The Slumbering Tsar Saga (Inactive)

Game Master Something Wicked

Should I cast Arcane Sight on him and risk his noticing?

seems like something a wizard would do.

buffed isn't a bad idea, though we'll feel stupid if the usurer just pats us on the back, thanks us, and lets us go.

but if buffed, maybe we can go shopping for potions and scrolls and the like first?

and for the record, and totally meta, but it would seem odd for a final confrontation between us and the usurer to be "in the book" at this point. or maybe not.

might i mention that the fact of our having actually defeated a lich may be sufficient to give the usurer pause to double cross?

I don't foresee a fight yet - we've done nothing to warrant violence. I can see his being furious at our destroying the phylactery, however. If we want to go in buffed, I can definitely help the group out before we talk to him.

Being buffed is proper precaution. Not doing so would be considered naive. Cornu will spend the early morning picking spells.

Being buffed is a proper precaution in the camp, full stop. ;)

And if the Usurer wanted an intact phylactery, he should have stated as such. That doesn't mean he isn't secretly going to turn on us anyway, but it's not a reasonable argument on his part.

For Agyen I'm thinking:

Threefold Aspect before bed as it has a 24 hour duration.

Magic Vestment

Align Weapon

Detect Demon

Protection From Evil

Deathwatch (SLA)

The Usurer said he wanted the phylactery as proof that the lich was destroyed. A lich is not destroyed until the phylactery is. Hence, the destroyed phylactery is the only proof sufficient to satisfy the Usurer.

Now if the phylactery is completed destroyed by its destruction, then I call us fools to accept the Usurer's contract as its satisfaction is impossible (ie if it disintegrates). But I'm assuming we have the bent up remains of the phylactery to show him.

My guess is the Usurer wants it to study its making as the Usurer wants to become a lich.

Would anyone like buffs from Agyen such as weapon of awe or align weapon?

And I can't dismiss Ulave's theory. Given the camp, it seems in line with the prevailing lax to friendly attitude towards the undead.

Spell Preparation:

Standard
0- Acid Splash, Spark, read magic, detect magic
1- mage armor, mage armor, magic missile, magic missile, enlarge person, vanish
2- mirror image, scorching ray, web, invisibility, invisibility
3- dispel magic, slow, haste, summon monster iii, summon monster iii
4- summon monster iv,summon monster iv,Emergency Force Shield,telekinetic charge

Conjuration Bonus:
1- mage armor
2- glitterdust
3- summon monster iii
4- summon monster iv

We houldn't necessarily use up two many spells before going to see him.

Arcane sight will last for a minute per level so if you've it casted before entering he likely wont notice unless he has something similar running? -I could see someone (especially someone who trades a lot) not liking people using such magic... could be casing the joint.

It's a fair point. I think buffs with a duration measured in hours should be fine. Minutes maybe but we'd need an excuse or to own it.

Arcane Sight will make my eyes glow blue, so not much hiding it.

DM, can I use Arcane Sight through a scrying spell?

Ah... maybe settle for a detect magic?

@Konstiantina: yep, arcane sight should function with scrying.

It bothers me that we don't know what sort of being the Usurer is, or what sort of powers he possesses. Knowing that might better prepare us for an encounter with him.

We'll see what Konstiantina's scrying spell can help us see. (am curious, can others also look through the scry, or is that personal to the spell-caster?)

I had planned on having Ulave stand outside the Usurer's abode and cast:

- Detect Evil (to make sure Usurer is there, to remove possibility of false negatives)
- Detect Demon (in case the Usurer is a demon or, I guess, has demons on hand)
- Detect Undead (in case the Usurer is undead or is accompanied by undead in his abode, which honestly seems unlikely.)

then, depending on what I found out, maybe going in for a brief meeting with the Usurer (but without the phylactery and without anyone else, only as an emissary to set up a future transaction). Having done so I could cast Know the Enemy to try to figure out what the Usurer is.

I see no reason that a transaction of the remains of the phylactery and the gp should happen at the Usurer's and not a place that we mutually agree upon. That cedes too much advantage to the Usurer.

@Konstiantina sorry I misread the spell descriptions. Arcane sight functions as detect magic, and detect magic only has a 5xcaster level % chance to function. Do you still want to proceed?

Sure. 40% ain't bad odds.

Ammonis will start the encounter invisible. If asked, Ammonis is still testing in his tent at the campground.

For Agyen I'm thinking:

Threefold Aspect before bed as it has a 24 hour duration.

Magic Vestment

Align Weapon

Detect Demon

Protection From Evil

Deathwatch (SLA)

Does anyone object to Agyen buffing himself up that much?

And would anyone like buffs?

Maybe Konstantiana could scry on a PC when they go to meet with him to reduce the chances of tipping her hand. Still there are ways to block it even then.

okay. so maybe the charismatic one goes in to arrange the exchange.

when?
where?

also, ..., do we want to cast some detect [blank] spells? maybe while Ulave is talking? what you all got?

My work schedule is a bit cyclical, sometimes calm, sometimes demanding. The last four weeks have been calm, but I'm entering the "demanding" period for the next 4 weeks. I'll still post as often as I can, but expect a drop in my rate.

It looks like we're heading to the Usurer in the morning. Let me know how you'd like to approach the meeting.

Ebb and flow is the academic's life. Actually the next couple of weeks will be hectic for me too, so that works.

Ammonis will be invisible some distance X away, once a meeting place is determined.

Iyon lacking any spells is just going to be there.

I'm not sure we need to buff as if going into a combat scene. I just don't see the Usurer breaking into a fight once he realizes the phylactery is broken, even if he's displeased. As such, I'll cast a Communal Protection from Evil on everyone, and then just ready my Arcane Sight for an opportune moment.

In that case, I'll just stick with threefold aspect and magic vestment, as those are long duration buffs that make sense on a caster.

Well, he's fine with it ruined. Works for us!

I wonder if a better exchange rate can be negotiated for iron bits?

We yet lack an alternative "home base" to the Camp.

Gods have mercy on us.

Is there anything we actually need here? Can't we save the gold for when we eventually get access to the next possible base of operations?

I wonder if a better exchange rate can be negotiated for iron bits?

It couldn't hurt to ask!

Or the bag is a cursed bag of holding and will swallow us up in our sleep.

We could do with a few things, but unless there is just something awesome here, I think waiting is a good idea. OTOH, how long until we can get back? and can we secure that gold from theft?

Ammonis will hold your gold Ulave. :)
Another level and teleport can happen I think.

I don't think we need anything else from him right now.

how many days travel to Bard's Gate?

For record, Ulave is contemplating how he might lure the grave digger out into the wild so as not to upset the lawful order of the Camp under the guidance of an evil super powerful wizard Usurer.

Did we ever get the gravedigger's alignment?

evil

Pretty much every moving thing in this camp is evil.

Ah. I'm suddenly wondering what would happen if we slowly and subtly killed every evil person in the camp.

Then again, is being detected as evil enough to warrant a death sentence?

Ulave is sworn to destroy undead, not every evil creep he meets.

True. I was asking a larger metaphysical question. If we meet someone who registers as strong chaotic evil. Should we as good, principled people kill them?

The alignment system is erm..flawed.

how many days travel to Bard's Gate?

I'm not aware that this has been established as canon, but I've seen the distance described between Tsar and Bard's Gate as 300 miles.

We could lob fireballs into this bloody camp and likely still only hit evil. ;)

Konstiantina, I think that depends on whether you believe in redemption. Ulave's past is full of evil, but he is redeemed, and serving a penitence. The undead, he believes, are not redeemable, as they are a construct of evil, i.e. evil embodied. He would not be inclined to kill everyone with an evil aura unless it was necessary to protect someone.

Excellent point.