A More Different RPG

Some wonderful and brave members of these forums have created what they call an RPG, and I applaud them for it.  It is never easy to set up a play-by-forum RPG and any attempt should be appreciated by those who are playing or simply watching.

That said, some of us have expressed dissatisfaction with the way the game is currently going.  I will not get into details, as it is not my intention to throw mud.  Rather, I will say that I have every intention of running an RPG that will, hopefully, allow those players who are looking to roleplay what they are looking for.

That said, here goeth the rules!  Bear in mind that, as GM, I reserve the right to break the rules at any point that I so desire.  That's part of what being a GM is all about.

1:  If you are posting in an IC thread, stay IC.  And do try to be descriptive, if it's not too much to ask.
1a:  DO NOT BOGART SOMEONE'S CHARACTER.  The only character a Player is allowed to control is the one that he is playing.  Certainly, some atmospheric control is okay ("The Barman brings me a drink.") but other forms of control are right out.

2:  The rules will be adapted slightly from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game by Black Industries.

3:  A character can be any of the following races:  Human (Empire, Bretonnian, Estalian, Norse, and Tilean only), Sea Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Ogre, Gnoblar.  Exceptions can be made, but are solely the discretion of the GM.

4:  All stats are the sole property of the GM and will not be shared with any characters.  Yes, this means you won't have hard numbers on your PCs.  That seems a little more realistic to me.

5:  Characters' starting weaponry and armor are at the discretion of the GM.  Do not attempt to argue for a complete armory.

6:  Characters are not intended to be rich, powerful, or famous.  Characters are also not intended to be particularly powerful or "rare."  As an example, a Bretonnian would be able to be an Errant Knight, but is unlikely to be able to play a Grail Knight.  Things like that.  Likewise, Wizards are going to be very low-level, at least at first.  Oh, and keep in mind that the rules for magic in WHFRP are pretty hairy for low-level Wizards.  You are warned.

7:  All combat will be done either via PM or via AIM (I can be reached at Drongol2).  The results will be posted by the GM (me) after it has been worked out.

8:  Due to my own mental health, I would like to request that no more than 20 people join in. 

I am planning on starting the campaign in the Free Port of Marienburg, since it's easiest.  If there's any interest, let me know.

Gralph Boarbiter

i want to play as empire.If i get to chose here is a weak characther to start with

captain
full plate armor
shield
pistol

OR(if rhe first is to strong)

outrider champion
barded warhorse
repetitor pistol
pistol

Sorry about the double post but i just had and dea i wanted to share with Gralph Boarbiter.First about the story.I was recently part of a RPG called "the fall of chatoue monefront" over at the round table of bretonnia.So i was thnikig of making a similar one here.After all the people have sigh up you devide them betwenn the atackers and defenders.Of course there would be normal soliders acompaning each hero.


Second about charather creation.How about every player choses a hero from his armybook and gives him armor bt nothing else.After that he is aloowed to make up one special wepon and oe special rule(along with the ones in the army book).Here is an example

Name:empire captain
equipment:full plate armor,blade guns
Special rule:master marksmen

Explanation of special rules:Master markemen:The charather never adds or reduces his roll to hit with his guns so he always hit on his basic BS.Doesnt have affect in close combat

Blade guns:In close combat they add 1 atack and 1 strentg

what kind of points are we looking at
40...50...100?

Sorry about the double post but i just had and dea i wanted to share with Gralph Boarbiter.First about the story.I was recently part of a RPG called "the fall of chatoue monefront" over at the round table of bretonnia.So i was thnikig of making a similar one here.After all the people have sigh up you devide them betwenn the atackers and defenders.Of course there would be normal soliders acompaning each hero.

Sounds great.  Also sounds like something I don't want to do.  The point here is to have a RPG, not a mini-skirmish game with maybe some character interaction.

Second about charather creation.How about every player choses a hero from his armybook and gives him armor bt nothing else.After that he is aloowed to make up one special wepon and oe special rule(along with the ones in the army book).Here is an example

Again, sounds like a lot of fun, but not something I ever plan on doing.  Characters are not meant to be hero-level, nor are they meant to have massively exotic equipment.  This game is not meant to be an excercise in character-building, but rather a game where people can interact without combat occuring every two posts.

what kind of points are we looking at
40...50...100?

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game does not use points, so I am not certain what you are talking about.  Suffice it to say that characters will be balanced, although some will be much better in combat than others.

Gralph Boarbiter

oops sorry misread
are the warrhammer fantasy roleplay rules still only avalible in the book or are they open game licence and thus downloadable

Heya Gralph,  I would be interested in doing a mostly non-combat RPG.  If there is enough interest I will wait till you post up some sort of prelim story but more then likely I would want to be some sort of halfling.  Jestor

You could put me down for a young-ish human from the Empire. A cheeky street-urchin of sorts, carries nothing of importance save a dagger or two and a small icon of sigmar (roughly made hammer on a leather thong around his neck, worn inside his shirt - no magical powers of course, just for his own private devotion to his god).

Hope that's OK, do you want us to write up backgrounds or anything?

Hope that's OK, do you want us to write up backgrounds or anything?

That is perfect, and yes, I would love a character write-up.

When working on a character, folks, please remember that the RPG is set in Marienburg.  There needs to be a reason why your character is there, and I'd appreciate one better than "the mercenary company stopped over for a few days."

Gralph Boarbiter

Thanks Gralph, I'll start work on a background write-up this afternoon.  One (hopefully final!) question, do you want us to post the background here or direct to you via a PM?

how about

Brog
he's an ogre who lives in mearinburg.
 he migrated down from the mountans and traveld across the empire trying to find his true passion. it wasn't fighting. it wasn't drinking he dident know what it was discusted and dimayed he wanderd into town and sat down on the docks to think. as he was deep in his thought he looked over and saw some one else on the wayside. he was fishing.
 in went the lure and out it came fish! brog was amazed. for hours he sat watching the fisherman untill he was noticed.
the fisherman being a kindly sort offerd to teach brog to fish. the only problum is that no fishing rod was big enough.
so brog decided to make his own.
ripping one of the dock poles out winding a spool of rope around it and tieing a gaff hook to the end he sat down to fish.
and fish
and fish
now Brog is a common sight down on the dock
he never realy catches mutch. but whenever he does its always enough to feed him untill his next big catch.

Could i use a vamp?

Brog

Very nice, but I have one slight question.  What motivates Brog?  If all he wants to do is sit around and fish, there's not going to be a whole lot of action for the guy, you know?

Could i use a vamp?

I'm going to assume you mean a vampire instead of a seductress.  A vampire is significantly more powerful than anybody, PC or NPC, that you are likely to come across.  Even a weak vampire could easily kill another PC.  Furthermore, younger vampires are under the control of their sires, which would make things a little more difficult for you.  Then there's the whole issue of sunlight.

In other words, no.  Playing a truly evil race is not going to work.

Gralph Boarbiter

I've written something up, but haven't got it with me at the moment and I'm off to see Deftones tonight as well. 

I hope to put up my background (including appearance and clothing) tomorrow, sorry for the delay guys.

I'm intending to, just for fun, convert my character from the tonnes of Free Company sprues I've got from my postponed Empire army. This is gonna be great Gralph, thanks for putting in this work!

Brog

Very nice, but I have one slight question.  What motivates Brog?  If all he wants to do is sit around and fish, there's not going to be a whole lot of action for the guy, you know?

yheah exept Brog dosent belive in just catching fish he belives in finding the biggest and strongest "fish"  in the world.
mutated krakens from the northenrn seas. timelost sharks from lustria sea dragons from cathay.
that sort of thing. he's like the troll slayer of fishermen. so he's would travel with whoever could take him to far off lands and far off fishing holes.

Should we put our characters on here or should we PM them to you? Or should we do both? I ask because ther may be certain things about my character I don't want others knowing... 

 i really wanted to use a vamp.... hmmm could a be a very new vamp whose master had a "eventfull run in" with witch hunters, as i very recently became a vamp i would still be weak, and i could work a late night job, explaining why i dont go out in sunlight, also i could be unarmed if that would change any thing, really open to ideas, i reallllyyyyy want to play as one.

Should we put our characters on here or should we PM them to you? Or should we do both? I ask because ther may be certain things about my character I don't want others knowing... 

This is a very good point.  Anything that you'd like to keep secret from the other players, PM me with.  Anything that would be considered common knowledge, however, should be posted here.

 i really wanted to use a vamp.... hmmm could a be a very new vamp whose master had a "eventfull run in" with witch hunters, as i very recently became a vamp i would still be weak, and i could work a late night job, explaining why i dont go out in sunlight, also i could be unarmed if that would change any thing, really open to ideas, i reallllyyyyy want to play as one.

Without trying to be rude, no.  I am sorry, but I am not going to bend on this one.  A "very weak" Vampire would still mop the floor with anyone else, weapons or not, and frankly, Vampires would not be welcome in Marienburg whereas the rest of the races there would be allowed, if viewed with suspicion.

I have a list of playable races in the rules.  The exceptions mentioned were to allow someone who came up with a compelling backstory to play a Cathayan character or the like, not to permit some uber-powerful creature of the night into the game.

Gralph Boarbiter

The best role play way around such things is playing a human who "thinks" he is a vampire.  That way you get to roleplay what you like and it even adds a bit of humor towards the game   I will be finishing my write up hopefully tomorrow   Jestor

O well then i guess its a Bretonnian Errant for me

Here's a quick and dirty background for my character:

Jonas has been an orphan since before he can remember, he doesn't know how his parents died, and it's probably a kindness that he doesn't understand the cause for his unease around horned animals, especially goats.

He's about 17 years old (even Jonas doesn't know for certain) and has a wiry frame. He's around average height for a young man from the Empire and his head is topped by unruly dark brown hair. His brown eyes twinkle with a vibrant love for life, Jonas isn't especially bitter about the hand he's been dealt in life (although after a couple of days without food his natural enthusiasm for life has been known to wane somewhat!).

He wears a rough collection of clothing gathered over the years: a pair of dirty, undyed trousers, a light shirt, a patched leather waist-coat that's two sizes too small, a pair of cloth boots (the left one has a hole where his big toe occasionally pokes out), and a leather cap which he has decorated with some small pieces of coloured cloth and ribbon he
has found on his travels.

His possessions are few; two knives, carried in roughly made sheaths - the larger one at his waist ("to warn off those who think I'd be easy pickings"), the smaller hidden in his boot ("just in case, you know?"), and a small icon of a hammer hung from a length of dark leather around his neck. He has a couple of pouches which are hidden around his body - when you live on the streets you soon learn not to keep your eggs all in one basket!

With his easy-going manner he finds it easy to make acquaintances, but years on the streets have taught him not to make friends too easily. He lives through a combination of scrounging, begging, odd jobs and in extreme times he has been known to turn to petty crime (picking pockets, stealing from market stalls). Although he will commit crimes to ensure he can eat, he will usually be overcome with remorse for his actions and will habitually pray to Sigmar while clutching his necklace in his hand.

Jonas is a Sigmarite, upon his parent's death a local monastery took the young boy into their care. However, after a few years Jonas felt that Sigmar did not call him to the life of a Brother Monk or Priest and left the monastery, taking with him only his simple necklace and a faith in Sigmar on his travels.

Jonas heard about the Free Port of Marienburg while passing through the villages outside Altdorf and decided he would seek his fortune in the infamous city, as the villagers would tell it a 'City of Opportunity'. He attached himself to a merchant's retinue for part of the journey acting as a wagon loader, the merchant (a certain Herr Rechner of Himmelburg, "purveyor of quality household items and miscellaneous goods") paid Jonas with copper coin upon arriving in the Port and with a light heart and a small handful of coin, Jonas sets out to seek his destiny.



I'll be pming Gralph with a couple of other points that aren't common/easily found out knowledge.

Here's my character:

Artura Forstyr

Standing at six-foot six inches, Artura Forstyr is one of the more unusual residents of the great city of Marineburg. Covered in swirling blue and green tattoos reminiscent of the ocean, and dressed in leathers and furs, the dockworker was once a warrior of the Varg, a Skaeling tribe. Like many of his brethren, he travelled to the colony of Skeggi, and has many an (often extravagant) tale of his adventures there. He works the port of Marineburg as no more than a dockhand, apparent to all that know him that he did not find the glorious riches of Lustria on his expedition. He was abbandoned by his shipmates as a cruel joke, and left with only the clothes on his back. With his petty wage he can afford a tiny apartment in the Eagle’s Claw inn, in one of the seedier part of the docks, and due to his work has a rippling musculature that would put any imperial soldier to shame. In the numerous violent incidents that unavoidably happen on the docks and in the slums, he has shown himself to be a more than able fighter- although he had never drawn a blade, he has cracked enough heads in drunken brawls to receive regard as one of the cities hardiest barfighters. Although not academic, he has a wary intelligence, and is not easily fooled by those who think him a dumb savage.

I'm glad that there's interest in the game, and pleased to see some very interesting character write-ups.  Thus far, it looks like we have three committed players.  Anyone else interested?

Gralph Boarbiter

Mind if I join?  If so, I'll post up my character today.

This sounds great! I'll probably lose track of it, and go horribly wrong, but can I be in it as a Beasts of Chaos character? Of course, I'd love to be a Doombull or a Shaggoth, but those are probably more powerful than what you were thinking of, right? How about a Wargor of Tzeentch? If I can be, then I'll get back soon with a proper character and background.

B.O.C.B.I.L.O.T,

3:  A character can be any of the following races:  Human (Empire, Bretonnian, Estalian, Norse, and Tilean only), Sea Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Ogre, Gnoblar.

6:  Characters are not intended to be rich, powerful, or famous.  Characters are also not intended to be particularly powerful or "rare."... Wizards are going to be very low-level

Characters are not meant to be hero-level

That's pretty much a no.

Sure, you can play a Doombull. I'll even go ahead and give you your introductory post right here and now...

What a lovely day for travelling! The warm spring air fills your massive lungs as you travel on the road to Marienburg, pausing to snack on the occasional villager. The sweet twitter of songbirds lightens your load as you round a bend and the city walls come into sight.

Everything seems so perfect. The sun, the warm breeze, the swarm of friendly crossbow bolts racing towards you, the tweeting of birds. Everything.

Everything, that is, except for the sensation of those quarrels slamming into your tender flesh. It's like a tickly feeling, except that it's very, very hurty instead of tickly.

Your last thought as your life's blood spills onto the green, green grass is that perhaps coming into a Human city wasn't a good idea after all.

Gralph Boarbiter

Ah.

So I can't be an Ogre Hunter either? Then could I be a Gnoblar Trapper? And if I was a Gnoblar Trapper then could I be riding on a small donkey? Pleeeaassse

Ok, here's my character -

Steffen Rohde

Steffen has been a familiar face around Marienburg for the past four years.  He is twenty five years old and is currently working as a bouncer at the Eagle's Claw Inn.
He is quite short, standing at about 5'8 and quite slim.  He has blue eyes and long dark hair pulled back in a pony tail.
He claims he's family was once a minor noble house from Altdorf but because of a scandal he's family name was ruined and he left the capital to start a new life.
Although none of his colleagues believe his claims it would certainly explain some things about Steffen.
He is very well spoken and can readand always carries a certain arrogance about him; His clothes, although tatty are well made, he wears a white shirt, black breeches and brown leather boots and whenever he needs to step outside he dons a black wollen cloak. He always wears a long sword at his hip, the hilt is very ornate and would fetch a pretty penny and the blade is sharp and well balanced (a "family heirloom" according to Steffen).  He has never drawn his blade in anger, although after four years of working in the roughest bar in Marienburg, he has become an experienced brawler himself.


If this is ok I will send Gralph a PM with some other details about Steffen...

Background info for Celatius Moon -

Celatius has lived in Marienburg for all of his life that he can remember.  Orphaned at a young age, Celatius had to earn money the hard way, by taking it when no one was looking.  In most times Celatius can be found in a jovial mood.  Now that he is in his early adult life he has a normal job, covering up his other less scrupulous endeavors, as a delivery person.  His short stature, even for a halfling, allows him to navigate through crowds with ease making him a perfect runner for important documents and time critical items.  This profession also allows him to learn a little bit of knowledge about those around him for later use.  Celatius is generally trusted by most as he is always smiling and polite.  He has a reputation around the city for having fair prices for his work as well as being generally helpful and courteous.

(Do you all want me to move this topic over to the Maw pit sagas as it has now gotten alot of exposure in the feeding grounds?)

Everything sounds great thus far. Go right ahead and move the thread, Jestor. I apologize for the time between replies--I moved and getting Internet connection proved to be difficult.

I'll be starting things very shortly, so get ready!

Gralph Boarbiter

I want to start too.  Thing is, I don't know the rules for WFRP.  Also, can I be an orc

I want to start too.

A player does not need to know the rules to play the game.  That is the job of the GM.

Thing is, I don't know the rules for WFRP.  Also, can I be an orc

Please read the rules.  Seriously.  It's not getting funny suddenly.

Gralph Boarbiter

Sorry, I was just asking.  Anyways, put me down as a Norse guy ofsome sort, maybe a sailor.  I will write background later.

So can i be a Gnoblar Trapper?

Ok, hear s my character:

Leif Olavson

A burly Norseman, rather large at 6' 10" tall and 311 lbs with shoulders like an ox, he drifted in to port about a couple months ago.  Upon arriving, he began to offer his services as a cheap mercenary.  When business is slow, he is not above doing other various odd jobs for those who need some muscle.  In his short career, he's been known for attacking employers who anger him, though if you stay out of his way, pay him what you agree upon, and don't try and force him to do anything he doesn't want to, he is very reliable.  He has a fiery temper, drinks heavily even for his own people, doesn't bathe nearly enough, and tends to be fairly anti-social, though fiercely loyal to those who have earned his trust, often cracking heads in their defence.  Also , he has a strange soft spot for the helpless.  Not much else is known about him, and to most people he is just another dirty, down on his luck sellsword in a city of many.

I will PM Gralph with more details.

Are you ignoring me?

Why didnt I see this before.. very cool idea and even better that we dont have to know the rules for the RPG.. if you are still taking people then here goes..

Ogre bull named Grisnik
Was shunned from his tribe due to his small gut.. not small enough to be tossed to the gorger pits, but still small enough to be tormented as a child.. and when the passage to adulthood came and he wasen't able to life his precious rhinox.. he was forever chased from his homeland.. and when I say chased I mean that damn rhinox chased poor grisnik down the mountainside till it found something more tempting to chase after..
After reaching the town and seeing all the thinlings.. Grisnik began to feel better.. for when standing next to a thinling he felt big.. he felt strong.. he felt his true size come into play.. even if he wasen't as strong or as big as a normal Ogre.. here he was impressive.. here he could be a fighter.. here he could have respect..
Of course it would help if he could get a job.. just because he carried a club.. and could fight.. didn't mean that anyone would hire him.. Grisnik was able to cut out a meager existance as a personal bodyguard here, doorman there, but nothing stable..
Grisnik continues onwards with his journey to find his place.. to show his worth.. to live up to the name that is an Ogre..

cheers
Gris

All right, sorry for the delay.  Let's get this donkey show on the road!

---

Ah, Marienburg.  You can almost smell the sweet stench opportunity on the wind.  Actually, wait a second...  That's certainly not opportunity, but rather the end result of an overcrowded population who thinks that dumping refuse on the street is sanitary.  Anyway, let's not talk about the smell.  There's opportunity in the air, even if you can't smell it.  You can taste it, maybe.  On second thought, no.  You just know it's there!

The few clouds moving lazily across the sky provide an occasional respite from the otherwise downbeating spring sun which would otherwise force most citizens under an awning to conduct business in the shade.  And, where the is business, there is opportunity.  In fact, you can see several individuals taking advantage of said opportunity right now, walking away with purses or goods that, technically, did not originally belong to them.  Ah, opportunity!

Even the beggars, mangled by a cocktail of injuries and debilitating (and probably embarassing) diseases, seem fairly happy, or maybe their faces are just stuck that way.  It's hard to tell, but it seems that they're doing a brisk business, judging by the way some of them clink when they hobble.  And in the whorepits, it seems strangely quiet.  Perhaps those hard-working seamstresses are taking a much-deserved break.

The smell of burning wood assaults your nostrils coming from the west.  Truth be told, the smell is more than welcome compared to the aforementioned reeking, although the orangeish glow that can be seen even in the midst of the afternoon is less welcome.  If your memory is correct, the fire is over in the direction of the Dancing Orc Inn, famous for its sign of an Orc in a hangman's noose (once, it was a real Orc, but it had rotted decades ago).  Firefighting is the duty of every able-bodied citizen, citizen.  Time to show your stuff!

[Note:  This is your characters' chance to respond to the fire.  Characters should, effectively, respond with whether or not they are responding and the like.]

Gralph Boarbiter

"but fire will scare the fish away! brog cant let the city burn down!"
there's only one thing to do.
brog hikes up his fishing line
grabs a barrel, fills it with water and hikes over to the fire.

Steffen pauses during his afternoon stroll when he notices the smoke.
"Those bloody peasants! One day they'll burn the whole town to cinders".
He runs in the direction of the smoke to see if he can help.

Knowing the duty of every true Sigmarite in such a situation, Jonas runs quickly to the scene of the fire, eager to help his newly adopted City.

Thinking that maybe he can get a job.. or at least show that he is able to work and do more than protect the lazy seamstresses, Grisnik runs towards the flames.. and also wishing he was smart enough to notice the other ogre carrying a large barrel with him towards the fire as well..

Leif headed toward the inn to see what the commotion was all about.  Seeing the fire, he decided to help out.  This is for three reasons.  The first is that this is one of his favorite drinking spot.  The second is that he thought he might get paid.  Lastly, while he is vicious in fight and ruthless toward his enemies, he is not completely cold and heartless and for one reason or another has a slight soft spot for the helpless, so he couldn't stand around while they died.

Quick background: Josef Ternburger is no strong warrior, wise mage, or dashing highwayman; he's a thug. A drunken vagrant with little to look forward to other than the next quick steal to buy himself more ale. After several years of freebooting and fighting for hire under a sucession of gormless commanders Josef has taken an indefinite, and unauthorized, leave from the ship where he was meant to sail for Lashiek on a raid and has been on an bar crawl since mid afternoon, yesterday... (Is this enough?)

Josef staggers down a reeking alley with his head buzzing like a swarn of Lustrian wasps and the raging fire at his back. He's almost sure he didn't start the fire, but when you've just come out of a drunken stupor that had you convinced your legs had been replaced with a cloud it's best not to take many chances.

[Note:  I need a little more background on Josef Ternberger, if you don't mind.]

Arriving at the scene of the fire, you are only slightly surprised to see a huge crowd standing and watching the blaze.  Marienburgers love free entertainment, after all, and a fire is better than street theatre.  There's even a little man with a pushcart selling sausages on a bun.

The crowd seems to be content to offer helpful suggestions to the people who are starting a bucket brigade.  Cries of "swing it by the handle more, you manky git" and "that'll never work, not even if Manaan himself pisses on the inn" are amongst the more printable suggestions made.  The inn itself was a three-story building, with the common room on the first floor and private rooms above.

Hopefully everyone made it out okay.

Don't you just hate how whenever you think something like that, the world decides to smile sweetly and kick you between the legs?  A panicked scream, sounding like that of a man-child, comes from either the second or third floor--it's hard to tell.  Now, the easy thing to do would be to sit there and let your soul rot while you listen to the whimpers of the roasting child, but that's not for you.  You're a hero, right?  Right.

Just remember, the gods love heroes.  They also love a good laugh.  Think about it.

Gralph Boarbiter

Steffen hesitates for a moment, wondering if it is worth risking burning his cloak, but then pushes through the crowd and into the burning building.

Josef is resting breathless when the child's scream echoes down the alley to greet him. With a guilty ragged breath he reaches into the pocket of his jerking for a swig of courage and finds nothing but a tear in the lining. Brain still addled with drink he turns and starts staggering back towards the blaze, maybe the child has it...

err, can we post more than once per script?

"Here comes brog to save the day!"
brog barrels through the thinlings  and heres the screams of a child
she may have eaten brogs fish or in fact be eating brogs fish now
brog must save her!
 and so with barrel in hand he plunges into the inferno

Jonas stands with the crowd, trying to peer between the gaps between the throng.

"I'm no hero, what can I do to save the child?" thinks the young man, a concerned look on his face as he looks up to try and spot the poor child.

Grisnik's brain snaps into place.. finally telling him to get to it.. this is his big break to show what he can do.. Grisnik charges in after the other Ogre carrying the large barrel..

"Oh thingling.. come out here so I dont be burn too big.. "

brog peering through the smoke and glare of the fire
notices anouther ogre and several thinlings scurrieing about
"oh good lots of help for brog"

he looks for some stairs

Josef staggers through a collapsed portion of wall, near oblivious of the burning timbers thar fall mere feet from him. The building is full of smoke and fire and soon Josef's eyes are stinging and his throat burns. Through the billowing smoke he swears he sees a group of massive shadows charging through but cannot tell for all the fierce light, tearing the sleeve from his shirt he wraps it around his mouth and nose and blindly moves on, the child is wailing somewhere upstairs, but where is it ?

Grisnik wishes he could see through the smoke better.. the other hulking figure of an ogre was in front of him but he couldn't see stairs yet.. if only Gris could have left ( or entered for that matter ) the tavern sober for once he might have noticed stairs and knew where to go.. instead Gris stood there with another Ogre looking around at fire consuming the building all around them..

"Well this aint good is it??" Gris says to the other ogre..

"nope brog dosent think this is good at all
hang on!
there's no stares right?
and we need to get up there right?
brog hands the other ogre the water barrel
"hold this"
brog looks around and sees a human
"You thinling!"
(directed at josef)

Josef's alcohol soaked brain feels like there are a thousand needles stabbing in it from the noise of that yell! His bleary eyes make out that the huge mass he had taken for a wall is in fact a disturbingly intense looking Ogre, and even as he trips over his own feet a skillet sized hand lands on his shoulder. "What have I done to you, Verena, to deserve this?"

Maybe he could get out of this, if he could only get a drink!

"thinling.
brog is conscripting you into fire rescue group."
then brog turns and retrevis his watter barrel from the no dought horribly confused ogre next to him
and then grab's josef
stuff's him into the barrel and throw's it through the celing....
onto the next floor


 

Hearing the scream of the child, Leif is briefly stunned.  After he regains composure, he rushes in after the ogres.  Ignoring the heat, he quickly seaches for a way up, as there was an orange glow and lots of smoke coming coming from the stairs, and he isn't sure if they were still capable of being used. Just as he moves over to get a better look, he sees what appears to be a man in a bucket being tossed through the ceiling by one of the ogres, he figures this is his oppertunity.  He rushes the ogre and bellows "Hold still" as he climbs the bewildered brute's back and leaps through the hole to the next floor.  He is met by lots of smoke and some of the most intense heat yet.  He looks around, trying to find his bearings and determine if the girl is on this floor or the next.

Stepping softly out of the crowd, Celatius manuevers his small frame over to where the more heroic folk have gathered.  The heat inside seems to effect him little as he is wearing just a small tunic and short pants, both thread bare from over use.  With a large smile crossing his face he looks through the hole made by the barrel that just flew through the ceiling.

Standing far enough away from the Ogres as to not get thrown next Celatius smiles broadly showing his straight but decaying teeth and says -
"Is there anything I could perhaps help with gentlemen?"

Stunned, shocked.. and slightly arosed.. Gris says "Good throw.. him next..." pointing to the thinling that just came through the only opening left.. then states.. "We still need to get up there.. You or me go up?"

Josef:

The crash through the roof, combined with bouncing and rolling in a barrel still half-full of water, really does nothing to help your drink-addled mind.  In fact, there's now a thin layer of vomit covering the inside of the barrel, which is doing nothing for the smell.

At least the barrel got you wet, though, which is certainly helping in this inferno.  It's very difficult to dodge the flames as you search out the child, but its screeching is making things certainly easier.  After dodging a falling timber and stepping into a room, you see a closet door from which loud, shrill noises are coming out.  This must be the child!

You reach for the handle, but it's too hot to touch.  Wrapping your hand in your cloak, you are able to unlatch the door and peer inside.

Oh, blessed merciful Shallya in a flophouse!  It's not a child--it's just a Halfling!  A male Halfling, at that, sobbing and wailing as it jumps onto you, screaming, "Oh, thank you, guvnor, please, help me get out of this 'orrible, 'orrible inferno before I burns meself to a crisp, do!"

The Rest of Ya's:

It's still darned hot, and very hard to breathe.  Something about the fire seems to take up all the air or the like, because it feels like you're up in a mountain.  A very, very hot mountain, but you get the point.

A concerned citizen runs up, bucket in hand.  "What about the barrels of schnapps?" she shouts as she slings water onto the blaze.  "If they get too hot, the whole place is going to be blown to smithereens!"  Certainly a predicament, but you have to wonder.  The entire place is pretty much ruined at this point, so a few explosions won't exactly increase the rebuilding cost.  However, for anyone who is too close, a barrel of exploding schnapps means a body covered in char and a slow, painful death.  Perhaps you might want to take a step back or three...  Or help get the poor trapped child and the drunkard that got thrown up to help it back.  Either way, really.

Gralph Boarbiter

Stepping back with a smile on his face still, though a more worried look in his eye, Celatius starts scanning the room for these barrels.  Upon locating them and judging the size of barrels compared to his strength he laughs a little bit and points over to them.

"Hey there Ogres, I bet you aren't strong enough to get those out all in one shot!"

Knowing that there may be an oncoming stampede of Ogres coming through or an Ogre sized hand getting ready to toss him, Celatius slides more towards a window and stays alert and on his toes.

what? A challenge to brogs ogrehood? by a thinling?
after taking a swipe at the little  rocksucker brog takes out his "fishing rod"
"brog will show you puny thingling!"
and invents golf

"FORE"

"Help!" Josef yells in his head "I'm being mauled by a talking cat!"

Staring down bewildered at the Halfling's ash-grimed face with his bulging scared eyes Josef blinks and then glances around the floor for a few moments in the faintest hope he finds what he came for, with no luck naturally (That damned Ogre must have forgot to shove his senses in that barrel with the rest of him) With the futility of his quest dawning Josef, growling through his scarf, mutters
"You better be worth a fine penny you reeking little urchin, or else you're mutton!"
The Halfling's only reponse is to wrap his little arms even tighter around Josef's neck, as if it wasn't hard enough to breath in this hell hole as it was!

With his wriggling and whining bundle secure Josef turns back to the spot where those Ogres sound like they are recruiting the second wave and makes his first step towards safety, when the floor beneath him turns into a blazing void..!

"Jump thinling.. bring little 'un with you.. I catch you.. "
Grisnik stands below the hole and waits for the thinling and the child to jump down.. watching the other Ogre swing at the barrels with his post.. Gris giggles to himself.. fore? I count at least 3.. silly ogre.. he can't count as high as Grisnik...

OOC: Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like you ignored my last post, where I jumped up to the second floor.  You made it sound like Joseph was the only one up there.  I'm not complaining, just thought I'd point it out.  Anyways, on with my post.

IC: Leif stared at the drunk as he was apparently attacked by a small gray animal.  However, once it was a little more still, he saw it was merely a halfling.  He then heard that some barrels of schnapps were in danger of exploding, but by the sound of it one of the ogres had it handeled.  Besides, he was already up here, and his main goal was to save the girl, and the only other one here could barely walk straight and had his hands full.  He resumed his search for the girl.

Grisnik stands like a dumb founded Ogre under the hole in thr ceiling waiting for thinlings to jump down so he can be heroic.. however he is just coughing wildly with a cloak over his mouth and his eyes watering while staring up at the hole..

JUMP?

Getting down will not be a problem Josef fears, right now his legs are dancing wildly in mid air whilst he clings desperately with one arm; the other busy supporting the whining creature that still seems intent on choking its would be rescuer; and to top it all the floor board that has saved him so far is making a dreadful groan. As he appraises the situation he hears a weak grunt and the pressure on his neck suddenly goes slack 'The halfling's fainted!' He thinks, and in a show of instinct his free arm latches onto it's collar.

Josef glances down at the two-time rescuee and sees that threatening to fall from its pocket is the very thing he had stumbled in here to find!
"Thieving little bugg-!" Josef's bad language is cut short by the sound of cracking wood as the floorboard finally gives up the ghost, his last sight is another man standing just beyond the doorway as he plummets with an embarrising yelp and silently prays to all the gods that the Ogre below isn't a fan of smoked meat...

Grisnik thinks to himself.. do I smell chicken?? roast chicken??? ...

Seeing the thinling begin to fall grisnik makes a break for it to try and catch him and whatever he is holding.. all the while screaming.. "Gris got you.. gris got you.. "

Leif:  You hear sort of a half-yelp, half-squeal as a large, burly Norseman with Halfling rider starts hurtling off the building.  You can't help but wonder if Halflings bounce, but you know from experience that Norsemen do not.  If there isn't someone down there to catch them, things are likely to get a little splashy.

Continuing your search, you become very aware that the supposed girlish screams were coming from the deceitful Halfling and not from anyone else who is up there.  Unless, of course, you happen to enjoy screaming like a girl, since you're the only thing alive that's above ground floor right now.  Heroic though your actions might be, you have to admit they've put you into a predicament.

Celatius:

Perhaps daring an Ogre wasn't an intelligent thing.  You see, he's clearing the casks fairly quickly, but messily, which means that schnapps is flying everywhere.  For the record, schnapps burns rather well.  And, since he's hitting the casks away from eachother, this means that the fire is rapidly advancing towards the remaining casks--more than enough to turn a halfling into a thin veneer on the soot-blacked walls.  Oh dear.

Josef:

You're slightly singed, badly hung-over, and more than a little foxed (and perhaps badgered and beared) by an insane half-roasted Halfling.  How could this situation possibly improve?

Oh yeah, you're also hurtling out of a third-story window towards a member of a race known for three things:  their herculean strength, their piggish dimness, and their ability to see anything that's made out of meat as food.  That'd be a major improvement, yep.

Luckily, things will all be over soon.  Either you'll make your impact upon Marienburg in ways you never imagined, or you'll be in the tender care of a cannibalistic monster from your worst nightmares.  Either way, really.

Gris:

Halfling good food!  Halfling falling towards Gris!  Halfing yum!  Needless to say, it's hard to maintain control of your thoughts when an undercooked Halfling is falling towards your waiting gut.  You can't help but think that the little guy needs to get in your belly.  Of course, that big thinling falling towards you might need catching, too, but he's less important than the hairy-footed thing.  After all, Humans are mostly gristle, whereas Halflings are practically better than rutting...

Everyone (and Everyone Else):

Look, you've got an Ogre splashing inflammible chemicals around for fun, an Ogre throwing people through the roof and then trying to catch them, a raging inferno that's about to gut the place altogether, and still multiple barrels of what might as well be IUDs sitting around about to go off.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist (thank you, Nuln Engineering School, for the Helstorm, just so I can use that phrase) to figure out that this is a very untenable situation.

In other words, you have EXACTLY one "action" before this whole place goes up like the hand grenade of some vindictive immortal.  Now would be the time to, at the very least, duck and cover.  At the very most, I suppose you could learn teleportation magic and get the heck out of dodge, but really, who has time for that?

Gralph Boarbiter

[random interjection]er... what do you mean by IUD, all I can think of as an IUD has nothing to do with... um... appropriate discussions for this board [/random interjection]

"EEEEKKKKK!  Barrels go outside, and whole"  Worriedly looking around Celatius realizes the folly that he has half started and shakes his head.  He can be heard to say "I gotta get outta here" under his breath as he runs outside and yells to the crowd -

"RUN!   SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!"

'I'mgonnadie!I'mgonnadie!I'mgonnadie!I'mgonnadie!'

That constant foe of the drunkard, Gravity, has made it so Josef is plummeting towards earth as a cushion for the hysterical ball of hair and green cotton whose vice-like grip on his throat has finally released as it now clings to Josef's shirt collar so as not to go flying off on his own!

His back thuds into what feel lke a pair of railway sleepers (Whats a railway? He's drunk give him a break!) and as his teary eyes take in the sooty hideous face of the Ogre staring down as its enourmous hand close on him the Halfling thuds down onto his chest, blasting what little air he had out of his lungs and bouncing the creature right into sight of the Ogre's piggy little eyes. What a stroke of luck that is, as the Ogres dim brain moves to snatch the hapless Halfling its hold on Josef loosens and with a twist Josef is away and rolling in the sodden ground where a chain of water carriers stare at him. Gathering himself up and turning to get through the crowds and away two equally important and sudden things happen; first in a flash of intuition Josef remembers that the last of his rum and its precious vessel are still in the Halflings pocket, and that Ogre's eat everything! And secondly

BOOM!!!

Leif now realized that their was only a halfling, and the building will soon blow.  He runs over to the hole where he came up yelling at the ogres.  When the stupid brutes ran over, he jumed and descended the same way he went up.  Knowing he no longer has a purpose their, he rolls as he lands and runs out of the building and untill he is a safe distance away.

With half cooked halfing in hand,  a scared thinling running away from him.. and another thinling falling then rolling away.. Gris realizes that he needs to get the heck out of dodge ( dodge being the city name that he thinks he is in.. though that changes from new word to new word that he learns ).. with that thought Gris bolts for the first exit he can find.. which turns out to be a window.. thankfully its a thinling window on fire so its relatively weak and Gris goes through it with halfing kebab in hand.. scaring more than a few folks as the wall splinters near them..

Josef pauses mid-swing, the idea of having his head bitten off is not an inviting one, even in it's current bloodied state. Sadly his opponent doesn't seem to share the sentiments and lands a straight punch to Josef's chest, leaving him sprawled and gasping in the substanional shadow of the rudely awakened Ogre.

"I think you've learned your lesson," said Leif to his downed opponent, then adding in a low voice so the the ogres couldn't hear, "Besides, I don't think either of us want to lose our heads, and ogres have short tempers."  He then walked over and sat against one of the remaining bits of wall from the inn.  He was battered, bloody, and as stated before did not want to be eaten by an ogre, so he hoped the other man would have enough sense not to attack again.  He supposed it was good in the end, the occasional brawl helps keep his skills sharp.

:OOC: Big Chef, did you read my post, I did worse than punch you, and you were on the ground before the ogre said anything.  Not a big problem, just wondering. :OOC: