Adventurers' Guild HQ IC #2

[DavidByron]

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It hasn't quite yet happened in Adder IC but I think this will likely be the last SPAM before the teams split up so I'll just assume that everyone's got out of the way any stuff they were planning before leaving so Matthew will have made his familiar and the scrolls. Hope this isn't assuming too much as they are both completely standard actions.

True Strike scroll for Zan
Enlarge Person scroll for Shiela

Matthew will be taking Beguiller at 2nd level so he will get knowledge of the following spells and as a result of that be able to create scrolls so others could eventually learn these spells (* indicates spell already known by Matthew):
Charm Person*
Color Spray*
Comprehend Languages
Detect Secret Doors
Disguise Self*
Expeditious Retreat
Hypnotism*
Mage Armor
Obscuring Mist
Rouse
Silent Image*
Sleep
Undetectable Alignment
Whelm

It looks like this will be our last meeting for some time.

I've got the scrolls requested by Zan and Shilea by the way. We never got around to co-ordinating what spells we were going to be researching so I made a list. I assume Gylvin and Balthazar will co-ordinate amongst themselves. I still think a good communication spell would be a great idea.

In the mean time I'd like you to take a look at my familiar in case I ever manage to train it to take messages, so you can recognise it. I'm not sure if that is possible. I might be able to get it to take messages back to the guildhouse over distances.

But for the immediate future team Adder is headed for Midford inititally and then out East from there. There's a pub in Midford called The Widowmaker. It's an old River Dwarf hang out, or at least it used to be, well it still is really but I think they've been trying to go up-market. Anyway I am known there so you can leave a letter there under my name and I should be able to pick it up. Actually if you send it to "Abramelin" because there's a lot of "Matthew"s knocking around.

I assume that we can send letters to Aulric at the church of Morrow in Falls and it will get there. The good thing about The Widowmaker is that a lot of River Dwarves still go there so it's easy to get a letter delivered there.

You know it might be a good idea... when I get to Midford I'll see if I can get it sorted out so that any member of the guild with their guild pin can read "my" mail since it will be under the "Abremlin" name.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan took his scroll at least.

"Thank you. I hope I can use this for something decent.... I need a drink. You... you sure you don't want one?"

[DavidByron]

No thanks Zan, not in the library.

Oh hey that reminds me though... next business.... I thought it would be nice if we all chipped in and bought a nice little going away present for Ana. Nothing big.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan leaned over the table, awestruck.

"Going away? She's leaving? But... but why?"

[DavidByron]

No she's not leaving, we are.
Most of us anyway.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan was stammering.

"Sure, b-but not for long, right? J-just a little while!"

[Thymin]

Dravick:

Remembering that there was a SPAM meeting tonight, Dravick heads to the library to find Matthew and Zan already there talking about something. "Whew. And here I thought I was going to be late." Dravick smiles meekly before continuing. "I don't know why I always have such a hard time remembering these meetings. Anyway, it looks I'm not that late, or else noone else has arrived yet." He takes a seat next to Zan, and sits quietly for a few moments before asking, "When does the meeting start anyway?"

[DavidByron]

It never really gets going until Shiela arrives!

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I sort of assume that everyone who will attend is already here. Otherwise every meeting would have to start out with a long list of "X arrives", then "Y arrives" type messages.

[Thymin]

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I edited my last post to account for your thoughts DB. It really makes better sense that way. But I left it that Dravick was late.

"So, have I missed anything?"

[DavidByron]

Well I suggested an address in Midford to act as a drop-box for intra-team communications. And I was going to introduce my familiar but she was asleep. Oh here she is now....

The small bird was well hidden in Matthew's hair, on his shoulder and might have escaped notice until it began to move about.

This is "Fi". She's a raven. You can speak directly to her.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan answered upon impulse, like a child talking to an animal-disguised mascot.

"Hello, Fi."

[DavidByron]

"Hellow Matthew's friend! CAW!"

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan looked on with utter joy.

"My name is Zan, Fi!"

[DavidByron]

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Shorter absence than expected though quite long enough!
Yes it's back baby!

Society for the Perfection of Arcane Methodology

Rule number 1. Nobody talks about SPAM.
Rule number 2. Nobody talks about SPAM.
Rule number 3. Don't get yourself killed by a cat while walking through the wilderness.
Rule number 4. Failure to respect (3) may cause confiscation of spell book.

Yes, the thread that's more quasi-timed than even the HQ thread! OK let's get to it; there's a lot to talk about.

[DavidByron]

Matthew goes in search of Kyte to make sure he turns up for the meeting.

[Thanatos 51-50]

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Bad thanatos for not monitoring this thread better! Also - is the post-Gylvin death?

Shiela

As usual, Shiela is the last to arrive. Its kind f the odd order of things where the fighter who is interested in magic shows up last to the mage's meeting. Although, its been turning out that S.P.A.M. was less "Mage's meeting" than ti was "All the teams collaborate, shoot theories and ideas back and forth, and hey! Magic gets involved, too!"
The redhead slides into a convient chair, once again encased in the tools of her trade (Armor, Scimitar, Dagger - left the shield behind)
"Alright - whats our order of business today?"

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan stumbled into the room, clearly tired, and collapsed into a chair as soon as he was able. His body slumped over the table as though he were sleeping or in a drunken stupor.

"..... Okay... I'm... um... here."

[Thymin]

Dravick:

"I wonder what's on the agenda for today." Dravick wondered aloud.

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OOC: What is the quasi time temperament of this meeting, and are all of the teams back at the guildhall? Dravick wondered out of character...

[DavidByron]

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After all the teams are back at the HQ -- assuming that team D are about to head back.

Matthew:
I guess the agenda is the war and the old Doge's assassination. But first a moment of silence for our lost comrade, Gylvin, a wizard's wizard if ever there was one.

(Pause)

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

Had the Tailor been a horse, or a dog, or a cat, or any other creature of similar facial musculature, her ears would have shot forward.

Being a human being, however, her stance in the chair straightened considerably, and eyes darted about the room as ne hand drfted towards her scimitar.
She paused a breath and let her hand fall from her balde's hilt to honor the comrade she couldn't save. If only she hadn't attempted to frighten the cat...
She wouldn't be sitting here now, it would have gone after her - she would have survived, the cat would still be dead... but... time for self-pity and doubt later, now was time for businees.

Shiela Tailor, Fighter, took a deep, steady breath.
[Battlecant]"War, you say, how brings this upon us?"[/Battlecant]
Her eyes harden a bit.
"I knew that theory suggested our Doge was assisinated, and... what the druid wrote, but is Doge Varonis such a complete [Battlecant]Tactical Moron, Idiot, and utter waste of flesh and organs[/Battlecant] ((OOC:I'm arbritraily claiming thats a single word in battlecant. It makes sense that way))That he'd bring us into war? Does this have anything to do with the Church of the Gnome God?"

[DavidByron]

Matthew:
Uh... didn't catch all of that.... OK let me go first.

As you all know team Adder was charged with tracking down more on this cult that had attacked the guild. All the attacks were instigated by two sisters, both cult members. The Cougars captured Verona and the Adders captured Klesha. Matthias managed to persuade both girls to co-operate with the guild and we ended up with the title to Highburrow Hall which we gave back to the church of Yondalla as a political move to build some support here in Bridgeport.

We set off to Fishleap Shallows to investigate why the goblins had a map showing it. When we got as far as Khorinis we met guardsmen from Midford saying Midford was already under siege. Now some of you have not seen Midford but it's a big city even by the standards of the seven. To lay siege to a place like that you need a big army. The report was that the siege was well organised and the attackers had cut the river traffic. Half the party went to investigate further while Vlax, myself and the sisters carried on to Fishleap.

When we arrived the town was burned out.

You know it's odd but I remembered that reading by the old seer Linda. She predicted I'd be standing in a town with all the houses burned, but that it would be OK because the villagers had escaped.

So we searched for the survivors and found them. They told us that a man called Davison had been smuggling weapons to the goblins in bales of textiles that had come from Bridgeport. They believed that the goblin base was at a place called Broken Mountain (because that's where the trader had headed with the weapons). They didn't discover he was smuggling weapons until he'd been doing it a year. The goblin army attacked a day or two after team Adder had gone to Highburrow Hall and passed through the portal created by the cult "power".

I saw some of these weapons and I think they are the same manufacture that the badgers found in the port side Church of Garl.

The only conclusion is that has been a plot for over a year by the weaver guildmaster Argos to arm goblin tribes in secret and get them to attack Midford -- and I assume not just Midford. On the way home we heard there were some goblins down the Harvest river as well as the North so the entire area between Midford and Khorinis is effected at the least. The elders of Fishleap said goblins had not been seen locally for along time so Argos had to not only arm them, but seek them out and recruit them.

Given the scope of this conspiracy the death of the old Doge cannot be a coincidence, therefore he was assassinated by Argos.

And since the church of Pelor was unable to raise him I conclude that he was killed using some sort of Necromancy. No ordinary poison would have been effective in keeping the old Doge dead. We know Midford assassin's guild was active in Bridgeport just before the old Doge was killed but with the siege on there's no way to investigate that angle easily.

We didn't find out anything about the cult "power" we set off to investigate but thought it best to get back here with the other news immediately. It seems to me that if Argos is aware or becomes aware that the Adventurers' Guild were the ones who found the secret weapons cache intended for the goblins, he may want to eliminate us. I don't know what the relationship is between the cult "power" and the Argos conspiracy but they don't seem to be allies.

[DavidByron]

Matthew:
Has everyone met Fiona by the way?

Matthew indicates the raven who is eating some seed from Matthew's hand.

Klesha and Verona pretty much became a part of team Adder on the trip. I hope you are all OK with that. They were taken in when they were kids and more or less brainwashed into the cult. I think whoever is leading the cult headhunted them because of their talents. Probably burned down their school just to stage their "rescue". They were both told the other sister died in the fire.

To Shiela:
Varonis? Is that Argos' official title then?

What's this about a druid's writing?

[Bonecrusher Doc]

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Argos' ducal name is "Vanorius," seemingly laying claim to the heritage of the Vanorian empire.

[rockdeworld]

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After all the teams are back at the HQ -- assuming that team D are about to head back.

Matthew:
I guess the agenda is the war and the old Doge's assassination. But first a moment of silence for our lost comrade, Gylvin, a wizard's wizard if ever there was one.

(Pause)

During the pause, Kyte slips in.

Why did that magician want me here? He wonders about Matthew. He listens to the following conversation, and comprehension dawns on him.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

"As you know, Cougar was on their way to Falls to investigate a summons by a former guildmember."
Shiela begins,
"As you also know Gylvin was killed by a cougar during the trip, but that is not what prompted our return. While investigating the scene, I discovered a half-elven druid who had been killed by several piercing wounds, upon examining the items on her person, we found a parchment written in Elven. It was translated when we got back here - I'm sure Father Eldon will be able to show you all the translation, however, it pretty much confirms your theory about the goblins."
Shiela screws her eyes shut, as if trying to remember what the page said:
"The Broken Mountain erupts again, ... something... with an army. Some Evil is creating goblins un-naturally, and the Orcs aren't acting on it... Caught some around Fishleap Shallows... scouting... they think they can conquer the Seven Cities... wait, no, she wrote believe they are destined.
Then... something about the "False Garl" making a pact to "manipulate Nature", to enslave the Seven to Bridgeport - it actually uses the old name, Zarif.
Then there is a line, asking the bearer to see someone, and inform him of the problem. See what they can do, I think... I don't rember it exactly, obviously."
Shiela looks around the table to judge everyone's reactions to the report.
"So, it at least appears as if at least one druid knows something else is going on - and he sent an apprentice to act as a runner. Thing is, the Apprentice was killed - I assume by goblins - and we ended up killing her companion. That would explain why the druid's killers didn't loot her corpse.The cougar scared 'im off. They were also carrying a couple gems Balthazar says they are occasionally enchanted to assit with eyesight, but I haven't put eithther to necklace or the tiara on, myself."

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Actual words copy-pasted here for your convience:
~~~
Omorna,
The Broken Mountain erupts again, but this time with an army, not fire. Some devilry is spawning goblins unnaturally. The orcs refuse to do anything about it. The wrath of Obad-Hai shall be swift. I have captured some of the goblins on scouting missions in the woods north of Fishleap Shallows, and they seem to believe they are destined to conquer the Seven Cities of the Great Valley.
My spies have also just returned from the south. The False Road of Garl has made a pact with those who would manipulate Nature, through which they hope to enslave the Great Valley to themselves in Zarif.
I know not how the goblins and my reports from the south are related, but I fear time is short. Go quickly to Maghlemuel and if he does not already know of these things, give him this letter, then do as he bids.
Earth's blessings upon you.
-Aurelia

[DavidByron]

Matthew:
Definitely need to see the translation. Especially the bit about, "creating goblins un-naturally". And we could do with some allies in this matter. I think there's a druid in team Dingo. Perhaps they know this dead druid.

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In fact from the exact translation it's an Obad-Hai deal not a druid deal so the Cardinal (Omoris) probably doesn't know them. "Maghlemuel" is the name of the high priest of Obad-Hai in Bridgeport; something Matthew would most likely know. But no doubt Eldon recognised that name if team Cougar didn't.

Also I think Sharn has the translation not Eldon and Sharn may be present at the meeting so the translation might be available now.

I had thought this was just a simple matter of political intrigue and war, but if your report is accurate it's something far more sinister. I can see the master weaver rounding up and recruiting goblins from out of the East but that's hardly "creating goblins unnaturally". This is important. Maybe Argos isn't the head of this conspiracy. How much control over his goblin allies does he really have?

Do you have evidence that the druid was killed by goblins? Whereabouts were you when you found the body? I'd be surprised if goblins had crossed the Harvest and come South of Khorinis. The death may have been a coincidence.... It's not easy to track a druid that far.... another alternative is that the main road is being watched by agents at this time.

That reminds me. We met four guardsmen from Midford heading South to try and appeal for troops against the goblins. Although when we met them I had no more than a hunch, I warned them about the new Doge and suggested they come and talk to Bruce here. I take it these Midford guards never made it to Bridgeport that we know of?

How did the funeral go?

Was there anything odd about it? Dead bodies can still tell tales. I think we should break into the tomb and ask the dead Doge what he knows. Unless the same Necromantic effect that blocks his being raised also prevents other such spells.... All we need is a powerful cleric to cast the spell or write a scroll. Eldon might be willing. We might even be able to persuade a cleric of Pelor under the circumstances since the Doge was assassinated on their watch. But I think we'd need more proof first....

One other thing. There may be more conspirators than we know of yet. In particular who made all those weapons? I think the old Doge was originally from the smith's guild or something like that... but to make an army's worth of weapons in secret suggests someone from that guild is in on things too. That's the two most powerful guilds in Bridgeport, the new Doge and I assume -- has Argos fired the old Marshal yet? Well expect that next. On the other hand the other churches stand to lose out so they might make good allies.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

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Another FYI - the Clerics of Obad-Hai and the Druids are not as separate/distinct in this campaign as they are in the PHB. Druids revere Obad-Hai, just in a less formal and specific way than the clerics do... they sort of revere him by revering nature, whereas the clerics revere him directly. I can't remember if it was Wellesley or Valspir that told the adventurers that Maghlemuel "studied in both traditions" (read: multiclassed Druid and Cleric). The reason I did this was because of the way Omoris introduced himself as a "druid of Obad-Hai." Here is some of Omoris' backstory from his character sheet:

Just northeast of the halfling marshes lies the glades belonging to "the Crown of Obad-hai" a sect of druids devoted to the protection of the forest. They combat deforestation in many different ways, from summoning wolves to scare would-be woodcutters away,to planting snares and traps to snare and entangle thier foes.They do not particulary have any qualms on how they acheive thier goal, and for every person gently guided out of the wood another finds themselves stripped of thier belongings, beaten and floating in the marsh. While all who gain a profit from the export of timber despise this group, many halflings and humans are thankful, for the druids help to repel orc incursions and other foul creatures. Recently, the sect has been attacked by adventuring groups hired by logging guilds, and have had to tone thier activities down and become even more secluded. In desperation, they have sent some of thier wisest apprentice druids, including Omoris Brecht,to go out into the world and spread the judgement of Obad-Hai to those who disrespect nature, and to aid those who do. Many of these druids fell foul to mishap, but Omoris was crafty enough to find a way of becoming more powerful, earning funds for his sect, and dosing out the judgement of the master of nature: By joining the adventurers guild.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan was clutching his head tightly. "Too much..."
His hand darted down to frantically grab and uncap the flask, swigging at least a quarter of it before capping and taking a breath.

"Um... my apologies, but I'm not very good at keeping up with all of this. I... I th-think I've gotten all that's happened so far, but I'm still not very useful with one happy exception. You mentioned the funeral, and.. um, I guess I'm as far as the expert can be on that subject. But why br-break into the tomb?" Zan sighed, knowing the reasons given were quite sufficient... he simply wasn't comfortable with the idea. He was also feeling some bitterment at the religious affiliations involved... Pelor, Garl... he was sure he heard a mention of Obad-Hai. It seems all of the gods were mixing it but his own.

"Okay, I recant that earlier question." Zan followed that sentence up with a general description to what exactly happened at the funeral, not leaving any details out this time as he had previously to Inagu. This was essentially the most crucial account, as he had never given one to the whole of the teams before.

[Thanatos 51-50]

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Sorry, MK, but could you please, please, type out the description of the funeral for those of us not following the other team's threads?
Also, DavidByron, this may be a good tool to update your "Plot Summary" on the help page.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

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The funeral procession reaches the end of the gardens and comes to a large pair of double doors that are the rear entrance of the cathedral of Pelor. Young clerics armed with maces step aside. Instead of going through the doors, however, Lucas turns to a wide, low, single door to the right, made of wood and iron. He produces a large, intricate key from a ring on his belt, which he puts into the keyhole of the door and unlocks it. Stone steps curve downward, well-lit by torches in brackets on the walls. The procession goes down into the crypt under the church.
After descending a 360 degree spiral of the staircase, Zan and those around him find themselves in a huge room of stone. The walls, ceiling, and floor are stone, and there are stone columns everywhere that are continuous with the floor and ceiling. About half of the giant room is full of the tombs of various Doges and High Priests and other persons of power. the room is well-lit and well-cared for; there is no dust on the tombs, no cobwebs in the corners. Another cleric meets them and leads them to a simple, undecorated tomb. The only engraving is a simple "Aloysius III." Valspir whispers that the stonecarvers will work for months before completing the artwork on the tomb. The coffin is set down.
Lucas
"Behold, the material shell of Aloysius III. If any here think this be not he, speak now."
The coffin is opened, revealing the body within. A man with white hair, old but not ancient, the skin of his face tough-looking, and probably ruddy once. In death he is paler, with tiny purple spots around his eyes, mouth, and neck. Around his neck is a heavy chain of gold and jewels, on his belt is a small dagger with a gold hilt (not similar to the daggers of Klesha and Verona), and in his left hand is a scroll.
Lucas looks into the faces of all those present, his own face an expressionless mask.
******
With no protests, Lucas orders the doge's body placed in the tomb and the tomb sealed with a heavy stone lid that takes eight men to lift and position. A final prayer is said, then the procession quietly returns up the steps to the garden before informally splitting up. The high priests go into the cathedral, Marshal Picket leaves the group somewhere in the palace, and the three senior guildmasters, Zan, and Valspir come out into the plaza in front of the palace again (in view of Dravick, Victor, and Inagu).