You find yoursleves in a tavern... [Gary's Gaming Alumni and Korraline] on Alumni

Gary Harper

December 27, 2020 6:05 PM

You find yoursleves in a tavern... [Gary's Gaming Alumni and Korraline] by Gary Harper

It was finally Friday evening, and Gary was excited and nervous. He didn't know if this was going to work out, but he was going to give it a shot. Korraline had said she was interested, and that was the main thing. It was also the source of most of the nervousness. Things had been going fine at MENTAL, but he just hadn't been able to find enough interested people to play any sort of consistent game. So, he did what any rational GM would do, he attempted to bribe some of his old players with food.

He'd sent out invitations to all the graduated Sonora players; Kir, Zev, Amelia, Conner, Parker, Lily, and Jozua. He'd been a little sad when he'd come to the conclusion that the current students wouldn't be able to come. Ness probably wouldn't be happy, but there wasn't much he could do about that. Maybe he'd get to play with Ness, Evelyn, Heinrich and them over the summer again sometime.

+1 Invitation of Gaming
You are invited next Friday at 5:00pm to Gary's Apartment for a evening of
gaming and adventure! Pizza and other consumables will be provided, but
feel free to bring your own dice.

Expect also a discussion about the possibility of creating an ongoing game
for a longer campaign.

Gary

There were also the mandatory notes about floo and apperation directions along with the actual address of the apartment in the magical section of Pagosa Springs Colorado, just outside MENTAL's campus.

Gary had made sure that, if she wanted to, Korraline could get there before everyone else. He'd gotten a stack of pizzas from the Muggle side of town and a pile of snacks to go along with things. He didn't have a lot of spare money to throw around, but there wasn't any way he was going to skimp on something like this.

Korraline had arrived early, so when people began arriving he introduced them to her and gave the very short 'grand tour' of the apartment while doing a little catching up. The apartment really wasn't much more than a living area, a kitchen area, a bathroom and the small bedrooms. The gaming was set up in the main living area, it might be a little crowded, but that was fine. Everything was fine. This would go well and they'd all have fun again, and Korraline wouldn't run away shrieking.

Once everyone was settled around the table with their food of choice he figured it was time to begin the ceremonies. "Thank-you all once again for coming," he said with a grin. "Our adventure for tonight is ready to go, but I thought while we eat we could discuss the possibility of running an ongoing campaign." He sighed just a bit, "Are any of you interested, and if so, are you also available for somewhat regular sessions?" He paused just a moment and looked around the room before continuing, "Location would be another thing to figure out, here is fine but if there are better options available I'm all ears. Also, if there is any sort of specific story or genre you want to play, now's your chance to voice it."

As the planning discussion wrapped up and people were done eating, Gary passed out the character sheets for the night. This could get interesting. To most of the group they looked vaguely familiar, but not quite right. He grinned as everyone glanced over their sheets. Korraline's had been the hardest since she hadn't played with this group before, and they all already knew each other and had played together for a while. Hopefully his plan worked and everyone could see what he was trying to do and went along with it.

"Our story begins as many do, in a tavern. But, not just any tavern, and not just on any day." He smiled that GM's smile, "You stand in The Rusty Dragon, in the town of Sandpoint, on Dragon's Doom. The day that marks the anniversary of when a group of heroes returned triumphantly from slaying the evil dragon Blackfang, who had been terrorizing the country side." He looked at everyone at the table in the eyes except for Korraline. "The throngs of celebrating people around you cheer for the victories of you parents, they drink to their health and glory, they rally you on to your own successful endeavors."

He paused now and lowered his voice, this time his gaze caught everyone. "For... not all is well in the land around Sandpoint. There are dark rumors as of late. Rumors of people disappearing, rumors of things walking the land that shouldn't. Things that were people who had passed on to the next realm." His voice dropped just a bit quieter again, "The celebrating folk of Sandpoint see you now as the only hope, their cheering doubles as frightened prayers to the gods that you will save them." He paused a moment for effect, "Because, they know the dead have begun to rise all around them, and there is nothing they can do about it."

Then he turned to face Korraline (whom he had naturally ensured was next to him). "You're a local to Sandpoint, and have been assigned as a guide to these champions. You've heard stories of their parent's deeds for as long as you've lived here. Stories of their strength, bravery, and kindness; you will need to see if such traits have been passed down to them." He'd let it up to the rest of the group to tell her whatever stories they think Korraline's character would have heard. That could be amusing to hear.

"Unfortunately, some of your preparations for setting out in the morning took longer than expected, so you're running a bit late for the festivities. It seems as though you're the only out on the road and not celebrating yet. As you approach The Rusty Dragon, you can hear the celebration in full swing. However, that isn't the only sound to catch your ears." He smiled around at the people sitting at the table, "A low, unearthly moan rises up around you and sends chills down your spine. Then a shuffling footstep is heard behind you.. then to the side, and the other. A foul odor catches your nostril, the smell of rot and decay. The moans echo around you again seemingly from all directions. Your eyes finally spot a shuffling figure in the darkness... no, not one. More...many more. The tavern is but a few yards away."

Turning back to everyone else at the table, he gave them a smile. "The sounds of celebration inside are quite loud, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. The smells from the kitchen are heavenly, and the illumination from inside has turned the windows to the darkness outside into mirrors." He was being mean, spelling out why they wouldn't know anything about what he'd just told Korraline. Gary grinned at them again. "Those of you inside can give me a perception check." While their other senses were being overwhelmed, if any of them managed to get an 18 or higher, he'd let them know they felt some sort of rising sense of unnatural dread. Something not good was happening.

OOC: Korraline actions approved by her author

2 Gary Harper You find yoursleves in a tavern... [Gary's Gaming Alumni and Korraline] 1404 1 5

Kir McLeod

February 01, 2021 6:17 AM

Sounds disreputable and fun by Kir McLeod

Kir appeared with a pop pretty close to where Gary’s map indicated, pretty sure he was within a magical neighbourhood so not breaking any laws on being seen, and with all his appendages still attached. So, that was three out of three. Now he just had to workout where he was and find the actual apartment. It was like a quest before the quest! He was only off by a block, and he only walked the wrong way twice before realising. When he knocked on a door, it was Gary who opened it, and that was the main thing.

“Hey, good to see you. Hugs okay?” he grinned, offering Gary a single arm partly because he was pretty sure that they were at the level where one armed dude hugs were casually acceptable but full on body hugs might make Gary feel weird (especially in front of his girlfriend) and also because Kir was carrying a large foil-wrapped baking tray of brownies. These not getting squashed was another journey-related triumph. “I have a housewarming gift and dessert,” he offered, passing the brownies to Gary and pulling a small wrapped parcel out of his pocket. Not so small that it should have been able to fit, even in his privileged, patriarchally enhanced man-pockets, but hey - magic physics. Inside Gary, would find a metal door plaque showing a d20 rolling a natural one, and the words ‘Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.’

“Check you out,” Kir nodded appreciatively, eyes roaming around the apartment. “Bookcases and everything, like an actual adult.” And a girlfriend! He grinned, and offered her a friendly salute (they definitely weren’t at hugging yet, and salutes were fun and massively under-used given that they were non-invasive, gender neutral, and fricking captainy).

“Hi, I’m Kir, aka Charity,” he smiled, in case she didn’t recognise him without make-up. Which, given that one of the jobs of his stage make-up was to appear to utterly reshape his bone structure was entirely probable. “This is what I look like without… as much make-up,” he amended his original statement because he was admittedly still wearing nail polish (he’d gotten so used to that that he sort of forgot to count it and was disappointed by the repeat realisation that his fingernails weren’t just naturally sparkly) and eyeliner (it helped him be dramatic, not that he needed much assistance). “Hey, do I get credit for you meeting, seeing as I dragged you to that,” he asked Gary, the appropriate pointed fingers and cheesy grin showing that he was in absolutely no way sorry for saying that. “I make really good brownies, in case you’re wondering how I get invited back,” he grinned at Korraline.

They were spared any further of Kir’s humour (for now) by Zevalyn arriving. She was offered her choice of greeting between salute, high five or handshake - a point which was only slightly undermined by the fact that Kir was already wrapping his arms around her - and was offered the bonus option that no one else had been of ‘or big, disgusting sloppy kisses?’ whilst he actually pecked a chaste little one onto her nose and told her he had missed her and nuzzled her a bit.

“I’m down,” Kir agreed when Gary proposed a longer game. “I don’t mind traveling or taking turns to host,” he shrugged. “Ness said you all got to be hackers or something last term which sounded cool? But also I’ll trust you to pick.”

The game got going, and Kir leant over trying to get an eye on Zevelyn’s sheet.

“So, we didn’t enemies to lovers arc then?” he whispered with a grin. “I reckon I’ve heard terrible things about you from my dad.”

Gary called for perception check, and Kir rolled a translucent pink, purple and blue swirled d20...onto a natural 1.

“Cool. Getting those of my system nice and early. Am I even aware of my own nose?” he checked with Gary.

13 Kir McLeod Sounds disreputable and fun 366 0 5

Korraline

February 06, 2021 6:36 PM

I'm not actually in this disreputable tavern yet by Korraline

Korraline arrived early to the game session. Gary had seemed very excited about it, and she was interested to meet some of his other friends that she'd heard stories about over the last few months. She didn't think she'd have trouble remembering names, but she was kind of afraid she might use the wrong one on somebody, especially if they didn't quite match up to the mental pictures she'd assigned to each of them.

She greeted the different people as they arrived, shaking hands or saluting back depending on which was offered to her first. One of them introduced themself as Kir, aka Charity, and it took her a moment to remember that was the name of one of the McLeods who ran the drag show where she'd originally met Gary . . . had that really been over a year ago? She hadn't made it this year, or she would have remembered quicker, but this also reminded her that she should check in with Thomas - the one who had dragged her along - to see if they ought to arrange some kind of group outing. They didn't see each other nearly as often as they really should, now that they were at different schools and Korraline had a boyfriend, but college was a lot more open for wandering beyond campus than Ilvermorny ever had been, so there really was no reason why they couldn't meet up any old evening or weekend. She made a mental note to owl her own old school best friend soon.

During the tour, Korraline couldn't help but tease Gary lightly that, "Wow, he must really like you people. He hasn't tidied up his piles up this much for me since November!" Which . . . well, given that they'd been away for Christmas break for a couple of weeks in December and it was still only early January, and it was closer to the end of November when Gary had started being comfortable enough around her not to freak out about leaving a mess where she might take offense to it, was not nearly as long as it sounded. She gave him a quick peck on his cheek to show that she still loved him and the mess was perfectly fine with her.

He turned a cute shade of red.

She was glad to get back to the pizzas, because she'd been hungry when she arrived and the smell of them just sitting there in the boxes waiting to be eaten had made it ten times worse. She let the others take the lead in the conversation about the potential campaign, both because she was devouring a slice of cheese pizza and because she knew Gary already knew she was game for one. When Kir mentioned an interest in hackers, though, she spoke up, "I'd be up for a modern or future setting, but I prefer there to be at least some magic in it. It can be fake-science-magic like time travel or something though, if anyone is interested in that."

Once they finished the food and set up the game, Korraline looked over her character sheet and gave Gary a slightly alarmed look as her character was described to be out on the road on her lonesome surrounded by the undead.

"Better you than me," she told Kir when he flushed out an early natural one. "Your life isn't gonna depend on that role." She looked over at Gary. "I run for the tavern to get help and warn the townsfolk. Is that an athletics check to outrun them, or are zombies slow enough that I can make it?"

OOC: Gary blushing at the kiss approved by his author.

1 Korraline I'm not actually in this disreputable tavern yet 0 Korraline 0 5

Gary Harper

March 17, 2021 10:43 AM

Have no fear, soon that will be rectified by Gary Harper

Gary was relieved that all seemed to be going well. He returned Kir's half-hug and accepted the offered gifts with the obligatory, "Thanks, but you really didn't have to." He carried the tray to the table with the rest of the food. He turned to respond to Kir's appraisal of his apartment, but didn't want to interrupt Kir introducing himself to Korraline. So he unwrapped the gift and smirked at what he found within. "Thanks," he said as he held up the plaque for Korraline to see as well, with one of his more devilish grins on his face. "It may be... appropriate." Then he put on more of a thoughtful expression. "Nope. Ness is the one that gets that credit for dragging me there, but I guess if you hadn't been involved, it may not have happened, so there is a little bit of credit that you could claim." He got the distinct feeling that the word 'drag' was being used for more than just one of it's meanings in this case.

Once food and discussions were underway, he was getting the feeling that Shadowrun may be a fun thing to run for this group as well. "The hacker game that we did was called Shadowrun. The setting is in a cyberpunk-type, not quite dystopian future where megacorperations rule everything and magic has re-emerged back into the world. So you can have troll hackers, or elvish motor cycle gangers, or cybernetically enhanced human wizards. The players usually are 'shadowrunners', freelance agents working for money, glory, corporate downfall, or just trying to salvage what good remains in the world." He gave Korraline a smile. "Time travel isn't at all possible in that world." He gave her a conspiratorial wink that everyone could see. "Just think of the trouble that could cause if the 'corps got a hold of it." Time travel was fun, as long as it was done right.

He chuckled at Kir's first roll and glanced over at the plaque his friend had brought. "Oh you can see your nose, and the small group of attractive young ladies that seem to be vying for your attention not far past it. They are each doing their utmost to compete for your undivided attention, and collectively it seems to be working." He glanced over at Zev, wondering what her character's reaction might be, what sort of stories did their parents tell them he wondered.

Addressing Korraline then, "If your plan is to bolt to towards the Inn, you can make it without a check. These things are moving far to slow to catch you, but you probably won't have more than a minute or so inside the Inn before they reach it." He wasn't sure if there was much she could do to slow down the zombies to give them more time inside to prepare, but he wanted to give her the option to think of things that might work. There were a bunch of people in there, and some large windows at ground level.

2 Gary Harper Have no fear, soon that will be rectified 1404 0 5