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"Thank you,Whisper. Nicely done. Were there not traps defending this? Did you see or find anything else interesting or untoward?"," Karlane says. {OOC1: Is the beetle-thing in evidence?}

"Good job, Drusilla," acknowledges the priestess. ""Thought you'd run away." She smiles to indicate non-seriousness and then taps the book. "Where is Zarn? Looks like we have a clean up job, orcs and ogres, there sometime; but not today. Anyway, looks like the corier is an ogre that travells as a wine merchant. He's due between 2 and 4 this afternoon. And, to be clear, we don't want him dead or even hurt. We want to replace a letter he's carrying with this one." {OOC2: @Spike - Is the ogre going to be traveling in the right direction for our forgery to be effective?}

"Before then I want us to intercept a weapons convoy killing all of the guards to make it seem that the convoy has disappeared and then deliver it to the elves. Thoughts on either of these tasks, please? Give me options." While talking Kalrane flicks though the pages of notes and drawings. {OOC3: Anything 'leap out at her' in terms of significance?}

Drusilla scoffed 'run away! hah! I go where and when needed, and scouring the grounds proved more useful than sweeping the innards of this dwelling' she said, then added 'quite amazing, the garden outside is a clever array of defensive traps for the unwary. Vampire vines, guardian statue, and animated garden tools that will attack if you draw too closely. The password is 'surrender' in Elvish 'Koriaka'. I thought I heard the askance of the whereabouts of 'Zarn' fore entering, it is a set of ruins in the black forest kingdom east and north o' here. '

Garosh says 'weapons shipment? That will move slowly through that land. It's bandit country, not the sort of bandits who hang around the safer roads looking to gang up on some drunken sods. Those are professionals, they're exceptionally gifted, I'd go so far as to say brilliantly cunning. I have experience with them, having retrieved many Succundus caravans before. Whatever attache guards them will earn their coin or die trying'

Valtor: "the brigands can be useful to preoccupy the caravan guards, you come in from the flank and wipe them out. Toss the bandits a bone or two and let them leave with their hides unscathed'

Garosh: "They'll want more than mercy I fear'

Valtor: 'they'll get my fireball up their arses, should be sufficient to dissuade them from their wrongful life choices. This Elsmyrian hellcat can take most of the guard out single handed if she's mounted and a shortbow in her hands.'

The big bellied elf's pet Goblin begins jumping up and down bug eyed and slobbering excitedly, for no apparent reason, 'master so smarts! good master, kind to Stoops, gives Stoops good thingies to eats!'

Valtor said 'Gruthmuk noolgog uldrath' (go guard the door you dolt! in Goblin) then turned to Karlene 'indeed the weapons cache will engender good will from the Empress, since the spirit in the giving comes with an underlying act of generosity and kindness. But I humbly suggest you send forth said shipment to Longhallow in southwest quadrant of the black forest. Her highness fails to realize, whether out of stubborn pride or sheer blindness that the ranger that leads them is a staunch defender of her realm against the forces of the Dark Elf Lands. Mostly trolls and drow. Though she does not see it now, it will keep her border secure and earn you more prestige in the imperial court'

{OOC: @Spike - Politics check (might help Matt too): Lor is ruled by a Royal family whose palace is at Corealis? Is House Secundis the Royal family? Or..? Is Karlane's sister (who wants her killed) in House Telemvor? Or..? Which House is Valtor referring to when he says "...and earn you more prestige in the imperial court." Or..?}

Do you already have a sketch map, centered on Harby, that you could share?
Otherwise, there are 3 roads in importance (to Karlane at least):
1) north highway for an ogre disguised as a wine merchant or a spice dealer (but actually a postman
2) east highway for weapons and ammunition shipment
3) northwest road for a meeting with destiny
Approx how far out from Harby are the likely interception points (or zones) for #1 & #2 ?
How far (travel time by road) for a weapons and ammunition 'caravan' to reach the elves (from the likely interception point)? And how far (travel time by road) or a weapons and ammunition 'caravan' to reach Longhallow in the southwest (from the likely interception point)?

Chris1234 wrote:{OOC: @Spike - Politics check (might help Matt too): Lor is ruled by a Royal family whose palace is at Corealis? Is House Telemvor the Royal family? Or..? Is Karlane's sister (who wants her killed) in House Secundis? Or..? Which House is Valtor referring to when he says "...and earn you more prestige in the imperial court." Or..?}

Lor is ruled in part by the Lord Duke who is appointed by the queen herself. Lord Daynar is the duke.

He in turn is checked in balance by the council of city-lords who each represent a quadrant, a faction, or a major stakeholder in the city. Their opinion carries weight with the queen. They are elected by the people but most tend to be represented by the noble houses of the city.er of the cr

The city-lords are represented by an Elf ambassador, a Dwarven ambassador, a Nyrian houselord (unknown), a Lorian priest, member of the thieves guild, and member of the merchants guild.

Noble houses such as Telemvor, Altradeaus, Succundus, amongst many others are simply noble families with considerable wealth, power, prestige throughout Nyr, have history in the kingdom, and obviously enemies/allies, secrets, and such. Some have been kings or queens in Nyr's past, and also villains or tyrants.

Valtor is talking about prestige in the elven imperial court of the empress Isiona, who is the elven monarch of the Black Forest Kingdom.

Karlene's sister is not of House Succundus, which is the Duke's own house. Your sister is of house Telemvor, and is trying to get rid of you both (Idrys/Karlene) so she can have no competitors to her own ancestral estates, and to eliminate any scandal of being related to dhampirs (hint, she's no longer a paladin in good standing, but a fallen one fyi. A paladin could very well fall having a dhampir assassin as a sibling

Brilliant, TY. Might be worth adding that to your thread on Scarlor geography/politics.
I assume 'Corealis' is the surname of the royal family..

No Corealus is the official royal capital of the kingdom Nyr, previously was Lor until Lor was sacced 500 years ago by an army of trolls. The royal family relocated to Corealus which was designed and engineered by Dwarves as a gift to the King of Nyr at the time (King Rodac the undying, who was said to have been resurrected over 20 times).

NEW: some rocks pierce through the front window fired from the slings of several dirty young boys in the front of the safehouse, they grin in mischief then run away, only their laughter can be heard.

"There were several mundane traps that were dealt with to acquire the tome, the author's handwriting is not something I can confirm. Here are some writing samples that I obtained from the room upstairs, perhaps there is someone skilled that can compare a few of them to the book? I believe that those of us who can cast spells have burned through some of our resources. For the wine merchant I have a couple of charm spells yet available but if they are an ogre I do not believe the enchantments will work. Can't say for certain though, never tried that particular magic on something like an ogre. Perhaps resting to regain spells before dealing with the courier and then a weapons shipment would be wise?" Whisper put his two cents in as he's seen a few of the group's casters toss about spells and his most potent spells are mostly used.

[Ooc] @Chris1234 Whisper's familiar/beetle is not currently visible unless one can see through heavy canvas. It is not something that the character is comfortable leaving out in the open currently.

[Ooc] @DM If the action does progress towards some sort of combat please auto play the PC with his previous listed approaches to combat. I have a follow up question on PC death and the -10 hp threshold. If the PC is at say 5 hp and get's hit for 20 HP of damage. Are they are instantly permanently dead or do they go to 0(or -1 or something) and start bleeding out with a chance to be saved by other characters/allies?

con check at 1/2, failure means death, success means down to 0.

if you get a NWP like high pain threshold it's automatic to 0 and no need for the check.

Karlane congratulates the uncertain mage, "Whisper, thanks. I can study this later, if that's alright? Welcome to the team." She takes the book and paperwork while smiling at the irony of the rag-tag band with so much potential but that could unravel with the wrong word in the wrong place. "I think you'll just need to find some time to concentrate and memorize them.." {OOC1: from you spellbook} "..which takes me about 15 minutes for a Magic Missie." {OOC2: 15 minutes per spell level to replenish spell slots of spells that were cast yesterday.}

***
The priestess surveys the group in the kitchen and the map on the table, and says "I've not appropriated a weapons' shipment before. What sort of size is likely? Like if all the weapons were piled up in this kitchen, how long would it take all of us to manually carry the weapons through into the garden? If we were to gain control of the shipment here..", pointing on the relevant road on the map, "..to give it to the elves would take how long to deliver it? And to give it to the ranger at Longhallow would take how long to deliver it? Is there likely to be sufficient arms to make a significant benefit to both the elves and the ranger if we split the shipment?

Garosh says 'Could be any size between small to large or enough to outfit a military force of significance, who knows?' he then said 'Longhallow we can transport down the serpent river straight there, two days by way of river. To the elves? I believe four days deep straight into the heart of the Black Forest. We would be intercepted well before that, and it might not be by the sort of elves who like outside intrusion'

Valtor: 'Aye, a great many an Elf-lord would gladly appropriate such a cache, and it would not get to the hands of imperial elves who are fighting drow and trolls consistently. '

Exploring options, the priestess continues, "So assuming the weapons' shipment is only large enough to help one faction and that we choose it to be Longhallow, where do we transfer the 'goods' onto the river where do we get sufficient boats and who exactly takes each of the boats down the river? Who among you knows well this ranger?"

======
{OOC: @Spike - Need to clarify some logistical details please:
1) If one knows the password for a destination one can teleport between a pair of stargem portals (white fuzzy balls), but can that travel be between portals for different stargems?
2) If one knows the password for a stargem portal destination, if one does not have possession of a relevant stargem, can the teleport only be entered via one of the stargem portals (white fuzzy balls)?
3) If one knows the password for a stargem portal destination, and DOES have possession of a relevant stargem, can the teleport be entered AWAY from any of the stargem portals (white fuzzy balls)?
4) I can't find the details of the spells embedded in the stargems. Looked for 20 mins then lost the will, so: please confirm what spells does Karlane know are embedded in the greater stargem and for each spell what is the Area of Efrfect and the duration?
5) Please confirm what spells does Karlane know are embedded in the lesser stargem and for each spell what is the Area of Effect and the duration?
6) When a spell is used from the greater stargem, how is it replenished?
7) When a spell is used from the greater stargem, how is it replenished?
8 ) Was the ability to heal only associated with the Greater stargem? Is this as per the clerical Level 6 spell "Heal"? And is it currently 'charged' i.e. ready to use? }

Garosh said lazily 'ah, whatever port village lies along the banks of the serpentine river, we can find a Rhenee river pilot to bore us there. They can navigate the river masterfully than any, but charge a considerable fee. The river is well patrolled by the elves and Nyrian forces, so not too much in way of brigands if that's what you're concerned about'

Valtor points to a specific spot along the snake river with his dagger, which he is using to slice apples: 'here, Maidenrock, I've a hideout there we can store the cache and gain some rest while comfortably loading a Rhenee barge there right on the shore. You will find my secret hideout to your liking, priestess, rest certain it is a den of opulence'

1) yes
2) yes
3) no, they have to enter through the appropriate select binding spot (white fuzzy sphere)
4) 2nd gem (Scarn)

x3/day: whispering wind (at same level of effect as possessor of gem), wind wall (at 12th level of effect), air blade barrier (at same level as possessor) this is essentially same as blade barrier, except the blades are wrought out of elemental air. Note you can only cast 1 of these not each one x3/day.

x3/week: wind walk (at 12 level of effect and duration.

The first stargem which was hidden you know can enchant a weapon as such: +1 to hit, damage, AC, and all saving throws. It enscorcells said weapon with white flame and exudes copious amounts of light. It will also allow you to emit a fiery blast of heavenly fire which does 2d8 hp of fire based damage (doub.le damage against undead).

6) exposure to sun and moon replenishes it and regenerates its dormant dweomers

7)see above

SARRMATT wrote:[Ooc] My character requires standard sleep cycles to regain spells at present time, he has no feat/skill/non weapon proficiency that would speed that process up. If the plan is to rest and wait for the wine courier can I regain spells?

{OOC: @Matt - Look at my comments addressed to you in the OOC thread. Answer the couple of questions there and we can get you sorted. }

Decide what the party is going to do moving forward. It sounds like you're keen on intercepting the messenger heading toward Harby.

Drusilla says 'It doesn't make much sense for all of us to accompany you, Karlene on this mission. I propose an alternative plan, give me the letter and I will swap it in secret from the messenger's belongings. I can do it blindfolded, without being heard or seen. All while the rest of you tarry here and gain some rest and food. It needn't be a military operation, because the more we move as a party trumping through the woods, the more attention we draw to ourselves. More attention, and more likely we will encounter enemies and see battle, then delay to recover our wounds. Best sometimes for a one of us to do something simple than the entire group having to!'