You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Recent posts by Vanadia
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: To Bromern
Jal and Valentine are two seperate mages  Not sure if the player is getting them mixed up, or just the character.
Posted on 2006-10-18 at 21:27:41.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off
Subject: Dapple chats with the real boss of Freegate
(A post written by both the DM and I)
It was a nameless bar at the end of a winding alley. If you didn’t know it was there you’d never find it, and if you passed it by chance, then you were hopelessly lost. The dark dingy windows and creaking roof, looking like it would collapse any second, would have scared you off anyway.
The one called Dapple slipped out of the darkness for a moment and entered the building. If you wanted to see Fast Toes, this was the place. She was ushered through the usual precautions by a balding ugly man with half his right hand missing. “Fingers” was Fast Toes' second, and he knew Dapple by sight. It wasn’t long before she was in the back office, waiting for her guildmaster’s attention. Fast Toes entered the room grandly. The hafling swept aside the blue velvet cape he was wearing to reveal a silk shirt of vibrant green, and pantaloons that might have been spun from finely drawn gold. His shoes were brown, and red, and pink, with small wing emblems of white on either side. He looked over and looked at Dapple. ‘Well? What do you think?”
“I think that somewhere, a rainbow has exploded,” she replied drily, wincing at spectacle before her.
“You have no taste. I will have you know this is the latest fashion in Keoland. Well the shirt is. The cape is the style in the Imperial court, mostly by the ladies but why should they have all the fun?”
“You do realize that the Empire is rotting. Borrowing their fashion sense may not be a good idea,” Dapple countered, though her pale face held the ghost of amusement. In the guildmaster’s presence, she went uncloaked and bare faced. Fast Toes liked to see who he was dealing with, a matter of trust among the untrustworthy.
“Well the shoes are all me, but I do love them. Anyway, what brings you to my lair? I thought you’d be off gallivanting with that knight of yours. Errant? Elvis? Saving the world one damsel at a time and what not?”
“It’s Arien, and it was only one damsel. Hardly habit-forming, no worries,” the “lad” responded in an offhand matter. “Listen, Fast Toes, I’m looking to cross some Reds, and need to know what I’m up against…how to bring ‘em down. What do you know of it?”
“Well, that is easy. Avoid them. Really boy, I don’t know what your fascination with hero work is, but it will be your death. Reds are wizards, with poor fashion sense. You deal with them like any others. Pump enough arrows into them and they can’t cast spells. Distraction is the key. Greens? Well Dapple my boy, I think you already know enough about them.” Fast Toes said slyly looking at Dapple’s boots. “You didn’t get those on sale, did you?”
Dapple looked down at her boots, the soft boots of Imperial make, crafted solely for the use of Greens. She had indeed gotten them from a retired soldier, one who’d also trained her in their fighting style, but she had a reputation to keep. She leaned back in her chair, knees wide and relaxed like a man, and let a touch of swagger flavour her voice. “Of course I did, Fast Toes, dead men never haggle well. They were a right bargain!”
“Fine! Keep your secrets. So you are investigating the keep?”
“Now, when did I mention that? Or Greens for that matter? You looking into my business, boss? Should I be worried? ” Dapple raised an eyebrow and kept her casual pose, but her eyes were hard.
“Don’t be, I try to keep my fingers and ears in everyone’s pie. Something is up there. They wouldn’t be focusing so much energy on boarding up windows unless there was a reason.”
Dapple agreed, and turned the conversation around to her new travel companions of the morrow. Fast Toes sprawled into his overstuffed armchair and lit a pipe before answering, enjoying Dapple’s impatience.
"The big one I have heard of. He is “Diablo” of the arenas. A prize gladiator of the empire until he killed his masters and fled. There is a sizable bounty on his head. Not that I would suggest killing a teammate, but if he were to meet unfortunate ends, you’d make a tidy profit in keeping his head and bringing it back.
"The Valentine Mage I know very little of. He supplied a lot of good information to Dwan when he came over to our side. I know your instinct is for distrust boy, but that one has his reasons to hate the empire. He will hold true – that is from my guts and my guts are rarely wrong. He is another one with a good bounty on his head. You could be in good after this caper, boy.
"The other mage….Well, him I know. Came into Freegate a while ago, must be over a year. Has a tendency to wander the streets at night. Not the good streets either, but the ones that a wise person knows not to travel. Walks around in a daze sometimes, talking to himself or to the walls, or to nothing at all. Anyway, my boys figure him an easy mark, but no one can get his goods. He always knows when someone is about, reaching for his purse. Now he is gentlemanly like about it, always polite and all that – never gets angry about it. Even Dodger couldn’t nick him, and Dodger is a prince among pickpockets. Anyway, the boys leave him alone now, call him “spooky”.
One evening, not that long ago, Evangeline, you know her? Anyway she comes in all freaked out with this Spooky in tow. She tells me she was hidden away in her hideyhole, and this mage comes up and approaches her, asking to see me. She’s upset cause the hideyhole is a good location, near unspottable and this guy pops in like it was the Iron League’s tower. So he tells me about this man who is dead in an alley – a robbery. He wants to know who did it. You know me, I don’t shiv to anyone killing the marks – it’s …”
“Bad for business. Yes, you have said that many times.”
“Right. So I go with him and look at the guy. Well the cutthroat wasn’t very bright and I was able to figure out the who’s and why’s easily enough. So once I tell him, Spooky suddenly is all happy – as if that was all he needed to know. I offer to cut him in on the dealing with the trespasser, but he isn’t interested. He becomes really distracted, like he is talking to someone else, who ain’t there. Then he politely thanks me and said, “He is free now, there is no need.” Fast Toes shrugged, “Spooky ain’t the half of it. Anyway. I hear he knows his way around a firefight and has power. He’s one of Gwanele’s pets so you better keep him intact. She can be worse than spooky if pissed.”
Dapple mulled over the conversation as she made her way to her own “hideyhole”: a ramshackle room on the third floor of a crumbling building. The whole thing looked ready to fall down, and in fact, all the stairs had rotted away, leaving no easy means to reach the one solid floor in the place. Dapple took her time to get there, doubling back along her trail several times until she was confident that she hadn’t been followed. She climbed up the wall to the window of her “mansion”, then wrapped herself and Sunset up in her cloak for what she hoped would be a few hours of sleep before morning.
Posted on 2006-10-18 at 21:26:22.
Edited on 2006-10-19 at 15:21:34 by Vanadia
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: Oops
Sorry if we took the wrong interpretation, but it was kind of like watching TV without the sound: we got the image without context (emotion). Considering that Dapple thinks the worst of everyone....(shrug)
Don't worry, Eol, I am not in the habit of attacking fellow party members...at least not without direct provokation
Posted on 2006-10-17 at 05:20:26.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off
Subject: Getting ready to go
Dapple listened to Valentine’s response with outward politeness, and even nodded at it’s wisdom. Inwardly, she bristled with impatience. Did you really expect him to tell you everything? the acid voice mocked. Should he also turn around and bare the tender spot beneath the shoulder blades for your knife? Any weakness of the Reds is his own, and he’ll hardly reveal that to a stranger. Watch him to reveal his faults, then you will know what to do.
Char spared her from having to respond aloud, and for once, she was grateful to hide behind the ranger’s conversation. She watched as the two mages reacted to the question, but the mad one (as she’d already named him in her mind) was first to respond.
Having spent much of the evening muttering to himself and appearing to address a hidden member of the company, Jal became lucid enough to sound every bit as haughty and full of himself as Alloryn or Gwanelle had ever been. Dapple’s eyes narrowed as she wondered which was the act: the madness or the lucidity.
Of course, you are the very model of sanity… began the inner voice, before Dapple told it rudely to shut up. It was at that moment that Sunset shared her little revelation, and Dapple’s hands clenched within her cloak, knives flickering unbidden to her hands before she just as quickly put them away. She couldn’t look at Jal, certain that pure murder would be apparent in her eyes. Sunset’s sending so soon after being next to the mad one couldn’t be coincidence.
Like to hurt girls, do you? thought Dapple grimly. Wait ‘til you run into one that fights back, you sick bastard. Got my eyes on you.
Terrin interrupted her thoughts to hand her the promised bag of coin, and she could tell by its weight that the sum was accurate. She gave Terrin a snake’s grin, all cold venom and fangs, and tucked the bag away within the folds of her clothing. As Dwan spoke of meeting in the morning, Dapple slipped out of the room.
In the clear cold dark of night, Dapple breathed deeply and let the tension seep from her shoulders. To be in a room with limited exits for so long, with strangers and others she’d barely begun to tolerate near her was nerve wracking. And such strangers Dwan had assembled! Dapple was sure that Arien (and likely Kilgim) would accept anyone as worthy based on Dwan’s word, but Dapple herself was proof that Dwan could be fooled.
“Make yourself invisible, little one, “she murmured to Sunset, who’d insisted on coming with her.” I’ve a bad informant to rat out, and some digging of my own to do before morning.”
She slipped into the nearest shadow like an otter into water, and just as deftly made her way into the bad part of town.
OOC: Dapple will head over to Fast Toes’ place, to find out anything she can about her new companions and to get another perspective on how to fight mages on their own turf. I saw the post on Jal trying to catch Dapple, but I’ll let the DM roll your chances there 
Posted on 2006-10-16 at 23:08:33.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: Dapple's real name is Charm
Char's description of Dapple: " a sarcastic, smart-mouthed, hard-headed thing "
lol Geez Char, didn't know ya liked me so much! Since it is what I am going for (as well as prickly, sullen and cold hearted), it's good to see I managing it
Posted on 2006-10-14 at 06:00:02.
Edited on 2006-10-14 at 06:01:24 by Vanadia
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off
Subject: Where's the fire ?
Dapple watched the interplay between the men in the room and shook her head in wonder. Faced with the prospect of at least four Greens and two Reds, the most urgent questions any of them had was: Who’s the leader and When do we leave?
If being a decent, law abiding sort addles the brains that badly, you’ve made the better career choice, little monster whispered the dry voice, and Dapple had to agree. Still, if the others were prepared to rush in (what was that parable about fools and angels?) then Dapple would have to make her own preparations, and be alive to pick over the bodies when they fell. She shrugged within her cloak and ignored the taste of ash in her mouth. Saliva flooded her mouth when the taste was replaced by that of spicy sausages, and she scratched Sunset under the chin absently.
“Chess is a noble’s game, “she responded flatly to Dwan,” so dicing is more to my taste. But, “ she shrugged visibly this time, “ send out the Knight so that the other pieces are in reserve, I can understand that. Greens, too, we’ve faced, but Reds are another matter. Any advice, Gwanelle? “ She turned so that her hood looked toward one of the new party members.
“Valentine? What can we non-magical types do to bring down a Red?”
OOC: Sorry if it seems like I am dragging things out unnecessarily, but this player NEVER takes the DM’s outline at face value. It’s what we don’t know that will bite us in the butt later, lol
Posted on 2006-10-13 at 08:54:10.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: To use my famous line:
Can I ....backstab the Giant?
That b***h Paris really gets on my nerves
Posted on 2006-10-13 at 08:10:55.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: This is Vanadia never mind the facial hair
There is something about Al's work computer that won't let him log out of the site so I can log on...wierd.
Anyway, I HAVE to ask....isn't the "p" in "corps" silent? Would you call a member of the Marine corps a corpie??? I just don't hang out with military types, I guess.
Will try to post tonight, since y'all are in such a rush to get out of town...I thought Dapple was on the guards' most wanted list
And Bob's observation that Dapple was either a diplomat or an entertainer...PRICELESS! 
found you!
Posted on 2006-10-12 at 12:41:37.
Edited on 2006-10-12 at 12:43:10 by Alacrity
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: Posted!
I'll be out of town tomorrow and likely very busy between now and Friday (may work in another trip Wed-Thurs).
Posted on 2006-10-09 at 19:09:09.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off
Subject: Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!
Dapple listened to Dwan, hood turned towards the stocky dwarf, and repressed a snort when he spoke of trust. Trust was a rare coin in Dapple’s purse, and while Dwan, like any dwarf she’d met, had never steered her wrong, she wasn’t about to accept the others on his say so. She’d keep a close eye on them, as she did everyone, until they revealed their true natures.
Gwanelle entered with Terrin and Dapple turned her attention to the mage. While casually used magic still made her uneasy, she could appreciate the value of scouting an area from a distance, and “seeing” with her own eyes was doubly useful. She made note of the available cover surrounding the old keep, already plotting an entrance strategy, when Gwanelle spoke of Imperials…the hated Greens. Part of Dapple still made quiet mental notes, listening dispassionately, while another part recoiled. That part didn’t hear Gwanelle, nor Dwan; the sound of brutish, male laughter, coarse oaths and Sapphirine’s broken weeping filled her ears with a dull roar.
:RAGE! ANGER! FLEE!: Sunset’s whistle of distress pierced Dapple’s downward spiral even as the pseudodragon’s tail tightened painfully around her throat. Dapple gave a choking cough and reached up to her neck, gently disentangling the now visible dragonet from her shoulders. She patted the trembling grey creature, calming her own racing mind with her mantra of unbeing I am nothing, I feel nothing, I am nothing, I feel nothing…
“Sorry,” she rasped drily, coiling Sunset around her arm and looking to the big gladiator, whom she’d nearly interrupted. “Sunset here likes Imperial thugs as much as I do - no offense intended to present company, “she added sardonically with a glance to Valentine. Her tone made it clear that Valentine’s sensibilities mattered little.
“I’m not one for leaders, but I’ll take reasonable suggestions from someone who understands strategy and what we are up against. Speaking of which,” she whirled back to Dwan and Gwanelle,” why the hell aren’t you simply sending in the troops? Reds and Greens don’t just decide to desert together. If they are working together, someone’s ordering them.”
Posted on 2006-10-09 at 19:04:43.
|
Topic: These are the Questions of our Lives.
Subject: Whales, on the other hand,
are wise enough to know that we have nothing interesting to say.
Speaking of questions, what makes teflon stick to the pan?
Posted on 2006-10-08 at 14:14:00.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: Chill Tann :)
It's Thanksgiving week-end up here in Canada, so we have a house to clean and a turkey to cook! Look for something tomorrow at the earliest
Posted on 2006-10-08 at 09:08:28.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: Just so you all know
The male face at the top right hand side of the banner here is Char, as painted by Bromern!
Posted on 2006-10-07 at 07:58:16.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: I tried a normal character once
and he got lost amongst all the freaks 
Seriously, everyone has posted, even Raven! Hurrah!
Now I can nag Al to get on with the story (just before I leave on one of my raodtrips, no less)
Posted on 2006-10-06 at 13:23:00.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off Q&A
Subject: First post in ages
My goodness but that felt good. Not up to my old standard, but I am rusty, good friends.
Duelling insanities...should be fun
Posted on 2006-10-05 at 18:14:30.
|
Topic: Continuing Where We Last Left Off
Subject: Dapple Moon
Dapple watched the room from her self-appointed place in Arien’s shadow, and stifled a yawn from within the depths of her hood. It had been a fruitless night for the young rogue; even one of Fast Toes’ lads could get bad information, and her night’s take had been a pile of cheap jewelry, paste stones whose scant weight gave away the lie.
Time for honest work, little monster, the acid voice within her mocked, and her stomach twisted. Maybe you won’t fail this time. Dapple’s throat knotted, and it was with restrained violence that she threw herself into a chair at Dwan’s invitation. Candlelight revealed leather clothing of mottled black and grey, bulky layers that gave no hint of the muscles beneath, but allowed free access to the daggers belted on both sides. A black hooded cloak further obscured the small figure, but after the others had spoken, the calloused hands of a fighter pushed back the hood to reveal a squarish face with a stubborn chin. Stony grey eyes glared from beneath pale blond curls, eyebrows and thin lips both drawn straight in cold, unfriendly lines. The snub nose had been broken once, and straightened without the care of a healer, a small bump marring it’s lines.
“Name’s Dapple Moon. Don’t matter where I’m from,” she stated quietly, dead eyes flicked to the odd mage who spoken so nonsensically,” as I live here now. Dwan’s coin spends well, so here I am.”
She looked over to Dwan and noticed with cold humour that Terrin was eyeing her like a hawk. Dwan may have accepted her at face value, but Terrin missed little. She pulled her hood back up and pushed her chair back from the table, regaining what little darkness the candlelit room would spare.
Posted on 2006-10-05 at 18:09:45.
Edited on 2006-10-06 at 07:32:44 by Vanadia
|
| |
View/Edit Your Profile | Staff List | Contact Us
Use of the RDINN forums or chatrooms constitutes agreement with our Terms of Service.You must enable cookies and javascript to use all features of this site.
|
|
What game do you own the 
Return to Charadun - Q&A
The Morphing Game
Return to Charadun - Recr
