Vallone's Journal:
Made my way to Throal looking for work. Found a posting from a mining company and met with a guy named Firgeg Opalcloak. He said there's some weird guy named Rasputin whose shown up in one of their mining towns and seems to be slowing down operations. They want us to go take a look and try to get things back on track. Strats, Truck, and Orlam were going, too. And two people I hadn't met before, Warak and Arphen.
We made our way to Sosanopa and took a ship to get to our destination. The ship ended up hitting something and had to stop. While looking around the area, we realized we'd stumbled on a nursery of these weird long armed monkey things I was told were called Pangolus. We backed away slowly and didn't have any problems. Probably want to mark the area so others don't stumble into it, though. The ship was eventually fixed and we were able to leave.
We arrived at our destination and continued the journey on foot. On our way to the village we ended up seeing a ton of big crows. I hid in Strat's backpack. I couldn't even move. I thought I was over this. I thought I'd become stronger. They were able to deal with the crows fortunately. I feel so bad I could do nothing to help.
We were able to make it to the village. Warak tried to ask around about Rasputin, but I think he upset the villagers. We talked with some miners who said people weren't working as hard lately which was putting strain on the miners. We decided to go talk to Rasputin since we weren't really getting anywhere. A lady answered the door and was being rather rude, but finally let us in to meet with Rasputin. There were like a dozen ladies in the place and they all seemed really into him. Some of them also looked pregnant. He wasn't particularly good looking, but he definitely had a presence about him. And he had these two really big dogs with him. Warak tried to talk to him and figure out what was going on, but Rasputin just talked us in circles. Warak even tried to antagonize him, which worried me that we might have to fight in a room of pregnant women. We weren't really sure what to do. There was no evidence of wrong doing. We decided to leave and talk to a few more villagers who all seemed okay with the situation. At that point we heard a singing that I couldn't understand. Apparently it was a song to Astendar. We went in to see what was going on. When he finished his song, he just disappeared. Poof. Gone.... So.... problem solved? Our employers will never believe this.
AAR: [3H] False Profit (2021-01-10@20:00 GMT)
Moderator:etherial
Re: LFG: [3H] False Profit (2021-01-10@20:00 GMT)
Social Graces or How I Learned to Stop Making Assumptions by Warak Nendul
Strata.
Vallone.
Orlam.
Truck.
Arphen.
These were the other adventurers hired by the mining guild to journey to Moskva, a small village whose mine provides living crystal shipments. The shipments had slowed and a story of a strange man enthralling the women had made its way to the guild by way of a merchant. The guild had sent a representative of their own to find out more, but they had been turned away. It was up to us to figure out the strange tale of Moskva and get the shipments running on time.
The journey to Moskva was uneventful, mostly. Other than a brief stop to repair the ship, the "Howl of Liberty," after damage to the hull from hitting something, and a violent encounter with a flock of blood ravens, we arrived unscathed. It was after our arrival that things went awry.
I have to say that I pride myself on my ability to be outgoing, friendly, charming, and, dare I say, irresistible. When tasked with being the "face" of our group, I was ready and eager to prove myself. My first attempt started off well. I knocked on the door of the first building, a large circular stone abode, and an older man answered. He was a curmudgeonly sort, curt and a bit rude, but I did my best to smile and charm. I informed him that we were sent by the mining guild and were under the impression that there might be a situation we could help with. His response was to deny any strangeness or need for help and to close the door in my face. I stopped the door with my foot and proceeded to have a gradually more heated discussion with him about the town's women. He continued to stonewall and act put off. At this point the part of me that worships Thystonius and feeds on action and conflict got the better of me. I insulted the gentleman's manhood and the conversation ended.
The others suggested that I had started off poorly by informing him of our connection to the guild, as if I should have started off by lying to the man. Not a good way to gain trust and make a friendly connection in my mind, but I listened to their counsel. They then suggested that we weren't likely to get much better welcomes in the town and that we should go to the mine. That turned out to be a bit more informative. Some miners unaffiliated with the town itself informed us that the men of the town no longer worked the mine which slowed production, and that the foreman had not been seen in weeks. They pointed us to his home and we went back to the town.
Again elected to make contact, I knocked on the door and a young woman answered. I heeded the counsel of my companions and told her that we had come to secure a shipment of living crystal from the mine, but it didn't appear to be ready. I then asked to speak to the foreman. She informed us that the foreman no longer lived there, and I asked to see the man who did. I smiled at her, and she asked us to wait before letting us in a moment later. Inside we found nearly 20 young women and a rather unimpressive human male. The only things special about him were his golden eyes and the two large hounds at his side.
It is at this point that I must confess I was working off assumptions. Some based on my own view of the world, some based off what we'd been told by the miners guild, some based off my companions' theories, and many based on the lingering stain on my soul from my recent trip to Coalton (see my previous journal entry, 'The Town Name of Coalton'). I had already decided that this man, Rasputin, or "Raspy" as the women called him, was enthralling these women against their will, and I was determined to wrench the truth from him. I was more than a bit confrontational in my dealing with him. I went so far as to flirt with the young woman who had escorted us inside in a bid to provoke jealousy from him. But he refused to show any emotional response. It was during this exchange that we realized that many, if not all, of the women were pregnant. Through our conversation we discovered that the youngest woman, a girl of 16, was the last born in the town. For some reason the townsfolk had not been able to produce children, but Rasputin had planted his own seeds. Pressed for more on his intentions, the man stonewalled and acted aloof and uncaring. Unwilling to provoke a physical conflict with so many innocents around, we backed down. Some of my companions left to see if there was any more information that could be gleaned from the town. I stayed with "Raspy" to gauge his treatment of the women. It was then that he began to sing. It was an ancient song, one from long before the Scourge, but one I recognized from my study of the Passions: a hymn to Astendar. As his song crescendoed he and his hounds faded from existence, and the women wept. It was only then that I turned to the young woman I'd been flirting with and asked if she had prayed to Astendar for a child.
"I prayed every day for one," was her response.
We left Moskva soon after, dumbfounded. Myself more than any of the others. To be in the presence of what could only be an avatar of the Passion of love, and act with such suspicion, judgement, and belligerence, it was an indication of just how much adventuring can taint you, as easily as any Horror, if you aren't careful. I can't let myself become cynical and jaded if I am to remain true to myself and become the legend I know I can be.
Strata.
Vallone.
Orlam.
Truck.
Arphen.
These were the other adventurers hired by the mining guild to journey to Moskva, a small village whose mine provides living crystal shipments. The shipments had slowed and a story of a strange man enthralling the women had made its way to the guild by way of a merchant. The guild had sent a representative of their own to find out more, but they had been turned away. It was up to us to figure out the strange tale of Moskva and get the shipments running on time.
The journey to Moskva was uneventful, mostly. Other than a brief stop to repair the ship, the "Howl of Liberty," after damage to the hull from hitting something, and a violent encounter with a flock of blood ravens, we arrived unscathed. It was after our arrival that things went awry.
I have to say that I pride myself on my ability to be outgoing, friendly, charming, and, dare I say, irresistible. When tasked with being the "face" of our group, I was ready and eager to prove myself. My first attempt started off well. I knocked on the door of the first building, a large circular stone abode, and an older man answered. He was a curmudgeonly sort, curt and a bit rude, but I did my best to smile and charm. I informed him that we were sent by the mining guild and were under the impression that there might be a situation we could help with. His response was to deny any strangeness or need for help and to close the door in my face. I stopped the door with my foot and proceeded to have a gradually more heated discussion with him about the town's women. He continued to stonewall and act put off. At this point the part of me that worships Thystonius and feeds on action and conflict got the better of me. I insulted the gentleman's manhood and the conversation ended.
The others suggested that I had started off poorly by informing him of our connection to the guild, as if I should have started off by lying to the man. Not a good way to gain trust and make a friendly connection in my mind, but I listened to their counsel. They then suggested that we weren't likely to get much better welcomes in the town and that we should go to the mine. That turned out to be a bit more informative. Some miners unaffiliated with the town itself informed us that the men of the town no longer worked the mine which slowed production, and that the foreman had not been seen in weeks. They pointed us to his home and we went back to the town.
Again elected to make contact, I knocked on the door and a young woman answered. I heeded the counsel of my companions and told her that we had come to secure a shipment of living crystal from the mine, but it didn't appear to be ready. I then asked to speak to the foreman. She informed us that the foreman no longer lived there, and I asked to see the man who did. I smiled at her, and she asked us to wait before letting us in a moment later. Inside we found nearly 20 young women and a rather unimpressive human male. The only things special about him were his golden eyes and the two large hounds at his side.
It is at this point that I must confess I was working off assumptions. Some based on my own view of the world, some based off what we'd been told by the miners guild, some based off my companions' theories, and many based on the lingering stain on my soul from my recent trip to Coalton (see my previous journal entry, 'The Town Name of Coalton'). I had already decided that this man, Rasputin, or "Raspy" as the women called him, was enthralling these women against their will, and I was determined to wrench the truth from him. I was more than a bit confrontational in my dealing with him. I went so far as to flirt with the young woman who had escorted us inside in a bid to provoke jealousy from him. But he refused to show any emotional response. It was during this exchange that we realized that many, if not all, of the women were pregnant. Through our conversation we discovered that the youngest woman, a girl of 16, was the last born in the town. For some reason the townsfolk had not been able to produce children, but Rasputin had planted his own seeds. Pressed for more on his intentions, the man stonewalled and acted aloof and uncaring. Unwilling to provoke a physical conflict with so many innocents around, we backed down. Some of my companions left to see if there was any more information that could be gleaned from the town. I stayed with "Raspy" to gauge his treatment of the women. It was then that he began to sing. It was an ancient song, one from long before the Scourge, but one I recognized from my study of the Passions: a hymn to Astendar. As his song crescendoed he and his hounds faded from existence, and the women wept. It was only then that I turned to the young woman I'd been flirting with and asked if she had prayed to Astendar for a child.
"I prayed every day for one," was her response.
We left Moskva soon after, dumbfounded. Myself more than any of the others. To be in the presence of what could only be an avatar of the Passion of love, and act with such suspicion, judgement, and belligerence, it was an indication of just how much adventuring can taint you, as easily as any Horror, if you aren't careful. I can't let myself become cynical and jaded if I am to remain true to myself and become the legend I know I can be.
Re: LFG: [3H] False Profit (2021-01-10@20:00 GMT)
AAR:
Player Rewards:
Orlam: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Truck: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Arphen: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Vallone: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Warek Nendul: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips.
Journal Rewards: 100 lp, 103.3 sp
GM Rewards: (Amhran) 2200lp, 375 sp, 3 TIPs.
Downtime:
Orlam: Research (Skill, rating 3, step 9); +3 step available by paying 20 sp to access the great library of Throal.
Arphen: Craft Weapon (Skill)
Alternate rewards: For their assistance in resolving the “mysterious slowdown” in the Moscva and preventing a serious disruption in the supply of vibrant living crystal the adepts have been offered half price living crystal.
Further Information: En route to Moscva the party kindly chose to leave a nursery group of Pangolus to enjoy their shady perches with the apple snacks they were gifted, and then easily dispatched a murder of blood ravens before arriving in the very quiet village. The mine too was quiet being nearly deserted with only a few miners half-heartedly attempting to keep it going. Back in the village they found a cottage with one man with golden eyes, two big puppies and 18 women who were quite taken with him. He identified himself as Rasputeen, parried every question with a skillfully evasive answer, and stated that he came into town a few months very nearly starved to death and the ladies nursed him back to health.
The women advised that there had been no babies born for at least 16 years and that the mine foreman left of his own free will. They also advised the party that a number of the women were now expecting and several had small baby bumps visible. Just before the party felt ready to go full tilt against this guy that was taking advantage of the women and running off all the men in town the foreman's wife mentioned how much they had prayed for little ones in the village. At that they heard singing from the cottage which Warek identified as praising Astendar and when they went to investigate he was gone. Consensus is that a questor of Astendar had come into the village to commit a zealous act of devotion.
Player Rewards:
Orlam: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Truck: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Arphen: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Vallone: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips
Warek Nendul: 2000 LP, 413 sp, 5 Tips.
Journal Rewards: 100 lp, 103.3 sp
GM Rewards: (Amhran) 2200lp, 375 sp, 3 TIPs.
Downtime:
Orlam: Research (Skill, rating 3, step 9); +3 step available by paying 20 sp to access the great library of Throal.
Arphen: Craft Weapon (Skill)
Alternate rewards: For their assistance in resolving the “mysterious slowdown” in the Moscva and preventing a serious disruption in the supply of vibrant living crystal the adepts have been offered half price living crystal.
Further Information: En route to Moscva the party kindly chose to leave a nursery group of Pangolus to enjoy their shady perches with the apple snacks they were gifted, and then easily dispatched a murder of blood ravens before arriving in the very quiet village. The mine too was quiet being nearly deserted with only a few miners half-heartedly attempting to keep it going. Back in the village they found a cottage with one man with golden eyes, two big puppies and 18 women who were quite taken with him. He identified himself as Rasputeen, parried every question with a skillfully evasive answer, and stated that he came into town a few months very nearly starved to death and the ladies nursed him back to health.
The women advised that there had been no babies born for at least 16 years and that the mine foreman left of his own free will. They also advised the party that a number of the women were now expecting and several had small baby bumps visible. Just before the party felt ready to go full tilt against this guy that was taking advantage of the women and running off all the men in town the foreman's wife mentioned how much they had prayed for little ones in the village. At that they heard singing from the cottage which Warek identified as praising Astendar and when they went to investigate he was gone. Consensus is that a questor of Astendar had come into the village to commit a zealous act of devotion.