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A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

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Azel said:
@Goldfish, does a Dex booster item stack with Cat's Grace? Because if not, it's wasted on Aradia.
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They don't stack, but that doesn't mean she should have the gloves (which she already does, BTW). Even after she is upgraded to 7 HD, her Cat's Grace spell will only last for seven minutes and she will only be able to cast 2nd level spells 7/day.

Cat's Grace provides her with +4 Dexterity opposed to her gloves' +2, which translates to +1 AC, +1 Initiative, +1 Reflex saves, and +1 to Dex-based skills. Sometimes it would be worth casting the spell, but other times, she would be better off using her spell slots for Invisibility spells, or Heroics in order to gain an additional feat.
 
DragonParadox said:
Just as a note INT 9 is only slightly dim by human standards.
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Given the way most of the perfectly average humans around us are acting, this is quite the opposite of reassuring.

Goldfish said:
They don't stack, but that doesn't mean she should have the gloves (which she already does, BTW). Even after she is upgraded to 7 HD, her Cat's Grace spell will only last for seven minutes and she will only be able to cast 2nd level spells 7/day.

Cat's Grace provides her with +4 Dexterity opposed to her gloves' +2, which translates to +1 AC, +1 Initiative, +1 Reflex saves, and +1 to Dex-based skills. Sometimes it would be worth casting the spell, but other times, she would be better off using her spell slots for Invisibility spells, or Heroics in order to gain an additional feat.
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Fair enough, but then we need to update her buffing scheme.

I would also like to fast-lane her for a +4 item and then replace the spell entirely.
 
DragonParadox said:
Of Beasts and Men ​

Twenty Fourth Day of the Fourth Month 293 AC

"I can't help... but think... there are... safer royal whims to have... than this," Garin gasps as he nimbly jumps from branch to branch ahead of the thirty foot long painted lizard whose footsteps shook the earth it trod upon, its jaws snapping wildly, seemingly infuriated by its prey's ability to vanish and reaper dozens of feet in front of it whenever it seemed like it should by all rights have caught it.


"You are the one who wanted to test them, to see which would make good war beasts both in strength and wits," you remind him as you sweep your hands in the prescribed motions and utter the word of power to reduce the beast down to a harmless turtle, now peering up in confusion at a world that from its perspective must have suddenly grown enormous.

"That was mostly Wyla," your friend says giving his aunt a mock glare as she carelessly swings her legs from where she is sitting on a branch some sixty feet up in one of the giant jungle trees. The sorceress looks to all the world like a little girl having the time of her life, a faint blush of excitement on her pale cheeks.

"I'll get the next one then," she calls out cheerfully, floating to the ground under the power of some lingering enchantment. Though certainly less agile than Garin now that the power of undeath within her has waned Wyla makes up for it with a far better knowledge of this land and its dangers as well as skillful application of magic, both of which have served you well in finding the kinds of beasts that might eventually serve as mounts, beasts of burden and more for any southern colonies you might wish to establish.

As it turned out 'the next one' was a three horned brute about the same size as Garin's catch, though all similarities ended there. The trio of creatures were stripping moss with their hard almost beaked mouths and chewing young saplings that struggled towards the sun in one of the rare jungle clearings. The bone crest that stretched out behind their heads gives the creatures an air of stout belligerence that puts one in mind to some great reptilian bull.


Rather than trying to bait the creatures apart Wyla surprises you by simply taking the shape of one through a quick incantation and stomping over to see how they react to others of their own kind. The results make it clear that they will need a firm and strong hand to manage in groups, perhaps a minotaur... As you share the suggestion to Waymar he goes a step further and suggests half in jest of horned knights on horned steeds. "They would not be that much more rowdy then some of the hedge knights that sailed into the Deep these past few months," he finishes with a slightly bitter smile. The state of knighthood in Westeros has come to gnaw at him all the more after having been proclaimed one himself.

"Maybe you should try riding one of those things," Tyene cuts slyly.

"Cloud would disown me," Waymar laughs. Then with a worried look at the head bashing contest between Wyla and the lead three horn he adds, "Do you think that's safe for a lady to..." the words die as the beast is knocked unconscious in a flash of sorcery.

"I suspect she will be fine," you note dryly. You somehow doubt the roar of joyous triumph Wyla gives in her current reptilian shape is for the benefit of the beasts. How long had it been since she could truly be at ease and enjoy herself among friends? Possibly since her death for even her meetings with Garin would have been shadowed by the curse of unlife upon her.

Changing the unconscious creature into a turtle, you take care to mark its shell with a trident before letting it sleep off its headache in your bag.

***​

Your next catch was almost unintended. As the five of you moved to pass a small stream tumbling noisily through the jungle you see a pair of delicate lizards, with thin almost snake-like necks and long tails swishing through the underbrush for balance. Suspicious that anything so seemingly fragile could survive in these jungles you look upon them with a mage's eye, yet they seem perfectly natural creatures, if unusually cooperative and clever, not to mention playful.


Realizing they might make interesting familiars for mages so inclined, and to be honest not wanting to leave the little fellows out here to be eaten or stomped on by some of their titanic kin, you gather up the full pack of four and ten in all, though rather than bothering to change their shape you simply cast them into enchanted sleep.

At Tyene's suggestion you then sink your awareness into the jungle seeking a dog sized beast, preferably one with wits to match, reasoning that the first settlers on these strange and perilous shores could do with a companions who know the perils of the land. Ultimately you happen upon a large pack of similarly thin limned beasts, though with scales shaded in dark greens gathered around the fallen carcass of a long-necked giant, picking the bones clean of strips of meat too small to interest whatever killed it.


By far the most notable thing about them however is their squawking and squabbling in a dozen different voices, carrying not just the sounds of the jungle but also fractures of speech, which Wyla confirms come from the Brindled Men. This must have been a tamed pack gone wild, likely when their masters met some untimely end. Flying further afield you add two more wild packs to the first lucky find coming out at three and twenty of the creatures in total, making you very glad Wyla and Tyene are also here to help with ferrying the creatures north.

Just as you are about to carry the last of them to their temporary holding pens on Naath however you hear a crash echoing through the jungle followed by the sound of screams, much clearer screams then the echo lizards could make. Rushing in the direction of the sounds you find an enraged creature armored in thick bony plates like some reptilian knight with a mace at the end of its tail charging after two hunters armed with tall bows and short stabbing spears, Brindled Men from what little you can see of them through the blood.


Instinctively you reach out with the same spell of transformation that had served you so well, the creature's flesh melting and reforming even as it reaches the shocked hunters.

At first they seem wary of their unexpected rescue, and little wonder if what Malarys told you of the petty tyrants of these jungles is true, but after they speak to Wyla a while and you tend to their wounds without asking for any recompense they warm to you, their tale spilling out soon after, they are the last of a broken tribe, one supposedly cursed by a by some ghost or wicked sorcerer to wither and die never knowing a home under the green boughs.

Wyla is quick to invite them to Naath, pointing out that her island is beyond the bounds of the jungle, and if their tormentor should follow them after that then all the better that treasure should come to her rather then needing to hunt it down. It is the first time you have ever seen anyone slump in relief at Wyla's fanged smile.

1 Allosaurus
1 Ankylosauruses
14 Comsognathuses
1 Triceratops
23 Troodons

What do you do next?

[] Write in

OOC: Good rolls over all, the only things you could not find were Parasaurolophuses and your random encounter was positive (if not massively so),
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Neat way to show us more of Wyla's capabilities, DP.

I'm not sure if we'll see @Duesal for a while, ya'll. He's got that looter's high now. :p
 
[X] Return to regularly scheduled activities after returning Irony to Vee.
-[X] Carry any captured loot or treasure found by the Sothoryos Expedition, or petrified creatures, back to Sorcerer's Deep
--[X] PoV shift to the Sothoryos Expedition for the next few days.
 
Azel said:
@Tomcost, an interesting theory, but I think it's safe to say that it's wrong. Either Yss or Dany would likely pick up on any mid-level dream magic being cast in their metaphysical backyard.

But I can confirm that her latest nightmare was not a natural occurrence.
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The latest nightmare did HP damage, judging by how there was something to heal with magic

If you have a dream bad enough that you suffer HP damage then Yss or Dany should have picked something up this time
 
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DragonParadox said:
That would be reading until the 29th when you have minor actions. Do you have any preference as to the order of those?
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That we do minor actions? Nope, but I'm sure some folks do. @egoo, @Duesal, @Everyone, When the time arrives, do ya'll have any preference for what order we take care of minor actions?

Can we do a POV shift to the Sothoryos Expedition for the rest of the month, DP? At least until the day for Viserys' minor actions arrives?
 
Goldfish said:
That we do minor actions? Nope, but I'm sure some folks do. @egoo, @Duesal, @Everyone, When the time arrives, do ya'll have any preference for what order we take care of minor actions?

Can we do a POV shift to the Sothoryos Expedition for the rest of the month, DP? At least until the day for Viserys' minor actions arrives?
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That's what I was planing, though less perspective shift and more the interlude for meeting the snake people.
 
So many dinosaurs! :D I'm very happy with this update.

@DragonParadox, two quick questions:
DragonParadox said:
Just as you are about to carry the last of them to their temporary holding pens on Naath however you hear a crash echoing through the jungle followed by the sound of screams, much clearer screams then the echo lizards could make.
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1. Are we just keeping them in Naath until Vee gets home? We are taking the dinosaurs to the Menagerie, right?

2. Can we get Wyla's spells known so we can get an idea of what spells we can commission from her?
 
Tomcost said:
The latest nightmare did HP damage, judging by how there was something to heal with magic

If you have a dream bad enough that you suffer HP damage then Yss or Dany should have picked something up this time
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No, that was just Hearts Ease to take the edge off the fear and a Panacea against the exhaustion.

She didn't take any HP damage and the healer found nothing else besides her wits being badly scrambled.

Neither Yss nor Dany picked up on any spellcasting.
 
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Behold, all minor actions that we were going to do this month:
[X] Minor Actions
-[X] Move the books from the keep to Shadow Tower. Public library is yet to be built, but the current one is already overfilled and needs to be redislocated.
-[X] Make a set of copies of Canticle of Decay as guidebooks for Inquisition.
-[X] Spend some time with your wards
-[X] Speak with Rhaella about her awakened magic
-[X] Check in on Mya Stone when you have the time
-[X] Distribute the seven Valyrian Dragon eggs to: Amrelath, Dany, Rhaella, Malarys, Reva, Liset, and the last egg is currently undecided.
-[X] Ask Soft Strider to train Rangers from numbers of SD citizens she finds capable of such.
-[X] Books
--[X] Ask Amrelath to write down some more books
---[X] History of Dragonkind on Plane of Balance before Ancient Valyria, history of their fall and (all) what he knows of proto-Valyria itself.
---[X] Any insights in magic or secrets of the planes he holds.
--[X] Collect on that lore of the Balerion priesthood (including their unique dragon-binding ritual) that you convinced Malarys to write down for you.
--[X] Check with Rina first and remove any truly personal things, but so long as she gives her consent make dozens of copies of Rina's book and send it out.
---[X] To Castle Black, with an express intention that all Brothers will do their utmost to study it in the time they are not on active duty. If unable to read - do in groups with those who can. Strong suggestions to send copies to all lords that Lord Commander Mormont currently trusts (Lord Stark, for one).
--[X] Finalize getting the books from the Sealord's library. You arranged for it to happen, but you never got around to taking a look at the newest additions to your growing library.
--[X] Last month you asked the Tritons to bring you that book they once offered you, the Book of the Tides which was said to hold most of their history and lore. You'd still like to buy it, and you won't forget.
--[X] Earlier you asked each of your companions to write books in their areas of expertise. Check in on that, see how close they are to completion. Hopefully the golden stylus servitors have been helping.
--[X] Have Relath write down all his dragonlore and history on Brine Dragons and any other dragon species he might know of.
-[X] Have Vee take note on Hydra's cycle of feeding, their regeneration, and how receiving damage affects these constants.
-[X] Have Alinor and Vee (with screening help from our intrigue people) interview and hire helpers and handlers for the Imperial Stables currently being built.
-[X] Take note of any magelings to send to the Inquisition, the Silver Eye, or even the Night's Watch in the pursuit of strength through peril (and loot!)
-[X] The Dragonseeds are audited, and their potential for magic is discovered. The future clerics are marked for distribution between Dany and Malarys.
-[X] Keep your promise to Breath Taker and teleport with him to Tolos once per month. While there, check in on Relath.
-[X] Ask Breath Taker to start actively train Clerics of the Merling King in preparation of the coming war against the Deep Ones if he is not already doing so
-[X] Ask about Breath Taker's magic, his abilities, etc.
-[X] Sacrifice the Disease Dagger (CL 15) to the Merling King
-[X] Check on Relath's progress in advancing in his sorcery.
-[X] See what goods could be bought through Relath from the Plane of Water.
-[X] Arrange the construction of the Moonsinger Temple in Sorcerer's Deep.
-[X] Arrange the construction of a shrine to Yss in the Isle of Gods in Braavos.
-[X] Arrange a second proper temple to Yss to be built in Tyrosh, with one of the altered hydra as a temple guardian.
-[X] Blood Wish fertility on various creatures whenever you have the magic to spare.
-[X] Ask Vee to set aside a day to harvest crafting materials from the various devil corpses you've accumulated.



I am doing mythic dungeon right now, will get order some time later.
Will appreciate what anyone can tell we have already done.
 
Azel said:
No, that was just Hearts Ease to take the edge off the fear and a Panacea against the exhaustion.

She didn't take any HP damage and the healer found nothing else besides her wits being badly scrambled.

Neither Yss nor Dany picked up on any spellcasting.
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Oh. I thought that the healer was a minor archivist. It was one of the two guys we rescued from Tor, to be able to cast a Panacea.

This changes things then. I was assuming a lot of things so far and they proved to be false.

Now I need to search about obscure parasites that feed on Wisdom while you sleep
 
egoo said:
Behold, all minor actions that we were going to do this month:
[X] Minor Actions
-[X] Move the books from the keep to Shadow Tower. Public library is yet to be built, but the current one is already overfilled and needs to be redislocated.
-[X] Make a set of copies of Canticle of Decay as guidebooks for Inquisition.
-[X] Spend some time with your wards
-[X] Speak with Rhaella about her awakened magic
-[X] Check in on Mya Stone when you have the time
-[X] Distribute the seven Valyrian Dragon eggs to: Amrelath, Dany, Rhaella, Malarys, Reva, Liset, and the last egg is currently undecided.
-[X] Ask Soft Strider to train Rangers from numbers of SD citizens she finds capable of such.
-[X] Books
--[X] Ask Amrelath to write down some more books
---[X] History of Dragonkind on Plane of Balance before Ancient Valyria, history of their fall and (all) what he knows of proto-Valyria itself.
---[X] Any insights in magic or secrets of the planes he holds.
--[X] Collect on that lore of the Balerion priesthood (including their unique dragon-binding ritual) that you convinced Malarys to write down for you.
--[X] Check with Rina first and remove any truly personal things, but so long as she gives her consent make dozens of copies of Rina's book and send it out.
---[X] To Castle Black, with an express intention that all Brothers will do their utmost to study it in the time they are not on active duty. If unable to read - do in groups with those who can. Strong suggestions to send copies to all lords that Lord Commander Mormont currently trusts (Lord Stark, for one).
--[X] Finalize getting the books from the Sealord's library. You arranged for it to happen, but you never got around to taking a look at the newest additions to your growing library.
--[X] Last month you asked the Tritons to bring you that book they once offered you, the Book of the Tides which was said to hold most of their history and lore. You'd still like to buy it, and you won't forget.
--[X] Earlier you asked each of your companions to write books in their areas of expertise. Check in on that, see how close they are to completion. Hopefully the golden stylus servitors have been helping.
--[X] Have Relath write down all his dragonlore and history on Brine Dragons and any other dragon species he might know of.
-[X] Have Vee take note on Hydra's cycle of feeding, their regeneration, and how receiving damage affects these constants.
-[X] Have Alinor and Vee (with screening help from our intrigue people) interview and hire helpers and handlers for the Imperial Stables currently being built.
-[X] Take note of any magelings to send to the Inquisition, the Silver Eye, or even the Night's Watch in the pursuit of strength through peril (and loot!)
-[X] The Dragonseeds are audited, and their potential for magic is discovered. The future clerics are marked for distribution between Dany and Malarys.
-[X] Keep your promise to Breath Taker and teleport with him to Tolos once per month. While there, check in on Relath.
-[X] Ask Breath Taker to start actively train Clerics of the Merling King in preparation of the coming war against the Deep Ones if he is not already doing so
-[X] Ask about Breath Taker's magic, his abilities, etc.
-[X] Sacrifice the Disease Dagger (CL 15) to the Merling King
-[X] Check on Relath's progress in advancing in his sorcery.
-[X] See what goods could be bought through Relath from the Plane of Water.
-[X] Arrange the construction of the Moonsinger Temple in Sorcerer's Deep.
-[X] Arrange the construction of a shrine to Yss in the Isle of Gods in Braavos.
-[X] Arrange a second proper temple to Yss to be built in Tyrosh, with one of the altered hydra as a temple guardian.
-[X] Blood Wish fertility on various creatures whenever you have the magic to spare.
-[X] Ask Vee to set aside a day to harvest crafting materials from the various devil corpses you've accumulated.



I am doing mythic dungeon right now, will get order some time later.
Will appreciate what anyone can tell we have already done.
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We already had one day to take care of minor actions this turn. Anyone remember which of these were already accomplished?
 
Goldfish said:
We already had one day to take care of minor actions this turn. Anyone remember which of these were already accomplished?
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I'm reasonably sure we have done these, or at least could have realistically done them in the background before now, but I need @DragonParadox 's confirmation on that.
-[X] Move the books from the keep to Shadow Tower. Public library is yet to be built, but the current one is already overfilled and needs to be redislocated.
-[X] Make a set of copies of Canticle of Decay as guidebooks for Inquisition.
-[X] Spend some time with your wards
-[X] Speak with Rhaella about her awakened magic
-[X] Check in on Mya Stone when you have the time
-[X] Distribute the seven Valyrian Dragon eggs to: Amrelath, Dany, Rhaella, Malarys, Reva, Liset, and the last egg is currently undecided.
-[X] Ask Soft Strider to train Rangers from numbers of SD citizens she finds capable of such.
--[X] Ask Amrelath to write down some more books
---[X] History of Dragonkind on Plane of Balance before Ancient Valyria, history of their fall and (all) what he knows of proto-Valyria itself.
---[X] Any insights in magic or secrets of the planes he holds.
--[X] Check with Rina first and remove any truly personal things, but so long as she gives her consent make dozens of copies of Rina's book and send it out.
---[X] To Castle Black, with an express intention that all Brothers will do their utmost to study it in the time they are not on active duty. If unable to read - do in groups with those who can. Strong suggestions to send copies to all lords that Lord Commander Mormont currently trusts (Lord Stark, for one).
-[X] Have Vee take note on Hydra's cycle of feeding, their regeneration, and how receiving damage affects these constants.
-[X] Have Alinor and Vee (with screening help from our intrigue people) interview and hire helpers and handlers for the Imperial Stables currently being built.
-[X] Arrange the construction of the Moonsinger Temple in Sorcerer's Deep.
-[X] Arrange the construction of a shrine to Yss in the Isle of Gods in Braavos.
-[X] Arrange a second proper temple to Yss to be built in Tyrosh, with one of the altered hydra as a temple guardian.
-[X] Blood Wish fertility on various creatures whenever you have the magic to spare.

@DragonParadox? Have we done these by now?
 
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Squee. First the awfully awesome fresco, the exploration of Viserys morals, and now a boatload of *90s cartoon intro voice* Dinosaurs and now the Snakepeople, something I've been looking forward to for a long time. This Sothoryos arc was awesome.

We are planning on building the alliance for the PoA and PoE, how about on the occasion we present something of our own;
The D&D version of the UN charter of human rights. It would be mostly symbolical but I imagine it's prestige value would be immense.
 
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