Please read the below in its entirety.

Considerations for Play
This is a multiplayer game that requires slightly more involvement then a traditional quest. Each player may choose to play as a character or remain as a observer. Players without characters may still vote when prompted, but may not participate in individual character choices or rolls, which are reserved for those who decide to take on this extra responsibility and level of engagement.

Because of the anonymous, low-commitment, and temporal nature of this website- I would like to take this opportunity to personally and sincerely ask anyone who wants to sign up as a character to please make a best good-faith effort to be able to post or roll once a day. Those with unreliably schedules or roaming IP addresses, making keeping a consistent thread ID impossible, I would ask to consider not to join the game at a character level OR to use a tripcode. However, engagement with the thread as a voter, commentator, or observer is totally fine even with those who cannot fit this criteria. Those who do not post for >3 days in a row will likely have their characters become open and available for anyone else to take ownership of.

With the plea made- I would now like to ask for your consideration towards me. This is an experimental game and things may need to be changed, adjusted, or retconn'd on the fly in order to keep the best and most satisfactory experience in mind.

On Roleplay & Write-Ins
Roleplaying and individual actions will generally be allowed as long as they do not dominate the thread. You'll know it when you see it. Please be considerate of others and as to not bloat the thread length too early. All posts containing votes should be clear >greentext and replying to the prompting post OR adding a +1 support to a write-in vote. This is to avoid clutter and make updates faster and easier to parse.

Thank you for reading.

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Among the camps many new faces, four main races can be seen.

The first are the Humans. While not extraordinary in any way; they are well balanced, diplomatic, and common among the many races. Humans are adaptable and can use any equipment, and are the most persuasive of party members- though you find it unlikely any living soul still remains on that island.

The second are the Dwarves. These short yet stout master craftsmen of the mountains are strong and hardy- though not exactly known for a good sense of humor. Dwarves can take an additional wound before death. While Dwarves cannot use magic, and as such cannot be Sages, a Dwarf may choose to play as a Runesmith instead of a traditional Sage.

The third are the Elves. Tall, slender, immortal beings of the fae- this race of people has a vested interest in exploring the Island of the Pines. The King of the Woad was once their King after all, the greatest of all Elvish Kings. Elves are extremely skilled in magic and treat the Chorus of a magic roll as one higher and get a bonus with a Bow.

Fourth and finally are the Snouts. This unusual race of dog-men are known to be very loyal- though a little strange in mannerism, and have a penchant for telling the future. Snouts treat their class die as a d8 no matter what class they play, and are known to have magic tongues. During downtime, a Snout can lick a fellow party member to see what's up with them- and can give that party member a hunch roll to be used in the future.

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Beyond the lay people, followers, merchants, and cooks- The people in the camp represent a wide range of skills and specializations. Those who wish to join the party on the last leg of their journey will need to demonstrate some kind of set of skills. These are your classes-

Fighters are warriors and guards who practice strength and physical conditioning. They are the most powerful in combat. Their class die is d10. Whenever a Fighter kills something, any leftover damage points are added to the next roll, if it is an attack.

Rogues are skilled experts in stealth, subterfuge, and avoiding danger. Many spend time skulking around ruins and trapped corridors- making them invaluable for this journey. Their class die is a d8. Rogues get to roll an extra die whenever performing a Hazard or Skill roll.

Sages are wise, learned healers and experts in ancient lore. They are the most skilled in magic and at protecting the party from supernatural threats. Their class die is a d6. Sages can raise the Chorus of a magic roll and can totally nullify an enemy attack or defense when they roll a natural 1.

Dwarves were deprived by creation and cannot perform magic. However, the dwarvish people have learned a workaround by mastering the art of complex lettering and inscribing magic into a magical rune, which is then placed on an object to change its properties. Runesmiths are a Dwarf who practices this art. While they prefer to work with harder materials, like stone and metal, they can inscribe their runes on cloth or wood as well. While less useful in combat and unable to protect a party from supernatural threats- the Runesmith is a useful support class who can augment the party's equipment.

To create a character, or to play a returning character, fill out the form below.

>Name:
>Race:
>Class & Dice:
>One interesting thing:

>>5690179
Here it begins again...I don't plan on dying right now.
>Name:
Scrim Yellowfrand
>Race: Gnome
>Class & Dice: Rogue, D6
>One interesting thing: Used to hate the color yellow. Now just generally in a sour mood

>>5690179
>Name: Grimbold Chainbraid
>Race: Dwarf
>Class and Dice: Fighter, d10 + 1
>One interesting thing: Grimbold's braids are held together with chains- each link is inscribed the names of his patrilineal anestors.

Great to see ya back, Bananas!

>>5690177
>Name: Pineneedle
>Race: Snout
>Class & Dice: Sage, D8
>One interesting thing: Believes in and enthuses about homeopathy and the body's natural healing powers to a degree where even other eccentric and mystical dogpeople find her weird

>>5690179
>Name: Tordynnar
>Race: Elf
>Class & Dice: Sage, d6
>One interesting thing: Is technically an unlicensed Sage. He was well established by the time the humans came around and set up the licensing system, and everyone just assumed he had one.

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>>5690179
"New friendss and old, welcome to the crusssade!"
>Name: Squire
>Race: Kobold
>Class & Dice: Fighter, d10
>One interesting thing: A little lisping lizard raised by a Knight who has been called away to a crusade. Was left with his mentors, chainmail and poleaxe and now embarks with the party on a crusade of their own.

>Still has a the Lvl 2 bonus of +1 to attack and his damage blocking shield?

>>5690179
>Name: Alfred Von Bassel
>Race: Human
>Class & Dice: Fighter, 1d10
>One interesting thing: A disgraced noble seeking fame and fortune as a Crown Crusader.

>>5690179
Oh shit we back?
>Name: Twink
>Race: Elf
>Class & Dice: Fighter, D10
>One interesting thing: Twink is not his actual name. Wants adventure but doesn't like stealing or studying.

>>5690179
>Name: Pietro Pio
>Race: Human
>Class and Dice: Rogue, d8
>One interesting thing: Though this was a regular crusade and enlisted as a "scout"

>>5690177

>Name: Benjamin Bones
>Race: Human (Skeleton)
>Class & Dice: Bard?/Auto-3
>One interesting thing: Benjamin is an animated skeleton generated by the negative energies flowing through the town of Gravestone 'releasing' this energy, this single charming fellow's reanimation working as a safety release valve that keeps the town safe from more nefarious undead beings arising.

>>5690386
Hello again! My, and I didn't think we'd get another shot at this. Good to see you back, my green friend!

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Wiggles had wizarding duties to attend during these warmer months, and could not aide in this adventure, lest like Gandalf they appear and disappear unpredictably.

>>5690575
We will look to the East when we need him most.

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We'll keep this prompt open for a while- while I wasn't expecting the full original party to return, I'd like a larger amount. I'll also open any new players who want to play those from the original party to keep a higher amount of continuity between the two games.

>>5690179
>Talon
>Human
>Rogue
>Rogue (d8)
>One interesting thing :
Talon was a blade for hire. A night skulker, knowing how to strike true. Strike to kill, be it with blade or bow
>I've done things

>>5691503
>I've done things I'm not proud of...

>>5690386
Yeah, same question - Is Talon still an Experienced Rogue?

Yes, all returning characters will keep the Experienced status.

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The camp, a peaceful place far enough away from the dangerous War-Machine and Orc bands which prowl the inner-walls of the once-great Elven Empire, has been the resting place and a place to practice, train, and prepare for the final stop on the journey. The past few weeks, the adventurers have had time to heal their old injuries and wounds, as well as find spiritual and magical succor in bucking off any curses that may have affected them. Everyone in the party is fully healed and restored.

>>5690207
>>5690213
>>5690335
>>5690386
>>5690396
>>5691503
The Crown Crusaders isn't exactly an old group- but those who first campaigned for the Crown and the meet with the Wizard have gained quite a bit of experience. Returning characters gain a bonus based on their class, as well as any special items or powers they received. The bonuses below only apply to returning characters.

Fighters gain an extra +1 to combat rolls, and become tougher, letting them take an extra injury before death.

Rogues get to roll an extra bonus dice when rolling multiple dice for Skill and Hazard rolls.

Sages now nullify an enemy attack/defense on a roll of 1 OR 2, increase the Chorus of a magical foe or spell by one on a roll of 1 OR 2, and increase their healing range by one, meaning they now heal on a roll of 6, 7, or 8.

>>5690223
Pineneedle is an adventurer, a Sage, and a dog, but perhaps her most important secondary quality is the fact that she is a woman. While female adventurers aren't exactly unheard of, they are much rarer then their male counterparts- and Sages especially aren't known for training in the martial arts. She may be safe around her fellow Crusaders, but for both traveling on the road and when exploring dangerous places she can't always rely on others for protection. What weapon does she carry with her to help defend herself?

Within the adventuring party's camp- supplies from the newcomers, camp followers looking for a cut of the sweet treasure, and of course a few traveling merchants following a lead from the mysterious masked men living at Mistfall have given the Crown Crusaders newfound access to useful and valuable equipment. You've had some time to collect and trade for some valuable items; and you will need them. Once you get to the Island, you won't be able to come back to resupply, so you'll need to be well prepared. Your pride won't allow you to leave that dark place empty handed- so onwards you must go!

As a quick note; everyone in the party already has all the basic equipment they need to fulfill their class functions and abilities. For example; Fighters already have armor and a basic weapon, like a sword or spear. Rogues carry lockpicks and rope. Sages already carry magical implements. These are considered “bundled” with your class dice. Everyone also has access to basic tools, like clothes, sacks, rations, torches, and so on. However, the items below grant additional bonuses or limited-use abilities to further let your customize your character or help out your team. You may pick items to give them to other party members, as long as they aren't restricted from using the item. You may also pick the same item multiple times, if you really want.

Weapons & Tools
>Woodcutting Axe- Let's your spend an action in combat Splintering a shield, destroying it. You can also use this to break down barricades, chop down trees, etc. Counts as a “back up” weapon. Elves refuse to use this.
>Shovel- Let's you dig. Counts as a “back up” weapon.
>Javelin- When a combat encounter begins, you can post “THROW JAVELIN!” to deal a bonus 4 damage to any enemy you choose. This does not consume your action. The damage decreases by 1 for each real-world hour that passes since the update was posted. Fighters deal 7 damage with this instead. Each character can only use one Javelin per combat, and you can only use it again if its possible to retrieve the Javelin. Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, & Kobolds can't use this.
>Bow- Lets you Shoot in combat, dealing a fixed damage amount instead of making an attack roll- this can ignore Blockers. Deals 2 damage. If you are a Rogue, increase this by +2. If you are an Elf, increase this by +2. Gnomes, Dwarves, and Kobolds can't use this.
>Throwing Knives- Whenever you use the Breathe action in combat, choose one enemy. You deal one damage to that enemy. Only Rogues can use this.
>Lantern- Provides light. Won't go out if dropped or doused with water.
>Climbing Stakes- After you make a successful Climbing Roll (Hazard); everyone who rolls after you gets to roll an extra die if they follow you up.
>Paper Talisman- Can be used to automatically apply one Seal. Burns up after use.

Armor & Protection
>Helmet- Protects you from being injured in an Ambush. Snouts, Gnomes, and Brombles can't wear these.
>Buckler- Whenever you Evade an enemy Light Attack, you do not need to add the Attack's bonus to your Hazard roll.
>Really Good Shoes- Whenever you make a Hazard roll against a trap, you do not need to add its difficulty to your Hazard roll. Very expensive- requires both item picks to buy this.
>Staff- While carrying the staff, you are immune to Torment and Disruption. Counts as a “back up” weapon. Gnomes & Dwarves can't use this.
>Worrystone- Decreases the chance to be ambushed whenever you make camp by 5%. Stacks, but only one per person.
>Salt- Sprinkle this on a cursed person to protect them from their curse for one roll or action. You can throw some on a ghost to automatically Rebuke them. Three uses. You could also dump out the whole bag to protect an area so ghosts can't enter it.
>Square Rings- Two square rings that are really uncomfortable to wear for anyone but Dwarves. Humans can wear these too, they just don't like them. After rolling a 4, you can choose to make your next roll a 4 before it is rolled.
>Armored Codpiece- Protects you against one very specific horrible monster. Pineneedle doesn't have to worry about this one.

Comestible – Note: All have one use only
>Bucket of Offal- Snouts can eat this to heal one injury during downtime. You can also dump this on the ground to automatically let the party escape an encounter with carnivorous animals.
>Healing Ointments- Increases the Range of your healing rolls by one. Is expended only when it makes the difference.
>Potent Salts- Snort this and make your next roll use size d4. Grants Sleep immunity for the rest of the “day”.
>Copper Flask- Metallic tasting water. Drink this, and make your next roll use size d12. Grants Fire Resistance for the rest of the “day”.
>Lucky Rabbit's Foot- White rabbit foot. After rolling, you can change the the result of one of your dice rolled by one or two in either direction (positive or negative). After that, the paw turns black and is no longer lucky.

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Limited – Note: Only ONE party member may choose any item listed here as a pick.
>Stormjar- The magic-merchant may have exaggerated. The jar contains a strong wind which is unleashed when it is opened- can blow away a cloud of fog or a swarm of flying creatures as big as birds. One use.
>Color Filters (Lantern Upgrade)- Very thin pieces of dyed fabric that can be slipped into the lantern's port to give off colored light; or to dim its light without extinguishing it completely.
>Witch-Knot- Knot made of twine wrapped around one finger. If you pull the knot apart, your next skill roll counts as though you got a pair (success). If you roll a normal success along with this, it will count as two successes, and so on.
>Marbles- Children love these. If you dump them out on a smooth floor, becomes a tripping hazard and may let the party escape a combat encounter.

You may choose TWO items on the list.

Hmmm...shoes, or buckler + throwing dagger?

I suppose i could also pick the Witch-Knot, but as a rogue i dont really need it because i can do a skill roll normally.

>>5691705
>Lantern
>Color Filters
Twink buys a sturdy lantern with pretty colors! Whether this will serve any purpose remains to be seen.

>>5691700
Are the really good shoes at least cool-lookin'?

>>5691697
Pineneedle carries the needle-topped shillelagh of her faith, and also the power of positive thinking.

It counts as a...
>>5691700
>Staff

She also has
>Healing Ointments
>Paper Talisman

>>5691698
Grimbold has:
>Helmet

Grimbold acquires:
>Woodcutting Axe
>Shovel

"Any dwarf worth his stone carries tools!"

>>5691722
>>5691739
Wait, why are you picking three? Isn't it just two?

>>5691741
I thought the prompt about the weapon was giving her an extra item. If not, I'll leave the ointments. :) After all, the body's capacity to heal with positive thoughts and carefully-attuned humming is really quite remarkable. It's all about vibrations.

>>5691697
>Shovel - Lets you dig. Counts as a “back up” weapon.
When one's home back in Gravestone is a grave, a shovel is a front door key!

>Marbles - Children love these. If you dump them out on a smooth floor, becomes a tripping hazard and may let the party escape a combat encounter.
In Gravestone, the little ones always got presents when I came around with my dance and my songs! Marbles, I've used and played with and gifted before... perhaps I've had these the whole journey?
...Might explain why I've been tripping over myself so much!

>Also: Musical Instrument?
Perhaps there is some musical means I might find and procure in the camp, so that I might play along with my songs and dances? The 'rib-cage-Xylophone' is portable, but not terribly melodic!

>>5691714
you should take the knot, we've had skill checks that required multiple successes before and you are really the best for it.

>>5691754
True, but then i wouldn't get ze fancy shoes, and hazard roll help would be great.

>>5691741
Grimbold already has a Helmet from last thread.

>>5691705
>Staff
>Armored Codpiece
A lot of these items seem very suspiciously specific in using them. For me the staff seems like the most obviously useful item that I could probably use more than once. For the second I guess I'll just pick a random threat I don't want to get gimped by. Nice that we get to pick items though.

>>5691705
Does Squire keep his shield from last thread? And if so, does it count against his two items and does it prevent damage once per combat as before or is it a buckler now?

>>5691698
Alfred shall take a helmet and a javelin!

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>>5691698
>Bow
>Throwing Knives

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>>5691714
>>5691721
Of course.

>>5691722
You only get two items. Your choice of "weapon" was included in your class die, and is essentially cosmetic.

>>5691862
Yes and it says so here >>5691697

>>5691705
We'll give some more time so everyone can pick. 24 hours from this post, the next update will be posted and I'll just pick two random fitting items for anyone who didn't pick anything.

>>5691698
Getting ready to shank a trap
>Throwing Knives
>Really Good Shoes

>>5692068
Shoes take two choices, anon.

>>5692068
Actual gear:
>Throwing Knives
>Lucky Rabbit's Foot

>>5691967
"Yellow...just my lucke! Well, it's a good shoe.."
>>5691705
Taking
>Really Good Shoes

Shame i can't grab a buckler. I reckon it'd pair up quite nicely and look pretty snazzy on a gnome.

>>5692150
Silly me, i forgot the identification

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>>5691705
>Salt
>Lucky Rabbit's Foot.

Squire's friend Wiggles couldn't join the crusaders on the rest of their journey but he did leave gifts in parting.
Whether they were meant to keep him safe or just the remains of Wiggle's dinner, Squire couldn't tell but he stowed the rabbit's foot and salt pouch with gratitude either way.

Okay, looks like that is everyone. Thanks for working out the rules amongst yourselves. Don't have time to update at the minute but I'll get on it as soon as I can.

Still hoping a BASED Bromble bro swoops in to join at the last second...

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>>5691135
So, correct me if I'm wrong, out of the original party the characters we're currently missing (And who could potentially be claimed by anons who don't want to make their own) are:

>Bluemane - Dark Bromble Warrior
>Myron - Blonde Bromble Warrior
>Skyhoof - Tan Bromble Sage
>William - Armoured Human Fighter
>Urist McVagúsh - Dwarf Warrior
>Doctor Crime Jr - Gnome Rogue

And that's not including Lad and Gideon Goodfellow, who died in the course of the last journey; and Wiggles, who's just called magic shenanigans/time constraints for the moment.

>>5692426
Well, Bluemane and Junior flaked like halfway through last thread but the others might come back. I'm not holding my breath tho.

Working on the update now. Thank you for waiting.

>>5692426
MYRON IS HERE!

>>5693024
Good to see a Bromble return, even a late one!

..Now hurry up and pick some items (>>5691698) before we move onward!

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Along with all their chosen equipment, the party makes final preparations. Tents, rations, plenty of bandages, good shoes, some firewood- there are tales of the trees on the island not taking too kindly to being used for campfires...

Your party arranges itself into smaller groups to cross the lake- the Brombles taking a boat for their own heavy bodies, and a good mix of stronger party members to help row dived up among the boats. All of the original members of the Crusaders, along with some new faces, finally set off and begin the final leg of their journey. During the peaceful boat trip, you go back over what you have learned and remember- and the Sages regale you with some tales.

Once, the King of the Woad ruled the land as a great Elf-King. One day, his rule ended, and the Island where his palace and fortress lay, within a sacred and secret grove, was abandoned. The great wizard Arabamnon had a vision and revealed the location of his crown, the Star Crown, and the object of your quest. Along with this, he gave you two clues. The first was that you would need a blessing from an ancient Elk-Spirit in order to find the grove, and the hall of the King himself was somehow magically barred so only those who were invited can enter.

While it is obvious then that the Island of the Pines has a great Elk-Spirit living on it. A powerful nature spirit that would probably best be approached by an Elf or a being of pure heart to receive a blessing. However, being “invited” to the great hall sounds a little more difficult, given the fact the King is dead. This would seem to make your quest impossible; but your Sages begin talking and debating over the meaning of this magic. Considering the great Elf-King probably didn't personally invite every single person into his hall himself; then it stands to reason there must be some sort of status or way to become a welcomed or honor guest. You will need to scour the island to accomplish both of these tasks before you can reach the Hall and finally claim the Star-Crown for yourselves!

The water is a little choppy. You hear your small dingy hit something beneath the waves- a rock? That would be bad if there were hidden things under the water in this lake- especially considering you're only halfway across to the island!

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Suddenly, there is a loud creak and crunch of wood. Something is biting into the boat!

“Woah! Something's in the water!”

Instantly, the thought of a giant lake monster swallowing your boat whole fills your party with terror, and a shriek goes up in panic, but the splashing in the water leads you to realize what is actually happening. There is a great number of creatures attacking your boats. Good thing you didn't try to swim across...

“Argh, damn! They're biting holes in the boat!”
“We're taking on water!”

>>5691739
>>5691758
Grimbold Chainbraid happens to see some teeth pop through the side of the boat near where he is sitting, ripping greedily into the hard wood, and then pulling it free- water beginning to rush into the hole. Nobody had thought to ask him yet; but perhaps they could tell based on his reaction to these events. Are Dwarves any good at swimming?

Combat Rules & Actions
Combat rules have changed slightly since the first thread. Please read this section carefully.

Attack
In order to Attack an enemy, you must specify your target and roll your class die. Your roll result is the amount of damage you deal to the creatures hit points. If a creature reaches zero hit points, it is defeated. If the enemy is defeated by a Fighter, then any left over damage the attack would deal is rolled over to the next Attack roll done by any party member The amount of damage you deal is subtracted by the enemy's defense. If the enemy's defense is equal to or higher then your die roll, you receive an injury.

Evade
Enemy's also get to attack. Every time a player performs an action, this counts as a round or turn. Whenever an enemy Moves, they attack the player/character who acted on that round. In this combat, the Rompers will attack the 4th character to act, and then whoever acts 8th, and so on until the combat is resolved. If you are attacked, you receive an injury. You can avoid this by using the Evade action on the same round an enemy is attacking. Evading an enemy attack means rolling your class die and trying not to roll the maximum value your die can roll, while adding the enemy's Attack value or bonus to this roll- this is considered a Hazard roll, and Rogues get to add a bonus die to this roll, only being harmed if the total value is over the maximum value that all their dice could possibly roll all together.

If an enemy has multiple attacks, then they attack multiple rounds in a row, in sequential order. In this combat, the Alpha Romper will first tail slap (+1) and then bite (+2) when it moves. So on turn 6 it will tail slap, then on turn 7 it will bite. These attacks or moves count as continuing the turn timer meaning there are only 5 rounds between the Alpha Rompers second attack (round 7) and its next attack (round 12).

Some enemies are assigned as Groups. This is a group of identical foes. Whenever the group “moves”, all of their attacks and moves are combined. For example, if 6 enemies attack you with a +1 attack, then your evasion roll would have a +6 penalty, making them quite dangerous if you don't weaken the swarm by thinning their numbers.

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Weaken
Some enemies may be too difficult or dangerous to attack or defend against on your own. In these cases, party members can attempt to intimidate, distract, and hex the enemy with magic. In order to do this, you must specify an enemy and an Attack or Defense you are targeting, then roll your class die. If you roll lower then the specified Attack or Defense number, it is reduced to your roll's result for the next round.

For example, if you roll against an enemy with a defense of 4 and you roll a 2, that enemy's defense is now 2 for the next round. Another party member can now attack and deal more damage.

If a Sage weakens an enemy and rolls a 1, then that attack or defense is considered nullified instead. What this means is the Attack/Defense counts as 0 for the next round and all secondary effects tied to them are also nullified for that round. This means if an attack is nullified, no Hazard roll is necessary, and you can act on that enemy's move without being harmed.

Breathe
Party members may only perform one combat action. Once you Attack, Evade, or Weaken- you are spent and out of stamina. The only way to recover is to use the Breathe action. The Breathe action is a special action which is essentially a “pass turn”. The Breathe action also advances the turn timer and counts as a round. If you have expended your action in combat, then you can Breathe to gain it back. You cannot store up extra actions by breathing when you are already primed and ready to act.

Party member who enter combat Exhausted will be unable to act until they Breathe first.

For example; if you wanted to attack an enemy twice and didn't want to wait for any other players to act- the turn order would be;
>1st round you Attack. Your action is now expended.
>2nd round you Breathe.
>3rd round you Attack again. You are now spent again, and will need to breathe again to make another action in this combat.

The purpose of the Breathe action is to prevent stalemates and allow smaller numbers of party members to combat larger amount of monsters. Be warned, you are totally vulnerable when using the Breathe action, and are giving the enemy more time to get in their attacks, powers, or other mechanics. Don't try to be a hero. This is a team game.

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“Ah! Look out- Rompers!”

With that, a fat plap as a wet furry animal splashes its way into your boat- it's a beaver! An especially large and aggressive kind of beaver- Rompers are a constant threat to riverfolk, fishermen, and wooden bridges. It is hard to tell if they're trying to chew your boats apart for their wood, investigating these strange floating “dams” in their lake, or aggressively attacking you for entering their territory... or all three!

But this one is a bit different. Bigger then you'd expect, closer to the size of a wolf, this creature has something on its back- a turtleshell. This impressive armor protects it as it menaces you with its wood-cutting teeth. This one is a lot smarter then you'd expect- this must be their Alpha.

There's not just one- a large swarm of Rompers are attacking the party! You're starting to sink, you gotta stop them from chewing any more holes in your boats before you can reach dry land!

Romper x6
Hit Points- 4
Defense- Fur (1)
Attacks- Bite (+1)
Moves every 4 Rounds.

Romper Alpha
Hit Points- 6
Defense- Shell (4)
Attacks- Tail Slap (+1), Bite (+2)
Moves every 6 Rounds.

>Attack
>Evade
>Weaken
>Breathe

Rolled 7 (1d8)

>>5693066
Pineneedle will tey to weaken the alpha! Maybe if we kill it, we can frighten the others away without hurting too many sweet little waterpuppies! :(

Anyway, she likes turtle soup.

>>5693071
You cannot "Weaken" a monster. You must specify what you are trying to do- Weakening its protection (Shell) or weakening its attack (Bite, Slap, etc.)

I'm going to refund your action this time since it was a failed roll anyway, but please read the rules carefully.

Rolled 2 (1d8)

>>5693066
As much as the idea of making boots out of the walking carpets entices Pietro, he would hate to lose one of his knives in the water.

The roguish scouts focuses of the Romper Alpha, he decides to distract the castor by repeatedly feinting attacks, thus getting it to neglect the other combatants, thus Weakening its Defences.

>>5693066
How does Weaken interact with Groups? Does it only target one, and so only decrease the attack of one entity of the group, or does it target the collective and potentially reduce the overall attack number?

>>5693066
Question: How does a Gnome's ability to vanish count when it comes to combat? Does it count as equivalent to *evade*?

>>5693084
I do not mind flavor text or roleplaying as long as it isn't excessive, but from now on please address all replies to a prompt with a greentext, preferably right beneath the reply line, as to make parsing votes in the future easier. Thank you.

For your post, it would be something like:
>>5693066
>Weaken Romper Alpha's Defense

>>5693087
Just one. For the sake of convenience, we'll consider anything that changes the stats of a monster from a group (such as damage to hit points that isn't lethal, a weaken, etc.) to all affect the same monster on "top", like a stack of identical creature cards in a card game.

I'm also considering dropping the Hit-Points from Swarm/Group creatures entirely, just giving them a power/defense number to make it simpler. I just didn't want to write out "Romper" six times.

>>5693089
I'm glad you asked as I forgot to include it yet.

Gnomes may choose to Disappear when making the Evade action. They may also choose to do this retroactively, such as when they fail an Evade roll and get hit, replying to their own post and turning it into a Disappear.

However, once a Gnome disappears, they are removed from that combat until it is over and cannot act again. Essentially, it's a one time use guaranteed evade.

>>5693093
Hmm, i see. Man, if i had the buckler then i could make a seriously good dodger.

Any of the inactives willing to part with theirs?...no? oh well. Waiting for the 4th turn.

>>5693095
Sorry, mistyped the password

Rolled 8 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693066
>Attack Romper
Twink swings his sword at the evil beavers!

Rolled 1 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693066
>Attack Romper Alpha

"Clear the way! Chop off the head, tha' body will fall after, lads!"


>>5693098
"I hate to say it, but good shot, m'ster Twink!"

Rolled 3, 5, 3 = 11 (3d6)

>>5693066
"Alright, beastie! Try to catch me!"

>>5693102
*Damn* that's a near miss, right? Just two dice short. I forgot to add
>Dodge

>>5693098
Dude you could have killed the romper alpha but now you wasted the weaken instead. Weaken only lasts one round.

>>5693104
Pineneedle's action as reimbursed, anon. It didn't count.

>>5693107
>>5693084
Pietro weakened it to 2

>>5693108
Oh, i missed that one.

Well, regardless, i could try to breathe this turn and then evade the alpha's attack, unless someone wants to take their try at hitting it.

>>5693104
to me the group is clearly the more pressing matter

>>5693114
Overall yes, but you only kill one unless you’re a fighter, then you can kill two, and even then killing the alpha is more impactful than reducing the number in the group by two.

>>5693114
Nah, they attack in one group so it's easier to dodge if you've got someone good ewnough to do it, but the Romper alpha has multiple attacks so even if you dodge once someone *else* -has to dodge the second.

Regardless, i'll just say that unless someone acts i'll be using turn 5 to breathe (since there's no attacks) so i can dodge the Alpha's attack, preferably the second since it's the harder one and i have an easier time.

>>5693114
And even if it were more impactful, you targeting the group instead would still be suboptimal because you would be wasting one of our turns that was used to make targeting the hard to hit alpha easier, and turn economy is very limited.

>>5693117
Quick clarification here- damage does not carry over between members of the group on the sane attack roll. So even if a fighter rolled a 10 it would only kill one Romper. However six damage would be added to the next attack roll that anyone could do.

>>5693122
Therefore, that means the Alpha has taken 4 damage, correct?

Rolled 1 (1d8)

>Attack the Alpha
...Your pelt will do a nice scarf

>>5693127
Damn, that bloody sucks. Well, someone else's gonna have to evade since i can't.

>>5693128
Or be an Hero and roll better to kill the Alpha.

>>5693124
My current order of operations is
>Twink kills Romper (9 - 1 Def = 8 = 4 Overflow dmg)
>Pietro weaken has no effect here
>Grimbold roll 2 + 4 - 4 Def = 2 Alpha damage
I think?

>>5693131
That would require a roll of 8+, and if it failed they'd get damage for nothing.

>>5693135
Myron has a Hammer that ignores armor, a d12 and +2 to his attack rolls. Would be nice if he actually played.

>>5693137
Oh yeah, Myron would be perfect here since he'd just have to roll anything above a 2

>>5693024
Myron? Your talents are required here and now... go, attack the Romper Alpha as suggested here.
>>5693137

Rolled 1 (1d8)

>>5693078
No need to refund it. I meant its defense. Sorry, I thought I'd clearly implied it. I'll be more explicit in the future.

The action was
>Weaken (Alpha Romper, Defense)

>>5693152
Okay, you have taken a hit, but now the alpha's defense is 1, which means we need a 5+ to kill him.

Of course the issue is that now even if someone kills it then we still have the group's attack on turn 8 so someone still needs to dodge it.

>>5693152
No please do refund it, if it’s not refunded that completely screws with all the actions since then and doesn’t even give us anything since the next round was not an attack.

>>5693156
Yeah if the attack was refunded that would mean one anon would get hit and my evade would become useless since it wouldnt have been an attack turn.

>>5693159
If the action was NOT refunded*

>>5693155
>>5693156
>>5693159
>>5693160
Well the roll I accidentally made was really good, so if the QM is okay with it then I see no reason why not to go for it!

>>5693178
Again, if it's not refunded the roll does not matter. If by that you mean keep it as an action on the 6th turn then yes, the next person can kill the alpha with any roll above 5.

Rolled 9 + 2 (1d12 + 2)

>>5693149
(Sorry yall I got called into work)
>I DO THAT

>>5693203
Very good, the alpha is dead. Sadly, the others aren't, and next turn (8) is also an attack turn. We need someone to evade/tank the next turn.

>>5693204
who do we have left, squire, benja, tordynnar, alfred... I dunno, we are gonna need to start breathing

>>5693236
Again, we can breathe *after* someone dodges this attack. After turn 8, the next attack will be in turn 12.

>>5693247
"Do not fear! Squire isss ready with hiss shield! Any friend may evade and he will stop the angry beaver'ss damage. Then attack with poleclaw nexxxt turn!"

>>5693253
Would the shield work if you used it to breathe? If it did, i could let scrim breathe this turn so he can dodge the next one

>>5693254
that would work but we'd be wasting an opportunity to dodge, which could then be used to protect Pineneedle. then again, we've been waiting for a while

>>5693257
I'll give it another half an hour or so, if no one dodges i'm going to use it to breathe so we can keep this thing going.

>>5693254
The shield lets me block one instance of damage per combat so I don't see why not. Unless the 5 remaining beavers deal 5 damage lol, both I don't think that's the case.
>>5693203
Good to see our biggest bromble is back. Don't forget to grab two items front the list or they'll be randomly assigned to you. (Though they may have been already )

>>5693236
I would but Sages are the worst class at dodging, I'd rather someone else give it a go

>>5693281
i think there's still 5 beavers left so you can't dodge them even with a 1. oh wait, you have a d8 for dodges, still kinda bad

O.K Screw it we're wasting time.
>>5693066
Scrim is going to try to breathe while his fellow crusader protects him with his shield.
>Breathe
>>5693253
Alright, better protectt me.

>>5693282
Why would I have a d8 for dodges?

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>>5693287
see for yourself

Rolled 4 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693286
>Squire blocks for Scrim with his shield.
>Squire attacks.

"Sstay back, thisss is our boat!"

>>5693292
Nice, you killed one! This puts us down to 4 rompers. Use turn 10 and 11 to breathe/attack, Scrim will handle dodging on turn 12

>>5693066
>Breathe
Twink takes a moment to rest so he can go back to killing beavers.
If no one does anything I'll attack next turn and then Scrim will dodge, just so you know!

>>5693292
A Sage might as well attack next for turn 10 since you'll have the rollover from my attack to make it auto succeed. And Benny Bones' auto 3 will kill one as well. Then we'd only need to evade 2 of them turn 12.

Rolled 2 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693066
>Attack
Swing, swing, there goes another Romper.

>>5693297
3 damage for next attack if I'm counting correctly, it's something

Rolled 3, 1, 3 + 3 = 10 (3d6 + 3)

>>5693066
Scrim moves to avoid another blow!

>>5693300
Alright
>Breathe
Again for the next dodge since we can't finish them off before that anyway

>>5693066
>Breathe
3 rompers left, almost there guys!

Rolled 1 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693066
>Attack
badabing badaboom

>>5693306
still a kill, two left! dont ask why i have two ids

Rolled 5, 3, 2 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>5693306
Alright, another go on the pony ride...

>>5693066
Scrim dodges...again. Sure would be nice to have some help.

>>5693309
Okay, another dodge.
>Breathe
Again because we still can't do this in 1 turn and no one else seems to be dodging.

>>5693066
>breathe
I'm not counting how much extra damage I got so I better one shot every beaver here...

Rolled 6 + 1 (1d10 + 1)

>>5693066
>Attack
The ecosystem is irreparably damaged by now, this is basically heresy for an elf!

Rolled 3, 1, 3 + 1 = 8 (3d6 + 1)

>>5693327
Nice! Just one left.
>>5693066
Scrim goes fora (hopefully) last evasion!

>>5693329
Okay, good, I don't think it's necessary for me to breathe, just finish the last womper

How many rompers are left now? I could take a swing potentially to save some time / moves.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5693066
>Attack

>>5693333
I think thats it, I had a seven so thats at least a plus 2 for you, we are done

>>5693332
>>5693333
With the damage flow from the last attack, this should be enough. Good job! Seems like Scrim and Twink are a good team.

"Hooray for teamwork! Oopss, better ssstart bailing water! The wet iss bad for chainmail!"

If we're on a second round, I guess I'll
>Breathe

So? How'd you guys like the system?

>>5693418
It's nice that sages can help more in combat now. And that two or three people can wrap up the stragglers once the main threat is dealt with so it doesn't have to drag on forever waiting for people to post. I'm sure it'll get tougher though and also flip the roles when it's not just straight combat, we'll have to see how that balances out with the active players.

Well played, guys

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>>5693127
Talon takes a hit and becomes injured! When trying to break through its shell, he fails and is bitten. Only for Myron to come in and finish it off with a powerful CRUNCH and his stone hammer- with the unintended side effect of punching a hole right through the bottom of the boat.

"Dammit! You clumsy Bromble!"

With the immediate threat of the beavers dealt with- the boat sinking is still a problem. You're now closer to the island then the way back; so you make a break for it. The party member begins to row, push, and doggy-paddle as hard as they can towards the island. The boat rapidly takes on water and begins to sink, leading to confusion and disarray. Eventually, they manage to wash up on the Island itself, though not everyone makes it...

You at least manage to make it to shore. There, you take hold of your supplies and situation. Some members of the Crown Crusaders were separated, left behind on the mainland, or perhaps met their end at the jaws of the vicious rompers. Bluemane, Skyhoof, William, Doc, Wiggles, Urist- are they alright? Either way, it will take days, if not weeks, for them to build another boat and make a successful crossing to join up with you. Well, no reason to wait around.

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You are currently on the shore of the Island, and are totally disoriented and lost. Nobody knows the layout of this island- it's been abandoned for so long. You have a moment to collect yourselves, and tend to your wounded. You'll need to get the lay of the land- if someone was to climb a nearby tree, that could help you get your bearings...

Downtime Rules
Whenever you have a moment of relative safety, the party may have some downtime. Most downtime happens when the party makes camp after a long day of exploring, and you will need to keep watch to make sure nothing sneaks up and attacks you while you sleep. Being surprised in an ambush would mean you enter combat Exhausted. However, this situation is during the day, and you have no fear of anything sneaking up on you on the beach.

During downtime, characters may attempt to Heal a character who is injured or wounded. Everyone may attempt to heal, but Sages are the best at it. Some injuries, such as from poison or magic, or wounds taken from Heavy attacks, may be too difficult for anyone but a Sage to heal. In order to perform a heal, specify the injury/character you are treated and roll your class die twice and add the result. You succeed on an exact result of 7.

Injuried Party Members-
Talon

You also have to get your basic supplies washed up on the shore- the more you collect, the better off you'll be for the rest of your expedition. Strength rolls are simply rolling your class die, and adding the number to the party's total. Multiple characters should participate. Myron once drank a magic elixir and as such gets to add a +1 to this roll, but bonus damage from weapons or fighting experience do not count towards this roll.

Finally, Snouts can lick a fellow party member and give them a bit of a glimpse of the future. This is called a Hunch roll. The Snout must specify which party member they lick and roll their class die (d8). The roll's result is now that characters new Hunch. The person who was licked must make note of this number, and can use it in place of one die roll in the future. This can be down retroactively, meaning if you fail a roll where your Hunch would succeed, you can replace it with the Hunch. If you roll multiple dice for an action (Heal, Skill, etc.) then you can replace one of the die rolled with the Hunch. You can only have one Hunch at a time, and once it is used it is expended.

Downtime Actions
>Collect Supplies (Strength) (0/20)
>Climb a Tree to get the lay of the land (Hazard)
>Heal
>Inscribe a Rune (Runesmith Only)
>Lick (Snout Only)

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>5693629
"Squire will ssearch for sssuppliess. Maybe he might even find out misssing friendss? No comrade left behind, Knight alwaysss said."

>>5693629
>>5693632
That was a
>>Collect Supplies
btw, not a very good one. Might as well have climbed a tree, Squire must be very distracted.

>>5693629
Bananas, would 'climbing a tree' count as part of Scrim's whole "afraid of heights" thing?

If I get healed, I can attempt to climb the tree

>>5693418
I think it's a cool system on paper, but in practice people often don't read the rules or other players posts and really mess with each others' actions. Sages kind of have a role in Weakening, but that completely relies on your teammates reading your post and also deciding they want to follow up on your Weaken with an attack / evade on the target you Weakened, which is very unreliable, and I imagine it feels really bad for a Sage to Weaken a target only for the next player to completely ignore your action. I would suggest raising the Weaken effect time to longer than 1 turn so that it's less likely to be a completely wasted action.

>>5693629
>Heal Talon

Rolled 4, 5 = 9 (2d6)

>>5693660

>>5693661
classic sage gaming

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>>5693650
Yes.

>>5693657
I don't necessarily disagree with your statement, but it is important to remember this is only the first combat encounter, and people might be rusty or new to the system. It may simply take more time to get people used to it.

The explicit reason for not allowing Sage buffs to be permanent/last until the monster is hit or attacks is to avoid a situation where players all wait for the Sages to curse everything at the start of combat to make the combat easier, instead of the more teamwork based set-up and payoff concept I had for this combat system. (Such as Fighters boosting the next attack, Sages weakening for the next round, etc.)

Do others agree? Let's get a count on the players feelings on this.

Do not answer "Yes" to simply get a power boost. I will adjust the difficulty of encounters to make them more difficult if timing is less important.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5693629
Unable to do anything else, i suppose Scrim can only go and collect some supplies.

>>5693629
>Collect Supplies - 3
The sad thing is that my Auto-3 now doubles our amount of gathered supplies to 6 after Squire and Scrim.

>>5693685
The system looks okay to me. If I didn't sucked as much, would have "Evade" to damage with my throwing knifes instead of trying going for a kill

>>5693629
Pineneedle will
>Lick
Myron to give him a glimpse of the future, since he dealt the decisive blow and all.

>>5693418
I check in a few times a day but still worry that, with order of actions being so important, my schedule is too bisy to be properly useful in combat that fast flowing.

>>5693735
You must roll your class die when you lick someone, you give them the number you roll.

Rolled 5 (1d8)

>>5693735
>>5693738
Also, mobile keeps eating my dice

Rolled 2 (1d8)

>>5693629
>Collect Supplies (Strength)

>>5693418
I don't have any reasons to complain.

>>5693418
I'm not certain, to be honest. I couldn't post an action when I first found the update up because I had to wait around for various specific people to post at specific points to avoid interrupting the flow of the battle with something that'd mess up the battle sequence, and then the critical Bromble only posted after I'd turned in; so by the time I woke up again I'd missed my chance for an action again because everything had already been mopped up. But perhaps it'll be different in future encounters where an Auto-3 might have a use?

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>5693629
>>Collect Supplies (Strength) (0/20)
Twink starts picking up their stuff from the shore.

>>5693813
Alright, with this we have 15. We just need 5 more and we'll have collected all the stuff.

>>5693821
Who's left to try and climb a tree once the supplies are collected? Pietro would probably have been best at it, given Scrim's fear of heights and Talon's wound, but he's taken his action now. Do we have another rogue left to try?

Bananas, does staying idle allow Talon to heal better? Or mechanically no benefice to stay still?

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>5693629
>Collect Supplies

"Dam beavers. At least we got most of our things, eh lads and lasses?"

>>5693418
Pacing is my only concern with this style of combat, since I certainly don't have the ability to check the thread more than maybe twice a day.

Okay, 2 more to get all the supplies. After this, all that's left is healing talon and getting the lay of the land.

Rolled 5 + 1 (1d12 + 1)

>>5693629
>Collect supplies (Strength)
Im not gonna be rping muvh this thread just cuz busy but pretend I am

Okay good, we got everything. Now will someone heal talon?

I realize i am retarded.
@Bananas, the bow was an autokill to the beaver, right? So were the knifes on a "breath" option?

>>5693937
They had 4 hp and 1 defense, probably not.

>>5693937
>>5693954
Damage from items ignores defenses.

>>5693928
Who's still left to act, apart from Talon himself? Is it just Alfred?

Rolled 3, 2, 6 = 11 (3d8)

Climbing the tree, barring pain in leg

Update is being worked on and will be posted in about 12 hours from now.

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You recovered 100% of your supplies! (5% each) While you may be stranded for the time being, you have more then enough to last for the foreseeable future. This will give you more then enough time to quest for the crown, and if that takes longer then expected, then you will have time to find clean drinking water, hunt for untainted food, and so on with this backup.

Talon climbs to the top of the tree, despite his injury. Looking out over the island, he can see a few landmarks that stand out to him. Obviously, most of the island is covered in pine trees, making impossible to see any ground-level objects. He doesn't see any ancient crumbling palaces or elvish ruins- except for a lonely tower on the opposite side of the island. On top of the tree, he also sees a beautiful meadow of flowers, a misty grassland with some suspicious standing stones, a coastal cave not too far from where you are now, a grass-covered sandbar tidal island, and finally a very off putting forest of trees to the northeastern part of the island. The other Rogues in the party are too busy to climb up along with him, but with his direction, the rest of the party should be fine.

“Hmm. That's weird. You hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“It's quiet- no songbirds. This time of year? That's surprising. No gulls along the beach?”
“Elves feel a strong connection to birds. The Elvish royalty took the Swan as their symbol.”
“I don't see any swans either. No birds at all.”

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Hexcrawl Rules
Exploring the island will be done through Hexes. Each Hex may contain an encounter, a landmark, or be empty. Instead of specifying each and every hex you travel to, we will be using landmarks. You will follow the most straight path to the landmark from the party's current location. Once a landmark has been uncovered, you can use it as a point of reference or investigate it further.

For example, if you wished to travel to the coastal caves without crossing through the forest, you could vote to “travel along the beach to reach the coastal caves”. Each hex you cross will expend time and potentially lead to an encounter. You can also choose to not investigate a landmark and instead simply move past it by placing it in a vote- such as “travel along the beach to the flower meadow, past the coastal caves”, and so on.

You are currently on the beach on the Southwest coast of the Island- indicated by the red circle.

It is currently Midday
Where would you like to go?
>Write In (Landmark)

>>5695095
>Caves up north
Everyone knows there's always treasure in caves, and I get to use my lantern.

>>5695121
Let's check the cave. Then we can aim for the flower meadow

>>5695095
>Flower Field
Sounds delightful!

>>5695125
Forgot trip

>>5695095
>Grassland to the East avoiding trees.
"We're looking for the old king's throne yess? We ssshould head for the tower. But not through the treess. We don't want to lossse our way in a foresst at night! Perhaps those stoness in the grassslands will hold cluess on the way?"

>>5695095
>Grassland to the East
We don't want to get lost in the woods, do we? The Grassland is as nearby as the caves are, but an easy walk along the beach rather then a hike through ancient forest. Plus, there's a good path from the grasslands to the cave+rocks, so we could go there next.

>>5695095
>Grassland to the East
"Clearing with werid stones inside? Sounds like some ritual altar or burial ground, which means plenty artifacts! Let's go along the beach to avoid any funny fauna this place might have. From there, we could go straight to the tower or west to that cave and flower field. 'Off putting trees' doesn't sound like something we really need to check out if you ask me."

>>5695095
>Grassland to the East avoiding trees.
I'd like to make our way to the tower, that's the only obvious sign of civilization here, and I'd say it's a good place to start.

>>5695095
>Follow the beach towards the caves
We should go to the caves first, THEN to the Trees. If we go to the caves *after*, we'll need to spend double the time when we walk to the tower.

>>5695095
>Grassland to the East avoiding trees

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>>5695095
>>Grassland to the East avoiding the forest

A gentle breeze blew in off of the water, providing relief from the warm sun on the beach.

>>5695670
...Is this a BananasQM post, or someone else RPing as some ghost-cloud-breeze Bromble?

Voting is now closed.

>>5695964
See
>>5695792
>>5695795

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The party has decided to check out the grassy fields- a lot of visibility will make their searching less dangerous. However, this island was once home to the Elves- and it is literally named the Island of the Pines. It's pretty likely they'll have to go through the forests eventually...

By staying on the beach, the party have given themselves plenty of visibility and stayed away from the more dangerous island interior. As such, this has nullified their chances of running into a random encounter, but traveling along the coast of the island naturally takes a lot longer.

Along the way, the party members talk and naturally create a pecking order of who leads and who takes command. With a mix of new and old party members, a newcomer known as Alfred, who seems to be of noble blood, is helping to guide and lead the party- much to the chagrin of party members with actual experience. Though he may be a disgraced noble, he still feels the part in both his strut and education.

>>5690389
>>5691926
But like many human nobles, Alfred Von Bassel has, if anything, an impeccable sense of fashion. Only Dwarves care more about their appearances then human nobles do- and it's a pretty close match. Alfred's most fashionable accessory, his mustache. What kind of mustache does Alfred have?

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Traveling across each hex takes about half an hour- and after their short trip it is now the Afternoon. They arrive.

Here, they see a grassy field. Talon reports that it looked more misty from a distance; now doubt the strange ability of fog to disappear when you're in the thick of it. They first see its features from the beach; a gentle rise from the beach leads to the small grassland, with dots of large standing stones pocking the otherwise peaceful, though eerie looking field. There are also some extra details that Talon couldn't see from the treetops.

Firstly, there almost seems to be an intentional marking of a path from the beach directly up onto the grassland; several large stones mark a wide, almost natural promenade. It seems possible that a great dock may have once been here, or perhaps even the end of a great bridge, but no remains besides the shaping of the land exist to give further proof to this. Up on the grass is a great arch made of three large, flat-sided stones, impossibly heavy, pointing directly towards the rise on the beach and, in the other direction, to the interior of the island beyond.

You investigate this stone arch closely. Your Sages touch its withered face and Squire sniffs the air for precious metals; coming up with nothing but the smell of moss and worn stone.

Further in on the grass field is another collection of standing stones, this one a bit more ancient and inscrutable- a collection of jagged teeth-like rocks pointing upwards roughly arranged in a circle. Something about it gives you a foreboding sensation...

Opportunity
While investigating the beach, the party members notice that the stones that mark the path are actually quite deep and what you see on the beach is only the tip. Because they are buried in soft sand, you can dig to investigate further.

Any party member can use a shovel to dig into the sand to reveal more of these stones for the potential for a reward, but at the cost of being Exhausted for the rest of the day. Exhausted party members must take a breath before they can act in combat encounters. You are more likely to find something the more party members dig up the stones.

>Dig? (Shovel Required)

The party enters the circle of sharp stones. Towering over you, these stones seem to be a bit primitive from what you consider normal among the societies of the Elves- but ancient lore and places always appeal to their kind. Who knows how old this “structure” may be. You feel a sense of heaviness in the air, with the Sages especially on edge- this place is spiritually charged.

Just then, you see a dark shadow peeking out from around one of the stones- in fact- there are many now. Peeking in from the outside, as though just waiting for you to enter this circle as a trap.

Haunting Encounters
Ghosts and spirits are enemies that cannot be killed; your weapons are useless. You can only protect yourself in spiritual combat. Everyone knows a few mantras or spells which can protect yourself from hostile spirits- but naturally Sages are the best at defending you against darkness.

In order to use magic, you must roll your class die and roll equal to or under the Chorus of the spirit or spell you are attempting to counter or banish. If you succeed, this is considered one Seal. The more powerful the spell or ghost is, the more seals it will require to banish or seal it away. If you fail this roll, you are striken with a supernatural curse. If a Sage rolls a 1 while performing magic (or 1 or 2 if they are experienced), this increases the Chorus of this spirit by +1, making it easier for future rolls to Seal them.

You can also choose to Pray. Praying protects anyone using a magic roll after you from being hit with a curse if they fail their magic roll. This effect “chains”, meaning if you pray, and someone makes a magic roll and succeeds, then your protection will go to the next person, and then the next person, etc. Prayers do not stack.

Finally, you can Rebuke. Rebuking a spirit or ghost essentially pushes them back or stuns them, giving your party a chance to banish them with magic again. If you rebuke a spirit, everyone who has rolled a magic roll now gets to roll a magic roll against this spirit. In order to rebuke a spirit, you must roll a d20 + the chorus of the spirit, and you must roll higher then all actions taken this encounter. Magic rolls, Prayers, and Rebukes count as actions. If you fail, then you are cursed and this spirit may not be rebuked again this combat.

If at the end of the encounter you aren't able to banish all of the spirits, each remaining spirit will curse a random party member.

Keywords

Disruption distracts and weakens your magic. You must add the number to your Magic rolls. If you have a Staff, you are immune to this effect.

Voiceless spirits do not curse you if you fail a magic roll against them.

Torment means a spirit will deal an injury to your character in addition to its curse.

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“Give us... your blood... life blood... Makes us feel alive... again...”

The black-faced spirit moves towards you, the most powerful of the spirits. It is cleverly elvish, and as an immortal-souled creature, seems much more “aware” of its state then the souls of dead and cursed humans. Regardless, as it comes closer, the shades of elves appear from behind the stones, and a great wailing picks up from the wind, soon becoming a deafening lament all around you.

Black Faced Spirit
Chorus- 3
Seals- 3

Elven Shades – Voiceless, Torment
Chorus- 4
Seals- 5

The Wailing- Disruption (+1)
Chorus- 5
Seals- 1

>Magic Roll
>Desperate Prayer
>Rebuke
>Blood Magic (Take an Injury- Apply 1 Seal to any spirit you choose)
>Use Item

>>5696405
>Use Item
>>Apply Paper Seal to The Wailing
"Oh shush now, you're giving me a headache." - A Frowny Dog

>>5696405
>>Desperate Prayer
Twink prays for the safety of the party.

A rogue or fighter should make use of the prayer to attempt sealing the black one. Then Mr Bones can auto 3 seal it. And maybe a sage finishes it off?

Once it's down the rest of us can all use magic rolls on the elven shades without fear since they're voiceless and Squire can throw salt at them to auto rebuke them and everyone can hit them again if need be.

>>5696415
Voiceless but still capable of inflicting wounds due to Torment!

>>5696420
Failing a roll against the Shades will not injury you.

Rolled 8 (1d8)

Rollin' to seal the Elven Shades

I guess that's the Prayer used up, then?

>>5696405
Seal Black Faced Spirit - Auto-3

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5696405
>Seal Black Faced Spirit

I would reccomend someone with a higher dicepool to do a prayer (like, for example, Myron, or a Fighter) so people can continue to seal without the danger of being cursed.

>>5696599
Yeah, Myron with his d12 would be a good prayer contender, then one more seal for the black ghost. Then everyone dogpiles the elven shades and I'll rebuke them with salt so everyone gets another shot at them.

So since nobody seem to notice it, in the second post of this update there was an optional prompt to dig. This is an extra choice which will not affect your rolls in this magic challenge. It seems people are noticing the secondary prompts and objectives, I was hoping people would enjoy this system so that way we could get more done with less posts.

>>5696631
Bananas, no one took the shovel. We *can't* do it.

>>5696633
Oh wait, no, nevermind, someone did. The posts were just filtered so i didn't see them.

Rolled 4 (1d8)

>>5696405
>Seal the Black Faced Spirit
Sii sconfitto!

>>5696631
>>5696403

Sorry, I thought the prompt would be a thing to go back to and make a decision on once the Physical mechanics of this fight were resolved.

Not only did I take a shovel; but as a magic-animated Skeleton without physical muscles I don't think I can become exhausted? So...
>I DIG!

"Beneath the soil. beneath the ground;
I wonder what's there to be found?
What secrets lurk around these stones,
To be unearthed by Benjy Bones?"

>>5696694
Black faced spirit is now sealed, onto the shades now

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5696405
>Seal Elven Shade
"Back, ye creature! Back!"

>>5696713
Really could have used an prayer now, y'know

Now while i can't do anything anymore due to having only 1 wound left since nobody bothered to pray, can you just finish the shades? Knowing my luck, if we don't beat it before the time ends they'll get a bunch of free shots and i'll end up dead.

Rolled 6 (1d8)

>>5696734
If we're onto round two, I'll try to
>Magic Roll vs Shades

>>5696405
If not, please disregard this.

>>5696405
>Dig
>Desparate Prayer

>>5696631
do I get to borrow a shovel to dig? if so then
>Dig

>>5696734
"It'ss ok friend, the voiceless ssshades can hurt you unlesss they go unsealed.
See?"
>>5696423

"Squire will rebuke this Sshade so everyone who has ussed magic already can ssseal them again!"
>Use item
>Salt to rebuke Elven Shades (1/3 used)

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5696902
Okay, someone used prayer so now I can do this without risk.
>>5696405
>Seal shade

We still need to seal the shades...are people just not going to post?

>>5696960
i kinda can't do anything else

>>5696964
There are a bunch of other people who prayed against the shades, they could be sealing them again. Not to mention some people who haven't rolled...at all.

>>5696902
This rebuke allow everyone in the party to act again against the Elven Shades, Right?

If that's right:
>>5696405
Seal Elven Shade - AUTO-3

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5696405
>>5696902
>Use rebuke to seal the Elven Shade

>>5696960
>>5696966
Also if it gets desperate, we can choose to have someone use blood magic to seal the shade

>>5696975
Well, we still need 2 more seals.

>>5696915
According to the description in >>5696404
Everyone who has made a magic roll so far can make one again against the rebuked spirit.

So I think only those who rolled before can roll again. But that's fine since praying isn't needed against these shades. We just need them sealed.

>>5697013
I rolled before, yes, but regardless we still need others. 2 more seals and they're gone.

Welp, we're gonna get cursed...at least i tried to warn.

Rolled 6 (1d8)

let's try to seal the elves again

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Rolled 2 (1d4)

About an hour earlier...
The ominous standing stones on the beach could be markings of something underneath; are they part of a greater structure? Something long buried by the sand on the beach? Or are they connected to something ancient and powerful? Do they have something to do with ancient magic? Only one way to find out. With their shovels, certain members of the party decide to dig up.

>>5696777
Grimbold decides to dig. While normally such work is exhausting, dwarves would consider shovelling sand to be light labor. Plus he is a fighter and well kept- Grimbold is not exhausted from this.

>>5696701
Benjamin also digs with a shovel. He's used to digging his own grave back up again. Besides, he's dead, no muscles to tire out. He is not exhausted.

Chance to find something- X in 4, +1 per digger +1 for a Dwarf
>3 in 4 Chance?

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On the side of one of the pillars, as they dig to reveal more, a strange symbol is revealed hidden underneath the sand. Carved directly into the rock, this ancient symbol clearly has some kind of significance. Magic Runes are a form of magic practiced by people who are magically inept, like the Dwarves, containing essences and powers over whatever object or material they are carved into based on their sacred, special geometry.

"It's a Dwarvish Rune! Hey Grimbold, what does it say?"

He doesn't know. He doesn't know the fifth time you ask him either, because it's only something a Dwarvish Runesmith would know. Such a rune preserved in this state could be copied down and transferred, magic and all, onto another piece of gear. But nobody in your party has the capabilities of doing this, as such, you soon realize this was a total waste of time. You decide to investigate the stone arch and the ominous stone circle instead...

Not sure how much time to give you for the Haunting Encounter. I usually give 24 hours but I was asleep for it this time. Plus it seems like you're almost done so... would be a little cruel to cut you off one seal away. :P

>>5697275
(Yeah, with the rebuke refresh all the people who rolled previously need to wake up and realise they get to roll again.)

>>5697279
{Does Pineneedle get to roll again? She already made a second roll; but it was before Squire used his Salt, so I don't think the earlier 'second roll' counts?

Either way, Pietro Pio could roll again; or Myron and Alfred could make their first roll of the encounter - though I don't think we've seen Alfred post since the Equipment purchase?)

>>5697304
No, she used an item, not a Magic/Rebuke roll.

>>5697321
I also did this: >>5696737

>>5697339
There aren't multiple rounds in the spirit encounters

>>5697342
Drat! Then looks like we're out of luck unless another player joins.

>>5697344
Myron hasn't even acted yet, but it seems like we're just outta luck, yes.

Tell you what, Pineneedle. Roll your class die. If you roll a 1, you'll beat the encounter and eat the last ghost.

Rolled 6 (1d8)

>>5697360

Oh well. Nice try. Working on the update now.

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The party, beset by spirits, does their best to banish them. These ghostly shades and spirits- all elves- descend upon them as all the dead do, to spread their misery and pain and inability to pass on. Perhaps less unaware then most, the elvish shades at least almost appear apologetic.

Among the chaos, Pineneedle is the one most in trouble. Unable to banish the last of the elvish shades- they surround her and beg her for her life blood. Only by defending herself with her magic staff does she protect herself from having it drained out of her. Regardless of the fact her body is unarmed, her spirit feels a very strong sensation of wrongness, like she's never going to be happy again.

Because a spirit reamined at the end of this encounter, it attacks and will curse one party member. However, her magic staff protects her from being harmed by the spirit's torment. Pineneedle has been cursed!

Party members who are cursed may find any future roll of theirs being turned into a failure. Then, the curse ends. If you get Cursed while already Cursed, it'll get a lot worse.

With that, the party stands within the now-silent stones, the spiritual presence since being banished. They collect themselves- and look over the old rocks. Impossibly curvy and flowing evlish script carved into the stones themselves; each stone pointing in a direction with its marking, like a collection of roadsigns pointing towards useful directions. It seems the old stone circle was once used for important religious rituals, including the coronation of the King of the Woad! A useful clue, but nothing about it helps you find his palace, or how to get inside.

Each stone points to one of the landmarks on the island and gives it a name;

>The Arch of Welcoming (Southwest)
>Field of Royal Flowers (Northwest)
>The Tower of the Warrior (Northeast)
>The Stone Cove (Northwest)
>The Gravenwood (North)
>Approaching Stones (South)
>Monkey's Circle (East)

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While the spirits did not posses any items of material value, at least you rid this stone circle of them, and perhaps some of them went on to the next life peacefully.

You now must choose where to go next. You still have a few hexes of movement before sundown. Where would you like to go?
>Landmark
>Other (Write In)

>>5697706
>Stone Cove
well, at least we got names out of this?

>>5697706
>To the tower!
Even if it's a dead end it'll be a great vantage point.

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>>5697704
>The Arch of Welcoming (Southwest)
"I'll do whatever you guys want to do, I guess... But only those who get welcomed can enter the King's hall, right? Maybe... I dunno."

>>5697788
"Nice reasoning, furry fellowed."

>>5697788
"I believe that arch is one we have already investigated?"

>>5696403
>You investigate this stone arch closely. Your Sages touch its withered face and Squire sniffs the air for precious metals; coming up with nothing but the smell of moss and worn stone.

"It's very close, though; so if you think it's worth another look over I'm happy to try again. There were no signs of anything, but perhaps Grimbold and I can have another go at digging?"

"Otherwise, I would venture toward:"
>The Stone Cove

"Though... how long do we have left? We might need to find or make a camp site in the time we have left before sundown, as not all of you are good in the dark, and you living still need to sleep."

>>5697706
>Stone Cove

>>5697706
>To the tower!
Do you people really want to investigate a *sea cave* at night? That sounds like a bad idea, the tide willl be the highest.

>>5697706
>The Tower of the Warrior
We can check the cave tomorrow and he tower would make a nice camp once we scout it out, certainly wouldn't mind sleeping under an actual roof.

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>>5697704
>The Tower of the Warrior (Northeast)

"Tower of the Warrior eh? Sounds like a place full of ancient elf weaponry and loot! We'll be rich!"

>>5696402
Alfred Von Bassel rocks the noble horseshoe mustache, signifying his status as a warrior of renown and powerful leader of men.

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Rolled 6 (1d6)

You have decided to travel to the Tower of the Warrior. Along the way, you pass through the thickest forest on the island; the grove near its center. The trees here are the tallest of all, and the overwhelming scent of pine fills the air. It is a very natural, pure place, and would normally be very pleasant, but the fading light, silence, and knowledge of this place's emptiness make it an uncanny journey.

"...I do not want to be in these woods after sundown." Someone says aloud. Nobody agrees, but it is a sentiment shared by many...

I have to go to sleep. Update will have to wait until later. My sincere apologies for the slowness.

>>5699032
No worries at all. Slowness happens sometime, thank you for both the game and keeping us in the loop!

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After passing through the forest, you come out the other side not too far away from the beach. Over you, the tower looms.

Strangely, despite this island once being the home and capital of a Great King, you've found almost no ruins- no signs of previous inhabitants beyond the standing stones. This tower, however, is an exception. Made of the same smooth and nigh-indestructible stone, it makes the tower almost impossible to climb from the outside. It's a structure that was clearly built more for its utility then looks- a loathed trade to make for an Elf.

By the time you reach the base of the tower, the sun is beginning to set and the fading light will not last much longer. Because the inside of the tower will likely be very dark anyway; there is little loss by climbing it now. Perhaps you may even get to sleep under it for tonight.

“Strange how we haven't seen any other buildings yet. Just this tower.”
“Elves tend to build with wood- so what they build can return to nature. Something humans would steal much later.”
“Well, the Gods didn't create the people until after the animals came around, so the Elves probably stole their houses from the beavers first.”

There is a smirk, but nobody says anything.

An Opportunity
The tower is known as the Tower of the Warrior according to the ancient guiding stone. But even the term for warrior has many meanings. It is clear something valuable has been stored here, but what, exactly, did those ancient elves mean by “Warrior” and what treasure of a warrior would be kept here?
>Weapon
>Armor
>Magic

Rules
In order to finish climbing the tower, you must overcome the follow obstacles. Unlike other rolls, you may perform as many obstacle rolls as you wish of the same type, but must add their difficulty together.

For example, for Hazard rolls, you must add the difficulty modifier of all of the traps, hazards, or other blockades together for your Hazard roll. If you fail this roll, you will be harmed as though you had failed each in order.

For Skill rolls, you must have a number of dice sets that satisfy the conditions. For example, if you wanted to perform a hard and easy skill roll at the same time, you would need a pair AND either a second pair, trips, or third number within 1 range of the original pair of dice. Naturally, only Rogues can actually succeed on such a difficult roll.

As a reminder, a Hazard Roll is rolling your class dice and adding the modifier. You do not want to roll the maximum your dice can roll or more.

A Skill Roll is rolling your class die twice and getting as close as possible to each other. Hard skill checks can only succeed with an exact pair. Easy skill checks require a range of 1 (so a roll of 4 and 5 would succeed). If your character is a Rogue, you get at least one bonus die to roll on a Skill or Hazard roll.

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Within the tower, you find a circling staircase leading towards the top. However, it is not an easy climb. Unsurprisingly, as with many fortifications, traps and tripwires were laid to dissuade any invaders from climbing it to attack and capture it. While it seems unusual for elves to rely on such brutish and primitive fortifications; it is likely that gremlins have set up shop in this place and made it just to their liking; shifting the very bricks and stone foundations to accommodate for steel plates and jabbing spikes. It is so in their nature.

Tower of the Warrior
Tricksome Steps x3
>Run Up (Hazard +1)
>False Step (Hazard +2)

Wall Trap x2
>Evade (Hazard +2)
>Disarm (Easy Skill)

Leaf-Shaped Padlock
>Break (Combat Roll > 9)
>Pick (Hard Skill)

Mysterious Shadow
>Seal with Magic (Chorus 3)
>Worry-Not (Requires Worrystone)

Correction
If you FAIL multiple rolls combined (Hazards), you will only be struck with the worst one of the selection, not all of them.

>>5700162
Is scrim just instantly blocked from being able to do anything in this tower due to his fear of heights, or can he still actually act? I'm pretty sure i coudl single handedly open the padlock and the wall traps.

I just realized that despite buying the shoes i won't even be able to use them due to the height thing. damn.

>>5700160
>Weapon
c'mon, so far my race and class have been at odds with each other, lemme' have something that wouldn't be better if I was a Rogue
>>5700162
so if we can do many rolls that means I can do the steps the trap and the padlock, or do we have to choose one but if its x2/x3 we can repeat?

>>5700167
Actually, with the shoe, wouldn't the 'hazard' thing be essentially null since i just don't need to add the hazards whatsoever...? I could do every single hazard by myself. Damn if that wouldn't be cool.