Sphere of the Planes: A D&Der's fantasy swap.

[IvorySands]

Penny Jessup hopped off her slightly rusty bike outside her Cousin Clayton's house. As she chained her bike to a nearby tree she thought to herself how glad she was that Clayton finally moved out of his mom's basement. Aunt June was great and all, but it was about time he got out of there.

Penny knocked on the door three times and then three more times in quick succession. It was their 'secret' knock. The one she and Clayton had used since they were kids. Since Penny was an only child, Clayton was the closest things she had to a sibling and she enjoyed gaming with him, even when he did test dark magic spells on her characters and made them go boom. It was nice to be on familiar ground, and Penny smiled as she became happier about her decision to go to university locally and not out of state.

As Clayton opened the door, Penny said hello and walked into the house like it was her own. She set her backpack on a chair and began riffling through it for her books and pencils as she surveyed the group. Joe and Wes, of course, Clayton's familiar friends. 'Ah, this must be Sarinah' Penny thought. 'She looks nice. Hope Clayton keeps his caffeine habit in check enough to not scare her off.'

"Hi, I'm Penny, Clayton's cousin. You must be Sarinah. Clayton's told me all about you." Penny said as she reached over the table to shake Sarinah's hand.

 

[cats]

Joe

IC: "Hi Penny, what have you been doing?"

 

[Kalika84]

Rather bewildered by all the conversations going on Sarinah was startled when a another girl walked in and introduced herself.

"Hi Penny." You couldnt really help but like her she was all cheerful and bubbly. " You playing tonight aswell?" Sarinah yawned and stretched. "That is of course if we get started anytime soon." This last was stated playfully so no one thought she was rushing along.

Turning to Clayton she said, "I have decided upon a name. And she shall be so called Allyria and she shall be fabulous." Obviously Sarinah was loosening up some now that she was used to the people around her...the pizza helped of course.

 

[Ravenloft]

Clayton peeked at everyone's character sheets and jotted down some last minute notes, so he could tailor the nights adventure to his players. "Ahem, good, so we have a monk-Joe/Rydia, a warrior-Sarinah/Allyria, and an illusionist mage-Wes/Rando... Hey Penny, that leaves clerical and rogue classes open to you, what would you like to play?" Clayton asked, seeming to have suddenly lost all sign of his geeky nervousness, and taken on an air of authority.

"I'll get things started just as soon as I know Penny's character type, folks." Clayton assured his guests and friends as he unfolded his home-made five section dungeon master's screen. The two outside panels facing his players had all the tables the players would need on a regular basis, and the middle three panels showed a panoramic fantasy battle painted by Clayton's personal favorite fantasy artist, Ian Millar. The inside, well, that was for his eyes only. Muahahah!

 

[IvorySands]

"I haven't been a rogue for a while." said Penny after some thought. "Let's see, we've got a few humans and a gnome. How about an elf then?" This was going to be fun. She just had to remember what feats you needed to make sneak attacks. "Melika...hmmm...Greenleaf. That's a good elfish name." Clayton was in his official DM mode. 'Time to get this character done before he decides to kill it.' Penny thought to herself.

 

[Kalika84]

Sarinah tilted her head to the side in thought."You do realise that our 'party' is top heavy with girls?" She prayed they wouldn't notice the terrible accidental pun, "Allysia, Rydia, Melika and poor little Rando is the only male...is that normal? And Clayton before you get any ideas I am in no way indicating I will change Allysia." She laughed and reached out to pat Claytons shoulder.

 

[IvorySands]

"Hey, this could work to our advantage. In a drunken tavern brawl we could easily get the upper hand by having one of us flash everyone while the others run up and stab people from behind." Penny said with a smirk. "Besides, I'm sure little Rando can more than hold his own with the ladies." She playfully patted Wes on the back.

 

[Kalika84]

"You know what Penny, you are absolutely right....as long as we dont literally flash the boys here of course!." Sarinah laughed.

Sarinah leant forward trying to get a squizzy at the game screen. "So Clayton, whats behind there anyway?"

 

[IvorySands]

Penny glanced at Clayton and thought, 'I know someone would like you to literally flash them.' It was so cute that Clayton had a girl who liked him and Penny was happy for them. 'Now, maybe Wes will stop chewing on his pencil and notice me.' She'd carried a torch for the, in her opinion, ruggedly handsome pizza man for about a year now, but had always been too shy to act on it.

 

[Kalika84]

Sarinah snitched a piece of blank paper from a pile near Clayton's elbow and a pencil and started to sketch out a picture of Allyria.

Waiting patiently for the game to start, sipping on her Dew and drawing her picture she didnt notice her leg came to rest against Claytons. Sarinah was now off in her own little world drawing and daydreaming.

 

[Ravenloft]

"Aaand a rogue-Penny/Melika, kay, we're ready to start then..." Clayton trailed off, finding that he had several more last minute adjustments to make while the girls chatted it up, only catching scraps of what was being said. Some would say, the 'important' bits.

"Wha? Top heavy?" Clay muttered, obviously not getting it. And he was so into DM mode that when they mentioned flashing people, he honestly thought they meant the zero level cantrip, flash, the one that would daze one opponent for a single turn, giving them a neg one across the board. "Heh..." He scoffed under his breath. "That only works good on drow... Suckers."

When Sarinah tried to peek behind his DM screen, Clayton zashed out with his fold up ruler, giving her a start. "No no no. No looking behind the curtain, Dorothy!" He said in a mock wizard of oz voice.

He went back to making his last minute adjustments, until something caught his attention... Something smooth and warm against his leg. He froze in place the moment he realized it was Sarinah's leg resting against his. He looked up, his face turning slightly pink, which was surprising considering all the rest of his blood was rushing... Someplace else at the moment. "Now, if only her other leg was resting against my other leg..." He pondered, a slight grin forming on his lips as he stared at her while she sketched away, oblivious of what was going on in his mind.

"Ahem." Wes verbally nudged, saving Clay from being caught in a lescivious stare. Wes shared a knowing look with Penny.

"Ahem! Clayton echoed.

"You are on the world of Darmus, in the grand city of Browning, built upon the ruins of its former self. Destroyed and rebuilt after the great armor clad wars." Clayton began, giving a little bit of history behind the city. "The king of this land is King Korg Arseyus, and he has sent a call for help out to the adventures of this land. The four of you have answered, traveled from your homes, to come to his aid. Many more have answered as well, and each will be given their turn to come before the king. Until that time, the king has seen to it that those who wait to see him are given free lodging at any one of the several inns within the city's walls. The four of you have become fast friends in the several days you have waited, sharing your personal stories, food & drink, and even your nightly lodging. Today is your day to see him, and as morning dawns, the cock crows to awaken each of you in turn. What do each of you wish to do?" Clay asked, scanning the four of them for responses.

 

[Ravenloft]

Wes leaned forward, stroking an imaginary goatee. "Mmmh, well-ah, g'morn to ye, Lassies!" Wes said with a scottish tinged accent. "An it migh be th sor o' morn'n for a plate o mutton n' eggs, wit a touch o' whiskey!" He added, pretending to stretch a kink out of his back.

 

[Kalika84]

Sarinah decided to get right into it. Leaning back in her chair she rested her hands behind her head and looked across at Wes. "I'll take steak, bleeding preferably, and eggs. And no whiskey for me. Rando, its early maybe you could get drunk after we see the King yes?" This was said in friendly tone with a slight laugh on the end. She looked over at Wes again who she saw now as Rando with the scots accent and drinking problem. Not the pizza boy.

 

[cats]

Joe

IC: Well I think this character went bi, that'll balance to the top heavy right? Oh wait games starting um breakfest. Time to get into character.

"I'm fine." I then stood up and walked to the far side of the table away from the others and pretended to have breakfast.

 

[IvorySands]

Melika sat picking her fingernails with her dagger. "You carnivores and your meat" she muttered to herself. Melika hailed the serving wench and asked for a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea. While eating, she surveyed the room, wondering if any of the people were there to compete for the treasure of the King like her and her new friends.

Penny smiled broadly, happy to see everyone settling into character. She was especially pleased Sarinah was jumping in fully. Taking a peak at her sketch, Penny remarked "That's really good. Would you mind sketching my character? I've never been able to draw."

Turning to where Joe stood, "Hey Joe, while you're over there..." Penny mouthed the word "Pizza" and winked, motioning to her empty plate while smiling sweetly.

 

[Ravenloft]

Wes arched a brow at Allyria, replying. "S'nay to get drunk, s'ta dull th' pain o' havin ta listen to his long-windedness, th' king. Ye know th' sort, full o' 'thee's' an 'thou's', with ne'er a mention o' compensation fer our troubles."

At Melika's jibe over eating meat, Rando turned to her. "Porridge an tea... Again? Live a li'l lassie, no wonder ye're so slight, a strong breeze might blow ye away."

 

[Ravenloft]

Clayton sat back and let the party share a bit of chit chat while he rolled a few dice behind his screen. He checked the dice results against a random encounter table and frowned.

"Just then, in the middle of your morning meal, a large man bursts into the common room of the Inn you've all been staying at. He is wearing piece meal armor, with a large spiked shoulder pad. He is missing his left eye where a nasty scar marrs his flesh, and he hefts a spiked mallet, pointing it at your table, bellowing: "Yous! It was yous what stolen me gold!" and with that, he swings his mallet in a viscious circle over his head. Initiatives guys..."

 

[cats]

Joe

IC: I grabbed a plate and placed some pizza on it. "Ge Penny am I your little servant girl or something? Wait don't answer." I handed her the plate. And took a quick look for cheetos finding none I decided to entertain myself in game.

I rolled my initiative and saw a one pop up. "Wooh I get to go first!" I raised my hands in mach victory. "Can I make a bluff check now or do I have to wait til my turn?"

 

[Kalika84]

Sarinah smiled at Penny, "Sure I can draw Melika for you, not a problem." Listening to the others take their 'turns' Sarinah decided this would be great fun until Clayton mentioned initiatives and Joe started babbling on about bluff checks etc...She turned wide alarmed eyes to Clayton as she had no idea what she was supposed to do.

 

[Ravenloft]

Wes rolled a seven and added his modifiers, calling out that he had a round ten for initiative.

Clayton shook his head at Joe. "This is third edition Joe, you wanna roll high, remember? Lets see, ten for Wes, five for Joe... Okay, Sarinah, just roll a twenty sided die, here, this one... And add your dexterity's modifier, thats a plus four, to what you get, and that will tell when you get to act, okay?" Clayton explained, seeing her giving him a panicked look.

 

[IvorySands]

Penny took her favorite D20 from her set of clear dice with black numbers. Also known to her as the 'ice dice.' She made a fist and blew into it. First roll of the game, superstitions must be upheld. The gaming gods looked kindly upon her, giving her a fourteen. "Eighteen with my dex modifier" she said, hoping this was a good omen.

 

[cats]

Joe

IC: "Shhh! Clayton, I know what edition we're playing. But these dice are old, and I never had the heart to tell them. So it'd be very embaressing if they found out now and from some one besides me no less." I then smiled at my dice and rubed them softly. "They'll make another source book for advanced soon, I swear."

 

[Ravenloft]

"Okay, the large man weilding the spiked mallet got a seven..." Clayton checked Sarinah's roll, smiling. "Well, it looks like you are more than twice as fast as your foe, Allyria! And you all notice that he has his eyes locked upon Melika for some reason... Who is next in line to respond, then Rando, your foe, and Rydia. Okay, Sarinah, what would you like to do?"

 

[Kalika84]

Sarinah smirked..."this is what Allyria will do."

Casually pushing her self up and out of her chair Allyria sauntered over to stand near the smelly oaf threatening them...not close enough to be attacked...she wasn't that stupid. Flicking her long black hair behind her shoulders she fairly grinned at the idiot. Drawing her long beautiful sword that was her baby from its sheath with its dragon shaped hilt which its wings created the pommel with strange runes that appeared to flicker in the lantern light in different colours she casually swung it around in a circle with one hand before resting it on her shoulder. "So, someone rolled out of the wrong side of the swamp this morning." cocking a hip Allyria laughed. " How about you turn around and head out the door sunshine before I hurt you mmm?"

 

[Ravenloft]

"Pah! Buncha girls and a pip squeek are no match for Torgo, which is me! Give me back me gold, or I smash yous all to mush!"