Dreamweaver (OOC)

[Blarghy]

OOC for this.  Rolls and such go here.

 

So, my first game.  If more experienced GMs happen to follow along and have advice to offer, I'm open to it (probably through PM, though).  I plan on posting my notes at the conclusion, for critique and to let Sophistemon get a look behind the scenes. 

[Blarghy]

Ah, almost forgot.  Have to see if Adept is Fatigued or not.

 

Fortitude: 1d20+6 12

 

Yup! 

 

Name       HPs   Initiative    Damage      Status Conditions

Presto       2       N/A              None            None

Adept        1       N/A              None            Fatigued

Edited March 16, 2016 by Blarghy

[Blarghy]

Presto doesn't have the Well-Informed or Contacts feats, so a fast Gather Information is out, for this scenario.  You can try an Arcane Lore check instead.  Untrained Streetwise is also an option since he has Eidetic Memory.  Roll for either or both and check out the boxes that you achieve (and obviously, not the ones you don't).  I'll be handling Knowledge checks in this fashion throughout the game, so that you can come back and look at anything you missed after the conclusion, and for the interest of anybody who may be following along.

 

Arcane Lore: DC15

Spoiler

Warne's information is too vague for a definite answer; there are numerous drugs that might be responsible ("dance-dust", ground-up centaur hooves mixed with cocaine; "enlightenment," acacia seeds soaked in borage-leaf tea as part of a special ritual that can cause this kind of insanity if performed incorrectly; "damnation," simply the blood of a more powerful practitioner accompanied by the right supernatural pacts).  To narrow it down, Presto would have to know more.

 

Streetwise: DC15

Spoiler

There are rumors going around about foot-soldiers of longstanding gangs being recruited into a new organization.  But they aren't being stolen in such numbers as to start a war with the leader, who is whispered to be of supervillain status, and thus a little too big to casually take on just for the sake of principle--especially since whatever this person is dealing isn't cutting in on regular gang profits.  A magical drug marketed specifically to the fairly-small mystical community could fit.  Similar rumors also say that this suddenly-appearing enterprise is already slipping, perhaps because the kingpin is dipping into their own stock.  Historically, good news for the cops trying to catch them, bad news for whoever gets caught in their path before the justice hammer comes down. 

 

[Sophistemon]

Knowledge: Arcane Lore: 1d20+11 12.

Knowledge: Streetwise: 1d20+3 20.

 

In a complete reversal of what I was expecting, the skill that I invested a significant number of ranks in has utterly failed me whereas the skill that I completely ignored has given me the answers that I need.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Blarghy]

And that's the prologue.  I debated whether or not I wanted to go ahead and give it out this early, but since I'm wanting Presto to be able to stand on his own as much as possible without needing help from Adept in this adventure, being generous with Hero Points will give you more options for versatility and help buffer against really bad rolls: you get a Hero Point for his Reputation Complication.  Presto's past came back to haunt him, caused him a fair bit of discomfort, and helped move the plot forward when the character probably wouldn't have been interested in going along otherwise. 

 

Name       HPs   Initiative    Damage      Status Conditions

Presto       3       N/A              None            None

Adept        1       N/A              None            Fatigued

 

(Note that I plan on telling you when you've reached the climax of the game, if it isn't obvious in itself; you may want to save up some HPs for the inevitable big showdown, but I'd hate for you to hold onto them for too long and waste your hard-earned rewards.)

[Sophistemon]

Wow, thanks!

[Blarghy]

Gimme another Arcane Lore check for what Presto knows about this other magician (just one roll; you get all the information you qualify for).  Hopefully you'll have better luck this time.  =P

 

DC10 (you're guaranteed this one, if nothing else):

Spoiler

Knickknack usually appears casual, even friendly, but she hides a hair-trigger temper that can erupt into violence at any moment.  If she has the time, she takes this brutality even further with cannibalism. 

DC15:

Spoiler

Knickknack is so named because her strongest spells are rituals powered by collections of random items with tentative connections to the magic at hand.  She does not, and perhaps cannot, use rare or expensive components like most wizards.  In terms of immediate spells, she can cast illusions and change her appearance. 

DC20:

Spoiler

In addition to her rituals and lesser magic, rumors say that Knickknack has the gift of prophecy.  She usually denies this when asked, and can fly into one of her murder-frenzies when pressed to use it for the sake of others; as best as anyone can figure, she considers it a personal blessing, even holy, not to be squandered on lesser humans or for payment.

DC25:

Spoiler

Few people know that Knickknack is deeply religious, a follower of Ravana, king of the Rakshasas.  Knickknack even believes herself to be a Rakshasi, thanks to the nature of her non-ritual magic (the Rakshasas are traditionally illusionists and shapeshifters; her prophetic visions further prove, at least to her, that she’s a chosen priestess of Ravana).  Thus, being a demon, she considers her vicious behavior to not be evil, but simply part of her role in the cosmos.  She plays all this close to the chest (hence the lack of a more appropriate villainous title or trappings).  It is not the place of the common rabble to know her “holy” position.

 

[Sophistemon]

Okay, let's see what we know.

 

Knowldge: Arcane Lore: 1d20+11 22

 

EDIT

Darn, I was so close to learning the big secret!

Edited March 18, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Blarghy]

Eh, gives you something to look forward to.  Once the game's over, you can come back and look at all the things you missed (along with my notes for what was happening behind the scenes).

[Sophistemon]

I'm crossing my fingers that Presto's boasting will come back to bite him.

[Blarghy]

Mwahaha.

 

Edit: I can't remember if you have the Freedom City supplement or not, but Presto would likely understand the mild antagonism between AEGIS agents and the guards of Blackstone.  There's a bit of a rivalry; the book only discusses it at the very top (Warden Joshua "Stormcloud" Drummer and Director Harry Powers don't get along), but I imagine it filters down. 

Edited March 19, 2016 by Blarghy

[Sophistemon]

I don't have any of my supplements anymore.

 

Rassa-frassin' external hard drive grumble-mutter breaking down...

[Sophistemon]

It's not that the metal teeth aren't scary -- they are.

 

It's just that Presto understands the commitment to appearances.

[Blarghy]

Appearances?

 

Mwahaha.

 

Give me a social roll whenever you're ready to get serious about influencing Knickknack's Attitude.  Presto's Attractive feat is applicable. 

[Sophistemon]

Diplomacy Check: 1d20+12 21

 

My curse of sub-average rolls continues, but at least my bonus is high.

[Blarghy]

Alright, as I recall, Sleep Immunity is a measly 1PP Power, so I think, without actually looking it up, that a Ritualist roll to cast such a thing would be a mere DC11, yes?  Presto would have the bonus to auto-succeed on that, so he could "know" a spell for Dream Immunity already without having to check.  Is that what you're thinking, more or less?  To trade that information to the Blackstone Prison authorities?  Or is he offering to come in regularly and cast it himself (less likely, I suspect)?

 

Or, less charitably, is he outright lying and hoping Knickknack can't catch him?

[Sophistemon]

I don't think that Presto'd out and out lie to her. If not out of charity, at the very least because he doesn't want to make an enemy of a woman known to eat people.

 

I'm fine with him writing it down and passing it on to a guard to give to whatever resident magician that the prison has available.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Blarghy]

Mmmm...I'm tempted to make him convince the Blackguards to go along with such a thing, but the warden and the resident psychologist are said, according to the FC supplement, to be genuinely sympathetic toward the well-being of prisoners (so long as they aren't in the midst of violence).  Besides, this would give them a carrot to dangle to ensure Knickknack's continued good behavior.  If they do revoke her privilege, that's not really Presto's fault.  I imagine it would be useful to other prisoners as well.

 

I'll allow it!

[Blarghy]

I need two rolls, the first for Knickknack and the second for the shop she's referencing.

 

Sense Motive check:

DC20

Spoiler

Presto's comment on the nature of her nightmares isn't wrong, but it isn't right either.  Knickknack plainly doesn't want to talk about the details; he has the sense that pressing her for it won't end well.  But just "insects" doesn't seem to be the complete answer here, judging by her body language.

 

Fortune Favors: Arcane Lore check.

DC10 (guaranteed with his bonus):

Spoiler

Fortune Favors primarily sells run-of-the-mill luck charms, but also antiques and books.  Very rarely, a true magical artifact can be found on these dusty shelves.  It doesn’t see much business; real magicians go elsewhere, so most customers are tourists looking for ornaments.  The owner, Terry Boyd, is incapable of magic himself, which has only fuels his fascination.  He also tends to view sorcerers with either fawning fascination or bitter envy, depending on how they treat him. 

DC20:

Spoiler

Legal sales may not amount to much, but Terry also acts as a fence of stolen and illegal goods for the local occult community.  This hasn’t helped his popularity among high-road practitioners.  Still, he has a decent network at his disposal, yet is not as secretive about it as he should be.  The authorities probably know, to some degree, about Terry’s activities, and thus, serious crime enterprises avoid using him—which raises the question of why this new outfit does not. 

 

 

[Sophistemon]

Sense Motive Check: 1d20+10 18

 

This is true to form, for me.

 

Knowledge: Arcane Lore: 1d20+11 30

 

Much better.

[Sophistemon]

Right now Presto's smouldering a little because he doesn't see that Warne considers him any better than Kilmns. Presto saw himself as a classy criminal, a gentleman thief that provided entertainment even as he robbed. Whether or not that's true, that's how he saw it. So to be considered a peer of someone like Kilmns irks him terribly. He felt similarly when they implied that he might be afraid of her and reacted with overblown haughty indignation. The character is really all about pride and how it can twist you up inside. Presto wanted to be the greatest stage magician who ever lived, so he sought out and learned real magic. When that failed, his pride was wounded and rather than try to salvage his reputation he immediately turned to crime because with his powers it was easy and therefore something that he could feel accomplished about. But with Presto, right now no victory is large enough and every setback is crippling.

 

He's a man defined by his own warped self-perception.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Blarghy]

Gimme a social check (or checks) whenever you're ready to get down to business. 

[Sophistemon]

Diplomacy Check: 1d20+8 14

 

Oh, baby, I ain't never gonna roll you right.

 

Let's try to butter him up with some good old fashioned magic.

 

Perform: Stage Magic: 1d20+13 31

 

Whoa-hoh-hoh! Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Blarghy]

I need three rolls: a basic Intelligence check (for which you should apply Presto's Eidetic Memory feat), yet another Arcane Lore, and a Sense Motive.

 

Memory: DC20

Spoiler

Presto may've never been in Fortune Favors before, and Terry never attended any of his shows, but he can recall seeing the man on the streets of Freedom City once or twice from a distance.  His photographic memory gives him still-shots of a large, black spider tattooed on Terry's forearm--the spot he now has covered with the white medical patch.

 

Arcane Lore: DC20

Spoiler

This "starlight" is making less and less sense.  Presto has never heard of a drug that enhances a magician's gift, and gives more vivid dreams, and inflicts the insect-themed nightmares that Knickknack mentioned, and causes mental instability.  Perhaps the kingpin behind this mystery is mixing different substances, or blotched the creation process.

 

Sense Motive: DC15

Spoiler

Terry's clearly holding something back concerning the dream effects, most likely the nightmares that Knickknack told Presto about.  However, he does not appear to be hiding the insanity that Adept claimed set him on this mission in the first place.  Perhaps he's so addled himself that he doesn't know; without having interacted with Terry in the past, Presto can't be positive that he's under such influence, but the man does seem scatterbrained.  Yet not violent like Knickknack, in her teeth-stealing rampage.

 

[Sophistemon]

Sure thing, boss.

 

Intelligence Check: 1d20+7 13

Crap.

 

Knowledge: Arcane Lore: 1d20+11 17

Crap.

 

Sense Motive: 1d20+10 13

Crap.