Therapy Session of Ron Plunderman #13

“So Ron last time we spoke about empathy, about understanding how others feel. I’d like to continue where we finished.”

Ron looked at the doctor with mild disbelief. “Heh? I thought you admitted you got that all wrong?”

The doctor shook his head. “No Ron …”

Ron quickly interjected. “Yes you did. You said I was right, that women liked being abused.”

“Ron!” The doctor sharply cut in, “I said no such thing.”

“But, “ Ron insisted. “ You admitted, said I was right. That women …”

The doctor held up his hand. “Ron please. I merely conceded that the example I used about what happened to the women held captive by the succubus wasn’t right for you.”

“But … “ Ron started protest however the doctor held up his hand.

“Ron, lets not go over all that again. Look I wanted to talk to you about the natives you rescued from the monkey people. The ones that were going to sacrificed.”

“Heh? Why?” Ron asked.

“You were quite abusive to them.”

Ron looked confused. “What do you mean? We saved them. How is that being abusive?”

“Well …” The doctor began. “My understanding is that you insulted and tormented them.”

“What the hell?” exclaimed Ron, starting show signs of agitation. “Where do you get this crap from? I didn’t torture them, what a load of bull.”

The doctor held his hand up again as if willing Ron to calm down. “Ron  I never said anything about torture. You were rude to them, insensitive. You showed no sympathy or sorrow for what they had been through.”

Ron rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. “Doc, I really got no idea what you are talking about. Whereever you got your information from its wrong. We rescued them, then sent them on their way. What else was I to do? Pick some flowers for them. Seriousily, we rescued them, if they wanted their cocks sucked or something they only needed to ask Dorian.”

“Ron!” exclaimed the doctor again. “I really am getting tired of that language.”

“Well I’m getting really tired of your language.” Ron retorted.

The doctor held up his hands once more. “Look Ron, do you really not know what I’m talking about? Do you remember what you said to one of the survivors?”

Ron shook his head in dismay. “What the hell are you going on about Doc? And why would I bother remembering anything I said to people like that.”

“Ok Ron. You questioned them about their friend. The one that got burnt alive.”

“So?”

“You kept asking what it was like, whether their friend screamed? Pressed for graphic details.”

“So?”

The doctor gave Ron a serious look. “So how do you think that made them feel?”

“I don’t know. It was just a question. Look can you stop beating around the bush and just tell me what it is I said that was abusive?”

“Ron. That was it. You kept asking about the death of their friend. That was a little abusive. Most definitely unsympathetic and insensitive.”

Ron just stared at the doctor with a look of utter disbelief.

“Ron this is what I was talking about. Empathy. Understanding how someone might feel.”

Ron continued to stare at the doctor with a vacant look. It was clear he completely did not understand what the doctor was trying to tell him.

“Ron do you really not understand? When someone loses someone close to them  … in such circumstances, asking for details like did they scream? Or how long did they last? Did their skin melt off? Well its just not done Ron. Its not right. You shouldn’t do that.”

“It was just a few questions.  I was curious.”

The doctor shook his head. “This is my point Ron. A normal person doesn’t behave that way.  This is why you struggle to make connections with people.”

“I’m not gay.” Said Ron.

The doctor shook his head. “Don’t start that Ron. This has nothing to do with sex. Infact, can we please not talk about sex anymore. You only understand the physical nature of sex, their other things beyond the physical.”

“I know that doc. I’ve fought the incorporeal.”

“Ron, cut it out. You are doing this deliberately”

“Doing what” complained Ron. “Seriousily I think you are on drugs. And where do you get this stuff from.”

“Look Ron” said the doctor. “Can you imagine someone close to you? Someone you loved? Your Mother? Wife? Anyone? Can you imagine them dying in a horrible way.”

“I don’t need to imagine anything. I know heaps of horrible ways to die. Like eating someone alive, ripping someone limb to limb…”

“Ron. Please. We don’t need to know those details. You have to think of someone close to you.”

“What like you are now, what less than a few feet.”

“Ron, your slipping into old habits …”

“Where did you get this information from anyway? What I said to those niggers,” queried Ron

“RON! For now on that word is banned. No tell me someone you loved. One of your wives? You second one maybe?”

“It was Szrariel wasn’t it?”

The doctor continued to ignore what Ron said. “Your second wife Toothie. The half-orc prostitute, I believe you did care for her…”

“No it was Titus wasn’t it?” Ron queried.

“Ron. It wasn’t anybody. And Titus wasn’t there.”

Ron continued to press. “AJ. Oh I’m going to fuck him up.”

“Ron it wasn’t AJ. It wasn’t anybody. Now…”

“Then how? Ah! A legend lore spell.”

The doctor sighed. “Yes. Precisely a legend lore spell. Now back to what we were talking about.”

Ron whistled. “Woah. That’s an expensive spell. How did you afford it?”

The doctor closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. “Yes it was very expensive. Now can we get back to talking about understanding feelings.”

Ron sat back on the couch contentedly. “You bought that spell just for? That’s the nicest thing anyone has done for me. I choose you. I’ll imagine you dying in horrible way. So what do you want me to do now?”

“No, I’d think I prefer you think of Toothie…”

“No screw that bitch. I’ll imagine you dying doc. So what’s next?”

The doctor shook his head. “I don’t think this is going to work.”

“Come on doc, you got me interested. What do I do next?”

“Forget it Ron.” The doctor looked both dejected and frustrated.

Ron continued on regardless. “Okay so a snake man is slowly skinning you alive, using this unholy dagger that sends evil energy convulsing through you. You are screaming in pain. It goes on for a whole hour. You watch in horror as you see your skin being peeled off before you.”

The doctor sternly spoke. “Ron. Please stop this. This is not the side I want to see of you. I wanted to ask how you would feel if some came up afterwards and asked for in-depth details.”

Ron gave the doctor a baffled look then said. “Well I’d tell them.”

The doctor shook his head. “This is a real problem Ron…”

Therapy Session of Ron Plunderman #12

Ron was in a buoyant mood, happily recounting his exploration of the ruined city of the monkey men.

“…talk about a disappointment. Treasure was scarce and the place was filled with those useless monkey men. What a waste of space those things were. They reminded me of the vege-pygmy things; lots of potential but no ambition. Give them a human brain and they could dominate every plane to hell and back. When they got worked up they could move really fast, like knocking back a haste potion.  Instead they live their lives smelling each other’s bum and sacrificing black people to snake gods. Pathetic really, but I enjoyed killing them, even started to like the taste of them; fleas and all.”

“And the ruins … not much to tell really, ramshackle old buildings made by the fucked up snake people. Tell you what though the snake people … they tasted much better than monkey men, kind of like chicken except better. Hmm. Should’ve kept some of those fuckers alive; could’ve started a farm. “

Ron quietly laughed to himself, “Any way where was I? Oh yeah, the dumb ruins. They weren’t really  built by the snakemen but their slaves. And guess who the slaves were? Yep, the useless smelly locals. Seriously these natives give human’s a bad name.  Useless back then and useless now. I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve saved some useless black arse. “

The doctor cleared his throat and interjected. “Well Ron, it may surprise you to learn that just about every adventurer I have interviewed has expressed similar views…”

Ron nodded. “Yep useless black…”

“No…” the doctor continued quickly. “I mean adventurers from the north, Cheliax, Varisia and beyond. There are always … “ and the doctor held his hands up mimicking quotation mark, “… useless people that need saving. I did a paper once on the hubris of the adventurer.”

Ron looked momentarily confused. “You mean there a black people getting saved in the far north?’

The doctor shook his head. “No I don’t mean black people. I mean normal folk of any colour or creed. People not trained in sword play, magic or alchemy.  Farmer’s, baker’s and merchants. Innocent victim’s of the nefarious scheme’s of others.”

Ron still looked a little confused. “Gee Doc, you’ve lost me. I was talking about the useless natives and how they always need saving.”

The doctor shook his head. “Yes I know, but that’s my point. Its not because they are black that they are ‘useless’ its because they aren’t trained in combat and war. They can’t defend themselves from those that have chosen to prey upon them. If your adventures had taken place in Varisia or Cheliax, the people you would’ve been saving wouldn’t have been dark skinned.”

“Look Ron, you …”

Ron held up his hands. “Hang on Doc, that’s not right. The native’s we saved often were hunters and warriors. You certainly don’t find bakers or merchants much amongst the blacks, not even farmers.”

The doctor quickly shook his head. “Yes may be they were warriors, but nowhere near as skilled as you  are.”

Ron rolled his eyes but the doctor continued on. “The many adventurers I interviewed held a great disdain for the local constabulary or military. Often they needed rescuing and were often described as weak and ineffectual in combat. Adventurers do not seem to make any distinction between commoners and guards or soldiers. All equally useless and beneath them.”

Ron opened his mouth to speak but hesitated momentarily as if lost for words. “Well what about the chick with the dinosaur ... can't quite remember her name, anyway she was white and a little girl when she was abandoned. She did just fine. Got her self a dinosaur and survived quite nicelessly.”

The doctor frowned, “That doesn’t a proof anything either way. It’s one example she could just as easily have been black.”

Ron furrowed his eyebrows in doubt, clearly unconvinced. “Don’t know about that doc.”

The doctor continued. “Look Ron, you need to challenge some of the perceptions you hold. Learn to see things a little differently. Like see things from someone else’s point of view. Think like someone else”

“Why would I want to think like someone else?” Ron asked, clearly baffled.

“Well so that you could understand how they would feel.”

Ron stared at the doctor with a blank vacant look while the doctor continued. “Its called empathy Ron. It’s a very important social skill and allows people to build relationships with each other.”

Ron shook his head in confusion. “You want me to have relationships with black people. Like sex?  I’ve done that heaps…”

The doctor shook his head. “No. No. No I don’t mean specifically black people.”

“…but I’ve also had …”

The doctor held his hand out for Ron to stop speaking. “I don’t mean sexual relations. I just mean understanding how people feel. Why they might be frightened or put off by how you act or insulted by what you say.”

“But why would I care?” asked Ron.

“That’s just the point Ron. You should care or you should atleast try to care. Take for example the young ladies you saved from the succubus. How did you think you treated them after that.”

Ron tilted his head dismissively. “Pretty well I should I expect; we did after all save their lives.”

“No Ron you verbally abused them with sexual innuendo.”

“So? What of it? Was just making small talk. Would you rather I have killed them? I’m sure if you asked them they would be extremely grateful to be alive.”

“But Ron, even so, why would then demean them after saving their lives.”

“I didn’t demean anyone. “

“You propositioned them, asked them to take their clothes off.”

“So it’s the least they could’ve done. We did just save their lives.”

“But Ron, they had been ensorcelled, forced to prostitute their bodies against their will.”

“So they got to have sex with heaps of people.”

The doctor shook his head. “What if it happened to you. What if you had been forced to have sex with lots of men.”

Ron cringed. “That’s disgusting.”

The doctor nodded. “Yes exactly. So how would you feel if that had happened to you , then you were rescued. Then you’re rescuers asked you to have sex with them.”

Ron scratched his head. “That would depend if they were male or female.”

The doctor sighed. “The rescuers are male. A male would ask you to get your clothes off.”

“Oh” said Ron. “Then I would threaten to kill them .”

“Exactly so how do you think the women you rescued would feel.”

Ron shrugged. “I don’t know. They didn’t threaten to kill me when I asked them to get their clothes off.”

“But it’s the same situation Ron. They too would’ve felt violated and angry.”

Ron looked at the doctor strangely. “But they’re women.”

“Yes Ron, but it’s a similar situation.”

Ron shook his head. “No its not. They’re woman, its normal for them to have sex with men.”

The doctor’s voice started to show strained signs of agitation. “Yes but they had probably been …”

Ron held up his hand. “No doctor I get. They may have done some woman on woman action. But its okay for woman to do that sort of thing. I really don’t understand the point of this. It’s a completely different situation.”

“You really can’t see the similarities?”

Ron shook his head.

The doctor sighed dejectedly then sank back in his charge. “Okay Ron. I suppose it is different.”

Ron sat with a look of bewilderment on his face. “I told you Doc.”

21. Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

In the morning between Ron, Dorian and surprisingly Helga we managed to heal up. I don’t like getting drained. We continued our systematic explorations discovering some mold and constructs easily dispatched. I really have to do something about creatures resistant to damage. Some sort of damaging spell perhaps.

While exploring I spotted a serpentfolk who was hiding from us. The first I have met I wanted to learn more about him so expressed my desire to talk. He said he was an explorer and wanted to wander off, I don’t trust him, he could get reinforcements or inform our enemies so I intend to keep an eye on him. Some of the others seem to dislike the addition but lack the will to strike him down.

The baboon people keep bothering us. The first bunch had a four armed monkey that almost became an issue till Helga pointed a bonny finger and knocked it unconscious. The serpentfolk just watched. Some other baboons attacked later apparently from the same clan their abilities to get us at great range is irritating. It is a constant surprise to me how little cover and concealment are offered by ruins and jungle.

Between my ever hitting gracefully beautiful kukri, Ron imitating the brute beasts that have plagued civilization since the beginning of time, and AJs odd hit we make easy work of the baboon folk. Helgas and the serpentfolks lightning bolt sped things up considerably.

The serpentfolk would seem to be a wizard, what sort I have yet to figure out. The serpent folk mentioned all the boab trees we keep seeing poking from the ruins. Boabs are found in warm deserts and jungles but I don’t think his right. The trees are bloated which is confusing visually. I think they might actually be Tetrameles nudiflora. I have drawn some of what I have seen in this magnificent city below as a guide I can use to enhance my illusions later on. 

s.

20. Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

Seems I was wrong, two of the women survived the succubus’s death. Pity they seemed spiritually and physically scarred by the experience and drained of all personality. At least the attack knocked some sense into AJ and his started using that iron mallet of his, can’t help but wonder if his pop was part of the Maillotins Revolt such is his fetish for hammers. Good for destroying stuff I suppose.

We kept marching along, 8 days; Ron made me some handy boots that allow me to ignore difficult terrain. I know they will come in handy and save me a spell! Seems the others are constantly amazed at my ability to consistently cast my minor magics to boost my resistance. These monkeys have no conception of why they do what they do and how easy it is to keep learning and do other things. It seems age really stifles their ability to push and grow. Aj whines every minute, Helga cackles every minute to herself, Ron checks his stash, Dorian stares at something sexual and makes a comment and they all seem to hold in their poop, encourage their horses, check their angles constantly yet it seems things other monkeys don’t do that they didn’t learn as children seem impossible to them. It really is bizarre. There is no action one cannot repeat constantly with training and will. As if scanning constantly as well is beyond training. I suppose its just another reason we are destined to rule again.

We found the ruined city easily enough and thankfully the others saw the wisdom in circling the ruins. Seems no other group has beaten us here. Expected really considering how fast we dealt with the hermits demands and the speed of our travel. It’s a beautiful ruin, the architecture is exquisite and it has truly stood the test of lime lasting thousands of years against the jungle. AJ seems to think the natives are master builders and made the place, he thinks to much of what he calls kaffas they dominate his time and thoughts like a clerics focus of worship. Finding nothing but some baboon like humanoid tracks we entered closest to a point of seeming interest. A mostly intact ziggurat at the northern end of the city.

I spotted yet another trap. There was some curious thunder at that. Seems AJ and Dorian both - along with the gods have issue with my ability to spot traps. I find this most curious for I have heard of alchemists gaining extra attacks from 4 arms despite this being specifically against the fundamental rules of this world, alchemists crafting despite having no ability with spells only concoctions that work on organic things and more specifically themselves. Nevermind summoners with dubious unarmed feats, caster whose abilities are unstoppable and a myriad of rogues who have never needed what they considered the irrelevancy of automatic trap spotting. As its always been easy enough to have them search constantly (yet apparently to monkeys a mere thought to cast a spell every minute is less acceptable). More amusing perhaps is the party, their always complaining about wasted time searching dead ends (that pay off sometimes), when any other rogue ever heard of would be spending much more time just searching where we just walk. I suppose it hardly matters it’s not like others buffs ever run out even with rogues searching non-stop so doing it legitimately is not a concern.

At least its not an ability of mine that is hampering everyone else. Last thunder strike seemed to make normally available knowledge checks irrelevant. Not really an issue for myself with the shared knowledge of the Akasha and all serpent folk but I feel sorry as all other members of the party, even AJ invested in knowledges that are now rendered useless. Curious that some argued against knowledge checks being useful when their the ones that suffer.

It is wondrous for it has sharpened my edge and instead of situational edge seeking through tapping my character and immersing myself in the world I can now focus on what’s important. Acrobatics, perception, spellcraft, combat skills and spells that flawlessly always give an edge far greater than any action intense situational flavor nonsense.

We entered the ziggurat and started to explore. Some of us spotted three giant wasps which attacked, they were well wounded by the time everyone reacted to attack and were quickly dispatched. As we circled round we found a large paper nest, Ron bombed it with a stink bomb and some sort of mother wasp came out. She was hard to kill for she fought through a doorway and was resistant to damage. I dream some nights of being a martial artist type of monk, I was pondering being one in my youth maybe a sensei or qigong one as well, their immune to so much and have the ability to narrow their eyes and strike through any resistance. Puncturing resistance would be so handy it’s been tedious from the start and I only know of martial artists, inquisitors with bane active and nancy boy paladins that have such abilities. After getting damaged, poisoned and generally vexed the five of us eventually dispatched the lone wasp!

We found an outside area with a walkway but stayed inside as to avoid attracting attention. Entering a lowered area, almost a private sanctuary, we were attacked by 4 small statues. Again their resistance was most tedious but luckily Dorian pulled out some spiritual weapons and managed to smash them to bits as the rest of us farcically attempted to damage them. AJs lack of willpower, common sense, awareness, and intuition (wisdom/will save) again was a liability. I have scanned my spell list and there is no way to cease this with just my efforts.

The statues did have an upside as each one that was destroyed emanated spirits that gave us memories of some sort of map room with a hippie astrology motif, glory hole columns, gems and sparkles. It was very of putting but it gave us an idea of how to use the room should we find it. I think I will leave it to the others when the time comes –Dorian should be anatural.

I was against it but at the others urgings we continued to explore, I had predicted as much and luckily had been stingy with my buffs, unfortunately being the end of the day a dead end confused me into advancing instead of just searching at range. Leeches attacked, ALOT of leeches, swarms really are powerful. I hugged Ron as he bombed us then bolted..it wasn’t my finest hour. Everyone else ran as Ron held them off with bombs backing up to a position where Helga could finish them with a lightning bolt. After it we were badly drained and wounded and really needed a rest. I thought the wasp nest seemed really cosy with readymade sleeping bag hollows, one point of ebtry and the added bonus that no native of the ruins (or most stealthy visitors) would ever poke it. From everything I had read wasp nests are a wonder of warmth, and cosiness. Alas AJ arced up again and insisted some other hard floored, cold, unventilated dump. I suppose monkeys are known for sniffing eachothers ass, I conceded as it didn’t matter as it’s not like I sleep anyway and could perch up on the roof watching amused as the others wallowed in their stink and tossed against the cold floor.

Session 21 Summary

The group decide to rest in the mini statue room, where they recover somewhat from their exertions.  Continuing to explore the ziggurat, they come across some yellow mold, a trio of mithral cobras and a serpentfolk mage, who they befriend and invite to join them in their further explorations, offering an even split of treasure.  An encounter with a couple of charau-ka and a goralin does nothing to show this new allies' prowess, but the following encounter with 9 charau-ka does, as he reveals himself to be a decent addition to the group.

	xp		Dorian	Szraiel	Helga	Ron	AJ
	Start		26109	27809	26209	28059	26659
1	Yellow Mould		480	480	480	480	480
3	Mithral Cobras		480	480	480	480	480
2	Charau-ka		240	240	240	240	240
1	Goralon		480	480	480	480	480
9	Charau-ka		1080	1080	1080	1080	1080
	End		28869	30569	28969	30819	29419

Session 20 Summary

The group march for another 8 days or so and finally come to their destination, the ruined city of Tazion.  There is a decaying wall around the place, which is about 1750' in diameter and almost round.

The group circumnavigate the place, looking for evidence of the other groups from Eleder and see that there are several places where the wall has collapsed sufficiently to allow access, and there is no evidence that any of the other groups have arrived, although there is clear evidence that the ruin is inhabited by a group of charau-ka, small monkey like humanoids.

Caution thus satisfied, the frontal assault began, with the group advancing through a gap in the wall near the northernmost point of the wall, where a trap was spotted and disarmed, and a plant covered ziggurat entered.


3 giant wasps and a wasp queen were dispatched, as were four tiny statues and a couple of leech swarms.  The death of the statues caused something a little odd to happen.

Strange shapes, like spirits (the ghossty kind, not the drinky kind) swirl around the room after the death of each statue, and when they pass through people's heads, memories appear there.  Everyone starts to remember a room, roughly circular and around 25 feet in diameter, with a high, domed ceiling, 3 doorways (2 opposite each other) and a strange, circular grid carved into the floor.  One of the opposite-each-other doorways is partially blocked by a column, while there are three columns in and around the opposite opening.  The third opening is clear.  Each column is intricately carved with strange symbols representing the sun, the moon, the stars and the space between.  Each pillar also has a swiveling section comprising several deep holes bored into 4 inch sections (rings).

The memories continue to show that with a gemstone set in each column, at a certain point sunlight enters the room through the entrance with the three columns, passes through the first column, lighting it up and splitting into three beams, all striking the other columns.  The light from one column then highlights a point on the grid, while the others illuminate the room and support a hazy image that appears fleetingly above the grid, an image of a stretch of jungle.

xp		Dorian	Szraiel	Helga	Ron	AJ
Start		24029	25729	24129	25979	24579
Trap		160	160	160	160	160
Giant Wasps		480	480	480	480	480
Queen Wasp		640	640	640	640	640
Idols (Constructs)		480	480	480	480	480
Leech Swarms		480	480	480	480	480
RP - Journal		0	300	0	0	0
End		26269	28269	26369	28219	26819