Take the Lizardmen approach from Respect your Elders 2: First you build fortifications, then you teleport them into hostile territory.
Every fight can be a defensive one, if you are sufficiently prepared!
Infiltration is an issue, but we can't fall into the trap of the wizard who didn't prepare at least a single fireball: sometimes, brute force is simply the best solution.
It doesn't matter if we protect against infiltration, if they can just trivially storm the battlements, infiltrators or not.
And taking all the multitude of high level spells available into account is un feasible, both for players and GM. So giving Darleth piles of cash and armies of enchanters and Runelore, and having him do it is like building the typical arbitrary "wards" places the players can't simply brute force into usually have. It gives an appropriate solution to a shitload of issues we don't have to bumble through IC, and DP doesn't have to desperately craft OOC.
Much like the original Runelore, I suspect. The ancient castles made in an age of high magic are relevant when there are things that could trivially bypass their physical structures "because Runes/bloodwards".
"But what about this one obscure thing/this one exploit/spell?" Gets readily answered with "it was accounted for", because the architect IC is as close to arbitrarily skilled as you get.
General thought she and comments:
- Highlight that we are the one who hosted and convinced the Djinn and shaitan to make their pact, and we technically stand shoulder to shoulder under it.
- Said ritual won't "make him angry", it will make him apoplectic. We are expecting a literally apocalyptic response, and need somewhere to bear his focused ire while it gets done. We fortunately have secured troops of a type he should be familiar in accounting for, for the ritual fortress.
-- IIRC, part of the agreement was that the shaitan and djinn wouldn't just help us build and man it, including footing (some? All?) the bill, but an essential part of the deal was that they would teach us everything they did. The plan is to make him commit so much that he is left catastrophically open for the other genie powers.
- We do need defenses against infiltration, yes, but we'd want to remodel our existing and future fortifications to take into account the reality of high level magic. A set of blueprints for all sizes and levels of sophistication/effort for towers, armored outposts, forts, fortresses and castles that can vary from "the Legion camp the army builds this night while on the march" to "the holdfast of a Duke" would be magnificent.
- We also really want the dopest castle there ever was.
So, the monumental siege for the living brass ritual, by itself, should be an enticement to him. IIRC, the shaitan/djinn agreed to foot the bill for a lot of it, or at least match our investment. So we can take advantage of that.
We won't be doing it in SD, because we'd have to evacuate the city, Yss might feel ticked off we forced his hand in defending it, and it ultra heartree is as big a target as you get. There's a very real chance of the island sinking, if we do a ritual as abrangent as we want.
Showing him the archtectural wonders of the PoB should go a long ways.
And it is simply unfeasible for him to work to the fullest without at least knowing what runes can do.
What do you mean you weren't aware the Old Gods had anything to do with runecraft? The aboleths have the tainted original variant, ours was filtered through the Old Gods over the ages and is nice enough not to make the users insane. We literally got it from Bloodraven.
[X] Introduce ourselves as King Viserys. Highlight that we stand as allies with the Shaitan and the Djinn, having forged a pact with them in the Plane of Balance.
-[X] Under the assumption that he is warded against divination:
--[X] The primary reason to call on the dragon is that we plan to create and cast a ritual, that will make the Sultan of Brass apoplectic. We are expecting a literally apocalyptic response, and need somewhere to bear his focused ire while it gets done. We fortunately have secured troops of a type he should be familiar in accounting for, for the ritual fortress. We have also gotten our Shaitan and Djinn allies to agree to help fund and man the fortress but also teach us their arts in constructing it.
---[X] His expertise and aid in creating the necessary defenses for such an endeavor would be invaluable.
-[X] Besides the satisfaction in the task itself, the use of any resources we can offer to it and the aid of our greatest mages and runecrafters, we would offer a substantial direct reward
-[X] Long-term exchange of knowledge on magical defenses would be of interest too, mostly to defend our cities in a way that works without causing extreme expanses compared to the low level of use any large, static defense has against magical foe
--[X] For the first part of our proposed bargain, we wish for insights into how to build passive and conventional & unconventional defenses that would stop infiltrators of Illithid, Devils and Demons. This would be used to protect Sorcerer's Deep first, and later spread across the Imperium.
--[X] We do need defenses against infiltration, yes, but we'd want to remodel our existing and future fortifications to take into account the reality of high level magic. A set of blueprints for all sizes and levels of sophistication/effort for towers, armored outposts, forts, fortresses and castles that can vary from "the Legion camp the army builds this night while on the march" to "the holdfast of a Duke" would be magnificent.
---[X] As the first part of the payment, offer the books Memories of Ghael the Bold and Rooted in Stone as examples of the history of warfare in Prime Material as well as generally war-related lore from Plane of Balance (currently on +9 in our Library), along with what monetary compensation is necessary. To additionally tempt him, offer a brief visit to the Plane of Balance to show him the Wall. Should he agree to later agreements we would aid him in studying it in-depth, along with other examples of legendary architecture from Prime Material.
--[X] For long-term goals, we wish to negotiate for insights into fortification methods of Illithid and Efreeti, so that we would find it easier to go around, or storm such, and for the long perspective - preparing SD for Efreeti Invasion Force, and the rest of the world for Long Night.
---[X] In particular, one goal of ours is to build the grandest castle in Prime Material.
----[X] For potential payments we could offer him aid in studying ancient fortifications like the Wall (perhaps with our own lore for how such structures were built), along with monetary compensation and perhaps other things, but the details of the agreement and subsequent payment can be finalized at a later date.
----[X] Make sure Darleth is made aware of what runecrafting is capable of both so he can plan around it as well as to sufficiently tempt him for future transactions.
Infiltration is an issue, but we can't fall into the trap of the wizard who didn't prepare at least a single fireball: sometimes, brute force is simply the best solution.
It doesn't matter if we protect against infiltration, if they can just trivially storm the battlements, infiltrators or not.
Basically, the way I see it, we really don't have months upon months to build defensive structures that would protect SD agaisnt Illithidi invasion.
But something that would slow them down?
Guidelines for our guards and Inquisition and Legions to act in accordance with that would make infiltrators' lives hell?
That much I think we can do yet.
And that's basically all we really need at the moment - it's "who destroys whom utterly first" now, and Illithids рфму likely already seeded many, many agents throughout our Empire.
:/
It's dragon-to-dragon. I think being a bit vain is acceptable in the face of laying out our goals openly. I want IC prices quoted to us now so we can work around those costs in the future.
Also, @DragonParadox, how much progress for a study action to figure out Dragonstone? What is it? What's its hardness? Why and how did the Valyrians make it and build entire fortresses out of it?
If it's good enough, we should definitely include it in our fortresses.
Also, @DragonParadox, how much progress for a study action to figure out Dragonstone? What is it? What's its hardness? Why and how did the Valyrians make it and build entire fortresses out of it?
If it's good enough, we should definitely include it in our fortresses.
Dragonstone is about as hard as granite, the reason the Valyrians favored it is because it was easy for them to put down a lot of it and shape it with ease.
Richard interlude next, though it will take a while with all the rolling.
Dragonstone is about as hard as granite, the reason the Valyrians favored it is because it was easy for them to put down a lot of it and shape it with ease.
Richard interlude next, though it will take a while with all the rolling.
@Duesal add that we also want a right to match any payment for services other may hire him for against us and a agreement he will never sell or give away any counters to what he builds for us in the deal.
@Duesal Wed want defenses both passive and active, infiltration is an ongoing concern. And not only from Illithid and Devils, either. Greedy mages of our own making are always a danger, too.
Of course, any such foritfications present an unique challenge for all planar experts: it's the plane of balance. Viserys has enough finesse to use this to needle him into accept it for the challenge itself.
The ritual fortress, too. Two genie empires are footing the bill.
Also, @DragonParadox, how much progress for a study action to figure out Dragonstone? What is it? What's its hardness? Why and how did the Valyrians make it and build entire fortresses out of it?
If it's good enough, we should definitely include it in our fortresses.
Sacrifices, probably sacrifices. When it comes to Valyria that is always the answer. Probably put builders blood in the mortar or something for the rocks.
Edit:Ninjad.
...So using it consistently for stuff serves no purpose than taking a bit of the Valyrian legacy into the Imperium? Great actually a bit of a detriment then. Say anyone want to make a long term project to repave those Valyrian Roads?
Like in a couple years when we got the actually important infrastructure done? Just to end that Valyrian Legacy one little bit more?
Walking mostly shoulder to shoulder, aka in TD form, is probably a good idea. @Duesal we've seen his trophy room, perhaps invite him to see ours. It's a blatant dick measuring context, but hey, that's dragons for you. And I love to show off the "Hall of Horrors", aka the Trophy Room.
It will probably take a while in any case, but maybe after Westeros, yeah.
Perhaps he goes about building the ritual fortress in an island that's a few hundred kilometers away from anything we care about, while we go about conquering and annexing Westeros.
Immediate employment for our mages, too: work with the shaitan and genie to learn how to build proper arcane defenses.
If they can make it in bulk, it might save on not including the greater stone metamorphosis item with the Titan Tools. If they can shape it with ease, might accelerate construction, as the Titan Tools aren't ideal for detail work, just plain functional stuff.
SAVES (+2 against Sleep, Paralysis or Fire from Draconic Heritage) (+2 against effects from Undead or Cold Creatures) (+4 against Polymorph as well as directly harmful compulsion effects such as Confusion, Insanity and Feeblemind: FORTITUDE: 4 + 1(Con) = 5 REFLEX: 4 WILL: 11 + 1 (Wis) = 12
Spells Known (Caster level 15) (17 to overcome a Fiend's SR):
Level 0 (9):
Level 1 (5): Comprehend LanguagesB,
Level 2 (4): DarkvisionB,
Level 3 (4): Protection from ElementsB,
Level 4 (4): Lesser Planar AllyB, FearB,
Level 5 (3): Mind FogB,
Level 6 (3): True SeeingB,
Level 7 (2): VisionB,
Features:
Focus Caster
A familiar offers companionship and, when necessary, an effective scout or spy. It does little for your spellcasting, however. This option presents you with a less generally useful item that instead enhances your spellcasting in some way. Level: 1st (4th for hexblades). Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain a familiar. Benefit: Instead of a familiar, you bind yourself to a masterwork item that acts as a focus for all your spells and that enhances the power of spells of one school. Once you have a masterwork item to bind to, you must perform a ritual that requires 24 hours and reagents costing 100 gp, much as if you were summoning a familiar.
When casting any spell, you must hold, wield, or wear this item (as appropriate), in addition to providing the normal components of the spell (even other foci). Your focus item is used in addition to the spell's normal components, not instead of. You are automatically considered proficient with your focus item, but you do not gain proficiency with any other item (weapon or armor) of the same type. For example, if your focus item is a longsword, you are proficient with your focus longsword but not with any other longsword, unless of course another feat or class feature grants you proficiency. When you cast a spell from the school to which your focus belongs, that spell is enhanced. At 7th and 15th levels, your focus grants additional abilities.
You may have only one focus item at a time. A specialist wizard may select only the focus appropriate to her specialty school. Bonuses gained from a focus item stack with similar bonuses gained from feats such as Spell Focus or Spell Penetration.
Your focus item grows tougher as you advance in level. The hardness of your focus item increases by one-half your caster level, up to double its normal hardness. In addition, your focus item gains additional hit points equal to your caster level, up to double its normal number of hit points. These bonuses are in addition to any increase in hardness or hit points the item gains for being made into a magic item.
If your focus item can be enhanced with magic, it costs you less XP to do so. When determining your XP cost for making your focus item into a magic item (or for upgrading it later), reduce the base cost by 10%. This reduction stacks with any other reduction you might gain, such as from the Legendary Artisan feat. Another character enhancing your focus item does not gain this reduction in XP cost.
If your focus item is destroyed, you must bind yourself to another masterwork item. You cannot bind to an item that is already a magic item. You can only bind to masterwork items. The item can be made of special materials (such as adamantine, cold iron, or darkwood).
The following items are typical foci for each of the standard schools. Abjuration: Usually a set of bracers, a buckler, or a small shield (wooden or steel), your focus grants any nonpersonal abjuration spell you cast with one or more targets one additional target. The additional target is affected by the spell for half the normal duration. At 7th level, the additional targets of your spells receive them for the full duration. At 15th level, you may cast any personal abjuration spell as a touch spell.
Promises and Temptation (Sp): At 3rd level, you gain insight into the end of the rule of Dragons. Their slaves, trained in conflict between their masters, grew strong enough to recieve attention and aid from creatures fair and foul against the Dragons.
Once per day, as a swift action, you can ask for advice from great Outsiders taking interest in your development, gaining a +10 profane or sacred bonus (depending on alignment, or if neutral a choice each time it's used) to a single Knowledge, Craft or Sense Motive check.
Ghiscari Secret (Ex): The resistance of the Ghiscari Empire proved an exellent opportunity for the young Freehold to sharpen its many skills into fine tools of conquest and war. Now everytime you use an Evocation or Conjuration spell foes within 30ft of the targeted point or area have to make a willsave against the spell's DC or are Shaken for 1 minute. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Doom of Rhoynar (Su): Your study of Rhoynish wars allows you to copy a peace of the overpowering fury Valyria's Dragonriders brought to bear against the Rhoynar in their northwestern conquests. A 20ft blast-radius within 400ft of you and in your line of sight is affected by dreadful fire, dealing 5d6 +1d6 per level as Cataclysm Mage points of Fire damage that ignores Hardness of objects and reduces the fire-resistance of targeted foes by 10 points, or reduces immunity to 30 points of resistance, for 1 minute. The damage can be halved by a reflex save DC 16 +INT, WIS or CHA bonus, whichever is more advantageous for the caster.
This ability is affected by Ghiscary Secret as an Evocation spell.
The Doom (Sp): In study of the Doom of Valyria and consequently the decline of magic through the world the mage has gained the ability to replicate a tiny fraction of that dreadful event. Once per day the mage may speak a word of sundering, tearing apart magic itself around him. He creates a 40ft zone with the effects of an Antimagic Field. This field does not move with the mage, but stays in one location, shrinking by 10 ft every 10 minutes. Any Outsider, Undead or other creature reliant on magic for its existance in the radius when the word is spoken must make a willsave or flee in Panic for 10 rounds. This effect ignores resistance or immunity to fear or mind-affecting effects.
The DC is 18+ INT, WIS or CHA bonus.
Using this ability deals 2 points of damage to the mages main casting-stat, detracted only after the instant of the effect. This damage can be healed normally
Grafts:
Dragonwing
3/day swift action for spellcasting, price unknown?
Equipment:
@TalonofAnathrax@Goldfish
Good ideas where to go from here?
What direction of Metamagic build would you suggest, for an Abjurer and what spells would one in Zherys situation choose first?
I would seriously consider paying the feat-tax to let him go Archmage next level.
That would certainly be appropriate for the ruler and highest mage of our most magical city besides the capital, and it would work with his lore and ambitions as well.
Edit: Draconic Knowledge was necessary to get History as class skill, which I consider important for his character as well as any technical aspects.
It will probably take a while in any case, but maybe after Westeros, yeah.
Perhaps he goes about building the ritual fortress in an island that's a few hundred kilometers away from anything we care about, while we go about conquering and annexing Westeros.
Immediate employment for our mages, too: work with the shaitan and genie to learn how to build proper arcane defenses.
We will need to lend him a set of Titans Tools for that. 99% cost reduction in relevant construction and about 1000 times faster construction can't be beat.
rofl::lol
