AC 38,Touch 32, CMB 24, CMD 38 when flying,223/223 hp Malgant Winterborn Thursday September 27th, 2012 5:37:22 PM
please add +1 to all those rolls, I forgot the ioun stone bonus. hopefully this will not happen once I get used to it.
DM Cayzle Thursday September 27th, 2012 9:58:45 PM
In the face of the party's "diplomacy" -- some efforts more diplomatic, and others a little more than somewhat less so, it must be said -- not to mention the ongoing torrent of telepathic abuse from the intelligent artifact, the mayor crumples.
"Uh, um, uh," he stammers. "yes, well. You see. I suppose."
He turns tail and flees, and his retinue trails after.
The Lord High Mayor of Acid City calls back over his shoulder as he moves, post-haste: "I'll send you a bill ...."
....
The mayor's visit may leave you scratching your head. It stirs up memories and ideas about the place in which you find yourself, not to mention its customs and laws.
Knowledge Local or Knowledge Religion DC10: Highlight to display spoiler: { Basic Ga'al and Aisildur Knowledge: Some people you know -- Ashira, Val, Appolo, Rigging, and Bart, among them -- are heroes in Aisildur because they destroyed the Mother Heartseed of Ga'al and broke the link between Church and State in Aisildur. The Church has seen its power greatly diminish. All those heroes have now retired. The Church has to make converts by persuasion rather than force these days.
All the heartseeds (magic plants that grew in a person's heart and gave them magic powers as well as allowing Ga'al to control their will) in Aisildur died. Only recently has the Church grown a new Mother Plant and started offering followers Heartseeds again. However, the priests now cannot force Heartseeds on anyone, and the royal family and most nobles remain unheartseeded.
Since church and state are no longer synonymous here, there are taxes levied by the Emperor and by the Church, but only the Emperor's taxes are enforced. Only those loyal to the Church still pay the traditional "One part in one hundred" that has long been the church's due. Not too long ago, the Church convinced the local nobles in southeast Aisildur, including Acid City, to impose a tax on all who do not have heartseeds. The BBL crew helped some non-heartseeded people flee the area.}
Knowledge Religion DC15: Highlight to display spoiler: { Church of Ga'al Info: Ga'al is, of course, a god, and therefore, as are all gods, above good and evil, law and chaos. The Church of Ga'al in Aisildur has a lawful evil reputation, and has been scorned by and opposed by good heroes of the Wold. However, even at the Church's worst, there have been good people who honor Ga'al, just as there are evil ones who honor Domi. Lately, forced to give up its policy of forced conversion, the Church has tried to change its reputation. How much the hierarchy has really changed is unknown. Hint: Ga'al is still the god of aggression and domination.}
Knowledge Arcana or Religion DC20: Highlight to display spoiler: { Artifact Lore: Artifacts are notorious in stories for being difficult to destroy or get rid of. One artifact may need to be worn by a dog for a year. Another may need to be dropped in a particular volcano. Often, the artifact, not the finder, chooses when the item will find a new owner.}
Knowledge Religion DC20: Highlight to display spoiler: { Ga'alian Artifact Lore: Ga'al has a history of creating artifacts for members of his Quads. A Quad is a group of champions who work as a team to do Ga'al's bidding, often blessed with magical powers, including that none can die unless all are killed.}
Knowledge Knowledge Arcana or Religion DC30: Highlight to display spoiler: { More Artifact Lore: You have heard a reference in a story or hymn to something that might be this artifact -- a horn that could play itself, and create fogs and mists. Your lore suggests it is linked to Ga'al.}
A day later, you get a messenger who runs up, drops a scroll case, and flees. In the case is: (1) a bill for land within a mile of this new castle, valued at 100,000 gp, as a land grant from a Lord Agor. (2) The Emperor's Tax, to be set at one part in ten of all annual incomes, to be determined in a later audience with the Emperor's Appraiser. (3) A Church Tax on the non-heartseeded, of 1,000 gp each.
Later that day, you see a lone rider approaching. He seems to be a knight in armor, riding a celestial steed.
Brahmah 215/215hps, AC 30+ 5 DEFENDER (only while in combat)TOUCH AC 19 FlatFooted AC 25, Darkvision, Life Bubble, Guiding Star Thursday September 27th, 2012 11:39:11 PM
Brahmah happens to be on the side of the road playing fetch with Polo when the rider approaches. Brahmah straightens in anticipation. The ranger assumes this is 'another official'. He waves a massive hand. Not much to this diplomatic envoy.
Guiding Star- You form a bond with your surroundings when you cast this spell. For the remaining duration of the spell you can always, as a standard action, determine your approximate distance from that area as well as the direction you must travel in order to reach it. You cannot determine the location of the area if you are on a different plane. The area counts as "very familiar" for the purposes of teleport or similar spells. You can only attune yourself to one location at a time. If you cast the spell at another spot you lose the ability to locate your original area.
Prepared Spells: 1st - Lead Blades x2, Resist Energy x2, Negate Aroma, Keen Senses 2nd - Versatile Weapon, Eagle Eye, Chameleon Stride, Guiding Star* 3rd - Darkvision x2*, Life Bubble* 4th - Commune with Nature, Grove of Respite, Summon Nature's Ally 4
Permanent/Other Effects: Mind Link (group) Large - Reach Fearsome - -2 in Diplomacy URBAN, WATER, UNDERGROUND and FORESTS +2 favored terrain CENTAURS, MAGICAL BEASTS, HUMANS and UNDEAD +2 favored enemy Neutral Good
Active Spells or effects: Word of Recall - CL11 (castle) 1/day: unused Guiding Star (on himself, 15 days, Blackbird Lake, cast day one upon return) Darkvision (on himself 15 hours, CL15) Life Bubble (on himself, 15 hours, CL 15)
Item Provided junk: Daylight 1/day See Invisibility 1/day Ring of Retribution 1/day Helm of Comprehend Languages and Read Magic Frost Chain (on Kukri) [Freedom of Movement underwater only, +1d6 frost is null underwater] Greater Improved Shadow Armor (+to stealth) Ring of Chameleon Power (disguise self as standard action, +to stealth)
Hero Points Spent: 3
Aztyr AC 30 ,Touch AC 17, 5 DR Fire - SR 18 - HP 169/169 d20+12=17 ; d20+12=25 ; d20+27=43 ; d20+12=16 ; d20+27=36 ; Friday September 28th, 2012 12:39:12 AM
Aztyr goes into contemplation of things..... (success of all rolls but #4, the DC 20 religion all rolls are at +1)
At a dinner gathering later, "I have a feeling we might be stuck with that damn horn tip, until it finds something or someone more interesting to hold it's attention. Also, it looks like we owe a bit of gold, plus the Ga'al Church thinks we will be paying a tax to them, because we aren't heartseeded. I have a great doubt they will get any money for that tax from us. I also think, that if their new seed tree should suffer a severe and catastrophic fate, they would have to stop collecting that silly tax."
Mage Armor, extended w/ Rod Cast at 8am each morning Duration 36 hours Magic Vestment +5 (cast with Wold's Blood at 8am each morning) Duration 36 hours
Brahmah 215/215hps, AC 30+ 5 DEFENDER (only while in combat)TOUCH AC 19 FlatFooted AC 25, Darkvision, Life Bubble, Guiding Star Friday September 28th, 2012 3:24:10 AM
"I have no intention of paying tax to the Ga'al church, but to the town, yes. I told the mayor I would. I had no idea this town was heartseeded or else I would have voted for Minotaur Isle. The town needs tax to operate."
Vauhwyt (HP 147 of 147, AC43) Sub/Al d20+16=27 ; Friday September 28th, 2012 8:39:26 AM
"Aztyr ... " Vauhwyt gives a sly look at her fellow liontaur across the dinner table. "We have the nasty but very magical horn ... " She pats her pouch where the thing lies sequestered. "And we owe taxes. Why don't we kill two birds with one stone?"
"Boss!!!"
"Shush, Mookie. Figure of speech."
"The horn said something about being interested in Ga'al. If we can convince it to go with the tax collectors, and if we can convince the tax collectors to take it in payment, well then, we've solved our problem." Vauhwyt licks her lips in a toothy grin. "Haven't we?"
+++++++++++++++
Knowledge Arcana vs DC20: 27
Sir Joshua the Virtuous (Ken), DR 5/evil d20+9=22 ; Friday September 28th, 2012 11:09:34 AM
After the mayor's departure, Sir Joshua considers what they know about this region, local customs and religions... (Know (Rel) = 22 ), and says, "Yes, I remember hearing about that religion and their worship of the false diety Ga'al. Those heart seeds sound like an abomination and I for one consider it evil for anyone to use such a thing. I also agree with you that we should NOT pay taxes to such a foolish belief system, but taxes for the town are OK. On the other hand, paying 100K of our gold is excessive and a more reasonable amount would be better. Our protection alone would be worth that amount and maybe we could offer our help and assistance against bandits and brigands to help pay the bill... I like the idea of giving the artifact as payment and maybe someone else can do something with this annoying foul mouthed item... Of course it may have been created by the religion for use by its champions and maybe we should speak with some of them about how to destroy it?"
His musing is interrupted by the sight of a figure coming towards them in armor and atop a steed. "Maybe now we'll be able to meet someone who knows how to act around nobility." Stirring William into an unneeded but impressive gallop, Sir Joshua moves towards the rider and comes up short, making sure that his armor catches the sun just right in order to shine brilliantly and his large red cross on his tabard is clearly visible. To the rider, he introduces himself yet again and asks the man his name, title and business with them.
Jass of Downs (SteveK) d20+17=37 d20+22=42 Friday September 28th, 2012 11:14:22 AM
Jass has been doing a lot of studying of the Arcane all his life, and got really into learning more of the undead (and necessarily religion) since he died and his magic was corrupted to align with necromancy.
And so, he is VERY familiar with the local religious situation!
He tells the others what he speculates (to include everything in spoilers above), and he puts his own 2 cents in.
"Yet Sieur Josh, the local magistrates here don't need or want our protection. What we are is a 'complication'. I think the best way to go about resolving this is to have a conclusion that eliminiates LaGorne from Scarwall, has the people of Acid City look at us as a good thing, and to be as autonomous as possible."
"Now, Vauhwyt's suggestion has merit, convince LaGorne that the priests of Ga'al would be a better benefit for its purpose than harrassing us."
"And for the land and castle, are we actually in Alisidur? If so, we'll have to get a charter from the King to be autonomous. If we're not actually in Alisidur, we can pay the Lord, but demand that it is a permanent payment, not a grant. OUR LAND NOW, eh?"
Vorelle [HP 164/164] Friday September 28th, 2012 1:08:53 PM
"The last time we were here," Vorelle said. "The residents were not heartseeded. In fact, we dealt with a number of refugees from Asildur."
"I think that this area falls under Asildur's influence," she continues, "but isn't officially part of it. I could be mistaken."
[OOC: Vorelle has no relevant Knowledge skills, but that's how her player remembers things.]
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