I think we should make some "common grade" adventuring kits for mages we've sent as far as Braavos, with maybe truncated versions for those we're sending to Mantarys, which is far enough from the enemies the kits would actually be useful against that just part of them would do fine.
So a "detect poison" item to prevent the most common form of assassination--laxity in one's paranoia-- a PfE item and healing belt. Not fool proof, but a dozen kits to start would keep our outbound mages protected against mind control, poison and something as gauche and incautious as a fatal stabbing disguised as a mugging.
If a PC was ever broken out to target our mages, we'd probably just scry and die them immediately, since that's basically declaring open season. So it'll be NPCs vs NPCs and baby PCs vs baby PCs, meaning they should be more than well enough equipped.
You're preaching to the choir, dude. I've long been an advocate of providing a standardized Sorcerer's Deep brand Adventurer's Kit. Adding a PfE item, along with a Healing Belt and Detect Poison item, just makes good sense.
You're preaching to the choir, dude. I've long been an advocate of providing a standardized Sorcerer's Deep brand Adventurer's Kit. Adding a PfE item, along with a Healing Belt and Detect Poison item, just makes good sense.
Next turn it's looking like we will actually be able to start doing this. Most of the immediate crafting wishlist will be done and can be finished up next turn. Lya's crafting time will be completely occupied with the Hardening Chamber, but Leila, Valeria, Rina, and Unnamed Archivist will all have quite a lot of crafting capacity left over.
We need to consult with @Duesal. I think he's been keeping a list of all out other proposed crafting projects. We need to start adding those to the crafting wishlist, too, rather than relying on memory and/or Duesal.
Next turn it's looking like we will actually be able to start doing this. Most of the immediate crafting wishlist will be done and can be finished up next turn. Lya's crafting time will be completely occupied with the Hardening Chamber, but Leila, Valeria, Rina, and Unnamed Archivist will all have quite a lot of crafting capacity left over.
We need to consult with @Duesal. I think he's been keeping a list of all out other proposed crafting projects. We need to start adding those to the crafting wishlist, too, rather than relying on memory and/or Duesal.
I think that items for our secondary PCs are essential. Soft Strider, Azema, Valaena...
And Eragon needs a PfE, Healing Belt and a copy of Valaena's amulet too!
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jul 5, 2018 at 2:10 AM, finished with 86 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Finish up business with the Silver Eye, starting with the first batch of cursed objects that you'll be taking as well as questions on the organization itself. -[X] After business is concluded, explain the Old Gods and their Heart Trees to the Silver Eye and arrange for Alysande to commune with the Old Gods in Sorcerer's Deep with help from Soft Strider and Dany. When you come back, bring dragonpens, Rina, and the Fairwind children. -[X] Arrange for the Fairwind children to be dropped off to their parents for the duration of this trip, you'll see them again when you set aside time to greet your old friends, and they'll return with you to Sorcerer's Deep upon the conclusion of this trip. -[X] Call upon an old bargain you made with the Sealord for unlimited access to his archives, give him a heads up, and set your dragonpens to copying the archives. -[X] As previously agreed with Lady Uraka of the Iron Bank, send Lya and Rina to ward their premises for the next few days.
Next turn it's looking like we will actually be able to start doing this. Most of the immediate crafting wishlist will be done and can be finished up next turn. Lya's crafting time will be completely occupied with the Hardening Chamber, but Leila, Valeria, Rina, and Unnamed Archivist will all have quite a lot of crafting capacity left over.
We need to consult with @Duesal. I think he's been keeping a list of all out other proposed crafting projects. We need to start adding those to the crafting wishlist, too, rather than relying on memory and/or Duesal.
I recommend, again taking a look at Shax's Indispensable Haversack, over on giantitp. It has a nice list of useful alchemical items from all over, with source and page number citations.
Alright. I did some reading. Some thinking too. I get why Azel is mad now. I think.
Azel next time a good outsider gives us shit I'll vote to argue with them. You are correct. They are being polite... But still unfair.
I understand why they are doing it however.
Think about what they see in Viserys. Think about how powerful he is. He is the leader of the most powerful cabal of mages in the world.
Now. Think about our political motives. We can, and in fact are planning on taking over the world. A goal which we are probably going to achieve.
That's a billion times more power than we would ever let anyone have. Others feeling the same way is understandable.
Now. Something else. This is not good first rodeo. Or second, or tenth. The collective forces of good hass likely seen more heroes fall than there are stars in the sky. All of these creatures can and likely have seen how power and damnation by inches effects people. Even good people. People who were so great it was like looking at the sun.
Like Lya said, even angels fall. It usually powerful ones too.
Yes. I can appreciate that they are using lex luthor logic, I know it's not fair. Or accurate. But even angelic Kings can fall.
That is why I am willing to bend when we talk to good outsiders. Screaming at someone who is already terrified of you is not going to make the situation better.
Your plan however is a good one. Throw the fucking gauntlet down. We have bled and fought and sacrificed to protect the world from evil and everytime we meet them it's.
"Why no, I don't eat babies thank you very much mister angel sir."
That's a fair critcism and is on them.
That being said. You need to relax with them. Yes it's tiring and irritating and insulting. But they are still willing to be proven wrong. Because that is their end goal. They want us to show them that we are not going to go nuts and set the world on fire. Like the last 50 times someone tried to take over the world.
Because they have seen that. Over, and over, and over again.
Anyway. I'm just trying to eexplain good outsider behavior better. In this case the same stupifyiing force that drove the archons to block us from Mantarys. Fear. We are scary. We are an existential threat.
Edit: I was being genuine goldfish. That went about as well as it could have. For us anyway.
Thank you for taking the time to understand my frustration. And it is not that I don't understand why they are doing it, but I'm fed up with not lecturing them in return why their behaviour is grating and ultimately self-defeating.
We have a Demon, a Vampire, a Draco-Lich and now a Devil in our employ. They all need a bit of managing to keep them in line, but they are not that much worse then some humans we've met. I'm perfectly willing to baby-sit a dozen Azemas before I would be willing to be saddled with a single Damphair or Listener.
To say nothing about the freaking Beholder being one of the nicest guys in our party.
Yet the first time we do a joint operation with Mantarys, we get a lecture about the Horrible Damnation we are courting and told that they will fight us in a heartbeat if they think their precious morals require them to.
Azema hasn't done any dodgy shit since she came to SD, despite having little to no oversight most of the time. Amrelath is mostly lazing around in the tower and being a crotchety old man at everyone.
The Archons keep lecturing us over half of everything we tell them about that we did and outright threatened us with attack if we cross some line they have drawn.
Something here is definitely wrong and it might be the part where the Archons are more troublesome allies then the pit-spawn and the undead monstrosity.
And I want to finally point blank tell them that this is probably exactly why the Valyrians were fighting alongside Devils against their masters, not Archons, and why Yrael and his buddies got crammed into a little tomb while the world went to utter shit.
We've put them on the top of the pile in Mantarys. We've forged the alliance that saved their asses. Without us, Yrael would be sitting in some Pleasure Devils BDSM dungeon in a cellar in Dis, while his buddies would be dead in a ditch in the middle of nowhere.
The grating lectures and vague ultimatums sure are a great way to repay us for that and offer a great incentive to put more Archons in places of power.
If they feel they have the obligation and the right to lecture us, fine. I politely disagree with that notion, but I'm willing to cut him some slack due to his alignment related disability.
But I want him to understand and acknowledge that he is teaching us that a random captured fiend can make for a better ally then an Archon who owes us his life, his soul and everything he has.
Ultimately, I think what grinds my gears so much is that they are acting like incompetent idiots and half my yelling at them would be about how to finally do their job properly.
I hope we raise the Smith soon. So much potential!
And so sad... We could probably get the secret to creating more of his kind from him easily, and he would thank us for it if we built some quickly.
Ultimately, I think what grinds my gears so much is that they are acting like incompetent idiots and half my yelling at them would be about how to finally do their job properly.
The main presentation issue is how Viserys reacts to their incompetency really. He should be much less willing to tolerate their tests/warnings for fringe benefits especially after Bahamut debacle.
I think it comes with the territory of, just as you said, being marginalized and literally crippled to the extent that they have, to the point where they cannot even freely draw reinforcements from the upper-planes due to the state of the setting, and poignant counter arguments that it was "Valyria's mores or lack thereof which led to their fall", paradoxically at the very least implying that "our way is better".
The real answer is more complex and most of the spirits that you encounter, being that they are thousands of years old at the very least, are probably incapable of trying to sell bullshit once they have had a few holes punctured into their argument. A big part of the frustration that stems from the "unsubstantiated holier-than-thou" attitudes we get directed at us, is that Outsiders or Good-aligned individuals so rarely get a chance to interact with a Head of State in a world like Planetos, so as soon as one even vaguely receptive with an infamy, deserved or otherwise, that Viserys possesses, comes around to converse with them, they feel like they are doing themselves a disservice if they do not try to persuade the ludicrously powerful almost-'chosen one' like persona that he is walking down a dark path, because his state policies do not totally and completely conform to a moralistic attitude wholly unsuited to dealing with opponents like House "I will do anything and everything, break every cultural taboo and poison every well, salt every field and kill every proverbial child, that stands between me and victory" Lannister and fucking Archfiends.
No one even vaguely interested in destroying the schemes of Mammon is actually, in fact, capable of doing so while keeping the Plane relatively intact. That Viserys distances himself from absurdities like "saving the world because oh no all the precious unredeemed monsters haven't just come around yet, if I cleave to a self-righteous and pigheaded attitude in all things, maybe they will finally understand how to be Good" when he does so, does not diminish the fact that... I don't even know what I'm trying to argue, precisely, anymore, that heroes like that don't even fucking exist in a crapsack setting like this one? Viserys is pretty admirable for a villain-protagonist.
I want to point out, the Chosen One most often talked about in this setting, for thousands of years, the one who supposedly saved the entire world--and who fucking knows, maybe there is a Ta'veren figure like that knocking around periodically--stabbed a burning sword through his wife's heart to create the perfect blade to defeat the forces of darkness. Darkness, not evil.
There's a reason Lya and Viserys find it extremely disquieting how extremely attractive falling into lockstep with Absolutist Outsider tendencies is. They do not like calling it Good, or Evil. A lot of our rhetoric directly revolves around using words like "Light" and "Darkness", not only because it is extremely effective at creating a stark division between 'Other' and 'Us', but because the nebulous territory between Good and Evil does not, in practical terms, exist. As far as world politics are concerned, given that Viserys has basically ensured that no state, not a single one, exists in a perfect vacuum from the others, making your state policy one of Good or Evil is pants-on-head retarded. Volantis sacrificing thousands of unworthies to power their warmachine, or Mantarys starting a crusade that tramples over the careful balance being kept in an area composing thousands of square miles but then subsequently being wholly unsuited to maneuvering around opponents who aren't even platinum tier evil, just vicious assholes who don't play by the rules... whatever contrast you're looking for, you're better off sticking to the middle ground.
Viserys built a realm where so long as you did not lose sight of the fact that your ultimate goal is a world that is safe and prosperous for as many people as possible, using methods that do not necessitate things like active brainwashing or slavery or burning orphans to keep the wheels greased, victory wasn't just a possibility that was hoped for against all odds. The odds were warped and bent around one's finger and adversity was laughed out of the room. When you're trying to save everyone, those are the kind of odds that you want.
You're preaching to the choir, dude. I've long been an advocate of providing a standardized Sorcerer's Deep brand Adventurer's Kit. Adding a PfE item, along with a Healing Belt and Detect Poison item, just makes good sense.
Ultimately, I think what grinds my gears so much is that they are acting like incompetent idiots and half my yelling at them would be about how to finally do their job properly.
@Goldfish, how much would an item of permanent Ghost Sound cost us to make?
That seems one possible more-or-less reasonable way to deal with "no sound" problemof our TV-shiny.
Well, that or Sculpt Sound. But level is higher here and the effects aren't much better in any way relevant to making a TV.
The following day dawns stormy in Braavos as buildings roofed in wood rather than solid stone or baked clay groan under the whistling of the wind. Few enough Serpent Boats dare the choppy waters of the canals and those that do are rather lacking for customers as many prefer taking a roundabout way to their destinations rather than risk a dunking.
For yourself you've a better way to go from place to place without getting soaked to the bone as you ferry things and people across from Sorcerer's Deep in the blink of an eye. By mid-morning Lya and Rina were already working on the Iron Bank's arcane protections as you had pledged and the Fairwind children had been reunited with their family, chattering happily about life in Sorcerer's Deep to the slight bemusement of their parents. Not that you can blame them, the tales of how the Deep's many otherworldly beings are strange enough taken each at once, never mind tangled together by pair of seven year olds rushing from one to the next..
Even with the Sealord's explicit permission it takes a little longer to persuade the archivists to allow a 'flock' of odd dragon-like creatures into their domain, though for once you find the obstruction more endearing than frustrating, for their trepidation is clearly from a genuine love of books and learning, not some petty prejudice or institutional arrogance. Indeed, by the time you had explained precisely what the golden servitors are more than one of the Braavosi record keepers has drifted close to their work, not only to offer help, but make inquiries of their own as to the false-wyrm's lore.
Arriving at Wind House you find yourself before the best and brightest of the Silver Eye: warriors, investigators, and researchers. They are as eclectic a mix as one might expect from an order gathered here at one of the crossroads of the world: grizzled sellswords from the Disputed Lands, the marks of a dozen battles writ clear upon their flesh, scholars garbed in deep-sleeved silken robes in the manner of Norvos or Qohor, even a pair of Dothraki brothers bearing talismans crudely carved from the bones of the living dead. Not all seem so extraordinary to the eye of course. Many walk with the familiar strut of the bravo, a water dancer's sword at their waist, while others seem ordinary enough clerks, the sort that are lost in the sea of brown and grey of the city's busy walkways, were it not for the fact that they have some of the more potent protections against enchantment beside Alysande herself.
Mages:
Alysande: Wizard 3/Agent of the Silver Eye 5 4 Elite Mages: Wizard 3/Agent of the Silver Eye 3 7 Minor Sorcerers: Hedge Mage 3/Agent of the Silver Eye 1 2 Fey-trained Enchanters: Wizard 4
Stealth Specialists:
1 Spymaster: Expert 1/Rogue 4/Wizard 1 5 Elite Field Agents: Rogue 4 12 Minor Field Agents: Expert 2/Rogue 1
Warriors:
Note: Does not contain trainees not yet in active service (lvl 1-2)
Thankfully most take your lecture on the nature of the Old Gods well once the surprise wears off, though with as many questions as one might expect from a group of trained investigators and spies. The marked exception are the Dothraki brothers, who reserve a rather impressive collection of muttered curse words for you throughout. If nothing else one must appreciate their discretion. Most of their kinsmen would have done far worse than grumble...
Being somewhat experienced with the hard-headed horsemen of the Great Grass Sea you first soften their skulls with a spar, then explain the Old Gods's loathing of the living dead and the protection they offer to those bold and skilled enough to offer onto the roots of the Godswood the blood of their foes. It is possible they might be a tad too enthusiastic about the last part by the time you are done with them. Alysande returns your somewhat apologetic look with a shake of the head and a smile.
"So then what manner of Godswood do you wish grown on Braavosi soil?" you ask her as the meeting ends and the agents return to their business, openly or otherwise.
"It's technically your tree and your land, but the thing we need most are healing, some manner of arcane protections or quick escape to keep my people alive if they get in over their head, but most of all a means to ward off farsight and foresight as best possible. I've lost more agents to the foe being three steps ahead of our plans than any other cause." From the way her eyes darken you suspect she has lost more than 'agents.' You never did ask her the particulars of the fight that killed her, nor do you intend to, but you suspect this discussion cuts close indeed to that memory.
What enchantments do you invest into the Tree of Braavos?
[] Write in
OOC: The reason Braavos has had so much better luck then Dorne when it comes to mages has been threefold: they are not recruiting in an area where the dominant religion claims all magic is evil, they are a major trade-hub, and the Sealord has a great deal of money to sink into finding and training mages.
@Duesal, How about making 2 trees for them?
The one we made up earlier, with a shitton of greatly useful Divination effects, and one for their other needs stated in this update?
...On the other hand, I kind of really want 2nd tree in Braavos being "General-Public-Use" and not "SIlver-Eye-Use".
They make a good quota of Wizards relative to other classes.
And that Spymaster is propably a level away from Unseen Seer.
I would have expected a Warlock or two, from Fey-pacts, but I guess if there are such, they aren't allowed in the Eye for the worry about divided loyalties.
