- Location
- ?????????
Ahh interesting. Quick question then. Has our border lords come across some and if so have they been captured?
A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover
- Thread starter DragonParadox
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- a song of ice and fire a sword without a hilt d&d 3.5 dungeons & dragons 100% high octane dragon fuel ave corvidae battle action dragon diplomacy best sister bureaucromancy delicious soul-stuff dragon dreams come true dragon ta'veren greatest uncle hubris is a coward's word in defiance of gods and men mammon's folly mutually assured mage's disjunction qm murderhobo top tier coatl
Ahh interesting. Quick question then. Has our border lords come across some and if so have they been captured?
Vote closed. I think I can manage one more update today
Part MMMCCCIII: A Ripple in the Depths
A Ripple in the Depths
Eight Day of the Twelfth Month 293 AC
The apartment is on the eighteenth floor of the Spire of Bountiful Currents, and almost unimaginable number throughout most of your realm. No one save perhaps a wizard would think to live this high up in most of your cities. Here magic thrums through the tower like a subtle pulse, you can feel the enchanted water beneath the chipped marble as you climb. You check the number and knock once, twice, and a third time with more force. Finally it creaks open to reveal a room you find yourself stinks of yeast and something almost like rancid butter. Thrice-fermented whale milk, you realize after a moment. Not everyone can afford kelp-wine or cares to.
Still, the locathah who greets you is presentable enough save for paint discoloration around his left eye that turns bronze scales a sickly yellow. A good day for him, you assume, and one you are about to make much better. Almost two thousand marks change hands in exchange for a pitted stone of far-speech.
Lost 1,800 IM
As you depart down the spiraling stairs you hope he will put his windfall to good use, but that does not keep your attention long. Twenty words are not much to make your case for a meeting in, but it is better than nothing and once you had heard Galzerai's voice you can make use of your own magic to contact him further.
"Hail Elder Galzerai. Kin I am and King in the Garden. I would speak in peace of trade and other aid," You proclaim, feeling the stone crumble in your fist.
"What manner of king art thou and what kinship do you claim?" comes the rumbling reply.
Casting a spell of the Fourth Circle for every phrase said and reply heard is far from an ideal means of communing over distances, but given how hard it was to even find this much of a link to the reclusive dragon it is a small price to pay. "Crimson are my scales and mortal many of my subjects. Ware for the Deep Ones would make enemies of us."
As you had hoped the answer pricks the other dragon's pride. "They will regret the attempt, seek me out by the paths of the merchants of Pragnat."
Thankfully the salt fortress of Pragnat is a place known to the traders of Vialesk also and the Sea Guard's appreciation of your aid in uncovering Islin goes so far as to find a sorcerer who knows the caravanserai well enough to translocate you and Lya there in the span of a few breaths. Though you might be more impressive with the Moonchaser at your back, the involvement of the Deep Ones lends these talks a greater urgency.
Galzerai is as good as his word, for rather than needing once again to find a guide one presents herself to you. A young tojanida, shell gleaming to a mirror shine and carved in warding runes to help with long journeys. "Come on then, ship's this way. He must be really interested to meet you, he doesn't usually tell me to drop everything to guide someone."
The journey to Galzerai's lair gives you plenty of time to consider your many questions and posibile offers to the wyrm.
What do you do?
[] Ask questions
-[] Write in
[] Make an offer
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: I hope all this business of looking for the dragon is not dragging. I'm trying to give the world a sense of scale so you guys don't just jump around from one realm to the next without being able to take them in as individual powers.
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- Location
- France
It is greatly appreciated.
By the way, is Galzerai under Mind Blank?
- Location
- United States
I would really like to learn what kind of methods went into building a place like this and how it's warded.
- Location
- France
My guess: it's magic that wards away water, but not the salt in the water.
- Location
- United States
@DragonParadox, side note, do we know if Galzerai has any particular special abilities (class levels) that he's famous for? I'm more curious than anything else.
*rolls*
Some rumors he can command and rebuke water elementals, but apart from that nothing make it to Viserys' ear
- Location
- France
So either he has a pile of class levels (ouch) or he's a Lightbringer Sovereign Archetype of some sort.
- Location
- United States
Sounds like the Dragon PrC Elemental Master.
With just the first level they gain Elemental Command.
Elemental Command (Su)
An elemental master can turn or destroy creatures of the elemental subtype opposed to its own subtype, just as a good cleric turns undead. It can rebuke or command creatures of its own elemental subtype, as an evil cleric rebukes undead. The dragon can use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + its Charisma modifier. Air and earth are opposed elemental subtypes; fire and water are opposed. Dragons with the cold subtype can rebuke cold creatures and turn fire creatures.
- Location
- United States
He is the first Wyrm we'll meet in the quest.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Thoughts;
1) I don't think we should try to get Galzerai in on the war against the Deep Ones. He has a bad rep, which may or may not be well deserved, and it is likely to detract from diplomatic efforts with other powers.
2) Trying to get him in on the war will probably be wasting an opportunity to actually establish decent relations with him.
3) We should try to get a clearer picture of what happened with the Anvil; when and how was it stolen, how long has Kela had it in their possession, etc.
4) Ask of the children of the Emir. Proof of life and health alone might be a good way to get out foot in the door with the Emir.
1) I don't think we should try to get Galzerai in on the war against the Deep Ones. He has a bad rep, which may or may not be well deserved, and it is likely to detract from diplomatic efforts with other powers.
2) Trying to get him in on the war will probably be wasting an opportunity to actually establish decent relations with him.
3) We should try to get a clearer picture of what happened with the Anvil; when and how was it stolen, how long has Kela had it in their possession, etc.
4) Ask of the children of the Emir. Proof of life and health alone might be a good way to get out foot in the door with the Emir.
- Location
- United States
Yeah, I mainly want to just establish tentative relations with him and clarify what the Deep Ones were trying to pull between the two of us.
Also I really want to figure out what's going on with the anvil.
Good night guys, see you in the morning with dragon talks and probably more from the Sea of Fire
- Location
- France
By the way - we've had explicit confirmation that even when enraged, the Red Dragonflight (who were later overthrown by the Fifteen) used to perform massive ambitious rituals when seriously annoyed. They managed to burn the Void itself - possibly harming it, most likely simply removing it's taint from an area. Thoughts on how they did this?
I'm imagining something that mostly relies on the inherent superiority of the Draconic form - reagents are for mere mortals. Dragons fly around, trace enormous runes in precisely controlled dragonfire, and then swarms of lesser Dragons guided by instinct and dreams fly in patterns while Great Wyrms speak words of power in Draconic and maybe even spill Dragon's blood.
Yeah, none of that "rituals are in strange languages" bullshit when it comes to Dragons : Draconic is a perfect language for a perfect species.
Some Draconic pride snuck in there
I'm imagining something that mostly relies on the inherent superiority of the Draconic form - reagents are for mere mortals. Dragons fly around, trace enormous runes in precisely controlled dragonfire, and then swarms of lesser Dragons guided by instinct and dreams fly in patterns while Great Wyrms speak words of power in Draconic and maybe even spill Dragon's blood.
Yeah, none of that "rituals are in strange languages" bullshit when it comes to Dragons : Draconic is a perfect language for a perfect species.
Some Draconic pride snuck in there
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
[X] Dragon Diplomacy, Galzerai Edition Part One
-[X] Commence standard Draconic greetings, while remaining polite and respectful, but not acting or accepting a position as an inferior due to our much lower age. Yes, Galzerai is far older than we are, but in terms of personal power he is well within our grasp. We are not here to kowtow to him, nor do we want anything he has, except for perhaps some information.
--[X] Once greetings have been exchanged, go on to fully explain what happened with Islin, how he learned that we wished to meet with Galzerai and used that in an attempt to bring us into conflict. Islin had extremely detailed information on Galzerai's defenses, such that, had we followed his directions, we would have been able to penetrate almost to the heart of the Wyrm's realm undetected by wards, watch posts, or bystanders. We tell him this not only so that he may secure these vulnerabilities, but so that he may be able to use the knowledge to root out other traitors in his midst.
---[X] Islin was merely a single agent of the Deep Ones operating in Vialesk, but his purpose was clear, to sour relations between the powerful Brine Dragon dominions and the local powers, to sow discord and hostility, and to weaken the entire region so that it would be less able to fend off another invasion.
-[X] If Galzerai doesn't lead the conversation in another direction, go on to explain more of ourselves and our realm, the Garden, though of course nothing sensitive or potentially damaging. We are open to trade between our realm and his own. There are many lucrative opportunities for both our realms to benefit from the exchange, not to mention our hoards.
-[X] We will refrain from mentioning Galzerai's conflict with the Kelasi Emirate, his missing Anvil, or the kidnapped children, at least until we have established a basic rapport with the Wyrm or learned enough of his personality and character to discern whether it would be ill-advised to do so.
-[X] We are not trying to bring everyone in the Plane of Water together in friendship, or even as allies, but not all enemies are created equal. Conflict between emirates, principalities, or dominions, no matter how justified, should be of secondary concern when faced with an existential threat like the Deep Ones, beings who aren't always content to kill you, often favoring more gruesome outcomes. The example of Faerex the Brine Dragon turned Brainstealer abomination might serve us well here, if Galzerai proves reluctant to accept our reasoning. She stood alone, alienated her peers, and was too isolated for any being who could have noticed and stopped her corruption from passing the point of no return.
--[X] Although we are still quite new to the politics of the Plane of Water, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. We can make the argument that, as outside observers who are only tangentially involved in local events, we have no reason to play favorites or attempt to set one power against another, not when cooperation between everyone, or at least the absence of conflict, benefits us the most. It allows trade to flow more freely and more swiftly between realms, opens new channels of communication, preserves the lives of those who could fight the Deep Ones rather than one another, and makes it all the more difficult for Deep One machinations to succeed. Islin would have had much more difficulty slipping into the halls of government and influencing those in power if there was greater communication and less mistrust between Vialesk and the Brine Dragon dominions, for example.
---[X] If necessary, we can admit to Galzerai that his ongoing feud with the Kelasi Emirate is what drew our attention to him. We don't fully understand the cause of the conflict nor how it has developed, and hoped to learn the truth of the matter from an involved party rather than the third hand rumors spread among the uninformed.
-[X] Commence standard Draconic greetings, while remaining polite and respectful, but not acting or accepting a position as an inferior due to our much lower age. Yes, Galzerai is far older than we are, but in terms of personal power he is well within our grasp. We are not here to kowtow to him, nor do we want anything he has, except for perhaps some information.
--[X] Once greetings have been exchanged, go on to fully explain what happened with Islin, how he learned that we wished to meet with Galzerai and used that in an attempt to bring us into conflict. Islin had extremely detailed information on Galzerai's defenses, such that, had we followed his directions, we would have been able to penetrate almost to the heart of the Wyrm's realm undetected by wards, watch posts, or bystanders. We tell him this not only so that he may secure these vulnerabilities, but so that he may be able to use the knowledge to root out other traitors in his midst.
---[X] Islin was merely a single agent of the Deep Ones operating in Vialesk, but his purpose was clear, to sour relations between the powerful Brine Dragon dominions and the local powers, to sow discord and hostility, and to weaken the entire region so that it would be less able to fend off another invasion.
-[X] If Galzerai doesn't lead the conversation in another direction, go on to explain more of ourselves and our realm, the Garden, though of course nothing sensitive or potentially damaging. We are open to trade between our realm and his own. There are many lucrative opportunities for both our realms to benefit from the exchange, not to mention our hoards.
-[X] We will refrain from mentioning Galzerai's conflict with the Kelasi Emirate, his missing Anvil, or the kidnapped children, at least until we have established a basic rapport with the Wyrm or learned enough of his personality and character to discern whether it would be ill-advised to do so.
-[X] We are not trying to bring everyone in the Plane of Water together in friendship, or even as allies, but not all enemies are created equal. Conflict between emirates, principalities, or dominions, no matter how justified, should be of secondary concern when faced with an existential threat like the Deep Ones, beings who aren't always content to kill you, often favoring more gruesome outcomes. The example of Faerex the Brine Dragon turned Brainstealer abomination might serve us well here, if Galzerai proves reluctant to accept our reasoning. She stood alone, alienated her peers, and was too isolated for any being who could have noticed and stopped her corruption from passing the point of no return.
--[X] Although we are still quite new to the politics of the Plane of Water, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. We can make the argument that, as outside observers who are only tangentially involved in local events, we have no reason to play favorites or attempt to set one power against another, not when cooperation between everyone, or at least the absence of conflict, benefits us the most. It allows trade to flow more freely and more swiftly between realms, opens new channels of communication, preserves the lives of those who could fight the Deep Ones rather than one another, and makes it all the more difficult for Deep One machinations to succeed. Islin would have had much more difficulty slipping into the halls of government and influencing those in power if there was greater communication and less mistrust between Vialesk and the Brine Dragon dominions, for example.
---[X] If necessary, we can admit to Galzerai that his ongoing feud with the Kelasi Emirate is what drew our attention to him. We don't fully understand the cause of the conflict nor how it has developed, and hoped to learn the truth of the matter from an involved party rather than the third hand rumors spread among the uninformed.
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- Location
- Texas
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Goldfish
Crake
I AM THE STORM THAT IS APPROACHING
- Location
- USA
Counter-points;
1.1) Just the amount of information you are unleashing basically demands a response from Galzerai. There is no way he will not be on the war path after he settles matters with Kelasi. You are right later on in your vote that breaking into the matter from the outset before we have established that we can at least be in the same room together without one of us feeling slighted is essential, but we absolutely should capitalize on this the first chance an opportunity presents itself. Not necessarily out in the open and trying to include him in a potential coalition, but as part of our efforts to counter anti-draconic sentiment in Water, whilst simultaneously playing peace-maker.
1.2) Therefore we should attempt to play at 'IT'S ALL THE DEEP ONES' FAULT'. No one in Water is benefited by war with each other where trade and safer passage between realms could be possible without their deprivations and open dialogue being conducted between polities, negotiations taking place for lower tariffs and tolls, more standardized economic measures that all might benefit from trade with the Garden. Because we control the source of that trade, ultimately we can pick and choose who most benefits, of which Galzerai could potentially be one.
2.1) Yes, forcing him to do something he does not want to do when he so far seems rather isolationist is a bad idea. Getting him open to the idea of working with others to counter the Deep Ones is the goal however, from which stems greater rewards for both of us.
3) This is pretty much necessary for Item #1
4) Careful there. Let him open up on this as an extension to the overall conflict. Do not imply we are sympathetic, but do not act overly contemptuous of their plight.