Midnight RPG - Chapter 7.01

Kyuad / Bill

Kyuad: "Durgaz, you remember that cedeku that was found by the Sarcosan? The initials on the hilt are most likely those of the Night King Jazir. So this was once owned by one of our worst enemies. I think I may have a purpose for it, assuming that I can determine without a doubt that it contains no special powers that might be used against us.

"If you recall, the legate who I let go swore an oath to me that he would help me and my allies as long as we helped him in return. I personally loathe the idea of helping legates, but I know this man, and I am sure that his ego and stature are far more important to him than the goals of Theros Obsidia. My aim is to help him in any endeavor that simply brings him prestige, especially when it is at the cost of another legate's strength and influence. If Legate Possiogn were to present this cedeku as a gift to Jazir himself, it would certainly gain the attention of the Night King, and could perhaps propel his prestige amongst the other legates considerably.

"I am fairly confident that this blade is something that will prove to be a 'sack-dagger*' for us. So if either of you come up with a particular need that could be more easily solved by a legate, remember that we have this as an extremely potent bargaining tool."

* - I'm using "sack-dagger" as a made-up Midnight term that's synonymous with "ace up our sleeve" or "trump card." I figure that holding a dagger in a sack is a pretty good way to ensure that you're going to keep the upper hand, so why not?

Bill: Have y'alls ever seen the show The Shield? I really dig the show, personally. During the last game I picked up on a distinct similarity between our three characters and the Strike Team boys on the show. This newbie is like the black guy that got stuck on the team. They didn't trust him at all, but worked with him and kept him in the dark at the same time. He eventually proves himself to the others in various ways.

I'd like to explore this a little more. Maybe get a couple of schemes hatched that we can't include him on at all - like the deal with Legate Possiogn and with the young cobra. In fact, I plan on using the cobra as a way to distract Kazzir from what we're working on, though it should ultimately work to get him in tighter with the rest of us.

I'd also like to start thinking about a scheme that the characters can work on that allows Adam to prove Kazzir's loyalty to the rest of the group, so we can have a reason to trust the character. I mean, we're a team after all, even if we have to work to feel that way about it.

Speaking of shows, the deal with the legate reminds me a lot of the "inside man" themes in The Departed. I dig that stuff. Since this is the sort of focus that Adam is going for with his character, can you guys think of ways to amplify this in his favor?

Kevin

My thoughts are suggestions and advice on the Bluebooking as well as any notes that I'd offer from rules or in-game information.

I like the way this comes across Bill.

I like your tie back in to past events with your Legate "friend". I love that you have thought about using this contact. How that will work, the reliability, etc... will be handled in-game. I'm not saying if it will work or not, or to what degree.

It's a neat idea in theory though.

One BIG note I will give you as DM...

- Kyuad & Durgaz would normally roll Shadow or Tactics or Politic rolls for a little info here they might consider

In bluebooking I will take care of THOSE rolls and adding your appropriate skill modifiers (from your most recent character sheet uploaded!)

So here's the result... I'll make your D20 roll to make it easy... (looking over your Character Sheets)

ROLL: Kyuad (diplomacy or gather info +2) ROLLED: 14+2 = 16

ROLL: Eranon (diplomacy or gather info -1) ROLLED: 5-1 = 4

ROLL: Durgaz (Know: Local +2 or Know: Shadow +3) ROLLED: 16+3 = 19

Durgaz quickly shares with you (to which Kyuad nods in agreement)...

Durgaz has heard rumor of dissention, distrust and uneasy alliances of the Night Kings. All trying to gain favor with troops, local Traitor Princes and the Shadow in the North itself. Is this Legate a member of the "Order or Shadow"? Or is he a member of the "Devout"? Or is he loyal to Sunulael, or Vrolk, or someone else?

Kyuad might add from his knowledge that the legate he knew as a boy, Diero Pessiogn, studied at Theros Obsidia and from their he's not sure of the political direction. Kyuad/Durgaz could assume that Legate Pessiogn may have ties to Sunulael (and/or Vrolk) moreso than Jahzir specifically because of his recent involvement in the jungles of the Aruun. Sunulael (through Vrolk) has had ties to many sites of archeological importance... This may be another. Kyuad also can note that while Diero said he created those half-breed beasts, Kyuad doubted his competence to have that kind of magic or scientific ability. (although Kyuad can't be for certain that this is true, that is just Bill's feeling ge mentioned)

Further... Depending on the answers to whom the Legate caters toward, a question that would come up might be... IS his want for political manuvering something that would cause him to want to gain favor with Jahzir? And would this "gift" be something that Jahzir would even give him an audience to speak to the King of Erenland?

Or ... would their be opportunities with Vrolk and/or Sunulael ... or the other Night Kings or even army generals/commanders such as: Grail the Fey Killer (the orc that is Jahzir's lead general), Kulos the Exonerated (the orc that is Sunulael's lead general), any of the district Greater Legates or other orc/merc leaders...

[NOTE: I am not trying to alter your goal, the "best" option might be to go to Jahzir as you suggest. I'm just offering alternatives that your characters would have in their thoughts to consider]

Lastly... Is that dagger even that important, if it truely IS Jahzir's.

ROLL: Durgaz (Craft: weapons +7 or Know: Shadow +3) ROLLED: 12+7 = 19

Durgaz takes a good look at the make/style and the signate brand and says to HIS expertise that YES this is Jahzir Kammil's cedeku. It's of his signate mark from the days prior to his fall to Shadow. Durgaz would guess from the small gems that have been added per generation around the hilt that it's an ancesteral blade passed down through his family line (but not currently a covenant item) since the early days before the Sarcosan immigrations and it is the highest level of masterwork blade, but the wear/tear has dropped it to only a +1 for masterwork use.

I love the Shield TV show. I'm surprised it's one you'd like Bill...  :)

I totally get that vibe now that you mention it. It's hard being on that kind of team though... Don't know if you're up on the most current last season cliffhanger, so I won't spoil it.

I dig your note that your Legate friend is sorta like the characters in the Departed. The funny thing is who knows where his loyalties lie. You'll be able to "learn" more when next you talk.

PS... I would totally allow you to send "letters" to Legate Pessiogn if you want. I can imagine your bird Nesse taking them to Alvedara or someplace to get it delivered. If you wanna do that write up the letter (sooner than later) anytime you want and I'll "reply" as soon as I can with it.

I also LOVE the "sack-dagger" phrase. That's awesome.

You should post that as a thread on AtS forum - a thread for phrases in Midnight. Like I did to gather the big list of other terms for the name of Izrador.

Lastly I would remind you not to take everything or everyone at face value.

ROLL: Kyuad (sense motives +1) ROLLED: 7+2 = 9

Not high enough... so no specifics on what I'm referring too but just keep the paranoia thing alert.

Don't rely on anything too much...

Trust no one. and be ready to use the fact you can't trust anyone to get to your goals...  :)

Durgaz/ Andrew

Durgaz: "You trust this legate too much. I don't care if he swore an oath to you or not; as long as he wears the robes and symbols of a legate, his first and only loyalty is to the Shadow. If he is ambitious enough to think that presenting Jahzir with this cedeku will increase his standing among the legates, he is certainly ambitious enough to betray you and the rest of us if doing so is to his benefit.

"I am also not eager to let anything currently in our possession fall into the hands of any servant of Shadow who knows that we ever held it. There are ways to find beings through their possessions.

"That said, if your friend truly is as trustworthy as you believe he is, maybe he would be willing to do something for us, out of gratitude for sparing his life. If his allegiances lie with Sunulael or Vrolk, he may have some way of finding out where Walden is. If he can provide us with that information - and if it does not turn out to be a trap - then I will, maybe, be willing to trust him. And if the cedeku helps him continue to aid us, then so be it, he is welcome to it.

"As for this Al'Kazzir, I don't trust him either. I think it's far too convenient that he should just happen to appear less than a day after we know we were seen by Vrolk. I think it's suspicious that he claims to be in contact with Evelos, an elf we know nothing about, but who we just happened to encounter while the wyvern's eye was in our possession. I don't know a lot about merhcants, but I don't know what one could be selling, or looking for, out here in the swamp. We don't know how he got here. He just appeared while we were all unconscious ... and when we woke up, he was here and one of us was dead. Maybe Thorton saw something he wasn't supposed to see. We have reason to believe that he made some sort of 'deal' with one of the snakes, a deal that the other snakes don't want him to speak about. And finally, he seems awfully eager for us to go toward Vrolk's tower ... as do, incidentally, some of those snakes. If I had to guess, I'd say he serves Vrolk, and was dispatched to bring us to him. Or maybe he's just here to lead us away from Cambrial. I don't think he's a legate, because he didn't get up to pray at midnight, and he doesn't have any legate's trappings on him. But I don't trust him, and I don't think we should let him out of our sight until we know what he's doing out here."

Andrew: Durgaz doesn't like legates. He didn't like them when he had to take orders from them, and he doesn't like them now. He's also a strong believer in the "I don't trust you until you've had the opportunity to screw me over for obvious personal gain, and you didn't take it" school of alliance-building. Combine that with the shady back-room-deal style of Kyuad and Diero's arrangement, and there's just no way he's going to be favorably disposed toward trusting this guy.

OOC, though, I think it's a good plan. If Kyuad actally knows where Diero is likely to be, and could get a message to him some way (via Nisse, or spell, or whatever), we could damn sure use some help finding out where Walden is ... Durgaz only knows that he's in "the land of the dead", which could apply to Cambrial or the Dead Marshes, and it'd kind of suck to go 100 miles in the wrong direction before finding out for sure. That would also assuredly meet Durgaz's standards for trustworthiness. He still wouldn't feel terribly comfortable about giving up the cedeku (I'm sure that being a Seer in this world makes you even more paranoid than most), but at that point he wouldn't resist it.