*Ed.’s Note: This is in response to the clogprompt. I’m not insane, promise.

Holland stood at the edge of the cliff, looking grimly down at the bone-strewn battlefield below. Catapults lay dormant like bleached skeletons in the sun, and various metal implements of destruction glinting as they caught the light. Bodies and body parts lay entangled amidst pools of now-blackened blood and bile, friend intertwined with foe. Over it all lay an invisible shroud of decay, motes of dust suspended in the orange light within.

“This…”  Holland paused, trying to put the overwhelming gravitas he felt into words.  Finally, he nodded, slowly.  ”This is fucking AWESOME.”   Read More »

OK, so I know it’s been God knows how long since anyone actually responded to one, but why the heck not.

Clog prompt: Write about how your character would be different if they were a member of a different race or gender.

Captain Princess Holliday Golightly, Miss Sigil of the Year 137, Bard, Socialite, and Taker Extraordinaire (and probably tons else, lest she sell herself short), came to a halt in front of the Civic Festhall.

Or rather, her gilded four-man litter did.

“Halt!” the halfling shrieked, just for the fun of it, and beamed as the sweating, shirtless men lurched to a halt, panting in the hot midday sun.

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I don’t know why we haven’t been doing this, but I was thinking it might be helpful for us to start doing week-in-review posts, so we can easily reference what happened, what was learned, who did what, said what, etc. So for those of you who would find such useful, or just want some clog XP but don’t as often feel your creative juices churning, here’s a means of it.

I figure it can just be a short summary, but you can do what you like with it, of course. If there are fun or necessary quotes, post those; if there’s a dialogue you’d like to keep track of, you can copy/paste it from the logs. You can be as sterile or as creative as you like with it.

Since Alex has been on vacation and we’ve had various other folks taking breaks or working late and having to miss stuff, we can start by reaching back the past few weeks since we recommenced. I’ve created a new category (“session recaps”), so please use that so we can more easily reference them as time goes by. And if someone posts something and it leaves something out (perhaps you’d like a record of what your character was doing on the side added, or there’s some nuance you think was missed, a conspiracy theory you developed that you don’t want to forget), add it in the comments.

By way of recap for Thursday, I’ve posted a timeline over at the side (Faction War Timeline). Much of this is just from the campaign book and my notes, so if there are things I’ve forgotten, please let me know and I can add those in.

First off, a reminder that we’re aiming to resume play this coming Thursday, 2/23, same old 6ish-11ish (CST). We’ll pick up where we left off, investigating the Eschaton, and proceed through the Faction War until its conclusion (or until you all die or surrender).

One thing I will be doing as we resume is being a little more conscientious in thrusting some more NPCs into your individual spheres of awareness, so be prepared for some occasional side-tracking and once in a while, sessions devoted to getting some in-depth RP on (which I will inform you of in advance, in case you don’t wish to partake), and to put a few more faces on the Cage and to help identify your individual characters.

Please let me know if you won’t be able to make it, as well if you have particular goals in mind for your character’s future. Lookin’ forward to it, folks!

No one was talking, but the room was filled with the sounds of heavily armored men and women shifting, or for those who arrived after standing-room-only, pacing. Salmon-colored mail was worn proudly by all, and more than a few showed fresh scratches and dents.

“All right, let’s get this briefing started,” spoke their square-jawed  officer. The shuffling ceased in an instant. “I wanted to first congratulate each of you for your service in these past few trying weeks, especially at yesterday’s battle. The biggest fight to rattle the Cage in a generation, and we came out on top. You fought well, and our fallen died with their honor intact.”

He paused. The soldiers harrumphed approvingly. “But for all our sweat and blood, yesterday’s resounding victory was not their wage. It was vindication. Yes, vindication that Sigil is at last ready to embrace Order. The rule of law is coming.”

“Still, we have shaken the hornet’s nest. We know the enemy is still working to recruit our most hated enemy, those vile harbingers of chaos. And they may. But rest assured, brothers and sisters, that scattered and leaderless, they are no match for us. Nay, at their best, they are barely fit to decorate the interior of the Prison.”

More harrumphs. “We must not merely maintain our constant vigilance, but rather increase our reach to every corner of the city – from the glittering streets of the Golden Lords, to the rankest gutters of the Hive. Beginning today, we will be sending patrols into every ward, and all able men will be working double shifts. We are working to establish forward bases for fallback points; already, a small garrison has been stationed adjacent to the rubble of the Armory. Some of you will assist in fortifying positions near the Hive.” He named a few lieutenants, and gave them their details. Others, the man assigned to various wards. Usually, any task involving the Hive was met with sullen grumblings; today, it was the site of the lion’s share of the honor.

“The city is nearly ours, brothers and sisters. Give no quarter, and show no mercy to the enemies of peace. Soon, we will deputize the Lady, and she will wade into battle alongside you!” Read More »

*Note: This clogpost is based solely on what I know of Nick’s character after our brief interaction. In it, I make all manner of presumptions — and if I am entirely wrong, please know that this was just a writing exercise. :)

There were times that Nick Chase was not entirely sure his life was heading in the right direction.

Times like this, when he found himself sitting in the abandoned basement of the Kluczynski Federal Building with only a spastic fluorescent fixture to remind him that life, indeed, carried on. Somewhere.

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Because we won’t be meeting for this evening – and possibly next – Sarah asked me to come up with a writing prompt for everyone. Here’s one:

Write about something – kept at home or in the office – that quintessentially defines your character. What does it look like? How did you get it? Where do you keep it?

There will be a non-advancement reward attached to this for any responders.

Most of the spray missed Gabby’s face. “What’d you do, brew this up in the horse trough? This ain’t soup, this’s a bowl a rat piss,” Mido said, swatting the bowl and sending it flying to the floor where it joined the mouthful he’d just spat out. Read More »