Also, I'm pretty sure I mentioned that Ratush Navza’ar was a member of the Erechtheisian House, basically a kind of combination of naive realism and determinism. Still working out the details of all of the Houses.
The Motivations and Instincts of Thomi Gallowshade are now available for review.
Heya Gang!
So, I had a great Skype Prologue yesterday with Varan and it looks like all of the elements are adding together quite nicely to get us going.
I think this next weekend I am scheduled to have a conversation with Bijannar to do his Prologue and also talk some Brotherhood stuff with him and Toranindracar. After that I think we can finally get going!
Please make sure you finish up your character sheets and for those of you who have done your Prologues, write up any notes you'd like to!
Looking forward to it!
Bests,
Chris
I see you found the Brotherhood Houses?! Did you pick one? What do you think? What's Toaranindracar's ideological leaning?
Yep, saw them and did pick one! This part is from my Brotherhood: Early Training section:
"The first few months of his Sarosh days also saw the blossoming of his confidence in philosophy and the natural sciences. It seemed that all his observations from youth, all his thoughts and readings from his entire life had just been waiting for him to see the barest introduction to a wider array of classes, and suddenly perspective fell in place. He could remember the very first philosophical thought he had had as a young pup, traveling from one land to another -- that language forms the basis of perception, and that language is inextricable from culture. Now, with names being put to ideas he had long ago wondered at, he expanded this concept: experience forms the basis of perception, and experience is composed of all the categories used by a conscious mind to differentiate one experience from another: language, culture, sensory data, and the rudiments of perspective. And of course, one's perception decides everything one does, for everyone that exists. He happily joined Londraganimix's House Aratus, a bunch of students who, like him, saw the world in discrete wholes, each functioning according to its phenomenological states. They agreed that perspective is everything."
Start date is basically as soon as we get you caught up and your Prologue finished. I am free the weekend of December 1 if you and Ben are?
Do you guys want to playtest the new Paizo rules for "Mythic Characters" in the Peacemaker campaign?
Do you guys want to playtest the new Paizo rules for "Mythic Characters" in the Peacemaker campaign?
Not really. While I love the idea of Mythic, I don't think it fits the theme of this particular campaign (at least as I understand it). But you're the GM, so it's your call.
Nah, I get that. But I wanted to get your (collective) feedback. Being a Shadowlands GM is all about incorporating the characters deeply into the fabric of the campaign.
While I agree with you, the campaign right now isn't slated to be mythic or epic, as I hope to show, it *will* be by about 10th level once things start to unfold.
It's you guys's call really and what you really *want* for your characters and how you feel it fits into the overall feel of the campaign.
Like I said, your call. I'm fine with either.
Alright friends and awesome designers! We're all caught up on Prologues and everyone is good to go! (Please make sure you update your character sheets!). So where will you go next? I imagine there is a certain someone you all want to visit to get a little more information from, no?
Alright friends and awesome designers! We're all caught up on Prologues and everyone is good to go! (Please make sure you update your character sheets!). So where will you go next? I imagine there is a certain someone you all want to visit to get a little more information from, no?
Ack! Must finish character sheet...
Varan, do it! :-)
That said, I need to "unplug" for a little bit to work on some papers, but you are all in a position where you can talk to each other, exchange information (or oppose each other's checks), etc. When you are ready for me to describe the next scene, shoot me an email and I will hop on and write it up!
Thanks for running the intro part - that was a lot of fun. Aegwyn's going to see how this falls out a little. She's the only one with a simple motivation - she doesn't know anyone here, but apparently might get paid to find someone :)
I'm going to be offline for much of today. Aegwyn will go with the consensus of where we should check out first. Happy with either. If there's a chance she could run back to her garret and pick up her morningstar that would be great, but if not, she'll manage.
So one of the largest sources of visual inspiration for me for the Shadowlands setting, specifically for advanced tech as well as monsters (because their monsters are biologically adapted), has been the Dead Space series of games. I thought I would pass on a link to an image for the upcoming Dead Space 3 which has a nice shot of a power suit and a nasty little creature - you can find it here.
Okay, so the concept is "gross stuff", right?
Seriously, though... those things are ugly. One more reason I should play that game!
“I have candy in my open ribcage! I’m friendly!”
Heya Guys:
Just a heads up that I won't realistically be able to post the scene at Kal'ishal's house until sometime tomorrow night at the earliest. There is a bit of scene-setting I would like to do in the description and unfortunately I am in class all day today, a face-to-face game tonight, class all day tomorrow, and then I am giving a lecture at a local university tomorrow in the evening, so Kal'ishal's will have to wait until then. I know you are all somewhat waiting on me, and for that I apologize.
No worries. Good luck with all the classes and lectures.
Cheers! The lecture should be fun, it's on the philosophical considerations of technology. Always a fun topic. :-)
Ditto - no worries.
P.S. Having seen now a bit of how this works, I had a random thought: maybe we could all weigh in with certain days we might be more available, and then we could expect to progress more on those days? Otherwise, for example, I might not check much on some day, thinking nothing much would happen, but it turns out people were waiting for my reply in order to move to the next scene; or on the flipside, I might post some question to everyone and spend all day checking for responses over and over, only to realize later that most everyone was busy that day, so there was never much chance of a reply.
Not that it's a problem at all, just throwing the idea out there in case people like the thought and wanted to roll with it! :D If people prefer to just see how it turns out, I'm totally fine with that.
(Personally, I'm very flexible, and could probably work with just about any schedule, but if I were forced to vote, I'd vote maybe for Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays to be more "active" days.)
Cheers!
All- I am trying to wrap up a final paper which is due on Tuesday, so I will realistically be totally offline and not checking the message board until Monday evening. It might be a good chance for everyone to re-read through all the messages and think about what you want to else you want to do at Kal'ishal's house, compare notes and observations with each other, and then decide what your next courses of action will be as you have many possible directions you can go in!
Happy Saturnalia to each of you!
Hey, all. Just as a quick heads-up, this is pretty much the time of year when I'm apt to be effectively AFK for 24+ hours at a time. If there's a question of what Varan does, just assume he goes along with the common consensus of the group, so as to keep the story moving.
Thanks!
I'm also off an on right now (I've jumped continents from yesterday's posts for the holidays). Aegwyn's also perfectly happy to tag along unless I say otherwise.
Alright gamers, so we've been lead to a major point by Jon and there is a lot to think about and consider. Unfortunately, I need to buckle down and really finish a paper which has been vexing me and commit myself to it over the next several days.
I will be available for the rest of the evening to respond in an in-game way to any queries, but otherwise I'll need to be off the message boards until Friday, after which I can respond.
My hope is that each of you as players can use the Discussion section, just as normal players around a table might do, to discuss how it is you are going to handle and deal with the situation Tor Cruimther as a party and then make any in-game comments which you would need to. This is a great opportunity to make this more interactive and have you come together as a group and will decide where some of the next major advancements come.
Let me know if you have any more questions/actions for the rest of this evening.
-Chris
All right party people.... we have three questions we can ask this Tibati. What do we want to ask?
What about starting with "What is our quest?" She seems to have some idea of why we are here that doesn't necessarily have to do with why we thought we were here, and I'm curious to see if she can tell more about that..?
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It is most confusing and cryptic. Obviously there are several leads opening up, to include the "Brothers" who were here a week ago. Much of the divination or augury was symbolic in nature - maybe one question would be for a more literal interpretation (doubtful we'll get one, though), or to ask for the best course of action to take at this time (which is compatible with Toranindracar's question).
Okay, so my character is great at interpreting auguries, but I'm a little stumped. In this case very specific questions are more likely to yield answers than vague ones.
We currently have two unknown brothers going with Kal'ishal under the hill and we're supposedly at odds with them rather than of joint purpose. I'd like to know if they killed Kal'ishal:
1. 'did the two who went with Kal'ishal beneath Dubdind kill Kal'ishal?'
I think we also want to find out what the first guy was doing:
2. 'Who was the brother than entered Dubdind a week before Kal'ishal'
And I want to know what they sought under the hill:
3. "What did the brothers seek under Dubdind?"
Alternatively we can assume that some of them did kill Kal'ishal and use the third question instead for either a question related to Ma'an, or a longshot about the Shadowlands or our broader purpose. I like Toranindracar's approach on that one, we might get more 'destiny' style info with a general question like that. Alternatively, we might be able to get that info out of the druids without asking them to check in with the gods.
Thoughts?
All,
Aegwyn posed some great reflections!
I'm going to intervene just a tad and play the part of some character's high Intelligence score - are you certain they _were_ Brothers? Because if they weren't, you're not likely to get any answer because the question is based on a false premise. If they _were_ you are no closer to figuring out who they were.
Given you're jumping in - can you run down a quick summary of the general knowledge about the 'Shadowlands'? I don't know how much Aegwyn would know of that, and that's the elephant in the room at the end of that prophecy.
Toranindracar's thoughts regarding whether or not they were actually Brotherhood Adepts:
1) The robes described were certainly Brotherhood robes, and Kal'ishal was definitely a Brotherhood Adept, so either the other two were also Adepts, or they were disguised as Adepts.
2) (If I understand correctly -- GM, please correct me if any of this is wrong) those inducted into the Brotherhood swear a magically binding oath that prevents them from "betraying the Brotherhood, or any member of it" and I believe it specifically includes taking violent action. However, the vow is taken upon attaining the rank of Frasha (4th level). The robes described by Tibati indicate rank: Kal'ishal in robes of the Order of Lux (at least 5th level), one in Frasha robes like Bijannar (4th level), and one in Murid robes (3rd level). If the robes were not a disguise, then only the Murid could have killed Kal'ishal (unless they had some way of bypassing the vow). because only he would have not yet taken the vow. If the robes were a disguise and they weren't actually Brothers, then either or both could have killed Kal'ishal.
3) We have no reason to believe they were not really Brothers -- except that they were among the last people to see Kal'ishal, who's now dead -- and if they did intentionally betray Kal'ishal, then they would have to be merely disguised as Brothers... unless the Murid acted alone. :\
4) Solutions: We could ask whether they were members of the Brotherhood, but that might be a waste of a question. If we think it's not an important question, we could just bypass the issue by referring to them as "the men who accompanied the man in white into the caves below Dubdind".
OR, we could still ask a question like "What did the brothers seek under Dubdind" -- either they are Brothers, and we find out what they sought, or they're not and we get no answer, in which case we find out they weren't brothers, which is also good to know. Like getting two questions for one!
Another thought: I have a pretty strong hunch about the identity of the Brother who came a week before Kal'ishal, so I think it might be a waste to ask his identity.
Here are my favorite candidates so far:
(A) What is the connection between the men who accompanied Kal'ishal underneath Dubdind and the death of Kal'ishal?
NOTE: this also covers "Did the two ... kill Kal'ishal?" but is broader in scope, rather than just a yes or no question.
(B) Of those who have come to Dubdind in the past two weeks, which ones have practiced mentalism?
(C) What information was Ratush Avarius intentionally hiding from me when he briefed me on this case?
(D) What did Kal'ishal and his companions seek underneath Dubdind?
The more I think on it, the more I think the Shadowlands questions might prove to be fruitless. There could be any number of connections between this case and the Shadowlands -- if we ask a question too vague the answer is likely to be useless or irrelevant, and we don't know enough to ask a more specific question. Are we supposed to go there? Did Kal'ishal go there, or someone else involved with this case? Did someone or something come here from there? I think if the Shadowlands figured in Tibati's prophecy, then any relevance the Shadowlands might have for us will become apparent when the time is right.
Yep, I'll go with A, B, D - that sounds good to me.
I, too, am for A, B, and D.
Toranindracar - all absolutely true, except that only Brothers are oath bound against bringing violence against another Brother. Of course, people disguised as Brothers are under no such obligation. Also, Kal'ishal was already dead (at least according to the examination) by the time the second visit to Dubdind occurred.
So, will your three questions be A,B,and D? Who will pose the questions?
Aegwyn - so this (from Steve's gorgeous descriptions in the upcoming "Shadowlands Campaign Guide") would be general knowledge, beyond, that, for more specialized information, Aegwyn would need to make a Knowledge (religion, history, or geography) check.
Courtesy of Stephen Michael DiPesa and BlackStar Studios.
Major Cities: Unknown, if any
Population: Unknown; in the tens of millions, at least
Major Races: Khûl-vehun (Goblin), Hu-khûl-vehun (Hobgoblin), Vargbârh (Bugbear), Ürckh (Orc), Nôlh (Gnoll), Khovhült (Kobold), Ohl-gähr (Ogre), Drhäl (Troll) Yakhte (75%), Dasun (5%), Other Yakhte (20%)
Major Religions: Unknown; presumed to be Saklas and Makish, as well as animism, ancestor worship, fiend worship, and possibly gods unknown to the civilized world
Languages: Innumerable dialects of Khûl-vehun, Ürckh, Nôlh, Dhrâkhan, Ohl-gähr Brutakh, Drhäl Brutakh; also, likely Infernal and AbyssalThe Great Blight; Wellspring of Evil; Hell on Sæmyyr – these are just some of the many terms used to refer to the grim and horrific Shadowlands. Deserts, bogs, salt flats, rubble-strewn wastes, and other such bleak vistas bleed into one another, one after the next, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. Tribes of yakhte, apparently without end, continually creep under the sinister auroras in the skies that mark the borders, entering into Ashkanian, Torán, Airgíallne, and – especially – Mtol Dærask.
Some scholars, most of them with more curiosity than sense, believe that sinkholes and tunnels leading deep into Sæmyyr riddle the Shadowlands, enabling whole clans of yakhte to migrate to other parts of the world. If such passages exist, however, they are well-hidden, likely somewhere in the interior, for no member of an upright, gods-fearing people has ever found them.
Of course, people from outside of the Shadowlands have reasons, beyond merely the depredations of the natives, to remain without. Those who walk for too long under the diseased skies of the Shadowlands tend to… change, and never for the better. Prolonged exposure to the land warps the forms of the natural races in ghastly ways, as though it cannot abide the very presence of a fair shape and must instead remake all into a reflection of its own evil. Neither is the mind spared from these transformations; the reality of the world seems to wear a bit thin in the Shadowlands, and the promise of horrors from Outside oppresses one’s thoughts, chiseling away at sanity.
Major Countries & Capitals
If the yakhte have built anything in the depths of the Shadowlands, such works remain unknown to those who dwell outside its borders. The bold and foolhardy few who’ve dared to delve into even the outskirts of the Shadowlands and lived to talk of it have seen nothing more than the occasional ramshackle village. However, some of these adventurers – those who speak the uncouth tongues of one of more breeds of yakhte – return with wild tales of towns, fortresses, and even cities of monsters, found many weeks’ march into that terrible land. Most who know aught of such things dismiss these fanciful stories as the lies of savages.
Certain members of the Brotherhood of Magus maintain that structures built by the Ancients may still be found within the Shadowlands, and that it would not be surprising to learn that yakhte have taken up residence in the ruins of the world before the Great Blasting. Most tantalizingly, they maintain, the yakhte are unlikely to understand even the most rudimentary workings of these artifacts, meaning that many such relics of the past may still exist in sealed chambers and behind other barriers which defy the simple minds of the Shadowlands’ denizens.
Important Cultural Concepts
Red, in Tooth and Claw: Survival is the highest – indeed, perhaps the only – law in the Shadowlands. In a land in which the earth itself has gone mad, nightmarish savagery is the only sane response. This brutal land permits only the strongest to survive, though it recognizes many kinds of strength.
Horror and Desolation: Every beast that walks, swims, or flies, every plant that grows; everything that lives in the Shadowlands in the product of a process of selection so vile and merciless that almost nothing from beyond its borders could hope to last there for any length of time. Every day is a battle over too-scarce resources, every moment a continual struggle against a fear so deep that it destroys any heart in which it finds purchase.
All - be advised that augeries are incredibly vague, so the more specific you can be, the better. It's far better to ask yes and no questions ("Did Bob drink the coffee?") than to ask general questions, ("List everyone who drinks coffee.")
Divination is a little more reliable, but again, specifics matter.
Also, Kal'ishal was already dead (at least according to the examination) by the time the second visit to Dubdind occurred.
In that case, it seems very likely that all three of those who came 3 days ago (including the man claiming to be Kal'ishal) were in disguise, and not actual Brotherhood Adepts.
Bijannar: Agreed - but I think our choice is between getting a fairly clear answer on a tiny yes or no question (which doesn't grant much) OR a somewhat less clear answer that yields more overall information. We may need to do more interpretation of the answer, but I think it's worth it -- and given the questions, I think A through D above are formulated to be pretty specific. But if you have alternate suggestions I'm open!
ALL: In light of what the GM clarified, I think it seems very likely that the three who came to Dubdind 3 days ago DID have a hand in Kal'ishal's death, since they clearly knew it was safe to go disguised as Kal'ishal. So do we still want to ask question A?
My vote goes to questions B, C, D.
(NOTE: If my hunch is correct, question C may shed some light on what the earlier Brother was doing at Dubdind.)
I'd recommend the following: (These are primarily yes, no questions) and will yield far more concrete information.
(A) Were the men who accompanied Kal'ishal underneath Dubdind mentalists?
(B) Were the men who accompanied Kal'ishal underneath Dubdind members of the Brotherhood of Magus? (were they impostors?)
(C) Was Ratush Avarius intentionally hiding from me when he briefed me on this case? (Is this even important?)
(D) What did Kal'ishal and his companions seek underneath Dubdind?
(E) Did the men who accompany Kal'ishal kill him?
To clarify:
(A) Personally, I'd much rather know if who we're after (if, indeed, we are after someone) is a mentalist rather than deal with a large, vague list of individuals (if we even got that) that could include Bob the Baker and Fenric the Friendly Ranger.
(B) Regardless of how question A is answered, knowing if we have impostors sheds more light on this and avoids a witch hunt.
(C) People always hide things. Even if Ratush was intentionally hiding something, would it matter?
(D) I think this is one of the most important questions next to A.
(E) In light of how questions A and B are answered, this might be another telling answer.
I think I'd be inclined toward A, B, and E.