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

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@DragonParadox


Azel said:
Yesh... They are really out of date.

Saltcliff should be at roughly 1,550 people.
SD at an even 27,000.
Mosshold I would guess 1,000.
Everfire Dale 2,000.
Deepcleft 3,500.
Port Sorrow 925.
Westhaven 22,500. (Of which 14,400 are Legionaires and recruits.)

Edit:
Tyrosh has been bleeding population and is down to 561,860 these days.
The Disputed Lands are stable at 4.2 Million.
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About this, I think, since you already track most of our special subjects, especially direct retainers, in the tabs below the intro post on the front page, it might be time that our capital's population is high enough to just track just general population on the front page for ease of access to less informed people.

Either that, or @Azel needs to start readily tracking demographics on his sheets for you to copy paste and do rolls for preceding the turn change for each month. >.>

The OCD part of me prefers the latter, but realizes it might just be another pointless bit of bookkeeping. The reason why I suggest it is you went through the trouble of creating demographics in the first place, and it seems to be a thing regular D&D does with its cities too. You can do whatever y'all want though.
 
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@DragonParadox if we give them money and reagents, can we set magelings to develop rituals of level 1 spells?
Would it require Danny's constant attention?
Could she spend a few days (how long?) Teaching her basics to a few of them and then let them work at it?
And does she need to teach Lya and us or do we know too?
 
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Part MMCCLVI: The Grasp of Ancient Powers
  • Threadmarks
    • The Grasp of Ancient Powers ​

    First Day of the Fifth Month 293 AC

    Of the Children of the Forest you speak of then, their place in your kingdom and your hope of growing their numbers with sorcery and wishcraft. All these Bloodraven found good, for in the long years he has been bonded to the tree he had come to appreciate their unwavering service even in the face of a final night for their people. Perhaps it is better that none of those who remain wish to make the journey south, that the last Greenseer have the company of living thinking beings, not just the voices of the Gods calling forever in this mind. Yet even as the thought comes to you another arises: bold yes, but boldness has served you in good stead these past years:

    "I have been considering what use to put the ancient weirwood tree I found so near the seat of my power, gathering sacrifices far in excess for what would be needed to raise Heart-Tree from a sapling. There are many things it might be used for, to help the people of the Deep learn each other's tongues for trade and the sharing of lore, to ward away dark spirits that would steal their minds, but as I stand here before you bound in vigil at the ends of the earth I cannot help but wonder, would not your wisdom and your power be better served in the lands of men? Would you not be..." You hesitate a moment under the ancient sorcerer's half-blind gaze. "Would you not be safer guarded by all the champions and all the armies I have gathered to my banner, not here upon the Enemy's doorstop?"

    Rather than be offended, as you feared he might have been, Bloodraven gives a long tired sigh so soft you might have missed it ere your senses not as sharp as they are now. "It has been a very long time, young king, since any have cared for my safety, and I thank you for the concern, but here I must stay to ward against the Powers in the North, to counter their pawns and keep the wildlings from being consumed even ere next winter's passing..."

    "I already pledged to carry all men from these lands," you remind him, the double meaning clear in your words, that you count him a man also whatever oaths he has sworn and sacrifices he has made.

    "Aye, all men," he replies, seemingly looking beyond you. "Alas that there are other things in these lands which need guarding, places of power and ancient barrows, slumbering beasts from when the world was young. I cannot come south..."

    As you nod in understanding, however, he interrupts you: "However, a path can be opened if one has the strength and skill to do it. The roots of the weirwoods run deeper than one might think, and in no small part thanks to your aid farther also. To make from a passage of spirit to one of flesh would be a mighty deed, though not one beyond your grasp I think."

    "A path would run both ways," you muse aloud. "It would circumvent the Wall and the wards bound into it, a risk for certain, but I have little mind to cower behind the work of the ancients."

    "That is my thought also, the chance to more easily join our strength and strike at the Foe where it thinks itself safe is no small thing. The staff you bear is certainly useful, but limited in scope."

    "Could that be further empowered?" you ask almost idly, still considering the implications of the previous suggestion.

    "It might, but I would have to have a hand in it," Bloodraven replies. "It is as much my work as the gods', and I did not make it to bend easily to the will of another enchanter, lest some foe twist it from its purpose. I cannot pledge when I might have the time for such a working, though the price in the blood of slain foes should be easy enough for you to pay I would wager."

    "Am I so bloody-handed, then?" you ask, the words sounding more grave upon your lips than the jest you wished to make.

    "Not at all, Your Grace," he assures you. "You have a habit for making mighty foes, though. Even within the laws you have lain down, the blood of sacrifices will likely never run dry."

    "What of sacrifice of a more uncommon kind, the remains of those who no longer bleed?" you continue. "What of the icy heart of the twisted dragon? Might it be used to lay some curse upon its masters as it is said the Hungry Wolf once did upon the Andals?"

    "A curse..." Bloodraven trails off, listening to voices only he can hear. Finally he shakes his head: "Too small a token for such magic, akin to using a singe pebble to sunder a mountain. However, it is my thought that it might be used another way." A calculating gleam shines in his eye: "As bait. Should it seem unguarded, an easy path to working evil in the south where they have little strength, then Winter's servants might be tempted into reaching far past what they may grasp."

    What do you reply?

    [] Write in

    OOC: There is nothing special Bloodraven can tell you about the flesh forge. There has never been its like before, so you will have to experiment. As for the Ifequevron, Leaf will talk to you about that once you are done here.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • [X] "In principle, I am interested in striking a real blow against Winter, not one where we are trading moves with one another as if upon the board, but where you might make a move against them fully unhindered by the rules upon which you both must abide, tithe in recompense for their overreach." We agree it's a good idea, but we still have to plan how to make the move in a general vein.
    -[X] "Lasting gains. That is what we must make if we are to triumph in the end, not exchanges. Not one. Not two. As many as it takes." We need to consolidate our efforts more. A portal between here and our capital would be a start, where we could combine forces more often and make moves without the worry of distance getting in the way. If we don't we are not going to have any fun at all when Winter comes and we are on the backfoot.
    -[X] "If we are to wait until the seasons have turned and we have lost the initiative that we have been gifted with now, I fear the cost is one neither of us will wish to pay. I am not willing to pin my hopes toward prophecy in the end." Neither do you wish it to be so that Rhaegar was right in the end, for that would mean a terrible fate hanging over his son's shoulders.
     
    TotallyNotEvil said:
    Puts it up against a lv 13 party.
    First round: Blasphemy. Half the party is paralyzed for 1d10 minutes, the other half for a round.
    Second round: CdG the helpless wizard.
    Third round and following: Cackle and play with the party.
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    Level 13 wizard makes its Spellcraft check and recognises the spell (and the Knowledge check to recognise the monster). Casts Celerity and Greater Dispel Magic to counter.
    The monster no longer has any daily uses of Blasphemy, and is now facing a non-paralyzed party. This probably kills it quickly.

    EDIT: This seems like a decent lv13 monster. Very strong, but not unbeatable by a prepared party. And getting the Blasphemy in isn't actually very easy - it should require total surprise, unless the party is pretty terrible (no Knowledge, bad tactics and positioning...)
     
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    Crake said:
    See, that would be more cutting if it wasn't for the fact that in the given example, the aforementioned wizard would be straight up dead anyway.
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    That's my point tho: you put a CL16 Blasphemy on a CR13 enemy, you are going to watch TPKs all day long.

    Because your one hope is an often-banned spell (Celerity) and then managing a dispel against that.

    The problem is the high CL. When the various power words come into play, it's essentially a "you must be this tall" ability.
     
    TotallyNotEvil said:
    That's my point tho: you put a CL16 Blasphemy on a CR13 enemy, you are going to watch TPKs all day long.

    Because your one hope is an often-banned spell (Celerity) and then managing a dispel against that.

    The problem is the high CL. When the various power words come into play, it's essentially a "you must be this tall" ability.
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    Why would a DM ban Celerity, and then dump a CL16 Blasphemy on a party, with intent to straight up murder the wizard via CdG, cheesing mechanics to the max?

    This is less of a sign of a player thinking wrongly or not acting laterally enough, and more a sign that the players need a new DM.
     
    @Crake, can you segue into the next part by tacking this onto the end of your vote?

    -[] Speak on the Winter Hag you discovered and the Other tomb she apparently guarded, and ask Bloodraven to tell you of what tombs he might know of south of the Wall so that you might deal with them (perhaps even including them in the upgraded maps)
    -[] Ask of the Realm of the Others where the great bear spirit was trapped. Ask of the nature of the realm, the rules it follows, and how one might enter or exit, or be trapped (locations on gateways especially should be noted). Ask what creatures haunt such a place.
    -[] Ask of the Great Other and everything there is to know about him.
     
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    TalonofAnathrax said:
    Level 13 wizard makes its Spellcraft check and recognises the spell (and the Knowledge check to recognise the monster). Casts Celerity and Greater Dispel Magic to counter.
    The monster no longer has any daily uses of Blasphemy, and is now facing a non-paralyzed party. This probably kills it quickly.

    EDIT: This seems like a decent lv13 monster. Very strong, but not unbeatable by a prepared party. And getting the Blasphemy in isn't actually very easy - it should require total surprise, unless the party is pretty terrible (no Knowledge, bad tactics and positioning...)
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    Since it's a spell-like ability, you can't really use Spellcraft to identify the spell being cast. The best you can do is just Counterspell whatever spell-like ability it uses, then hope your allies can beat on it fast and hard enough to keep it from getting another chance to use the ability.
     
    [X] "In principle, I am interested in striking a real blow against Winter, not one where we are trading moves with one another as if upon the board, but where you might make a move against them fully unhindered by the rules upon which you both must abide, tithe in recompense for their overreach." We agree it's a good idea, but we still have to plan how to make the move in a general vein.
    -[X] "Lasting gains. That is what we must make if we are to triumph in the end, not exchanges. Not one. Not two. As many as it takes." We need to consolidate our efforts more. A portal between here and our capital would be a start, where we could combine forces more often and make moves without the worry of distance getting in the way. If we don't we are not going to have any fun at all when Winter comes and we are on the backfoot.
    -[X] "If we are to wait until the seasons have turned and we have lost the initiative that we have been gifted with now, I fear the cost is one neither of us will wish to pay. I am not willing to pin my hopes toward prophecy in the end." Neither do you wish it to be so that Rhaegar was right in the end, for that would mean a terrible fate hanging over his son's shoulders.
    --[X] Additional questions as noted below.
    -[X] Speak on the Winter Hag you discovered and the Other tomb she apparently guarded, and ask Bloodraven to tell you of what tombs he might know of south of the Wall so that you might deal with them (perhaps even including them in the upgraded maps)
    -[X] Ask of the Realm of the Others where the great bear spirit was trapped. Ask of the nature of the realm, the rules it follows, and how one might enter or exit, or be trapped (locations on gateways especially should be noted). Ask what creatures haunt such a place.
    -[X] Ask of the Great Other and everything there is to know about him.
     
    Crake said:
    Why would a DM ban Celerity, and then dump a CL16 Blasphemy on a party, with intent to straight up murder the wizard via CdG, cheesing mechanics to the max?

    This is less of a sign of a player thinking wrongly or not acting laterally enough, and more a sign that the players need a new DM.
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    Exactly. My assumption that the wizard's player would think to roll Spellcraft to recognise the spell is based on a certain level of optimization from players and GMs.
    IMO the kind of table where TNE's scenario happens isn't universal but when it does happen, it's the kind of table where players have a counter for it. Now the counter may be risky, but that just goes to show why immunity to paralysis and daze and a thing spellcasters should all be getting (races, gear, DMMM priests...) before level 11.

    In any case at my table the cleric would have used Counterspell thanks to Divine Defiance, and they have boosted CL for Dispel Magic. But that's a non-universal build (DMMM Clerics would have died unless they had immunities going) :'(

    Still, this would have murdered any group that was low on spells or turning attempts.
    This feels like a monster that should have a "uses Blasphemy to flee safely" in its flavor text, or a lower CL. Because this just punishes people who aren't built with immunities and counters in mind.
     
    Crake said:
    [X] "In principle, I am interested in striking a real blow against Winter, not one where we are trading moves with one another as if upon the board, but where you might make a move against them fully unhindered by the rules upon which you both must abide, tithe in recompense for their overreach." We agree it's a good idea, but we still have to plan how to make the move in a general vein.
    -[X] "Lasting gains. That is what we must make if we are to triumph in the end, not exchanges. Not one. Not two. As many as it takes." We need to consolidate our efforts more. A portal between here and our capital would be a start, where we could combine forces more often and make moves without the worry of distance getting in the way. If we don't we are not going to have any fun at all when Winter comes and we are on the backfoot.
    -[X] "If we are to wait until the seasons have turned and we have lost the initiative that we have been gifted with now, I fear the cost is one neither of us will wish to pay. I am not willing to pin my hopes toward prophecy in the end." Neither do you wish it to be so that Rhaegar was right in the end, for that would mean a terrible fate hanging over his son's shoulders.
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    This is saying a whole lot of nothing.

    [X] It's an interesting idea, but you honestly were just exploring the option. You have another use in mind for the Ice Heart: as a strategic weapon the Shaitan/Djinn alliance could use against the Efreeti.
    -[X] Speak on the Winter Hag you discovered and tomb she apparently guarded, and ask Bloodraven to tell you of what tombs he might know of south of the Wall so that you might deal with them (perhaps even including them in the upgraded maps)
    -[X] Ask of the Realm of the Others where the great bear spirit was trapped. Ask of the nature of the realm, the rules it follows, and how one might enter or exit, or be trapped (locations on gateways especially should be noted). Ask what creatures haunt such a place.
    -[X] Ask of the Great Other and everything there is to know about him.
     
    We barely ever talk to Brynden, so we don't know his motive for being cagey about his efforts beyond general (justified) paranoia, so we have no clue what his response would be to trying to be a little less cagey about general operations with us, something he'd only be able to do while talking in the heart of his power in the first place. This is the general thrust of the plan, trying to get him to share his motives a little.

    That said I totally acknowledge some people wanted to use the Heart as a strategic weapon in a war.

    That's fine.

    I will note as a contra to that statement, porque no los dos?

    He never said we had to give up the heart to Winter in the end.
     
    Then ask "what kind of lasting blows could be made against them, before Winter comes?".

    As it is, it's just saying nothing. "I want to make lasting blows, we can't keep just exchanging pieces until Winter comes around." That's obvious.
     
    Are you guys forgetting about using the heart in the City of Brass as a weapon or was that fledgling plan already killed off?
     
    Sarasin said:
    Are you guys forgetting about using the heart in the City of Brass as a weapon or was that fledgling plan already killed off?
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    The reason we asked about sacrificing the Heart of Winter was purely for the sake of exploring all options. It's not often we're in front of Bloodraven, so we wanted to ask while we're talking to him what the Old Gods would be able to do with the Heart if it was given to them. We're not locked into this action, we can still decide to do other things with the Heart.
     
    Duesal said:
    @Tomcost might have a better idea of what a mimic might be able to reincarnate
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    Reincarnation tables are usually made from creatures of the same or similar types. In this case, aberrations, maybe outsiders.

    While this mimic seems to be a byproduct of Far Realm exposure, and doesn't breed on its own, I would expect him to be reoncarnated into the other quasi-mimics: the one that pretends to be the ceiling, the one that pretends to be the floor, the one that pretends to be a cloak, and, lastly, the one that pretends to be a house.
     
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