She simply says, "That seems fine, though you might want to send it as a letter by magic or by messenger. If I send it only by magic using the spell sending or message then he will get it wherever he is now. Sending a letter by magic is only 1 silver piece, sending it by messenger would be 5 copper, putting a letter in the mail would be 1 copper, Sending would be 300 gp since I still have one of the spell slots available, and magically sending it would cost 10 gp."
Joe pulls open his backpack and finds he has noting of intrinsic value. "Dammit! I got a quarter and a dime, both silver pieces. I need to get this message out tonight."
"Can't believe I left Avalon without some gold pieces", the young king said to himself.
She says, "I can put it on your tab. Do you have a crystal of record? Or I just put it on your temple credit."
The paladin groans. "Temple credit, please."
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In a well cushioned room with lots of incense burning. Before anything else happens Jellena relays, ”That is your first task focus only upon that for now. If you were not an Outsider and coming to ask to join and guessed wrong you would be dismissed.”
Jellena would also explain, ”Being a Chosen means you are part of an organization, typically one of religoius backing with a diety that has been stripped of many of her divine powers. You likely want to know why a diety would do this. They gain other powers to imbune into their familia. Many dieties have done so to have a direct impact on the flow of power in the material realm. Being a Chosen means you are protected and protect your familia, including clergy and any others in the familia. Chosen are champions of the church and diety, going forth on missions for the church. Typically an adventuring party is only made of one familia. As you accomplish missions and level up you will be blessed with extra powers or enhancements. Also the resources of the church are open to you with a minimal interest if any, especially compared to other organizations.”
Gameplay page 17
With a smile she says, "600 gold pieces then." Then casts the spell and says the 50 words, relaying his message back to you. "I am surprised by your way of connecting with me. Yes I would be glad to entertain you in the morning say 7 am."
With a sigh, Joe looks to the female messenger. "Thank you very much. Say? If you have a moment, may I ask you some questions?" Motioning to himself, Joe continues. "You obviously know about my new status. So I have to ask? What have you heard? What are the rumors? How are those that know taking it? Can I expect to be mobbed wherever I go?"
"Sure!" She says with more enthusiasm than you probably expect, then she continues, "There is no line. Yes you were hauled off by Morgan the Swordswoman, from some ball. I hear a lot of rumors being in the messenger system. You have claimed the throne of Avalon. You have fed the masses and are making radical changes. Nobles and royalty fear you, though all the undead of the nation are fleeing with more fear. You hold the power of Excalibur. The powers of gods run through your veins! With dragons, fiends, and our great oracle at your back no one will stand in your way. Mobbed? Oh maybe...
"Well.. some of that is true", Joe admits. "I am gestalted with the godling class. Although, nobility and royalty fearing me is a new one."
"Thank you for giving me a heads-up on things. If I was such a penniless monarch, I'd take you out for a drink. But I guess I'll stick around the temple until my meeting tomorrow morning. Thank you again, Miss..?"
He sits and waits and listens. And also hopes he doesn't have to do anything... weird, as part of an initiation. "I understand."
Hmm, this reminds me of that one time... He thinks as the lights come back on and the women dance and juggle.
Black and white are her colours... don't remember anything about fire. Scythe is her favoured weapon... But that one isn't dancing? He thinks for a minute, slightly distracted by the black-scarved one's touch, not to mention his eyes leading him astray. Focus! Distractions are a test. It must be that one meditating. He looks over to Niversal for a second before looking back at the meditating woman, hoping he made the right choice.
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Right after Jellena speaks and as the ceremony starts Niversal says:
in the jungle of Panama I saw you the first time in that swarm and hail of gunfire and I came through that and I accepted you and acknowledged you. I set aside my grip on life and I knew one day all men will die. I became a greater warrior that day in doing so. On the hilltops of Honduras I saw you the second time like a wind that time rending men like wheat in the field and I could taste you in the burning flesh and I knew you and called you Death and knew your spirit walked as fate among men. I stood in the riot in Guantanamo against a wall of people tryin to kill me and rocks and sticks and shivs bounced off me until my knee was shattered and I still stood til the end my grandpa's voice in my head 'you don't fall down in a fight boy' over and over like a mantra til after it was down they washed the blood of my enemies off me to see if I still lived. I saw you in the valley of vehicles and troops in Iraq smoked from every direction as we converged on the Royal Guard like crows and ate their death and no one of them walked out of that valley. The last time I saw you Death before I came here you held me in the sun soaked mortar blasted road while I lay bleeding and made sure I fought my way back to the living and home. So don't you think I don't know you! You and me got a deal already damn you. My hand won't be done till it is and until then I'll deal you out when I need to and protect the innocent, the non combative, the woman and children and animals from other men who think there isn't anybody anymore watching. I am coming for them Death.
The messenger asks with unknowing, "The what class?!?! Gestalted?"
"Miss Crystal. Rosa Crystal, and I would be willing to pay for the drinks. I could add some gold to your credit and give you the coins. I get off in the next hour." She says with a sly smile.
"I can wait an hour", King Joseph said. "Would you be upset if we were joined by other members of the famila?"
Unable to find anyone he knows in a strange place, and finding his head hurts a surprising amount, John decides that it's probably nap time, all things considered, and tries to find an out of the way place to curl up and sleep. Maybe this whole thing was just a giant fever dream?
A dusty corner perhaps. Somewhere where he won't be bothered for a while.
"I choose the one meditating." He hoped he was right.
"Well I am not apart of the Mistress' familia. I have worked here for a few months. I suppose that would be fine." She says obviously a little hurt it won't just be the two of them but she easily relents to allowing others.
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John gets woken up by an acolyte who asks, "Who are you? Why are you sleeping on the floor?"
"Alright. See you in an hour, Miss Crystal." Joe gives Rosa a smile and leaves the message room.
While waiting for Rosa, Joe kneels before the temple altar, laying Escalavar upon it, and praying for forgiveness, the continued health of Avalon, thanks for The Mistress's mercy and generosity.
She opens her eyes which are now utterly black with a glow of white around them, speaking with an otherworldly voice with profound power, "Good job wizard, I see your senses and wisdom serve you well. Bard you listen to your experiences and that is good. I am a steward of those that pass and the scythe is my favored weapon. I am much more passive in the world than most know. My familia is small and strong, they are my hands, eyes, and ears. Now what questions do you have my potential Chosen?" The other oracles quickly bow and take a knee in one motion as the Mistress speaks.
"Hmm? Oh, I was looking for Joe, my name's John, but I couldn't find him. And my head hurt from my chat with the Mistress of Balance, so I thought I'd just have a quick lie down."
Serill gives himself a mental high-five. "Are there dragons or other creatures that serve you? Or is it just humans and humanoids?"
After about a half hour, Joe completes his prayers, sheaths Escalavar and sits quietly for Miss Crystal to be done with her shift.
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Soon the spirit of the goddess leaves and Jellena looks a bit tired. "Thanks girls, I will see you later! Okay boyos, so if you have any questions feel free to ask me. Stay here and I will go get your draughts." She then would leave with the other oracles and return after an hour or so. She hands each of you a draught and an extra one for Niversal.
She explains, "The draught transforms your body back to its prime! So most have bodies when they were 20 something. For the next day you get a +4 on all physical ability scores and a +2 on all mental scores. After that day the draught solidifies into +2 on two physical ability scores. So don't take it yet. We did but then failed to gain all its advantages, take it when we are out on the next mission. So come with me and I will set you up for lunch. Then I will officially get you a room and account with the temple." She takes the three of you out of her room, down the stairs to the main sanctuary, then up through another set of shorter stairs which after coming to a landing could go three ways. She opens the door and into the hall. There you see two long tables and she sits down in a space open enough for the three of them. She looks down at Ed and asks, "Would you go get John and bring him here please." She looks over at a servant and asks for a sparse meal for four and a leg of meat for the dog. What do you want to drink? Its on me!"[/b] She would answer any questions that you have at that point or introduce you to some of the clergy as they walk by.
Niversal, Serill, and Jellena are waiting at a table with a tray of fruit and glasses of drinks they ordered. As John follows Ed to the room. Joining them she lays out a few things, "First, do each of you have an amulet of ressurection? No, okay let me focus for a moment." She prays to the Mistress and then the amulets appear in her hand. "Each of you get one and now I can set you up with one of the priests to learn an orision. They will walk you through the steps of worship at least so you can understand them. Niversal you will likely not need to learn from a priest but could learn from a wizard a cantrip. You could ask around or wait." She then would get a teacher for each of you before excusing herself. "I need to do the level up ritual as well, let alone finish my quest. John you might want to work on it too!" She would leave and you wouldn't see her again until the next day.
"You spoke to the Mistress?!? Tell me what did you learn, what did you ask, what did you have to do to get an audience?!" The acolyte intently asks.
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"Interesting, does it work only once?" He puts the amulet around his neck. "I will have one of the priests teach me Guidance." Serill will then take the draught, saving it for later and thanking Jellena before she disappears.
He talks to Niversal. "Perhaps we should go find where we can change our race if we want to? I keep thinking I would like to be like that half-dragon at the keep. Not to just fly away of course. Do you want to change?"
He safely puts the draught in his backpack.
Serill orders whatever passes for a cider in this place and enjoys the meal. Also unconsciously toying with the amulet as he never usually wears jewelry. "What are we able to do with our account? Is there a limit?"
To Niversal's question he suggests, "I think Detect Magic is most useful. Daze is ok for weak creatures. If you want more utility, Light, Mage Hand and Message are pretty good. Mending can fix broken things."
"Yea. Let's see what we can find. You coming John?"
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"I put 300 gp in each of your accounts but if needed you could take out more. Any money you spend past that you will have to pay back." She would answer Serill. Giving each of you a crystal that is in the shape of a credit card.
Next she worked at cleaning her room with her fellow oracles. The body was taken down into the Catacombs, so any family could mourn it before it was ashed. She continued her training another set of 100 of each with a much longer run. Looking at the quest marker she had another 8 hours and she just needed to run more. That is what she did, run, stretch rest, run some more.
Learning the additional orison from a priest would take 8 hours. If you wanted to learn another it would take 24 hours. Then a third would take 72 hours.
After learning your first one, you likely would be in the temple when Joe is finished.
If you choose to forgo learning it then the two or three of you would go into the streets of New Faces. Finding one of the many peddlers which sell all sorts of items, they can tell you the buildings hold the Face peddlers. Within the first building you see posters of different styles of facial features and the race of elf. Next would be Halfling. You then find out you must find someone with the ability to confer the race you want.
The base races are free but if you want to become a half dragon it will cost you somewhere in the ballpark of 9000 gp.
You find a very tired looking John talking to an excited looking acolyte. "I was a prospective Familia. I ended up declining, I'd recommend doing adventuring stuff, or doing all you can to help Joe if you want a shot at it. Or die, it did wonders for me." The last sentence is a little bemused. "Yeah, Serill, I'll come with. How'd your meeting go?"
"Well we got in. What about your meeting? Did the Mistress talk to you?"
"Sure, let's do that first." Serill will find a priest and ask them to teach him the Guidance orison.
Niversal decides on trying to find a druid to learn an orison.
Serill talks with one of the priests that Jellena set with him to learn and after the 8 hours you have learned the orison Guidance.
With a wry grin she asks, "So where are you taking me out for a drink? Or should I pick?"
There the bouncer lets you in handing each of you a mug full of ale from the ever filling barrel just beyond the door.
"Then to Cayden Cailean's alehouse we go, though what statecraft are you planning?"
"That's it. I figure I need to keep that promise as quickly as I can, because I imagine, I may be asked to share a libation with one of my knights or with a noble. And as a paladin and king, my word is very important to me."
As both enter, Joe offers his thanks to the bouncer. "Let's find a corner table if we can."
Niversal begins his search of druids in the town of New Faces. hours later you track down several leads. You could go out North of the town for a half hour to find a natural grove tended by a group. If you want to stay in town you can find a tanner who is said to be a druid. Also you could go to a guild of druids, the Oaken Knobs. At the end of the three hours you get to the lead you wish to follow.