Oliron's Play By Post AD&D Dark Calling Party Thread
This is where the players will post their actions and thoughts on the game. When everyone has written in their definite actions the party leader will post in the game thread the parties actions.
Sitting at the table looking around to see who is here and who isn't. I will be specifically looking to see what kind of people go in and out of this place.
ooc: I will not be party leader. I'm already doing that in Future earth.
CHARACTER BACKGROUND (mostly unimportant to other players - I personally hate it when frustrated fiction writers spit out wannabe fan-fiction):
Valdien "Val" Mechidieux, Esquire, is a young aspiring squire, seventeen winters in age, but already versed in the basics of "squiredom", by his uncle, the Lord Knight of a small manor within the far distant kingdom of Cormyr, who feared for the youngster's safety, with a brutal neighboring province in the kingdom of Elturgard poised to overrun the smaller area.
Val's parents had been killed in a raid early in his life, and his childless widower uncle adopted him and thusly, also conferred on him the inherited honorary knighthood of Esquire, the lowest rung of the gentry, yet still eligible for full knighthood, which he aspires to, specifically, to become a holy knight or Chevalier of the Shield, of the Arch-Paladin Heironeus, icon of valor, justice and honor. As was common, Val was also taught various genteel lessons, including proper etiquette, conversation, sewing, reading and writing; taught usually by the Ladies in Waiting of the Lord Knight's wife, but there being none, was instructed by his sister, who was a former courtier.
But Val is a girl. As noted, her uncle raised her as a squire to help prepare her to take care of herself and avoid the potential fate most females face in invasion. Some of the close friends of her home of Portuaire du Lac know her secret but maintain her alternate identity. Deciding the threat was too great, her uncle Sir Jean-Jacques Delage sent her to apprentice to a friend knight and former rival, and his wife, in [?kingdom adventure starts in?], Sir Cenric of Brightfall, who was also aware of her true identity, but swore to maintain her disguise at the request of Jean-Jacques, until such time as she could resume a normal life, but one in which she was fully self-sufficient.
But tragedy struck, again, as Cenric was taken with a deadly virus, but before his death he bequeathed his martial equipment to his charge, his wife witness, and instructed the Cormyrin squire to seek aid from a nearby temple of Heironeus for continued training, and to check on his wife from time to time also. Valdien did as told and was accepted as a Paladin cadet, not assigned to a particular knight but taught as a general class, along with others - eventually her true identity was discovered and she was expelled, albeit reluctantly due to her promise.
[with hopeful permission for Brahmin's inclusion]
After the crushing rejection, the young squire wandered the town and areas listlessly, and happened to meet Brahmin, a friendly cleric of Pelor, who noticed "his" dour sulking walk, in passing the temple, and beckoned the youngster over to give counsel. Having nothing to lose, Valdien admitted her whole story, surprising Brahmin, but then being encouraged by the holy man's progressive idea to declare herself a full Knight Errant of Heironeus, a title reflecting the nature of the holy knight as being intent on adventure for its own sake, for proving one's worth to himself and others, gain fame and right wrongs out of moral and righteous motive, which fit Valdien just fine, as this seemed to perfectly idealize the idea of the holy Paladin knight and Heironeus.
The youth decided to remain disguised as a man to avoid ridicule and further rejection and being dismissed by men, until such a time as she was able to grain proper notoriety and given official accolade as a Paladin of Hieroneus - and who knows where she could go from there, perhaps even the Order of the Shield as a Templar, making a giant stride forward for women everywhere.
Procuring a proper blue cotton tabard trimmed in a tiny amount of silver thread, with her family crest emblazoned below the symbol of Hieroneius on the chest, and having prepared her weapons and gear, Valdien, Knight Errant and Paladin Cadet of Heironeous, set out on her journey to become an accomplished adventuring knight of valor and honor... On foot...
* * *
Almost a week later, Valdien sighed as she dropped her gear heavily by the gates to a stone-walled town, strangely fortified for such a small community. She scanned the buildings and immediately found the Lucky Sprite, and dragged her pack wearily into the tavern, oblivious to spreading dirt all over the floor of the entrance. The tavern keeper shook his head and directed a barmaid to sweep the soil back outside as the youth collapsed into a chair.
Just as she was about to drift to sleep, Validen(ne) blinked, thinking she was seeing things, as Brahmin, adherent of Pelor, came into view from around a crowd of other patrons... She was momentarily distracted as furtive whispers of a rash of similar nightmares spread throughout the room, as well as something about a dead wizard and some mysterious message. Tired as she was, the Paladin Cadet Errant perked up somewhat, imagination fired by the potential of mystery and adventure and innocents to protect and evil to smite. Sounded like her kind of town -she even smiled, something she hadn't done in a few weeks, as she'd neither had an easy or eventful trip - not even a single bandit on the whole trek - highly disappointing.
Walks into the Lucky Sprite and sees a friendly face. The cleric Brahmin who had helped his father repair part of his farm fence. Feeling a bit more relaxed he takes a seat at the table and motions the barmaid over. Once she arrives he orders a meal and a goblet of ale.
ooc: Jpatt you building a character around actions I haven't done yet? It's all good as I don't tend to get as deep as you guys so whatever works for you BUT wait, did I read right that your're playing a female? Your avatar shows one ugly looking chick. Sorry just couldn't help it, in a goofy move. By the way who is party leader here? Is anyone else joinging up? I thought Thomaslee would of jumped for this one.
OOC: Like I said Pundit, with your permission, that is how I'm presenting my character and how yours is known to mine, since Oliron specifically asked us to come up with a general idea of how the characters know each other, I just went for something, I figured it was neutral enough that it shouldn't interfere with or dictate any of your own character behavior - just a cleric of good doing good cleric stuff, just talking to someone.
But I know how a lot of people I've ran and played with really fidget when someone else narrates some part of *their* character's history, actions, behavior or personality, so I tried to leave it as non-intrusive as possible, but I'll be happy to modify it however you'd like. I had specifically mentioned in my character build that I gave permission to anyone else to write me into their story as a relationship vector, but nobody took me up on it so I figured I'd give it a shot and maybe get some similar reactions, but it looks like this game is still quite a slow starter.
Brahmin stands, looks through the window and upon noticing certain positions of stars in the night he says, gentelman and lady sorry but I forgot an engagement that I must attend to. He nods and leaves quietly.