Volcano's Land - Beyond the City of Light

Game Master Miner Cotren

Gabriel,

You work with one of Dove's favored alchemists - Culkin. The talkative, long-fingered sylph talks about how to brew his favorite drink -- cawcoh -- which is a mixture of fresh-brewed coffee and hot cocoa.

Culkin talks excitedly with Samen about the possibility of infusing a low-grade 'mind' into an item, which could fulfill Gabriel's request.

Pointing to a barrel of gray gel, he asks you to cast a few telepathic spells into the goop. Having done this, Culkin unceremoniously shoves Gabe into the barrel. After getting out, Gabe finds himself being gently heated by an alchemical fire Culkin had time to whip up. Like children's glue, the stuff from the barrel turns clear and comes off in one sheet, like reptile skin.

The shed skin moves around, possibly the ugliest thing you've ever seen. Then, mercifully, it becomes invisible. When it settles onto you, you cannot even feel it.

Psychoactive skin granted!

Culkin notes the whole thing with an air of satisfaction. He based the idea Gabriel's shadow. What a time to be alive and inventing!

Gabe is, at first, excited to work with the alchemist. The theory of new psychic magic and the possible uses he might extract are of particular interest. The soaking in the barrel though... not the best experience. Making sure to not rip anything in the... cooking? drying? ... process, Gabe stands very still. Looking at the resulting glob of psychoactive goo, Gabe gives a mental command and the thing spreads over his body, an invisible protective layer. "Thank you Culkin... this has been a most unpleasant visit though the results are unparalleled." To his shadow, Looks like I have another tag-a-long. Opinion?

Culkin laughs nervously, unsure how to read your dark expression even at the best of times. "Ha ha, well, any experiment you can walk away from can be considered a success, ha ha!" He continues taking notes and sipping cawcoh, though risking a glance over to you now and then to gauge your mood.

Your shadow simply says, Not much of a conversationalist. And indeed, this morphic skin seems to have limited speaking capabilities (or none at all)

Here is financial layout of Aislings work (can you tell I work in a corporation? ;)
I've left enough (10k) so you can play with additional costs or if I underestimated some services (I used pf20srd). Or to advance my thirsting blade to the next level (10th) for 4,800gp

Starting with: 30 000 gp

Temple preparation:
500gp / 1 week : 100 banners 2gp each + custom embroidery 3gp (skilled artisans)
1000gp / 2 weeks: Ornate stone altar carved with Sun and Sky iconography (skilled artisans)
1000gp / 2-4 weeks: Large, finely details stone statue (or one phoenix chick caught, enlarged and/or aged magically, then turned to stone >:E ) - optional, Fabricate spell? much quicker cca 500gp
1000gp / 1 month? : Refurbishing of the temple, basic repairs, repainting - optional, Lyre of Building? Much faster and bard already included below? Mending for minor repairs?

Faith spreading and promotion of Light liberation as crusade in the name of the New Faith:
280gp 10 apprentice bards 2gp / day for 14 days
210gp 3 skilled bards 5gp / day for 14 days
140gp 1 renowned bard 10gp / day for 14 days

Production of holy books:
50gp : masterwork quality book
500gp : scribes using Amanuensis to create quick copies
2000gp : 200 gp High quality illuminated, gilded versions for nobles and scholars, includes illustrations and fancy binding

Research of the corrupted elemental:
1050gp / 2 weeks : 5 Skilled sages 15gp / day for 14 days (arcana, planar, elemental lore, dark lore, bardic loremaster - for the stories)
950gp : donations to libraries, temples, licenses for rare books or entering limited access libraries etc...

Items:
6000gp Storm goggles - to protect the eyes and see through dust clouds, fog etc
9000gp Necklace of adaptation - just because planar...
+X ghost touch weapon (if dust elemental is incorporeal)
+X elemental bane weapon (in any case)
10000gp Bane baldric

Potions:
200gp protection from evil x4 (cleric)
300gp heroism (bard)
300gp ablative barrier (alchemist)
750gp protection from energy (alchemist)
750gp burrow (alchemist)

Some breathing apparatus just in case (air crystals?)

Total cost: 3500 (temple) + 630 (bards) + 2550 (books) + 2000 (research) + 9000 (item) + 2300 (potions)
Remaining: 10.020,00 gp

Benedetto, I imagine your 30,000 gp could easily be spent with your outlined goals earlier --

* Establishing a chain of command and otherwise organizing the paladins

---> This would take some gold and some time, say 6,000 or so to help get all paladins blessed by the circle of Sunlight -- swords blessed in the Dawn light specifically.

* Training Drook

--> This is cheap on gp, just takes time. I imagine you would be spending time getting to know all drilling techniques from the ground up, and learning the names of many other squires along the way.

* Looking around Hearth to make sure things are getting settled and help out those who are still recovering from everything that's happened.

-->Meaningful charity in this area would use up your remaining resources-- would that be what Benedetto chose to do?

That sounds good to me. Benedetto is definitely in a "spend the money on the people who have suffered" frame of mind at present.

Aisling, that is some very clever use of your time and resources.

I think the only thing I need to answer (and let me know if there's anything remaining) is in response to the research:

Since you know it is earth and air types clashing, (and Samen's earlier comments), you are able to gain insight. When you see the creature(s) for the first time, you and your allies roll knowledge checks. You will gain 1 additional piece of info than you would usually get.

So, we don't get anything specific right now, I'll just buy potions to protect from everything :p

It is cool benefit, thank you.

Apologies, now I see you would want more specifics right away to help with your purchases. I will still give you additional info when you see it for the first time.

For the specifics -- lightning and acid energy are necessary. Air breathing is necessary.

prot from evil not necessary

not incororeal, no need for ghost touch

if you can get Benedetto or some other priest to bless your weapon into radiant/ holy damage, that would be ideal.

:)

Could everyone find a spot in their character sheet to put their latest items, influence, achievements, etc (possibly under a spoiler)? It's easier to look at your char sheets rather than combing old pages of Discussion :)

Could everyone find a spot in their character sheet to put their latest items, influence, achievements, etc (possibly under a spoiler)? It's easier to look at your char sheets rather than combing old pages of Discussion :)

No problem, we might have missed some, or glossed over part of your description or something, do you have something specific in mind or this is just going through our goals and what happened?

It's more like I want to remember the 'big' changes that have happened beyond character abilities (Temple Builder ; Famous in Hearth) that kind of thing.

Hmmm, what would that look like for Benedetto... Paladin Commander? Maybe something about being known for charitable works for the refugees?

Paladin Commander ; Hero among refugees

Something like that :)

Gabriel Freemind, very fortuitous choice of surname given the tallmind interaction.

Anyway, Gabriel Freemind, selfish pilgrim on a journey of self discovery. At least when he isn't focused on getting vengeance for the Happy Swords.

Samen, I enjoyed that walk down memory lane, reliving the awful things Samen has seen at all the various tables\campaigns he has been a part of.

He's definitely got a lot of trauma filed away in that voluminous brain. That only touches on the mind controly things I remember. If survival and peace is ever to be an option in his life, I foresee years of therapy.

I will add Sky-prophet, The Evangelist, and 'that dam**d nuisance'.

Also, loser of loved ones :(
How do people call Doves agents?

Added the achievements

I will add Sky-prophet, The Evangelist, and 'that dam**d nuisance'.

Also, loser of loved ones :(
How do people call Doves agents?

Eagle-eyes. They always wear some badge of office, like a helm, or a visor, or a pin, that enhances their vision.

Eh, maybe I should have taken storm goggles than rather than necklace of adaptation?

Old humans are born from clutches of eggs! One big one and a bunch of little ones... haha

Eh, maybe I should have taken storm goggles than rather than necklace of adaptation?

I think Dove would have gifted you a pair of goggles as thanks for your work in his organization. It would have a small sign of an eagle on it.

Hi again! Sorry bout being gone for so long. That was quite the read to catch up on. It's late and I have to get up at 3am for work so I'll try jumping back in after work. We are going through the big scary portal to be bug heroes right? :)

Two weeks passed by right?

Yes and yes. If unknown elemental mix critter counts as a bug :)
It might be a feature

Sleepy me missed the typo. Supposed to be big not bug. Had Firefly playing in the background while I cooked yesterday so the big damn heroes' phrase was in my head.

Declarative how would Kallik go about contacting Abnaki to reach out to Egret? Totally cool doing it retroactively or during the hero shenanigans.

Just narrate yourself falling asleep and wanting to be in His realm, and wanting to find Egret...

I'm so happy that you always play Kallik's flaws honestly, even when it might lead to bad decisions :)

We can do it now-ish. I'm fine with interweaving it through our 'present' narrative. We'll use italics to indicate the past posts.

Parent-teacher conferences are on my mind... :) I will definitely have us 'open the portal' to the place where elementals are fighting/colliding, but I need to wait until the weekend.

Finish RPing any small goodbyes in the meantime.

I like my characters flawed and Kallik ended up having some fun ones. It helps that no one had an issue with her moving though her flaws.

I always enjoy RPing with Kallik. Flaws are often what make a character memorable.

***

If possible, I'd like Kallik and Samen to reply to the prompts in Gameplay, and then I'll move on to our next scene approx on Monday. Let me know if that works.

should be able to after work. weekend was very hectic.

no worries :) I need Monday off from writing, myself.

Everything ok Samen? I haven't heard from you in a while.