GM Burglar's 4-20: Words of the Ancients (Inactive)

Game Master mechaedd

Research indicates that raise dead works on a living creature, so it should work on the dragon.

Yeah, I already looked at that. It should work, assuming the live-life-to-the-fullest bro dragon wants to live, which he does.

KUKIK has a chronicle boon for a half-price raise dead or resurrection

I wish I had gotten to play part 2 myself.

Finalizing post of short-term time skip, (somewhat based on the Shoanti's decision) is in pre-writing, then...

EDIT: Does that boon let you buy a scroll of raise at half-cost, 'cause spellcasting services are only available in cities of X amount of population, and you guys killed more than half the population of that area.

EDIT 2: Oh, wait, you mean using Resurrection on the tooth. I see. Ignore me!

Yeah, assuming Kulik mentioned it to Taurus at all, he’d dismiss the whole idea. The dragon while a strong noble beast, chose to stand against us and make himself an enemy. He suffered the consequences of said decision.

From a storytelling perspective, the whole situation loses a lot of its clout if we go around invalidating things with raise dead. This is a tragic case of miscommunication between forces that, by all means, should be able to work together. Let’s not mar that tragedy by flaunting our abuse of power of life and death.

You mind RPing that conversation out, Taurus? KULIK's motives are far more pure than Prestige, but perhaps he hasn't thought of things another way.

Sure, you start it. Assume Taurus is at the lodge cleaning his armor and shield.

Note that more than a day won't be going by before I get the part two of this post. Said part 2 post will occur in 24 hours.

Edit: Incidentally, you've given my my idea for my Grand Lodge character who will be getting a GM credit so I have my factions covered for the success boons. Thanks! More knowledge characters!

Wait, there's more mod? You mean occurs in 24 hours game-time or 24 hours real life time?

There's no more statistical bits to the scenario, but the "conclusion" part takes place over an indeterminate an amount of time. A day makes sense for "Research and Development" standards.

Cool. Anyone else can join in too.

After the plates are delivered and Venture-Captain Heidmarch hurries off, KULIK returns to returns the Lodge mainroom, his brow furrowed. He sits, watching in silence as the Shoanti polish his armor, for some time before he speaks.

KULIK owe Taurus human a debt for getting bow of KULIK from Zonaladin dragon. KULIK thank Taurus human.

A moment more passes, then the half-orc speaks again, with some conviction.

Now KULIK musht return to tower ruin. Get not-evil dragon body and reshtore to life. KULIK glad he could help keep friends alive, but KULIK believe not-evil dragon should not be dead. Confusion not reashon to die.

"Think nothing of it", Taurus says as he hammers out a dent in his shield. "Explore. Cooperate. Report. I spoke the same words you did. I mean to honor them."

Satisfied with the shape of it, the big shoanti takes to his shield with an oiled rag.

"Hold on a minute. What's this about returning to revive the dragon? Regardless of it's allegiance, what do you hope to achieve by stealing it from Pharasma's realm?"

Meanwhile somewhere else, at an unspecific tavern...

"So was it life or death enough for you? Or was the threat of a dragon too mundane for you? We did get out alive and with all our original parts." Ashur asks Erin as he's ordering a round.

Oh, come on — you went to a tavern? You KNOW there's plenty to drink at Heidmarch Manor; Sir Canayven wouldn't have it any other way!

KULIK looks at the Shoanti in some surprise. He fidgets with the handle of his greataxe while he reaches for the right words.

Shtealing? No. Fixing. Zonaladin dragon should not be in land of dead. Only there becaush Zonaladin dragon confused.

In another shetting, KULIK and Zonaladin dragon and Taurus human and Erin human and Ashur human-type thing be allies, not foes. KULIK has sheen much evil in life, before Shoshiety and after. KULIK know enough that no evil in Zonaladin dragon. If non-evil dragon gone, evil dragon may move it.

"You say he was confused, but I say he made his choice. We offered him sport and friendship and he chose to stand against us. He lived and died by that choice."

Taurus straps on the shield to test the fittings.

"He was strong and noble and perhaps in another life, we could have been allies but we shouldn't meddle in the order of things just because we want to make amends. Not only would you be putting yourself and anyone else you took with you in danger but you'd be dishonoring the dragon's memory. We should honor his life, not try to undo his death."

But Sheila keeps calling me the T word...lol.
"The dragon was... rather intimidating I will give you that. You did kill it quite handily though once it came down and fought on even ground. I owe you a drink and maybe more for that alone..."
Erin says, sounding almost like she is about to admit defeat. She begins to pull a few copper out of her pouch to pay for the round as 7 coins drop on the table. Perking up, she continues.
"However, do you really think you would have gotten out of there without me?"

And also I'm sure that he wants to keep Heidmarch manor full of booze.

"Well he made the mistake of taking me lightly." Ashur takes a sip as she continues. "You really need me to remind you? Yea, you've pulled my tail out of the proverbial fire as per status quo. So you wanna call it even?" Ashur will lay down a few coins for the next round.

KULIK contemplates a moment. KULIK had not thought of others with KULIK when Zonaladin dragon awaken. If dragon shtill confushed, others in danger.

KULIK wonder if fighting while confushed a memory to honor.

”You say he was confused but I did not see that. I saw a warrior fighting for what he believed to be right. In this case, he was wrong.”

”Say your goodbyes and thank him and his ancestors for the strength and honor he showed us. Then thank your own and ask them for guidance for next time. ”

Taking a swig from a glass and placing it back down on the table she responds. "Remind me? No. I am just making sure you remember. You would forget to dress yourself if someone did not remind you. As for the bet, I suppose we could call it even."

"Hey, that happened once. And besides, it ended up working out.." Ashur grins before taking another chug.

KULIK nods slowly, thinking back to Pasha in the slave pens of Qadira, before the escape on the holy winter solstice that cost the elven woman her life. She had shown KULIK the only tenderness he'd known before then, her soothing words his only comfort through the shackled nights.

"Remember what the Eight Scrolls say," she would whisper each night. And then she'd tell the stories therein, with KULIK hanging on her every word in the dark, never uttering one himself. The stories talked of roads he never thought he'd see and places he never thought he'd go. Roads of dreams, roads of fortune, and roads of fate.

One story returned to KULIK then, and its homily: Seek not another's death in the face of conflict; rather, seek your own life. There is always a choice, and choice is its own freedom.

KULIK begin to undershtand what Taurus human mean. Like meeting forked road of fate and how one turns then.

"So, where do you figure we will get sent next?"
Erin asks while swirling the wine in the glass.

"I got no idea. Like the cliche says we've been to Hell and back. Though I would like to show you something, tomorrow night if you're okay with it."

Arching an eyebrow in suspicion, Erin replies questioningly.
"Oh?"

"Yea, it'll be fun I promise."

"That is a strangely optimistic statement coming from you. Are you alright?"
She asks, slightly concerned.

"It is, which means I really meant it. I guess it could go terribly wrong, but I'm hoping it doesn't."

"That sounds a little more normal. I thought someone had slipped something in your drink for a minute there."

"Heh. I am a ray of sunshine aren't I?" Ashur responds sarcastically.

"Only after you have a few drinks in you."
She replies with a laugh and waves for more drinks.

Ashur just starts chuckling as the drinks come in. "Right again." He picks one up to toast and downs it.

"Where did the other two go anyway?"

"No clue. I suspect Taurus isn't happy with Kulik because of the whole dragon thing. Though I'm pretty sure he isn't happy with anyone. They could be duking it out."

Taurus nods.

"He chose his path. Respect that choice, and pray that next time we'll have the wisdom, or guile, or even strength to keep it from happening again."

Erin gives a disappointed shake of her head.
"That was a little off... I thought that type of dragon was supposed to be good. You cannot judge a book by its cover though I guess. I do not know Taurus well, but Kulik seems reasonable enough. You really think they would get into that big a scuffle over it?"

---

Additionally, in the morning (but not this late at night), a package arrives for Ashur.

I got the chronicle! And I leveled!

Ashur takes 20 and easily bends the plates.

"That is disappointing. Lame." Ashur just looks at Erin as the meeting concludes. "Well in light of this, I think we could both use some cheering up. Follow me." He says to her before taking her to the three-hundred-foot tall cliff which cuts the city of Magnimar in two known as the Seacleft.

"Close your eyes and take my hand." As she does so, the tiefling brute closes his eyes and concentrates. "What did Kurt say? Visualize where you want to go and you'll go."

And moments later the pair disappear in a puff of brimstone and are not at the top of the cliff. "I did it! You can open your eyes now. You were going to see this eventually but I figured you'd want to find out first. I just learned how to do this." The descendant of fiends seems generally excited by his new found ability.

Ashur person-type thing gets his own dimensional hop! :-)

Full Dimension Door, but yep!

"That is amazing. I thought that was only a finger waggling wizard trick." She exclaims, then begins to ponder the uses for such an ability.

"Usually is. But if you travel the planes enough, you learn a few things. Walking the horizons does have its advantages. When we fight I can bring the whole squad to the front if I need to, or wherever we need to be."

"Or all the loot out of a building?"
She says with a mischievous grin.

"I love your one track mind sometimes."

"You act like you do not have one yourself."

"I didn't say that. It's why we get along the way we do." Ashur puts his arm around Erin.

Once everyone gets their "ONLY DURING THE SCENARIO STUFF" out of the way and/or the next thing is decided, say the word. Not sure if Kulik wants to hunt down a skinned, dead, dragon to put in his toolshed for ressing later or something, since the Society can tell you where the place is (since they can scry on it and all that, thanks to faction missions.)

Taurus is ready to move on.

What is the next one?

I dunno, I could run the next one. For the sake of not going back to the previous mod to search for it, can I get a list of what mods people haven't played?

Note I've gotten kinda lazy about keeping up with it, but I haven't played in quite a while

"So...what room are we going to destroy in Heidmarch Manor before we head out, oh great dragonslayer?" She asks with a wry grin.

I am up for anything as per the norm.

Alright, so it looks like Golemworks or a sanctioned mod which is the conclusion we came to last game. Can anyone not do Golemworks?

"You think the Heidmarch's will mind if we wreck their library?" Ashur picks up the Varisian and starts teleports again until they reach the manor.