Plenty of doors so we'll be ok. We can word of Recall there and then back in an emergency.
"Plenty of doors as return point. Do you think there is such a thing as a foldable passage we could bring along and use as portal, in case we end up on endless plains without any civilization and buildings?"
Abomentolor takes a bite of his roast and wonders what pig ears taste like.
"Hi mom." Gwenhyfar calls as she enters the temple. "Oh, hello Brother Grergof."
"I brought some fresh bread and some apples. They looked too good to leave them at the stall."
"Plenty of doors as return point. Do you think there is such a thing as a foldable passage we could bring along and use as portal, in case we end up on endless plains without any civilization and buildings?"
Abomentolor takes a bite of his roast and wonders what pig ears taste like.
Ardan comments "I don't know about a foldable passage, but between us, we could easily carry some timber, hinges and a interior door, so that we could erect a doorway wherever we go... Just in case, though, I will prepare a word of recall spell."
If we could bring my golem along, it could carry that stuff.
Hello Mistress Yongisdottir, we were just talking about to you.
I understand you have done a very good thing helping the children of this area. I wish to offer my aid in whatever way you think would be possible to help you out.
After talking for a bit Grergof will also ask:
So I would like to help out the teaching your Mother is doing. So I may have promised treats if they are good for the next week. I know you take care of the children. What would you say if I was to arrange with the bakers guild and provide treats for the children of the district a couple evenings over the next two weeks?
I know other children from the area play in front of the orphanage, and I will bet that the children you care for there would be more than happy to have something to share with their friends.
This city has been through more than enough with the attack, something small to raise their spirits might be something we can do to help.
What do you think?
"Spoil them all you want. Doesn't happen too often that someone besides the caretakers shows an interest in them. I think it will do them good."
After pondering what she could use help with she adds "It would be great to get some connections to some guilds to have the kids learn a profession. We don't really have a plan yet of how to get them out of Underbridge. No matter what we do here, it is not the place anyone would want to live. And for sure not the future I'd like to see for those kids."
Hmmm. How many children are you taking care of?
Do we know what the major guilds or temples are in the city? If we got enough children together, I wonder if we could get the guilds to do a series of fun events to recruit apprentices, and let the the children see what options they could have if they were interested….
Perhaps we can get a divination or communion to ask what Xin's abilities are?
"Actually I'm not sure. When we closed the Szarny's lair we found about a dozen children. Some more returned later to the place. Some of the kids returned to their parents. We have beds for two dozen kids to sleep there. But during the day and especially the meals there are more."
"We accumulated enough wealth to be able to feed them all and pay some people from Underbridge to look over the orphanage and cook for them. But beyond that there isn't much."
Your trained eye can see that the magical gear she is wearing is worth more than most people earn in their lifetime. The necessities of a life as an adventurer. But besides that and a certain confidence - just by her age and size she could pass as one of the older kids.
"You mean you ask the gods how hard Xin will hit you? If the gods can be bothered, why not ask them to smite him?"
That would take some pretty powerful magic. Like that Wish spell we used to stop the tidal wave from wrecking the city.
Perhaps we can get a divination or communion to ask what Xin's abilities are?
"Did you and Abo use the scrolls ( Sarzari Shadow Memory ) that I bought? I took the back doors aspect and it has been quite useful in our explorations so far. I suggested that Abo take the character aspect, which might tell us much about his motivations, and you, Spugnoir, should use the weaknesses aspect, which will tell us a great deal about his defensive abilities... Assuming, of course that you two share the information the spells will give you."
"Well, for character motivation I'd say it's the same as always with those guys - world domination. It is quite embarassing that he is dead already. So far no one managed to tell him. I just don't see where that helps us. Because of course that special snowflake has to be a special kind of not dead."
Spugnoir concentrates on the knowledge that the spell has given him on Xin and tells the others.
Xin is not a haunt and not a ghost and as an entity resising in the palace can't be directly attacked. Only casting dispell chaos dimishes the pwoer Xin has over the palace and the constructs within. Doing so on the palace drains Xin's power. Once it is depleted, he can no longer affect anything, but his power restores within hours. But this can backfire and drain the caster's life . A secure way to drain him of parts of his energy is a miracle or wish .
I think magic of that level is out of our reach. We used our last one to defend the city.
"Yeah, I can think of better uses for two miracles than to temporarily weaken a half undead guy. What I don't like though, is that we have no idea yet how to dispose of Xin. It i snot like we can just whack him over the head until he is gone. With a lack of body and all that. And we'd need a much bigger wrecking ball than what Grergof brings to the fight to smash the whole palace."
"We could wish him and his whole place to the plane of positive energy. I think that guy really could use some positive energy in his 'life'."
"Not even sure that dumping him into the positive plane would work - golems operate just fine there. Unless and until we find some more clues about the nature of what he has done to himself, we are kind of operating blind here. But there must be something that is anchoring his soul to the material planes, rather than passing on to Pharasma's judgement..."
We could beat on him hard enough to make him vanish for a while if he is a ghhost. Hmm.. Maybe make something like a trap to hold him. A little box that we can use that opens and sucks him in. Some backpack thing that shoots magic beams to stun him. Who we gunna call for that?
We could beat on him hard enough to make him vanish for a while if he is a ghhost. Hmm.. Maybe make something like a trap to hold him. A little box that we can use that opens and sucks him in. Some backpack thing that shoots magic beams to stun him. Who we gunna call for that?
"Well, I have been told that alchemists are great inventors, so perhaps you could come up with something?"
Hmm..Well my bombs I make include Ectoplasmic bombs that can harm and outline invisible and insubstantial undead and my Force bombs can also harm the undead. I do have a Caging Admixture extract that alters my bombs to contain beings. So if I can get it so surround a ghost and hem him in...*technobabble*
Maybe he is attached to the Sihedron
Hmmm... I'll have to think on this. That's a number of kids, but I wonder if it's a big enough number to attract the guild to start getting apprentices. We almost need a place to gather the children of the city together so that they are all trained for life and the guilds have place to recruit from. That way the best and the brightest could go into what suits them no matter what family they came from....
But lets start with treats for the next two weeks, so the children are good for now, and I'll worry more about training them when I come back to town next time.... I'd prefer to think about the long term when I have a better idea that the city is safe.
He glances back in the direction of the castle even though he clearly can't see it.
"Pastry sounds good and everything else isn't as urgent as making sure teh city is safe. I agree on that."
"I'll count kids in teh meantime."
After eating and drinking and chatting for a while Abomentolor calls it a day. But not before taking Atua up on her offer.
"Join me for a dance?"
Abomentolor casts enlarge person on himself to make that a more enjoyable experience. To no one in particular he calls out "Play us a jolly song for a dance!"
With several bards present, the request is met with excitement. Some tables are moved to make room for dancing and the crowd is clapping and cheering in anticipation of what's to come, as it is not everyday that you see an azata, much less a dancing one.
Full of pork and ale, Spugnoir forgoes dancing and just claps to help keep the beast as he watches Abo cut a rug.
Pastries it will be then. Would next two weeks on Toilday be a good day for that to happen? I can stop at the bakers guild early in the morning to set that up. As bakers are normally up early and my companions we not planning to head out until well after Dawn…
I can plan for 50 or so people so that there is plenty for the kids to share.
I must say, it is nice to do something for others that does not involve a deadly threat…. So if you know of any other people I can help let me know. Particularly if you know anyone hurt. The Dawnbringer has gifted me with quite a bit of restorative power I could share before the next Dawn.
After eating and drinking and chatting for a while Abomentolor calls it a day. But not before taking Atua up on her offer.
"Join me for a dance?"
Abomentolor casts enlarge person on himself to make that a more enjoyable experience. To no one in particular he calls out "Play us a jolly song for a dance!"
Atua replies "Certainly, Fire's Child, lets find out if you have two left feet!". Upon Abo growing to match her, she comments "Well that's convenient".
+6 cha
"A bold statement, for someone who hasn't put much practice into this pastime." But despite the snarky comment, Abomentolor has a lot of fun rocking the stage with Atua.
"I'm not aware of anyone with mayor injuries at the moment."
Gwenhwyfar looks to her mother for confirmation.
"Neither do I. And between me and Gwenhyfar we have almost everything covered, besides being dead. The main issue here is also funding. We don't have diamond dust lying around. If someone has a serious ailment we'd rather put them in a bed and take care of them until they heal by themselves. But if someone has a arm ripped off during an accident on a trawler, then either we pay from our - well, Gwenhwyfar's - riches, or the person is out of luck. No one here has that amount of money." Fiona comments in a sad tone.
Cheering up again she adds "But as I told, currently no one is missing an arm or a leg."
Spugnoir will eventually head up to bed while Abo dances the night away. Tomorrow is a big day after all.
The dance doesn't last too long, as the spell duration is limited, but also the stamina for this kind of excercise is lacking.
After a few songs Abomentolor bows to Atua, thanks her for the good time and tells everyone good night.
Spugnoir eventually wakes up and heads downstairs, ready for their next assult.
Just curiousHow much money do you need to keep thing funded for the next couple years?
Think about it. As hopefully I can leave this place better than I found it.
After Abo calls it a night, Atua steps into some stones to rest until the morning...
Ardan however, stays up late, hoping to see his lady's dance, even though it is far south for that.
After Grergof gets his answer he takes his leave and heads to bed. Then he sleeps and gets up to make his Dawn prayers and heads out to the bakers guild to arrange for treats.
So are we still heading into the water or elsewhere?
"I vote for elsewhere."
"I think we have decided on the teleporter. However, before we return, I wonder if we can arrange some aid through Brother Grergof's connnections to the church of Sarenrae. Spugnoir's vision showed us Xin's power is tied to the palace itself and sourced in chaos. Sarenrites can call upon the powers of law... Could they summon some Axiomites or somesuch to come with us to the palace, and spend some days dropping dispel chaos effects into it's structure?"
"Yeah, no. They are more the bandaid clerics over there. If you want to summon more divine ass whopping, the folks of Abadar is the way to go. A little bit snobbish, but very receptive to gold."
I doubt anyone in my temple here has that power. And why do you think this is tied to Chaos, we have run into multiple Axiomites in the Palace.
I see no reason to believe that Xin is exceedingly Chaotic. More like Neutral using whatever power he can get his hands on.
So try to find one of Desna or an Emperial Lord?
I doubt anyone in my temple here has that power. And why do you think this is tied to Chaos, we have run into multiple Axiomites in the Palace.I see no reason to believe that Xin is exceedingly Chaotic. More like Neutral using whatever power he can get his hands on.
"Yeah, doesn't have to make sense. You think they can whip that out at a moments notice, or would that delay us another day?" Abomentolor inquires.
What are we trying to accomplish here?
We have seen Visions of Xin, but have we actually fought against him?
His constructs yes, but we can tear through most of those quickly. Wouldn't it make more sense to just find something that can destroy the constructs shut down the spell casting like a wand of silence or something?
"Antimagic field does the trick, if you feel like you can take them up without any of your magical tools."
"But then I'm out of the fight. I could as well stay here and wait for you to finish that. And I don't like the idea of you getting all the credit for that." Abomentolor tells half serious.
"Silence alone might not cut it. You wouldn't stop me from casting with that. And I would be surprised if it would stop Xin."