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Age of Ice and Blood: A Pathfinder System Heroic Fantasy Quest

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[X] Goldfish
As it stands, I think that your plan may be on the locquacious side, but the underlying theme is solid.
 
Uhhh @DragonParadox?

The current update is somehow exactly the same as the previous one.

[X] Goldfish
DragonParadox said:
Veils Lifted ​

Thirty Sixth Day of Elnu-eza (Elnu Ascendant), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)

The hour is late and cups of bitter tea and been drained over and over again. Zaia rubs the tiredness from his eyes peering over the strange and often indecipherable plaques that serve as the charts of the islands. Though Antonio's seeking has been fueled by rather more pleasurable drink he too will pay the price in the end, but their sacrifice will not be in vain. You now know more of the lands north and south of the capital where Obari's power is strongest. Both of them have a strong stone keep, higher and more perilous by far than what you had raised at Wayfatrer's Respite and by long custom all of them are prepared for a siege... ever since the Redman's War some six hundred years ago Korman has been wary of its neighbors, fearful of how they might retaliate, not nowhere is this stronger than in the lands that owe fealty directly to the the high hall of the king.

News of the old king's fate had spread on the wings of rumor, from those who sympathize with Aina, but they had found barren ground among the warriors eager to spear to their young king, there is loose talk about of paying back Lirman for its attack and little in the way of piety. One 'weaselly old fellow' had apparently told Antonio that you would find little in the way of piety in Owkuta as one of the great plinths of the Stone Watchers had fallen into a sacred pool three years past and it had killed three men when they had sought to set it aright under the eye of their priest. the priest himself had been wounded. When he railed against the kin of the men who had died for some cause it had all spiraled into a brawl and the priest had been driven out 'never to darken a clan hall's doorway again'. Most think he had been finished off somewhere in the wilds and few in the village seem to mourn him.

"I have to hand it to the sons of bitches, wouldn't dare the wrath of Ikomi after having called down her wrath like that but they are still on the sea," another old salt proclaims with grudging admiration.

On the other edge of the sword though you are heartened to hear that they seem to still keep to the prayers and practices of their kin in Owkuta, seeming to have a problem more with priests than with their gods. How swiftly things have changed for you to feel thus, you think shaking your head in brief bemusement.

Of Iyotemi you managed to find a woman who used to be a potter there willing to speak of all she knows for a few coins and a healing by Inge of the burns across her hand. Almost you would prefer not to know how she came by them... but no, tis better always to walk through life clear eyed.

"Ibori was stolen away in a raid by Lirman raiders, House Akuto, one of their captains thought to make her his wife," Antonio explains. "A hard passage, but as soon as she made it to shore she made the King's Pledge and was freed..." seeing your confusion he explains. "When a woman is stolen away from her kin without her will or theirs she can under the custom of the Islands come to the king's halls and throw herself on his mercy. The king can then either take her for his own or let her loose with a gift of his courtesy and call the raider to account, usually carving a lot more sliver out of his pouch than he gave the woman."

"And this custom is only for Anwari women?" you only half ask, not bothering to hide your disgust.

"They are the only ones who would know to call on it," Antonio shrugs. "Either way she knows bout the Anjo Oru, that is why she looked for us, says she saw something in the water, like the shadow made flesh with a mouth like the gates of hell and the headman of Iyotemi was feeding prisoners and criminals to it, that's why Ibori didn't seek shelter behind the walls until it was too late when the raiders came, so she got caught and brought here and now we know a little more than we did before."

"A shadow with a mouth like hell isn't saying much," Zaia frets. "I wish we had some way to tell..." Suddenly he jumps to his feet and only returns with a sleepy Swift Pebble on his shoulder.

Fortunately you are able to find Ibori again... fortunately for the cause of understanding at least. The poor otter-kin coils in on herself in sheer terror when she 'hears' in her mind an account of the beast in the waters of Iyotemi. Alas it seems that men are not the only creatures that can be infected by the Neverborn.

***​

Thus it is in that black mood that you meet with Aina and learn at last from her that happened to Lina Osane, sister of the king and daughter of the sea. "As soon as the old Lord of the Iranea did not show at court she was worried and she waited with baited breath all day for word to come from some secret place and it did not come, she said her friends had been betrayed and her brother had turned against her. There were guards on her door then, but not very good ones, for on the evening of her third day Lina was gone and the king distraught and seeking her. I think that she is gone, but not in the company of her mothers kin, other dwellers in deep water."

So then the king had known that one of his clan heads had been killed and replaced with an impostor, struck a deal with them to keep his sister from the sea fey who called her and then... Ohun had discovered the truth and persuaded King Ansefu to turn against the shape changers only for his sister to vanish, perhaps in their company.

What do you want to do next?
Day 4/5

[] Learn more about the people of Korman, you have played a diplomat once, perhaps you can do so again
-[] The Loyal Clans
-[] The Rebel Villages

[] Approach the king himself about the way in which the campaign will unfold and your place in it

[] Buy something at the market in Orinilu
-[] Write in what

[] Covertly approach the Iranea, now that they are no longer puppets perhaps you can restore some manner of goodwill, perhaps even strike the deal with their smiths again

[] Write in

OOC: A bit more about the darker customs of your current allies and a mystery starting to come to light.
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[X] Goldfish

I generally agree with the direction of this.
I think usually magic is also something to be used more freely, but in a war, when more enemy action can be expected in short order, preserving it for the greatest impact is a sensible opinion.

But we should be aware that we mostly agree with Moru here, just trying to explain his point better.
This is not the best diplomatic option towards the king.
 
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Arc 12 Post 25: The Horn and the Flame
  • Threadmarks
    • The Horn and the Flame ​

    Thirty Sixth Day of Elnu-eza (Elnu Ascendant), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)

    "I have seen much of magic over the past few days, deeds great and terrible," you speak up gravely, looking between the priest and the king. "A flaming arrow might set fire to a ship's sail, whereas a sorcerer's spell or concoction might set the sail, mast, and ten men standing nearby alight all at once."

    That much no one can deny and so both Moru and the king nod, though Zaia looks at you oddly. 'Where are you going with this', his gaze seems to ask, and truth be told you only half-know. You had never planned a campaign, much less one such as this. It is a knight's place to lead his men yes, but yours had not been the great hosts that would allow for passage into the planning tents of the barons and earls. Yet now and here you offer counsel, a touch surprised by your own boldness.

    "Sorcery allows for sudden and dramatic turns of battle, for works that are not easily performed by mundane means, if they can be done at all. Be I ever so willing to sing a soothing song to the enemy hosts they shall not fall sleeping."

    At that there is laughter in the fall and even Moru's lips twitch a little, though the king remains unmoving. It seems that you favor him yes, but perhaps he has heard enough of the honeyed words with which men give counsel to kings. Such words oft start with the sweet and end with the bitter you would judge and indeed it must seem that your own follow that same manner when you add "At the same time, however, magic is limited in ways that cannot be overlooked. While a trained warrior might swing his weapon hundreds of times in a single battle or an archer might loose quiver after quiver of arrows until his fingers bleed and his arm is limp from exertion, a sorcerer can call upon only a handful of spells throughout that same battle."

    "The soul has its limits just as the body does," Moru adds. "Even the immortal gods whose power is to us as the warmth of the sun above or the depths of the sea must needs pour it though vessels of imperfect flesh." He points at Durendal. "That shall burn evermore, for it is sharpened bronze, but I am not bronze, not even humble flint, I am a man and so are others who might call down such powers. If the cost seems light to you oh king it is because you see it from afar."

    "I am not blind, nor yet a fool," King Ansefu replies sharply. "I would see you at the point of the spear not because I think the point cannot be broken or cannot be dulled, but because as a warrior facing a foe draped all in scale I know that only such a spear will be enough."

    I have seen men draped in armor heaver by far than any the Anwa wear bludgeoned to death with clubs and stones, you think but do not say, for royal pride and royal prestige hang in the balance. Still you must make your point. "Sorcery should be used to defend against sorcery and in those places where it would greatly empower our hosts, sparingly but not in... ah... miserly manner."

    Silence falls like a leaden curtain, and for a moment you wonder if you had misspoken and the last word had a greater weight to it than you had thought.

    "Words are light as a feather on the air," the young king answers. "What do you mean by them stone carved?"

    "Stop a change or slay a beast or champion, but it is not the answers to all the ills of this war, there will be need of courage and of blades drawn free..." you hesitate a moment, a flourish of the tongue and a worry of the heart in balance. If the God who sent his only son to die for mankind is on anyone's side it is on yours against those foul things, you remind yourself and then you lift up the horn that you had taken from Isele's hoard and say: "Behold a horn that calls to Olweje, the Lord of Blood, and any who would do battle under its power shall be garbed in his might."

    This time there are cheers behind you... and looking past you the young king finally says plainly. "I pray that it is so, sir Roland, I pray that it is so." He sounds less angry now and more weary.

    For his part Moru seems relieved, offering you a nod of thanks. That night at dinner you take the chance to ask about curses and the breaking thereof, as you recall he had come means he offered to the Wyrdoki for their chief.

    "The one who wishes to have have a curse burned from them, must be annoyed in blood wood oil and wrapped head to toe in holy verse then they are set alight, no sorcery may be used to shield them from the blaze, though one of strong will would be harmed less than one who is weak. Those who endure shall have the hand of Inoko laid on them and by his grace they might be freed. If any of your fellowship wish to dare the flames then IO offer it freely and ask for no gold."

    Do you offer the possibility of curse breaking to your men?

    [] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
    -[] Pay, you do not wish the Fellowship to be in debt (200 gp/curse breaking attempt)

    [] No, the risk is too great

    OOC: I went back and forth a few times on if I should give you guys the mechanical details of how the scroll works, in the end I decided that if I did not the vote was almost guaranteed to be a no and that would not be much of a good vote would it? Hope that is not immersion breaking.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Damn, that is a really dangerous ritual for a low level recipient. Average damage is 17.5, and our archers only have 16 HP. Spearmen only have 19, and a bad roll could easily see them dead, too.

    I bet they wished they just took the opportunity to be rid of the curse in a much more pleasant manner, one that doesn't involve immolation.

    Gonna vote no for now. Maybe it's something that can be revisited in the future, when the men have a couple additional levels for the extra HP.

    [X] No, the risk is too great
     
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    Goldfish said:
    Damn, that is a really dangerous ritual for a low level recipient. Average damage is 17.5, and our archers only have 16 HP. Spearmen only have 19, and a bad roll could easily see them dead, too.
    Click to expand...
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    Keep in mind, you need to go to -10 to kill, otherwise the nearby priest with healing magic can instantly fix you.

    So to kill and archer these 5d6 would have to roll 26 or higher and for a melee even 29.
    That's critfail-range.

    Edit: I designed the ritual to be very dangerous for regular people, around level 2 warriors or level 3 experts. For our warriors the risk is far lesser.
    Edit 2: I believe back then our men even were level 2.
     
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    I think it's worth it. We know our opponents could feasibly field opponents who specifically favour hurling opponents overboard, on top of a dozen strange situations that could, maybe, end up in someone choking or drowning in a naval melee. This small chance of death hardly seems any more dangerous than the skirmishes we already lead them into.

    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking

    And favours make good plot hooks, as we know.

    Edit: Odds show a ~1% chance of death and even less for the spear men. Considering the fights we lead them into, that's trivial, and Tom is effectively immune, as far as one can be regarding being immolated.
     
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    Artemis1992 said:
    Keep in mind, you need to go to -10 to kill, otherwise the nearby priest with healing magic can instantly fix you.

    So to kill and archer these 5d6 would have to roll 26 or higher and for a melee even 29.
    That's critfail-range.

    Edit: I designed the ritual to be very dangerous for regular people, around level 2 warriors or level 3 experts. For our warriors the risk is far lesser.
    Edit 2: I believe back then our men even were level 2.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Good point. I blame it being early and my lack of proper sleep on forgetting that 0 HP doesn't mean instant death... :oops:

    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
     
    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
     
    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
     
    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
     
    [X] Yes (5d6 fire damage, will save DC 15 for half to cast CL5 Remove Curse by ritual)
    -[X] Accept Moru's offer to free curse breaking
     
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