Kingmaker [PbP] (Inactive)

Game Master Jeff Przybylo

"What can you tell of fighting these trees? Are they like treants and will move or are you talking of particularly aggressive weed that smothers all other plants?"

I like the idea of an extreme gardening conflict, probably not in pathfinder but maybe another system.

Gavriil relaxes as the dryad tells them that there is no immediate danger. He listens intently as she explains about the scythe tree and their failure to defeat it. When she gives her final plea, he thinks with a snicker, Anything, huh?

Then his jaw nearly drops to the ground as Talia tells him to tell the dryad the deal. How could Talia possibly be thinking the exact same thing he was thinking and be forward enough in front of the rest of the council to tell him to sugge--

Oh! OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!! She's talking about the stupid trees!

He composes himself quickly and says, "Melainse asked if you could gift her some coachwood trees. There was an accident with a lumber-crew and her grove is in a bit of disrepair."

He moves to his horse and saddles up, "Edric's right, we need to go chop down this tree quickly. It's not like we've ever actually had a plan before. Besides, I'm sure Naralesh can summon up some fire elementals and you still have the alchemists fire, Talia, and Dregan has his axe. That all should be plenty to mulch a tree."

"Ahem," Naralesh interjects. "Tiressia, what manner of threat does this scythe tree pose? How quickly can it travel - and how will we know it when we see it?"

Knowledge (Nature?): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 (To see what, if anything, Naralesh already knows about such plants.)

Tiressia says between sniffles; "The scythe tree is horribly tall and strong. It's branches tear into you, like they did poor, poor Falchos." She says, wiping his brow. "You will know its hollow when you get there. All dark, all dark..."

She stays quiet for a moment while she continues to attend to the satyr. Then she looks up at Gavriil. "Melianse? Of course I can help...once the scythe tree is dead."

Gavriil looks down on the dryad and her satyr companion with a twinge of sadness. They're just trying to help their people like us. he thinks. With his lips pressed into a thin line, he nods to her. "Then dead it shall be, fair Tiressia. Rest and look after Falchos now. We'll stop the scythe tree."

He turns to the others, "We really should get going. We have about all the information we're going to get from her. Maybe Vosil can look something up in his tomes on the way to this things hollow. And it will give them time to recover. We don't want that tree hurting anyone else."

Edric nods in agreement. "I have not used many of Desna's gifts today, we will be well able to destroy this monstrosity."

As they journey west Edric muses about strategy. "I fear my hammers will be of less use than normal against a tree - I will have to act as a distraction, try to keep its attention on me while the rest of you attack it from the sides. Talia, Naralesh - do you two have any tricks that will stop a tree in its tracks?"

Vosil flips through the pages of the tome he's carrying. "Nothing. In truth, I had thought them a myth." He scribbles a brief note in the margin, and looks thoughtfully around. "Finding a tree in the forest is... well, it's more likely to find us. Edric, Gav, you should go in front, with Talia just behind." He gives her his best don't even THINK of running ahead look. "Nara should follow in the squishy middle, then Dregan; I will bring up the rear, in case it gets behind us."

They've been attacked from the 'wrong' direction one too many times now - Vosil is trying to wise up to it.

;)

He claps Edric on the shoulder. "Fret not: Our Lady of Stars is with you. She doesn't want this thing preying on travellers any more than we want it to prey on our fey allies."

Smite Evil bypasses DR. Just saying :-)

It's late in the evening on this day. Unless you want to wander into a dark, unknown hollow - in the next hex - in the dark?

It's late in the evening on this day. Unless you want to wander into a dark, unknown hollow - in the next hex - in the dark?

What could possibly go wrong?

"It is getting dark and Falchos could do with a little more assistance. There was a good camping site back a little way how about will prepare tonight and deal with this thing in the morning. Oh and Edric you are welcome to borrow my axe if you would like, you are far more skilled than I."

"Oh and Edric you are welcome to borrow my axe if you would like, you are far more skilled than I."

"Thank you Dregan. That will depend on whether the enchantments on this," he gestures to his earthbreaker "will have any effect on that tree. If it will then I'll stick to what I know... if not then that axe might be very useful!"

No needing to conserve his energies Edric offers healing to Tiressia and does his best to help Falchos before retiring for the night.

4 Gozran 4708

It's late in the morning when you reach what can only be described as a 'dark hollow'. The sweet stench of decay hangs thick in this woodland clearing. Knotted branches of sickly trees line the perimeter, creating a thick canopy that blocks most of the sunlight and cloaks the hollow in shadow. Withered vegetation struggles to grow in ragged clumps among the multitude of bones strewn across the forest floor.

The hollow is 50' in diameter, The lighting conditions cause a -4 to Perception checks, and 20% miss chance in combat. You know, should there be combat or something...

I have no way of hitting what is essentially a DC 29 Perception check - but I do have an Everburning Torch, if that helps with the lighting conditions?

Vosil peers around in the gloom, his nose wrinkling at the smell of rotting flesh and decay. "Well this looks like a good spot for a city," he murmurs dryly. "Edric - do your senses pick up anything here?" He has worked with Paladins on occasion, enough to know that they are attuned to a world that he doesn't walk in - or particularly wish to.

Edric, unable to see anything normal in the gloom, responds to Vosil's question by using his other senses... reaching out across the glade for the evil he is sure is there.

Detect Evil in cone :)

Gavriil hops off his horse to look around as they enter the hollow.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 2 - 4 = 8

But the dark gloom is too much, and Gavriil can hardly see his hand in front of his face. He places his hand over his pommel and says, "I think we found the place..."

Remember Dregan gives us +2 to Perception in woods! Not that it helped me at all...

Talia dismounts and ties Apple to a nearby tree (hopefully not the tree). Peering into the gloom and squinting, Talia gulps, a tingle of fear suddenly creeping up her back. Reaching down, she grabs a pebble, and with a quick gesture and incantation, places a radiance upon the stone, before tossing it into the middle of the hollow.

"Going to try and lure it out of hiding..." the Viscountess whispers, With another wiggle of her fingers and vocalization. The sound of someone running through the woods begins to circle the edges of the hollow. "Help me! Look for moving branches and swaying tree trunks!"

Casting light first, and then ghost sound. Hope to lure the tree into action if it thinks something is drawing near.

perception: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 = 27

Maybe an aid another helps?

I read too late that Dregan had already offered Edric an axe - but I'll keep this anyway. Perhaps Naralesh didn't overhear Dregan's offer, or maybe Edric prefers a sword.

When Edric mentions that he would have difficulty using a hammer against a tree, Naralesh unbuckles his sword belt and offers it to the man. "It may not be your specialty, but I suspect you can swing a blade with some skill. I would be honored to lend you my sword in this battle." The weapon is an ordinary longsword, of obvious elven craftsmanship. The hilt bears a six-pointed star painted in pink, blue, and green encircled by a gold ring.

Naralesh casts mage armor and shield before venturing forth into the hollow.

"Edric, hold for a moment. I will use my magic to enlarge you - all the better for chopping down lumber." He begins the chant, finishing by thrusting his palms out toward the paladin then drawing them apart from one another, like stretching the man to grow larger as Edric suddenly doubles in height and grows greatly in strength. Casting enlarge person on Edric.

He then peers into the darkness, attempting to assist Talia in her search for their foe.

Perception (Aid Another): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

It is much more sensible for Mata to lend his sword. I assume we worked this out the night before when discussing plans.

Dregan casts lead blade on his axe before approaching the edge of the trees. Percetion: 1d20 + 11 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 2 - 4 = 11

Ok, we'll assume that the assists would push Talia over the DC threshold. Talia, act accordingly...because with the -4 you didn't make the first time.

"There!" Talia hisses, her voice shaking with adrenaline, as she points towards the edge of the clearing. "Naralesh, do your keen eyes see what I'm seeing? A tree, shaking so slightly, twenty or so feet over there?"

Drawing her last alchemist's fire, the Viscountess lobs it at the tree, hoping her eyes aren't deceiving her, but the flask slips from her fingers before she intends it to...

fire toss, range penalty, touch attack: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 2 = 4

Gah!

With Talia's aid Edric focuses properly, his senses honing in on the tree even as his body, and weapons, grow.

Assuming that it comes up evil...
"She's right! Desna guide our blades!" Edric calls down the wrath of his goddess and charges, comepletely forgetting as he does so that Naralesh lent him a sword for precisely this purpose. His earthbreaker trails star motes in the gloom as he eats up the ground between himself and the tree with a single stride, and strikes!

Charging Smite: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 2 + 3 = 34 Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 5 ⇒ (5, 8) + 9 + 5 = 27

AC against the tree is 18, due to new size modifier, dex loss and deflection from smite.

Gavriil sees Edric charge into the gloom and swears under his breath. He turns to Talia and says, "Cast your light on Edric! I need to be able to see to hit it!"

It is most definitely evil. It has reach...

As Edric charges forward, the long limbs of the three slash outward. You can now see that it has a lengthy reach, and you are within it's range...

att 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 dmg: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 3) + 6 = 12 -12 dmg, Edric

Like lightning, one of the branches lashes out and strikes the charging paladin. The branch ends in a four-foot long scythe-like structure, giving the tree its name. A gout of blood sprays from Edric's chest, but his earthbreaker slams home with a thud!

ROUND ONE: Tree AC 19/7/19; 40/67; size Huge. The tree goes first, then you all.

The hollow erupts with the fury of the scythe tree, reacting to the anger of the evil plant. A fierce wind appears from nowhere, blasting leaves all about you and obscuring your view. The trunks and branches of the trees in the hollow thrash to and fro, creating a distracting cacophony of noise.

Rules: you have a 20% miss chance due the leaves, and casting requires a concentration check. Please include these in your relevant posts.

att 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
att 2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21 dmg: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (1, 1) + 6 = 8
att 3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 dmg: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 2) + 6 = 11
-19 damage, Edric

The scythe tree's limbs lash down on Edric, the huge blades hacking away at the man and cutting him deeply.

You are up, remember the modifiers I gave you, GO!

Vosil lets out a low whistle as he sees what the thing can do. Flexing his whip, he aims it, cutting sharply into any of the fleshy root or branch nodules he can see, aiming to hurt the thing enough to distract it.

Dirty Trick CMB check: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 58 hit

Thing should be sickened (-2 to hit, damage and saves) for 1 round, plus 1 for each 5 by which I hit the DC. Move action to remove the condition.

Gavriil hears Edric slam into the tree with his earthbreaker and the tearing of his armor as the tree strikes back viciously. There was no time to wait for the others to act. He rushes after Edric towards the tree and as he gets close, dodges closer to the pile of twigs I'm assuming it's going to use an attack of opportunity on me as I close in. If he does, I'm going to spend 1 panache to use Dodging Panche which lets me take a free 5 foot step to get into range to hit him and boost my AC by 2. So my AC would be 22

As he slides towards the tree, his rapier flicks up and stabs at the tree.

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 75

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Crit Chance!

Damage: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

Crit Damage: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16 Edit: Forgot to take of the precise strike damage here so damage would be +8 not +12. So crit damage is 12

With a scream, Gavriil's continuous momentum sends his rapier deep into the tree! He lets out a shout to the others, "Now! Press the attack before it can recover!"

[ooc]Total of 28 damage to the tree Also, If I burned the Panache to dodge then I regain it back after this attack.

Edric reels under the impact of repeated blows before rallying. "For Desna and Fairhaven!" He slaps one hand to his chest, pushing the healing energy out and into a wide aura of light which spans most of the clearing.

Swift: LoH, Standard: LoH for Bless aura. Will that effect the penalties OGGM? +1 AC, attack, damage and saves vs. fear if you're in the light (30ft of Edric)

LoH: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 4) = 11

Talia had already cast Light. The miss chance is not light/dark based, but obstruction based. The storm of leaves is the issue.

Dregan follows the old drilled exercise of charging one at a time. He ducks his head as he runs trying to protect his face from the coming blow. When close he swings his axe low focusing on trying to cut through it's trunk.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 16 charge, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing.
Damage(Slashing): 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 + 4 + 1 = 17 Lead blade, Two handed, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing

AC currently 16
No need for a miss chance

Just occurred to me that with smite ignoring DR, you'd have no need for a slashing weapon. Heh. I guess we didn't know it was gonna be evil-aligned for sure.

Naralesh stays as far as he can get from the monstrous tree. The last thing he needs is to do is get closer to the thing currently cutting Edric to ribbons. Beginning an incantation, he calls out to the forces of elemental fire. The incantation is stronger than any he has yet called, and he strains to the limit of his ability simply to cast it. Unfortunately, as he reaches the peak of the spell, a fell wind whips up in an unholy cacophony of leaves and sound from the vile plant, and steals the concentration from his mind. He curses bitterly as he struggles to regain focus. He cannot fail at this a second time - his allies need him.

Concentration: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Going out on a limb here and assuming a 13 fails.

Talia's hand snakes into her spell component pouch, and draws forth a pinch of ground mica. She aims the spell at the boughs of the tall tree, intending to send one of Naralesh's flashbangs into it. Though the Viscountess didn't know if trees could be blinded, Talia hoped that was the case.

Alas, she opened her mouth to speak the flashbang's creation, and a small leaf flew in and lodged itself in the back of her throat. Talia doubled over and coughed the leaf up, the spell forgotten.

concentration: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

The fury of the hollow prevents both Naralesh and Talia from casting their spells. Gavriil dashes up, ducking under a scything branch.

AoO: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

He then drives his blade deep into the tree, so deep that it's difficult to remove without effort!

Interesting conundrum regarding Dirty Trick on a plant creature: Immune to mind-affecting, sleep, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning.

The scythe tree's central trunk opens now to reveal a wide maw full of sharp wooden teeth. Just then Vosil's whip cracks and wraps itself around a large fang and yanks it free! The tree whips back and forth in a semblance of pain, nearly tearing the whip from Vosil's hand!

ROUND TWO:

The tree focuses it's efforts on Edric, trying to drive him into the earth.

att 1: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16
att 2: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 2 = 25 dmg: 2d4 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3) + 10 = 14 (-14 hp, Edric)
att 3: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 2 = 11

But it only connects once with a great scythe.

ROUND TWO, cont'd; you guys are up. Edric, Gav, and Dregan are within melee range. Vosil is 15' away. Nara and Talia are 20' away. NOTE: All of you are still within it's reach! AC 19/17/19; remember the penalties!

With another scream, Gavriil yanks his blade out of the tree just as the tree's trunk opens up. He readies his rapier for another attack and shouts, "Looks like we're barking up the wrong tree!" before plunging his rapier at the tree again.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

But the fearsome maw on the tree makes him miscalculate horribly, and his rapier flies harmlessly through the air.

Edric takes the blow to his breastplate and strikes back with a roar.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 20 Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (2, 5) + 9 + 1 = 17
Miss chance (high miss): 1d100 ⇒ 28

Guided by Desna's grace and thanks to the flanking attacks of Dregan and Gavriil his blow strikes home with all the force he can muster. The glow surrounding him brightens just for a moment as the earthbreaker strikes, the flash lighting up the clearing and the grimacing tree.

Yeah, it's tricky: my favourite Dirty Trick is to blind, but I figured that wouldn't work on a tree... Thanks for going with it.

Giving a satisfied nod at his handiwork, Vosil lashes with his whip once more, creating a distracting effect. Curling the end of the whip about one branch, he tries to pull it round into a cleft within the thing's trunk, tying it up for a bit longer.

Dirty Trick, CMB Check: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21 (I can use up to 5 Stamina points to put that to a 26, if that helps. Not sure what the CMD is)

Going for Entangle: half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a (further) –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity.

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 47

We're within its reach? I wasn't sure just how gigantic this clearing is. Can I back up - perhaps with my swift-action teleport, if there's something in the way? In its reach is the absolute last place on Golarion I want to be right now.

If I do back up, do I still need to make concentration checks? Does the swirl of leaves have a maximum radius we can escape from? This will do a lot to determine my next action - staying here makes it very difficult to get my spells off!

Dregan slowly moves around the creature (5 ft step to open a flank if you can flank this thing). Then swings in a practiced choping motion.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 35 Flank, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing.
Damage(Slashing): 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 4 + 4 + 1 = 17 Lead blade, Two handed, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing
Miss chance (miss on a 1-20): 1d100 ⇒ 16

Possible crit missed due to leaves getting in Dregan's eyes

We're within its reach? I wasn't sure just how gigantic this clearing is. Can I back up - perhaps with my swift-action teleport, if there's something in the way? In its reach is the absolute last place on Golarion I want to be right now.

If I do back up, do I still need to make concentration checks? Does the swirl of leaves have a maximum radius we can escape from? This will do a lot to determine my next action - staying here makes it very difficult to get my spells off!

The clearing is plenty large enough to move away from the reach - it's a 50' circle. The leaves, however, will remain an issue.

Edric's blow staggers the tree, nearly cracking its trunk. Killing small fey and eating defenseless dryads is one thing, but a determined fight from grim opponents is quite another. The scythe tree has had enough. Twisting about with surprising speed, it attempts to flee into the forest.

AoOs for Edric, Dregan, and Gav. Vosil, your attack missed. You won't be able to trip it, either. Nara and Talia can still go in this round. Still have the penalties!

Gavriil sees the tree begin to move away from him and shouts, "Oh no you don't you overgrown dandelion!" before flicking his rapier at it again.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 2 = 24

Miss Chance 1-20: 1d100 ⇒ 17

But as his rapier flies in to strike the creature, a leaf hits him in the eye, distracting him and making him miss.

Dregan swings in frustration retreating tree.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 33 Flank, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing.

Damage(Slashing): 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 + 4 + 1 = 17 Lead blade, Two handed, Ranger's focus, Edric's holy aura thing

Miss chance (miss on a 1-20): 1d100 ⇒ 64

-Posted with Wayfinder

Vosil mutters in annoyance as his attempt misses. Taking advantage of the opening provided by the fleeing tree, he tries again to pull some of the thing's branches around and twist them up.

Dirty Trick, CMB Check: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32

Going for Entangle: half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a (further) –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity.

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 81 Hit

Edric roars, and whirls his hammer around in a mighty blow, desperate to stop the tree from escaping.

AOO: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 28 Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (1, 2) + 9 + 1 = 13
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 91 Hit

The scythe tree never makes it to the safety of the woods. It 'stumbles', seizes up, and falls over with a crash. At once a silent stillness comes over the hollow. A narrow beam of sunlight manages to creep through the canopy of branches, maybe for the first time in years...

Inside the cracked trunk of the tree rests all the treasure it has collected over the years: 3 pieces of amber worth 100 gp each, 142 cp, 255 sp, and 106 gp. More importantly, you find a bundled-up roll of cloth and a shiny silver ring. A quick analysis reveals them to be a cloak of resistance +1, and a ring of protection +1.

Gavriil pants as the tree falls with a cracking that sounds like thunder and the world falls silent around the grove. He slides his rapier back into its scabbard as the light flows through the brush, casting the grove in a bit of light for the first time in a long, long time. Looking around, he finally gets his heart-rate under control and smirks. Even after the long winter and the in-fighting that spawned from the witch, they still came together to bring down impossible odds. And seeing them all there standing over the fallen tree, with the dramatic glow from above giving his companions--especially Edric--a heavenly outline, Gavriil lets out a laugh.

He turns to Talia and says, "Now that has to make it into your play! Maybe that one I'll actually stay awake through!" He moves towards the tree and begins rooting around inside. He finds the creature's hoard, shudders to think at how the hoard actually made its way there, and pulls out the loot for the others to see. "If no one minds, I'd like to keep one of the bits of amber."

Once they divided the loot, Gavriil looks to the others and says, "We should get back to Tiressia and let her know we succeeded. I'm sure she'll be glad to know. Also, we may want to let Asha know of this place. She may be able to help breathe life back into it."

Edric glowers around the clearing, seemingly looking for more enemies to kill, before relaxing as his magically enhanced frame sinks back to normal. "Did it manage to hit anyone? I have some healing left if needed?"

When Gavriil suggest returning Edric nods, although he looks tired. "You're right Gav - I want to check on the satyr, there was something keeping him asleep. Hopefully with our slaying the tree whatever miasma affected him will have lifted." The idea of bringing Asha makes Edric look up sharply. "We could try, but I would worry about protecting her out here. It's some distance from Concord already and we seem to be finding more and more dangers as we travel south. I'd be cautious about sending our High Priest out here without protection at least. Besides, natural will reclaim this place in time - it always does."

Gavriil shakes his head at Edric, "No, I'm fine. I'm sorry to say I think you took the brunt of the creature's attacks."

He looks to Edric, a little confused by his sharp look and responds, "I'm not saying we ship her off, just that she may want to know about it. She was interested when we found the temple with the bear, I'm sure she would like to know about this." He smirks at the stoic paladin ruefully and follows up with, "Besides, Asha's a big girl, she can make decisions by herself. Or we can send a champion with her if she wishes to investigate. Maybe someone concerned for her safety? It'll give a bit of a... 'bonding' experience between the two of the more religious members of our council"

Talia harrumphs. "I studied the works of the great Brevic playwrights. Slaying a tree is hardly the type of study of human character that I'd have interest in writing. I suppose if it would capture the hearts and minds of the masses..."

"Still I think Mikael Bay would do the subject better justice than I. Or I hope he would at any rate - he showed a knack for such writing with Convict Airship. Pure escapism for those that toil in lower classes, Nightsoil Men and the like."

Her brow furrowing, Talia mounts Apple and turns the horse to the east. "I shamefully admit to enjoying his work, though, painful a truth as that is."

Gavriil rolls his eyes behind his Baroness's back. Just one little mention of plays and she's off to the races about this writer or that. At this point Gavriil was suprised that she hadn't tried to make a play that everyone in the barony had to take part of. He chuckles and says, "Hey! That's a play I know! That was a good one!"

He hops on his horse alongside Talia and continues, "And you could maybe learn a thing or two from him. I had a... well, let's just call her a friend way back before I ended up here with you lot. She was a lot like you, Talia. Artist type. And she always would go on and on about the most boring shows that she wanted to go to with me. She said she didn't want to go see a bawdy show or a funny show because they didn't make her feel. She wouldn't be satisfied unless the show ripped her heart out and made her cry. Something she never understood, though, was that most people didn't want that out of a show. Yes, I guess it would be nice for all of that culture and people going through pain every once in a while, but most people that go to the theater just want to be entertained. They get enough of the dreary in their day to day lives, that when they pay to go see a show sometimes they just want to laugh and feel good, just for a bit."

He stops and sadly says, "Plus she didn't think History of Golorian Part I was funny at all, so I knew she had to be a little unhinged."

Vosil looks up from where he is writing a set of extended notes and making sketches in his Chronicle; if time permits, he one day hopes to publish a monograph on scythe trees, and put to rest the idea that they are a mere fiction.

He follows the cultural exchange between Gavriil and Talia, nodding as the swordsman points out that most people simply want purely escapist entertainment. "While I accept that point, Gav, there is also sometimes a need for a play to say something about us as people and how we are living. For example, Guillaume of Galt set his plays about tyranny in Ancient Azlant, but what he said about our need to be free and the way in which people will abuse power if given the chance is utterly relevant to the situation in Galt today. They banned his plays, not just because he made them look bad; but because he made people think 'maybe it doesn't have to be this way.' I never saw it, but I would imagine that Talia was trying to do something similar with The Tender Heart."

He coughs. "After all, nobody would bother censoring Mikael Bay. Alas."

He decides not to offer a comment on Talia's statement that she's studied the "great Brevic playwrights." The last time he tried, the conversation was distinctly frosty.

Maybe experience does breed wisdom, after all.

Just trying to work it out: I think that conversation was actually longer ago in game time than it was in RL!

5 Gozran 4708

The return trip to Tiressia's great oak tree is with lighter hearts than before. Having vanquished a floral horror, you report to the dryad and her satyr lover the death of the scythe tree...

4 Gozran 4708

"Trying? I got myself censored all the way to the Stolen Lands. Otherwise, you're exactly right, Vosil."

As if reading Gavriil's mind, Talia turns to the scoundrel, a small smile on her lips. "Tell you what - I'll write an opera about our experiences, if you'll agree to be cast in it. What you lack in refinement, your singing usually makes up for in enthusiasm. Now, how's that one about the hole in the bucket go?"

5 Gozran 4708

Talia pulls Apple's reigns outside Tiressia's grove. "Hallo? How is your lover, Tiressia? We have good news..."