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I have a Pathfinder subscription, but I am missing volumes #3 and #4 of Iron Gods, likely because my credit card company decided to issue a new card number recently. I suspect that the old card number was billed before I updated the number on file for my subscription, as I got a message about a charging problem a few weeks back. If volumes #3 and #4 are not just delayed, could I have them added to my subscription with volume #6 when it ships? Thanks, Eric
I didn't find another thread for this, so here's a link to a recent Kickstarter for an Ars Magica video game: Assuming they get enough support, it sounds as if the gameplay will be somewhat similar to King of Dragon Pass. But they have a way to go before they're funded. If you think a turn-based strategy/roleplaying game sounds interesting, check it out.
Congrats on finishing Part 2! Does Vaysh get any lieutenants? I have a suggestion . . . . Name: Astrid
. . . along with a second charter granting you custody of the Greenbelt- and promising to send resources, builders and pioneers, eager to escape the uncertainty in Brevoy and make a new life in this promising new land. Hmmm, that seems like it's not going to be a breach of the charter as written, especially since the first charter explicitly invoked powers derived from the Dragonscale Throne. But the Swordlords did give you 50 BP to get started. They'll probably be peeved (and understandably so).
Thanks, DM AK! As a law student, that brings a warm feeling to the hollow where my heart used to be. ;-) I'd be inclined to take the deal. But do make sure that Brevoy agrees that "neutrality" includes a right to free trade with either party (that is, genuine trade, not "trade" that's effectively covert gifts). Continued trade would both benefit Kardas and ease the blow to Restov. Also, I should re-read the charter to see just how much wiggle room that it provides. . . .
Here are some possible strategies and arguments. They're not all compatible. (1) Feudalism is based on personal relationships, not any "social contract" nonsense. The charter was issued by the Lords of Restov, so your allegiance is to them. If the king has a problem with the charter, he really needs to deal with his vassal directly, not pester you. (2) Contest Brevoy's claim on the ground that they were unable to protect the people in the area (i.e., hold up their end of the feudal bargain) over an extended period of time. (3) Further, the area has not been within Brevoy's control since the establishment of "Brevoy" as a nation; regardless of what Brevoy says, this is historically part of the River Kingdoms. (4) Demand a trial by combat to prove the rightness of your claim. Very risky, and it depends on how Brevoy's justice system works. (5) Get a representative of someone with an older claim to the land to give you de jure authority--like, say, a dragon or a fey (or a representative of the elves). Then argue that Brevoy's claim is invalid because of an earlier claim. They'll probably want something for this, though. (6) Embrace popular sovereignty as the basis for authority. The charter has been validated by the popular will of the Kardassian people, and Brevoy's attempt to control the new nation is an invalid exercise of thug-o-cracy. (7) Get a church/organization to recognize your claim, and point out the political problems that it will create for Brevoy to cross them. They may want something for this, though. By the way, I am only speculating about the nature of your funny human institutions, rather than establishing an attorney-client relationship. If the Stadtkari really wants my services, they need to send a pile of coins to my cave as a retainer. ;-)
You might not want to use that as your starting point for negotiations with the dragon. Actually, even more than usual, I don't think that hardball negotiating tactics would work with a dragon. To a dragon, negotiating with a human is like you negotiating with a squirrel. Or a tasty-looking rabbit, if the dragon is evil. I suggest "O mighty dragon, we recognize that you have control of this area of land within our land grant, the title of which we understand may postdate your claim. We'd like to structure our community's relationship with you in a way that prevents idiots from bothering you and getting killed." Guarantee the dragon's borders in return for a promise of mutual non-aggression and whatever other mutually beneficial provisions that you can wrangle. It will be an interesting issue to be sure. Now that Malthir no longer trusts the fey in general, he is more likely to see this Fey clearing as a threat. It is possibly a threat. But Varnhold and the Hellknights are both possible threats too. You just have to determine how likely the possibility is and how to best deal with it. More to the point, do you really want to have a kingdom where a class of intelligent creatures is outside of the law's protection because of their race? And not because they're often wicked, like kobolds, but because they're chaotic.
You don't want to sell livestock and luxury goods to the dragon? Also, a dragon is probably equivalent to a small army in itself. If you are good neighbors, you may convince the dragon that it's worth making sure that you're not replaced by bad neighbors. Especially if you add a generous per diem fee, plus a bonus for each enemy soldier killed. Or maybe milestone payments for each battle won.
Maybe you should set up fey reservations and then make them all pack up and move periodically when you decide you want to expand onto the land you previously told them they could have... :P I think that the idea of recognizing small enclaves with some local control--like the dragon and the Bleuddwedd Queen's or however you spell it--actually does have merit. How else can you integrate them into Kardas? You're claiming the land around them, they are likely to resist integrating fully, and killing them out of hand is both Evil and difficult. And probably dumb in at least some cases. The key would be to structure the balance of obligations so that it's more like federalism than "we'll give you this agreement as a placeholder until we're high enough level to kick you off the property." ;-)
This seems like a great idea to me. Legal personhood for all creatures from races that in potential can recognize the concept of legal/moral obligation (and any magically altered individuals--like Red-Eyes--who also meet the criterion). But at a minimum, establishing protections for the Fey seems like a priority since they might otherwise be killed on sight, provoking the Fey to general hostility that they will take out on Kardas settlers. The Hellknights probably won't like it, but you can point out that if the Statkari judged only by reputations rather than specific actions, their order would never have been allowed in the kingdom. (A bit more diplomatically than that, though.) Plus, they should save their strength for Galt, the larger source of Chaos. . . .
Ah, thanks. Then Kardas still flirts with this "freedom" nonsense that Kip sometimes babbles about. ;-) On the subject of laws--have the Statkari considered establishing some laws about dealing with the Fey? It might deter the Hellknights from killing them out of hand if they were formally recognized by the kingdom in some way. Just a thought . . . .
So, Baron, is this "and" really an "and"? If a pit fiend took up residence, after swearing a binding contract not to engage in any "destructive" activities within Kardos, what would the government's position be? Is this race-based? What if Rihtlam the anti-paladin of Calistra were to take up residence in Swordhaven? What if Rihtlam professed to have seen the light and planned to change his ways, but still radiated an evil aura? What if he made a similar claim, but did not radiate evil or magic? Would the kingdom handle a blue dragon differently in each of these situations? Now say Rihtlam the anti-paladin is Malthir's great-grandson, and he's just taken the throne after the tragic death of his father in a hunting accident. Does the law have any safeguards to prevent him from deporting his hated younger sibling, Vaysh IV (a.k.a. "the Benevolent"), after he announces that she is evil, but has been using powerful magic to conceal her true nature? And on that topic of succession, I don't remember seeing anything in your proposed laws. Hereditary? Electoral? Oligarchical (i.e., the Statkari decide)? A magical oracle or artifact? A combination of methods? Just some food for thought. [goes back to law library to stop procrastinating his work]
Until the funeral scene plays out, Red Eyes is still taking wagers. You know, Reincarnate works on non-humanoids. . . .
Congratulations! Yes, no word from Lost Gamer for over a week. I hope that all is okay.
Conveniently, I'm now done with my law school finals, so I hope to have more time to post. So, Lost Gamer--are you waiting on us for something, or are you just busy? I think that we're waiting for the results of the other items and the inspection of the door. At least Origen is. After that, depending on what we find, we'll set a watch for the night. I propose 2 - 2 - 2, with a caster and a non-caster in each watch (e.g., Isandril/Aedalis; Brynmor/Yuuwa; Jonagher/Origen).
Well, I'll agree with you for most consumable items. If Origen's going to look cool using his new wand of colorful evisceration, I'm fine with him paying for the coolness out of his treasure share. But I'd personally rather have curative/restorative wands, potions, and scrolls (e.g., remove curse) be held by individual PCs as agents of the party as a whole, then used for party benefit on the first PCs who need them.
Ah, if Yuuwa really wants the ring, I say go for it. As for treasure division, I am fine either with a more informal, "rough equity" division or the more detailed method that AK proposes. But I'd suggest that consumable discovered "party items" like healing and restoration potions be owned jointly and divided up for carrying purposes rather than coming out of shares.
Very nice. Thanks, AK. Does anyone want the ring of swimming? I was thinking that it should go to someone with heavier armor (e.g., Brynmor) to counterbalance the armor penalty. Alternatively, it could go to someone with absolutely no swimming skill to make them less inept (e.g., Origen or, probably, Aedalis). I don't care that much either way, though. If the skull is an amulet of natural armor +1 (my best guess based on the magical aura), I say give it to a front-line fighter of some sort. Origen's going to try very hard to avoid situations where a bonus to natural armor would be applicable. :-)
My proposed SOP would be: (1) pick up any unbroken arrows and dropped items from the combat (all PCs except lookout, who will trade off with another PC to do this); (2) check PC conditions and (optionally) heal (Yuuwa); (3) check bodies for loot/unusual characteristics/plot points (no take 20 unless we indicate it); (4) check room for unusual features/chests/doors (not relevant here)/traps (no take 20 unless we indicate it); and (5) keep a watch on the entrance(s) during (1)-(4). I think that we should have at least one character with good Perception doing (5) throughout to avoid nasty surprises. Origen would be happy carrying out (1), (3), (4), or (5); Jonagher seems like a natural choice for (3) and possibly (4), though.
Ah, you're waiting for Brynmor and Aedelis' reveals. Okay.
I'm happy with this for the most part, but Origen would also check for any items, especially (1) stuff of archeological significance; (2) captives/bodies of captives/evidence of ship's crew and their fate; and (3) items useful for surviving. And if it's an evil god's shrine, Origen's okay with defiling it. If it's a shrine to Anghazan, demon lord of apes, Origen will defile it regardless of Yuuwa's objections. :-)
If we ever get to Eleder, Origen will hire someone to heighten a continual flame spell to spell level 4 and have it cast on my ioun torch. Immunity to darkness and deeper darkness would be worth every penny of the 330 - 530 gps that it would cost by the spellcasting rules (depending on caster level).
If you're thinking obscuring mist, that's a good idea, but . . . .
Spoiler: what if the Mother moves the rock closer to us? As we're seeing, darkness is a big advantage if only one side has darkvision. In fact, although I hope that our GM doesn't think of it, picking up the rock and toting it into melee with us shouldn't be hard for the ghouls, as they won't have any trouble seeing the spell's source on the ground.
[shrug] Your PC. Your equipment list. Own it. Fair enough. OOC, I'd normally wait because I hate using expensive consumables (though a dispel of +5 isn't a particularly strong trump). IC, Origen doesn't know how many ghouls are lurking in the darkness munching on his friends. So, he'd definitely use it out of fear for his friends' welfare unless another PC says, "I can dispel/cover up the widget of darkness."
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