The 21st day of the month of Obad-Hai
The 110th year of the second Ravensblood dynasty
The 110th year of the second Ravensblood dynasty
At the point in time where this game actually took place, it was still summer vacation, and matching everyone’s schedules up was difficult. Makpov’s player and I were both working retail at the time, so we had no such vacation to speak of. Quimarel’s player had just gotten back from a trip, Hiddlebatch’s player was about to leave, and Tamarie’s player was currently visiting family. In a desire to get at least one session in before Hiddlebatch’s player left, I ended up running a sidequest that included only Quimarel and Hiddlebatch: they wanted to figure out what the deal was with their drunken gerbil-fairy. I apparently started the recorder late, because the recording starts with the two players having already given in to the instincts conferred upon them by advanced degrees in English: they’re in the library doing research. Specifically, it starts with me giving them an answer to a research question regarding the formal hierarchy of atomies (the species of fairy they’re dealing with):
“They’re ‘organized’ in the same sense that a wasp nest is ‘organized’: all the creatures involved have a vague, instinct-based idea of what the best course of action would be, and it works well enough for them to survive. More or less, they fly around, collect resources, stick people with tiny swords -- or put snakes in their backpacks -- and otherwise they just do what they feel like.”
Quimarel and Hiddlebatch debate the idea of getting the information they want out of members of the Intelligence Corps through diplomacy.
It is also established that the extremely elderly chieftainess is unlikely to be interested in Quimarel’s employees, so their standard method of bribery is out.
Plans are hatched regarding how to subtly get information out of Zubynna. Quimarel suggests using her points in Craft [herbal remedies] to drug Zubynna with something that would increase her libido so that they can use the standard bribe-the-official-with-whores plan, but the logistics seem to be difficult. Also, it turns out Quimarel forgot to actually buy any ranks in Craft [herbal remedies] -- she just wrote the skill down on her sheet -- so she’d need Tamarie to do the actual brewing.
Hiddlebatch decides to go talk to the Kech and see if they know anything. It heads over to the Broken Stone and sits in the dining area on the first floor to wait for one to show up.
Silently bemoaning the apparent tendency of savages to disrupt his meals, Lu-Dingira takes Hiddlebatch up to the room the Kech are renting, and they sit down for a private chat.
Quimarel starts preparing for a meeting with Zubynna. First, she tries to figure out how to attract fairies. Her Knowledge [nature] check tells her that they just don’t operate on the same kind of logic she does1, and virtually anything could potentially be construed as an invitation under the right circumstances.
Quimarel and Hiddlebatch press for more detail (Knowledge [nature]: 17) and remember hearing that there are certain things more likely to attract fey attention. Silvermoss certainly likes honey, especially when made into mead. Quimarel suggests that there might be certain flowers they find appealing, and I decide that’s probably true. Quimarel also remembers hearing that you can attract them with saucers of milk and bread, and that certain songs get their attention for whatever reason.
Quimarel’s Knowledge [local] reveals that while Zubynna’s schedule is irregular, changing depending on what she needs to do to maintain visibility and/or snuff out any opposition to her leadership before it gets serious, she holds regular “office hours” at the Intelligence Corps, can usually be found mingling in the Marketplace of Rats at some point during the day, and frequently eats at the Broken Stone. Quimarel decides to go talk to her in her office.
“They’re ‘organized’ in the same sense that a wasp nest is ‘organized’: all the creatures involved have a vague, instinct-based idea of what the best course of action would be, and it works well enough for them to survive. More or less, they fly around, collect resources, stick people with tiny swords -- or put snakes in their backpacks -- and otherwise they just do what they feel like.”
Quimarel and Hiddlebatch debate the idea of getting the information they want out of members of the Intelligence Corps through diplomacy.
Hiddlebatch: We could say something like… we got stung by a fairy or something.There’s some brief concern that they might not be able to find out who the high-ranking members of the Intelligence Corps are, which is quickly solved when I point out that this information is actually in the setting document I gave them during character-creation. Since this branch of the Royal Intelligence Corps is directly run by Tribe Muck-Laugh, the title of Spymaster automatically goes to the chief of the tribe. Currently, the goblin in charge is Spymistress Zubynna Chief Muck-Laugh, an elderly woman who regularly holds audiences with citizens of the town in order to maintain visibility and popularity. Talking to her would not be a problem, as long as you didn’t seem to be wasting her time -- you don’t get to be Chief Muck-Laugh by being a nice person.
Quimarel OOC: Do they have stingers?
GM: Little swords.
Hiddlebatch: Yeah, so say one of them poked you… in a non-sexual way. Like, in a violent way.
It is also established that the extremely elderly chieftainess is unlikely to be interested in Quimarel’s employees, so their standard method of bribery is out.
Quimarel OOC: Not even the bedazzled boy-whore? [i.e., Makpov]
GM: Maybe the bedazzled boy-whore, but only because he’s just SO bedazzled. Generally, she is past that time of life.
Plans are hatched regarding how to subtly get information out of Zubynna. Quimarel suggests using her points in Craft [herbal remedies] to drug Zubynna with something that would increase her libido so that they can use the standard bribe-the-official-with-whores plan, but the logistics seem to be difficult. Also, it turns out Quimarel forgot to actually buy any ranks in Craft [herbal remedies] -- she just wrote the skill down on her sheet -- so she’d need Tamarie to do the actual brewing.
Hiddlebatch decides to go talk to the Kech and see if they know anything. It heads over to the Broken Stone and sits in the dining area on the first floor to wait for one to show up.
Quimarel OOC: You “sit down and stare”?For the sake of Hiddlebatch not spending all day sitting in a tavern, Lu-Dingira shows up for lunch fairly shortly. Hiddlebatch approaches him. “Excuse me. I have some things to discuss with you, and I think it would be better if we retired to a more private location.”
GM: I think she said “sit downstairs”.
Quimarel OOC: I like mine better.
Silently bemoaning the apparent tendency of savages to disrupt his meals, Lu-Dingira takes Hiddlebatch up to the room the Kech are renting, and they sit down for a private chat.
Lu-Dingira: What is so important that you had to come speak to us?Hiddlebatch tries to evangelize at Lu-Dingira to make him into a follower of her heretical sect. He responds to her attempts by explaining his cultural beliefs, which he presents as superior. This is not acted out at the table, but the general gist of Lu-Dingira’s beliefs is that hierarchy and obedience are critically important, because something something social Darwinism. He also claims that he and his people were the first warm-blooded creatures to achieve sapience, and seems to feel that this gives him additional authority.
Hiddlebatch: Well… it might not seem that important to you… but we’ve been having problems with local fairies. They are quite numerous, and we were wondering if you happened to know anything about them.
Lu-Dingira: Hm. Well, until a few months ago, we lived many thousands of miles away. So we have little experience with the local fairy folk.
Hiddlebatch: And you haven’t had any issues with them since you’ve been here, or seen anything odd, or…
Lu-Dingira: When we travelled here -- the part where we went over land, I mean -- we were in the company of Lord Bashant of the Thin Blades and Lord Jithanver the Blood-Drinker. Even the fairy folk seem smart enough to steer clear, so we never saw any.
Hiddlebatch: Oh. Okay. There have just been some strange goings-on in the area, and we weren’t sure if it was related to what you’d been doing, or if it might interfere with our plans or yours, or our mutual arrangement. So if you notice anything strange in relation to fairies, let us know.
Lu-Dingira: We shall.
Hiddlebatch: Anything else we need to know?
Lu-Dingira: There’s some unrest underground, but I think we’ve got it under control.
Hiddlebatch: With the big, horrifying creatures or the slaves?
Lu-Dingira: The former. They seem… oddly well-organized for big, horrifying creatures.
Hiddlebatch: Oh. That’s ominous. And how are your gods doing?
Lu-Dingira: I haven’t asked. They consider it impertinent to just pop in, you know.
[There is some brief discussion out of character regarding whether the Kech are religious. They aren’t, but it seems likely that Lu-Dingira just parsed “gods” as “rakshasa” and answered accordingly.]
Hiddlebatch: Maybe you should keep this. It may guide you in your quest. [Diplomacy: 22]
[Hiddlebatch hands Lu-Dingira one of H’s carven idols]
Lu-Dingira: Is this an important object in your culture?
Hiddlebatch: It is an important object in ALL cultures. This is --
Lu-Dingira: It is not an important object in MY culture.
Hiddlebatch: It will be soon. You see, this is from the god Khurgorbaeyag who, as you may have noticed, is working to spread his influence across the land --
Lu-Dingira: I have not noticed this.
Hiddlebatch: -- as is evidenced by all the individuals with strange mutations that make them superior to the other individuals. This is --
Lu-Dingira: I thought that was just how you people were.
Hiddlebatch: This is his totem. It will bless you.
Lu-Dingira: That’s nice of him. I’ll just put it on this shelf over here.
Hiddlebatch: Not a fan of the reptiles, then?He relates the Kech creation myth, which involves being uplifted from monkeyhood to serve as glorified homunculi / lab assistants for Aarakocra wizards, then, as they grew more numerous, an underclass for the entire empire, which was located somewhere over the sea to the west.. Lu-Dingira and his compatriots are descended from a group of Kech who were essentially sold to the rakshasa when the empire was in its final decline. Hiddlebatch doesn’t care, ends the conversation, and leaves. Lu-Dingira notes how rude these savages are and goes to get his lunch.
Lu-Dingira: Reptiles were the ones who created us -- so that we could be their servants. And for many generations, we served faithfully. Until their great empire fell, and we traveled across the sea...
Quimarel starts preparing for a meeting with Zubynna. First, she tries to figure out how to attract fairies. Her Knowledge [nature] check tells her that they just don’t operate on the same kind of logic she does1, and virtually anything could potentially be construed as an invitation under the right circumstances.
Quimarel and Hiddlebatch press for more detail (Knowledge [nature]: 17) and remember hearing that there are certain things more likely to attract fey attention. Silvermoss certainly likes honey, especially when made into mead. Quimarel suggests that there might be certain flowers they find appealing, and I decide that’s probably true. Quimarel also remembers hearing that you can attract them with saucers of milk and bread, and that certain songs get their attention for whatever reason.
Hiddlebatch OOC: Can I sing some songs and see what Silvermoss responds to?Hiddlebatch decides to sing some hymns to Khurgorbaeyag. Silvermoss sings along, but makes up his own words. He doesn’t seem to react to one any more than the others. Out of character, Quimarel and Hiddlebatch agree that “Toxic” is a hymn to Khurgorbaeyag, but Quimarel’s player meant the Britney Spears song and Hiddlebatch’s player is loudly singing another song called “Toxic” which neither of us recognize.
GM: You CAN, yes.
Hiddlebatch OOC: I assume I know some local songs…
Quimarel OOC: The traditional ballad “Hit Me Baby One More Time”.
Quimarel OOC: [picks up recorder] Dear future GM who’s listening to this… I’m sorry.They go back to trying to figure out what to say to Zubynna. Quimarel wants to have some plausible reason why she might be having difficulty with fairies.
Hiddlebatch: Just say you were romping through the woods, and --Eventually, they decide that the combination of Makpov’s natural carrion stench and the smoke from the large hookah that Foxglove Winemist recently dragged into the common room (to “cultivate an exotic atmosphere”) is an unusual enough scent that it could plausibly attract fairies. By claiming that fairies are showing up and harassing her employees as a result, Quimarel has a lie that seems like a significant enough issue to consult Zubynna for advice.
Quimarel: I do do a lot of romping.
Hiddlebatch: And, uh, and one poked you.
Quimarel: One poking me is not enough to be --
Hiddlebatch: THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE!
Quimarel: Not enough for me to bring it up; it needs to be something unusual.
Quimarel’s Knowledge [local] reveals that while Zubynna’s schedule is irregular, changing depending on what she needs to do to maintain visibility and/or snuff out any opposition to her leadership before it gets serious, she holds regular “office hours” at the Intelligence Corps, can usually be found mingling in the Marketplace of Rats at some point during the day, and frequently eats at the Broken Stone. Quimarel decides to go talk to her in her office.
1 In my campaign, the Fey and the Far Realm essentially form the z-axis of the alignment chart: they are fundamentally opposed in the same way Good and Evil are, but their thought processes and beliefs are so alien to everyone else that it just doesn’t map properly onto the two-dimensional good/evil/law/chaos moral structure that the rest of the world uses. In a nod to TV Tropes, I’ve mentally labelled their opposing philosophies Blue and Orange, respectively. As a consequence, Detect Evil on a fey creature results in the caster getting a result of “inconclusive” and seeing strange blue flickers for a few seconds.. On a micro level, with minor fairies like the atomie, that means that their behavior, culture, ethics, &c. are completely unpredictable from a humanoid point of view. ↩
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