AVB - Shine the Light!

[Rizban]

This thread is for DMs only! All others will receive free mandatory attendance on one of Shadow Spider's Exciting Excursions!

Heading north along Mastiff's Road, you reach a large gatehouse in the city's outer wall, known as Rivergate. It stands open. On the other side, you can see the great river rushing by with a stone causeway built into it just inches above water level, the river flowing through channels under and through the stone. The Fortress is built on a large island in the middle of the causeway.

Looking past the island, you can see another large gatehouse on the far shore. Just beyond that gatehouse is the Docks and outer slums of the city. Looking at it, a shudder sneaks its way down your back. A place more lacking in Light you have never seen in all your days.

As you approach the massive gate of the Fortress, one of three guardsmen posted at the gate steps forward.

"Halt. What business have you here?"

[planswalker]

In his full kaleidoscopic splendor, Xim pauses, smiles enthusiastically, and waves. Not having a clue what this city protector is babbling, Xim goes into his spiel, "Hallo! Ich bin Lumos Maximiss , Priester des Solaron . Ich möchte den Kapitän Herrman zu helfen die Stadt im Kampf gegen die Dunkelheit zu sprechen."

Spoiler: translation

Show

Hello! I am Lumos Maximiss, priest of Solaron. I wish to speak to Captain Herrman about helping the city fight the darkness.

[Rizban]

The guard looks at you blankly for a moment then sighs.

"If you don't speak the local tongue, best you move along."

[planswalker]

Catching that he wasn't understood, Xim takes that mask from his belt and dons it.

"Hello! I am Lumos Maximiss, priest of Solaron. I wish to speak to Captain Herrman about helping the city fight the darkness." he repeats in his new, magically-imbued grasp of Common.

Spoiler

Show

btw, 5 years of Aldhaven... that's pretty huge

[Rizban]

Spoiler

Show

Even bigger than your free bonus feat! You make only the second person to claim the bonus too. *shrug*

The guard nods.

"I see. Seems pretty important, but... what 'darkness' are you talking about?"

[planswalker]

"There is a darkness that hangs over this city's docks at night. I feel the call of the Light Eternal to do my part in ending it."

Spoiler

Show

crap... I just realized... I'm sending my character on a quest to go fix the "docks at night" problem... by placing light bulbs.

[Rizban]

Spoiler

Show

No night, no problems. Makes perfect sense!

"Ah, well, in that case, you should know that the Watch no longer maintains a presence within the Docks. Agreements have been made with the local Blue Hand hobgoblin tribe to oversee security and law enforcement in the area. If you'd still like to meet with Captain Herrman, you're welcome to make an appointment with the dispatcher."

He steps aside and points towards a building you can see just through the gate behind him.

"Go through the front door. The dispatcher will be in the first office on your left."

[planswalker]

"Thank you for the information. I shall arise now and seek the leader of the blue hand tribe."

With a bow and a few offered words of prayer in draconic, Xim heads off to the Docks and searches for any blue-handed hobgoblins he might find.

[Rizban]

As you pass through Dockside Gate, you get a sense of stepping into another world. The Docks are quite different from the rest of the city, not just in appearance but in the very feel of the area. It's as if a spirit of malice lingers in the air.

The first few buildings around the gate look to be in good condition and share the same general building style as Old Town on the far side of the river, obviously government buildings of some kind. Farther out, the buildings quickly degenerate into ramshackle structures built in haste for the cheapest cost possible. Interspersed throughout are a few larger buildings of slightly better construction, apparently built as warehouses. To the north, you see rows upon rows of "houses" that are little more than dangerously leaning shacks, which you conclude is the area known commonly as The Slums. You know the piers of the Docks are to your left from here, though you can't actually see them from here due to the buildings.

The crowd thins out past the gate to the point that there's nothing to blend into. People travel in small groups of no more than 2 or 3, and even those are fairly far apart.

[planswalker]

Xim heads over to the Slums and keeps his eyes out for a hobgoblin.

[Rizban]

Heading north on the main road, you are quickly stopped by a heavily armed hobgoblin patrol. Each carries a number of weapons and wears obviously magical armor. Blue handprints have been tattooed on their faces.

"H'ain't seed you rounds here afore. You up ta no good?"

The one who speaks levels his pike at you.

[planswalker]

"Actually, I'm up to all kinds of good!I am Lumos Maximiss, priest of Solaron. I wish to speak to someone in charge about helping the city fight the darkness, especially in the docks."

[Rizban]

The hobgoblin scratches his head for a moment before replying.

"Wut?"

It seems he isn't the brightest hobgoblin around.

[planswalker]

Wondering if the mask is working properly, he speaks a little louder and slower. "TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!"

[Rizban]

He looks rather rankled.

"Hey! I gives tha orders 'round here! You want see tha boss, I takes you. You no like it though!"

[planswalker]

"THANK YOU! May the light shine upon you!"

[Rizban]

He grabs you by the shoulder and shoves you towards one of the other hobgoblins.

"You takes to boss man. Wil' handles this one."

The hobgoblin sighs and leads you off towards the Slums.

[planswalker]

Xim happily follows his "guide" along, taking note of the sights as he is lead to the boss. Though he does pick up that they're quite suspicious of him, he doesn't mind. He knows that the goodness and light shining in his heart will see him through.

[Rizban]

You approach a hobgoblin sitting cross legged in the shade while shouting orders at a group of hobgoblins sifting through the damage done by some recent battle or something on the north end of the Slums. A half-orc sits silently next to him in an incredibly awkward pose that only crudely mimics the hobgoblin.

"Boss, dis here guy wants talk to you. Make big deal of darkness."

He shoves you towards the other hobgoblin and quickly leaves before he can be given some other job he doesn't want.

"Well, Bennet, it looks like we're popular today! What can I do for you, little shiny kobold?"

[planswalker]

"I am Lumos Maximiss, priest of Solaron. I wish to speak to you about helping the city fight the darkness, especially in the docks."

[Rizban]

He looks up at the noon sun.

"Seems pretty bright to me. What do you mean by..." He pauses and looks at the silent half-orc for a moment.

"Oh! Thanks Bennet. I'm sure that's it. You meant that as a metaphor. Darkness being evil, right?"

[planswalker]

"Yes, that too. Can you think of any way I could help you fight the Darkness?"

[Rizban]

"Oh ho! I can think of many ways... but I think it would be more interesting to hear your ideas first.

Clever idea, Bennet, making him go first." He smirks to the half-orc who has neither moved nor spoken.

[planswalker]

"What if we made the streets of the Docks and the city walls glow at night? Then Darkness would have nowhere to hide and its grip on this beleaguered area would begin to wane."

[Rizban]

Wilstaff just stares at you blankly for nearly a minute. Just as the award silence becomes almost unbearable he blurts out, "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! You have my support. You should start immediately!"

[planswalker]

"Of course. Do you have anyone who can help me?"

[Rizban]

"Well, I guess it depends on how you're going to go about doing it."

[planswalker]

"For now I guess I can start by placing some continual flame objects around the Docks and use my divine energy to keep a part of the area brightly lit as if with daylight and see what comes crawling out of the darkness to oppose me. Could you spare a mage to help me produce the continual flames as well as a bodyguard or two? Oh, and the material components for another 20 castings of continual flames. Combined with the 10 I have on my person, that should be a good start."

[Rizban]

"Well, it's a start.

Yes, Bennet, I was just getting to that. Thank you.

Unfortunately, we lack the manpower to patrol the Docks at night. When the sun sets, the Extracity Watch retreats to the Slums. We only retake the streets of the Docks when the sun rises again. The uh 'Darkness' doesn't venture out in the day so much, so we can keep it in check. I'm counting on you to get this started so we can fight the Darkness better."

[planswalker]

"Can someone at least help me with the castings?"