News Board

[jacemachine]

* I've updated various things in the Prop Post. Most notably the addition of the map to Puerto de Santa Boca, and the replacing of the slang dictionary (now found under useful internet links)

* We've added one more player, a board buddy of mine and j0lt's. He's awesome with character builds, and if you have any questions, I'm sure Neull// would be glad to give you advice! He brings the party count up to 6.

* Also, in addition to Henry and Eisen, we have 2 Richards and 2 Jonathans. Please make sure to pay attention to who is who in your posts. If you are speaking directly to either of the Richards or Johns, be sure to include their last names so THEY know who is being addressed.

- Jace!

[jacemachine]

* Okay everyone! We're good to go! Have fun and see you on the boards! The first GM posts are up!

[Neull//]

I have changed my name to Max so we can decrease confusion

[jacemachine]

Thanks for being so involved guys! We've really gotten off to a great start! I woke up this morning, and it was Christmas-- well, sort of. ;P

Whenever a new NPC arrives on scene be sure to check the NPCs of Note thread. I'll update their write-ups as needed, and this is so you can all easily identify who's who and what your PC's know about them!

[jacemachine]

It was in '05 or '06 when I first started this campaign.

The party was made up of Pregenerated Roles.

* The Mayan Expert
* The Army Sgt
* The German Defector
* The Guide

It was a US Army Mission, and the four players were joined by a Squad of ten, with one who was an NPC 2nd Lt who was "in charge"-- I basically played him as one of those guys who's like "Well what do YOU think is the best course of Action Sgt?" So basically the Sarge was in Charge.

The met with The Guide by the end of the first night, and his player finally got to play... poor bastard. But he was down for it. He liked the way it built his character up.

From here it played out more like a Disney attraction. Instead of a railroading my players I replaced the tracks with a winding river, of you get my drift. So this version of the Artifact gives you the players a lot more free will. I honestly think that I've got the best version of the campaign right here. I'm constantly retooling my stuff, and I've got some surprises in store... 


Back to the four main original party members-- I love the fact that those roles ended up getting filled without me even asking! 

[jacemachine]

Added a poll to the OOC board.

[jacemachine]

Added a section under Rules & Guidelines called Campaign Bibliography

[jacemachine]

New Poll is up in the OOC Lounge. This one's about books!

I've rearranged the order of NPCs now, the most recently met will be at the top, and it will scroll down as you meet more.

[jacemachine]

I just added a Group B Game Thread.  This is for those of you who are going ashore in the fishing boat. The rest of you on the freighter, keep posting in the main game thread please.

Thanks!

[jacemachine]

Artifact: Prologue

Here’s everything you need to know about this past week’s game “session”:

It is July, 7th 1941. The ‘Kingston Queen’ is traveling to a Guatemalan port from Jamaica through the Caribbean Sea. In addition to the Captain and its crew there are an additional 17 passengers heading to Puerta de Santa Boca. This includes a special team secretly working for the League of Nations.

John Kestrel. He is a Sergeant in the US Army who had been stationed in Britain before he found out about the LoN Expedition. He carries a Colt M1911A1, but that’s not all.
Jon Russo is a British/Italian pilot and mercenary. He enjoys the company of women and money, and in great amounts. Now he’s stuck with the rest of these guys and without a plane.
Dr. Henry Loder. Primarily he’s an expert on the pre-Colombian civilization of the Mayas, “which is why I'm here, I suppose.”
‘The German’ is Eisen Abendroth. A saboteur and operative working for the British. He is proud of his heritage, but despises the Nazi regime and what it’s done to them.
Max Hawkins is a traveled adventure with a love of strange bombs. He’s returning to the area after a number of years and hopes to lend his experience in escaping cannibals to the team.
Richard Jameson is a Big Game Hunter and WWI Veteran. He is a British explorer who couldn’t pass up this chance to help his Queen and Country.

Dr. Loder tries to break the ice.  "First time in Guatemala, huh?"
They’re given their mission briefing by two suits, Wilkes & DuMont.
It is their objective to pick up their expeditions cargo, hire some mules and porters, locate a knowledgeable guide, and to do their best to follow an obscure trail written about in 20 year old letters. A Guide named Harrison Avery is recommended, but no one knows where he is.  "Harrison Avery? That son of a…” Max has a hunch.
The LoN team are to avoid notice by the Nazis while beating them to the fabled city in order to pluck the 'Scheibe der Mayan Könige' out of the Nazi’s hands, rendering the German expedition a failure. It sounds dangerous.

Russo balks. "You want us to trek through the jungle, with two platoons of Nazi soldiers hot on our hides, following a rough trail described to us in obscure letters and then obtain this..... thing before the probably well equipped and armed nasty Nazi men do?”

"Precisely." answers DuMont. Russo wants more money. DuMont gets angry. Wilkes tells him to leave. The group continues to discuss their options. Max says “I know Harrison.  He is known to spend time in a small village called ‘Orina Perro’, he's friends with the village chief and his family.”

"All right, so we have a guide. If, and that’s a big if, we can find him.” Russo offers skeptically. "As for the money that fine by me, so long as I survive this, you are lucky I'm so curious about this artifact.”

Wilkes tells them to meet up on deck. He leaves and so do they. Most go to the deck after gathering their belongings. Sgt Kestrel and Max Hawkins head to the cargo hold to check on their stuff. They are blocked by a friendly Haitian. “You mey call me Mister Etienne. I em en charge down here."

He gives both men a cuban cigar. John thanks him and lights up immediately, while Max offers a cigarette in courteous return. They attempt to help but are asked to stay out of the way.

Both men go up to the deck where the party and the 9 other passengers are wondering why the ship has come to a halt. Except for Dr. Loder who has his nose buried in a book.

Wilkes gives Sgt Kestrel a thick, sealed white envelope. "Sgt. These are the papers you will need to retrieve your cargo from the Dock Master. Do not lose it!" There is writing on it.

Max is last to arrive on deck. He says, “Ok everyone first station Orina Perro. The village Harrison spends most of his time here…It is just north west from here…I will guide you…We should either find him or one of his companions…a tongue-less native named Pingo…He will also lead us to him.”

Eisen ‘The German’ lays on a thick accent and asks, "So, do we want to immediately disperse to find the guide, or do we want to investigate the town first? Just so we get an impression of tasks to accomplish. Is there anything anyone needs from town?" If they have to speak to the Nazis for any reason, he is their man.

A small fishing boat has slipped quietly up to side of the ship hidden from the view of the town a mile away. Richard Jameson is first to notice it, but soon he is joined by ‘The German’ and Jon Russo. Richard says "Nice to see that somebody else around here knows that you must pay attention to your surroundings at all time though.” Good Advice.

A crew member arrives on deck and tells the passengers that the Captain would like to speak to them in the Galley. One of them, a bearded Hispanic man, gave the expedition members a curious glance as he went inside. Could it have been the visible presence of guns? Soon it is just the six and the two suits."If you wish to, as a group, take a 'side entrance' into Santa Boca, we've arranged for a boat to carry you to the shore where you can make your appearance to town virtually unnoticed." Wilkes explains. Doctor Loder sees the wisdom, but also the risk."If the Nazis are at the port, it may be a better idea to take the fishing boat in, then again, if we are spotted coming in anywhere other than the port, it could arouse suspicions.” Richard shrugs. "Look at me, I'm a Brit on Safari.  My presence is not in and of itself suspicious.  However, the soldier and the two scientists stand out a little as such, and if the port is being watched they might arouse suspicion."

"We could split up." Russo suggests. The less obvious of the group ride the ship to port, while anyone who might catch unwanted attention of the Nazis cross by fishing boat. It’s a sound plan. But what about the cargo that is being unloaded in town.

Max decides to go by fishing boat. He says, “I suggest Dr Henry and John Kestrel should be coming with me. Mr Jameson, Mr Russo and Mr Eisen should have no problem to follow the other passengers in this ship.
As a matter of fact the rest of us do not even have to enter Santa Boca and raise any suspicion. The three of you, could take our supplies from the ship and arrange some mules and some Porters to carry our belongings.
The three of us should be going straight to Orina Perro, to find our guide. I will mark the village to your map; it is North West from Santa Boca as I said…it will not be a problem for you to find it. We will meet up there.
You will get the mules and the Porters we will get Harrison, our guide. Does this plan sound ok?” Kestrel responds, "That actually doesn't sound like a bad plan, but I do need a way to gain access to my supplies that will be unloaded in the harbor."

Loder listens intently, then pipes in. “We should stay in Santa Boca at least until we can get a better idea of conditions in the area.  No sense in rushing off only to find a Nazi checkpoint waiting for us down the road."
I'll get ashore with Esteban over there.” Decides Sgt. Kestrel. He turns the White Envelope over to Eisen before leaving.
"See you gentlemen in Santa Boca."Dr. Loder says before climbing down the fishing boat. Before max climbs down he says.
"It’s about 3 days journey to Orino Perro...so I guess we should be best meeting outside near Santa Boca before we travel to find the guide" Max says following after Loder. "Good luck people, we will meet again soon"

Richard, Eisen, and Russo are left aboard the ‘Kingston Queen’. "So what's our story? If Mr. Eisen is between duties, Richard is on safari, am I your guide or something?" Russo asks. Richard shrugs a response.  "I know my story. You can figure one out I'm sure, Russo."

[jacemachine]

I've been doing some cleaning up in the Props section. Internet links is it's own reply now, down at the bottom of the thread. I've added a tutorial for squeezing the max out of the Babelfish translator which is in this section. This will help us both understand what our characters are saying!

Also, I'm announcing that I will award a special object to a PC if you the player builds an Avatar of your PC and posts it with your Character Page. Photos and Drawings are great-- but this is something extra that I'm asking for as a GM.

Russo

You will discover it while in town.

Thanks again for the great flow we've got going everyone, and thanks in advance for your custom avatars! (I have a special plan for them!)

[BowenSilverclaw]

Got an avatar up with my character sheet post

[j0lt]

ditto

[BowenSilverclaw]

ditto

Aaagh, why does your original picture make me think of Jensen Ackles? I can't look away...

[j0lt]

Probably because it is? 

[BowenSilverclaw]

Ha, I knew it

So, where's it from?

[j0lt]

Here's the original: http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/j0lt/HenryLoder.jpg

Jace modified it to be all grainy and b&w.

[jacemachine]

Silence!~ 

---

Nanshork posted this on OOC, but just in case anyone missed it:

Just letting you guys know that I'm going to be leaving for a week starting tomorrow to go to a funeral in another state and spend time with family and friends.

Don't expect much interaction with Richard, I'll be writing about him so no one forgets him in the week, but he's essentially a non-entity ATM.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Very nice work, Jace

Still has me wondering though, in what movie or series did Jensen Ackles play a librarian type...

[jacemachine]

Please move this conversation over to OOC.... Please?