Hardcopies aren't much better when they're just a collection of excerpts ripped from actual text books where the page numbers aren't even in sequence, the index is non-existent and they still charge you $300 plus so the professor can line their pockets for the semester and do it all again next year.
Hardcopies aren't much better when they're just a collection of excerpts ripped from actual text books where the page numbers aren't even in sequence, the index is non-existent and they still charge you $300 plus so the professor can line their pockets for the semester and do it all again next year.
The most annoying (but certainly not the cheapest) I ever had to deal with was only $75 or $80, IIRC, but after it was delivered to my house, I learned that the professor requiring it for his class was the author of the book...
The most annoying (but certainly not the cheapest) I ever had to deal with was only $75 or $80, IIRC, but after it was delivered to my house, I learned that the professor requiring it for his class was the author of the book...
What I was describing is what happens when the professor can't actually write a book, or at least not write one often enough to require a new purchase every year.
Can't be having people buy secondhand books and saving a dollar or two.
[X] Make your way to the Opaline Vault, examine the Adamantine Golem for any unwelcome surprises from the Efreeti with the help of the Shaitan, and then proceed to Awaken it and do your best to tempt it into your service (full social buffs active of course).
-[X] Ideally it could either be an active participant in our armies, or it could serve as a guardian for important locations.
[X] Make your way to the Opaline Vault, examine the Adamantine Golem for any unwelcome surprises from the Efreeti with the help of the Shaitan, and then proceed to Awaken it and do your best to tempt it into your service (full social buffs active of course).
-[X] Ideally it could either be an active participant in our armies, or it could serve as a guardian for important locations.
eeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhh sorry Id rather put off Baratheon a bit more.
I'd prefer to finish up in PoE, IC it's giving Stannis the respect to ensure we aren't on an artificial deadline and if he does need that time, that we aren't coming back to PoE a week later.
I don't think you qualify for the title of THE random lurker, you would have to be must better at lurking for that, unless there's something I don't know about your lurking capabilities(entirely possible as the best lurkers don't get noticed) you are just a random lurker, not THE random lurker.
[X] Meet with Stannis Baratheon. With the bargain you've struck with Storm God, he may yet play a part larger than being but a mere Lord...
[X] Make your way to the Opaline Vault, examine the Adamantine Golem for any unwelcome surprises from the Efreeti with the help of the Shaitan, and then proceed to Awaken it and do your best to tempt it into your service (full social buffs active of course).
-[X] Ideally it could either be an active participant in our armies, or it could serve as a guardian for important locations.
A knight, a priest, and a Devil walk into a ruin. There was a joke in there somewhere, Ser Criston Storm thought as he and his two companions entered the Hunter's Hall of Harrenhal, their footsteps muffled by decades worth of dust. Probably a bawdy one at that by the looks of the Devil, not that he would say that much aloud being a man of sound mind and wishing to remain of sound body, too. "So what the fuck are we supposed to do here, just start hacking old trophies until something that aught to be dead shows up to stop us so we can make it proper dead?" he asked.
"I do not know about you, Ser Knight, but I do not much fancy doing my fighting from atop a ladder," Thoros japed, looking up at the scores of glassy-eyed trophies that looked down upon the hall—boar, deer, wolf, bear, and even more uncommon beasts like shadowcat and mountain goat were counted among the silent watchers. It was as though the countless doomed lords of Harrenhal fancied hunting something themselves for once even as the dead hunted them, but it was not a hunter of beasts they had come here to find at the Red Woman's command.
"Misery upon misery is anchored," she'd said. "The gates to Harren's night-black throne is barred by those who chose to drink of the dark cup rather than be drowned in it."
Ser Criston has a suspicion she liked to talk in riddles since it made people ask her questions, but thankfully this time the pronouncement was followed by an explanation from Denys—the kid had drawn the short straw when it came to sorting through old scrolls likely to fall apart in your hands, and worse yet questioning the smallfolk down in the village about old tales. If his latest guess was right, then they were going to face the most enduring of those tales in the flesh... somehow. "Fucking foresight," the Stormlander muttered. He'd take Denys' potions and oils over that any day.
Thankfully Thoros did not seem to hear the curse, being too busy with consecrating the place to the Red God. "In the name of R'hllor who is Light, I say onto you open the Eastern Door and let the dawn flow in. In the name of R'hllor who is Compassion, I say onto you walk the path of the righteous and be embraced as his children. In the name of R'hllor who is Lord, I say dark spirits flee from this place never to return."
For a long moment nothing answered, then towards the back of the hall stone shifted and wood creaked. Some sort of hidden compartment opened in the floor, though the mechanism jammed when it was barely wide enough for a man to put a hand through. Criston snorted. Of course they would have to bloody push it open...
The thought broke off as heavy white mist began to rise from the opening, twisting and turning into a bale column from which eyes of deep poisonous red stared out. A moment later the creak of steel on steel, well-oiled armor could be heard. A woman armored as a knight stepped forward, lips red as blood against chalky skin as she smiled. Though he had never seen her in the flesh, Criston knew her just the same—'Mad' Danelle Lothston, last lady of that accursed line and said to have bathed in the blood of maidens to keep her youth and beauty. If nothing else it seemed to have worked.
"Tsk... tsk, priest," she waved one finger in front of her face lazily. "Don't you know it's impolite to make invitations in someone else's home, much less command a lady from her lands?" She sighed. "But then I suppose that is all that can be asked of a wine-soaked barbarian, moments away from setting himself on fire." Turning to Criston she added: "Come now, Ser Knight, will you not aid a lady in being rid of this savage and his pet Devil?" Her hand moved in some sorcerous gesture, the amulet at his throat cold and dead as a stone... her eyes expanding into endless pools of emerald where you could just fall and fall...
"Fuck you!" Criston cursed, charging, sword and shield raised. Not quite 'Ours is the Fury,', but it had probably seen more use on the battlefields of the Stormlands over the years.
Alas that a sword of dragonsteel could not cut through the armor's joints, nor did even a spiked shield smashed into her face mar the sorceress' beauty. She laughed, the sound changing from human to something more like the screeching of bats as it moved through the hall.
"By Dawn's light I deny you!" Thoros called, his whole form shining as bright as the sun at midday, his footsteps burning the very stone underfoot, and in one dreadful stroke separating the blood-drinker's head from her body mid-laugh.
"Shit," Criston said as the headless corpse fell to the ground, already breaking into ash and bone.
"Remarkable," the Devil-woman noted as she sheathed her own blade. "It seems your god truly is a mighty one, and it is not just the Lady Melisandre's skill that makes it so."
"It... has always seemed thus to me, my lady," the priest replied, looking a touch shocked by what he had done himself now that the light was no longer on him.
OOC: Well that was a lot shorter than I expected. Lady Lothston was a level 16 Vampire Magus with Quickened Dominate Person. I was expecting Mel to have to pop in and save them, and then Thoros crit on his Righteous Fury enhanced Charging Smite for a total multiplicative value of x4 which put his total damage at 172. Thoros is leveling u[ from this no question about it.
The simple answer is she was one of Haren's captains, she fell under his sway in undeath and could not act without Haren's express command. King Haren did not plan to give her sole dominion over his rightful castle by enslaving the current family.
A knight, a priest, and a devil walk into a ruin, there was a joke in here somewhere Ser Criston Storm thought as he and his two companions entered the Hunter's Hall of Harrenhal, their footsteps muffled by decades worth of dust. Probably a bawdy one at that by the looks of the devil, not that he would say that much aloud, being a man of sound mind and wishing to remain of sound body too. "So what the fuck are we supposed to do here, just start hacking old trophies until something that aught to be dead shows up to stop us so we can make it proper dead?" he asked.
"I do not know about you, Ser knight, but I do not much fancy doing my fighting from atop a ladder," Thoros japed looking up at the scores of glassy-eyed trophies that looked down upon the hall. Boar, deer, wolf and bear, along with more uncommon beasts like shadow cat and mountain goat, were counted among the silent watchers. It was as though the countless doomed lords of Harenhal fancied hunting something themselves for once, even as the dead hunted them. It was not a hunter of beasts they had com here to find, at the Red Woman's command.
"Misery upon misery is anchored," she'd said. "The gates to Harren's night black throne are barred by those who chose to drink of the dark cup rather than be drowned in it."
Criston had a suspicion she liked to talk in riddles since it made people ask her questions, but thankfully this time the pronouncement was followed by an explanation from Denys. The kid had drawn the short straw when it came to sorting though old scrolls likely to fall apart in your hands, and worse yet, questioning the smallfolk down in the village about old tales. If his latest guess was right, they were the about to face the most enduring of those tales in the flesh...somehow. "Fucking foresight," the Stormalnder muttered. He'd take Denys' potions and oils over that any day.
Thankfully, Thoros did not seem to hear the curse, being too busy with consecrating the place to the Red God. "In the name of R'hllor who is light, I say onto you open the Eastern Door and let the dawn flow in. In the name of R'hllor who is Compassion, I say onto you walk the path of the righteous and be embraced as his children. In the name of R'hllor who is lord, I say dark spirits flee from this place never to return."
For along moment nothing answered, then towards the back of the hall stone shifted and wood creaked. Some sort of hidden compartment opened in the floor, though the mechanism jammed when it was barely wide enough for a man to put a hand though. Criston snorted. Of course they would have to bloody push it open...
The thought broke off as heavy white mist began to rise from the opening, twisting and turning into a pale column from which eyes of deep poisonous red stared out. A moment later the creek of steel on steel, of well oiled armor, could be heard. A woman armored as a knight stepped forward, lips red as blood against her chalky skin as she smiled. Though he had never seen her in the flesh, Criston knew her just the same. 'Mad' Danelle Lothston, last lady of that accursed line, said to have bathed in the blood of maidens to keep her youth and beauty. If nothing else it seemed to have worked.
"Tsk... tsk priest," she said, waving one finger in front of her face lazily. "Don't you know it's impolite to make invitations in another's home? Much less command a lady from her lands." She sighed. "But then I suppose that is all that can be asked of a wine-soaked barbarian moments away from setting himself on fire." Turning to Criston she added: "Come now, Ser Knight, will you not aid a lady in being rid of this savage and his pet devil." Her hand moved in some sorcerous gesture, the amulet at his throat cold and dead as a stone... her eyes expanding into endless pools of emerald where you could just fall and fall...
"Fuck you!" Criston cursed charging sword and shield raised. Not quite 'Ours is the Fury', but it had probably seen more use on the battlefields of the Stormlands over the years.
Alas, his sword of dragonsteel could not cut though the armor's joints, not did a spiked shield smashed into her face mar the sorceress' beauty. She laughed the sound, changing from human to something more like the screeching of bats as it moved though the hall.
"By Dawn's light I deny you!" Thoros called, his whole form shining as bright as the sun at midday, his footsteps burning the very stone underfoot and in one dreadful stroke separating the blood-drinker's head from her body mid-laugh.
"Shit," Criston said as the headless corpse fell to the ground, already breaking into ash and bone.
"Remarkable," the devil-woman noted as she sheathed her own blade. "It seems your god truly is a mighty one, and it is not just the Lady Melisandre's skill that makes it so."
"It... has always seemed thus to me, my lady," the priest replied, looking a touch shocked by what he had done himself now that the light was no longer on him.
OOC: Well that was a lot shorter than I expected. Lady Lothston was a level 16 vampire magus with quickened Dominate Person. I was expecting Mell to have to pop in and save them, and then Thoros crit on his Righteous Fury enhanced charging smite for a total multiplicative value of x4 which put his total damage at 172. Thoros is leveling from this no question about it.
Yeah, I saw what kind of beast Thoros could be with his build while I was updating his sheet a couple days ago. He's not the most versatile dude ever (what Paladin is?), but damn if he can't lay down some serious hurt with his charge + smite abilities.
Also, I think the motto for Criston's house, if he ever founds one, should totally be "Fuck you!"
The simple answer is she was one of Haren's captains, she fell under his sway in undeath and could not act without Haren's express command. King Haren did not plan to give her sole dominion over his rightful castle by enslaving the current family.
That's pretty hard.
A high-level vamp can't be controlled by most methods I know of.
Far too much turn-resistance plus HD for the classic Command Undead and with a powerful caster with dispel and good willsaves like her I wouldn't rely on any spellwork.
Will we get a mechanical explanation how that works?
Ability to keep powerful, turn-resistant undead under control might come useful.
Edit: And if Haren is the bigger fish we'll also need to find out why he didn't take control or expand further.
That's pretty hard.
A high-level vamp can't be controlled by most methods I know of.
Far too much turn-resistance plus HD for the classic Command Undead and with a powerful caster with dispel and good willsaves like her I wouldn't rely on any spellwork.
Will we get a mechanical explanation how that works?
Ability to keep powerful, turn-resistant undead under control might come useful.
Edit: And if Haren is the bigger fish we'll also need to find out why he didn't take control or expand further.
It's probably closely related to the nature of Harrenhal, its Shadow Plane duplicate, and a metric fuckton of blood magic ritual bullshit.
By terminating the connection on the Material Plane side, if Harrenhal is successfully "disconnected", we might end up releasing a plague of Undead on the countryside.
