Cold Embraces

[Jasmine]

Well, in the absence of obvious evil things to battle, and with the Silver Flame handling demon/devil-related stuff, how about searching for more treasure?

[harknail]

Vadania says, "I know of a few area's we could search. There is a sunken boat in a lake near Burr town. There are the Clearwater Priests vaults, though we may need help with those. Also, we found a portal to elsewhere that's still functioning, though barely, that is a two way portal."

OOC: I forgot to hand over the hammer that Vadania had bought back while at the Silver Flame monastery. Also, are the Clearwater vault walls made of stone?

[sageaqua]

"We should check the ship and then the vaults of Clearwater." says Ka'lion

[harknail]

Vadania suggests, "Checking the underwater ship will have us near Burr. While we're that close we can stop in to return Melwyn's wand and maybe find someone to help us open the vault."

[sageaqua]

""All I need is a good pick. But I don't mind getting a rogue. We know a few." said Ka'lion

[at]

Of potential nearby sources of wealth the group would consider the nearby portal to be the least likely to have been picked clear by wandering adventurers, though also clearly the most potentially dangerous of paths to take.

The vault, as with all of Clearwater, was now the domain of the cabal with which the party has had little dealing, while the ship and the sunken thane are of uncertain worth but likely less risk - especially the ship - provided the party has the means by which to breath beneath the water.


Aside from the various quest hooks the characters can seek to unlock more power from any legacy items they carry - and if they choose not to head east into the desert the new adventure line will kick off here in the Steadlands.

The portal tower is also a complete (multi-level) adventure intended for when the party wished to abandon the chase of the demon and adventure without the its shadow over them, entirely separate from the Steadlands.

May 9, 2016 20:39:20 GMT -5 harknail said:

Also, are the Clearwater vault walls made of stone?

The vault door was metal, the walls around it stone - though Vadania does not know the full construction of the vault interior.

[harknail]

Vadania can let the entire group breath underwater for a while, so the sunken ship will be easy to explore (though there might be a sea monster that objects). As for raiding the vault, Vadania can probably get though the stone walls (as she did in the dwarven ruins), but the cabel might have already looted the vault, and if they hadn't, might object to us doing so.

[sageaqua]

Kaolin prefers the vault as he can't shape change yet. Besides Ka'lion considers himself to have first claims. Valadia and him where at Clearwater when it fell and he's been in the city before the coal entered the city. And although he was unsure at the time he has worked with a living cobalt member once before. So he may have an ally in the city.

[at]

Should the group wish to travel to Clearwater there are three potential routes - via the monastery road, via the north road (which connects Merebas to Woldegard), or through the forests avoiding the roads entirely.


If they wish to clear out the vault there will be more obstacles in their path than the door and the mages, a cart or several horses will be needed to carry any quantity of goods and with both the survivors of the city and the central church in Merebas having claim the group will need to find some place to offload their gains. If what Ka'lion had heard of a new ruler in the Hollow was true then the barbarians would likely be the least concerned over matters of ownership.


In any event all paths to Clearwater lead north, away from Burr and the portal tower, and away from the frozen weather to the south west.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion tells the party what he found the last two times he was in Clearwater. He no longer cares as the who owns Clearwater's temples. The temples got him into this mess. So he need's help and if he can find a dwarf or two he'd be happy as they can tell him how to safety get into the vault but - if Vedanta's argument is right about the barbarian attack was in the right the Ka'lion was used. He doesn't like that.

[at]

(Does the party wish to travel to Clearwater? And if so do they wish to go via the monastery or travel directly via the north road?)

[sageaqua]

Vedanta wants to return the wand and Ka'lion doesn't care if we return the wand before or afterwards. If Vedanta wants to cast water breathing on us that's fine but ka'lion thinks it's a mistake at this time. If we where attacked under water and Ka'lion thinks we will be we have only one member of the party to get us out of trouble. Kaolin would prefer to have 2 members able to shapechange then if something want wrong we'd have a back up plain. Otherwise we need to light the waters up so the whole party can see well down on the bottom. Kaolin does thing a water adventure could be hard on bird folk but he doesn't know how well the rest of the party swims.

[Jasmine]

Ka'lion can shapechange a little. He can use aquatic escape (Druid 1, Complete Scoundrel) to turn into a fish, aspect of the wolf (Druid 1, Spell Compendium) to turn into a wolf, or winged watcher (Druid 1, Complete Scoundrel) to turn into an owl or raven.

Light should not be a problem, as Tink acts as a light source in incorporeal form and can cast dancing lights and faerie fire at will. She could even go down there as a ball of light and scout out the area before the party goes in. Incorporeal creatures can "fly" through water.

[at]

As the sunken ship, Burr Town, and Clearwater all lay in the direction of the north road the party heads out in that direction, still unable to decide where they wish to go.

Following the path they had left a matter of days ago when Ka'lion dragged his scrap through the forest here the group head east, reaching to road somewhat sooner than they had before with several hours of daylight left. The road had been cleared but the party can see where the attackers had been dug shallow graves nearby as they turn north and continue on.


Barely an hour passes before Vadanias keen ears pick up the sound of horses and two riders soon come into view from the south wearing what Brennen identifies as uniforms of the Merebas military. Upon spotting the party one rider holds back while the other rides closer and challenges the group, "what is your business here?"

[sageaqua]

"Your not from around here. If you where you'd know who we are. Who are you?" asked Ka'lion

[at]

"We are the north guard, and you will answer me!"

The group know that the north guard is the name for Merebas forces along their north border - not a particularly creative bunch when it comes to naming. In times past it was a relatively prestigious posting to be the first to face an invasion from Woldegard but after many generations of peace they do little but search caravans and deal with any Ibixian or goblin parties that might stray into Merebas from the hills.

For all his demands the soldier sits ready to move away on his horse rather than to charge.

[sageaqua]

"Your either lost or a spy. Your nowhere near the Woldegrad boarder." says Ka'lion pulling out his map on horse back. "You want to go that way to get back to your kingdom." says Ka'lion before putting his map away.

[at]

As ever, Ka'lion is quick and eager to antagonise anyone the party might encounter. Vadania is long used to this but Brennen and Tink wonder at the wisdom of his words.

May 15, 2016 7:50:59 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

"Your either lost or a spy. Your nowhere near the Woldegrad boarder."

To clarify - Woldegard is to the north of the Steadlands, Merebas is to the south.

The Steadlands themselves are neutral militarily but closer allied to Merebas in religious and cultural terms, soldiers from both sides tend to stay beyond the boundaries of the Steadlands as entering it in force would be deemed a preparation for war - the only other routes between the two nations are through the empire to the east, across the seas to the far west, or through the dense forest at the western edge of the Fell.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion doesn't like to be ordered around. He didn't grow up around it and sees it as no different then the alpha trying to force their way. He'll fight to the death on that issue alone. The riders are not the only ones on horse back. He knows he can run them down. So far he's being reasonable. Instead of his map. He could of drawn his bow and gone hunting. "Think it's your call. Do we let them trust pass on our person or am I going to shoot them?"

[harknail]

Vadania comments, "Why not just answer they're question? It's not as if it's a secret, as you said if they lived here they'd already know."

Turning her attention to the guards, "We are traveling the steadlands fighting the released demons when we encounter them, and gathering weapons to be used against them. We haven't yet decided our next destination, but all of options we are considering are in this direction."