I'm fine with temple and road!
And of course Thorneholm's settlement stats should be made note of. Eluvias if you're in your home city and using it's resources for research about old settlements in the area it's a total of a +6 bonus currently for Knowledge history checks if any research is being done in character.
Thorneholm: Crime -1, Defense +13, Law +3, +4 Lore (+2 extra for Knowledge History), +2 Society
Descriptions of what rolls these effects can be found here. https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/settlements/
...except defence. That comes into mass combat.
Oh yes since ye have a casters tower now magic items start getting made their mechanically. Background wise it's Eluvias's tower but lets not deprive ye of the mechanics. Obviously with the establishment of the tower other spellcasters are paying a bit more notice to your settlement. You guys would still need to buy these if you want them. Or the slot could be cleared with an economy check.
Minor Items
[4,350 gp] necklace of fireballs (type iii) [no external clues]
[13 gp] divine scroll of create water (CL 1)
[25 gp] divine scroll of doom (CL 1)
Medium Items
[9,000 gp] rod of metamagic, concussive (lesser) [clue indicates function]
[750 gp] potion/oil of keen edge (CL 5)
I'm thinking Imperious Chelaxian sorcerer or a dwarf monster hunter should Amadeen get shanked.
But good options but Eluvias downs one and dodges the counter attack. If he can destroy it great... if not well every round brings the other characters closer to regaining their senses.
We are VERY fortunate on the ruling that it was will Saves and then get attacked. Almost a TPK
Also Eluvias is made to go nova. Sadly, after this fight his damage potential will go down. At best he will get +10/+10 and 1d6+12 damage. Which is still pretty good, but it isn’t +11/+11 with 6d6+10 good.
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Watching Eluvias solo these ghost things is awesome.
From near-certain TPK to solo takedown!
Well to be fair it is a constant area effect that causes the AOE. The wisdom damage is only when it hits you so the AOE goes off first...
...but yeah I was concerned. If a PC dies it happens as many of you saw in my Rise game. It sucks but it keeps the stakes high. TPKs, aren't quite so palatable.
A thought.
Should we tpk in this campaign, a potentially very fun continuation / sequel could be had in a new party trying to seize power in the fledgling kingdom. Passing themselves off as "distant relatives", saviours or flat out battles for power.
Sounds like fun. Let’s hope we don’t TPK though
Oh, agreed!
Month 19
Edict Phase
Upgrading Shrine to Temple 24BP
Road 1BP
Income Phase
Event Phase
Month 20
Upkeep Phase
Edict Phase
26BP to spend
Claim more hexes? Build something? Put aside funds for a big project?
That was to a deleted post above. Had a crisis of conscience, didn’t want my personal story to take away build points from the party.
You don't have to spend build points on it, he can just use some of his downtime on it. Various buildings that help with lore would help him with some checks when the time for checks is right.
Sounds good, thanks! I’ll write fluff to go with it. I’d like to start building towards an academy to go with our Wizard Tower and Museum. Maybe bring the River Freedoms to the practice of magic...make our kingdom a wilderness refuge for those seeking to learn and research magic.
Library: 6 BP
Can later build a luxury store and then an academy and/or magic academy. Start building towards things like a magic shop as well so we can upgrade our gear.
Put forward a rationale, ic or ooc, and we'd at least consider an option. A library is fine by Amadeen!
Claim hexes 0203 and 0304
Build roads in 0404 and 0405
Ye already have a library in B6.
Ah!
Saving for luxury store then. Amadeen could use new shoes.
Waiting for Barek to make his knowledge dungeoneering check. I don't think any of us want Eluvias to shocking grasp this thing.
----
So then...assuming we get out of this dungeon alive, here is my current plan.
(1) We have a library. Eluvias will begin researching his sword in the library. If he makes the right checks, I'd ask our dear friend GM to clue him in on a ritual that he will need to conduct to free himself of the curse which is eating his mind and personality.
(2) Following this, when we have a luxury store, he will begin collecting what is needed for the ritual. This would require more checks, and hopefully a quest to find what items the shop doesn't have.
(3) Finally, when we have a Magical Academy, he'll be able to conduct the ritual using the aid of the students there. Eluvias would be the head master of the academy, given that he is the magister.
The ritual itself is to find out what the purpose of the Black Blade is. Once Eluvias finds that out (which is the GM's choice...I didn't pick any goal for it), Eluvias would then have to complete this goal. Whatever it is. Doing so would break the curse, and it would restore him to being his former self.
----
The overall goal is to "restore" him to being Cha7 (his pre-curse charisma). This would take his diplomacy and bluff from -3 to -2. And mechanically...that's it. I know, right? But RP wise it would mean breaking the curse, and for him to start taking his duties as magister for the kingdom more seriously. He'd actually start *caring* about things.
Now, what if he fails? Then in my head-canon he'd eventually fade as being his own person. The sword would be all that is left. Eluvias would die, and serve the sword until he dies, and which point the sword would find it's next host to take over and dominate.
How does that sound to everyone? Is it something the party would support Eluvias for?
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It's fuel for story and potential for some fun shenanigans. I'm game. :)
We have nothing that can hurt this enemy. And I think that I just made more of them. Time to run away I think.
Oh, most likely!
Three oozes mwahahaha...
So do ye want to build a farm in one of the two new hexes?
The former does not sound good.
The latter does sound good.
The new party can inherit them. ;)
Month 20
Edict Phase
26BP to spend
Claim hexes 0203 and 0304. +2 Consumption, +2 Kingdom DC. 2BP
Farm in 0203 for -2 Consumption 2BP
Build roads in 0404 and 0405 3BP
19BP Banked
Income Phase
Month 21
Upkeep Phase
Edict Phase
42BP... note I've put a white border on two hexes ye have surrounded in by your territory but not claimed so ye don't forget them. Think of them like unclaimed enclaves.
Cheers Kevin, we may well have missed those.
I suggest:
Claim hexes 0103 and 0204, and build farms on same.
Roads on 0204 and 0304.
Build luxury shop.
Agreed. Also I’ll get a write up soon on the research for my personal quest. Kevin, what kind of DCs am I looking at?
Edit, I'll have to consider.
Month 21
Edict Phase
Claim hexes 0103 and 0204, and build farms on same. -2 Consumption. +2 Kingdom DC. 6BP
Roads on 0204 and 0304. -You can only do one more terrain improvement for this turn. 4BP as it has a bridge.
Build luxury shop 28BP
Kingdom Economy +1
Limit Adjacent to 1 House
Upgrade To Magic Shop; Upgrade From Shop
Special Base value +2,000 gp
Magic Items 2 minor rings, wands, or wondrous items
Left Over: 4BP
Income Phase
Event Phase
No Event
Month 22
Upkeep Phase
Consumption -2 stored.
Edict Phase
31BP to spend
Do we need to build more housing?
No but certain buildings need to be built beside houses like the Inn or the Luxury Shop. Consider the houses lot to be more like a housing estate. I imagine there's houses and apartments sprinkled about the city.
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Gotcha.
Claim hexes 0105 and 0205, roads on both.
Sawmills on 0105 and 0406
Save for magical academy. Amadeen does not want to be caught out by weird threats again, plus she has a soft spot for Eluvias.
Month 22
Edict Phase
Claim hexes 0105 and 0205. +2 Consumption, +2 Kingdom Size, +2 Kingdom DC 2BP
Road in 0205 (you can only do 3 terrain improvements a turn). +1 Economy +1 Stability, 2BP
Sawmills on 0105 and 0406 0305. +2 Stability, +2BP A turn. 6BP
Unspent BP21
+2 Consumption, +2 Kingdom Size, +2 Kingdom DC, +1 Economy, +3 Stability, +2BP a turn.
Income Phase
Event Phase
Month 23
Upkeep Phase
Edict Phase
46BP to spend... still another turn off that Magical Academy!
Amadeen is determined to see the kingdom grow!
Claim hexes 0206 and 0306
Roads on 0203 and 0402
Sawmill on 0105
Magical academy if possible
Month 23
Edict Phase
Claim hexes 0206 and 0306. +2 Consumption, +2 Kingdom Size, +2 Kingdom DC. 2BP
Roads on 0203 and 0402. 2BP
Sawmill on 0105 0205. +1 Stability, +1 BP a turn. 3BP
39BP unspent... not enough for a Magical Academy.
Income Phase
Event Phase
Improvement Demand (hex)
This event is identical to the building demand event, but the citizens want the construction or destruction of a terrain improvement in the hex. If the demand is not met by the next Event Phase, Unrest increases by 1. Alternatively, you can suppress the citizens’ demands and negate the event by succeeding at a Loyalty check, but this reduces Loyalty by 2 and increases Unrest by 1.
Your subjects demand a road be constructed in 0402 as many complain to get to their farms in the wests to Oleg's they must go cross country as the roads have not been connected yet!... give me a minute ye just did this.
A road and bridge in 0504
Month 24
Upkeep Phase
Consumption 2. 2 In reserve used.
Edict Phase
69BP
A magical academy is 58BP.
Kingdom Size 26+
Amadeen can choose Stability or Economy and add her Charimsa modifier to it.
Improvement a turn limit has increased for buildings, terrain and hexes!
New Settlements 1, Buildings 5, Terrain Improvement 5, Hexes 3
Are we using Leadership Role Skills? Amadeen does have 5 ranks in knowledge Nobility.
We are, I'll update your Kingdom notes.
Cool. :) Amadeen will now also add her charisma bonus to economy.
I suggest:
Magical Academy straight away.
Road and bridge in 0504 to quiet the whinging.
Claim hexes 0202, 0705, and 0806.
The Academy would be 58BP
Claim Three Hexes 3BP
Road and Bridge in 0504. 4BP
Ye would have four more build points. Ye could make a farm and a road in 0202 with 1BP to spare?
Sounds good to me!
As a fair warning...if Eluvias dies here then my replacement character will likely be:
They'd want to make a damn good pitch, given their general notions about elves!
True. So let’s keep Eluvias alive please :)
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Eluvias sat within the recently built library. He was this kingdom's magister. A strange title, but one that he had earned through the spilling of blood. He was fortunate, he knew, to have the position. There were so many out there who would kill for it. He smiled, sardonically. He had.
The library itself was new. Rows upon rows of books stretched out. Eluvias had ordered the books from Brevoy, something which had cost a pretty copper. As this was his project, he had near complete control over what would be in the library. There were the usual history books, focusing on their rejoin. And there were the standard religious texts such as unbinding the fetters and the like. Overall, the library was practical. The books had been chosen carefully to be of the most use to him and to his group. But mainly, they were on eldritch knowledge. He had sold the queen on the idea of building their way up to having a college of magic. Of eventually attracting wizards from around the region, who would come to practice and study in safety. It would make them both wealthy and strong, so long as they were willing to turn a blind eye once in awhile. As such, the library had a focus. There was book upon book on magical theory, history and practice. But in truth, Eluvias did not care about the kingdom. Nor did he care about the academy which he was planning. He did not care about anything. It was like he was in a dream, where nothing was real, and he was just going through the motions. A small voice, deep inside of him, still screamed. It screamed that this was not right. That he should be terrified. That he should curl up in a ball and cry. It screamed that he was dying.
Not physically. He was an elf, and as such he had several centuries of productivity ahead of him. More if he took care of himself through magical means. No, his soul was withering. It had started off small, and it was getting progressively worse. Already it was advancing to the point where he was losing his ability to taste. The finest wines and the rarest spices all tasted bland. Flavorless. Lifeless. He ate because he had to, not out of any need. When he became hungry it was almost academic. The thought that Oh, my body needs sustenance. What would be the most expedient way to get the nutrients it needs? Even the most basic of wants was gone. And intellectually, he knew that was wrong.
And he knew when it had started. When he had found the sword. With it, his latent magical power had exploded. He had gone from being a mediocre swordsman who knew a few cantrips into being a warrior. Lightning, especially, became easy to form and to control. But always through his sword.
Hours stretched into days which stretched into weeks. The others were focused on building the kingdom. Lands was being claimed, farms were being built and roads were created. People came and went. But Eluvias did not leave his library. Every few days he would come out and yell to the librarians that he *needed* a book. Anything besides "Yes, sir." would be met with threats of bodily harm.
It paid off. One night, where had forgotten once again to eat dinner, he came across what he was looking for. It was a book written by a priest of Pharasma, who recorded the final confessions of criminals sentenced to die. It had never been meant for publication, but a few copies existed, and he managed to get his hands on one of them. All because of the sorcerer-warrior whose tale was told within. Copies of the confessions had circulated through the noble courts of Brevoy, and the stories were told on cold winter nights. Getting one was not cheap.
"The Black Blade..." he said, his fingers running across the words as if though they were runes of power.
The book went into the story of a wandering wizard-warrior by the name of Eldric of the Storm. The man had come across a cursed blade, blacker than night. A blade which at first glance appeared to be made of obsidian, but on closer examination was of a metal not native to our world.
Eluvias' heart beat faster. It was an unfamiliar sensation. He had nearly died several times, and had only registered his impending death with the cold logic of an uninterested observer. But this? It stirred something within him. He felt the urge, then, to take his sword and to destroy the book. WIthout thinking his hand went to his blade and unsheathed it.
He stopped. Why was he doing that? It didn't make any sense. He tried to put the sword away, but the thought kept nagging at him. Destroy the book. Destroy it. Destroy it. Destroy it. WIth a furrowed brow Eluvias returned his sword to it's scabbard. His hand was shaking, and he couldn't tell why.
The elf continued to read. Eldric's blade was theorized to not be a weapon at all, but rather, an outsider. Eldric never did learn exactly what the blade was, though he did come to learn that it his had a purpose. To consume souls. Eldric of the Storm learned that his blade was but one of many, and that each one had it's own purpose. For Eldric, he found that the only way to keep the curse of the weapon at bay was to fulfill it's goal. According to the author, the mage went mad, for when he failed to sate his sword's bloodlust, it would take over his mind. The author detailed how the swordmaster seemingly went insane, killing everyone he cared about. The authorities hunted him down, and caught him mid-ritual. When he was finally arrested, his blade was nowhere to be found. All that was left was a thin, pale, and broken sorcerer.
Eluvias felt the urge to close the book, but forced the compulsion away.
Was this what the sword was? The pharasmite priest wrote that Eldric claimed that the sword was intelligent, though it never spoke to him. That the sword had a mind of it's own. And while the curse wasn't stated, Eluvias could guess what the man had gone through.
Eluvias slowly and deliberately closed the book. He pulled out his sword and looked at it. The blade seemed to suck in the light of the candle and consume it.
"Sword." He said. "I do not know if you can hear me. But I am Eluvias Rodrimson. I am my own elf, and I do not belong to you." Already his heart rate slowed. The passion was dying. Eluvias fought with all of his might to hold onto it. Or at least the memory of it. It was easier now, that he knew what was causing his condition.
"I do not know what you are. I do not know what you were made for. But I am going to find out. I am stronger than you know, and I will not be consumed by you."
The blade, of course. just sat there, as blades are wont to do. It did not respond in any way, or show any sign that it heard him. Eluvias felt slightly foolish. He looked up and saw the librarian...whats his name? It was so hard to remember sometimes. It was the third librarian. The other two had quit. The librarian was watching him, and looked quite afraid.
"You!" Eluvias said, pointing at the man. "Bring me Hemmler's treatise on magical maladies, von Lichenstein's guide to rituals...and the Confessions of Sir Gorst of Lastwall." The librarian scurried off. Eluvias turned back to the sword, and glared at it.
Time went by. Eluvias worked at a feverish rate. From his tower to the library he went back and forth, glaring at anyone who got in his way. Eluvias didn't sleep. He hadn't slept since he had found the blade. True, he needed to meditate to recover expended magical power, but he didn't have to sleep. And when researching, that meant that he didn't have to stop. Time became meaningless to him as he worked to uncover the mystery of what was destroying him.
The fourth librarian had long since stopped trying to get him to cease writing in the books, or to stop yelling at those in the library who interrupted his research. Having a blade encased in lightning waved around tended to have that effect. He was starting to see why the first three librarians resigned. Dutifully he put the books back that Eluvias left sprawled throughout the building. One of his few joys was reading what was inevitably written in the margins. Notes, theories, mathematical equations, and sometimes even arguments. Eluvias the Grim, he thought, had become Eluvias the Mad.
Not that Eluvias saw it that way. He was more alive than he had been in years. The blade had been slowly draining him, while at the same time filling him with power. He knew now, that it wanted him to be an empty shell, but for what purpose he did not know. But he *would* find out.
What helped was that Queen Amadeen had been very accommodating in the plans to build a magical academy. One thing that was needed for that was a shop that sold the luxury goods that would attract a wizard...and keep them from leaving. And the shop had been built! Eluvias hurried to it, clutching his notes. His eyes darted, his face frozen in a perpetual scowl. The sword had tried to slowly destroy him, but that had failed. Now it was poisoning his mind. Nightmares assailed his sleep, and bouts of panic and fear haunted his waking hours. When reading he could hear the distant sounds of claws on stone, which always vanished whenever he tried to focus on it. The blade did not speak to him, but it made it's point clear. Eluvias, in return, was determined. He would master the blade, he would make it his own. He would establish dominance. It would work with him, or he would find a way to destroy it. The blade underestimated him. He would ensure that it knew that the only way to fulfill it's goal was through Eluvias' cooperation. A war was being fought within his head, and he was far too stubborn to back down.
Eluvias threw open the doors to the luxury shop. But he was not the strongest of elves, so all that did was make some noise. He stalked forward. This wasn't his first time in the store, but he hoped that it would be his last. He now knew what his ritual needed! And once he had secured some fools within the academy they were building, then he would make them join him in casting the spell!
He slammed the paper on the counter. There was scratching coming from under the floor? No. It wasn't real. Sometimes it was hard to tell.
[b]"Do you have it all here?"{/b]
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Whew! There we go. Two checks made. Now just need a quest to find whatever materials Kevin decides are needed, and then a ritual with an academy to find out what the blade wants. And finally to fulfill whatever that is...so...easy, right?
----
And the funny thing about all of this? Just reread my character sheet.
Intelligence for Intimidate (class skill)
Wisdom for Diplomacy (not a class skill)
Charisma for Bluff (have +4 racial, not a class skill)
So right now my face skills are: Intimidate +11 Diplomacy +2 Bluff +0
After finishing this quest? The grand result of it? Assuming no level ups...
Intimidate +11 Diplomacy +2 Bluff +2
Mechanically pretty earth-shattering, right?
Month 24
Edict Phase
Magical Academy
Road and bridge in 0504 to quiet the whinging. 4BP.
Claim hexes 0202, 0705, and 0806.Claim Three Hexes 3BP
Farm and a road in 0202 with 1BP
Unspent 1BP
Income
We'll be putting a pin in Kingdom building for now.
I like the enthusiasm but like I said there are plans so tweaking some bits... lets see a 25 and a 24...
Eluvias does come across a tale of a warrior called Eldric. The warrior was drawn to an area to the south east of Brevoy, a wild place unbridled by the trappings of civilization. Eldric claimed the blade was intelligent but never spoke to him he felt somehow it was granting him power but it was drawing upon his soul to fuel this.
In his journeys he came across another warrior with a black blade. Both suspicious they could see parallels between their lives after finding the blades. The other warrior had a greatsword. The other warrior theorised that both blades were merely an echo of the original, a few more powerful weapon.
Both warriors fell out shortly after this but Eldric survived for a few more years before disappearing. Before this apparently he conducted a ritual to bolster himself against he negative effects of the blade and still draw on it's power.
Eldric looked to dragons for this ritual. It is said by some scholars that Dragons draw upon the energy of the land. One of the reasons dragons covet gold and wealth is that it works as a conductor, younger dragons growing physically quicker if exposed to a larger hoard regularly. Though some of the details are missing it is known Eldric gathered a hoard as well as parts of a dragon to conduct this ritual... this could be scales, bones, or flesh... the text does not say...
That academy is looking set to be majorly handy.
And nice work, Eluvias!
Cheers Amadeen, glad you liked it! And thanks for the info Kevin...will chew it over and get another post out.
What would we be likely to know about were creatures?