya thing was a keeper, and found herself really missing one of her deepest characters, Bren. Since our table-top game is indefinitely on hold, where better to really role-play folks like Bren than here with you? But the real purpose behind my writing this is to tell you what I was thinking and feeling when I was storytelling all of this. You know. Behind the scenes. So, here we go. =) <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Chapter One: The Road of Kings</span></strong> I wanted to create just enough game for all of you to get started. Once started, you guys could go anywhere you wanted (and you still can!). But for a guy like me to get that going, I feel you need a few important ingredients: Your situation, your locale, your goals and reasons behind them. It's not enough just to roll up some good characters and let them wander around in the dark. So I fired up my energetic engines and went to work. <strong>1. You had to know where you were. </strong> Summerset is a thriving metropolis, the largest of its kind on that continent. However, it's not where the action is. That's Highwind. <strong>2. Your goal.</strong> Get to Highwind. Many great stories begin with a journey of some kind. It happens all of the time in books, movies, and even in Real Life. <strong>3. Your reasons and situation.</strong> Why go there? Here's a reason that will motivate <em>any</em> adventurer - you're out of money (I understand Cher was once asked why the Rolling Stones were <em>still</em> on tour after all these years. She replied something like, "Easy. They ran out of money."). Well, "it ain't funny when you're low on money" so I figured that empty stomachs would be <em>plenty</em> of motivation to get to Highwind, where there is no shortage of work. <strong>Now all we need are the means.</strong> Well, the Road of Kings is the most famous road in that region. People from all over have traveled that one sure highway to riches or ruin. Well, like whom? Why not a rich merchant? You know, some hustling, go-getter with big dreams of getting rich enough to retire in lavish style. Enter Bilal the Rich. Why is he rich? Well, what's the point of following some poor merchant who doesn't know what he's doing? Heck with that. Give this merchant his own entourage, his own mercenaries (who, like him, have goals of their own). Give him the biggest damn BMW of all wagons evar and an "I'm-in-charge-because-I-have-the-gold" approach to life and there we go! Bilal wasn't really a bad guy (though he was obviously far from good). He fully intended (or so he "told" me) that he wanted nothing more than to get to Highwind and impress that young new king and queen! By golly, he wanted to see if he had what it took to get the Wildegard family on his happy list! And at that point, I had to hand it to Bilal - he was full of passion for what he loved to do. Unfortunately, he was also full of <em>greed </em>(and full of something else - Hardy har har). =) <strong>Indeed, the Wayfaring Wanderers and Bilal the Rich </strong><strong><em>might </em></strong><strong>have even hit it off in time except for </strong><strong><em>two</em></strong><strong> things:</strong> Bilal had Powerpaw as a prisoner and you guys had a <em>half-elf</em> in the party! Holy Wowzercows! A half-elf in the menagerie?! Bilal felt that was just a fortune waiting to be made. Bilal was smart enough to know a "twin-blood" when he saw one and after that, you could forget about any good intentions. One look and he wanted Otiorin in chains. And if that meant the rest of you were screwed, well, he could make that happen too. This is probably a good time to bring up Bria of the Ko and Powerpaw. We're going to talk a little meta-game here. As your storyteller, <em>I want you to play what you want (within reason).</em> I just don't feel comfortable forcing folks to play certain roles. It happens every game: "Hey! We have a cleric yet?" "Who's going to be the wizard?" "Aw, dang. I guess I'm stuck playing another fighter..." Screw that! <em>Your characters are just as important to you as mine are to me. </em> So, in MMORPG terms, there is this thing they call the "Holy Trinity." Tank + Healer + DPS = well-balanced party (that is, unless you're playing Guild Wars 2! Hooray!). A similar set-up happens in D&D games. Cleric + Fighter + Rogue + Wizard = well-balanced party. And I can understand the logic behind it. Who wants to blow the hell out of a lot of bad guys, just to get to the treasure chest (<em>not</em> a mimic this time! I swearz!), and no one in the party can pick the darned lock? Well, I'm not that kind of storyteller. Play <em>who </em>you want. If you like, allow me to provide the Tank and Healer and you guys can play all of the DPS you want (or whatever role). <strong>So, enter Powerpaw and Bria, your tank (or DPS) and healer.</strong> If you wanted them in the party, they joined. If you didn't, then they're gone (to follow their own goals, which they do should you part company). I wanted a story for them, too; a reason to be there. Well, how about Powerpaw is in a pickle and Bria is there to help get him out of it? They are teammates in our table-top game. Would Bria, even by herself, try to find and free Powerpaw, a fellow who "haz" no friends out here besides her? Definitely! So, Bria hoped to join a party (<em>any</em> party) just to get Powerpaw back. Good thing yours spoke up first (<em>yes,</em> those other two parties "voiced" their disappointments when they lost out). So, back to Bilal and the Wanderers. He attempts to "divide and conquer" the Wanderers, and his plan worked brilliantly! <em>Another</em> surprise for this storyteller! While each of you were walking your characters straight into his trap, I remember thinking, "Oh, crap. They're falling right for it. They don't even seem to suspect!" And while my heart goes out to you, my sense of fairness does not allow me to warn you. I know full well Bilal means to capture, not kill you (well, not immediately, anyway). Still, I <em>cannot</em> just throw a rope to you guys (<em>especially </em>in a new game with players I have not yet run with before - for one thing, it sets a bad first impression). Besides, that's not how things work in Sharseya. What you earn in Sharseya, you've <em>earned.</em> I didn't just hand it to you because I like you ; one way or another, you came by it honestly (and I can say that because I'm not really into playing evil-aligned campaigns. It's bad enough when those assholes are in my head when they're plotting and fighting you - to role-play evil for months? I don't think I would have fun). <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Chapter Two: Bilal's Menagerie</span></strong> <strong>So, Bilal the Rich, on his first try, bags every last one of you.</strong> I can't believe it! Captain Hesperus, I recall, put up a post in the Adventurers' Table that spoke quite true to the situation and all I could do was nod along while I read it. He loots you, binds you, and wonders what to do with the rest of you. At this point, I'm thinking, "Ol' true-hearted Killfire and Wonderful Wolf are brand-new to my game and <em>this</em> happens... What if they get killed?" It could definitely happen. That's when I fall back on my experience as a storyteller. I've been doing this since I was 13. It's what brought Sherwood, Killfire, and I together in Real Life all those years ago. I found the solution to this problem while remembering an article in <em>Dragon</em> magazine (I don't recall which issue or article; just the advice). It goes like this: A good GM lets players kill themselves. Sometimes they fall to bad die rolls, or worse still, bad decisions. But they can learn from those, even if the cost is rolling up someone new. Was I ready to help you all roll a whole new party if Bilal won? Yes, I'm afraid so. I think only Otiorin and Powerpaw would have "lived" (and that's unless Bilal figured out who Bria really was - A <em>healer</em> of the Ko monks is just about as rare as a, well, silver-dragon-blooded half-elf?). <strong>And then it was Bilal's turn to screw up.</strong> No, he didn't mess up because I wanted an "out" for the players; he did this because he "told" me he wanted to play around with his newest addition to the menagerie - Powerpaw ("The Beast"). He had fed the creature two hobbits; how much more could he eat? Let's throw them all in there and find out! What a show that would make if it worked out right! Where else would the high and mighty see something like this? Only at Bilal's Menagerie! Spread the word, all you kingdoms! Little did he know that Powerpaw had <em>not </em>eaten the hobbits (which, at that point, were just a pair of hobbits. I didn't know who they were yet). And Powerpaw would not eat Bria if she were the last "piece of nom" on Sharseya. So yes. He throws you in the prison wagon and I'm thinking, "You ignorant idiot! You just reunited a party with their large-sized, face-nomming, would-be buddy!" But he had no way of knowing that. What works against the players works against the bad guys too. <strong>Then Stewart had his change of heart to aid you. </strong> That really made me wonder. Bilal the Rich could afford anyone who was willing to work under him. So, why Stewart? Well, I'll keep some of those reasons on this side of the screen until you discover them (if you want to). Stewart's reaction to your capture was rather unexpected. One day at work, I'm thinking of Sharseya and he "says" to me, "I have had quite enough of Bilal the Rich. His road and mine <em>must </em>diverge." And I thought, "Well... brother, aren't <em>you</em> the master of good timing? They could sure use your help. But you realize what this means?" "Yes," Stewart seemed to say. "If I fail, or even if I succeed, I might wind up the next figure bound up as dinner, this time, probably for the hydra." "And you're O.K. with that?" A pause. "Yes. A man must live and die guided by his heart and Bilal has proven to me that he has none." Next thing I know, he's grabbing all of your gear on a <em>Floating Disc</em> spell and sneaking it to you while gnolls and mercenaries are howling and hacking all around him. He told me that if he had to run and leave all of it, he would have kept Sparkle with him, no matter what. About that time, I thought, "I think Stewart is becoming a real character here..." Yet another surprise. As were the hobbits becoming more than just hobbits - I decided they were Bonny and Whittle Meadowsweet. They seem to add a welcome flavor to our game and I am glad you rescued them. =) I think it is safe to say that the longer player-characters hang out with non-player characters, the more development both seem to get. The "secret" is in the interaction. Questions come up. Answers follow. From those answers, come more-fully developed characters. For example, Stewart is about to open the door to your prison wagon when lo and behold, you've found your own way out! He gets immediately tackled and now what? Do the Wanderers kill him? Feed <em>him </em>to Powerpaw? Parley? These are the ingredients that lead to a full-flavored role-playing game. =) <strong>Once free and geared up, the Wanderers were (understandably) eager for some payback. </strong>The chaotic mess that awaited you outside was <em>not</em> my ideal choice for your first battle in Sharseya. There was waaay too much going on out there. However, major battle or not, I was grateful that this was my world to make happen. I could mold the chaos as I pleased. So... I did what seemed practical and divided it all into "bite-size" chunks, and hoped none of you you wouldn't bite off any more than you could chew. =) Gnolls, by themselves or even in trios, are no match for a single 6th-level character. But<em> two combined hordes</em> of the greedy, cowardly suckers? That could mean serious trouble for any 6th-level party. For one thing, the gnolls knew what they were doing; the Grand Caravan was <em>ambushed </em>after all - not something even the gnolls do without thinking ahead. The gnolls ambush was precisely planned. <strong>I'm not certain how it would have went if the Wanderers had not intervened. </strong> Grimdell's Guardians numbered 40 fighters among their ranks (with an edge in gear and skill), and Bilal himself had entered the fray with his hydra, his (escaping) umber hulk, and his frost giant (who, unfortunately for the giant, was a little too dazed and confused from his own circumstances to be much trouble unless he was attacked). But they were up against about twice that many gnoll fighter-types along with a little over a dozen gnoll shamans who were acting from the cover of the woods. That's around 100 gnolls! Again, not my ideal first fight, especially for the two of you who had never played Pathfinder or D&D 3.5. <strong>But it all worked out pretty well. </strong> You came together as a team, learned about each other, learned about yourselves, and survived one of the numerically biggest battles I had ever put together (the largest being about three times those numbers, and <em>boy</em>, was that fun!). But the ambush, for all that it was, had a purpose. You may recall that the gnolls were <em>not </em>trying to wipe you out (let me guess, "They could have fooled me!"?) - they were performing what strategists call a holding action. This means they wanted Bilal's Menagerie <em>right where they were.</em> And, despite the gnolls' losses, they succeeded in that. If you haven't already, ask yourself: Just where did the cosmic ball of fire from the sky land? Now, how could the gnolls have known that? Well, they brought shamans (clerics) and they had a certain frighteningly-evil, blood-lusting deity as you might recall (Erythnul, God of Slaughter). Divine leaders can seem like an all-knowing bunch when they put their minds to it. Unfortunately for their foes, it is all to the betterment of whatever agenda their god has, and if you're in the way of that agenda, you're just another infidel. And one way or another, the gnolls would have their god's will be done. <strong>Back to the falling rock of fire. So, a feeling takes hold of your characters ("Run!"). </strong>This... I'm afraid... is your storyteller <em>not </em>wanting your whole team to get wiped out by something you have <em>absolutely </em>no control over - a cosmic event. I really don't make a habit out of doing this. Plus (so my Real Life experiences shouted), I have had many instances in my own life when that Feeling In My Gut says, "Do it!!" And if I do it, things work out for the better! If I do anything else but follow that feeling, I pay for it (I have a lifelong scar on my body to prove it - no, it's small, but every time I see it, I remember to listen to my gut). So... if, by some insanity, one (or more) of you would have said, "Hell, no! I'm staying!" then you would have gotten a response from me that my long-time players have learned to <em>dread.</em> Here is that saying: "<strong><em>Your character is in mortal danger."</em></strong><strong> </strong> Since you have read this far, you have likely garnered that I'm not a player-killer. But I'm not the opposite, either (you have your character jump off a high cliff, expect to roll a new character or ask for a rez; I am <em>not </em>saving you just because we're friends - that is not good storytelling). That very important saying means this: Your storyteller believes your character to be in a situation where his or her life is about to <em>end</em>. It's me acting as that Feeling In Your Character's Gut. You would have gotten the same saying if, say, one of you had totally lost your marbles and tried to attack Koshianth, the Elder Silver Dragon (her mate and she are widely known among non-dragons as "Holocaust" and "Aftermath" for <em>good </em>reason - just ask the Kuo Toa or the Sahuagin - oh, wait. <em>They brought both races to extinction!). </em> Koshianth, if pressed, would have killed any or all of you had it gone that way (as long as it was in-character for her). As it so happened, you had a silver-dragon-blooded party member which changed things for the better <em>and </em>added some <em>terrific</em> roleplaying! But to rewind a little, from when the cosmic ore fell from the sky, you guys wrote some absolutely <em>wonderful</em> lines. This is what I call fun: Kaerri sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Hey, Bria, it's some kind of really big thing on fire - lots of fire! - heading down, with smoke trailing behind...uh-oh!" On her wagon-roof perch, Kitrin grabs secure holds with both hands and finds a crevice or two to wedge her feet into. Once more her hobbity voice rises high to be heard by all her friends: "Hang on, it's going to hit the ground back there - any moment now!"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Killfire sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Brace for Impact!" Gives the hobbits a hug using himself as a living seat-belt.
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Wolf Rawrrr sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
"Erythnul." Wolf says in a half whisper, then speaks louder: "God of Slaughter, a bloody deity that exists solely to bring death to the world. I remember now." When the young ranger looks at Dina, his face is marred by worry and dread, but there is also contempt and quiet wrath. "The druids seldom speak of him, and even then rarely ever utter his name, but I was present in their number at one such occasion. It was years back, before I met you and the others." He shifts his gaze back at the battlefield, mere moments before impact. "This is bad, Luna. Really bad. You've done well to marshal us out of that place. For what is about to unfold there... is death incarnate."
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Sherwood sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Luna stared up into the sky as the majestic form beat its wings, her jaw hanging open. Finally, she is able to find her voice, "Oh, my stars and garters! A silver dragon! Whatever you do, <em>don't attack it!</em> I suspect that it would wipe us out in a heartbeat if we make it mad! But, how? Where? Was it trapped in this fallen star? Who could do such a thing to a elder dragon? Sparkle, can you tell if we are in any danger from your giant cousin up there?"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Captain Hesperus sez,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Otiorin's eyes narrowed in a barely contained instinctual hate and fury. His lips rolled back to expose his pearly-white teeth as he growled deep within his throat. His claws were full-grown now, glistening in the light of the fires that flickered around him. If he's had wings, they would have been fully extended, flared out in a territorial display. If he'd had a tail, it would have been aggressively lashing the ground like a drumstick against a skin. Within the rational, Half-Elf part of his mind, this behaviour was ridiculous and futile. If the draconic part of his brain....<em>shut the fuck up and get ready to subjugate this trespassing bitch!!!!!</em>
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
To which Koshianth could only reply,
</p>
<blockquote class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote="">
<div class="ipsQuote_citation">
Quote
</div>
<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
<p>
Koshainth's eye returns to Otiorin along with a soft smile. Then, unable to resist, she bursts into gushing again. "<em>Before I take you home and snuggle you all up, you cute widdle half-baby yooooooou!</em> And just look at those shiny eyes! Don't you look fierce? Oh, do your feets have little clawsies too? Mommy wants to see!"
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
Fantastic! Utterly wonderful! Ha ha! How could I <em>not</em> award bonus RP points for scenes like that? You guys did great! =) And while that last quote comes from the next chapter, I will draw this to a close (perhaps to continue if there is interest?). In the meantime, what we have here brings me a tremendous amount of joy. Thanks for being part of it! Kaerri and I are happier people now that we've been playing in Sharseya again; happier still to enjoy it all with you! Honor and fun, Dannigan * <strong>Lone Wolf and Cub vol 1 - The Assassin's Road</strong> (page 299 in the small paperback version by Dark Horse).
</p>
Last edited by a moderator:
Looking at the wagon now, I insist that it be called the Wanderers Wagon and not simply Adventurers (which is kinda generic to be honest). Aye? *rawrrr*