So... did this game generally peter out?
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"You know these lands better than any of us," Martin replies, with an emphasis on the last word, "So I'd be satisfied to follow your judgment on this one."
"Yeah... as far as attacking a well-defended Northern village, we'll let you know if that becomes an option, but we shouldn't promise that until we get a good look at the villages in question."
"Sure. But you know the geography of this area best. Where should we go next?"
"Unstable?" Martin sneers. "I think you mean weak. They merely stood around, talking about the past, and leaving themselves wide open to being brought down by a few amateurish attacks."
"So... we guard these cowards as they march, then?" Martin asks the others when they have a minute alone.
"They didn't know until the goblin told them," Martin whispers, annoyed, "And now we have to deal with them pointlessly relocating. More work."
"Well, we saw nothing threatening or violent," Martin adds, "Though a few of the other got rather overzealous on that front. I'd recommend generally staying out of the ruins."
"Ah, apologies then—I thought that was exactly what you were suggesting. Lead on, then."
"I'm stating your motives as you gave them at the time, trying to justify why you put the rest of us in danger by attacking something non-hostile in cold blood. As someone who likes to follow my actions by logically thinking about the consequences, I'm merely pointing them out. If you'd like to retroactively change your justifications, or explain why any dangerous results that come of us leaving these ruins now aren't the fault of whoever suggests doing so, feel free to."
"The justification you gave to the rest of us was that destroying a harmless, peaceful undead scholar would make the mages safer, because any nearby zombies posed a threat, even the mindful one that seemed to be keeping the mindless ones in check. I'm just saying that, if we're going to leave the ruins without hunting every elf with less self-control than the one you put down, any harm they cause after will rest entirely on your shoulders."
"Eh... you and the fighter got us into this mess. If you want to leave without finishing what you started, that's fine, but any zombie attacks will be on your head."
"You mean in case there is an enemy," Martin corrects.
Martin will read the notes.
Might as well search it, since searching for things seems to be the only reason we're still in the ruins.
"Right. And it's troubling that it's intelligent enough to shadow us—the zombies couldn't do something like this."
"Well... if we don't find anything in a day or two, that might be good enough."
"Just peeking in doors would be fine. I simply want to finish the course of hostile action we've now been set on, and not leave the ruins more perilous than we found them."
"Methodical and safe," Martin corrects him. "Are we on a time limit, or would you simply prefer an excuse to do less work?"
"Right. We should come up with a geometric plan to sweep the ruins, make sure we've at least looked in every building. Mark the ones we've already entered. See how many we can check by sunset. All agreed?"
"You attacked this woman out of fear that these ruins possess an army of undead who might eventually overrun the nearby mages. Now you assume that because you killed one leader and two of their number, the 'army of undead' is no more?" Martin turns to Qalendar. "The only assumption I'm making here, sir, is that the Tanar'ri would have hired competent agents who know how to think ahead."
What, they won't even meet my gaze? Martin responds. "I'm just saying—the fighter here may have created the very crisis you were trying to create, and we'd all best see to finding out what's happened before you all unleash a horde of angry undead on the countryside. Deciding to 'wait and see' right now sounds rather idiotic."
"So what now?" Martin asks the group. "You've seen more of these ruins than I have. Will the other zombies crumble, with their queen dead, or will they turn mindless and rampage, or will they just generally swear revenge against all outsiders? If it's either of the last two, we've just created the situation you were trying to avoid, and we're going to have to start our cleanup as soon as possible—and someone will need to give me a weapon that can actually damage the undead."
Honestly, I really enjoy the personality conflicts, since they're totally not following the typical Lawful/Chaotic split. It's a special sort of Planescape dilemma, where the characters may have very different beliefs than their players. ...also, if these things have some sort of Death Curse, maybe she'll learn restraint and we'll get to point and laugh.
"Not sure zombies have souls. And this one showed no trickery; that was all you. If you want to kill a helpless, intelligent creature for no reason, go ahead, but I'd rather keep my sword clean."
Martin, if he can, moves to flank the zombie, and pokes her ineffecutally from behind.
Martin takes a full defensive action, unsure if the skeletons can be damaged or if it's just his sword.
"If you insist on making me a murderer," Martin mutters, and steps forward to poke the nearest skeleton.
On his turn (which I assume happens between zombies and Katrin's next move), Martin draws his sword, but stands in place next to the doorway, waiting to see what happens.
Sure, and Martin follows the Fraternity of Order. But Qalendar is also lawful, just with a different set of laws he stands to.
Our allies are, of course, extremely timid. And we don't have any evidence that the undead can purge the caves. But this is clearly a lawful/slightly different lawful conflict of morals, and with two votes for "attack all the undead now" and two for "leave them alone," we could let the last group member break the tie.
And more importantly, a power of very unknown strength—all we know about the elves is that, for some reason, they haven't left their homes.
Well, we've got three options—make a deal, walk away, necrocide. The first two options aren't mutually exclusive at this point.
Maybe... but those weren't curious wizards, they were frightened, careful, amateur wizards, of the sort willing to sell their souls to Hell for nothing more than risk reduction in their lives. I think the only people poking around here looking for trouble right now are us. Could we... maybe just build a wall? And then Consecrate it?
And all of which are great reasons not to provoke them, when it seems like right now they have neither the ability nor the inclination to leave their homes. If we try to kill them all, they might get mad enough to find a way out of their village, and go on a dangerous rampage. My vote has simply been for "file them away as best left untouched right now"
"I would propose we tell her we will do what we can, leave them in peace, and only return if we have something to offer—as long as we can be sure they don't have the means or inclination to threaten the mages' colony."
Huh. I read through all the earlier posts, though I did so somewhat quickly, and I feel like given that info my character just doesn't understand why anyone would jump to the conclusion of "these elves are a real danger and we need to get rid of them."
"Maybe, but I certainly wasn't told that any attacks by the Elves had actually occurred—this sounds like a lot of reckless alarmism at the presence of what appear to be ancient, and thoroughly trapped in place, intelligent undead."
"I don't see any living people inhabiting this village, and I'd be careful not to provoke them into any attacks on the nearby mages, but... who makes the decisions in this crew, anyway?"
In common, Martin relays what he's heard to the group. "Sounds like the elf zombies want nothing to do with outsiders in their land, but something's keeping them here. They'd prefer to be left alone, and I doubt they pose much risk, but if we can find them building supplies they might make a different labor force. All said, I think it might be best to leave them alone, to rot to dust in their abandoned village, unless any of you have a vested interest in beating the last vestiges of an ancient civilization into Truedeath and taking their trinkets."
"I thought there were a number of towns here, at different distances, and we're trying to ally them all? And all we need, I think, is confirmation that these creatures do not want to leave—in the worst case we can give them the materials to board up their gates and be done with them. as they rot away."
Elven: "Ah... so it seems this affliction has made it difficult for you to acquire new citizens? Are you at peace with it, or is there a cure that might be sought by foreign venturers? And if we brought you lumber, stone and ore, would you be able to forge the last into decent weapons and armor?" "And lastly—you say your people are isolated by choice, which means you could leave if you chose, but find no reason to in the future? If all these things are the case, I think we can leave with no quarrel, and return here only if we find a nearby town willing to supply what you need."
In common, Martin replies, "The Elves apparently know nothing outside these walls. I don't know if we're better off leaving this place alone and searching elsewhere in the kingdom, but I'll try one or two more questions." In Elvish:
"What sort of resources do you need—lumber, stone, blood, souls? If you told me what you wanted, and what you could do with it, I could investigate the feasibility of arranging deliveries to you." "And I am neither human, my lady—I may not look it, but I've lived almost two centuries, still by no doubt young compared to your people. And I did not ask about knowledge, although that could be a useful offering—but I suspect that your smiths may never tire at your forge, and your masons never need rest from their building, which might lead to some profitable industry with the right materials. That said, it seems as though you do not wish to talk to outsiders, and since I doubt many as patient as us visit these parts, perhaps you simply wish to be left alone."
And with that, he turns his back to the doorway in the hopes of a response, and while waiting, casts Detect Magic.
Martin clears his throat and steps forward, bowing to the zombie.
In Elvish: "Greetings. I apologize for my late arrival, but I alone of my associates speak your native tongue, and wish to discuss your situation on more comfortable terms. We seek allies in this country, and have not yet traveled far, though there are many villages other than your own. It seems you are looking for something as well, and we may be able to set up a profitable trade between your village and the others—what do your people require, and what could they offer for it that might be of value, in terms of resources, equipment or labor?"
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