Tyrus Regulus Veneficius's page

:O

Nice, I hadn't picked any of that up, but in retrospect it makes perfect sense and fits in with what we'd talked about.

Would have been fun to see it play out. If Tyrus found out, I can see him offering to sell 'his' soul to Luca's Patron just to screw that guy over!

Take care of yourself Mercy, and I hope life gets easier.

Part of me hopes Luca is going to post here just to prove me wrong... and I still have some hope Kien will show up.

@Mercy

If this is the end, I want to say how much I enjoyed the game. Tyrus was a very different character to play, and I loved playing him.

The relationship with his comrades was definitely part of that, but part of it was also your willingness to create a world that actually challenged him to grow - as well as challenging me (the player) to keep him alive!

Tyrus becoming a 'hero' (in terms of power at least) was a difficult journey, because I knew the risks that growth entailed were risks. Any encounter we didn't take absolutely seriously could be our last.

I'd definitely sign up for another campaign if you decide to run one, Mercy.

Hmm - I think Rednal has been gone for a while, which is a shame.

Hey Mercy, glad to hear you are well! I'm in Canberra and we've been very lucky.

I'm certainly interested, but I'm happy to release you from your promise - there was no way you could have anticipated the poorly-scripted-disaster-movie that was 202*

Sure. It was for me, I got really excited when I saw there was a post :(
@Mercy - if you are out there, I hope everything is okay.

Tyrus looked out the window, doing his best to judge the time. "I think if I go now I can still catch some people. I hate to rush, but... Kien - can you take Luca to find the rooms? Best if I seem inconsequential. A tutor or something. I'm off to the Academies."

"Then I should go back today. I will try to grab what clues I can, and look into alternate travel arrangements." Tyrus agreed.
[b]"Should we need to flee I doubt mundane travel arrangements will e enough - but even a few simple feints may help. Kien, Luca, can you find other accommodation for us, far from here. Something very cheap. We can then move to the other location, leave a forwarding address, and simply vanish.

Tyrus sighs "No. I've a clue now. Soul magic is a rare specialisation, but it exists elsewhere."
He starts to pack "Did they forbid you from anything other than leaving? A half day to gather supplies would be good - but we'll need to be careful to ensure they do not notice. We'll also need to leave in such a way they cannot easily follow - a head start would be good."
He considers "Perhaps magical travel? Expensive, though. Inquiring into any travel option is problematic, if they are keeping an eye on us."

"Luca; the consequences are yours, and thus so is the decision. I still have a lead to follow up - though it means a long trip. Kien seems amicable enough. Gods know adults have manipulated you enough in your short life, and your decisions have always been good. Stay? Or Run?" Tyrus looks seriously in the young girls face.

Thinking we go with a 'if no decision in 2 weeks GM gets to flip a coin ;)' rule.
Much as I'd love to stick around for Tyrus' sake, if Luca doesn't feel safe he'll go.

I'm confident Mercy will have a good story for us either way :)

@Kien: that's scary! Hope they are better soon.

I didn't think Tyrus was there. He'd listen to Kien's advice, but back Luca. Even if it means skipping town without a proper answer.
Even the new clue he has now are enough to prompt a whole new avenue of investigation.

So: how is everyone? We've been doing 'social distancing' from home since mid march. We started homeschooling my son 2 weeks ago - I'm looking forward to the 'holidays'! We decided to try to rush our renovation so we could get our main room back, given we're not able to go places.

When the others return, Tyrus shares his victory.

"Ah, well, I'm afraid I spent a silver on supplies, but this time with success. While it is difficult to guarantee that I have not simply started imagining things while I..." he trailed off "I felt another presence, in my... me. Another soul. Not doing anything, but there. Given everything, it is hard not to assume a casual relationship with my affliction."

Tyrus notes, belatedly, the look on Luca's face. "I'm sorry - I think I let my excitement get the better of me. How was your day?" the old wizard looks quickly from Kien to Luca, and back "Is everything alright?" Another quick look at Kien "I have a few combat spells prepared - should I quickly memorise some more?"

It's fine.
We had things, I got through my bit fast is all :)

I believe this is just Luca & Kien?
I am amused that if they have done their research they may think the guardian is Tyrus, and have prepared contingencies for an old, fat necromancer. Then they get Kien.
'Well, that antimagic field isn't going to help...'

Even before he begins, Tyrus realises what he's up against. Meditation had never been something he'd practised or prioritised - he was a scholar, not a sorcerer - despite the number of his colleagues who claimed some questionable benefit.
The difficulties he had had the first night had left him with an appreciation of just how difficult this would be however, and he determined to pull out all the stops to make this work.

He changed his morning preparation, preparing a number of the panacea he'd experimented with over time. Recognising that the magic bloating his body was almost certainly adding to the difficulty, he stopped by a chiurgeon to buy a few nice, healthy looking leeches. On the way back he passed an alchemist and picked up a few herbs to ensure his health was as good as he could manage.

Finally he headed into the House of Lights and started asking around for someone who could lead a meditation - ideally the Golmish woman who suggested it. He was careful to keep his thoughts on the utility of such a practice to himself, given he now found his life dependent on it.

It was not successful.

"The Gods Damn it!" he swore, pulling himself to his feet. "Six tries! This isn't going to work. I could be at this for years!"

A man as large as Tyrus cannot stalk, but he looms around the tiny apartment the group has hired.

"We need to find out who is hunting us." His complaints turned to something he might be able to achieve "Kien, Luca; did you hear anything yesterday?"

True; suites are quite expensive. Given we've been camping together and sharing cabins, I guess sharing a room is not that onerous; especially if we're posting watches in case of assassins.

What is a reasonable quality (doesn't necessarily have to be completely separate rooms, but some security is good) inn go for here? Is this place 110%, 150% or 200% the normal amount?

I think Tyrus would be inclined to agree to one night for 15 silver and a chance to recover.
As a player I'm wincing at giving up silver at all, given how hard we found it to acquire previously.
What do the rest of you think?

Tyrus huffed a little as he pulls himself down into a comfy chair, a slight groan emanating from both sitter and settee. There was a joy in his heart that was... unprecedented.
'Perhaps... I think perhaps when I first started dating. Joy. Hope. Excitement. This is what I always thought University could be! I should have come here years ago! Before I...' knowledge of why he was here surfaced again - there was no time to relax into the environment. He needed a cure, or very soon he'd be unable to participate in any meaningful way.
He waved over a waiter, ordered food for himself, Kien and Luca, and waited for his companions to return to him.

"Much as I'd like to carouse..." Tyrus says to his companions when they return, startled out of his inner contemplation "I'm not a young man anymore. I suspect it might be best if we retire to a suite, or find ourselves a base of operations. I confess I am inclined to find a suite here, if only to repay our hosts for their forbearance - though it would be wise to use a pseudonym."
"Once we retire I'd like to share what I've found - and if you've found anything of interest. I may have found a lead - mastery of ones soul through either asceticism or hedonism, and while a part of me would be interested in hedonism" he smiles self-deprecatingly "I suspect asceticism is more in line with my constitution and our financial constraints!"
"Should either of you two wish to carouse, of course, you would be welcome to return after we debrief. You're still a young man, Sean, and our purse can stand a little bloodletting" this last added to Kien - though whether the name is an impromptu attempt at an alias, or simply Tyrus' tired mind having a moment is hard to tell.

When interrogated as to his qualifications, Tertius hesitates a moment, then admits to his training - though not his rank. "Medicine is not exactly a speciality of the university, and I have gone out amongst the world to learn more." he adds.

"My primary interest here is in degeneration of the mind, and diseases of the soul." Once he has found an audience who engages, he goes further.
"I seek a cure to the disease that afflicted my grandfather in his final days and, I believe, is fated to afflict the same suffering on me. "

Primarily looking for a cure, but also keeping an ear out for anything related to his research interests - necromancy, blood magic, and most recently Makon magic

Tertius strode among scholars, and despite his affliction for the first time he felt something new. Confidence. He'd always felt an impostor in such events, trailing in his wife's shadow.
He had no discoveries. No acomplishments. No stories. No real friends.
Tyrus had all four.

"Indeed I did deal with several cases - we had somewhat of an outbreak of them in Keldradt. Understandable, I remember facing down a horde of the undead, my companions injured. When they turned on me... well, I'm not ashamed to say I ran. I have literally felt the icy grip of the undead on my body, and I am convinced the problem is psychological, rather than physical or psychic..."

"Indeed, I had the same thought. My researches into unifying alchemy and spellcraft are still young, but I am convinced that alchemical formulae and arcane spells are simply two different ways of encoding the same information. Let me demonstrate..."

"Indeed I am a Haemothurge, but I can assure you Blood Magic is far from the dark art you suspect. I always believed so, and while my time when captured by pirates reinforced my belief, I recently had the opportunity to lead an expedition to unearth a Makon 'devil-king's' stronghold, and it is the unwilling taking of blood that leads to the corruption endemic to..."

"In fact glass, properly shaped and strengthened, makes an exceptional surgical instrument. Strengthened? Oh, indeed, there are several techniques to strengthen the glass. Have a look in my journal, here, and you'll see - oh never mind that, just a sketch for a statuette of Lianna I made. Doesn't capture her true beauty of course..."

"Delighted to meet you Sulimach. I am Tertius, and am myself somewhat of a herbologist, through primarily I am interested in its applicability to alchemy." he waves to the others, carefully leaving their names out "...and these are my students."

"Primarily" Tyrus starts "I am here looking for information on a particularly pernicious illness. There is some evidence it may be of a supernatural nature. There is even a chance - albeit a small one - it may be more a malady of the soul."

"Other than that: I have a few miscellaneous arcane research topics I would like to pursue. I am hoping to find a friend of a friend who I believe lives in the city." he smiles "I believe that covers it. Is there any chance you could point me in the right direction? I am not wealthy, but I do have a somewhat valuable tome I am willing to part with if I need to raise capital."

I'm okay with either plan
(A) go to the House of Lights and start asking around
(B) go to the library and try to find out more about why this woman is asking for us.

Given (A) does not split the party, maybe we go with that? We can justify it as asking around there.

Tyrus suddenly straightens at Luca's words "I remember! In University I studied with a young lady from these parts. She worked for her father, who used to sell paper to them. She joked about how she grew up in a tavern, because that's where the different clubs all met. What was it called... Lighthouse? No - House of Lights. That's it!"

"Kien - could you recount the story in more detail? Perhaps something
in that will prompt my failing memory to regurgitate a useful fact. Ironic if it turned out this is simply an old student."

Tyrus looks torn. "Long term, finding a group of like minded academics is critical. Contacting the library is more about trying to head off any potential issues."
A thought occurs "I don't suppose we could stalk them, Kien?"

Tryus looks thoughtful.
"As I remember the Library stands alone, obsessed with the acquisition, categorisation, and especially preservation of knowledge. Actual use of that knowledge is regarded with some disdain. I know 'clubs' have sprung up in the city, groups of academics who seek only to use the information in the library and thus are not part of the library per se. I had hoped to find such a club dealing in healing, rather than try to wade through the library itself."

He pauses, leaning breathlessly against a relatively clean wall nearby. "According to my journal we have unearthed rare information on four different occasions. Firstly with that dwarf's book - merging divine and arcane magic. Secondly with the ruins we encountered rescuing the apprentice, though admittedly only little information was found. Thirdly we have recently succeeded in acquiring a large quantity of information from our most recent archaeology dig, including some rather startling information on Blood Magic and Infernalism. Finally there is my own research into a unifying theory of alchemy and arcane magic."

He shrugs "It is possible they have become aware of one or more of these events - especially if a summary of our archeological dig has been made public. That might justify looking for us, though I question whether stealth would be used."

"On the other hand, unless we seek to destroy information - and we don't - we are unlikely to gain their enmity. While they have many Triarch worshippers - this city is flooded with such - I have never heard of any direct ties."

"We're unlikely to make allies with the library unless we're directly working to support their agenda; though..." he trails off "We could see if they are interested in buying and/or restoring the dwarven journal we've carried so long. That would give an excuse to approach the library proper, and possibly see if they have heard of us."

"As for blending in... Luca might do so easily. Perhaps with some effort you might appear a young gentleman, Kien. A man of my... presence" Tyrus self deprecatingly slaps his girth "Is unlikely to go unnoticed."

" I could then approach the Library, and if all goes well I will reappear with information. If not..." he trails off "I certainly can't think of any reason they might want me. I can claim we have parted ways if it is one of the two of you they seek. I can wear a token, so you know from a distance to beware, in case they are following me."

"There are some spells - not ones I know, but relatively easily acquired - that could help you to blend in. Alternatively we could simply go shopping."

Tyrus stumbles over an apology as he grabs the proferred paper bags. "Sorry. Must dash! Sorry. Luca! Sorry!"
by the fourth apology he's out the door Kien holds open. "What is it?" he asks, more quietly. "We only just got your buns"

Tyrus dutifully hands over a few silvers for the recommended produce. "My children used to love these things." he sighs "My wife disapproved, so we almost never had them. I remember I used to buy them as a secret when the children and I were out without them."

Scabard works too, and I think they still let you set up a campaign for free.
You can sort of fake it with Google Docs - doesn't looks as great, but easy to edit.

Cheers

I've always seen Mending, and to a degree Make Whole, as very strong superglue. If a chair or vase is broken, you can superglue it back together, and it is as good as new, but still has a bunch of cracks in it.
Mending doesn't work on warping or missing pieces, Make Whole does. Missing pieces can be filled in with enough superglue (to form a solid piece) - although at this point it is more like Sugru or thermoplastic.

A shattered ming vase held together with superglue is still valuable, but not as valuable as a ming vase that was never shattered.

I'm cool though, if it doesn't work on historical artefacts, as long as it is true for everyone. It means I'm not taking a simple logical step to help the group because it can't be taken - not because Tyrus is foolish.

The ability to repair things could be useful - in addition to the boat there's been other things. I'm not sure how useful, though.

If it does work on artifacts as long as they were broken recently, it'd actually fix a bunch of cases we had where we've accidentally broken something - such as the book at the start where we failed the handle carefully roll. In that case the book was fragile, but we flubbed the roll to actually break it.

Tyrus looks bemused as Kien leads them through a maze of back streets. 'He really wants a pastry. Perhaps there is a shop he is familar with?'

Given how rarely Kien shows preference at all, let alone this strong, he goes along with the travel, not even complaining about the narrowness of Athekorian alleyways.

Curious to see what Kien had been looking for, he is startled when the young man drops money into Luca's hand with barely any instructions and bolts back out the door.

He engages with the shopkeeper. "I have heard excellent reports on your quality. What are your specialities in pastries, please?"

I confess I was thinking something similar. We keep finding fragile artefacts, such as the book at the start.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/ship-combat/spell-effect s-in-naval-combat/ clarifies ships are effected as constructs, and my secondary purpose was in being able to keep a ship afloat (or wagon rolling). 2.25 gp does seem like a lot for that, though.
If Kien's good to move on, so am I.

Sorry for the wall of text. A crash ate my first post, and by the time I'd managed to rewrite it we'd moved on. In retrospect might have been better as two posts.

Tyrus Tries to push himself on the journey - but having learned his lesson from the ship concentrates on being prepared for danger, which includes keeping himself healthy.

The ex-teacher is a font of knowledge on subjects from entomology to etymology, botany to geography. Willingly he shares his knowledge, freezing when some fact eludes him.

Anyone willing to discuss magical theory finds him desperate to discuss the theories written in his journal - theories he puzzled out, but whose secrets now elude him. Those staying close for any length of time are in danger of becoming apprentices by osmosis, given how many mystical secrets he lets free.

This doesn't endear himself to most of the caravan, but Torble takes the brunt of the discussion. Once Tertius realises Tyrus enhanced his Familiar's mental link to allow conversation the poor ooze-bug finds himself talking until his master grows hoarse.

Thesseni is not unknown to Tyrus, and he does his best to find fellow academics. His two days are not so much a rest as a series of rushed meetings and frantic shopping trips. From bookshop to bookshop, library to library he travels.

His time in the capital, and even in the Geresaadi border-town are spent much the same way, though with less success.

Tyrus greets the dwarven guards in proficient - if not quite fluent - Dwarven.

"Amazing, isn't it." he remarks to his companions, as they embark upon the Low Roads. "Such engineering is almost beyond the ken of mankind. Generations of Dwarves spent their lives in the creation. It does not tower, as the monuments of man and elves do, yet it is larger by far than anything raised by those above."
He sighs "I saw one of these once, as a student. We travelled for a few days. I always dreamed about taking some great voyage, such as Ecarl or Taenyach - and now here I am. Of course, in my visions I took the Low Road to the Deep Way."
He looks ahead, eyes fixed on something miles away to the South. "A feat of spellcraft, that, to match the engineering here. A way to cross oceans and never even see a drop of water."

In Uzdreft Tyrus blinks to see dour Kien laugh. He limits himself to a single stout - dwarven mugs being deceptively deep - and does his best to chaperone Luca.
"It is good to see him like this." he reflects quietly to Luca. "I don't know if it is that I have lost the memory of other times, or if this really is the first time he seems to be having fun."

Tyrus pulls the others together. "Whilst I am reluctant to take passage on board a ship again - we seem destined for trouble when we do so - I am tempted by finding a ship bound so quickly for Kadesh. We could wait some time for such an opportunity."
He sighs "But I am conscious how much we are then investing in the words of a stranger. The library in Athekor is one of the best in the world - if we can get access to it, it may hold an answer. My mind is not what it should be, I leave the decision to you."

"Caravan?" Tyrus perks up "You found a caravan? Better than riding for eight days, yes? How much will it cost?"

"And what?" Tyrus asks emotionally once they are alone "Walk? Through orc-filled jungles all the way to this Parel Byrne?" He shakes his head "And quickly too - it sounds like we'll have to make it there before the captain has a chance to dock and spread his fairy story that this sea monster was hunting us! Ridiculous!"

Snorting a bit he calms down "Yes. We'll need supplies. And a map. Good thoughts, Luca. We might even be able to find a guide, if people take this route often."

Yow!
Without power for five days? That is one heck of a storm!

"I do have to admit that it seems our previous experience..." Tyrus taps his journal "and this one together make for a statistically unenviable risk pattern/"
"What are the odds some random sea monster would attack our ship, though? Easier for those who must go back out to sea to believe that the cause has been removed, than to risk that creatures like that still await them out in the deep."

Is this the port we were aiming for, or another one?

Tyrus's mouth drops at the accusation, and he lets his companions take the lead.

"Captain. Please. I've not seen nor heard of a thing like that! If we'd any idea such things were coming, we'd have been better prepared! I, for one, would have taken the time to memorise at least one combat spell." he adds earnestly - then adds "Though now that I have seen it I can assure you I intend to keep more than one memorised at all times!"

With that he follows Kien, intending to help the man dry his clothes with magic.

Tyrus looks up "Will we need to pull ashore here, or make it to the next dock? Or is this an even larger problem?"

Ah, the freedom to actually renovate when something bothers you!
Hope the cleaning is short, and the celebration is long!

Congratulations!
Is it your first house? (As owner)

Tyrus rushes to the side - drawing the rope taut - to check on Kien's condition.

"Luca! Look for the injured! Most serious first!" he calls, fumbling for his medical supplies.

With a touch Tyrus sends Torble back into the water with another surge of energy for Kien.
Another 2 rounds of +2 Str