Interlude Fourteen

(from Matt) I forgot to mention the I thought the best part of the game was the battle with the demon. I like the combat especially when it gets somewhat tactical. I am looking forward to the birchmont battle but don't have a clue as to how we'll survive. ;-)

I didn't quite understand why the soul buyer was there other than jack with us. maybe we'll find out later. Can you have the yeti's capture the group of women & childern to motivate the group to go kick some giant butt. Maybe a child is left behind to tell the story to the group.

I think Vikos' long term goal maybe to rid the forest Tunkerak of it's evil and interlopers and restore natural order there.

Keep the contaigtion thing in mind. I am ready to just get the book and and get out of Tunis but if you've got it really detailed more time would be justified. Maybe the Zartus character is responsible for the slavery bit? Vikos would definately have a grude against slavers. MHJ

(reply from Mark) Matt, Grinval delivered some possibly useful information when he told the party that the natural magical resistance of the blue rock in the canyon walls protects him from a powerful Demon named RakRon. He also told the party that RakRon was a demon that seemed to focus his power in mirror...and that he is often summoned through a mirror. And, as an encounter, Grinval the Soul-Eater was much more interesting than a random encounter with a pack of giant rats! All part of the atmosphere. Some players tell me they want to meet and interact with more NPCs...and I aim to please!

(reply from Matt) So far as the story line and Grinvall, I think it would have been a better story to have him plead for mercy and get squezzed to death by the rubbery tenticals. He still could have gave up all his info begging for escape. It would have been a fitting end for one who sold people into hell. How the Paladin ever rationalized letting him go, I just don't understand.

(from Matt) (Matt sent me a letter regarding the Dispel Magic being able to dispel his Black Tentacles without any rolls or any immunity on the part of the tentacles. I read the letter on another computer, and thus lost it...He had some very good points.)

(reply from Mark) Matt, I hear you on your rule points. That is why I said we would revisit the rules later, because I didn't want to get in an argument at the game. I wanted to get the game moving, but also didn't want to make a decision that would "stand forever." So I said we'll go with this for now, and review it later! I think it made the game more interesting than just having him squeezed to death quickly, or having half the party engage the tentacles in combat. But I'm not always right! :-)

(from Mike) Sorry guys, but I've been informed that I will be out of town on the 16th. Have to go to Iowa for my nephew's birthday.

(from Mark) Ugh! I'm sorry Mike! You and "Will" will be missed!

(from Scott) We can send Vikos up to visit your nephew before then and you wouldn't have to go.

(from Matt) That is funny. MHJ

(from Scott) Ok, where can we play on the 16th? Waht is Marks work schedule that night? Who can put up with flamestrikes, lightening bolts , and flying monks in their house that night?

(from Chris) We can play at my house if you want. Just let me know and I will invite the others.

(from Mark) Players, BELOW IS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE E-MAIL LIST POSSIBLE. Please put this list in your Address Books! It includes at least one person none of you have met yet....

Chris, LET'S PLAY AT YOUR HOUSE! Did you all hear that...At Chris' house at 5:00 PM? Chris, I you could send everyone I sent this letter to...directions to your house, that would be great. Some have never been there, some have been there once or twice, and the rest of us will just delete your letter! Mark Stinson

P.S. Here are those addresses in text form: kadunkadunk@kc.rr.com, stevebowden@earthlink.net, CrossMLK@aol.com, Cragor59@aol.com, bower@kctera.net, scott.a.bower@mail.sprint.com, christopher.d.stevens@mail.sprint.com, mhjohnson22@yahoo.com, kevin.s.ruland@mail.sprint.com, kevin@rodin.wustl.edu, mhaun5@home.com, ruadhin@hotmail.com, beboeding@aol.com, themagus@swbell.net

(from Matt) Nice interlude, way to bring up embarrasing pasts issues. Has Vikos ever meet "the hooded mage of the Azure Kingdom" in the Azure kingdom?

Scott, Does Kit want to trade the bag of desires? Vikos thinks it is a great bargining item. She didn't mention it to Vavasha. Going through my notes, Ganraith had an instructional book of magic from Archibald Leech. Vikos wouldn't have know about this, but maybe Kit might have found it. MHJ

(reply from Scott) Kit was not there when Ganraith was slain so you need to address the party on the book. As for bringing up embarrassing past issues let me think. hmmmm.. who was it that brought up Vikos's little mistake with Vavasha's nephew mmmm...ah yes, I believe it was the Hammer of Tobin, God of vengeance our very own Vikos Stormbringer and did I not here a request to our beloved GM for some information to refresh his memory? Do I sense a little unresolved guilt? Later Scott B.

(from Matt) Mark, I have pretty cloudy memory of the whole Shirpiro deal, if you could remind me of anything, I would appriciate it. I've gone over my old name list and can't really get much out of it. Other than; The hooded mage was hired by Jaeger Hodge, a rich guy from Crunal. Hodge has a friend Marstin, a dualist. Shipiro is remembered as the Vavasha's nephew and a Mage for hire, thought to be killed by Vikos. Hodges did something to change Vikos but I can't remember what. If you can tell me what the change was that would be most appriciated.

(reply from Mark) Matt, Vikos killed Shapiro in front of tons of people. No one believed Vikos when he said that Shapiro had been the outlaw known as the "Hooded Mage," in Crunal on the Island of Bantroth. I believe that there was a big kidnapping scheme pulled off by the Hooded Mage...and Vikos got caught up in it. For our story's purpose...it is important to remember that Vikos killed the man he believed to be the criminal known as the Hooded Mage...and that man was Vavasha's nephew, Shapiro! Vikos has had very little dealings with the man known as the Hooded Mage in the Azure Kingdom, and never really put two and two together until now. Their hoods are completely different, and a lot of time has gone by since that past event. But what is the name of the Hooded Mage in the Azure Kingdom? Hmmmm.

(from Matt) I have dwelt way too much on the D&D stuff lately and came up with some different story line ideas.

1) Yeti (from the giant encampment near Tunis) capture the freed slaves. They leave behind a small girl who escapes on Ruadin's horse and comes back when the party returns and relates what has happened. The party is forced to free the slaves once again.

2) Vikos or someone else in the party heard the name of the slaver in Tunis and Vikos is compelled to use the Contagnation or dealier spell upon that person. Zacius maybe, or even Quincy?

3)A pitched battle game with Vikos' orcs, vs. a small gnoll army(ref. giants' ally, interlude 13). Gunkrot, Oren, Ruadin and Eyti could have followers as well or split up the orcs. (This may be a good one for Mike Cross, fits with his other adventure)

4) Vikos wants to inflame the giants hate of each other. He's considering impersonation a Hill, Fire or Storm giant (either with enlarge spell or an illusion) to help break up the Giant alliance. What types of giants has Vikos seen close enought to cast and an illusion of? How tall are hill giants? Vikos can make it to 10' using enlarge and change self. He can speak giant so that will help. If he hasn't seen them up close just need to get a closer look.

If you want to go with one of those ideas let me know and i will flesh it out with a story.

(from Mark) We'll see where these go when we begin play on Saturday the 16th!

(from Brian) Scott Bower invited me to contact you for the 30 page booklet and other D & D materials. He has invited me to your next game on 3-16-02. He and I have played together since 1975 or so. I believe I met you at the LOTR movie the other night. Thanks Brian Boeding beboeding@aol.com

(reply from Mark) Brian, I believe you played 2 months ago when Mike Cross ran the game. I will have a Player's Guide for you at the game on the 16th. In the meanwhile, everything in the Player's Guide, and much more is on the website. To to the Azure Kingdom section of the webpage...the whole Guide is there. http://members.aol.com/voidpulp/kempin.html

Please have a character ready to go for the game. Contact Scott for tips on how to prepare the character. Look forward to seeing you there! Thanks, Mark Stinson

(from Brian) I have been enjoying reading the website. Scott suggested I create a 6th level non human rogue, as the group does not seem to have many of these. I have created a chaotic neutral elven thief worshipping Olidammara. Scott seems to believe the next adventure has the potential to be thief oriented. I'm looking forward to it either way. Let me know if I can be of any help in setting up the next adventure. Thanks Brian B

(from Mark) Thanks, Brian. Just be there and be ready to play! Mark

(from Matt) Mark, Is there a way to make the interlude time more of a colaborative/interactive experience. I would like to have some input on how it goes but I don't want to write a story if you or someone else in the group has a "better" idea and my story ends up on the editing room floor.

Could it just be a more open enviroment? I have tried to send e-mails to everyone in the group and I get no respose. It sounds like there are some things happening I would like to know what they are and have some influence on them. I think my mind-set is still wrong for the way this group works, at least in the interlude portion of the game/story.

Give me go ahead on any of the storylines I sent you last week and I will be on it. But i didn't save the e-mail so tell me which one, don't use the numbers.

Maybe we can talk about it at the next game whereever it is. MHJ

(reply from Mark) Matt, I am willing to try any interlude format that people would like to try. If I had more time this week, I would have some more Interlude stuff sent out...but I'm really stuck until my days off! And that time lag, with all those e-mails sitting in my in-box can wear on you. I know the frustration you are talking about!

The problem is that some people like to write long stories, and others just send me a list of stuff. Both are valuable, but clearly the STORIES win out...as they are much harder to edit and conform than a list of ideas! Please think of some answers, or a new way of doing things and we will try it out.

I enjoy the current way, in that I get to edit and sort of "guide" the group in a direction that fits the tone of the campaign, and storylines that I have thought of and would like to try out. But I can roll with the punches in any method we try.

By the way, nothing ends up on the cutting room floor...at least so far. I had to majorly edit one of Scott's stories last time, but I used everything he sent me in at least some form or another! Mark Stinson

(from Matt) To everyone who contributed, Great interlude. It was enjoyable reading. I especially like the Palidins' code. Who ever did that gets my vote for most valuable interlude writer. (WELL, THANKS MATT...:-)

I am not so sure I wanted the party to split, but we will see how it goes. (I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY START THE GAME WITH THE PARTY REUNITED...SO IT WON'T AFFECT THINGS THAT MUCH.)

The friction between Vikos and the followers of heroinious is great. I want to be much more dramatic but I hold back to keep the game moving and so no one(most likely Vikos) gets killed. (DID ANYONE REALIZE THAT MATT WAS HOLDING BACK? HA HA!)

I hope the Giants didn't kidnap the freed slaves, that would be terrible to have to fight them (not really, I would relish it). But just in case I have some fun ideas and a couple of call lighting spells.

I didn't receieve a couple of E-mails from Mark in the past interlude. But it all turned out the same. (I DIDN'T SENT OUT TOO MANY GROUP E-MAILS...I MOSTLY REPLIED JUST TO INDIVIDUAL LETTER-WRITERS, AND POSTED IT TO THE WEBSITE. SORRY IF ANYONE MISSED ANY MAIL! THE PARTY WENT IN THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS IN THE LETTERS THEY SENT ME...1. GET HELP FROM VAVASHA, 2. GET HELP FROM JAVAIR, 3. WINDWALK WITH JEREMIAH...SO BRINGING EVERYTHING TOGETHER WAS QUITE A CHALLENGE!)

I might be slightly late Saturday I have a in-law, double, birthday on Saturday. I am doing my best to be on time and not sleep with the dog. Mark, Thanks for the XP but I didn't think i did that much. (BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY MATT SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON D&D THIS MONTH!) I'll keep it though. See you guys Saturday. MHJ

(from Matt) These arn't big issues but: Who has Grivall's bag of desires? I thought it was Runadin. Vikos doesn't want it with Kit or Zeek, they are both too curious. With the party split it could make a difference. If Vikos has it he is likely to trade it to another mage.

I had forgotten but, Ganraith had non-magical book of magic philosophy from Archibald Leech. This could be sold or given to Kit or someone else.

See you all (except MC) Saturday. MHJ

M. Ludwig Stinson, P.O. Box 28204, Gladstone, MO 64188