Take the conversation whichever way you want, I made a comment on moonsugar but feel free to stick with the temple's iffy dogma.

It could be entertaining if both Rothan and Dranas were to see fairly clear suggestions (enough to make them fairly sure but not enough to take to anyone else) about what the other's hiding. Not sure how to make it happen though... Dranas trying to (or succeeding in) looking into Rothan's bag would suffice, perhaps if Rothan challanged him over his response to the sugar jibe and he insisted on looking into Rothan's bag. Or we could just leave it at them nettling eachother a bit.

I'm currently under the impression that Apelles is the newcomer in this conversation. Am I correct in making this assumption?

No, Erna is the newcomer. Nobody has noticed Apelles listening in.

Edit: Oh, and Olen, I'm not thinking that Dranas would be one to look into Rothan's bag, unless he was sneaking around at night looking to steal, which I don't think would happen until they reach the construction site. I think it's enough that both men have strong suspicions about the other, though conversation could lead to more, I suppose. Depends on how you want to respond to what Dranas just said.

Ah. Methinks I should be paying more attention.

i kinda need to know before posting; is the conversation in or out of earshot of rianne and dralas?

Since we've ran off three straight posts under the assumption that it's out of earshot, I'd say it's out of earshot. It seems to me that Rianne left the conversation and went back to Dralas and the guar. And, in theory, Rothan wouldn't have started the new conversation line with her in reasonable earshot.

Dralas is looking for bones and Eno is collecting kagouti ones for instruments.

Oh dearie me. This could make quite a mess...

Indeed. It's a funny coincidence though. Dantrag wrote his confession while I was writing Eno's meeting with that Armiger. My thoughts on the matter didn't involve Dralas though. (or was it Dranas? I swear I keep mixing those two up!)

Rather, it went something like this:"Hmm, everyone is having Kagouti meat for diner. Maybe I should have Eno step up and get some of his own. I need to get him away from that conversation between Rothan/Dranas/Erna anyway. I wonder if there is still something left for my instrument maker? I bet the whole caravan swarmed over the damn beasts. All that's left might be bones....bones...You know what? Screw the meat! I'm going to make a Kagouti Didgeridoo!"

But yeah, things could get messy, if our Ashlander fails to recognize these bones as not human. Though given his background, I doubt he would be fooled for more than a second. I mean, Ashlanders are a hunter/gatherer society, right?

I'm sure Dralas won't be fooled, he surely can differ kagouti bones from human,,and so can Rianne.

oh and Ree is playing very softly not complete silent just....very low ind suggestive

I was just reading the first few pages of the playground again and noticed something.

All the way back in Balmora, Eno requested (and got) two Guar. However, even before he'd joined up with the caravan, one of those had mysteriously vanished. Me being an absentminded fool is to blame for it I guess.

And going back to the bones. I'm positive now that Dralas won't be fooled at all, at least not where the didgeridoo is concerned. Unless his ancestors were giants.

just because dralas wouldn't be fooled, doesn't mean someone wouldn't try to fool him, or make an honest mistake.

if dranas saw eno with the bones, for example, he could get suspicious if someone had asked him about bones already. then he could steal them, and try to give them to dralas, thinking they were the ones (or not), which would cause problems.

but that's only if we're trying to cause problems.

Doubt Dranas would attempt such a thing anyways. He can be phenomenally persuasive (and he knows it), but I imagine he wouldn't think he could sell kagouti bones as human. Bad business, that.

Are we finished for this night? There hasn't been anything in six days now and a few characters are in bed so it looks like we're done.

If so someone write up the morning.

well I dunno about appelles, but i would go ahead despite dralas and rianne's conversation. minque is busy right now and probably wont be posting for a bit...

Nope. I've still got some stuff to do.

so what's the plan?

anything interesting going to happen to the caravan, or are we going to get to ghostgate with no problems?

i also think we should find some way to force all of our characters together into a group, instead of each doing their own thing like it is now.

I've got a plan. Canis and I are the only ones who know it. Won't tell you what they are, though. It'd spoil the surprise.

It is a good plan, but it'll probably wait until the 3rd day, so we could use a little something for this 2nd day to get the juices flowing more. How 'bout a modest outcast Ashlander action? I've nothing fatal in mind (yet) but it could get some more talking going--maybe even bring Haz into things a bit.

I agree that we could use something to force our bunch of travellers/sometimes conversationists into something that more resembles a party of adventurers. (Well, perhaps not. We're not planning to go dungeondiving.)

But I'm not so sure if Ashlanders are the answer. They would provide some tension for the two Ashlanders that are travelling with the caravan, but I dunno. Why would they attack us? The best I can think of is the Zansu...whatever they were called attempting to raid us. Seeing as how the guard detail has been seriously enlarged since the last caravan, they might be expecting easy pickings.

But then I think, why wouldn't they at least count the number of Armigers before attacking?


Or how about this. Haz's Guar dies, after some sufficiently drawn out death throes. This will serve to isolate him from the rest of the caravan. Our group goes to check on him for their own reasons while the rest of the caravan decides to just keep moving. (They expect us to spread Haz's bags among each other before catching up in a few minutes so the risk is assumed to be minimal.) Cue ashlanders out of nowhere.

I like that idea, Jack! I can see the armigers sending Dranas back because he could spread some stuff out between his two guars and still manage to catch up quickly, because he knows what he's doing. A few of the others would go back out of philanthropic sense, or maybe because Dralas would love to go through the Temple-packed stuff that Haz's guar might be carrying.

Why not? That would give our guys an opportunity to come together ...sort of! Hopefully the two ashlanders are welcome though...

The thing is, as long as they've got a reason, no one has the right to stop them and I doubt that anyone would make much of a fuss anyway. There is some distrust towards Rianne if I remember correctly, but I'm sure everyone can put up with her for just a few minutes even if they don't quite trust her.

And I can see Dralas wanting to pick up a few bags from Haz just for the opportunity to look through them later. Although, seeing how important the bones are, he's just as likely to reason that the bones are not handed out to some random pilgrim. Ah well, maybe he just wants to tag along with Rianne or something. It's really up to Dantrag anyway.

With all that said though, I do have to give out a warning. If more than three people join (and I honestly expect this to happen), Eno will crack a joke about how they've got enough hands to not just take over the bags, but also carry the dead Guar.

That would work well. Rothan would go back because its a pilgrim and he's meant to look after the faithful.

So will we just cut forward to it?

Hmm...why is Rianne mistrusted? Nevermind she'll just a bit suspicious like any of her kind....but she'll stick out for Dralas...that's for sure.

Ok so let's get our guys together...

Well she is an ashlander, and they are treated largely with suspicion. And it doesn't help that Erna is spreading (or at least trying to spread) malicious rumours.

And if Haz's guar dies, then Erna may tag along if Dralas and Rianne are going as he doesn't trust ashlanders for...personal reasons.

RE: conversations and moving on

Dranas Heleran is trying to get a rise out of Apelles Velvus and also move things along. Hopefully BBQ will get some sort of response going to that soon. If others want to move things forward a bit more quickly I am personally fine with just covering it up by writing something like...


... and so on. But obviously I'd rather have the conversation, or I wouldn't have attempted to start one. Maybe I'll send a PM.

Yeah, I've been a bit busy lately. I've had some pretty big projects at school. One seven-page paper on German Unification and one group presentation on the future of newspapers, plus one paper I SHOULD be working on right now. Yeesh.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'll have time this weekend.

Whoops! Seems I posted in a dead thread. My mistake. Is there any room for another character?

And would someone mind PM-ing a Hyper-trimmed version of the plot thus far?

I am going to go ahead and make a character, and it can be deleted if need be.

I'd think it'd be easier just to read through the thread - it isn't that long. It might be too late for this part, anyway - the caravan is already well underway. Then again, it might not be. I will PM the story so far if you really want.

Thinking about having the character start on somewhere on the mainland, and then catching a boat in an attempt to catch up with the caravan. It would suit my character's style anyway to be tardy to such an event like this.

I read through most of it, I just need an overall plot synopsis.

I wouldn't say there's too much to discuss, apart from the minutae between characters (which is more efficiently read over than experienced). The caravan (which is escorted by a group of mostly-Armiger guards) is well on its way to Ghostgate, and has just left the shadow of an old Dwemer bridge and is now headed to a Daedric ruin known as Assarnatamat.



As for the caravan itself, does anyone here think something should happen to it on the way to the shrine? I've got a few ideas, but I'm thinking some of them could wait until afterward. For instance, I don't think we're quite close enough to be encountering ashstorms just yet.

Well wasn't there going to bed that thing with Haz's guar?

Yeah, Haz's Guar would die and stuff. Anyway, I first wanted to make sure everyone is up and moving. So uh, can I kill off the beast of burden tomorrow, or do you guys want to wait a bit longer?

Wait, was there something that wasn't finished yet? If so, then I'm sorry. Yeah...this one's on me. I just wanted to get the thread moving again.

I think Jack can go ahead and kill off the guar. Then someone (an armiger) can tell Dranas to get back and help load gear onto his (expertly lead) guars to ensure the Temple goods make it to Ghostgate, or an armiger can tell Apelles to tell Dranas to get back there with his guars. (There is no way Dranas would go back to help out of his own good will, I can assure you.) Others can have their own reasons to go back, or not. Dralas (Dantrag's ashlander) might want to peek into the Temple goods Haz's guar is carrying, for example.

So, go ahead and kill the poor, suffering guar. That should trigger some activity.

Jack - should we decide somewhat in advance how Haz will react to Rothan? Is Haz sufficently good at his disguise that the priest won't notice anything even though he's familar with Temple doctrine and pilgrims or will he suspect something?

Hmm, let's see. First of all, Haz will be trying to get the Guar's bags tied to his own back. Anyway, as for Rothan...Haz will not come across as an overly devout pilgrim. He won't recognize any religious handsigns or sayings. For the most part, his defense is his silence and the book. (and a whole lot of rags to hide the fact he isn't even Dunmer) Hell, he doesn't even carry a soulgem! (which makes the offering onsite impossible if I remember right.)

So Rothan might become suspicious. On the other hand, he might just as easily consider Haz to be a new convert or from a not so devout family. (Telvanni? They're more interested in their magic than in the Tribunal) It really depends on how you want to portray Rothan. I'm leaning towards suspicion though.

I think.....that Rianne will be very upset if Haz kicks the animal..oh aye, she will be very upset indeed!

so...what exactly is rianne doing?

Hmm trying to heal the poor animal, but after realizing that it won't work, (she has no power of resurrecting..) she will probably try to kill haz....no, j/k but she will take some action against him later, she does not approve of someone hurting animals

She a member of PETA, by any chance?

Que?? what is PETA?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are rather famous for their publicity stunts and whatnot. Among the spectrum of animal rights groups they are considered to be on the extreme end, at least in the view of the general public.

Back on (RP) topic, when shall we initiate the rogue ashlander raid? I would guess that Apelles, being the lookout and scout, would spy them first, no?

Oh...thanks Canis! Hmm rouge ashlanders.....I wonder who really notice them first??

Point taken, but Rianne and Dralas seem distracted while Apelles' job is to be on the alert for trouble.

I'm on it.

yes yes! of course Apelles will be the first to see them...but who knows what happens thereafter,..

Jack how far do you want me to push this with Haz, Rothan could back off now and mull on it but do nothing, or he could spread the suspicion or after the fight he could ask more (awkward) questions (like what's your name?). Any would work fine with the character, it depends on how you want to develop Haz.

And I'd say now is a prime moment for an ashlander attack.

Hmm, well I think it might be best if he goes to mulling things over for now. I mean, he could ask Haz for his name but I don't think that would accomplish much either way. Haz may not be the best sneaky terrorist around, I've noticed, but he does have a name he can use and as for background, he'll just say that he's from the mainland which is both true and not all that suspicious.

And I agree that we might want to get the Ashlanders over with. Speaking of which, how will the Ashlanders react? Will they be pacified by a good speech from Rianne/Dranas? Or will they be from the same tribe as Dranas and decide to kill everyone no matter what because Dranas shed the blood of his own kin and they're kinda pissed about that?

Just to be clear, Dralas is the ashlander, whilst Dranas is my smuggler. Could they be related to Dralas? I conceive of them as outcasts, but if they're raiding the dregs of a caravan then they are liable to be related to Dralas' Erabnimsun tribe, so I could see them recognizing him. As for the effect... I dunno. What say you, Dantrag? I'm thinking that there will be some violence but being raiders and not proper warriors I expect that being faced with anything more than token resistance would give them some pause.