WotL OOC Thread II

[BishGada]

Well, tough luck is part of real life as well as imaginary life and soon we will find out how much Tulbas can suffer before cracking.

[TristenC]

I feel safe in the knowledge that he really doesn't know who the hell I am.

[BishGada]

Even if he knew, it would take him at least one year in fiction life to turn evil and revenge, which in real life is about ten years and until that happens I'll sure forget all about it.

[TristenC]

Avenge yourself against me for trying to rescue you after you went out alone and got yourself captured? Such gratitude!

If you survive until tomorrow, we'll haul your elven butt off the coals, so it won't matter anyway I think we'll have enough firepower soon

[Haahque]

Tulbas has fabricated so many stories that don't add up to try and get himself out of his current predicament that now his captors are doing it too!

If Tulbas was sent to infiltrate them... why would he have people trying to rescue him. Wouldn't they wait long enough for him to gather good information then have him, with the trust of the cultists, escape on his own?

[JadedDM]

At this point, they are so paranoid that it probably hasn't occurred to them. The fact that Tulbas keeps telling them contradictory stuff and tried to steal from them has convinced them he cannot be trusted, at the very least.

[BishGada]

What contradictory information??

[JadedDM]

Tulbas first acted like he was just randomly in the area when the cultists attacked him. Later he admitted he was deliberately investigating the disappearances.

Tulbas pretended to be interested in joining the cultists, but when Leota was away he told the other acolytes he would 'do anything' to help them reverse the transformation.

He claimed he had medicine in his belongings that he needed to live, but he carried no medicine on him when he was captured.

He insisted he had no idea who the mercenaries were, despite the fact they asked specifically for his release. (This is the big point of contention for them, and he can't offer a satisfying explanation for this.)

He claimed Magnus was the man with the broad sword, but they know what Magnus looks like and that he is a wizard and doesn't wield swords.

All of these little things put together make them even more paranoid about his intentions.

[BishGada]

Oh... THAT contradictory information

just kidding.

Well you are the DM but here is my point of view"

- obviously at first when being captured anyone would be careful and say he was there by accident.

- 'do anything' to help them reverse the transformation was meant as good act for those who doesn't want to be transformed. Tulbas believes in carrots and not sticks to recruit followers.

- I figured Tulbas has ingredients for his spells that could pass as medicine since the others don't necessarily identify them. Also mages are usually not very healthy. He kept the act until he got the herbs that "helped" him.

- About the mercenaries. It's true he didn't offer a reasonable explanation but he stick with his version firmly. And he said he can only assume...

- When he talked about Magnus he was referring to him as the mage and showed surprise about the cloth. He never claim Magnus uses the sword, just as the human he knows best from the group that went to kill the giant.

So I thought that the truths and lies Tulbas told were solid enough. In the current situation even if Tulbas will surrender Gregedding and Haaque it will only make things worse since he will admit he is a liar, came to report them to the church, and a dangerous enemy. So I guess we should see how pain can he suffer

In the meanwhile I'll start thinking on the next character... if we find out he can't suffer a lot before he dies.

[JadedDM]

- obviously at first when being captured anyone would be careful and say he was there by accident.

Sure, but remember what I said--it was all the little things added together. This, by itself, was not terribly suspicious. Plus, Grubnick got them all worked up by claiming to be a cleric of Takhisis, so they are super paranoid now.

- 'do anything' to help them reverse the transformation was meant as good act for those who doesn't want to be transformed. Tulbas believes in carrots and not sticks to recruit followers.

Right, but it's still a contradiction. He says he wants to help the cultists and join them, but he also offers to save them, as if the transformation was a bad thing (in his mind it is, but to the cultists, it's a good thing).

Put it this way. Imagine there's a renegade mage and the Wizards of High Sorcery find him and demand he join them. He immediately complies, and acts very much like he's happy to join and take his Test and become a member. But as soon as the leaders aren't looking, he turns to the other recruits and says, "Look, if you need help escaping before the Test, I'll do anything to help you." He essentially revealed his true feelings this way.

- I figured Tulbas has ingredients for his spells that could pass as medicine since the others don't necessarily identify them. Also mages are usually not very healthy. He kept the act until he got the herbs that "helped" him.

Which might have worked, if the person who took inventory of his belongings, Leota, was not also a mage and would recognize the difference between simple herbs and magical components.

In the meanwhile I'll start thinking on the next character... if we find out he can't suffer a lot before he dies.

I'm assuming the priests know what they are doing and can inflict maximum pain without killing. I don't think Tulbas will die unless he does something foolish (like try to fight his way out) or if Haahqae's and Grubnick's assault on the lair fails (in which case, all three of you might be rolling up new characters).

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Speaking of torture, I have no interest in roleplaying a torture scene out so we'll close the curtain here and we'll just see the aftermath of the priests' work in the morning. So Tulbas' scene is over, as is Haahqae's and it looks like Kendra's, as well. And it appears that everyone else's are more or less wrapping up. Do I have that right? We'll probably be moving to the next day soon, then.

That being the case, while we're waiting for the next day, if everyone could give me a rough idea of what they want to accomplish tomorrow, that would be of great help.

[TristenC]

Pretty much. Just wanted to touch base with the innkeeper again

Can't believe nobody bit on my 'goblin, Minotaur and Phaethon walking into a bar' gag... that's classic people, cmon

[Haahque]

List of stuff to do today
Put on a performance at the inn
R&R

List of stuff to do tomorrow

Memorize new spells (Ghost sound, grease, X)
Gather group of rescue heroes
break Tulbas out of cult
pillage cult? (If possible)
Go on a date with Ismene (if we're both alive)


Alternatively:
Roll up new character

But that's more of a plan B.

X -> Can I cast spells and attack with my bow/sling while hanging from the ceiling with spider climb? If I can then Spider Climb, if not... Detect Magic

[JadedDM]

Go on a date with Ismene (if we're both alive)

Heh, I went ahead and wrote up a full bio for Ismene (the first NPC I've done that with so far in this game) and fully fleshed her out. So I'll be charting her relationship with Haahqae and how she feels toward him as time progresses. Right now, her reaction toward him is Cautious, if that wasn't already apparent. He'll have to work at building chemistry with her, but it's possible. We'll all be rooting for him.

X -> Can I cast spells and attack with my bow/sling while hanging from the ceiling with spider climb?

According to the spell description:

"During the course of the spell, the recipient cannot handle objects that weigh less than a dagger (one pound), for such objects stick to his hands and feet. Thus a wizard will find it virtually impossible to cast spells if under a spider climb spell."

I interpret that to mean he cannot use his sling or his bow while under the spell (while his bow itself weighs more than 1 pound, the arrows do not) and he cannot cast spells that require a material component. That would include all of his current spells except Gaze Reflection and Change Self, I believe.

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By the way, did Grubnick tell Felran and Ne-Chanz where to meet for the job tomorrow?

[Haahque]

Well in that case I'll stick with detect magic as my 3rd spell, maybe later Haahqae can pick up some throwing axes or something for ceiling shenanigans.

[TristenC]

Grubnick said he would run his errands then come back for them with the pass-bearer in-tow so they can get about with their weapons. Otherwise they would never make it to the steel tankard in the first place...