ZEITGEIST Ekossigan Diplomacy
- Thread starter ediz
- Start date
Andrew Moreton
Adventurer
I would think not. He is a very dark fey and is driven mad by the standards of the fey. Further he is part of the fey faction which distrusts Risur and it's king and really has no reason to trust the king or negotiate with his minions after all killing off a few ephemeral and unwanted children is a small price to pay for driving off the darkness he has foreseen , he may accept if the king or pc's join him but anything else is just an attempt to defeat his dread purpose
Shimrath
Explorer
Funny you should ask about this, as the big fight with Ekossigan just started in my game with only a very short attempt to persuade him from his dark ritual!
As you phrased the question, i would also answer "no". Joining forces with the Constables instead of leading a small army of fey into the Bleak Gate doesn't seem like Ekossigan's style.
I decided to remain open to the possibility of diplomacy even though i thought it was a super-long shot. If the Constables had come up with some really compelling idea, i would have given them a chance. Maybe if they played up the fact that they essentially have the same end goal, or found a very clever way to compel or appeal to the fey lord. . .I think i would have allowed them to attempt to convince Ekossigan to wait for one more day, with the promise of an alternate way into the Bleak Gate, in order to save the children. I didn't plan anything beyond remaining open to the possibility, though.
As you phrased the question, i would also answer "no". Joining forces with the Constables instead of leading a small army of fey into the Bleak Gate doesn't seem like Ekossigan's style.
I decided to remain open to the possibility of diplomacy even though i thought it was a super-long shot. If the Constables had come up with some really compelling idea, i would have given them a chance. Maybe if they played up the fact that they essentially have the same end goal, or found a very clever way to compel or appeal to the fey lord. . .I think i would have allowed them to attempt to convince Ekossigan to wait for one more day, with the promise of an alternate way into the Bleak Gate, in order to save the children. I didn't plan anything beyond remaining open to the possibility, though.
Karma Kollapse
First Post
Ekossigan is a creature that is willing to execute children en masse to get what he wants - and it isn't just something he is about to do, it is something *he has already started doing*. Before the constables can arrive on the scene, he has already killed an orphan boy. I don't think Ekossigan values mortal life, I don't think it is even a consideration for him, and negotiations shouldn't have any baring on him at all.
hirou
Explorer
It's interesting how bloodthirsty he is in your view. IMHO it will all depends on wording and ideas of players. He should be opposed to the idea "King of Risur can grant you passage to Bleak Gate", but not to "King of Risur wants to help you in your righteous deed, but he is weak and needs one more day". Bonus points if party speaks with Gale beforehand and she can add her voice to the party's. Bonus points if party argues that the night of new moon is much better for purification of Ob, as "dark deeds should be done in the darkness". Bonus points if they tempt him with possible sacrifice of Ob engineers instead of children (note that most of them are just a hired workforce, so this is definitely "not much lesser evil"). And so on.
I'm very against strictly gating them with single DC40 check. This is just a check on whether someone optimized Diplomacy enough (or studies the rulebooks enough to get a one-time bonus), and has nothing to do with actually roleplaying.
For an unrelated point of reference, my party completely crashed the rails of this plot thread by seeking fey opposers of Ob before the adventure even started and discovering Ekossigan before the first murder. Long story short, Ekossigan of Winter is dead, Ekossigan of Spring is supporting unrelated NPC from introduced side-plot, Ekossigan of Summer transferred his power to Gale, Princess of Summer Storm, and Ekossigan of Autumn is inside party psion mind along with Xambria.
I'm very against strictly gating them with single DC40 check. This is just a check on whether someone optimized Diplomacy enough (or studies the rulebooks enough to get a one-time bonus), and has nothing to do with actually roleplaying.
For an unrelated point of reference, my party completely crashed the rails of this plot thread by seeking fey opposers of Ob before the adventure even started and discovering Ekossigan before the first murder. Long story short, Ekossigan of Winter is dead, Ekossigan of Spring is supporting unrelated NPC from introduced side-plot, Ekossigan of Summer transferred his power to Gale, Princess of Summer Storm, and Ekossigan of Autumn is inside party psion mind along with Xambria.
Last edited:
I thought of the DC40 as a basis to possibly having a shot. My game is PBP so the logic has to be sound. It is ok. The high elf technologist demanded Ekossigan to stand down and the Ekossigan colded him up and teleported to a tree branch. Arrowtwist is going to cause them a ton of problems.
RangerWickett
Legend
I'd add in some Knowledge (Nature) check to let you figure out the right way to phrase negotiations with a fey, if you're just using dice rolls instead of role playing.
gideonpepys
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
In my game, Asrabey came with the players to conftont the renegade fey lord and when Ekossigan told him the Ob had Kasvarina, he turned on them. Gale, Asrabey and Ekossigan came close to causing a TPK, and when the unit retreated they sacrificed the kiddies and le their army through the portal.
It was a low point.
Personally I think Ekossigan is doolally-tap and won't listen to reason.
It was a low point.
Personally I think Ekossigan is doolally-tap and won't listen to reason.
Empirate
First Post
My constables actually talked about this and arrived at the conclusion that, while Ekossigan's goals more or less chime with their own, they cannot let him live for three reasons: 1) He is a murderer, killing a boy and the druids at the orphanage, and 2) the king ordered them to execute him as a favor to the Unseen Court, as requested in Asrabey's mission – no matter his guilt of any crimes, his methods, his goals, whatever, and 3) Gale is one of my PCs' love interest... and he didn't take kindly to her effective enslavement.
Now would I have had Ekossigan listen to the constables if they had decided to try and ally with him? In general, sure, why not. He is already far gone by the time the party can encounter him, of course. But in my view, Ekossigan simply feels misunderstood and let down by the failure of all concerned to see the danger of the Ob's conspiracy. I would probably have had him jump on any allies who actually agree with his views, and who promise to be a strong addition to his forces (a team of level 7 PCs is one hell of a crack troop!).
Nevertheless, "my" Ekossigan's madness might have made such a match uncomfortable in the extreme in practice. He would have insisted on going through with the mass sacrifice to bring over a small fey army, so as to ensure success in his mission. He would also have insisted on being the sole commander of the whole undertaking, madly micromanaging all kinds of things the PCs would have no stomach for.
Finally, I might have had Ekossigan turn on his allies once his spring aspect turned into his winter aspect (in effect, as soon as the real fighting starts). As Ekossigan of Winter, he's not the same person anymore, and any kind of hopefulness for a good ending (spring aspect) is replaced by a certainty that the end is nigh and that all living things must die (winter aspect). At least, that's my interpretation of the Season Slain thing.
Now would I have had Ekossigan listen to the constables if they had decided to try and ally with him? In general, sure, why not. He is already far gone by the time the party can encounter him, of course. But in my view, Ekossigan simply feels misunderstood and let down by the failure of all concerned to see the danger of the Ob's conspiracy. I would probably have had him jump on any allies who actually agree with his views, and who promise to be a strong addition to his forces (a team of level 7 PCs is one hell of a crack troop!).
Nevertheless, "my" Ekossigan's madness might have made such a match uncomfortable in the extreme in practice. He would have insisted on going through with the mass sacrifice to bring over a small fey army, so as to ensure success in his mission. He would also have insisted on being the sole commander of the whole undertaking, madly micromanaging all kinds of things the PCs would have no stomach for.
Finally, I might have had Ekossigan turn on his allies once his spring aspect turned into his winter aspect (in effect, as soon as the real fighting starts). As Ekossigan of Winter, he's not the same person anymore, and any kind of hopefulness for a good ending (spring aspect) is replaced by a certainty that the end is nigh and that all living things must die (winter aspect). At least, that's my interpretation of the Season Slain thing.
Similar Threads
AD6_gamerati_skyscraper
Recent & Upcoming Releases
-
April 16 2024 -
May 31 2024 -
June 3 2024 -
June 4 2024 -
June 18 2024 -
July 16 2024 -
September 17 2024 -
October 1 2024 -
November 12 2024 -
February 18 2025
