VOYAGER RPG: Game Thread

[My pseudonym is Ix]

This is the in-game thread. If you wish to ask about or joint the game, I refer you here

*****

Perisis is a land ancient in its history and wild in its geography. To the west lies the great continent of Apoa, a thousand miles from its northern swamps to the tip of the Atar mountains, and a thousand more to the rocky Cape of Needles on the southern coast. The Atar range, rugged terrain and rough seas dominate its vast southwestern seaboard, before giving way to savannah, shallow tropical seas and fog-watered deserts to the north. To the east begins the land of Gaheim, extending from the icy wastes of the south to the impenetrable tropical forests of the north. It is broken only by the Belt of Gaheim, a vast river that cuts the continent in two from its mountain source in the far east to the great delta formed at its mouth, on the continent's western coast. The Belt flows into the Pathys ocean, dividing the two great continents of the land, and populated by numerous islands in an archipelago half a thousand leagues long. To the far east, Gaheim narrows as a icy, creature-infested sea rises up from the south, and to the northeast the continent dries, slowly seguing into the vast wasteland that is the Mulati desert. Unbearably hot and all but completely devoid of water, nothing survives there. Only the wandering nomads know what, if anything, lies within or beyond this strange, alien landscape; just one of the many secrets these strange masked men keep.

[I will see about getting a map of some sort done, if I can]

The people of Perisis have a history just as strange and convoluted as the Apoan coast For centuries, the land was shaped by just two races, the elves descending from their northern forest homes, and the orcs coming up from the icebound southern mountains. The two met at the Belt, and tensions soon boiled over into outright ideological war. The orcs had the idea of the collective hardwired into their brain; each would volunteer their own life up for sacrifice in an instant if they felt it would benefit their society as a whole, and every soldier of their army fought side by side as equals. In vast droves they poured over the Belt... and, without central leadership, they were frequently beaten back by the heroics of the elf battalions. The elves were a proud, skilful race, great believers in the individual and making one's own way in the world, yet even their well-organised armies could barely make a dent in the vast orc hordes. Each race, of course, hated each other. For nigh on a century the border swung back and forth either side of the belt, both sides desperate not just to eliminate their rivals but to gain control of the fertile plains around the belt and its tributaries. Eventually peace would come, but it would be from an unlikely source.

Both races were not the only ones to have spawned from their respective biomes; long ago the elves had discovered and conquered the human realms in the deep forest, enslaving the entire species to act as servants and menial workers. Decades before even that, the orcs had subjugated the dwarves of the foothills, despising them for their rejection of the 'glorious collective' and keeping them repressed and under their thumb for many a millennia. As the war intensified and the losses on both sides grew, both servant races found themselves conscripted into service in large numbers, and before long the two met on the battlefield. Amidst all the chaos, the two races discovered one another for the first time, and slowly began to form a cautious alliance. Nearly five years after these first meetings, the two armies simultaneously rebelled and made for the source of the Belt, establishing their fortifications in the surrounding mountains. The fortress of Logan was born.

Both elves and orcs set off after the rebels and laid siege to the mountain fortress (whilst simultaneously continuing the war against one another), but then the rebels played their masterstroke; they shut off the Belt, redirecting it into the eastern sea. Inside six months the crops of the plains had failed, and both sides were forced to acknowledge the independence and sovereignty of the dwarf/human alliance.

Now it's nearly four centuries later. The uneasy peace between the two 'high races' has gradually settled into more polite dislike, and all four races have spread across the two continents, settling into mixed communities. Each functions as its own petty state, governed by an elected mayor, but power really stems from Logan. Still populated exclusively by humans and dwarves, the great sluice gates (built fifty years after the end of the war) still control the Belt's flow in an effort to maintain the peace. It has worked for the last four hundred years, and most hope it will continue for many more to come.

*****

Our story begins in the Nama desert, on the north-western coast of Apoa. Far from Logan, here the untamed land gives way to lawlessness, and slavers ply their trade all across the northern wastes of the continent. One such band, consisting of four men, has captured you four solo adventurers, along with one of the wandering nomads, and have holed up in an abandoned stone quarry (that once supplied the nearby city of Huta)for the night. You all have bound wrists and are attached (by the wrist) to a large wooden stake buried in the ground. You are hemmed in on two sides by the quarry wall, and on a third by a large heap of broken machinery. Scraps of stone and other debris lie all around you, making sleep difficult and at the end of the pile of machinery a lone guard keeps watch. Beyond him, you can make out the flickering of a fire.

At around one in the morning, there is a shift change, and another, yawning, slaver walks up to the one guarding you. In his drowsy state, he sends a large heap of stone tumbling to the ground, waking you all up.

"Any trouble?" he asks.
"Nuthin 'til you came over" grumbles the first slaver. "Even the pikey's kept himself quiet, despite what old beardy told us"
"Muh. One o' those bastards is just like another to me, what with their stupid masks n'all. Still don't see what's so damn 'special' about that one."
"Not our place to wonder, Kit. Now let me get some goddamn shuteye". With that, he walks off towards the still flickering remnants of the fire.

The new guard takes up his place, sitting on a heap of debris with his back to you. Before long, he settles into position and sits there, motionless.

[Lurkon]

Ok, so I'm thinking it's probably best not to disturb the guard. If he's still awake, it sounds like he might be going to sleep.

However, I would like to inspect my bonds, quietly.

[Mums]

By pushing softly against the stake I try to get a feel for how sturdy it is, I also want to check how high it is

[My pseudonym is Ix]

However, I would like to inspect my bonds, quietly.

The bonds are made from medium thickness, coarse rope, wrapped thrice around your wrists. The rope attaching you to the central stake is attached to these bindings separately, and is thicker. This length of rope is approximately six feet long, with the guard about ten feet from the stake.

By pushing softly against the stake I try to get a feel for how sturdy it is, I also want to check how high it is

The stake is approximately five feet tall, from what you can see by the light of the fire. It doesn't budge when you push against it; it has clearly been driven in deeply.

By the way, since I forgot to specify, all weapons and items of interest have been removed from your person, but you have been allowed to keep your clothes.

[Mums]

Looking at the area around me for some sharp debris

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Looking at the area around me for some sharp debris

The area is littered with fragments of stone, many of them with a sharp edge, of a wide range of sizes. One particularly large piece of flint, obviously discarded as useless by those who once worked here, catches your eye.

[Mums]

Assuming it is in reach i quietly reach for it with my feet and try to scrape it towards me

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Assuming it is in reach i quietly reach for it with my feet and try to scrape it towards me

You are able to scoot over to it and nudge it with your feet. Unfortunately, your feet slip and you end up knocking it away; it is still within reach, but you will have to try again to get your hands on it.

[Mums]

*mumbling* Damn it, come on, stop being an idiot and just do it

Giving it another go

[My pseudonym is Ix]

*mumbling* Damn it, come on, stop being an idiot and just do it

Giving it another go

This time, you are successful, and the stone is soon within your grasp.

(Apologies to everyone else that mums is getting so many goes, it's an unfortunate side effect of him being on the same continent as me. I will try to be as available as possible in the morning and evening to compensate.)

[Lurkon]

I'm going to keep watch on the guard for movement.

[Mums]

Using the stone, trying to cut my bonds, while doing that I look around to see who are the closest to me, also if there are any big objects between me and the guard

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Using the stone, trying to cut my bonds, while doing that I look around to see who are the closest to me, also if there are any big objects between me and the guard

As you begin to rub your bonds against the sharp edge of the stone, you look around your little group. A smallish figure, apparently human, lies wide-eyed and alert to your right, closer to the fire [DSMaster21; remember you guys don't actually know each other yet], and a little way behind him a taller figure lies languid; his skinny, seemingly elongated limbs mark him out as Elvish [ocelotteranian]. To your immediate left is another human, of medium build [Lurkon], and in the darkest recesses of your little hollow lies the nomad; motionless, yet you somehow know he is awake and alert. Between the bad light and his long, flowing clothing, you can make out little regarding his figure.

Your efforts to break your bonds, however, appear to be in vain. Although the stone's edge is keen, you appear unable to make any real headway in cutting through your bonds. Thankfully, your efforts have been quiet enough not to have attracted the guard's notice.

Between you and the guard lies only sand, rock and debris; nothing to significantly obstruct the path between you.

[Lurkon]

I shift my arms to try and get my guide rope near to the guy with the flint and see if I can pull it taut.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

I shift my arms to try and get my guide rope near to the guy with the flint and see if I can pull it taut.

Shifting of your arms alone won't allow you to pull the rope taut; however, by shuffling across the ground and shifting your position you might be able to do so.

I won't include the results of that action here because a) it would require a roll for quietness, which I don't think you would have accounted for when performing the above action and b) because it's only fair to remind you that your arms are pinned behind your back, which you may want to take into account when considering your plans.

[Lurkon]

Ok, yes, that is a bit more complicated. Hmm...
I'll settle for just rolling closer to the guy with the flint, back facing him, as quietly as possible.

If he can get leverage on my bonds, those would be more useful cut than the lead rope.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

I'll settle for just rolling closer to the guy with the flint, back facing him, as quietly as possible.

You do so; rolling ensures the movement is as quiet as possible. He gives you an odd look, as well you might after being rolled towards without any prior explanation, but realisation quickly dawns. He pauses, presumably making up his mind as what to do next.

[DSmaster21]

Since my specialty is stealth
I will try to quietly move to pull my hand bindings taut and move closer to mums as well.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Since my specialty is stealth
I will try to quietly move to pull my hand bindings taut and move closer to mums as well.

By hand bindings, I presume you mean the rope tethering you to the stake. The ropes binding your wrist are separate from that, and are already tight.

You stand and attempt to move silently, but in the semi-darkness you slip on a piece of loose rock [yes, in spite of your stealth bonus] and fall hard to the ground. In doing so you sustain a Minor Wound, and let out an involuntary cry.

The guard is startled by this sudden noise, and leaps, in rather ungainly fashion, to his feet. He looks around earnestly.

[Lurkon]

Closing my eyes, I relax my body, slowly going limp.

[Mums]

(As a reminder, my character is female, though it might be hard to make out in the darkness)

I drop the stone as smoothly as I can behind me and do my best to cower it with my body, afterwards I look, questioningly and startled, at the person to my right

[My pseudonym is Ix]

The guard whirls around, looking all about him; first towards the glimmering flame, second towards the quarry wall, and finally towards you. Seeing Cliffendorf on the ground and obviously in some pain, he comes to his own conclusions and vents his anger on him:

"What do you think you're doing, scum?! You better lie down and get to beddy byes pretty damn soon, or you'll be in the hole with that fuckin' dwarf."

He then swings the butt of his spear at him, landing a sharp blow on his head for another Minor Wound [This means you are currently on a Moderate Wound; this really hasn't gone your way]. He then straightens up, and points his spear around at you all.

"That goes for the rest of you little shits, and no mind if we get a few less crowns for ye at market."

With that, he stomps off and returns to his initial position, throwing the occasional suspicious glance around at the group. For at least half an hour, none of you feel safe enough to move, but with time the looks pass and the guard returns to relative stillness.

[Mums]

I pick the stone up, lean over towards the person on my left, whispering "I will try to cut you loose if you promise to help me, and try not to stumble on your own feet"

[Lurkon]

I nod, slowly

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Your attempt to cut through your companion's ropes is partially successful. You make it through one of the ties, but unfortunately this loop is not critical to the knot's construction and the wrists remain bound.