Adventures in New Ganthar III

[esorscher]

Gunn considers, musing out loud. "The cabal will be raising minions. We'll need some of our own, expendable, so our heavy-hitters don't do exactly what Shroud wants us to do, and get distracted fighting the underlings. There will be vampires; we'll need to protect ourselves against them. And there will be mages." He shifts his weight in his seat across from Torc, adjusting his pant legs. "This is going to be a tough fight. The Arbiter will be there; he'll be a wild card. Natalia will be there; she'll be a wild card. It'd be a shame if they fought each other, especially before Shroud was dealt with. Lydia will be there, she'll be trying to stop Shroud. Tell me more about the Council. Who will I be trying to convince, and what are their motivations?"

[dantiesilva]

"Thank you brother William." Sister Rosalind says looking at her old mentor as if he were her father, before looking to Pran. "Pran keep things running like they normally would please, and help Brother William with anything he may need. I am going to join Yara to make sure she makes it saftely to the others and see what we can do about this lich. Also if anyone comes here seeking me, say I am out at the moment and to leave a written message with you please."

Turning to Yara the young woman not known for violence looks on with worry at the idea she thought Yara had in mind. "you have been alive all of three seconds and already want to go running around...No I am not doing anything at this exact moment, and with the lich on our hands I really can not let you go wandering around. So can we make this quick, and none bloody?" the priestess asks, knowing that normally when Yara didn't get her way things ended in someone bleeding.

[gallagher]

I know that Charis is with me, but Niall does not believe it to be so. I quite agree that he would definitely use the opportunity to try and act against me were I to go. He trusts you, he knows you as someone he can count on for wisdom and truth. Tell him that the faithful of Charis fight under one banner, and that banner will be in battle tonight against entities that we cannot abide. I trust that you know better than I how to best describe the threat of this enemy. After we are done in battle, we can talk about making the temple whole once more. I have intended on addressing the subjects that he had mentioned in his letter to the temple in a sermon, perhaps it would be best to ensure that he is there to hear it too.

He then pauses in thought for a moment - And I'll go and fetch us a wizard as well. And I will send for the heads of the other temples to meet here afterwards, to save us time that can better go to planning. Asoryala, you are indeed a great help. I thank you for your counsel.

[Timble]

"I've been alive for a minute but I've been conscious for over a day. But if you're coming, great. The more witnesses we have the less likely Natalia is to kill me." Yara says. "I just need to get the energy back. I might need you to distract Natalia for a bit. No violence, just stealth."
"But first things first. Let's get my stuff back."

As they headed to the temple of Charis, Hesa turned to Rosalind.
"Your faith deals with the undead. Tonight we will be facing a lich and his minions. What do you know of the undead and what our for may be capable of? I doubt you have a military mind, but how large of an army could Shroud be predicted to have? And what weaknesses could we exploit?"
While he spoke calmly, he was cursing himself mentally. He had been at a temple with much experience fighting the undead, and had been too busy thinking about raising Yara to ask for this information. Still, all he needed was the basics.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn

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Torc takes his time in answering, assembling his thoughts.

“The Council consists of six individuals, all humans, all mages of significant ability. Four men, two women.

“Elder Abrogar is the senior member of the Council. A cold man, self-serving, who prides himself on his intellect and self-control - as well as his spellcasting ability, which is formidable. More than any other mage, he plays politics - he had ingratiated himself with the former Chancellor, and recent events have been a setback for him. I mentioned that he blocked the meeting before; I gather he did so because Rosalind was the one asking, and she is closely connected with Theo, who effectively ended Martok’s rein. Our information is that he is working on some scheme with Martok, which is consuming a good deal of his time.

“Second to him in ability, though not in influence, is Althazan. He used to be Vanguard before he joined the Council, and his arcane skills are as a battle-mage. He is a crotchety old man, prone to complaining, but if the going gets tough, he is a fighter. He dislikes getting involved in Council business except to support the Vanguard or to press for more involvement in the affairs outside of their gleaming towers. Our intelligence is that he likes gambling, particularly cards, making moderate losses.

“The most influential Council member after Abrogar is Melissa. She is an illusionist by inclination, not as much raw power as the two I just mentioned but subtle. She is manipulative, putting on a semblance of friendship while gathering secrets she can use to control her peers. A lot of contact with Natalia. She wants Abrogar’s job, and spends her time making sure she will get it. But she can't stand Althazan - she will probably vote against anything he supports, just to spite him.

“Then we have Baleth. Cautious man, very nervous disposition. Likes things quiet. He is more an academic, spends his time training apprentices and engaged in research. A dull man, with no skeletons in his closet to our knowledge.

Next, Valeria. A hard woman, by all reports, unforgiving and ruthless. She doesn't suffer fools. Holds a grudge against non-mages in general and the state in particular for their historical persecution of arcanists. Her specialism is transmutation. Not a powerhouse like Althazan or Abrogar, but talented. She is more active than the others, an adventurer, spends a lot of time overseas.

“Lastly, Warren. The youngest, a firebrand and an activist. You won't need to worry about convincing him - he's one of ours. He doesn't carry much sway over the others, however. If it makes a difference, he is a conjurer by vocation.”

Spoiler: Theo

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Asoryala nods her understanding, though there is a grimace on her features as she contemplates the task at hand.

“May our Goddess bless your efforts, Father Theo. And mine too. I think we'll need it.”

So saying, she shows you out of her office, locks it carefully behind her, and sets off to carry out your instructions.

[esorscher]

Gunn presses his lips together thoughtfully. "Arrange the meeting--I'll see what I can do. Is there any way I could meet with them privately, before I address the council?"

[gallagher]

It will not be pleasant, but it must be done. Charis assigns the hardest missions to Her strongest servants, but she does not send us unequipped for the task at hand. I trust that you are the best person for this, and have every faith in you that you will be successful. Even if you can get one Templar to return to the Temple, then we are better off. May Charis guide you. Theo bids Asoryala farewell and finds Pel. He instructs Pel to go to the temples of the other gods who might give them aid, save for Maya, Relath and Valacles, in fighting the lich, and to find other acolytes to assist him to save time. Theo then sets out to seek Althazan wherever he might be found.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn

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"Possibly," Torc muses. "But I am wary of overplaying our hand. Warren has pushed for this meeting to go ahead, invoking his right as a Council member to summon a meeting on a matter he believes is urgent and requires the Council's attention. If we also use him to set up a private meeting between you and another Council member ahead of time, that may be suspicious.

"You are a resourceful man. I suspect you can arrange a meeting yourself - although you would need to choose carefully, as I doubt there is time to meet with more than one. My recommendation is to meet with someone who would vote against confronting Shroud, but whom you might reasonably expect to persuade to your way of thinking."

Spoiler: Theo

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While Althazan doesn't exactly advertise, his home is easy enough to find. True to stereotype, he lives in a tower deep in the Mages' District, and a street urchin gladly gives directions for a few coppers.

There is a bell pull beside the door, a stone slab of some lighter mineral than the rest of the tower, marked with a glowing azure arcane symbol. Wise enough not to barge unannounced into a wizard's sanctuary, you ring the bell and wait.

You quickly feel the hairs on your neck rise up, an unpleasant sensation of being watched. The feeling lasts just a few seconds; then the door vanishes abruptly, revealing a spiralling staircase. A tiny creature - a winged humanoid, its body seemingly carved from a block of salt, but unmistakably alive.

The creature flutters in the air in front of you, folding its arms and stamping one foot in comic irritation. "Hah! The mighty Theodore, here to rope my master into another glorious adventure! Well, I'm supposed to show you up to him. Try to keep up."

With that, it darts off - flying directly up to a doorway you need to use the stairway to reach - and sits on the door handle looking smug.

On the other side of the door you find Althazan, bent over a series of flasks and tubes, filled with bubbling and strong-smelling fluids. The room is plainly a laboratory, with endless shelves covered in the kinds of eldritch esoterica you would expect: animal parts, plants, and curios; jars and tins and pouches with small handwritten labels such as "bat guano" and "iron filings." To your right, a silver circle has been embedded into the stone floo;to your left, a softly glowing crystal ball shows a clouded view of the door through which you entered.

Althazan says nothing, apparently waiting for you to speak - or so intent on his experiment he hasn't heard your arrival.

[dantiesilva]

Sister Rosalind listens to Yara's words patiently as she goes over her plan, or at least the part of the plan she had. Raising he hand to her chin in thought she looked up to the sky for a moment to see roughly what time it was before replying. "I highly doubt Natalia would kill a living soul, especially one so close to Theo unless it was in self defense. And even then I suspect she would find a way to have someone else do it for her." Sister Rosalind assures Yara though it is clear from her tone that she is not one hundred percent sure.

"Distracting Natalia should in theory be as simple as walking up to her new temple. What you should be more worried about is her allies, and the workers that are inside the temple. After all in theory we are talking about you breaking into the temple of one of Theo's allies to take back something that was yours before death. If you are caught we are both going to have to no doubt go before a judge and face trial for breaking and entering. Perhaps we should ask her to allow you to see it first?" the priestess of the lovers suggests, not even sure herself the idea would work and Natalia would comply to such a request. However all possibility had to be laid out on the table if they were going to do this. "Yes let us go get your belongings, perhaps while we are at the temple of Charis we will run into Theo and he could convince Natalia to allow you to take back this pillar of energy." Rosalind says as it seems a light has turned on in her head at the idea of asking Theo to help them. After all Natalia was Theo's ally at the moment and refusing such a request as returning something to its owner would stress their relationship.

On their way to the temple of Charis Sister Rosalind mostly busied herself with small talk, speaking to all those they passed by and wishing them a good day. So when Hesa finally spoke to her the woman jumped, haven completely forgotten he was even following. With her hand on her chest she turns to address the warrior from Yara's homeland. "Yes, my faith is the reason undead were first created. They were meant to be the protectors and defenders of the living, a special gift only given to those Torae deemed responsible enough to not lose their humanity. Why do you ask?" she says out of curiosity as she continues walking to the temple of Charis, listening to the warriors questions.

"It depends on the type of undead honestly, a lich and a vampire for example are both very powerful undead creatures that keep their inteligence they once had in life. However to kill a vampire one must go through steps that would not be required of a lich." she explains pointing up to the sun. "For example dragging a vampire into sunlight will kill it most of the time, those rare few times it does not you are no doubt dealing with one of the original vampires created by Torae herself. A lich however would not even be bothered by the light." she says.

"Now if I had to guess, Yara would know better than I his minions, however as a rule of thumb most clerics of any religon can turn and possibly destroy and undead creature by simply channeling their god or goddess divine power through their holy symbol. They are also weak to the effects of positive energy, and I have only meet one enemy so far outright immune to my powers of healing." she explains hoping this would give him an idea of how a priest would fight. "Besides that you would have to identify the specific type of undead to be able to really tell how best to deal with it. Though a few things are common in all such creatures, strikes that would kill a normal person, like say cutting through their skull will have no extra effect on them. They are immune to the often exploited weakness's of flesh, even the undead that still have flesh due to their bodies being fueled by negative energy."

"How large of an army he could have depends entirely on how long he has been at this unchecked. In theory he could have this entire island covered in undead, though it is clearly not true. Over time most powerful necromancers give up their chase for the simpler kinds of undead in favor for more powerful versions of either the same thing, creations of their own. So a normal human skeleton being traded in for say a giants. Thus far I have faced Wrights, a Death knight, a Bodak, and an Angel of Decay. And while I suspect they are all at the very least allies of Shroud, I have no proof. So the size of his army is sadly unknown to me, the weaker foes I should be able to counter alone however." she adds so the warrior knew not to get distracted with such things.

"Each undead has its own unique set of weakness's, though a common one is holy water. In theory if you filled a large enough container with it and used it like a keg of beer you could do a lot of damage to a small area of them. Mind you this is all theory, I have never tried such an act before. That and positive energy are their most common weaknesses, sadly and I do not have time to teach you about all the different types of undead which means this sadly was not a very useful talk I am sure.

[esorscher]

Gunn nods. "Thank you, Torc. You've been a great help. I'm sure you'll be watching; if you need me, you'll know where to find me."

He shows Torc out of his office, then turns to Lora and fills her in on everything that's been going on. She nods, doubling the security for the night, just in case. He then checks their office records to find Elder Abrogar's address, as well as Valeria's, just in case Abrogar's completely disinterested. He also sends a note to Natalia--I know you don't want Shroud to complete the ritual. We will need allies to help us; please reach out to anyone powerful you know and convince them of the necessity of our shared cause: stopping Shroud. He may not be able to trust her, but hopefully he can trust her rational self-interest and her own cunning, and maybe she will convince Melissa to help. Once done, he and Perseus head in the direction of Abrogar.

[Timble]

"Oh, Natalia would totally kill me," Yara replied. "She tried to do so already when I was still a spirit. If I went to reclaim it alone and got caught..."
"I don't think she would want Theo to get control of the energy. She wants Charis to remain neutral. If we ask her to let us in, we lose the element of surprise and any chance to get it back."

Natalia did mention that she was the only one capable of disarming the traps and the alter. The temple won't be too populated, so Yara may be able to sneak in through the roof."

Later, on the road.
"I'm just asking because I want to know what the enemy is capable of," Hesa tells Rosalind.
"Thank you, that was most of what I wanted to know. I only really needed the basics, presumably you should be able to identify any unusual undead that appears."
"I know he has a few zombies," Yara says. "I don't have any idea what ratio of zombies to more powerful undead are. There should be a limit to how many he can directly control. How many allies he has however, we can't be sure."
Hesa nods at their words.
"I'll have to talk to the priests," Hesa says. "I'll try and get them to stockpile holy water."

When they reach the temple, Yara goes ahead to recover her belongings.
Hesa locates a priest who's aware of the upcoming fight.
"What preparations have been made for the upcoming defence?" he asks. "How many here are prepared to fight? And how much holy water is kept here?"

[dantiesilva]

"That is troubling that she tried to kill you while you were a spirit Yara, however no doubt she suspected no one else knew about your spirit form and thus would not ask questions. You are a living breathing person once again, and if she killed you now it would cause problems for her, questions would no doubt be asked that she would not want to answer." Sister Rosalind explains from her point of view, though it is clear from her facial expression that Natalia had tried to kill her already once was troubling. "As for going alone I never suggested such a thing, as I have said I will join you, after all if we are to all be ready to face off against this Shroud person we should all be together as a group not divided."

"If she denies you from getting your "property" back she would be breaking a few laws, and from my understanding the creatures she works for as well as herself are all about upholding the law in their own twisted way. With enough witnesses she could not in theory deny you from claiming what is yours. Though I do agree she would not want Theo to have his hands on this power, and will do almost anything to maintain their alliance until she sees it as broken."

"I have done extensive reading on almost all forms of undead created by Torae to protect her children, so in theory I could tell you if I am not busy dealing with another creature. However even I do not know everything that the betrayer has created since he left the Mother's side, or everything the Mother has created for that matter."

"Intelligent undead will be his biggest assets, and all he needs to do is control one of them in theory to control everyone under them. Zombies are easy to deal with, a novice like Pran could even deal with a few if he had a small amount of support. What I am more worried about is what he has kept hidden under his control, after all if he called upon an angel of decay as an ally he is not someone to be underestimated."

As Hesa begins to start talking to the priests Sister Rosalind rests her hand on his shoulder. "This is not OUR temple, nor are they inclined to answer questions about their defenses to outsiders." she says bowing her head to the temple guard he was talking to. "I am sorry about that, a friend of Yara's from overseas. He doesn't yet understand the ways of New Ganther. Could you tell me where High priest Theo is by any chance?" she asks kindly before turning to look back to Hesa. "If you wish to talk battle plans it would be with this temple's high priest until he gives you permission to talk to his flock about such things Hesa. After all what he has told them so far is unknown." she says the last part only loud enough for him to hear.

[Timble]

"Oh, I wasn't thinking of going alone," Yara says. "I'm just explaining why I want witnesses along. I know she and her devils are somewhat lawful, but what laws they value I don't know. If they want to keep me from the pillar, they can probably find a way to justify it... but maybe... Let me think for a bit. There might be another way."

Hesa thinks about Rosalind's words on Shrouds allies.
"Well, we have many powerful units on our side. With careful preparation and planning, we can overcome whatever he throws at us."

At the Temple:
Hesa whispers back to Rosalind, slightly annoyed.
"The temple will be under attack tonight, and it's fall will threaten the world. It matters not what Theo allows, this temple needs to be fortified and prepared now.""

Spoiler: OOC

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So, has Lothrain left the stuff he took from Yara's remains here?

[dantiesilva]

"I do see your point Yara, and if they will not lawfully allow you to regain your property I shall help you in any way I can. After all unlike Theo and others I am not bound by the law or by this alliance the gods of law seem to share." the priestess reassures Yara as she makes it very clear that Yara had her full support in this endeavor.

"It is possible, however most Liches were intelligent spellcasters before they gained immortality on their side. I suspect Shroud has been planning this for a rather long time and our best defense is being random and doing the exact opposite of what he would expect and prepare for. Add in if he has the artifact Theo mentioned any allies we have that can use magic would be useless against him. A warrior against a mage that knows the warriors every move only ends with the warrior dead." She explains suspecting Hesa already knew this. "Add in we want the least amount of casualties so we would not want a lot of allies around, it will only risk their lives if they go against some of the foes I have faced Shroud has had at his command or allies. I trust Yara's abilities, and I have seen Theo and Perseus in battle before and know they can hold their own. I assume you have such capabilities as well otherwise you would not have been sent here to protect Yara. But risking anyone else's life that we do not need to may cause more harm then good. Perhaps we should go to the last place they would expect." Sister Rosalind says looking in the direction of the mountain of bones. "The ritual is supposed to take place there anyways, and our enemy would know we know this meaning it is the last place they would expect us to make a stand."

"That is not our place to choose what the leader of this church says or does." Sister Rosalind says sternly to Hesa as her eyes harden slightly, however for the soft tempered woman it spoke volumes. "Look around you and tell me how many of these men and women do you think has ever seen combat before? Against the enemy that comes for us their will be no mercy shown, no second chances. Theo holds one of the artifacts in question so it is up to him where the battlefield is laid out, and more importantly the troops and defenses he wishes to commit. It is our job if we so choose to support his course of action as best we can. Not undermine him here in his own temple before his own flock."

[gallagher]

Theo does the polite thing and begins with an introduction. We have yet to formally meet, but here we are. I am Father Theodore Roost, High Priest and Champion of Charis. It was our magus, Asoryala that pointed me in your direction, as I come with news of certain danger. There is a lich abound intent on claiming a seat among the Divine tonight, and we intend to stop him. I was told you are the best wizard around that has a chance of going spell to spell with such a vile man, and I am here to ask for your assistance. If you are interested in helping us, or even giving advice on how to combat him, I'd gladly inform you where we are regarding resources to defeat him.

If the wizard indicates that he would like to hear more, Theo tells the man of the various groups so far involved, and the information they were able to divine from Charis.

[Timble]

On the road:
"Oh, Shroud isn't interested in the Mountain. He wants to do the ritual at the temple of Valacles. It's the energy that's important to him." Yara tells Rosalind. "Besides, it's supposed to enhance necromancy. That's the last place we want to go."

"How many allies we bring depends on what forces Shroud has," Hesa says. "He can have a mix of weak, expendable undead mixed with much more powerful allies. We need our own troops to counter his, but with tactics suitable to hold back the horde while not getting blown to bits by magic."

The temple:
"Wherever Theo decides to make his stand, we still need the holy water," Hesa replies. "And if it is to be here, the men and women need to be evacuated and housed. You and I are both soldiers in this battle, we need to know what conditions we will be fighting in and as Theo doesn't seem to be here I need to ask others. There is only so much time in a day, and we still have a lot to do. I can't waste time tracking him down."
"And finally, I'm not here for Theo. I barely know the man. I am here, as a part of this fight, because a lich threatens the world. The stakes are too important to just be left solely to the organisational skills of a man whose talents I do not know. It is up to us to make sure that we have every advantage we can. It is up to us to check that the battlefield is being set up correctly. If Theo is embarrassed by this, then he is not a man worthy of being followed. If his temple see this as undermining him, then they are fools. I won't risk my life nor would I risk yours by not being aware and involved in the preparations. I am a tactician in my homeland, it is my role to plan for combat."

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn

Show

Relying on your network of contacts and your instinct for ferreting out information, you soon locate Elder Abrogar: at a concert hall in the Noble District, seated in a private box, listening to four bards performing an ancient elven opera. It is the height of pretentiousness, your instincts telling you that these people are here to be seen more than to observe the performance, but Abrogar seems intent on maintaining that facade.

At least until you find a seat beside him, the attendant disappearing into the curtains with a healthy bribe in his pocket.

Abrogar looks at you from the corner of his eye, assessing, and you take a moment to do the same. He is dressed in an elaborate scarlet and gold robe, and has expensive but tasteful jewellery on his fingers and at his throat. A golden circlet studded with rubies shimmers at his brow, and his spell pouch is red velvet embroidered with gold thread. You guess him to be seventy years of age, features creased with age, but alert, dignified, and his eyes showing a prodigious intelligence. To your telepathy, he shines like a star - intense, powerful, cold.

Spoiler: Mindsense

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Intelligence 27 humanoid

Abrogar turns his eyes back to the performance, though you can tell his attention is still on you.

“This is a private box,” he observes in an even, dry voice. “One assumes that the staff would take some persuasion to allow you access. From which one might infer that you felt a pressing and urgent need to speak with me. It would seem courteous to allow you an opportunity to do so, before I have you ejected.”

Spoiler: Theo

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Althazan harrumphs at your words. “A lich, is it? You seem to gather dangerous undead to you like moths to a flame.

“Dangerous business, fighting liches. And no doubt you want to rush off unprepared, with whatever spells we happen to have ready, hmm? Bah! No wizard worth his salt fights a foe on its own terms.”

He starts turning off the gas lamps, clearing away the experimental components. The familiar - whatever manner of creature it is - darts around, gathering up spell components and filling a small pouch, while Althazan collects up a number of enchanted items. While doing so, he never misses a beat of his diatribe.

“Hours of work, lost. But who cares about that, eh? Just another grumpy wizard with his alchemy set. And what are the Vanguard up to, hmm? Letting a creature like that run amok in our city. Never would have happened in my day, let me tell you!”

He holds out one hand, and a staff leaps across the room to slap against his palm - ebony wood topped with an ivory dragon figurine. He turns to look at you, raising an eyebrow interrogatively.

“Well? Where do you want me?”

But then he stops suddenly, looking into the middle distance. He speaks in a different tone, addressing someone unseen. “Tell the Council I have real work to do. They can have their precious navel-gazing chin-wag, and I'll do the hard graft.”

Scowling - his expression intense enough to curdle milk - he looks back at you. “I asked you a question, boy! My time is expensive. You'd best not waste it.”

Spoiler: Yara, Rosalind and Hesa

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The priests soon locate a chest of belongings, which Lothrain did indeed leave with Theo. All of Yara's personal effects are here - with one exception.

The Lens is missing.

Ember soon joins you, giving Rosalind a friendly smile, Yara an ambivalent nod, and Hesa a respectful handshake.

“Glad to see you're back,” Ember says to Yara, her tone sounding anything but glad. Turning to Hesa, she addresses the earlier question.

“I hear you were asking about our defences. I'm sure you get that we can't share that information. If you want to be involved in the defence, great - run it past the High Priest first.”

[Timble]

"I can accept that," Hesa tells Ember. "I can't go look for Theo at the moment, can you pass on my request when he returns?"

Yara seems to be nervously searching her pockets.
"Ember, do you know what happened to the Lens? Did Theo take it?"

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara, Rosalind, Hesa

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"As far as I knew, all your possessions were still in there," Ember answers with a shrug. "It's not like Lothrain would have stolen anything, and the bag has been safe on temple grounds for the last hour. Not exactly under heavy guard, but still, it's been in sight of one or more priests the whole time it's been here."

[esorscher]

"I appreciate your courtesy," Gunn says sincerely, knowing every word must be chosen carefully to maximize efficiency of communication and ensure understanding as well as agreement. "I intend to plead the full case before the council this evening, but to you I wish to extend a singular offer. I have some clout with the Crown, as you no doubt know. Had I known opposing Chancellor Martok meant hindering your plans, I might have acted differently at that time, but suffice it to say, the past is the past. I care only for the future. The lich Shroud intends to perform a ritual tonight, with the help of Cabal mages, that will ascend him to godhood. If the Council votes to oppose him, I will use my skills and influence to support the plans of yours that Martok's removal has set back." (Diplomacy: (1d20+26)[45])

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn

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Abrogar gives no immediate sign he has heard you, his attention seemingly focused on the performance.

After a minute, he turns slightly towards you.

"Interesting. I never lightly turn down allies with influence, but I have little information with which to assess what you are asking of me - or what influence you wield. It is hard to judge the merits of the bargain in isolation.

"What aid do you require of the Council in your dispute with this lich? And what do you believe you can offer me in return?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Outcome of Diplomacy roll postponed while these questions are discussed.

[esorscher]

“There are few individuals powerful enough to oppose a lich, much less one in the precipice of divinity. I seek your help in battle, and, failing that (or in addition), any magical items you can spare. As to what I can offer you: the Prince has offered me his favor for my help in his ascension to the Throne. What is it that you seek?”

[dantiesilva]

"Yes it does enhance necromancy from what the stories are said. And yes we would not want to fight him there, but it is also no doubt the one place he would not expect us to go. Plus the child of Charis is inside the temple of bones, alive, dead, or undead I am not sure. But from what I have been told the daughter refers to the child of Charis and I believe she as well as you are the two keys needed by Shroud. As both of you have a connection to divine power." she explains.

"I am not a warrior unlike High Priest Theo or Perseus, however I know undead and what I am capable of on my own. The more allies we ask for help the higher death toll our side will have which would fuel a necromancers army. Only those who we know have proven themselves in battle should be there, and even then I would be more comfortable if they were somewhere else protecting the prince incase we fail." she states after all assuming one would outsmart a lich was a bold statement.

"It is all fine and good you want to help defend something Hesa, however this is NOT your home, nor is it your temple. You can not demand such things and expect answers without asking the proper people. In this Case High Priest Theo or one who serves under him." she says with a sigh all to happy when Ember arrived. "That is what I have been trying to explain to him since we arrived at your temple Ember, however he listens less to others than Yara "used" to." sister Rosalind says as she looked to Yara who had grown a great deal in such a short time. "As for Yara being back, it was very tiring, but had to be done. The lover's said she was key to this and had to return as either a protector of life or a mortal once more and she choose to be a mortal." the priestess of the Lovers said approvingly as she stood by Yara's side making it clear that she supported Yara.

"Perhaps like the chalice this mysterious stranger that was able to snatch it from under everyone's nose is also moving about here. Had I the time I would have prepared a spell so I could see all hidden foes, though I have a sneaking suspicion of who would use such an ally." Rosalind says looking to Yara. "Do you wish to confront her without the artifact, or should we wait for Theo? Time is not on our side sadly so we should make a choice quickly."

[gallagher]

Spoiler

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I dont want to hold back the game by spending another evening not posting, but I must go to bed soon and fear I dont have time to look back over the game to see what facts Theo knows of Shroud's plans. Instead, I am posting with a general reference to the things Theo knows, and if needed I'll go back and edit it to look more informative.

The lich unfortunately has picked the time and place of the conflict, and despite our best efforts, we found out about them too late to do much about it. The biggest difficulty that we will find is that he has an artifact, the Sapphire Staff of Maya, that will prevent all but his own magics from being effectual. Like an improved anti magic field, as he gets to still use his magics. We did manage to retain a few tokens of whom the bearer will also be ignored by the abjuration's field. As the target is the lich, and you have studied a great deal of magic that could prove decisive, I would give you one.

Theo then describes the layout of the location where Shroud would perform the ritual.

Were it solely up to me, I'd burn the place down and force an open confrontation. As it were, I do not get to make that call, and the poor who would lose all in an uncontrolled contagion would weigh greatly on my soul. The downfall of being a man of Law. I do not doubt that you have the ability to secret yourself to the best possible spot for the task. If you have the needed supply, I would like you to prepare to counter whatever spell the lich may cast, and myself and The Arbiter Lothrain, another holy warrior of great esteem, can slice him to pieces and stop the madness. As such, I will need you to follow myself and the team designated to go directly at Shroud. The rest of our forces will go after his supporting host. Of course, there are allies of his that we cannot identify, so you need to also be prepared to isolate himself from his friends, and also turn the tide of battle in case we are overwhelmed.

You know, the classic job for a wizard, to be prepared for everything. Theo says with a wry grin. He then turns somber and plays into thee ego of the old wizard. I cannot express how much you are needed, there are no amount of thanks or repayment that I can offer you that would be enough. Your books and research that I can see inform me that you dont seem like the kind to be satisfied with going down in history as a great hero, or that you would care to make a trophy of his ruined phylactory, but instead wish for a legacy of the most learned mind and innovative arcanist. I know that the task I have laid before you is not the kind you would have chosen. But I, in all my titles and achievements, can not do this alone. I have been at work since I learned of the lich's plans to gather what allies I can, and even with the soldiers I can rally to fight, we are all lost without a man of your power.

[Timble]

"He wouldn't expect us to be there yes, but there are many places we can go where he wouldn't expect," Hesa says. "If we hold our battle elsewhere, it could disrupt whatever siege plan he had for the temple. But we shouldn't go anywhere that would make our for stronger."
"Besides, he isn't interested in the place. He doesn't need the Daughter, just the artifacts and the energy pillar."

"If we fail, then there is no reason to protect the prince over anyone else. Shroud would claim the artifacts and become a god. We need to commit our forces to making sure that Shroud doesn't win."

At the temple:
"Priestess, the temple of Charis seems to be taking charge in the fight, which is why I am asking at the temple of Charis. It may not be my home, but it is my fight and one with unforeseeable consequences if failed. It is also not your place to speak for this temple, and now that it's representative has spoken I will drop the issue."
Yara looks at the both of them, before leaning over to Ember.
"What's going on with them?"

Yara thinks about Rosalind's question.
"If Theo left the Lens here, Ember would know. Since she doesn't I can only assume he took it. We don't need it for Natalia, so we should be good."
She slips the dwarven helm given to her what seemed like ages ago and changed her appearance into a plain woman of slightly shorter height.
"I'd say we have around two options to get the energy back. The first is to sneak in through the hole in the roof. It will probably end badly if I'm found. The second option is to get Natalia to agree to give it too me. If she knows I'm alive she can probably be prepared to stop me. But if you two can get her to agree that I can claim it once alive, then she won't be able to stop me. Any other ideas?"

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Gunn

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Elder Abrogar pauses to applaud politely as the curtain falls below. The orchestra take up a light melody, and the audience begin to mill around, servants circulating among them with platters of food and various beverages. None disturb you or Abrogar.

The mage regards you thoughtfully. “What is it I want? A difficult question to answer, and rather a personal one.

“I will ensure the Council votes to participate in the battle. In return, you perform one service of my choosing, and accept a geas to enforce compliance. That is my offer.”

Spoiler: Theo

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Althazan taps his staff on the floor as he considers.
[b]
“Well, now, I never wanted to die in my sleep anyway. Might as well go out fighting.

“I'll send you the bill if we survive the night. I won't begrudge you the help, but I don't walk into danger for free. And I'm not cheap.

“Five people. Lothrain, you, and me. Who else?”

[dantiesilva]

"If you reclaim the energy pillar he will have to choose between facing against you and whatever allies you have or go to the mountain of bones which was his original plan. Again he is a lich, no doubt he has a few contigencies in case things do not go according to plan. Having a back up is no doubt one of them. Though who else is seeking these artifacts besides us and shroud should be interesting to learn." the priestess remarks after all the chalice had gone missing out from under their nose, if not the devil's then who had the power to do such a thing, and what did they want in the long run.

"Sending in people who stand no chance of surviving against the lich and his follows is not throwing all we have at him, it is trying to fight the rising sun by closing a blind. No matter what you do it will still rise up, as will the lich. Throwing so many forces at him would only hinder us as his army would grow the weaker ours became. Trust me Yara when it comes to fighting undead, and those who control undead it is best to only bring those you know can handle themselves to the fight, everyone else will only get in the way and eventually you will have to put them down. I rather not see all those lives lost. Perhaps Theo and Hesa can come up with an idea together to have our weaker allies far enough away from the lich and his generals to be of aid, but if not I suggest we keep them off the field of battle protecting what we fight for."

"You are more stubborn then she was when I first meet her. I swear all you people from that island need to learn to listen to what is being said. I told you when you first started talking to people to look for High Priest Theo, that talking to his subordinates was rude and disrespectful, not because I speak for the temple, but because I have made the mistake before." Rosalind says clearly annoyed at the back and forth between them that accomplished nothing. Looking to Ember the priestess who was normally always calm seemed nervous and on edge as she spoke. "I hope you can forgive us for making a scene in your temple Ember. This was what I was trying to avoid."

Sister Rosalind listens to Yara and watches her change of appearance before commenting."Do you think your crystal could get the energy for you, after all it seems to be connected to you from what I have seen. If not perhaps that creature you summon, could you make it fly by any chance? If so I could try talking to her with Hesa as a distraction while you try to sneak in through the hole to get it. I suggest being hasty though, once you are within her temple I doubt she won't know. Perhaps teleport to the roof and reach out to the pillar?"

Spoiler: Knowledge Religion on what this thing could do to a person

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(1d20+19)[27] Basically trying to see if Yara touched it would it harm her to the point she could die again/ fall unconcious

[gallagher]

Die on your feet, all well and good, a worthy and glorious death. He says, nodding to the man in a soldier's approval. But better to live and bask in the glory of being one of the few who can boast of stopping an other from achieving godhood. You'd be the first wizard I'd ever met who could say such a thing. And live, too, to collect the great debt I am sure I will owe you.

He goes on to discuss the battle strategy. There are a few individuals who are under consideration, and the selection will be finalized once our list of alliances are solidified. I have sent messengers out to gather the rest whom I have yet to contact. Were we to not gather another man or woman to the cause, the final two would likely go to either Sister Rosalind for her vast healing abilities, Yara the psion who was recently returned from the grave, and Perseus the dwarf, a deadly ally to Mr Thomas Gunn.

He decides that with the wizard's help assured, he could leave the man to his preparations. I will meet you before the night falls at my temple. I am off to there to meet with the representatives of whichever other temples decide to answer the call. Thank you, again. I am glad Asoryala was right to recommend that I come ask this of you.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Theo

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Althazan blinks slightly, clearly having expected to accompany you immediately. Recovering, he nods curtly.

"Well, I guess I have no excuse to avoid the Council then. Well, good luck, boy. To us all."

You leave the wizard's tower, a new spring in your step, and take a moment to consider where you should go next. The day is passing quickly, the sun already past its zenith, and there is much still to do before you face your father's murderer in battle.

[esorscher]

Gunn shakes his head sadly. “Regrettably, those are terms I can not accept. I’m not as brilliant as you, but I’m no fool either. Surely you understand why I can’t subject myself to such magical compulsion without knowing what you would compel me to do.” Gunn rises slowly from his seat. “If you insist on secrecy, I’m truly sorry to say we have nothing more to discuss. I mean no offense, and I thank you for your time. Please, consider what an ascendant lich god will mean for New Ganthar, and what the assistance of Cabal mages in that ascent will mean for your Fellowship.” Gunn pauses for effect. “I hope you will not stand in our way, even if you will not support our plea.”