Griznuq Gaming

Michael and Harrison cut quickly through the western end of the theater district and then north again to the residential district beyond the third wall. The night had actually gotten warmer and there was no wind whatsoever. Harrison wondered if tomorrow would be one of those rare hot summer days (OOG: above 80 degrees is rare, and it's about 78 degrees at this current time in this thread. Also note, I may be slightly editing the route the boys took after I check my map at work.).

On a back road the boys came to a storefront that appeared to have a residence on the second floor. Beyond the glazing of the front door was a "CLOSED" sign. Michael walked past the entrance and walked to the corner of the building. He gently tapped the gutter downspout with some kind of obvious signal ("shave-and-a-hair-cut").

Moments later an older woman with a medium frame and gray hair answered the door and let them in. [color=##00ff00](OOC: Picture Martha Stewart).[/color]

"You're out late Michael," the woman said in a more scolding tone than an observational one. She led the boys into the foyer. Straight ahead a stairwell led to the apartments above. Also straight ahead a corridor entry on the same wall led to rooms behind the storefront to the right. Martha walked them into the store, which was apparently a doll shop. There were more parts of dolls that were in the middle of repairs than actual dolls for sale.

The woman sat down in the only chair and looked up at the two boys in turn.

Michael motioned to Harrison. "This is my friend Harrison Arbuckle, Kristen and I are helping him locate his father Jonah Arbuckle."

Michael then motioned to the woman. "Harrison, this is my comrade Martha Stenwert. She helps me and my friends from time to time."

Renee will step down as leader after graduation. Graduation for "seniors" is on the 15th day of the 5th month of each year. So she will be shipped off to the military on 05.15.2133. It is at this time the guild will recognize its new leader, Emma, and its new 2nd in command (lieutenant) Harrison.

Alright, here is the situation:

FIRST: Read the recent posts (at least the last three I made) from "2133.01.02 – Game Session 4A – WarGames", that will give you a better idea why I am listing everything below;

*The Outhouses for the students are accessible through the main entrance.
*The Outer-Rim Defense guards are letting the kids go to them a pair (one girl and one boy) at a time.
*There currently is a line of five girls inside the hall. When the door is opened from a student returning, another student of the same sex is let out.
*None of the kids are being allowed back to their tents, the participation in the celebration appears to be mandatory.
*At the moment Shannon heard Leslie's warning, Temmit was actually sitting in the Outhouse and losing track of time, probably caught in a conversation with Smokey as he pinches one off. What you do from this point Johan is under your control (though you know not of the situation as of yet).
*The barn is to the east of the Hall, about 300 yards away.
*The outhouses are to the west of the Hall, about 50 yards away.

[/i][/b]

SAFE-HAVEN HOLIDAYS

Note: ESH years represent the day of establishment by the government, and do not necessarily coincide with actual event. (e.g. Kaine wasn't born in 153).

03.15 – (ESH 152) = WinterFourth 15th = Second Wall Day = On this day the citizens of Safe-Haven celebrate the commemoration of the second wall completion. Government offices are closed for the day and the second wall is lined with vendors selling wares at a decent discount (subsidized by the government). This is usually a day that has a good chance of being snowy, but folks still come out in the cold.

04.12 – (ESH 188) = WinterEnd 12th = Day of Five = On this day the citizens of Safe-Haven celebrate the founding of the Council of Five. Government offices are closed for the day and there is a Grande Ball at the Church at night.

05.24 – (ESH 277) = SpringBegin 24th = Ascension Day = The holiest of days. The day starts with a parade that marches through the city, with grand floats and streamers. It continues with a festival around the Temple grounds, which sets up a speech by the Holy Priest during sunset. At night there is a Grande Ball at the church. The next day is considered a day of rest, with the exception of the armed forces, all are asked to not work.

06.10 – (ESH 188) = SpringEnd 10th = Third Wall Day = On this day the citizens of Safe-Haven celebrate the commemoration of the third wall completion. Government offices are closed for the day and the third wall is lined with vendors selling wares at a decent discount (subsidized by the government). The celebration has been taken to a new level where the third wall passes the Theater District. On this day, the theater district puts on an all day show that attracts anyone and everyone in the city.

07.09 – (ESH 030) = SummerFirst 9th = Day of Reckoning = Another holy day. This is the day, that according to Kaine Scripture, the Karh'Thul demons no longer advanced on him, the very first entire day they held their ground. All citizens are expected to attend church and rest this day. No celebration is performed. A ceremony is performed by the clergy at the Outer-Rim wall.

07.18 – (ESH 153) = SummerFirst 18th = Day of Forever = The second of holiest days, this day celebrates Kaine's birthday. Another festival occurs on the temple grounds for all to come too. It is a less formal fair then what occurs on Ascension Day but the common folk enjoy it even more. It ends with fireworks over scattered bonfires about the grounds.

08.21 – (ESH 138) = SummerSecond 21st = First Wall Day = On this day the citizens of Safe-Haven celebrate the commemoration of the first wall completion. Government offices are closed for the day and the first wall is lined with vendors selling wares at a decent discount (subsidized by the government). The temple itself (not the grounds though) is closed to the public on this day as the clergy use it for their yearly conference.

09.24 – (ESH 257) = SummerEnd 24th = Fourth Wall Day = On this day the citizens of Safe-Haven celebrate the commemoration of the fourth wall completion. Government offices are closed for the day and the fourth wall is lined with vendors selling wares at a decent discount (subsidized by the government).  Farmers bring their wares and are subsidized in their offering of a heavy discount with selling of their wares outside the city gates. This day is the most enjoyed by all common folk as it is the last holiday before Winter. Many caravans and people camp outside Our-Commons outermost wall and enjoy a weeklong festival.

Johan coined the forthcoming Eberron session, which is only our 2nd(!), "The Day After", in a recent thread to coordinate our campaign choice for play next week.

This spawned a question in my mind....where does each of you specifically see your individual characters within current plotline at this juncture? All of you have various things going on independant of one another, and in different time periods. Do we need a campaign session to get all of you, and perhaps a number of NPC Whisper members together so you can role-play a conversation that coordinates your thoughts?

Or would you guys like to attempt this "joint session" of the said committee within a group ICD and get to the action next time we meet?

I ask because there are now a dozen different directions you guys can take with a dozen different results, and I need to prepare my flowchart. No matter what you guys decide, I will enjoy the outcome, the development and implementation of this world has become something I can finally be happy with.

This thread occurs after New Threads, and Dinner of the Protectorate (forthcoming).

As promised, Nicola had entered Kit's room in the wee-hours of the morning to gently shake Kit awake in her bed. As Kit sat up and took a few minutes to rub the sleep out of her eyes, Nicola fussed about in the girls room.

Kit had become quite fond of the eccentric ruler of Kurr. Nicola appeared to be the genuine article of humble greatness. From the moment she had met the Arch-duchess, Kit had experienced nothing but kindness from her, along with compassion and selfless nobility.

After Nicola had presented breakfast on the room's small dining table she opened the window drapes. A fresh cool air washed through the room as the rays of the just breaking sun illuminated the bedside wall to Kit's right. With Kit's dress (from the previous night's dinner) folded over her arm, Nicola sat beside her on the bed.

"I be getting' this cleaned fer ya me dear," she said.
 
"Thanks again for the means to procure it," Kit replied.
 
"No thanks be needed lassie. Ye be more than makin' oop fer the payment with the challenges ye be overcomin' on our people's behalf methinks," she paused for another warm smile. "The High Priest he be at the Temple dis morgin', try ye to shake off ye sleepies, eat a quick bite and ye be on your way," she said as she patted Kit's cheek and gave her a smile that warmed Kit's soul down to her toes.

Kit was caught kind of speechless at the affection and simple smiled back in reply.

"That's a good lass," Nicolas said and departed.

'She is growing on me,' projected her psi-crystal Jordan into her mind from its guard post on the night stand.

'Aye, me too lassie,'[/i] projected Kit back in a weak copy of their host's brogue. Jordan giggled.

Kit dressed in her new clothes which had been selected by Nicola from the neatly folded pile of yesterday's purchases. Breakfast was muffins, fruit and cheeses, all things that could be carried. Still concerned about her emaciated form, Kit filled the pockets in her cloak and proceeded downstairs after quickly finishing a tall mug of truffle coffee.

07.25.2127 - A Girl In Hell

Although the scene around her was a living and breathing canvas of incredible tranquility, Shannon could not even see it through the shroud of fear that clouded her vision.

The trees, flowers and other flora that were so apparently abundant around her hadn't received more than a passing look from the ten year old. The songbirds, singing to a clear blue sky morning, received not even a smile for their praising of the day. She shivered in the shade provided by the canopy of tree branches above, even though the rising sun promised a very warm day. And beyond the edges of the tailored and trimmed landscaping that decorated the courtyard, was the most elaborate of architecture found in the entire Kingdom. But the sculpted granite columns, huge stain-glassed windows and myriad of artistic elements simply poised in her ignorance.

Shannon would have thought herself in Heaven, if she didn't already know that she stood at the precipice to Hell. The small girl was atop the tallest structure in Safe-Haven, the Church of Kaine, and awaiting a trial that could end with the execution of her parents. A sentence that would be wrought based on Shannon's own testimony, as she had been a key witness to the alleged crime.

A small circle of white sand formed a clearing within the grass of the courtyard. Shannon sat upon a featureless bench of black and white marble at its center. The Council of Five sat opposite and above her on tall thrones of the same white and black marble, each of theirs however, were ornately crafted from a single piece of marble, and, along with the appearance of being wrapped in a leafy vine, included a small set of spiral stairs wrapping the column.

On the throne to the far left was Cyric Longbow, leader of the Warden Council and, according to Jena and her other short list of friends at the orphanage, her only hope on the council.

To his left was Mindera Michaels, an old lady who not only controlled the mining guild but was the most ornery of the council members, and therefore no help.

At the center was High Priest Fresenius himself, his throne just a bit taller than the pairs that flanked his left and right. He would be the true judge, jury and executioner on the Council, for it had been told to her that he indeed controlled Safe-Haven.

To the left of the devil sat Mark Jamerson, Master of Commerce and to his left, Shannon's far right, was Leroy Jenkins. Leroy was a Colonel of the Outer-Rim Defense, and along with Mark, was of no known help to her.

The three Judges of the House Guard of Kaine stood in front of the pillars and were all in their full plate-mail armor uniforms. Shannon had no idea which figure was that of Judge Nathaniel Criss, but she was sure he wasn't the man at center. The man at the center looked to be at least seven feet tall!

In Temmit's mind, one thing was for certain as the chameleon sat down next to him...the boy had skills.

He hadn't even sensed him coming, an unsual and scary fact for Temmit. Especially since Temmit had tacked Marcus' location ever since they left Our-Commons that morning.

"Hello Temmit," Marcus said in a friendly greeting as he sat down on the ground beside him. "Exciting stuff eh?" CURIOUS

River was probably very close to finishing the setup of their tent thought Temmit. And even if River didn't perchance spy the enemy sitting down next to him, he would be there soon. And he knew the hunter would have the good sense to flank Marcus should action be required.

Not that Temmit expected it would be, after all, hundreds of kids were about.

Harrison sat in his favorite spot amongst the trees of the park district and watched as Clive teased the "normal" squirrels.

It had been two months since the Ascension Day Grande Ball and he had much on his mind.

Temmit stood at the front fence and stared at it, emotion flooding through him. He had decided to keep his head down during the entire length of the road that was the end of his journey. Thinking to himself that perhaps if he waited until he was actually in front of it, he would look up and it would be gone.

But it wasn't gone. It was there.

Temmit stood in front of his parents house for the first time since he was discovered there as a child.

Harrison almost had his entire weekend pack finished and was a little more than concerned that Clive had yet to return. The weather was fowl and it would take at least a hand this night to make it to Lakeshore on horseback.

The weather was so bad in fact, that almost none of the kids had left for weekend plans and Harrison could here many still passing and fooling around in the dormitory hall.

Just in time, he heard Clive's familiar knock on the bedroom window.

Forthcoming the week of Thanksgiving.

Thanks to everyone for a thoroughly enjoyable game.

This is a continuation of Game Session 2A

This session takes place after Game Session 3A - Stolen Spy. It was originally role-played at a table, but with indulgence of the player Johan, I would like to revisit the entire ordeal while keeping true to the dungeon crawl events.

With that said....

A student is assigned a house at the age of nine, some are re-assigned by age ten, and very rarely do they switch houses after that. A students house dictates his/her special field of study but does not confine that student specifically to that curriculum. Students are still required to take the fundamental classes of all other houses.

Students live in dormitories assigned by House and gender.

My current understanding of players assignments are as follows:

Temmit = Scribes

Shannon = Actors

Xavier = The Protectors?

Harrison = The Clergy?

Here is the link to the thread with some House Info --->  ACADEMICS

Classmates awoke in every room across the school district as the noise (of what sounded like thunder) became louder and louder outside the dormitories.

Peeking out their windows, the creation of the racket was blocked from the student view by the darkness of the pre-dawn sky, and moreso, by the incredibly bad weather that had swept in during the winter night. But every student, save perhaps the 5-years, knew what commeth.

The battle wagons.

Once each quarter, a couple hundred of students were selected for "the breech", a coordinated wargame to test all "15-years" and above. A wargame that was always unannounced as much as a "breech" in the outer-rim would be.

These battle wagons were here to take them to the fields, and at roll call, the students would learn who had been selected.

At the sight of the torches posted atop the wagons came into view, your heart starts to race with the anxiety of not knowing...not knowing if today would be your last.

(If anyone wants to post in regards to this new development - which is a prelude to the table session - please start a new thread named "01.02.2133 - INSERT NAME HERE WAKES TO THE GAME)"

(NOTE: None of you have ever been selected for the wargame yet...until now.)

Dray rocked back and forth while sitting in the unusual cold spot on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs folded in front of him.

*   *   *

He had arrived at the Kit's home only a few moments ago, upon receiving no answer to his hails at the door, he had opened it and quickly discovered Kit's fathers' body. In a panic, he had run into Kit's bedroom and upon seeing it vacant went to the only other room in the house. There he found the charred corpse of Kit's Mom lying on an undamaged bed.

He threw up his breakfast.

Choking back the vomit and the tears, anguish threatened to overcome the thirteen-year-old. He called out to Kitalia at the top of his voice. He ran outside the secluded farmhouse and yelled her name over and over, facing up the street and down and into the surrounding woods. There was no sign of her, and in his panic, he couldn't decide to be thrilled or scared about it.

He ran back into the small house to look for clues, as he passed by her father who laid facedown in a pool of his own dried blood he sensed it, a spot on the floor that was unusually cold. It made him stop in his tracks. The chill of the air wrapped around his legs as if the phenomenon was low to the ground. He stooped over to investigate and that was then he sensed her.

It was if she was there... an invisible ghost of Kitalia on the floor, unable to contact him. And the flood of emotion within the cold was filled with abject horror and sorrow.

His mind had frozen with it.

*   *   *

Dray rocked back and forth while sitting in the unusual cold spot on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs folded in front of him.

This thread begins where  Royal Company left off.

NAME: Jena Mistone
AGE: 15
BIRTHDATE: 02.14.2117
SEX: F
CLASS: ??
HOUSE: The Actors

ATTRIBUTES: Jena is a brown-haired, brown eyed pretty girl who has an incredibly alluring physique and charisma to match, and the girl knows it. She is very flirtatious and knows how to direct attention her way with a coy quip or attractive laugh.

APPEARANCE: When not in school, Jena tends to wear tight clothing that shows off her voluptuous but muscular form. She has actually been arrested for some of the clothes she has worn on the streets in the summer time, and then sent back to the orphanage to change after a "slap on the wrist".

REMARKS:

"The Slut"

Her reputation started when she was caught by a student (no one knows specifically who) giving Headmaster Shanteel a hand job when she was thirteen. Since then, Jena hasn't denied or confirmed the event, nor has she done anything to diminish her title as "the slut".

*Jena has had many boyfriends since the event with Shanteel, the unofficial count being 18. Of these boys, many have claimed to fellow classmates that they have had sex with the girl. The rumor of the girls promiscuity made it to the Truancy Office, and they got involved six months ago. After an investigation of the girl, and her allegedly lucky boyfriends,  neither Jena or any of these boys have been arrested or prosecuted. Even after the girl was ordered to be examined and questioned by the Quintescant. This made the more mature and reasonable students and teachers of the school wonder to the complete truth of her reputation.

*Jena is one of a few denied recruits in the Whisper Guild. She was interviewed at age 11 by Renee's predecessor Michael Banks. She answered the questions correctly and did indicate having abilities, specifically psionic, but refused to join the group, wanting to go at it alone.

*Jena is in the Actors house, and is already making a name for herself in both school and on the stage. She is an up-and-coming actress in the Theater District, having starred in many professional performances in the Summer seasons since she was 10.

*Despite being the Actors house, Jena uses her elective slots in her schedule for more gym class whenever she can. The girl has therefore become one of the best warriors outside of the Protectors House, and the teachers in the two prospective houses always debate on where she best belongs.

FAMILY:

Jena has no parents, they both were life-time military soldiers of the Outer-Rim Defense and died during a Kar'Tharta when she was two. She resides in the orphanage during the summer season, preferring that over staying with "acting friends" who live in ShantyTown.