The Balance of Power

[at]

Rhinobullet has started an OOC options discussion here kmansadventures.proboards.com/thread/8815/next-steps

Though the characters are also free to gather around a table and hash it out themselves - Altar will stay out of this one.

[harknail]

Unless Eldon want's to try saving those under siege by goblins, Vadania is willing to escort Eldon to his monastery. That was the what those under siege wanted us to do as well. Maybe Ka'lion will come along since this part is moving away from the demon.

[at]

May 15, 2014 11:14:07 GMT -5 harknail said:

Unless Eldon want's to try saving those under siege by goblins, Vadania is willing to escort Eldon to his monastery.

Those under siege were from the monastery, and not far from it - so Eldon would be returning to the goblin siege.
Were you thinking of a different monastery? The major churches to the south perhaps where you were asked to take warning if you were to flee the fell for more civilized lands?

[harknail]

I thought the temple of the flame was one of those southern churches.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" i was wondering if you could tells about our cloaks and about the watch gaurd that was once here. The more we know what they can do the better help they could be."

[harknail]

Vadania would like Eldon to go over each page explaining what he can of it. It will take some time, but it may be a long time before we again meet someone who can understand the book as well as he can. Hopefully we can understand it enough so that we might recognize landmarks shown in the book if we encounter them.

OOC: I'm not asking the GM to go over the book in such detail, it's enough to say we've done this. The idea is for us to have a change to discover new things in the book without needing to find a translator each time.

[sageaqua]

"A monk is a good choice for a companion if we can find one." said Ka'lion, "My issues with saving the town is the town was being starved out by goblins riding bears. I don't know about you but I wouldn't stand a chance against a bear. Fighting one bear by it's self maybe. With goblin support not a chance. Now limited food - they may be okay on that one. They have a fast river for fish and I showed the children how to forage for editable plaints and bugs so they wouldn't starve and told them to take the food to a priest. So everyone gets fed but it would still be rationed a great deal. With detect poison and purify food and drink. They may be all right. But while we where there it was clear to me at least that the people and animals didn't need to starve. They could eat the animals they had.

All that said helping break the goblins is the right thing to do. But I have no confidence we'd survive it. None! So here is my offer. We save the survivors if there are any and then we head into the fell to talk to the barbarians families left behind to find out what they know.

After word we return to the mines to fight the skeletons while searching for the golden sword. At that point we assess our options and disappear from the demons radar for as long as we need to get skilled enough to destroy them. To do that, I think we are going to need to turn them into stone or paint them with green slime. Either option works for me."

Just bringging the out of game information into game. Ka'lion seems to of been lost in thought for the last few minutes thinking before his out burst. Then he realises no one asked him any thing. "Sorry. I was daydreaming."

[at]

Eldon answers Vadania first, "long ago three powerful demons and their three consorts broke through into the mortal realm, taking forms that were neither truly mortal nor demon they defied both their own kind and the gods and sought to carve a vast new empire. In time heroes rose to battle them, slaying the mortal form of each and trapping them at great cost - this book shows an account of the final days of that war, the prison of each demon"

He turns to the page showing the cage of water amidst a vast city, "this I believe was the city that you saw beneath Clearwater", turning to another page showing a demon trapped within a flame, "and this the flame of the monastery".

Turning through the other pages, "so many generations have passed, the landmarks and cities have changed, symbols no longer mean what they once did. The book shows that two of the demons were trapped in the vast deserts to the east and the final two in the great jungles beyond - but to search each without a guide would take a lifetime. The book contains no code to be deciphered, it is a map that simply hails from another time. With study and with access to the records and libraries of each land I believe I can more accurately determine what has become of each prison, and with each perhaps the weapons that were used to fight them"

"But the first step must be the flame, while it still burns there is still hope for this land"


Turning then to George, "I confess to know little about the watchguard, but stories and rumours. It is said that they guarded a great treasure both fabulous and dangerous in equal measure, hidden somewhere in these very mountains. Indeed there are legends of great magic within this land in ages past before the darkness of the fell closed over it, some terrible tragedy lost to living memory long before even the demons came."

He motions towards Georges cloak, "it is rumoured that the cloaks act as a key if one of each is brought together in the same location. It is also known that each 'heals' from rips and tears when exposed to it's own element - fire to fire, ice to ice, and in doing so provides some measure of protection from the same. One who received such a gift in the past claimed that she could draw upon the power of her cloak and channel it through the blade of fire that she carried", recalling the event, "it was not so long ago. She purchased every ruby and red gem in the town and wrapped them in the cloak and in fire. Quite an eccentric elf", looking back to Vadania, "no offence intended"


(Ka'lion has surprisingly little confidence in his ability to slay goblins and small bears for a man who has fought wyverns and hydras and wishes to enter the nightmarish land of monsters that is the deep fell)

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion has an average wisdom. Self confadence require a higher wisdom then he has. That said you did not describe the bears as small. You just said the goblims where riding black bears. I've seen enough bears in person to understand just how big they really are. That's all

[at]

With much to discuss perhaps the group wishes to withdraw to the reopened tavern to determine their next course of action in private.

It is clear to Ka'lion that Eldon wishes to take the book east whatever the cost to himself in the hope that if not the party then others would take up the hunt.

It is not lost on Ka'lion that the demons themselves would likely seek this book and any who carry it, and for the less scrupulous it would be a bargaining chip of some value. The demons have escaped the nine hells while maintaining their immortality, perhaps their servants can too.

[rhinobullet]

Garrot walks up to Eldon after hearing the discussion with George about his cloak and says "Does this cloak have the same effect? Is the element for this cloak darkness or moonlight? Why would I need protection from the moon?"


Guys do we need to make sure we take one cloak of each type based on what he just said?

[at]

Eldon replies, "darkness and light, perhaps one of the bards here might know of watchguard who wore the moon cloak. I suspect it may be of some value against the energies of the undead"

[rhinobullet]

Garrot bows to the old man and says "Thank you sir". He then wanders off and mutters "I need a drink, I am going to the Tavern. Maybe I can find a bard there."

[sageaqua]

"We don't have enough people in our party for each of us to get all of the different capes unless the village is giving us more then one of them. Elban, my book please!"

Ka'lion takes his book and leaves. Even if he has to forcibly pull it out of Elbans hands. He loads his horse. He’s stayed in one place to long. As long as he keeps moving the books safe. "I'll wait for an hour for the party outside of town. We can talk about where we are going on the way. You have an hour to catch up. I'll wait for you on the hall that we came to this town on."

[at]

"I and this town owe you a debt of gratitude for your actions, but this book is not yours - it is a legacy of those who went before left to protect the lives of their descendent"

He hands the book out, "you do not own this book, you are it's custodian and you are responsible for both it and the thousands of lives it may save. I trust that you will fulfil this responsibility or surrender it to one who will"


Once Ka'lion has left the room he rises unsteadily from his bed, turning to Vadania and George, "I will not allow one mans greed and hubris to condemn this land to darkness. I give your friend this opportunity to prove my fears about him wrong, and you this time to bring him understanding. But if he shirks his duty then I shall pursue him unto the ends of this world."

[rhinobullet]

While the drama upstairs ensues, Garrot will seek out a bard to see if he can learn more about his cloak.


Gather information:
SBQ6RV6hp_1-20
+5=9
1-20

[at]

Garrot finds the tavern still under repair, but lively none the less - the townsfolk have found ale that the ibixian did not and are celebrating the victory. Garrots drinks are of course on the house and a bard (and several young women) quickly seek to share in his good fortune.

Before long he learns why Ka'lion's, and later his own choice caused concern - the moon cape was the cape of a known necromancer amongst the ranks of the watch guard. Though there was no specific black mark against his name many rumours persisted during his life and after.

Both the sun and moon caped guard were known to be called to fight the dead but in all stories it was always the sun capes that get the glory. Similarly while there is much talk of flaming swords and the like there is little to be said of the moon guards - they were few, but as was the way of the watch guards each aspect was honoured as a necessary part of the whole.


The bard has many stories of this land and, while the free ale flows, all the time in the world. Though it has been half an hour already and news of Ka'lions departure has not reached Garrot.

(pick any subject you want the bard to speak of)

----------------------------------

As Ka'lion leads his horse towards the edge of town he spots an armoured man carrying a saddle over his shoulder approaching along the road, who calls out as he gets close, "ho there, how much for the horse?"

[rhinobullet]

Garrot asks the bard politely if he knows more about the Moon Guards.

[at]

May 16, 2014 11:10:42 GMT -5 rhinobullet said:

Garrot asks the bard politely if he knows more about the Moon Guards.

He can tell you stories of the old watch guard, some more fanciful than others, but after the first half an hour Garrot has already gotten a fair gist of what they were about.

Day to day they were part hero and part rogue, and many stories of their adventures took place south of the fell. They seem to have gradually lost their way however and there were several internal disputes until the most recent war between Merebas and Woldegard brought them together for one final action, protecting the rightful heir of Merebas from an internal coup at the cost of most of their lives.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion waste’s no further time leaving. He can't wait for the evil priest to hunt him down. He knows it's only a matter of time before the mad priest leads the demon right to the party. It would give the party the exsparance that Ka’lion feels the party needs to fight the demon. So what should he do to really provoke the old man into following them.

So where does he intend to go? He knows where he’d hide the book if he had to hide it. No one would ever find it. That said, when they found him he would not have it on him. This is what he’s been afraid of all along. That someone in need would see the book as their salvation and do anything they had to get it.

The book is an outdated tool nothing more but because Ka’lion was willing to share the information in the book with those in need. He has put the party at needless risk.

Mostly he has forced Elben to reveal his true colors. Less then an hour before Elben had said he was going to recue the villagers from the goblen’s - now he is welling to sacrifice them to obtain the book. His mind has oveiously broken from all reason.

"Runaway is not for sell. But I'm sure you'll be able to find a few horses in town that are. Last I heard a few of my party members where seeking a fighter to replace me or to join us. Working with us is a job with little to no pay and we do not seek glory or salvation. We split all treasures we gain honestly equally and we help those in need when we can. It may no longer however be safe to join us. It seems I've gained the eye's of a mad and desperate priest and I intend to provoke him into hunting us. I think my party need's more training and if he is hunting us we will all get it." say's Ka'lion