Zophar remains confused, and, not having any obvious targets attacking him last round, stomps up to and swings at his nearest perceived foe, Cretien.
Round: 7, Initiative: 15
Weapon Equipped = Quarterstaff
Crossbow Bolts = 10/10
Conditions = Mage Armor (1/7h), Good Hope (+2 morale on saves, attacks, ability, skill, & damage)(1/9m), Haste (7/7r), Confused (6/?r)
Melee: Attack: BAB +3, Str +0 Damage: +0
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Reconnaissance (1/1)
Arcane Reservoir (su): 5/10 (+1 DC or caster level (free), quick study (full))
Consume Spells (su): 2/2
Runestone of Power (first) 0/1
Spells (Caster Level 7, Concentration +11, SR +9)
Special: (6/7) Force Missile*
Zero (14): (7) Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Spark
First (15): (1/5) Burning Hands*, Charm Person, Feather Fall, Infernal Healing, Mage Armor, Magic Missile*
Second (16) (3/5) Admonishing Ray*, Invisibility, Knock, See Invisibility
Third (17) (0/4) Fireball*, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
* +1 DC, +3 Damage
Femi wakes in a pool of his own blood and viscera. He looks up at the fight above him and tries to focus.
It’s all he can do to babble incoherently at the creature causing so much harm to the party.
1. Chretien 2. Falko 3. Femi
She swings at Chretien thinking he is a fey.
Chretien
Zophar reflex
Chretien goes into full defense, bullwark facing Falko, Iva and Femi
Gale seemingly broken from her bond fires a Lightning bolt at Ekossigan doing points of Lightning damage Reflex DC 17 fail...
"Now that you are Ekossigan of Winter, not Spring I am no longer bound to you, your eminence!"
Initiative
ROund 8
Ekossigan takes a five foot step back and casts slumber at Gale DC 19 fail she falls asleep.
Everyone
Round: 8, Initiative: 15
Weapon Equipped = Quarterstaff
Crossbow Bolts = 10/10
Conditions = Mage Armor (1/7h), Good Hope (+2 morale on saves, attacks, ability, skill, & damage)(1/9m), Confused (7/?r)
Melee: Attack: BAB +3, Str +0 Damage: +0
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Reconnaissance (1/1)
Arcane Reservoir (su): 5/10 (+1 DC or caster level (free), quick study (full))
Consume Spells (su): 2/2
Runestone of Power (first) 0/1
Spells (Caster Level 7, Concentration +11, SR +9)
Special: (6/7) Force Missile*
Zero (14): (7) Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Spark
First (15): (1/5) Burning Hands*, Charm Person, Feather Fall, Infernal Healing, Mage Armor, Magic Missile*
Second (16) (3/5) Admonishing Ray*, Invisibility, Knock, See Invisibility
Third (17) (0/4) Fireball*, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
* +1 DC, +3 Damage
Femi grabs his quarterstaff off the ground next to him (provoking) and attacks, = Iva with it.
Falko retaliates in a delayed manner and plunges his rapier into the Fey Lord and he topples over unconscious.
Combat Over
Once Ekossigan is defeated, the storm ends, the tree creaks but does not collapse, and the fey who were trying to fight through Asrabey stop and then flee.
Asrabey says, "Your mage cuffs should be enough to hold him."
Weapon Equipped = Quarterstaff
Crossbow Bolts = 10/10
Conditions = Mage Armor (1/7h), Good Hope (+2 morale on saves, attacks, ability, skill, & damage)(1/9m)
Melee: Attack: BAB +3, Str +0 Damage: +0
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Reconnaissance (1/1)
Arcane Reservoir (su): 5/10 (+1 DC or caster level (free), quick study (full))
Consume Spells (su): 2/2
Runestone of Power (first) 0/1
Spells (Caster Level 7, Concentration +11, SR +9)
Special: (6/7) Force Missile*
Zero (14): (7) Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Spark
First (15): (1/5) Burning Hands*, Charm Person, Feather Fall, Infernal Healing, Mage Armor, Magic Missile*
Second (16) (2/5) Admonishing Ray*, Invisibility, Knock, See Invisibility
Third (17) (0/4) Fireball*, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
* +1 DC, +3 Damage
Femi struggles to his feet, leaning heavily on his staff. He casts Infernal Healing on himself and peers at their enemy. ”Truly, the fey have the power to warp minds.”
Zophar shakes his head, furious at himself for succumbing to the spell and harming his teammates.
"I apologise for my actions... wait... the children!"
As he remembers the children that fell to their deaths he clambers out of his suit as quickly as possible, rappelling down the tree with his grappling hooks to find the remains of the building they were trapped in. Perhaps there were some survivors.
"I will take some of that healing." She takes one shot. "I'm going to check on the children." She follows Zophar down his ropes.
Zophar and Iva go down to the ground below and see the students' dormitory destroyed and splintered the frozen wood shattered on impact leaving a grisly scene. The boys left in the dormitory are dead.
You then take the next few minutes to pry the other boys out of their dorm rooms.
Asrabey revives Ekossigan and says, "Where is my wife, traitor?"
Ekossigan says softly, "The last time I saw, she was held prisoner in a steel cage lined with tapestries, beneath Cauldron Hill in the Bleak Gate. I don’t know anything else. I wanted to rescue her to end the plight brewing...."
Asrabey spits at the lord and then says with a deep tone, "As dreadnought of the Unseen Court and in its stead I proclaim the fey lord of the seasons, formerly of Spring, Autumn, Summer and currently of winter, Ekossigan as guilty of betraying the Unseen Court. Which comes with it compelled suicide."
Xambria says in Falko's mind, "After the conversations with the king and earlier today, it seems that his primary motivation before now was doing the bidding of the Unseen Court."
Iva gathers up the bodies of the dead children. She doesn't cry, but her face is stoic as she does the work. She keeps glancing up to where the other's are, and wonders what is going on up there.
Zophar aids Iva, unaware of the drama playing out above. He sheds tears freely, cursing the senseless waste of life.
Asrabey presses a dagger into the Fey Lord's hand, the two of them nod and the slender male, draped in robes adorned with leaves, whose face concealed by a wooden mask with empty eye sockets, and guides him to slit his own throat.
When Ekossigan dies, his body begins to crumble away into a mass of dead leaves which are carried away on the wind. A “life bloom” overtakes the area, as plants begin to sprout and smaller trees begin emerging across the ground beneath the tree. The orphanage stops falling away, and each of you is re-turned to full health.
Asrabey says, "I thank you constables sincerely for assisting me on the behest of your king. Gale and I will round up the rest of the rogue fey. I suggest you find someone to guardian over the children, maybe speak to mayor Doyle Idylls to get some people on watching them."
Asrabey says, "Treason. He intended to initiate a war between the Unseen Court and the land or Risur. He was also willing to sacrifice and corrupt millions of fey creatures to instigate conflict. He also has put a curse on the Cloudwood which is starting to lift. When the Unseen Court meets, a lord is expected to abide by the decision of the Court and to go off on his own and to commit mass murder of children is unforgiveable. Not to mention he has gone mad. Summer follows Spring not Winter. His change back to winter would if left in place would have disrupted the entire planet and mayhap solar system. A Skyseer would understand far better than I, fore I am a soldier."
Femi is in a bit of a whirlwind with all that is happening. He fears for the children and is glad that some of them at least made it. Though he himself is not a fan of kids, they should still not suffer at the hands of the fey.
When the fey kills himself, he's surprised, but Asrabey is helpful with explanation.
"Quite the mess. Do you're people have more treasonous folk looking to cause trouble for us? The Bleak Gate is bad enough, we don't need this kind of help." He knows he barely survived this encounter, as did they all...
Asrabey says, "Honestly, I don't know. One problem at a time, magician."
He then wakes up Gale and starts off after the other fey.
He then says, "I shall see you soon. I think."
Iva feels the wave of growth flow over the area. She's still taking her time searching for other children in the wreckage. "What was that? Do you have any idea what happened?" she asks Zophar.
You get the children out of their dormitories and decide to walk with them back to the mayor's mansion from yesterday. It takes you about thirty minutes to walk with the children in tow.
About two street before the mansion and police station, you see a restaurant and you Brakken the minotaur eating lunch with a man who looks to be a druid and a half elf in Danoran garb.
Brakken sees you and says, "Constables, it is great to see you again come and why all the children?"
Brakkan says, "Well, constable, let me introduce you to the Risuri Minister of Agriculture, Kian Doherty and the Danoran Minister of Magic, Pierre Riquier. I figured this would be a good way for them to bond before the summit. There was a mob afoot up until about a half an hour ago and then the people just stopped as if there were some sort of curse afoot."
Doherty stands and says, "Pleasure to meet you constables."
Riquier says, "Mon amis... Professor Dufrene, I have heard that you are preparing a carriage for the wedding."
Femi laughs despite himself at Falko's diversification comment. He wonders at the curse, and suspects the fey - no longer an immediate threat.
He tries to keep the children corralled as he says hello, "Greetings and pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your assistance." He grins and introduces himself.
Iva settles the children, and bows to the two Ministers. "An honor to meet you both. Coming to a friendship or at least an understanding before such an important meeting will certainly make things move more smoothly. That was an excellent idea."
"I'm afraid we must get these children to a safe place. Their home has been destroyed by fey, and they are in shock." She picks up a little one and holds her on her hip. "Poor things have lost their home and everyone they knew in one horrible incident."
Brakken chuckles and says, "With all of the races in Ber it is difficult to make far and equitable children's labor laws. I figure you need to get to it, we will see you probably before the summit."
And with that a monkey jumps on the table and snatches some food from the minotaur and swings from tree to tree, Brakkan tries his best to get it back and the children have a little something to laugh at after their ordeal.
The two ministers try to keep straight faces but the two-legged bull man stumbling after a monkey is just too much to endure.
With that you march the children over to the mayoral mansion to speak with Mayor Idylls. You are promptly led in to meet him and he says in a chipper manner, "Constables, who are these fine lads here?"
"Ah yes, the royal carriage should be complete any day now, barring the innumerable distractions of late."
The Mayor says, "I will get these boys a new home. It is just horrible what kind of an ordeal they have gone through." the mayor starts to sob at his desk.
Iva pats the mayor's hand. "I hope they will heal." She looks uncomfortable with his grief.
She stands, and backs away from the desk. "We have other things to deal with. A meeting at 3pm I believe. We should find back up."
Femi suggests some rest, "Sounds like we're to be up all night. That last battle stole many of my spells, but more importantly - I don't want to be fatigued. I suggest we rest until then, and prepare our attacks."
Femi will take 1/3 of his troops. If we do rest, will I obtain my spells back, or not? Fine either way, just checking on options.
Zophar is able to set charges which he can either detonate at will or set to be landmines which will last for up to 70 minutes when set. He can set up to 8 charges per day and he has 7 uses remaining unless we rest. He can also set traps as per these rules, he has the Flash Trap ability as well as the basic ability, however these traps can only last for a number of 1d20+12 rounds and take up 2 5'x5' squares.
I feel like this ambush is going to be fun.
Iva will requisition three healing potions from the quarter master.
She will then head to her assigned troops. "We have a chance to take down one of the blights on our fair city and country. Join me on this."
"Join us in clearing up the city. Innocents will be harmed if we don't deal with this in an efficient manner. I need you to be efficient."
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[ooc] I think there is a misunderstanding about how much help can be asked for from a particular group at a time. The more men you have the more likely Kell won't show up. You can only tap each group once per day for the whole party. You might want to use Cipriano's boys against Kell and Risuri troops against the dwarves:
Here are the rules:
Prestig e
Most fantasy adventurers are “free agents” with no boss but themselves,
usually out on the edge of civilization with few allies they can call on
in a pinch. In Zeitgeist, though, you and your fellow PCs may want
to call in favors from the RHC, the local police, or other power groups.
The Prestige mechanic provides a quick guideline of how much clout
the party has, whether they’re calling in a mage to perform a spell too
high-level for them, or trying to get their hands on a rare wand before
assaulting a criminal stronghold.
In Zeitgeist, the GM will need to track the party’s Prestige with five
groups:
* Flint. The citizens of Flint.
* Risur. The RHC, the police, and the greater Risuri government
and military.
* The Unseen Court. The lords of the fey who rule in the Dreaming
* Criminal. A criminal group, the identity of which is secret at the
start of the campaign.
* Philosophical. An ideological group, the identity of which is
secret at the start of the campaign.
As with any rules for social interaction, these are just guidelines, and
the GM should use his best judgment when adjudicating them.
Using Prestige.
In addition to acting as a handy track of your notoriety, your Prestige lets
you call in favors, usually to acquire special gear or to get help from allies.
The higher your Prestige, the easier and faster you can get what you want.
Use the following guidelines to determine the Favor level of what you
want. Then compare that rating to your Prestige to see how fast you
can get what you want. You can make a Diplomacy or Intimidate check
(DC 15 + 3 per level of the favor) to increase the speed of your favor one
step, from a week to a day for instance.
If the Favor level is… Then your favor gets fulfilled in…
Less Than your Prestige As little time as humanly possible.
Equal to your Prestige A few hours.
Your Prestige +1 A day.
Your Prestige +2 A week.
Your Prestige +3 A month.
Your Prestige +4 Never.
Calling in a favor represents the party expending resources and good
will to find people who are both able and willing to help, so there are
limits to how often the party can take advantage of the Prestige system.
The party as a whole can call in one favor per day from a given allied
group. For example, a party with Risur Prestige 2 might call on a soldier
for back-up (Favor 1) and get someone to show up in a few minutes. The
next day they might call for a spell caster to craft some magic items for
them (Favor 2), and he’d show up in a few hours. If the next day they
requisitioned a flaming sword (Favor 3) to fight a frost monster, it would
arrive until the next morning unless the party pulled some strings or
yelled a lot (i.e., Diplomacy or Intimidate check).
If the party needs to call in more favors, one PC needs to make a Diplomacy
or Intimidate check (DC 15 + 3 per level of the favor + 2 per
each previous favor beyond the limit in the same day). For instance, if on
day two the party above also needed a squad of four police to stake out
a wharf for a night (Rating 3), they would need to make a check (DC 24)
to even get the favor, plus also another check (DC 24) to round up the
squad in time for that evening.
If they failed the first check they’d have to wait until the next day to
call in that favor. If they failed the second check, the squad might be
willing, but wouldn’t be able to get their schedules together until the
next day.
Prestige Rating.
The prestige rating represents how well-regarded the party is, either as
an ally or enemy. If the party thwarts several criminal plots but anger Flint
politicians in the process, the criminals might view them as a significant
threat (Prestige 3), even though they’re pariahs to the Risuri establishment
(Prestige 0).
••Rating 0: Viewed with disdain, as buffoons or pariahs. The group will
not take the party seriously.
••Rating 1: The party is relatively unknown to the group.
••Rating 2: The party has done a few noteworthy things, but most group
members don’t know them or assume they’ll do nothing else of note.
••Rating 3: The party has distinguished itself, and most members of the
group know about their actions and talents.
••Rating 4: The group pays close attention to the party, either viewing
them as a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy.
••Rating 5: The party is one of the top priorities of the group. A lot of
resources are devoted to either helping them out or taking them down.
••Rating 6: The party has the ear of the leader of the group (or actually is
in charge), or they’re viewed as the face of the enemy.
18
Player’s Guide Section One: Characters
All the above favors would be based on the party’s Prestige with Risur,
and wouldn’t count against the limit if the party wanted to call on favors
from the people of Flint. If they wanted some street urchins to tail a suspect
for a week (Level 3), and needed a group of technologists to spend
a few hours testing the air in various districts for traces of a particular
chemical (Level 4), it wouldn’t make the police any less likely to help
the party out.
The Favor Ratings below are just guidelines. The GM can impose
modifiers as he sees fit, or state that certain favors are impossible. For
instance, if you call in back-up to a crime scene, and all the officers are
killed because you screw up, the police force will be less inclined to send
you back-up next time. If you just saved the police chief’s life and need a
dozen men to track down the assassin, you’ll have an easier time of that.
Flint Favors.
Here are some sample help, provided by Flint’s citizens.
* Level 0. Urchins to watch a street for you. A secretary to look
through documents or handle your paperwork. A carriage-driver
to provide you discreet passage around a district.
* Level 1. A ferry-man to give you discreet passage around the city.
A craftsman to make a custom non-magic item for you. A minor
bureaucrat to bend the rules for your sake. A journalist to run a
story.
* Level 2. A docker to create a distraction that will probably get him
beaten up or arrested. A journalist to run a false story that could
get him in trouble. A major public figure agreeing to talk with you
for a few minutes.
* Level 3. A gang of thugs to commit some violent crimes for you. A
small group of concerned citizens to rally and protest somewhere.
A journalist to print an exposé on a powerful political figure.
* Level 4. A large crowd of protesters to block off a whole building
or street. A class of university students to come out and use
their skills for the common people. A ship captain to smuggle in
something for you.
* Level 5. A politician to take a stand for something that might make
him lose his office. A city-wide search for a missing person. A local
celebrity to put on a private show.
* Level 6. A city-wide protest. A call for all citizens to take arms
against a threat.
Risur Favors.
And here are some examples of help provided by the RHC, the police,
or the military.
* Level 1. An officer to provide back-up or investigate a lead for you.
One soldier to fight alongside you. (See Allied Stats, page 56.)
* Level 2. Four officers or soldiers. A level 6 ritual caster who can
perform several rituals (the PCs pay for any ritual components).
* Level 3. A squad of twelve officers, or a unit of twelve soldiers. A
level 10 ritual caster.
* Level 4. A precinct-wide alert for all officers to assist. Four 12-soldier
units. A level 12 ritual caster.
* Level 5. A city-wide alert for all officers to assist. A company of
one hundred soldiers. A level 14 ritual caster.
* Level 6. Four companies of soldiers. Principal Minister Harkover
Lee, who is a level 18 ritual caster.
Unseen Court Favors.
It’s always dangerous to ask for help from the fey. Any favor must be repaid
in kind, a bargain which can be magically compelled at any moment.
* Level 1. A tiny fey to deliver an item to a specific house without
being seen. A dryad to hide someone on the run from the law.
* Level 2. A pixie to kill a person’s pet and eat everything but its
head. A nymph to lure someone off into the Cloudwood.
* Level 3. A hag to provide an illegal magic item (the PCs pay for the
cost). A young treant to sneak into the city and observe a target.
* Level 4. A vekeshi mystic to abduct a factory owner and threaten
him.
* Level 5. A fey lord (though not one of the Unseen Court) to meet
and provide information.
* Level 6. A member of the Great Hunt to chase down and kill a
target in the wilderness.
Taking Time.
As a default, favors like those above can get people to help you for up to
half an hour. If you want someone to help you for a few hours, increase
the level by 1. If the favor requires working for a day or more, increase
the level by 2; and if a week or more, by 3. Particularly with large groups,
you’ll usually need to factor at least a 1-level increase to give the group
time to gather and travel to wherever the party needs them. Even the
king needs a few weeks to march an army to war.
Requisitioning Equipment.
Between adventures, there’s no need to use the Prestige system. Characters
can file the appropriate paperwork and whether it takes a few days
or a few weeks, the item they need will arrive before the start of the next
adventure.
When you want to request something during an adventure, though,
you need to call in a favor using your Risur Prestige. Start with a base
Favor Rating of 1 for minor magic items, 3 for moderate magic items,
and 5 for major magic items. Add 1 if the item you’re looking for is higher
level than you. Most mundane items like rope and clothes don’t need
to be requisitioned, but something weird like a wagon with a cannon
hidden inside it might count as a minor magic item. This abstraction
represents what would realistically be a complex system involving very
large quantities of paperwork. Remember that the favor only represents
making the item available; you still have to pay for it.
The PM comes through the front door of the RHC and says, "Where do you want me to place the spell, so he cannot teleport?"