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Hi all, just wanted to drop in for a moment and say goodbye. I've really enjoyed playing with everyone, and I'll be sure to check the thread every so often to revel in the successes of the Ninth Knot. Good luck in your future subjugation of the good-aligned forces of both heaven and earth!
If we've identified it, then we should know that elementals generally have pretty good fortitude and reflexes, but spells that affect their willpower are typically more effective. If we could hit it with a few of those, that might be enough to lock it down for a couple of rounds and prevent unnecessary damage, giving us enough time to destroy it. ----- Last time we talked about our organizations, Sindran wanted to run his own, while Cala and I were going to go in together. Is that still the plan? If so, I would at least like to coordinate so we're not doing the same things each turn.
Aerent finally breaks his pensive silence, "Well, with this green fire letting everybody within a hundred miles know this place exists, we need to move up our plans. The ritual, building the defenses of the Horn, and notifying our friends in Farholde so they can support our efforts in whatever way they can." Aerent looks at Caladwhen, "I was wondering about something. Once the ritual begins, it requires prayers at regular intervals for the entire duration. That could be... inconvenient... for us. Are you able to create undead with the capacity to speak? If not, do you think Ezra's associates would be able to speak the prayers?"
Thanks, but I'm good. I would have hopped in but I just didn't get a chance to post. Besides, I'm still trying to finish all the suggestions I've got for the Horn. So definitely appreciated, but I'm fine. :)
Nothing to add to the current scene. Just posting I'm here.
With a grin, Aerent laughs at Morvius' observations on the goblins. "I admit, having undead servants around is nice on occasion, but I'm not sure Caladwhen wants to make a bunch of undead goblins. You're certainly welcome to ask her though." After the necromancer opines on the status of the evocation magic in the bag, Aerent gives her a long appraising look, "Well, that makes this decision easier. Let's retrieve his head, lotion this guy up, then take his stuff. We should be able to keep him docile enough once he's flesh again." "Come on, Movius, I'll show you the alchemy lab and that golem we found."
He might know where the third eye can be found.
Aerent blinks in surprise as his comrades reappear with Vexor... or Hexor. Giving a small eyebrow raise of surprise, he points at Morvius. "You, Morvius, you said something a few minutes ago that got me thinking... That statue, the one that seems to be of such great craftsmanship. You said something about it maybe being a real person. Is there a way to tell for certain?" "As for the rest, I don't think we kill the goblins yet. They've actually proven useful... and to be honest, I'm wondering if destroying that shrine like I did might end up calling some of Her worshippers here to investigate. If nothing else, we should keep the goblins around for fodder to deter anybody who shouldn't be here." Nodding at Talon, Aerent agrees, "I'd like to see what you have in mind. I've been playing around with some ideas too."
Sorry for absence, thought I posted but I guess I just imagined it. Morvius, just from a DM perspective, I find the alchemist class (and its archetypes) hard to adjudicate. Personal taste moreso than anything else. :)
Aerent watches as the members of the group disappear. Sighing, he stares at the ruined remains of the shrine for a moment before leaving the room to continue his search.
Seeing Oret back away from the oozes, and hearing Cala's assessment, Aerent agrees, "Truly, this seems to be a banner day for our pyro friends."
-----
"Agreed, that would alleviate all this tedious stair climbing and flying." -----
Aerent bows low toward Caladwhen with a wide grin. "I bow to your superior wisdom in such matters." "That said, as long as they are being cooperative, do we need to exert our control. That seems somewhat provocative, though admittedly, I do not routinely play around with such creatures. Perhaps the terms of their binding also prevent retributive measures against those who control them?" -----
Aerent stows his trident as the inscription disappears, giving a nod of thanks to Cala. It is at that moment he notices the bright beam of light shining into his eyes! DM:
Aerent also notices the extra head.
Aerent whistles as he peruses the room. Seeing nothing of interest, he moves on. His whistling stops as he sees the large bed. "Lots of work to get that monster up here..." he says to himself as he continues to look around.
With a snarl, Aerent pulls his trident and smashes the table, scattering the candles. He faces the writing, and looses a feral roar at the profane litany. He brandishes his trident and screams, "Sarenrae shall rule naught but the droppings of vermin and pitiful mewlings of the weaklings who revere her!" "Caladwhen! Can you cleanse these walls of this filth!?"
I am not a huge fan of the alchemist class, but I don't think you should change bombs to either damage or effect. That is a massive change to one of their core class abilities. Don't get me wrong, I understand exactly where you're coming from, but their bombs, and the accompanying discoveries, are what they do as a class. In this particular fight, we had a full party fighting against a single foe with a weakness to many of our abilities. Economy of actions alone were against our opponent, and to your point, if the dice had not been so much in our favor, things could have gotten dicey if he smacked Talon or Oret around a bit more. Point being, the addition of grease really didn't have any effect on the outcome; it might seem overpowered, but it's an effect that really depends on poor dice rolling by the DM. Just my thoughts. I can't believe I'm defending alchemists... :)
Aerent dives out of the way of the falling treant!
Watching as Oret disappears beneath the treant, Aerent attempts to channel his abyssal fury into a blow against this protector of the Horn!
Aerent charges forward, and completely misses the massive living tree standing right in front of him.
Hello, I am just getting over the flu, and I may not have a chance to post until this evening. I don't want everyone to continue to wait though, so Aerent follows Oret's suggestions.
All,
Keywords: horn defense (mundane with the minions, traps, etc), combat, Farholde politics (keeping a close watch on the Baron and the Seventh). Still working on ideas for defending the Horn, but we need to explore the 2nd level first. We've got the room descriptions so I've got some ideas, but we haven't officially explored yet, so there might be some important discoveries on that level. Not sure how much more we have on 3rd, but hopefully we can move to the 2nd after that.
Aerent gives Caladwhen a guarded look when she rises, but his face borders on concern, rather than contempt. Grimacing, he forces his eyes to look where Cala points, and his eyes catch sight of the emerald. Hearing Talon's question, Aerent suggests, "At least we know where it is - until we are ready to start the ritual, do we need to hold on to it? Leaving it here, under Ezra's supervision may serve to get us into her favor. Let her know we'll need it in a few days, but that having her guard such an important piece of the ritual will allow us to focus on other matters to ensure success."
Aerent watches in disbelief as Caladwhen kneels in supplication before the floating apparition. Hearing what she says in elven, he furrows his brow in confusion, not understanding her unusual display of emotion. Looking at his comrades, he tries to gauge their reactions. Sindran and Oret, remaining calm as always. Talon, always looking ready to leap into action. Everyone else behaving as expected... After listening to the harsh grating language of the Abyss for a few minutes, Aerent's impatience finally gets the better of him. He bluntly asks, "So what does she want?"
Aerent looks around...
How many minions should we expect to have?The exact number should not matter - mechanically, the leadership rules apply. I just want to make sure we have "enough" to defend the Horn. It seems there is quite a bit of space to fill with our minions. Based on the document you provided, I think we should be good though, we don't need an army, just a group of loyal thugs. Trying to get an idea about how much detail I need to worry about. I'll make an alias when I finalize him/her. Are there any races/classes you want us to avoid? Stuff on specific cohorts Got it, thanks. Could the goblins subjugate other tribes in the area and make them come live in the caves too?Are you still really sure you don't own these books yourself? That was actually just math. :) From the descriptions you've given us of the tribe, I didn't get the impression that there were enough goblins to cover all of the places we want them to guard in the caves (as described in the linked documents). Getting more goblins seemed to be the simplest solution since I wouldn't expect even minions to share their living arrangements. You can never have enough cannon fodder. /shrug Could they also capture some wildlife like alligators or pirahnas?You should ask Zikomo. See what they come up with on their own. Sure, will do. And no worries, I didn't detect any snide remarks. ----- Regarding the organizations, Aerent is willing to join up with anybody else who's interested in forming a Council. Any takers? No problem with Sindran having his own group, but would like to make sure we coordinate so we avoid duplicating efforts/assignments.
Working on what Aerent's suggested reinforcements to the Horn but have a few questions while I'm thinking about them. How many minions should we expect to have? Will we also be able to recruit specialized servants, like a couple of blacksmiths, and are these are also considered "minions" or something else? Trying to get an idea about how much detail I need to worry about. Could the goblins subjugate other tribes in the area and make them come live in the caves too? I'm thinking we may want more goblins down there to properly guard that area. Could they also capture some wildlife like alligators or pirahnas?
I trust you to pick one.
I was thinking about a rogue cohort for Aerent with Leadership, but if we could get a PC rogue, that would be great.
Oh, Aerent has already been thinking about those things! I didn't want to get into the details until we finished searching the Horn. I mean, there is a huge pool of acid in the goblin caves! Who wouldn't love to have that resource in their evil-aligned plague temple? Acid arrow trap. Acid spray trap. Acid-filled pit trap. So many options! :) I'll get some notes compiled and posted today or tomorrow.
I'll be honest, Aerent isn't much good at reading languages or identifying magic auras. And I'm just not sure what he should be doing other than "exploring". It's not a problem for me, I just don't see much that Aerent could do at the moment.
Noticing the diminishing light from outside the Horn, Aerent heads toward the former Guard Barracks . "I'm not sleeping with the goblins again, I'll be here if anybody needs me - there's plenty of room if anybody else wants in." Saying that, he removes his weapons and armor, then begins cleaning the room as well as he can, taking out the broken furniture and any remaining personal effects. He heads over to the tavern and finds several tattered towels which he tosses into the room. After inspecting the room, he scowls at the remaining dirt and grime. Grimacing, he heads back toward the front of the Horn and proceeds down the stairs after making sure the treant was nowhere to be seen. After twenty minutes, Aerent reappears, followed by several of the goblins. Some carry crude buckets filled with water while others carry large oak branches full of thick green leaves. Ordering the goblins to put everything outside the room then get back to their caves, he picks up a bucket and starts throwing water around the room, making sure to cover the tops of the walls and all the corners of the floor. He then grabs the rags and starts scrubbing the walls down, trying to rid the room of dirt and grime caked on through the decades. Another hour passes before he finally stops. He drinks deeply from the remaining bucket of water before gathering up the boughs and moving them inside the room where he forms a crude bed.
Aerent flicks his hand at Talon's sword in a playfully dismissive manner, "I make my own luck."
Aerent decides to lounge indolently in the throne while Talon runs around like a possessed madman - discovering secrets that have not been seen by mortal eyes for decades.
Aerent glares at Caladwhen, then abruptly changes his expression and nods thoughtfully, "Right, good idea Mistress Iconography. I'll be sure to ask your permission before speaking next time since your diplomatic skills were so much more effective. Give me a moment to make a note." He clenches his thumb and fingers of his right hand together as if holding a pen, then furiously begins scribbling into the palm of his left hand. He stops mid-stroke and looks up, "Sorry, did you say med-i-ate, or med-i-tate? I want to make sure I get this right." Dropping his hands with an eye roll, he begins moving away from the group. "I'm going to look around over here."
I think this will allow us to cut to the good bits. Yes, bring on the good bits!
Heh, Aerent thinks Talon has come around enough not to slash his throat while he sleeps. Beyond that, odds are about even. :)
My strength score is respectable enough to probably carry people up there, I'll have to look at the rules for flying and encumbrance but I should be able to manage it. Yeah, shouldn't be a problem with that 18 Str. Won't be able to fly very fast, but that's okay by Aerent. He's still isn't 100% sure Talon wouldn't take a hard right then drop the stinking human in the middle of the forest. ;) This sounds fair & reasonable to me. Did I miss anything? Works for me. Just as a side note, Aerent isn't sleeping in the goblin caves again. :) Well, hope is a good thing. All good, winged boots don't really fit Aerent. They aren't impressive enough. Receiving a blessing of Furcas in which he ascends into a higher form, gaining a pair of massive demonic wings, however, is right up his alley.
Well, flying is out for Aerent. Unless he finds some winged boots or something lying around. Hint, hint, hint. ;) And sorry I wasn't clearer - I wasn't expecting us to leave it intact after we explored the Horn, was thinking more about it for short term use. Either way, still think start on Level One, and see what we can find down there.
Though it's obvious, should we just start on the first level and work our way up? If so, would it be possible for Sindran to use stone shape and create a set of stairs that we can use to move from level to level inside the Horn - temporarily if nothing else? Looking at the map, I don't see an easy way to move directly from Level One to Level Three. Looks like we would have to exit the building, and I don't see any stairs leading up to Level Three.
Aerent nods at the daemons, "We do not intend to delay, and we will not fail. We shall keep you apprised of our progress. In the meantime, is there anything you want or need that we may be able to provide?"
While Aerent is surprised by their sudden movement, he does not appear to be bothered by their actions or words. "Unfortunately, while your offer is generous, and would no doubt save us time, we have yet to explore the rest of the Horn to find what we need. That said, we would be happy to keep you updated about our progress. After all, the Horn is not that large, so finding what we need should not take that long. After that, it's simply a matter of finding the sacrifices from the nearby city, Farholde, and having them delivered here." He pauses and looks at the others, "Based on how long it takes to get here from Farholde, it would probably take what... two weeks before we're ready. Does that sound reasonable?" he asks the rest of his comrades.
Aerent narrows his eyes as he realizes the creatures avoided Talon's question. Hearing them begin to assert control over the situation, Aerent steps forward and bows in a respectful manner. "You speak of the seals. We have a plan to deal with them, and we have the ritual required to summon the master back to this realm, but it is quite ... involved. We require specific individuals who must be sacrificed at precise times during over 200 days of constant prayer. So while we intend to begin the process as soon as possible, we are not yet ready to begin. But rest assured, the master shall be freed. We simply do not intend to rush the process and make the same mistakes as the last rabble that inhabited this place. We shall not have some trumped up religious fanatic once again preventing the Tears of Achlys from spreading throughout these lands."
Thanks for the room descriptions, they are very helpful. Agreed on exploring, at the least, we need to find the other gems before starting the ritual. There is no room number on the map :)
Sorry, daemons. :) That just reinforces my opinion - I'm guessing the Sons of the Pale Horsemen summoned them here and they're allied with Vetra-Kali. They've probably been bored ever since the attack. And here's a thought - the attackers might not have made it this far. I wonder if King Markadian or his forces even found the stairs? They might have gone through and killed everyone in the Horn, but what if they missed the stairs in the goblin caves? Ditto on not pissing off the huge elemental. As a general rule, Aerent tries to avoid irritating huge flying monsters.
Talon, here's my response to your IC post about talking to the demons. Short answer, yes, I think we talk to them. Based on what you know (and I assume shared with everyone), the demons are most likely here to guard something - probably that staircase in the room. I'm guessing this is one of two situations: 1. they are guards who were summoned to protect the Horn and they somehow survived the destruction, or 2. the Victor put them here to prevent anybody else from entering. Based on what we know, the Sarenraens don't usually consort with demons, so I'll bet #1 is more likely. Assuming that to be true, I think we should talk with them, and I think we should be very clear that we intend to perform the ritual and summon Vetra-Kali-Eats-the-Eyes back to this plane. Let's just be honest and see what happens. If things go really well, we could end up with our first guards for our new dungeon. :) ----- Cala, are you going to be able to animate a bunch of skeletons (and the minotaur!) to help protect the Horn? Would it be worthwhile to also see if we can recruit more people (via Aerent's minions and/or the Baron's people)? While having an undead army is nice, it might be beneficial to have a few free-thinkers around too.
Aerent turns his head and winks at Talon, then looks at Oret, "See, I told you he likes me."
Aerent shrugs slightly as he puts his head into the opening and peers upward. His elation at the discovery of the staircase is almost palpable, and even Oret's rebuke washes over him without dampening his excitement. Calling back over his shoulder, "Eh, say what you want, I know you like me. Even Talon came around - it only took me nearly dying for him to see how much he would miss me." Aerent begins walking up the steps, moving slowly so he can examine them for any traps that might still be active. Over his shoulder, he says, "By the way, I liked that dagger analogy. Almost poetic."
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