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Mindscapes: Paths of Uncertainty

Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
edited April 2018 in Role Playing

Mindscapes: Paths of Uncertainty

Greetings, Adventurers! Welcome to Mindscapes, a fantasy adventure series that shall be played simply via comments here on this Forum. This is the first experimental run. Before we start, here are a few noteworthy points:

1. All comments in this thread should be made following the Site Rules.
2. Please make any out-of-character (OOC) comments, if needed, within Spoiler tags.
3. This thread shall follow a structure of progressive play, that is, the DM (in this case, I) shall post a part of the story, and you may reply with your reactions and choices later when you have time. However, please try to check in at least once a day, or the DM may temporarily have to take control of your character's actions, in order to keep things moving on.
4. Spectators (that is, those who are not directly participating in this adventure) may also comment but they should do so within spoiler tags to avoid disrupting the immersion of the storyline. If you wish to join in this adventure, please send a request via a Private Message to the DM. [Edited on April 25th]
5. Also, as it should go without saying, any opinions expressed by the DM-controlled characters DO NOT represent the personal opinions of the DM.

So, let's enjoy ourselves! :smiley:
Post edited by Rik_Kirtaniya on
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Comments

  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    @mashedtaters Yes, you can use axes and other bladed weapons freely. Only certain class specific items cannot be used by others. For example, to use bardic instruments, one must have some levels of bard, and so on.

    I'm not exactly sure about the precise value of the ability scores, since I played IWD2 a long time ago. I'll check it later to be sure, but I think you've got it right.


    I hope the others join soon. Anyways, I'm starting the next part. Hopefully they'll catch up soon. :)


    "Well, well," says Mr. Grimlayne, " of course there are problems. I am glad to see such enthusiastic adventurers, but you would do well to be careful. Things have been very different lately.

    Arnheim's economy is primarily based on rearing livestock. Recently, our sheep and cattle have started disappearing. It's not natural. We suspect that there is some foul play, but we don't know wherefrom the trouble is brewing.

    I am one of the members of the Triumvirate, which is the governing body of this Hamlet. Naturally it fell upon me to make a call for adventurers. A couple of bands of mercenaries had arrived here few weeks before, but they too have gone missing. It is most unfortunate. I feel helpless..."

    Mr. Grimlayne then tells you that he suspects that his brother, who is another member of the Triumvirate, might be involved in this business, but since he has no clear evidence, he cannot lay the blame on him. He urges you to be careful of his brother, though at the same time, he tells that the source of trouble may be "anywhere".

    New quest: Find out the source of the disturbance, that is causing the livestock to disappear.

    There are several places where you may start. They are as follows:

    1. The Grim Forest
    2. The Red Ravine on the west
    3. The Hamlet itself
    4. The Smoky Cliffs to the north
    5. The Corn Fields

    [Now you must choose a leader for your party, for everyone must travel together. You surely don't want to be ambushed while you are alone, right?]

    Before you leave, Mr. Grimlayne urges you to finish your breakfast and pack some food for the day's journey. He also gives you a bag of gold coins as advance payment for your service. Weapons, armour and other equipment may be found in Gunther's Armory, which lies a short distance away. Perhaps you should equip yourselves first? Who knows what may happen?

    Party receives: Gold coins = 200 per party member. Use it wisely.

    You must gather your party before venturing forth.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266

    @Rik_Kirtaniya
    For some reason, I didn’t get the notification when you started the post and tagged my name in it. You may want to try re-tagging the other players or pming them.

    Is the 200 for purchasing our starting equipment, such as weapons and armor? Or do we already have some starting equipment?
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    edited April 2018
    @mashedtaters Ahh, I understand now! I should have given the commas between their names! That's why only ThacoBell got the notification, because his name was at first! Thanks for bringing this to my notice!

    By the way, did you get the notification when I mentioned you within the Spoiler tag this time?

    You have only a single primary (unenchanted) weapon and leather armour as your starting equipment. You may use the gold any way you like! ;)
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    [Re-summoning participants:
    @lolien,
    @mlnevese,
    @Nimran

    Some evil bug must have disrupted my summoning magic earlier! ;)]
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266

    Yes, I got the notifications within the spoilers tags.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I have no real interest in leading, though if I may make a suggestion, I would like to check the most recent site where livestock have vanished, I may be able to find something. If our kind benefactor doesn't mind, I'll excuse myself to see about obtaining a bow from the armory.

    Wow almost 2 and 4 am for me when you guys got on. Time zones are funny.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    “Bah! Everyone knows that lizard-dogs ain’t much for leading anyway! Put a dwarf in charge and ye’ll never go wrong!” Beat his chest with his fist proudly.

    Probably not a great idea to put Hek in charge on account of his very low charisma and angry personality. As you can see, he’s not exactly leadership material, though he sure thinks he is.

    Also, @ThacoBell I think we may be in a similar time zone, but I am awake at nights. I live on the East Coast of America, so I go by EST.


    “And I doubt this so-called ‘armory’ has anything on a real dwarven armory. What kind of goods do they stock? Not wooden swords, I hope.”

    How shall we equip ourselves? Are you using a particular D&D rule book for us to use as a standard for purchasing equipment?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    *Shouted from down the hall* Heh, leave a dwaf in charge and we will all die drunk on the battlefield!

    If the US was a target, I would be smack dab in the middle of the bullseye.
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    edited April 2018


    How shall we equip ourselves? Are you using a particular D&D rule book for us to use as a standard for purchasing equipment?

    @mashedtaters Just come over to Gunther's Armory and ask him. Purchase the required equipments and there you are! (I'll take you to the scene of the shop if you decide to go there.)

    No, I'm not using any rulebooks for anything at all. It shall all happen unconventionally and naturally! ;) I've tried to minimise all technical aspects and lay stress on the storyline and roleplaying.


    "Oh, oh! No fighting over here, please! You surely don't want to get injured before you even start?" said Mr. Grimlayne.

    "I suggest you pay a visit to Gunther. That dwarf is the best smithy here in Arnheim. Might be rude sometimes, but please don't mind it. He's a good enough fellow."

    "As for the site of the disappearances, well there is no place in particular. Cattle have been missing from various places in the hamlet. We first thought that it might be the wolves from the Grim Forest, but we never found any dead bodies anywhere. Someone must be stealing them, but even then it must be an organised band, for at a time, upto a dozen cows and sheep have gone missing. It is strange. There should have been some signs, but alas, we could find nothing."

    [You are advised to equip yourself first, and then make a choice as to where you want to start. There are no leaders here, at least for now, but you two should be able to get along well together, and make the decision. However, what you actually do is entirely up to you! ;) ]
    Post edited by Rik_Kirtaniya on
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    “Aye, well a dwarven smith is good enough, I suppose. I’m in need of a decent suit of armor and a shield.”
    I follow Korb to the armory, grumbling about lizard-dogs and how I ever came to this.
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    So having made the decision, you take the path running eastwards to Gunther's Armory. When you reach there, you hear a steady sound of the hammer clanging against the anvil. You open the door, and the dwarf working in the corner of the room looks at you.

    "Aye, who be ye? Cushtomersh?" he says in a heavy accent (like the dwarf warrior soundset in IWD2). "Come ye to me smithy? What need ye, huh?"
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    Meanwhile at Gunther's Armory...

    "Aye, sho ye be needin' wi'pons, hum? Well, have a look at me wares! Do they tickle your fancy?"

    Axes:
    Handaxe - 20 GP
    Battleaxe - 40 GP
    Two-handed axe - 75 GP
    Axe-a-question +1 - 1500 GP
    Throwing axes - 2 axes for 5 GP

    Armour:
    Leather armour - 20 GP
    Studded leather armour - 40 GP
    Chain mail - 60 GP
    Scale mail - 80 GP
    Splint mail - 120 GP
    Plate mail - 500 GP
    Full Plate mail - 1000 GP

    Bows and Arrows:
    Wooden shortbow - 50 GP
    Flexible wooden shortbow - 75 GP
    Tempered Oaken shortbow - 150 GP
    Wooden longbow - 120 GP
    Flexible wooden longbow - 200 GP
    Elder longbow +1 - 800 GP
    Iron tipped arrows - 20 for 1 GP
    Steel tipped arrows - 20 for 5 GP

    Shields: (Yes, shields are costlier here. You'll soon see why.)
    Buckler - 15 GP
    Small shield - 20 GP
    Medium shield - 40 GP
    Large shield - 70 GP
    Tower shield - 100 GP
    Dwarven Tower Shield +2 - 2000 GP

    [If you need anything else, just ask Gunther and he'll show you. I've provided the list of only the things that you mentioned earlier.]

    [After you finish buying what you need, you must decide where to go next, and what to do next.]
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    "Hello master smith! I've got my eye on that tempered oaken shortbow and some studded leather. 190 right? Here you go."
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    @ThacoBell Are you sure you are not forgetting to buy something important?

    Gunther says "Ahem, Mr. ... (I wonder what kind of creature that be), Mr. Scaly-man, ye sure only the bow be 'nough for ye?"
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Ah yes, the arrows are not a package deal are they? How much for a quiver full?
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    I come up as the transaction is being finalized. “Sure’n that bow’s draw ain’t too stiff for those skinny lizard-dogs arms o’ yers, Korb? Ye’ll be lucky if we run into a rat small enough for ye to skewer while we’re out.” (Hek is still stinging a bit from the drunk and dead on the battlefield jibe. Now that he’s had enough to think about it, he’s come up with what he perceives as very witty retort.)

    “Good ter see a fine dwarf running a fine smithy shop here in this Clangeddin-forsaken hamlet! Ye got a nice selection here, I see.

    “I see ye got a nice selection of weapons, but how much ter sharpen my battle-axe? I trust ye, ye are a dwarf after all. Just be careful o’ the family’s crest, as i’m sure ye will be. Ye are a dwarf, after all, as I said.

    “And how about some o’ them throwing axes, aye? I could use about three o’ them. Just in case I got a runner fearing Clangeddin’s wrath with longer, more unnatural legs than mine.

    “I sure could use a good set o’ scalemail and a large shield. Maybe ye could cut a fellow dwarf a deal? I’ll give ye 140 gold pieces, nice dwarven-trued coins, fer the lot, plus whatever ye’ll charge to sharpen me trusty battle axe here. Ye are a dwarf after all.”

    (Hek’s eye’s gleam at the thought of haggling to save 25 gold.)

    “And while yer at it, where can I find meself some nice adventuring gear? You know, such as torches, backpacks, rations, the lot. I know not what I’ll be facing trying ter save this town’s cattle, but better ter be prepared, I always say. I am a dwarf, after all, and dwarves’re always prepared. Just like yerself, as ye know.”

    What is the climate of the area and what kind of survival gear, if any, can my character determine we are likely to need for this adventure?
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    ThacoBell said:

    Ah yes, the arrows are not a package deal are they? How much for a quiver full?

    "Aye, aye," says Gunther, "a full packig'd quiver of dem 400 regular arrowsh be 20 goldsh, but fer a new cushtomer, I offer dem at a special dishcount at half da price."

    The positive reaction is due to Korb's CHA of 14 ;)


    “I sure could use a good set o’ scalemail and a large shield. Maybe ye could cut a fellow dwarf a deal? I’ll give ye 140 gold pieces, nice dwarven-trued coins, fer the lot, plus whatever ye’ll charge to sharpen me trusty battle axe here. Ye are a dwarf after all.”

    (Hek’s eye’s gleam at the thought of haggling to save 25 gold.)

    "Aye, no offenshe friend, but iron's been pretty scarce lately. I can let ye have them for no less than 155 goldsh. As fer your family axe, why it looksh like it's of a mosht rare quality! Me shays it would take 25 goldsh to get dat job done."

    I would have implemented Hek's negative CHA modifier, but after all, it's a dwarf to a dwarf. ;)


    "For potions, trinkets and magey stuff, ye be best lookin' in Wenby the Gnome's store. It be just a couple of doors to the south."

    What is the climate of the area and what kind of survival gear, if any, can my character determine we are likely to need for this adventure?

    The climate of Arnheim is quite like the Moors of Scotland. Mostly cold and foggy, with the occasional sunshine, and frequent thunderstorms. The Smoky Cliffs, especially, are a dangerous area, and it's easy to get lost there. As for survival gear, you wouldn't need anything specific, except for an alert mind and keen senses. After all, it's Mindscapes! ;)

    (And just in case you happen to need anything particular, you'll get it some way or the other in the course of the story. So there's no need to worry! :) )
  • NimranNimran Member Posts: 4,875
    “Ah, I knew I’d find you here!” I walk over to my companions after finding them. “Just like a dwarf to head for the smithy first.”

    I give the smith a smug grin and say “How much for a dagger and some throwing knives?”
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    edited April 2018
    Grem (@Nimran)
    "Here you are, Mr. Elfy!" says Gunther.

    Daggers and Misc.
    Dagger - 15 GP
    Static Dagger +1 - 350 GP
    Acid Point +2 - 900 GP
    Throwing knives - 5 GP per piece
    Darts - 20 for 1 GP
    Light Crossbow - 80 GP
    Bolts - 20 for 3 GP
    Firebolts - 20 GP per bolt

    [Yes, you can use crossbows here as a Sorcerer, if you wish.]
    Post edited by Rik_Kirtaniya on
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    “Speak of Vergadain, look who it is! About time you showed up. Mayhap between you and lizard-dog here, we can rid this hamlet of all the tiny rats and mice taking their cattle by poking them ter death with yer toothpicks!

    “I’ll tell ye what ye needs! See that big ol’ greataxe over there and that suit of platemail? Aye, that’ll poke a good hole in some rats, and ye’ll have plenty left over ter make a nice goblin pancake.”

    (Despite Hek’s grumbling, he’s actually pretty happy to see Grem. He wouldn’t be traveling with him if it wasn’t by choice.)
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    Wow! I just found out that I can roll random numbers in my fx-82MS! That's going to make it very convenient for me, especially in the heat of the battle.


    After Grem (Nimran) finishes purchasing his equipment, I shall take you to Wenby's shop. Maybe there's something other than shopping which he may be able to help you with. However, you'll have to initiate the proper dialogues for anything to happen.

    [Hint: Your choices and interactions play a crucial role in determining the course of the story, since this module is not pre-made, but is rather a spontaneous one (which is going to make it all the more interesting and unpredictable), besides allowing you complete freedom in your choices, (which have their consequences of course), making it literally an "OPEN WORLD". ;) ]

    Ooo! I'm getting excited!
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    edited April 2018
    You take a short walk southwards and soon reach the shop of Wenby. It's of a queer shape, domed like a pumpkin, mayhaps hinting at the eccentricity of the owner. You enter inside, and the door bell chimes, however you don't see anyone inside at first. On closer inspection, however, you see the gnome deeply involved in some kind of alchemical activity behind a table in the corner. You call out to him, and he looks at you, quite puzzled.

    "Who are you folks?" he asks.
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