How about some good old-fashioned forum-based role play?
Here are the rules:
1. All posts are to be in-character, no OOC posts (just PM the person if necessary). Seriously.
2. All RP is essentially public and known to all that participate by posting in the thread. No "I was invisible or hiding on the shadows" metagaming from conversations.
3. This thread RP might lead to issues that can only be resolved IG. Be prepared for consequences.
4. DMs are encouraged to post with NPCs as they see fit in-character, as a means of interaction or policing if necessary.
5. Have fun!
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
Appearing at the edge of the Cloakwood, bow and two pheasants in hand, Hobin Roed walks eagerly towards the campfire near the Friendly Arm Inn. Within minutes he has arrived amongst those currently gathered about the fire, and he lays his bow and the birds down next to an empty seat.
"Well met good people, well met. Me names Hobin, and tis been a fortnight since I've seen a bit of civilization...de Cloakwood both provide and prevent, ain't it so?"
Pulling back his hood and removing his woodsman's gloves, he takes a seat, grabs a bird and begins to strip it of feathers...
"Eh, what word is there to the happenings amongst the gentry and the hearty adventurers I do see before me? For dat bit of the shared word, I'd be willin' to share some fine fowl here...once it be cooked over this blazing common fire dat is...."
Hobin continues to pluck, cheerfully looking to those currently seated about the fire, anxious to hear word of the tidings along the Tradeway.
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
Althea looks over at Hobin and offers a kind smile, her brown eyes calm and gentle.
" hello Hobin, I am Althea of Ilmater, I am pleased to meet you. Do you need a hand? " She rises and moves closer ,holding out a bandaged hand, offering to defeather the other pheasant.
" as for news, have you heard about gypsies and yams?"
She continues to smile, tilting her head head some in concentration working on removing the birds feathers.
'" you would think so yes. I am not of season, but here was a gypsy here yesterday selling yams. He made officer gus very upset. she has to stop talking a moment to get some particularly hard feathers loose.
" anyway, Officer Gus was trying to chase him off, not aware than many were coming up behind him to get yams. Mean while, the gypsy was filling officer guses arms with yams , and apples Finally, officer gus gave up, and moved aside , eating a yam, tossing the rest all over. Then the fun began." she focuses again on some hard feathers.. pausing in her narrative, chuckling a bit.
Hobin listens to the woman's tale, periodically monitoring her work on plucking the pheasant as he opens up the end of his bird and removes the inedible organs.
"My lady, when you say Officer Gus, I take it you mean one of the regular Flaming Fist patrol men that monitor this campfire, yes? Well, I too have had a few interesting encounters with a gypsy...I do believe they aimed to make a mockery of the officer. I would have liked to have seen the face on this Gus...and he ate a raw yam? Not too bright an officer, if you ask me."
Hobin stands and walks to the nearby bushes, selects a few choice sticks from the underbrush, and once back at the fire, begins to erect a turning spit for the pheasants to eventually roast on.
As he sits back down to wait for the second bird to be ready for cleaning, he eyes the other few adventurers and townsfolk that have taken a seat by the fire.
"So my lady Althea, any of these here people known to you?" Hobin nods to Althea as he asks.
He looks across the fire: "You there, sitting quietly, what be your fate that has brought you to this fire, on this fine evening?"
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
She finishes plucking her bird, and hands it to Hobin as she says..
"Thy were aiming for fun , considering what happened. Hmm? she looks around
" yes I know a few he.." she smiles gently as hes already moved on. she stays near to help him in his next step of preparing the birds.
Hobin takes the bird from Althea and begins to dress both the pheasants for roasting over the campfire.
"It has not been this woodsman's experience that the Flaming Fist have much if a sense of humor...I fear those poor gypsies might one day find themselves at the end of a Fists whip...bah, no love is lost on those mercenaries from me!"
It seems to be an oddly quiet evening at the campfire, thinks Hobin. Besides the warm fire—and the warm smile that Althea has brought to the conversation—the mood of those that gather here seems cold, and distant.
"My lady Althea, do answer me this: has there been something of late that robs these adventurers of their spirit? Many rumors abound lately of disturbing events along the Tradway, many odd individuals traveling south...and I've even tracked a few odd routes within the Cloakwood myself lately...which to be honest, is why I've come to this fire now: I fear some dark magic has been aiding the lizard folk, as I've myself seen the lizard matron up on the surface...and that does not bide well for the local villages...is there a change amongst the mages and goodly folk of thus region that you might inform me of?"
As Hobin asks the woman Althea of Ilmater these questions, he loads the two pheasants upon the spit...and notices the stares of the other adventurers gathered around...he can tell that some are hungry as well...
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
Alec approaches the camp fire, making his regular trips along the trade way. With a tip of his hat to those gathered, he greets the women first.
"Evenin, Miss Althea, always a pleasure to see ya. *he smiles, and then looks over the two birds, prepared for cooking* Ey there mate. *he looks to Hobin* Ye wouldn't mind sharin some of that sweet meat ye got there with the famous Troll Killer of the tradeway would ya? *he smirks* Might even be able to retell the story, if'in my memory is abit more motivated, so to speak. *he smiles to him, innocently*"
Hobin looks over to Alec and acknowledges the traveler with a nod.
"Well met, Sir, well met. These birds are fat and juicy, plenty to share, yes. I do admire an adventurer that wears his deeds aloud...I will willingly share a taste or more for a great tale of swordsmanship or strategy against a worthy foe. Do tell, do tell,and I may join you in a swap of tales of deeds."
Hobin turns the spit a round or two,for emphasis and for flavor.
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
She begins to answer ,watching him prepare the birds when alec walks up she turns her gentle smile on him, then kindly says...
' hello. I fear you have me disadvantaged.you know my name but not me yours. who might you be? Or shall I just call you famous troll killer?" she looks directly to alec, still smiling gently
The man in the tricrom hat grins, and says to Althea.
"Oh, I don't believe ye forgotten who I am lass, as ye an the other maiden of the road both protected me in my time of need! As I always pay close attention to the more devoted, and motivated lasses out there. *he smirks* I could never forget yer faces. The names Alec Snyder, if ya need a jog of the memory. *nods to Hobin with his introduction aswell*
As fer the story, well I wouldn't be callin myself an adventurer our nothin, just tryin to continue on wit my buisness, *he says humbly* but this was more than just a simple walk down the Tradeway when I started hearin wild noises. Animals, beasts, hells if I knew what was out there. As I get closer to Candlekeep, the sound gets louder, an I be hearin sounds of fightin just north of the road when I entered the Lions Way. *he stops a moment to make sure everyone is listening.... then continues* Ye see, me an this old fella were both on the road, an we thought it be the best thing to go an check it out. So we sneak our way up, well I did, the old codger just crashed through the bushes without much sense. Spose his mind be goin wit age, eh? Anyways, back to the story. So once the old guy blew our cover, I approached a group of people who were surrounded by dead gnolls.. just blood everywhere. Seems I found the source of the noise.
The group said that the Gnolls were gettin ready to surge out of their cave, so I suggest we just blast their entrace, trappin the beastmen inside. *Alec shrugs* Not that anyone listened to me. So somone came up wit the idea of goin in the cave. Well, ye would think this is where the story gets bad. Hehe, but nah.. Once we enter the cave, we kill a few gnolls, but then we hear a ruckus outside. We make our back out, an standin right before us, talkin wit some druid, is this massive, two headed troll. Damn thing is tlakin some crud bout workin wit the Gnolls or somtin, an lookin for food... So then more folks get the bright idea of yellin at the damn thing! Like that damned old man I was tellin ya bout before... *shakes his head and sighs* Well ye can expect the troll decided we be the ones to be put on the menu.
The monsters begins chargin the druid, swingin it's massive axe! Chaos ensues, an I cunningly make my way by the troll, though the others were trapped. The troll began chasin the druid, lookin to feed on her bones, while the hurt were bein brought back. I had to think of somthin! I had to our, this damned thign was gonna kill us all. Somone ran to go the Fist, an four soldiers came.. all dead. It all seemed hopeless, but then a brilliant idea came to me! So I lured the beast away from the group, shootin it in the face with my bow. Makin angrier an angrier. The lumberin hulk stomped across the hills towards me, right as I backed myself right up to the cliff, nowhere to go. The foul, repulsize, massive, green monstrosity lurched forward toward me, tryin to take a swipe, but I faked the dumb lumxous out, divin away. The damned thing went tumblin down the cliff edge as it's own weight sent it over.
I lift my head from the grass, an look at my defeated foe. I then stand, an brush myself off. Was back to buisness as always, but not before gettin a pint after dealin wit that mess! *he chukles, finishing his story* All true of course.
Hobin slaps his knee in applause at the end of Alec's tale of daring and strategy to overcome a impervious foe.
"Well done there Alec, well done. You saw an opportunity to save your colleagues and defeat this monster in the most ingenious of ways....except, where trolls are concerned, they are never put down without a bit of acid or fire, yes? That damn two-headed beast must to this day still be down at the bottom of that cliff, attempting to crawl it's way back to the ledge from where it fell....or, do trolls swim? Do they even need to breath? Tis something I've never thought about until this very moment, yes, never occured to me to wonder it!"
Hobin removes the birds from the spit, and with knife in hand, cuts away a few choice pieces of meat, handing first a bit to Althea, then another section to Alec. He then takes a bit for himself.
"Aside tales of adventure, what is your profession then, Alec?"
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
The moon elf steps out of the shadows and up to the fire with a red shiny apple in hand; she takes a bite of it as she lightly moves to sit on the bench lovingly named Bastien. Her wintery blue eyes sweep over the camp taking in those that are there.
"Hello hello" she says after swallowing the bite of apple and giving those gathered at the fire a polite nod of her head. Taking another bite of the apple she falls quite as she listens to the conversation as she continues to happily munch on her apple.
Althea takes her portion and sits back a a bench, forcing herself not to eat to fast, as shes hungry. she smiles to the moon elf as she appears, and offers her part of her portion without thinking much that the elf eats an apple.
