EF 012: In which Kirby escorts Little Green Riding Hood

Cat

Jun 4, 2013 03:52

We left off with a great roar and a burning wizard crashing into a pool at the bottom of a cliff, with some debris. A few gouts of flame erupt over the edge of the cliff, as the young dragon vents a bit of anger for good measure. A stream flows away from the pool, and a path follows it for a short way, but diverges in the distance. There's a fair bit of grumbling and stomping around above, but the dragon does not show its head . . . yet.

Unfortunately for Kirby, he can't "see" any paths, but can hear the stream and the dragon above. Kirby tries to carefully position himself under the cli…

Bradd Szonye

(Because you're going quickly, please roll Clever to see if you notice hazards along the way.)

@Cat (Thanks!)

trogdor

ok

4d6

Dice Service

•

trogdor

0

Bradd Szonye

versus +2:

4d

Dice Service

Jun 4, 2013 03:54

•

Bradd Szonye

You are currently down two shifts.

trogdor

I think I will let this hit me

whatever it is

Bradd Szonye

In his rush to investigate the vision, Kirby must pay close attention just to staying on the trail, and he doesn't notice the big, gray wolf stalking him.

Following the trail becomes even more difficult once it diverges from the stream, but thankfully Kirby doesn't need to go much farther than that.

He hears the unmistakable sound of somebody biting into an apple.

(To you.)

trogdor

ok

we going for social initiative?

or am I just going to go first?

Bradd Szonye

(There's no conflict yet. Just want to know how you act.)

(also, brb)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 03:59

ok

Kirby stops moving and calls out "hello, is someone around here?"

Bradd Szonye

Kirby hears a gasp and the sound of an apple falling onto something soft, like grass or a picnic blanket. “You startled me! Who are you?”

It's the small, high voice of a child.

trogdor

"oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you there"

"my name is Kirby, and I thought I might run into someone who would need my help soon."

Bradd Szonye

“Hi, I'm Hank! I was afraid you might be a wolf sneaking up on me!”

(over)

trogdor

"well, I am not a wolf, but I am pretty sure there will be one around this area soon. so I was walking along trying to make sure no one was being stalked."

Bradd Szonye

“I'm pretty good at taking care of myself. I visit my grandma in the woods a lot. I'm on my way to see her now!”

(over)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:10

"your grandmother lives in these woods alone? isn't that a little dangerous?"

Bradd Szonye

“Yeah! That's why I visit her a lot. To make sure she's OK. How did you know about the wolves? Do you come through here a lot too?”

trogdor

"no,... it's a little hard to explain,... I saw a vision of a wolf stalking someone, I get visions sometimes."

Bradd Szonye

“Oh, wow! Are you a wizard? You don't have a staff.”

trogdor

"no, I am not a wizard, just a blind man, but for some reason, sometimes I see things that are happening far away, in the future, or just learn something that would be useful, through no way that I can trace. it really isn't as fun as most people think."

Brian Ballsun-Stanton

@BraddSzonye and me.

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 04:15

@BrianBallsun-Stanton ;) I guess there are quite a few!

@trogdor (Since you're being straight with him, roll Careful to see whether he trusts you.)

trogdor

ok

4d6

Dice Service

•

trogdor

good lord

thats -1

is the kid rolling something? or do I just have to beat 0?

Bradd Szonye

(You're lucky he's –2 to stay out of trouble.)

4d

Dice Service

•

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 04:16

That's –3 for him!

trogdor

lol

ok then

Bradd Szonye

You almost succeeded with style! With –1.

“Huh! I've never met a seer before. I bet grandma hasn't either. You wanna go with me?”

trogdor

"ok, I will appreciate someone to travel with who can actually see, and maybe a wolf will be less likely to attack 2 people."

Bradd Szonye

“Yeah, they don't like going after groups. You want an apple?”

trogdor

"where did you get them?"

Brian Ballsun-Stanton

Jun 4, 2013 04:20

@BraddSzonye 100% disagree.

Bradd Szonye

“My mom gave them to me so that I'd have something to eat on the way. I have some crescent rolls too, but they're better when they're fresh.”

@BrianBallsun-Stanton (There was a lot of dispute over that – I eventually had to clarify that I just meant that trad games are more similar than different, especially when it comes to social conflict mechanics.)

trogdor

"ok then, as long as you didn't get them from some old lady in a cottage, that seems to be a bad idea here."

Bradd Szonye

“Oh! I'd never take apples from witches! Here you go.”

doppelgreener

@BrianBallsun-Stanton (Careful. This thing turned into a huge and long off-topic discussion in that BESW regretted not bringing to a total halt. In fact, could it be moved elsewhere?)

Bradd Szonye

After a quick snack . . . (How would you like to proceed down the path?)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:22

ok

Bradd Szonye

@JonathanHobbs (I certainly won't dredge it up again. But I definitely could've been clearer when I said that. It was just an off-the-cuff remark that got stretched way out of the context I had intended it.)

trogdor

I think Kirby will just follow and try to keep up with the kid

Bradd Szonye

. . . the two set off down the path toward grandma's house. After a few steps, Kirby feels something small and hard underfoot, which triggers a brief glimpse of the polished stones again.

trogdor

"are you dropping stones as we go?"

Bradd Szonye

“Yeah! Sometimes the Forest twists on you. This way, I can find my way back if I get lost.”

“You could tell that just from the sound of 'em hitting the ground?”

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:27

"no,.. it is involved with my visions,... I think this particular wolf is somehow smart enough to follow the stones"

Bradd Szonye

“Wolves are very smart! Good thing I'm smarter!”

(Because you are no longer rushing, and the boy is helping, you can keep an ear out for trouble with Careful with an extra +1 for teamwork.)

trogdor

ok

4d6

Dice Service

•

trogdor

5 then

Bradd Szonye

Wolves at +2:

4d

Dice Service

Jun 4, 2013 04:29

•

Bradd Szonye

As Kirby and Hank pick their way carefully down the trail, Kirby finally starts to notice the presence of wolves.

Plural.

trogdor

that isn't good

Bradd Szonye

Even worse, as they proceed, the trail starts to get more difficult. The trees close in around them, and the ground gets spongy.

(Any suggestions for discussing or dealing with the wolves?)

Thankfully, the wolves don't seem to be getting closer. Yet. Hopefully they don't get braver.

trogdor

"how far away is it? because I think I hear more than one wolf following us"

Bradd Szonye

“Oh. That's not good.” Hank pauses to think. “Wolves are cowards. We should be OK so long as they don't outnumber us two to one.”

He adds: “Or get us cornered or something.”

While the blind Kirby can't see that the trees here actually thin out a bit and get more willowy, he can definitely feel the ground getting softer. Squish.

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:37

"why is the ground squishing under us, is this a marsh area?"

Bradd Szonye

“Yeah, I think it's from that stream I passed by earlier. It must bog down around here. I haven't been this way before. Every trip is different, very exciting!”

“Be careful you don't lose a boot!”

trogdor

"how exactly do you know you are still going the right way in a place like this?"

Bradd Szonye

“If nothin' eats you, you're going the right way.”

trogdor

"oh, well I have come pretty close to going the wrong way then."

2

Bradd Szonye

Hank giggles.

“Be careful, Mister Kirby. The trail goes underwater up ahead.”

(You have some choices here. You can continue through the bog or you can go off-trail and try to pick up the path elsewhere. Also, you should come up with a way to keep the wolves at bay so that you don't get cornered and outnumbered in here.)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:44

hmm

I think a bog isn't exactly the best place to lose wolves, but then again I can't remember hearing about bog wolves either

Bradd Szonye

Good point about bog wolves. Just don't get yourself stuck in a spot where they can move and you can't!

trogdor

yeah

Bradd Szonye

Bog then?

trogdor

yeah

Bradd Szonye

OK, go ahead and tell the story for a bit. Describe how you will make it through the bog without the wolves following. Each of those is a Challenge obstacle.

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:47

ok

Bradd Szonye

(So think about what approach you will use, when it comes to rolling the dice. The bog is +0 and the wolves are +2.)

(I'll brb while you narrate)

trogdor

Kirby will instruct Hank to find a way across that isn't hard to cross, but does make it hard to cross in a stealthy fashion, like an open clearing, or a marshy area with less brush and tree cover.

Bradd Szonye

(Good plan.)

trogdor

if the wolves can't stalk them stealthily, it may be less likely that they continue to follow or attack

Bradd Szonye

“Good idea, Mister Kirby. I see a spot where the trees aren't very thick.”

Hank reaches out for your hand. “We should stick close together!”

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 04:54

"that sounds good"

so 4d6 careful

4d6

Dice Service

•

trogdor

that's 4

Bradd Szonye

Hank leads you toward the opening in the trees . . .

(Nice! That's enough to keep the wolves at bay. You can describe that if you like.)

trogdor

mk

Kirby and Hank pick their way through, taking special care to make sure that stealth will be hard to accomplish, and the wolves slowly start to lose all the cover they need to hide.

Brian Ballsun-Stanton

→ 599 messages moved to RPG General Chat

::sigh::

doppelgreener

Jun 4, 2013 04:59

@BrianBallsun-Stanton (Thank you)

Bradd Szonye

As the two proceed through the bog, the water rises up to Kirby's knees – which must mean waist-deep on the boy.

(I'd like to compel Grumpy Old Man. I'm thinking that this bog, along with the stress, must be extra irritating for Kirby, and he might lose his temper. Do you accept?)

trogdor

hmm

I think I would rather spend the FP to avoid it

so now I have one

Bradd Szonye

(OK.)

(Oh, but good news: I forgot the +1 teamwork, so you actually succeeded with style against the wolves. You gain a boost.)

trogdor

ah

Bradd Szonye

(I suggest something like “Picking the best route through the bog.”)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:02

ok

that works for me

doppelgreener

(As an aspect it could be something like Sense of Safety or something)

Bradd Szonye

On the bright side, the wolves have no interest in following the pair through the deep bog, and the way going isn't all that difficult. Despite the cold, murky water, your spirits rise as the peril of the wolves vanishes.

@JonathanHobbs (Actually I was going to change it to Sense of Accomplishment so they can carry it forward longer.)

doppelgreener

@BraddSzonye (That sounds excellent)

Bradd Szonye

(And to explain why he doesn't lose his temper.)

trogdor

lol

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 05:06

(OK, roll Careful vs the bog obstacle, with +1 teamwork.

trogdor

4d6

Dice Service

•

trogdor

3

Bradd Szonye

(You succeed with style again. Narrate your success and choose another boost.)

trogdor

ok

Kirby and Hank manage to travel through the bog with little difficulty, and as the wolves lose interest, the pair continue on, with Kirby hoping that his guide actually knows where they are.

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 05:12

(do you have a boost in mind? want suggestions?)

trogdor

hmm

how about, "mostly trusted guide"

Bradd Szonye

(Works for me.)

The bog eventually thins out, and the pair trudge their way out of the water. Before long, they're back on solid ground.

Hank and Kirby make good progress before coming to a fork in the trail.

Hank stops to inform the old man. “There's a fork in the road here, Mister Kirby. You seem to know what you're doing, wanna pick which way we go?”

4d

Dice Service

•

trogdor

mk

Bradd Szonye

“I think I hear something to the right. Bees maybe. Nothin' the other way.”

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:18

" I think we should go right then, if bees are all we need to worry about then it sounds like a good direction."

Bradd Szonye

“You're a smart fella!”

Hank leads the seer toward the right side of the fork. It doesn't take long before Kirby can hear the bees too. Lots of them.

“Oh boy.”

trogdor

"how many are there?"

Bradd Szonye

“They're . . . they're . . . It's not . . . Uh, it's just –” Hank stammers.

“THEY'RE AS BIG AS MY FIST!”

trogdor

" I hate this place so much"

"time to turn around and go the other way then"

Bradd Szonye

“Well I could put my blanket over my head and run through, but I don't think it'd cover up both of us. Sure, let's check out the other way.”

Hank leads the way back to the fork and takes the road not chosen.

“It gets a little tight up ahead, but at least I don't see any bees.”

Hank isn't kidding. The underbrush is thicker here, and the trees are closer. In some places, you have to turn to squeeze through the openings.

Worse, the undergrowth is full of burrs and prickly branches.

It's downright grabby.

(Thoughts, reactions, discussion?)

(You can blame @BESW for this one.) ;)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:27

ugh

did he make it, or do you just mean because you made it for his character?

Bradd Szonye

He suggested this particular obstacle.

trogdor

ah

Bradd Szonye

The shrubbery only gets clingier as Hank and Kirby try to push through. A couple of times, they get hung up and need to free themselves to continue. And it looks like it gets worse up ahead.

“It's not too late to turn back, if you think we'd do better against the bees, Mister Kirby.”

trogdor

"that's a horrible decision to have to make. I think with the bee's we at least shouldn't have this much trouble getting somewhere"

Bradd Szonye

“Yeah, we just have to rush through them without getting stung to death!”

Kirby can hear the excitement in his voice.

(Both obstacles are +4, but one might be better suited to your approaches than the other one.)

“What's the plan? You seem pretty good at plans.”

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:35

"maybe if we crawl on the ground far enough from the nests, we can keep the bee's from getting mad enough to sting us."

Bradd Szonye

(On the bright side, you have two boosts that would be applicable.)

trogdor

"but if we take our time here in the brush, we won't die by bee sting"

Bradd Szonye

“Hm. You're right, they usually only get mad if you get too close to the hive. Unless they're KILLER BEES!”

Kirby can feel Hank bouncing up and down with excitement now.

“Can we do the bees? Can we?”

trogdor

"....... ok."

Bradd Szonye

“Yay!!!”

Problematic

Jun 4, 2013 05:37

("I will punch every bee in the face!")

Bradd Szonye

(lol)

trogdor

" how close did we get to them last time?"

Bradd Szonye

“I could see the hive, but it was still pretty far away.”

“So like at least eleventy feet.”

“Here, I'll take us back to there.”

With some effort, Kirby and Hank extricate themselves from the clingy shrubbery and make their way back around the fork until Hank can just see the hive again.

trogdor

"ok, here is the plan, we are going to get pretty close, then you are going to check and make sure there is only one hive"

Bradd Szonye

“Oh yeah, that's probably smart.”

Hank immediately sets off toward the hive, tugging at Kirby's hand as he goes.

“I still only see one, and it's pretty high up. There are some bees close to the ground, but not too many.”

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:42

"if they get mad at us for getting as close as we do, we run back until they stop chasing us, and wait for them to calm down, if they don't get mad, we will attempt to cross the path as far from their mutant bee house as possible

"and let's try to avoid the individual bee's too, who knows what will make them angry?"

Bradd Szonye

“Okiedokie! We're getting pretty close now. Are we gonna run for it?”

“I'll say when! 3 . . . 2 . . .”

(Poor Kirby.)

trogdor

"let's just do this as quickly as possible, and stay on the furthest edge of the path from the hive as possible"

Bradd Szonye

“. . . 1!” Hank dashes past the bees, dragging Kirby behind him (unless you let go)

trogdor

no

pretty sure he doesn't want to do that

he doesn't want to let go I mean

Bradd Szonye

Doesn't want to let go? Got it.

(This isn't very careful, but you can use Clever instead of Quick since you're being pretty smart about your plan.)

trogdor

Jun 4, 2013 05:49

mk

Bradd Szonye

(Roll Clever with +1 for teamwork.)

trogdor

4d6

Dice Service

•

Bradd Szonye

(Might wanna boost that) ;)

trogdor

2

yeah

Bees, my god

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 05:49

Difficulty is +4. You need one invoke to tie, two to win

trogdor

mk

well, I think I will use sense of accomplishment, and mostly trusted guide then

Bradd Szonye

(Perfect.)

Hank zips through the bees, dodging left and right. Kirby has to struggle a bit to keep up and avoid tripping, but after a few dozen yards, you've apparently made it through without getting stung to death, and you can't hear any bees following.

Hank laughs. “That was AWESOME, old guy!”

He slows down and stops to catch his breath.

“Er, I'm sorry. Mister Kirby! I forget my manners sometimes when I get excited. Mom would kill me!”

trogdor

"the best part was that we didn't get stung to death, and there were no dragons"

Bradd Szonye

“Wow, you know dragons?!”

trogdor

"honestly, I am surprised your mother lets you travel in this forest alone"

"and I don't know dragons, just one specific dragon"

"and it,... doesn't like me very much"

Bradd Szonye

Jun 4, 2013 05:55

“Oh. Mean dragon. It should be nicer. You're pretty cool for an old guy.”

Kirby can hear Hank munching on another apple.

“By the way, we hit a dead end.”

trogdor

(BEEEEEES)

"......what?"

Bradd Szonye

(and scene!)

trogdor

best. session. ending. ever.

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