Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

"What we are talking about is you being our eyes and ears in places where our efforts would be spread too thinly or might be counterproductive."

She turns to Sefayll. "Signifier Valerian, you will accompany this group. As I am sure you are aware, an hellknight on active duty will negate the advantages of this arrangement. As a consequence, as far as anyone else in the Order is aware, you are now officially cashiered due to your failings dealing with the Black Mark operation. You will be treated in all respects as having failed in your duty as a hellknight. You will surrender your badges of office and vacate your quarters immediately. You will not be allowed to re-enter Order properties on pain of death. You will not attempt contact with former comrades in the Order on pain of death. You will not attempt to pass yourself as a current member of the Order on pain of death. The only exception to the above is when you contact me to provide updates on your progress. You will do so by magical means and will not attempt physical contact.

"Any questions?"

Camlo keeps very quiet as it dawns on him he may actually make it out of Magnimar alive. He can't help an ecstatic grin through.

"Those are rough terms, signifier", Alwyn tut-tuts, shaking his head sadly. "Having said that, we will need to contact you on occasion. How do we do that? And what kinds of resources can we draw upon, should the situation require it?"

Looking a bit shocked, Sefayll acknowledges her orders with a nod. Regaining her composure, she straightens up and nods curtly. "Understood, ma'am. No contact whatsoever. Proceed as an outcast, reporting back via magic only."

"Having said that, we will need to contact you on occasion. How do we do that? And what kinds of resources can we draw upon, should the situation require it?"

"As with ex-Signifier Valerian, it is best to contact us through magical means. The resources we bring to bear will be at our discretion based upon the intelligence you provide."

"In the meantime," continues the woman, "We would suggest that you return to Turtleback Ferry with due despatch. Clearly the ogres of Hook Mountain are part of this conspiracy. You should continue your investigations there."

"We are headed to Riddleport and then the Calphiak Mountains to recruit soldiers for Fort Rannick. Once that`s taken care of, we`ll be heading right back to Turtleback Ferry."

"We will supply troops for Fort Rannick. I hope you appreciate that this situation will not wait while you have a jaunt along the Lost Coast."

"Point taken. We`ll head back there, then. Once Vethran has regained his strength, he might be able to get us there magically."

"Also, speaking of lamias - the Mark`s pet wizard, Marl, did not seem like he liked the lamia. In fact, I`d say he looked completely terrified when she changed into snake form. That might be their weak point - if we can get word to Marl, perhaps we can convince him to betray his masters."

Sefayll looks at the still-pale wizard, "How many can you transport, wizard? And how long until you are up to the casting necessary?"

Fatey?

"Any more questions?"

"What now?..."

I can't think of any questions anyway.

"I will clear out my quarters immediately." She spins on her heel and marches out of the room unless someone stops her, of course.

The meeting breaks up. The elderly knight sidles up to Alwyn. "I didn't introduce myself. I'm Ghorth, the Chief Archivist for the Order. I understand you have a Thassilonian polearm in your possession which is of considerable historical value. I wonder if I might be able to take it off your hands? Say, for fifty-thousand gold?"

Alwyn shakes the old man`s hand. "That sounds like a very fair price. I`m certain we would love selling it; having said that, you need to talk to the Varisian cousins for the particulars. They are the ones who hid it, after all."

"I will."

OK, unless anyone objects, that's fifty grand for the troll fork. Time to discuss your next move.

I'm down with vending the pigsticker.

"So, shall we teleport via Vethran, back to turtleback? And,....what exactly ought we to investigate?
I'm all for roaming the countryside stabbing stuff, and having recently been slain, am in the mood for such acts.
I'm just wondering; what exactly we're supposed to be doing, once we 'port back to the Turtle."

re: teleporting;

looks like Veth can do it once a day;
900 miles;
3 people besides himself.
So there's
Hudak, Alwyn, Illes, Camlo, Sefayll and Veth;

day one he ports two or three of us to Turtleback,
day two he ports back,
day three he ports two or three of us to Turtleback.

Anybody for splittin' th' party?....;)

He`ll need to get back up to level 9 again before he can cast Teleport. That`s one more week. We could actually march to Sandpoint and get the big fork, hump it back to Magnimar and sell it to the Hellknights and then spend money - and then `port back to Turtleback Ferry.

"My best guess is to go back to the sharp end of the troubles there - the ogres. It should be within our means to find out where they came from. They were following the orders of someone named Mokmurian - maybe we`ll find him too."

"I can cast Teleport with the use of a scroll with reasonable success. Unfortunately, I lack the funds to purchase such a scroll myself and I can no longer..., she purses her lips for a moment, "call on my former masters to obtain one." That's how Sefayll joined the part in the Maiden. Targeting Turtleback for her would be a likely issue, of course. Unless my investigations of the party before the ambush included a trip to Turtleback...

It should be pretty obvious that she's lost, the one sure thing in her life taken away, but she wants to assist wherever and however she can.

"Back to Sandpoint then, I suppose."

I don't think negative levels in Pathfinder reduce your ability to cast spells like it did in 3.5, but I'd have to double-check that. I should still be able to use teleport but my caster level is reduced.

Vethran seems distant and distracted following the resurrection. He seldom responds when spoken to and seems overly absorbed in his spellbook, revising diagrams and notations that he had previously written within it. After a few days (and a lot of sleep) he slowly comes around to a semblance of his former self and thanks his cousin and their companions for bringing him back.

"When you feel up to it, you and I should discuss tactics. We both know you are the stronger mage and you know your companions better than my brief study of your party could possibly provide. My previous tactics are of little use to me now..." She frowns, thinking for a moment.

"So we should discuss to determine how I may best contribute."

I don't think negative levels in Pathfinder reduce your ability to cast spells like it did in 3.5, but I'd have to double-check that. I should still be able to use teleport but my caster level is reduced.

Actually it does - unless you already had a spell prepared. But you can get your levels back up with Restoration, although it's 1,000gp a pop in diamond dust per level, and a week apart. On the other hand, a nice recuperative meander up the Lost Coast to Sandpoint might be just the rest you need...

"Ariel!!! Oookla!!! RIIIIIIDE!!!"

Let's bounce. Ridin to Sandpoint, I reckon.

So say you all?

Aye

Yup. Let's bounce. Vethran will use some of his share of the loot to buy 2000gp of diamond dust and Alwyn can make with the restorations on the road.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see that Vattnise took the cost of the restorations into account when factoring our gold from the last battle. Very well then!

Yes

Roll out!

Illes is uncharacteristically sour and silent throughout the meeting with the Hellknights. On leaving the meeting he mutters to Vethran in Varisian, "That was awfully convenient don't you think? They managed to plant one of their own with us and move into our fort at the same time." He walks on in silence for a moment then in a more concerned tone asks, "How bad is it? You don't look like you're all the way back yet."

So we need to get horses again for this trek? I don't remember what happened to the ones Alwyn, Hudak, Elisile and crew had before.

http://paizo.com/campaigns/AubreysRiseOfTheRunelordsCampaign/gameplay&p age=189#9401

Did the horses survive the battle with the dragon - I didn't have time to read the whole battle.

The armored mage is silent as she walks with the party, well aware of the glares and muttering around her. She finds herself walking near Hudak as he does not seem to care about her presence one way or the other.

By the way, you probably have some spending to do... Assume you get the 50,000 up front.

I can't tell. I flipped back and forth looking... The goblins were attacking horses. At least one horse was killed, but I don't know if it was one of ours or one from the caravan.
It seems like we probably rode those horses back to Sandpoint, but left them there because we went for the goblin lair on foot knowing it would be brush. We might have sold them before heading out, but I'm not sure.
In any case, after the goblins was the dragon, then the hell knights. So whether we had them or sold them they are currently in Sandpoint.

Not to sound like a greedy jerk, but do we include Sefayll when we split the fork gold? Or, rather, was she built with the "right" amount of gold for her level while this is meant to get us up to the correct gear value?

"I tire of this road - Gorum knows we`ve made this trek enough times already, and the trip always seems to end with tragedy or bitter disappointment. Hopefully Vethran can teleport us back to Turtleback Ferry soon; I do not want to face the swamp fiend again if I can avoid it."

I'd split the fork gold with Sefayll. You are more or less at a par equipment-wise.

Re horses, the hellknights will give you some. You were hauled back to Magnimar in a crate so whatever horses you had before are gone now.

Sounds fair. That gives each of us 8333 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze pieces.

Thanks - I was certainly not expecting anything for something you obtained prior to her ever appearing on the scene.

Recognizing that she has to pay her way somehow, Sefayll accepts a share of the sales gratefully. "Thank you - I know you do not have to share this. I am at your service while we investigate this problem, as will anything I buy with these funds."

Hesitantly, she asks, "So... what do you plan to purchase with your money?"

"How bad is it? You don't look like you're all the way back yet."

"Its..." the mage struggles to find the words to describe the simultaneously numb and chilling sensation that seemed to consume him. "It could be worse."

He produces his spellbook, rife as it was with notations and hypotheses on magical theory, and opens it to the most recent entries. "I have, at least, documented what I perceived as my period of time in the afterlife. What I can remember, at least. I think these notes will help me with some new spells once I get a chance to shake this unearthly chill." Vethran shudders a bit, swallowing hard. "When life hands you lemons, as grandmother used to say."

8333 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze pieces.

I'll buy another horse I reckon.

To go with your free horse, presumably.

Mighty Hudak so big he need two horse!

I think I`ll get that Phylactery of positive channeling I was going on and on about.

UPDATE: Bah! Headbands and phylacteries occupy the same item slots. I`ll just get a better WIS headband instead. With the leftover gold I`ll get a pair of Boots of striding and springing, so I won`t be as slowed down as I was in the last fight.

"I will need time... and rest, ideally, before I think about spending my share of the treasure. I've been meaning to improve the empowering sigils on my headband, and I think I've figured out the proper enhancement catalysts to do so. I just haven't gotten around to it," the mage sighs, glancing around at his companions.

"Perhaps once we get settled in at the Fort, I can see about making use of that workshop I was planning. I wonder if Dravite is still there?"

Camlo will sell his Amulet of Natural Protection +1(+1000gp) and Buy An Amulet of Natural Protection +2 (-8000). Buy Boots of Striding and Springing (-5500). I'd love to get a Decoy Ring, but unless someone can craft it, it's out at the moment. I have 500gp left

Ah, worked out the right bit of pfsrd now... Better boots!

"Are you a crafter, Mage Vethran?"

Huzzzah!!! Back on.

"Are you a crafter, Mage Vethran?"

"I am, when time permits," he smirks. "My talents are somewhat limited, but I do intend to expand them."

She nods, "A valuable skill. My crafting has been limited to what I have done with my helm."