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If Shalana's replacement is not 100% on paper (that I can build and import over HeroLabs), and at least 75% complete in FG (in regards to all powers/abilities built out in the system) before we get back to my game, Shalana will need to cancel her plans to leave, and stick it out until a replacement is finished enough to step in.
Shalana (sparing lives):
Sosiel cocks his head in question as she begins her explanation, the curiosity in his eyes revealing that he is taking in her every word. His concerned expression showing that he is sympathetic to her frustration. He nods while she speaks, and calmly waits for her to finish.
"I see that this clearly bothers you, and can only imagine that, feeling like you stand alone even among your peers can lead to your thoughts of going off alone. As, to you, there may be no difference except no longer having to fight about it." He nods, but pauses to speak, while holding up a single finger in a point of contention. "If I may, I would like to present an alternate method of looking at it?" He doesn't wait for an answer, as the inflection of a question is more a courtesy by asking than a request for permission. "You say that they decide in the middle of combat to spare a life, but how does one make that decision before a combat if you do not know you will be engaged in combat with any said enemy? Take the strife at the camp. There was no time prior to the start of the fight to either discuss or decide if the enemy would be taken alive or surrender if either requested or accepted." he shrugs, in a 'what can you do?' type of effect, "It is only in the middle of the fight that the others may feel that demanding or accepting surrender can even be considered. When fighting for your life turns to confidence in winning, the options available grow." Shalana (purging):
He looks wistful, slightly melancholy, before continuing. "You have your own philosophy of what it means to purge demons, as do each one of us. I ask you, consider that demons, come not only in the form of hideous beast bent on the destruction of all that is beautiful in this world. We each have our own demons, here," he points to his head, "and here." this time to his heart. "And they are not so easily purged with the heavy-headed heft of a morningstar." He points to the weapon at her waist, the stains of battle still fresh on its spiky surface.
"Aron, Shelyn bless him, fights his demons daily, especially after he slid back into his affliction. I don't know where or why he got himself shadowblood." This last he remarks more to himself in frustration and concern. "Regardless, his demons are in his mind, and he has to fight with them daily, but even with the hold it has over him, I would never dare consider him irredeemable. I couldn't, because to do so would be giving up on him, and I won't quit him." he is resolute in that statement. "Or take or misguided knight, Arles. He's not by any means gone over to evil, but he has lost his heart for the fight in his goddess' name. His demons cause him to see loss and failure, strike the faith from him. Yet you guys have tried to build him back up, put faith in him and your mission, that he may renew his own. Sure, it may only be to purge the discord that his words were sowing, but you have to believe that there is a power in holding faith that we will be successful in purging the city of Drezen of its demonic host and recovering the Sword of Valor." He lifts his eyebrows in hopeful pleading, "You must see that there is redemption, that others can come back from it? Or even in the case of the once staunch paladin, Staunton Vhane. That just as evil can corrupt one of purity, so too can the light of beauty, that lies only within, bring the once wicked into the glory of that which is good. Killing is not the only way to remove an enemy from your path, and although every enemy killed is a point of failure for their side, every one turned to our cause is a point to our cause as well." He holds his hands up in a halting gesture, "Do I think that we will convert the entire demonic host, or even a quarter of them? I find it highly unlikely, but only when we truly look deep for the beauty within," he touches his hand to his holy symbol, "will we be able to see whether that spark of light can be kindled." Shalana (story time): "I'm going to tell you a tale of woe, and of hope. There were two siblings, a brother and sister. The brother was older, and was guided by his father to swear an oath on the family weapon he wielded that he would never cause his sister any harm. As a family, they took part in a great battle to help rid the world of an incredible evil, but despite this joyous success, there was frustration between the two siblings. Once, after a terrible argument, the eldest left off to brood in the dark places of the world, vanishing to unknown reaches."
"After what seemed an eternity apart, he returned, but he was not the same. He had been overcome with darkness and hatred in his heart, and the weapon that once was the symbol of his oath, had twisted with him. He returned, torturing and imprisoning their father, and he and his sister struggled against one another. She knew that the heart of her brother still beat within what he had become. It was during one of these conflicts, that she wrested the weapon from his grip and managed to demand a tenuous truce. The corruption of the weapon was almost insurmountable, rife with the torture of captured souls." "Over time, and amazing acts of the greatest good, she was slowly able to remove much of the weapon's taint, to become a thing of beauty. Even to this day, she continues to fight for the love of a brother she knows is hidden away in some tormented recesses, slowly trying to return the family heirloom to its true glory. If my goddess, Shelyn, the Incorruptible, the Eternal Rose, bearer of the unholy glaive," he points to the favored weapon of his deity that he carries, "known as Whisperer of Souls, can bring such a wicked instrument of evil back to the light of good in her efforts to redeem the heart of her brother Dou-bral, now known as Zon-Kuthon, the Midnight Lord. Then I too must have faith that no evil is completely incapable of bearing some spark of inner beauty." "If my efforts, in her name, allow the deeds of great men and women like you and the others up there to help cleanse the evil within the Whisperer of Souls, then I have to believe that it is possible. Seek not to merely eradicate the physical host that represent the evilness of demonkind, but consider the potential to use it as a weapon that can be turned against them, if they can be brought into the light." He realizes that he was getting worked up in talking about his goddess, and calms himself slightly. "To do this, they are... WE are going to need your help. You've been touched by the gods, and they must have some grand purpose for you. So tell me, why do you fight it? What is it that drives you to stop at nothing short of the total annihilation of your enemy, in the form of both a single entity or a entire species, allowing for no other form of victory? One does not always win with merely causing the death of more of them than they of us. They have the insurmountable numbers of the souls of evil things, and we have to fight with more than brawn. We need our hearts and minds to also be free of the demons, and we can't fight those back with strength of arms alone. So, how can I help you fight your demons?"
Sosiel moves closer, to stand on the opposite side of Butter, so that he can try to get Shalana's attention while he awaits her answer.
Shalana: He looks relieved at first to hear about Aron, but falls in stride with her, a few paces back so as to not be right on her heels. "If he's going to want help, don't you want to be up there with them? Purging the temple is a good thing, so may I ask what it is that has directed your attention away from celebration, or at the very least relief?"
Shalana (and Butter?): As Sardus operates the scale to lower the shiled bearing an irate Shalana, she notices that there is a small collection of the soldiers, as well as Nurah and Sosiel waiting down below. Concern is etched on Sosiel's face as he looks back and forth between Shalana and the top of the cliff where they all went not much earlier.
In his deep baritone, albeit still soft, voice he asks, "Where are the others? Is everyone okay?" It's obvious which of the 'everyone' holds his greater concern. "We heard the roar from down here, and the sounds of the fight. Did you return alone because you need something from us?"
Ansiris is correct. Straight out of the book, as is, any requirement you don't have/meet increases the DC by 5. It's pretty simple, and not that harsh, which is one of the issues I had with item crafting. Especially when the taking 10 option existed.
Zaigan has a small following, among the paladins that remain of their armies, and could use some time in prayer. The words seem to lift a few spirits, but there is a weariness about the troops that may not be relieved by heartfelt words. The evening is calm and mostly quiet, with only the sounds of restless sleep and groans of pain breaking the silence. It's in the early hours of the night, that the attack happens. After the battle comes to a contested halt, the camp has been roused by the sounds of the fight, and even more so by the subsequent argument that echoes off the old city's walls. By the time most of the tempers have cooled, all of the camp has risen, standing around the edges of the center of camp. The eyes of every soldier, captain, and commander are on the spectacle, of their leaders yelling at each other.
Sosiel, always one to try and lift spirits, responds. "War can be just as hard on the survivors as it can for those we lose. They get to move on to the Boneyard, where Pharasma will guide them to their final rest. The rest of us have to live with the loss, but we can't let it bring us down. Celebrate the entirety of the life they lived, and the beauty they brought to this world. Focus not the on the single point of time wherein they died. Use your memories of the fallen to lift you up, bolster your resolve, and earn the right to join them in the Grey." He moves among the soldiers remaining, trying to see more to the wounds of the heart over the physical wounds that are easier to heal.
So, I know it hasn't come up before, but this is the first time in a long time you guys have been sleeping outside of a protected building. As such, so that it doesn't spark concerns the night I ask for it, how are you guys handling watch (if at all)?
This is where you will have the space to ask questions about the campaign, game rules, or have non campaign related discussions. We will also use this to post updates to the characters when they level so there is a record of it. Using the forums format, you may also build an Alias for your character (by going to 'My Account' and choosing to create an Alias under the messageboard aliases section and selecting Create New Alias). In the alias' profile you can put in all your character info (Copied and pasted into the text box for most of it), and it can be used as a reference during gameplay. I would suggest you try to at least create an Alias with your character's name, and the closest approximation to your image, so you can use it when posting and it will feel more immersive to the whole point of the RP thread when we can put the name and face to the character interactions. Once you post the first time in the gameplay thread, it will show up under the 'campaigns' tab of your main account page. From that point on, any time a new post comes in, the campaigns page will show a (# new) after the section that has new posts in it from the last time you checked. Under my profile name, you will see three highlighted links. One takes you to the map for our game, the other the loot list, and the last one to the journal that Michelle is keeping. Once you are ready to post, you can go to This link here and begin adding some RP dialogue with your characters.
The troops of the heroes of Kenabres have just defeated the tiefling army defending Vilareth Fjord. One of your units was defeated, and many more left injured. The decision to camp for the night was pretty much unanimous. |
