Plus she's from Galt..and as everybody knows they are all crazy.
We are perfectly sane! We are just more ... passionate zan some other cultures.
Is it?
When you fight, you have to work up hatred. You have to really want to hurt the other guy more than he wants to hurt you. Aldern Foxglove was a ghoul, a monster that spread evil and defilement - hating him was easy, he was irredeemable (he and Esteriande had already had that conversation).
But what of Aldern Foxglove the man? Did he choose to become a ghoul? Was he a bad man or a good one? Certainly his wife loved him dearly, or her betrayal would not have been so deep for her to return as a revenant, and any being worthy of love is worthy of Shelyn's blessing. He had made his home in a house that radiates evil, who is to say that this did not corrupt his otherwise good soul?
For Aldern the ghoul, the Skinsaw Man, Esteriande fought with hatred. For Aldern the man, before he became the ghoul, she had compassion. She hated what he had become, but she had compassion for what he ultimately was: a victim of the machinations of others, as he made clear in his last desperate plea from his shattered mind. That does not make him innocent, but she knows she does not have the authority or knowledge to judge Aldern the man, so she gives him the benefit of the doubt and leaves it to the powers that be.
I agree, it makes her look crazy that she can fight with such fury and then pray for the souls of those she has killed, but she's a very complex person who's perceptions go deeper than the skin-deep. That's my interpretation of how a paladin should be, in fact: if you read the Arthurian epics, there are many cases of chivalry where the victor prays for the soul of the vanquished.
In fact, in Golarian it has a great deal of meaning to do so: those not given proper funerary rites can rise as undead, and those evil souls that are not redeemable go to feed the powers of evil in the lower planes. A paladin who truly wishes to defeat evil in the long term does not slay it, he redeems it.
Aldern was in many ways a victim ifnot a wholly innocent one.His was a cursed family and the chances he would escape it were low to begin with..he did find love with Iesha but in the end jealousy and rage brought him to slay her over a misunderstanding from then on he was doomed.
Esteriande is playing to character..Shelyn is very much about compassion and the Faiths of Purity book reinforces this time and again.
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Ahhh, but Hatred leads to the darkside and the darkside brings only death. So dear paladin perhaps Hatred is a wrong choice of words. Unless of course hatred is one of the pervues of the god that one worships.
As for Aldern, how does the paladin know what choices he did make? Perhaps he chose this ghoul life and now having it, regrets it, and thus has caused his shattered mind. Granted these are all what if scenarios but that's what it is about.
And from Wellards input it would seem to me that Aldern lead himself down that dark hole, when others would have fought such urges, handled them with more refinery so to speak or simple not gone of half-cocked. So he made his bed and now must he lay in it.
In the end there is nothing wrong with a Paladin praying for the corpses of the those that have fallen in combat. Just like the Anti-Paladin taking a limb to prevent such a peacefull slumber of the deceased.
Like I said, Esteriande does not know what choices he did or did not make, she's giving him the benefit of the doubt - after all, 'His Lordship' did try and warn the party of where they should look next, so she knows some part of him must have been decent. His only crime could have been being weak, or he could be much worse - she will never know, so she will not judge.
You are right, though, hatred is too strong a word - outrage would be nearer to it, I think; she smites in righteous anger. It does mean that she tends to negotiate before entering combat, unless she is first attacked. I am sure this will make the rest of the party quite frustrated at times ...
Depending on the advesary would depend on Muchorak's feeling on negotiations. Though he does have an automatic disdain for the 'civilized' men, he does know that not all are of a vile heart and would like to see the land better tended too than those that lead the 'raping' of it. :D
How could he still disdain civilized men after hanging with Romon????
Sheer stubbornness, my friend.
Still I can just see his face when Esteriande calmly tries to call on 'monsters' to forego their ways and embrace a different path ...
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Romon has placed himself in a 'different class' than the rest in his eyes. After all Romon doesn't seem to be the normal plate wearing conquering type. Though if Muchorak met family of Romons that proved otherwise it might actually strengthening his feelings for him as to be different. Since to him it would appear he has abandoned those conquering ways.
O and indeed his face would be something to see as she tries to negotiate with known hostile beings.
Hey, stalactite dancing is pretty awesome stuff, don't knock it ..."
LOL Loving this debate folks. Keep it up! ; )
More seriously, the code of Shelyn is fairly clear: "I come first with a rose"
I take this to mean that even in extreme circumstances, Esteriande must offer her foes a chance to avoid bloodshed. Obviously if they out and out attack, the point becomes moot.
Anyone else having trouble accessing Wellard's images on photobucket? Norton Internet Security says there is a security risk on the site.
Edit: Hey I got post 666 again!
Now it works fine ... (sigh)
... suddenly, it's all gone a bit slow ...
Wellard, my parents are visiting this week. (CLeaning up for them was why I was slow over the weekend.) And then I'm on a roadtrip vacation with the family for two weeks. I'll post as able, but feel free to DMPC Romon as you feel necessary.
anti archive bump
I was told 3/4 Max + Con bonus, Bill, and I've levelled with that.
Ok guys you may have guessed that I am foreshadowing Jade Regent in my latest post.I will be running it as my 3rd PbP(yes I am that crazy)
I will not be inviting any off you to take part in this AP when I start it up mainly because I know most of you are overcommited already.
However there will, in the early stages, be an opportunity for you all to make a cameo appearance as the 'Heroes of Sandpoint'and offer some advice to the budding heroes of the new AP
Ok guys you may have guessed that I am foreshadowing Jade Regent in my latest post.I will be running it as my 3rd PbP(yes I am that crazy)
I will not be inviting any off you to take part in this AP when I start it up mainly because I know most of you are overcommited already.
However there will, in the early stages, be an opportunity for you all to make a cameo appearance as the 'Heroes of Sandpoint'and offer some advice to the budding heroes of the new AP
Ohhh. So many things to say. Got internet tonight but must sleep soon.
I understand about not inviting me. I wouldn't want to play anymore with me either.
I love the cameo idea. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time, having guest NPCs in a PbP. Kind of tried it with Chris Mortika in Crimson throne. I'd be very happy to oblige, although Romon's first choice would be a comfortable retirement in Magnimar.
Ah but the events of Jade Regent are likely to start whilst you are still in Sandpoint dear Romon.
Wellard, you can't take Ameiko away. Who will cook spicy food for us?
Bill, agreed. Now if Wellard started them at 3rd or 4th level, it might be worth it just to take their loot. Hmmm. We better be sure they don't catch one of us alone.
LMAO Thom and Bill, :)
Jade Regent looks like an awesome AP and the Cameo sounds like a great idea. Might be fun to bully around the new kids on the block a bit. Oh, wait, help them out I mean.
Portions of stinking cloud are a no no..you cant make a potion for spells with an area effect.(Wand yes, potion no)
Potion of Suggestion..An interesting idea and one that my Witch (Andrea..rmember her?) had in the Carrion Crown game she was in re Charm Person..however you need to administer the potion to the target..which makes it somewhat problematical in combat.
Portions of stinking cloud are a no no..you cant make a potion for spells with an area effect.
Distilled essence of Brussels sprouts! Pour that down the hatch and I guarantee within ten minutes you will have a stinking cloud ...
Dragging the treasure discussion here so it doesn't clutter up the game thread.
I don't care much about the hat although I think I can guarantee that it will be much more frivolously used on Romon's head than on anyone else's.
Someone way back suggested giving the hat to Romon out of a common kitty. If Naria wants to hang on to it that's fine with me. No worries.
Yes, I was under the impression that as no-one objected those that were gaining items had them - I would suggest those with the items take them in lieu of cash to that value, but it's up to you guys.
That's OK, sometimes it's hard to catch up on a wall-of-text when you've missed a few days!
Yes, I was under the impression that as no-one objected those that were gaining items had them - I would suggest those with the items take them in lieu of cash to that value, but it's up to you guys.
In lieu of cash works for me, although Romon might not like it. What does that do to the split?
Split so far.
Adamantine Longsword +1 (Muchorak) 5,320Gp
A Hat of Disguise (Romon?)1,800,gp
Ring of jumping (anyone want it?) 2,500GP
Ring of protection +1 (Inikai unless anyone objects)2,000GP
A wand of Knock with 18 charges remaining (Naria confirmed)1,620GP
A second Sihedron Medallion(+1 to all saves, False life 1/day (CL5),Gentle Repose if worn by a corpse)3500GP
9,000gp cash from item sales and treasure
Return of beating a dead horse: Treasure split --
Romon would like to stick his name on the ring of jumping too. Forced to a choice between the ring and the hat, I would choose the ring. The hat will be more of a silly roleplay device and ultimately of little use to the party in Romon's hands. The ring has definite tactical possibilities from an acrobatically centered rogue. Case in point Romon's current plan.
I've no objection to Inikai taking the ring.
Wellard's list from July 10th, (using our selling price for the goods), leads to a total of 17370, and individual shares of 2481.42 . PCs taking items buy them out of their share at the selling (half) price.
Or we could just give items to those best equipped to use them and split the rest evenly. This method will favor Muchorak and Romon over the others.
My groups have traditionally done the latter, but I am amenable to either arrangement. I just want to settle the split.
Regarding the second Sihedron medal -- I see no reason to hang on to it except meta-gaming. Marak has the first one.
Also, I wanted to confirm that Marak had the first medallion so I scoped out his character sheet. (Sorry, Set, but no harm intended.) And there's a "party treasure" spoiler at the top of the sheet. Did we ever distribute that stuff?
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Also, I wanted to confirm that Marak had the first medallion so I scoped out his character sheet. (Sorry, Set, but no harm intended.) And there's a "party treasure" spoiler at the top of the sheet. Did we ever distribute that stuff?
I don't believe so. At the time, Marak was the one with the haversack, so it kind of got thrown in there for portage.
Feel free to check the character sheet whenever. If that sort of thing bugged me, it wouldn't be public. :)
Well Esteriande will bank her share, she's saving to get some more enchantment on her sword just as soon as possible. I'm not bothered which way we do the loot, to be honest: Gear to whoever can best use it + even shares on the rest, or else even shares including gear.
What I would suggest, though, is doing a regular tally of everyone's gear value so no-one gets left behind.
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ok...so let me get this straight...I need to add another 2k gold to Muchorak and Ali? (remember i'm holding her coin)
I'm all about giving the equipment to those who need it and splitting the rest. And of course at times perhaps pooling funds to make sure one or two party members get caught up to the others gear wise. :D
Which I think is pretty much what Dabbler just said.
Indeed. For myself I'm going to focus on upgrading my curveblade and mail for the moment - if we find any headbands of charisma/intelligence or belts of dexterity I'm all for them, but let's see what turns up.
(sigh) I can remember the days when what we got at random was what there was ...
We might need the medallions as some sort of McGuffins later on, so I think we should keep them for now. I am on board with evenly splitting everyting else, though.
That's what I figure in a meta-game way. But no way would Romon want to keep those. He's want the cash.
(sigh) I can remember the days when what we got at random was what there was ...
I remember those days too. And I liked them. I hate shopping, in game or IRL.