Uncaged

[at]

Ka'lion awakens in a relatively bare but comfortable room, from what he can tell he is still within the monastery and Scar lays nearby. His injuries have been healed by magic while he slept.


Before long Vadania checks in on him and explains that he was knocked out when the demon was drawn into the flame and that two days had since passed. With the demon contained the cage around the flame has broken and the aura of possession lifted across the valley allowing the other priests to push back in and overrun the unsupported goblins.

News had also reached them from the Altar in the north that the sorcerers in Clearwater had turned upon the demons beneath the city though the sending spell could not be specific on the reasons or methods - only that a delegation was moving south, seemingly seeking alliance.

A runner recently arrived from Burr town had provided scraps of news from the west, Burr Town was secure under the new Tempest and rumours from the Hollow suggested that the barbarians of the rust hills had pressed south, the druids seemingly having abandoned the ibixian after the death of their draconnic ally and fallen back to the fell.


With the monastery safe the way east was now open.



*Character option for Ka'lion - exposure to the flames and subsequent scarring grant you the bladeproof skin feat, if you want it (DR 3/bludgeoning and an armour check penalty of -2 that stacks with armour).

*Character option for Vadania - Omniscient Whispers feat. Once per week you can ask a single question as per the commune spell (answer provided by the silver flame entity), rendering you exhausted.

[sageaqua]

bladeproof skin feat? - never heard of it - is this in place of something else?

[at]

Mar 25, 2015 7:30:30 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

bladeproof skin feat? - never heard of it - is this in place of something else?

Nope - it's just an old feat from unearthed arcana.
(feats can be gained from locations and events - such as metamagic storms, elemental pools, etc. Some count against a character's wealth while others like this are just campaign perks)

[sageaqua]

Take the feat - althougth I have seen few non bladed attacks

"Vadania, can you teach me how to use the magic from my cloak?"

[harknail]

New feat recorded.

Were any of the possessed priests still alive after the demon was defeated? After tending to Ka'lion, Vadania would have checked on them, hoping that the possession was broken (and prepared in case it wasn't).

[harknail]

Mar 25, 2015 8:33:12 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

Take the feat - althougth I have seen few non bladed attacks

"Vadania, can you teach me how to use the magic from my cloak?"

OOC: That would make it a good feat, since it protects you from bladed attacks, but not clubs.

Vadania answered, "I can try, but Lynette would be better. She's who taught me to use it."

OOC: Also Vadania would have let the returning priests know about the store of meat down in the cave.

[at]

After the demon was trapped the spell of possession was broken and the priests quickly pushed in to re-take the monastery. Between their strengthening magic and the weapons from the armoury they do not anticipate any difficulty in holding back a potential goblin counterattack. The goblins themselves have shown no indication of such an attack however.

A great deal of food remains in the kitchen and gardens, untouched by the possessed, and a runner was quickly sent to Burr Town to discuss trade. The magical forge too has been restored to operation and the groups equipment is under repair and the high priestess has been true to her word of reward - several thousand gold in coins and gemstones each promised, though as the coin is valuable to the monastery for trade they have will be happy to instead provide what magic they can from the forge and their stores at favourable costs.


As for Lynette, she has been quiet since the battle, unsure of her future and with lingering concerns over Ka'lion's decision to make an example of her in the catacombs.

Mar 26, 2015 21:02:21 GMT -5 harknail said:

Were any of the possessed priests still alive after the demon was defeated?

Yes, but comatose. The priests are hopeful that the returning strength of the silver flame might restore them but so far that has not been the case - it has only been a few days.

[harknail]

Vadania isn't much interested in carrying large amounts of coins, she would much rather payment with useful magic items. Coinwise, she just needs enough to pay for food and lodging for the rare times she's in a town.

As for Lynette, if she can't take the chaotic craziness that is Ka'lion, Vadania won't push her to stay. But Vadania will let Lynette know that she will be much missed. We would have had no chance in that demon fight without her magical aids!

Has Edon been rescued?

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion seeks out Lynette, "Do you want to talk? I imagine that you may have some questions for me? I don't like bad calls and I don't believe in standing and fighting unless you have no choice. We had a choice, but our captain has no leadership exsparance and she wont follow my lead, so I'm going to do whatever I have to do to survive and to remain in one piece. It's not a concern of hers. We are expendable with her leadership style. She's more concerned with the mission then staying alive. I'm not expendable! I don't think anyone is but we make our own choices and in the middle of a battle is not the time to argue about them.

I imagine when I told you to run - you thought I was kidding? I don't kid. I'm a barbarian. It’s a hard life back home and I took care of the local wildlife. I left the jungle plains because I couldn’t control my temper and my grandmothers familiar bit me. I killed it. My family sent me away for my protection. Or my grandmother wound of transformed me into her sandals. I haven’t seen anyone here as powerful as she is. Not even close!

I was raised in a jungle plains envierment with almost no water. My family are necromantic wizards and adepts that moved more then 500 miles away from any natural water source. We create our own water and our nights are spent studying with our dead ancestors when we are children unless we are hunting for injured animals that my family treats so they can be released back into the wilds. For the most part my family are vegetarians. We grow what we need to eat and share with the jungle what we don’t need.

But we also know people fear the undead and that is why we live so far away from other people. We don’t want to frighten them and we value our heritage enough to protect it. Even from the living. So I’m not entirely conferrable killing the undead. I’ll do it if I have to, but I’m not going to do it just because I’m scared. In my book the undead are teachers, not monsters. All that said, the living matter.
My great grandfather was a barbarian turned bard. I imagine I inherited my barbarian traits from him. I loved his stories. But he’s been a skull teacher long before I was born.
He was the one that suggested that I leave the family home until I can control the rage with in me. I still haven’t learned to do that. So I’m not going to be predictable.
Among barbarian's I think first and then act. Most barbarians are a lot stronger then I am and care only about the power they have. I don’t. I think about waking up and enjoying the next days sunshine or moonlight. I adventure for the exsparance and so I will have stories to tell my own descendants. But the dead have no stories to tell. They are just lives unfinished. So when I see the undead, I feel a gentle sadness not fear.
Most druids see the undead as abominations and destroy them just because they can. My family care for nature but our libraries are filled with our dead ancestors. Some are powerful. Others are not. But they had a life and all life matters. Their insights are valuable and valuable enough to protect when you need to.
So I always fight to survive. When our captain orders me to stand and fight. If there is a better option I’m going to use it. At least until she starts putting our survival first. A mission to me is just a job and some are more important then others and an important job I will try to live up to but there are going to be times when my skills are just not sufficiently up to a task. I’ve learned to live with it.
I couldn’t even hit the demon most of the fight. So I considered leaving. I wasn't up to the task at this time. I needed to be more skilled before fighting the demons. From what I hear no one even killed it. So I have no reason to fight anymore of them. Most people can’t understand me because I’m smarter then they are and because of that and the fact that I live as an outdoors men they don’t understand me.
But my studies are designed for the end game. No one of our current levels should be fighting demons. We are not up to the task - yet!
That does not mean we can’t get there. But we need to be alive or undead to get there. Based on our encounters we need an expert in outer planes knowledge. That’s a simple fact and we should all be experts so we don’t make mistakes. Most of the creatures we are fighting are outer planes creatures. They are resistant or immune to most of the weapons we have. But my end game would rarely use weapons to fight with. It’s to easy to be disarmed. Or dependent on gods charity. Its a bad way to fight because they choose the outcome - not us!
So are you going to seek adventure elsewhere or follow our captains lead blindly or start thinking for yourself?

Personally I need to learn how to use my cap and my current plain is to find a suitable teacher to teach me how to use it. And to learn more about the outer planes. I’m not fighting another demon or shadow elemental until I do.” said Ka’lion

[at]

Mar 27, 2015 11:25:49 GMT -5 harknail said:

Vadania isn't much interested in carrying large amounts of coins, she would much rather payment with useful magic items. Coinwise, she just needs enough to pay for food and lodging for the rare times she's in a town.

Kara, the priestess, notes that some of the monastery's relics are missing - presumably taken east. She is agreeable with parting with something of what remains in payment however be it an enchantment of the forge or another item and queries Vadania as to her needs, though notes that there are some things the monastery cannot afford to part with in these troubled times.

Mar 27, 2015 11:25:49 GMT -5 harknail said:

Has Eldon been rescued?

Altar's message spells were too short to provide much information but from what Xana received it would appear that Eldon has indeed been freed, but has chosen to remain at the ruins of Clearwater for now. Vadania assumes that Altar himself will provide more information when he arrives.

Mar 27, 2015 11:28:01 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

Ka'lion seeks out Lynette

Lynette waits for Ka'lion to finish his length exposition before replying, "I understand now. You see others as beneath you, no more worth than the reward you feel you might gain in aiding them."

She motions to the cloak, "of all the old knights, those who wore the dark cloak were rumoured to be necromancers, and as each cloak strengthens the element to which it is tied so these cloaks strengthened death magic. An appropriate choice for you it would seem."
(Cape: 3/day inflict an extra d6 negative damage with a spell that already inflicts negative damage - such as cause light wounds. Also resist 5 against the same.)

Lynette begins to walk away but turns back briefly, "You are right about one thing, depending on the charity of others is a bad way to fight." Looking directly at Ka'lion, "And every day you run you do just that - home that someone, somewhere, holds back the tide on your behalf."

[sageaqua]

"No it's clear you don't understand at all. I never seek treasure. I'm perfectly conferrable with nothing. I don't see others as better then me. Just different. Each creature has strengths and weaknesses. And I'm not so selfish as to treat them any differently then I'd treat anyone else. You seem to be of the belief that killing yourself for a good cause is reason to do it. I do as I do so I will have children of my own. You have never considered that far ahead. And until you do. You have no hope of understanding me." said Ka’lion, “As far as the clock. It doesn’t sound like I’ll ever use it. I don’t use negative energy spells. I don’t know of any druid that does unless they wish to heal the undead. So I guess I’ll give it to my family. I’m sure they can use it more then I would.” said Ka’lion

[harknail]

OOC: Not commenting on Ka'lions discussion with Lynette because I don't think Vadania was there. But even if Ka'lion can' t use the special ability of the cloak, it's still providing him +3 AC (+1 shield, +2 deflection).

[sageaqua]

He knows but the feat he just took is grounds for getting rid of his armor altogether. It's becoming a hinderance. So he's going to need to trade it in for some bracers that work when he's in animal forms. He'll ask Vadania where his book is and where the library is and he'll ask what happened to the bracers?

Now what treasure where we supposed to get?

[at]

OOC: it wasn't long ago that Ka'lion threatened Lynette over his lost amulet, not long before that he sought to hold Eldon to ransom in her presence. She doesn't appear to be buying Ka'lions line about being uninterested in the accumulation of wealth and power

Mar 27, 2015 14:00:11 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

Now what treasure where we supposed to get?

Around 2000gp in coins and gems, or a slightly more in favorable trade for magical items from those that the trader and the priests have access to. The smith here can also enchant and change enchantments on armour/weapons, though only to a limited degree.

Ka'lions book is among his possessions in his room. What bracers are you referring to? - set your budget, your goals, and what items you want to move on. It's not straight up trade with items of equal value (as I mentioned before - characters have above level wealth because of erratic availability) but as it's the end of the chapter there is a greater range of stuff here than usual, and the mages from Clearwater will also bring items fitting of their own faction theme.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion didn't threaten her - at least I don't think he did. He just stop trusting her and wanted proof. But he did apologies once he cooled down. He had handled the situation badly and he said so. He's not perfect by any means and he has his future to think about. In truth he likes Lynette and her sister a little more. But I don't see it going anywhere. The bracers he is thinking about are either bracers of defense or ring of protection or something like that - so he'll trade up to improve his defense while in animal or human forms. He really doesn't like wearing armor. He never did.

Specifically he's thinking about the bracers Vandania currently has but we don't know what they do. Now I need to leave if I'm going to be on time for tonight's game.

[at]

Mar 27, 2015 15:37:23 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

Specifically he's thinking about the bracers Vandania currently has but we don't know what they do.

Ah, the warriors bracers. They were bracers of armour +1, belonging to one of the senior scouts of the order. There has been plenty of time to identify them while Ka'lion was out.

[harknail]

So those would be Bracers that Ka'lion would want and that Vadania has no use for/ Aand here I though he was finally going to be hard to hi while staying fastt, oh well, his choice if he prefers getting hit more often.

What about the ring she found? But the thing she would really like to get identified is that canvas triggered by moon magic! That probably just takes someone willing to overlook that the book is heretical and look up that symbol to see what it does. If need be, we can put it out at night till the symbol becomes visible again, so that we're not just depending on memory to match that symbol to one in the book. If nothing else, she can use her new found ability to ask the flame if it would bring weal or woe to activate it.

I can't think of anything the armorer could enchant that Vadania uses regularly. Leather armor and a wooden sword just are not blacksmith stuff. I can't think of anything in particular she could use other than a bag of holding, or even better, a handy haversack.

[at]

While Ka'lion and Vadania mull over their choices they have the opportunity to explore the building itself - well maintained but clearly ancient in places it is a fortress of sorts that spans the valley and the blocks passage through the mountains to the eastern desert from the fell, though from what Vadania understands the main gateway through the keep had not been closed for hundreds of years.

Alongside the gateway a massive hall once served as an inn of sorts for travellers, now burnt out in the firestorm that marked the demons passing. From what the group had be told it did not linger here longer than needed to free its companion, leaving them to finish the job while it moved on to the east.

Aside from the devastation wrought in the initial attack little inside had been touched, at least above ground. Below the catacombs were filled with the bodies of the slaughtered and the priests now worked day and night to recover and bury them. Ka'lion finds the library easily enough, vast and with some signs of combat that took place here with scattered books and fallen weapons.

Mar 27, 2015 17:08:02 GMT -5 harknail said:

So those would be Bracers that Ka'lion would want and that Vadania has no use for/ Aand here I though he was finally going to be hard to hi while staying fastt, oh well, his choice if he prefers getting hit more often.

These particular bracers add a +1 enhancement bonus to armour - so useless with actual magical armour but they do stack with mundane armours (Vadania would have remembered that the warrior they were taken from was wearing armour).

I didn't see anything about a magical ring in the last two threads, was it one from earlier? Do you remember which encounter?

[harknail]

She found the silvery in the kitchen on this page: kmansadventures.proboards.com/thread/8855/embers?page=13
It may not be magical at all, I don't remember if we checked.

[at]

Mar 27, 2015 17:58:03 GMT -5 harknail said:

She found the silvery in the kitchen on this page: kmansadventures.proboards.com/thread/8855/embers?page=13
It may not be magical at all, I don't remember if we checked.

Ah yes, ring of mystical healing to help with the boss fight.
My games notes are a bit muddled as this bit was written when the party first came here with Rack and his men ages ago (the demon wasn't quite as tough back then either )

+1 caster level when casting healing spells, and 3 charges per day - using a charge adds 2d6 to a healing spell you cast. Or you can blow all three charges at once for +4d6