[v.3.5] Realmsian Dragonstar: The Battle of Toril PbP Game [IC] (Game Cancelled)

[KainG]

"I feel like we should head north then, to Waterdeep, and inform them of what we know. From there, there are enough personages of grandeur that word will spread fast. And perhaps, more selfishly, I wish to send word to Evermeet and Evereska."

"One other question is, what do we do with Haspur? He needs to be protected, and I swore to do so. It might be dangerous to bring him with us anywhere, but at least we can keep an eye on him, and there's no guarantee that any hiding place would protect him. Being on the move has its own advantages."

 

[Shayuri]

"But if he's with us, then we would retain our ability to use magic," Siel reminds everyone. "Otherwise, it might prove problematic. We could protect each other."

"Not to mention, a moving target is harder to hit."

 

[Salthorae]

, , ,

"This... Candlekeep, may not be defensive, but if the being who your most powerful remaining deity spoke through suggests it as a refuge for the people, it should not be dismissed. If it is remote, the Empire will take their time sending troops to that location, preferring first to remove resistance from any large fortified positions. If your magic is a powerful as Tochror's report indicates, your mages should be able in areas of stable magic, put magical shields up that may withstand some or all of the orbital bombardment. The smaller the area that needs to be warded the stronger the ward. So this Candlekeep may be ideal, I do not know it's layout or who among you can erect such a shield, if any."

Nodding as the Raptorian spoke, "I agree that enemies may become friends in this time, though I would continue to be wary of drow and races who across the stars prove time and again their evil self-interested intents like the Beholders, Mindflayers, or Neogi."

"As to holding up in the dwarven mines, the Empire won't seek the mithril deposits first. They will look to put down any armed resistance and gain control of the surface, then come sideways at the mithril, boring their own shafts into the mountains and stones to reach the deposts rather than fighting tunnel warfare against entrenched enemies."

Squatting down on his haunches Shazer'a continues, "if we cannot get our hands on any scrolls of sending, then we must try and capture an ansible to communicate with Grand Duke Kupric. One of the troop dropships *may* have one if we are strategic, we may be able to surpirse and capture it.

OOC: Knowledge (History)/Legion tactics Results 1d20+4: 18 [1d20=14] to know where an ansible may be to capture if we have to.

 

[tekknowkub]

Dakashi takes in what everyone has to say before responding, "As an Enlightened Monk, Hadyri may have the best chance of explaining all that we have experienced here to the other Monks at Candlekeep. I also share a like mind with those who train body, mind and soul and can assist with any diplomacy with those at Candlekeep."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

OOC: Rodan Knowledge (history) Check
[roll0]

 

[Knightfall]

Silhouette looks a bit unimpressed at the new revelations and says, "Duke Eltan, I have a suggestion, if you'll listen."

"Getting the people clear of the cities is of course the top immediate priority, but we have one crucial piece of information that might help us in formulating a counterattack as well."

"We know what they're here for, and there's no reason they should suspect that we know."

"Their attacks on the surface cities of Toril will almost certainly be, from their own point of view, a kind of diversionary tactic. Spreading chaos and terror, inflicting casualties and forcing us to look after our own, so that we cannot interfere with their true aim."

"From what we've learned, even as these 'plasma blasts' fall on our cities, they will be sending forces to locate and secure the major mithril veins...which I believe are almost exclusively mined by dwarves. Dwarf citadels will be impervious to attacks from the sky, forcing them to land armies to take them. I suspect that while they will not fight 'gently,' their goal for the dwarves will be conquest and enslavement rather than eradication...as it would be for the surface-dwelling people."

"This gives us opportunities for ambush and counterattack, if we can muster the will to do it. Concentrate our forces at the largest sources of mithril, working in partnership with the dwarves. They would not anticipate such a tactic, as it requires intimate understanding of their strategic goals."

"I suggest sending envoys to the dwarves immediately. We will have to conduct evacuations AND diplomacy at once to set this into motion."

"Active dwarf citadels are almost nonexistent in the Western Hearthlands, Lady Siel," Lord Eltan replies. "The delves and caverns of Old Shanatar have all fallen to things best left alone. There is Iltkazar far to the south under the Omlarandin Mountains. It is last remnant of Shanatar and is actually called the Mithral Kingdom by the dwarves. Moving my people there isn't likely an option at this point. The journey would be very long. Magic could shorten the journey, but there is a real risk of something going wrong in the Weave cannot be trusted. I have someone I can send there. To warn them of what is to come, but I doubt he'd get there before this invasion begins."

"Agreed. We need to contact the Lords' Alliance and any other allies we have, and let them know what we have learned about the Dragon Empire. The more we can prepare and save, the better our chances of survival will be."

Lord Eltan looks at Kethrendil. "It will take some time to contact them all. Berdusk, Elturel, and Iriaebor will be the easiest to contact as they are the closest. I will have riders sent out as soon as I speak to the Grand Duke Belt." He pauses. "I will send riders to the other nearby communities. Warning them is the right thing to do."

 

[Knightfall]

"We shouldn't spread word about the Chosen, though, except for a those we absolutely trust. The last thing we want is the Empire getting their hands on them. We need to do everything we can to protect them. And maybe they'll be able to find a way to repair the Weave."

"Candlekeep might actually be a good place to visit, although the monks there might put up a fight against bring in so many people. They're damn stubborn. However, it could be a good defensible location, one where we could hide Haspur. And the lore within its walls may provide additional insight."

"Candlekeep is not defensible against an enemy who rains fire from the sky," Siel disagrees. "Our refuges must be underground, or at the very least hard to see from above."

"Do not underestimate Candlekeep's ability to survive," Lord Eltan replies. "It has survived for over a thousand years and is protected by more than just magic." He looks at Haspur. "However, I don't know how realistic it is to try to go there and seek entry from the monks. They are very insular and their are many rules for entry into the keep. We would need a great tome of knowledge that they've seen before."

"They can have my datapad, if that will help," Tocrhor offers. "The information on it will most assuredly be something they have no knowledge of."

"There is also the monks' rule about no one staying in the fortress for longer than a tenday. I doubt they will forgive that rule unless the invaders try to take the keep, which won't be easy if they attempt it from the ground. The keep is guarded by other things besides magic."

Lord Eltan looks at Keth once more. "Taking Haspur there is probably a good idea. He is Chosen and I'm sure the monks would be willing to help protect him, if it means that his presence will empower the keep's magical defenses, which are considerable." The Grand Duke walks over to Haspur and kneels down next to the man beside Keth. "Haspur... Chosen, can you hear me?"

"Y-yes, we hear you" the voice speaks through the Chosen.

"Why Candlekeep? Why should we go there? Would it really be safe there?"

"The Magister, she is there. She was drawn to the great library by her own visions of the possible futures. She must not be lost to the Empire. She Must Not!"

"I need more than that to risk my citizens, Chosen."

"Miirym. Miirym can show the way to salvation," Haspur shudders and then falls into a deep state of unconsciousness.

"Who is Miirym? Haspur? Haspur!" The Grand Duke tries to shake the man awake.

Lord Eltan, you're going to hurt him," a lowly acolyte steps in and tries to pull the Grand Duke off Haspur. "Please stop!"

"Tempus!" Lord Eltan throws his hands up in frustration. Keth can see that the emotion of the day is weighing heavily on the man. There are tears in his eyes that run down over dried blood on his cheeks.

OOC: For native characters - Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 25) to know who the current Magister is and a Knowledge (history) check (DC 35) to know who Miirym is.

 

[Buddha the DM]

Soumral recognizes the title of Magister but draws a complete and utter blank as to who it could be currently. She also doesn't know whoever this Miirym is.

OOC: Soumral has no ranks in any knowledge skill, and they are trained use only it would seem.

 

[KainG]

OOC: Kethrendil's Knowledge (arcana): [1d20+8] = 20+8 = 28 (booya!)

Kethrendil was shocked, and then hopeful. The elf had never met Talatha Vaerovree, but he had learned that knowing who are the major movers and shakers in the world of magic; knowledge is power, and every bit had helped him survive years of adventuring.

"Lord Eltan, the Magister, much like the Chosen, is another one of Mystra's champions. I don't know the current holder personally, but the office of the Magister suggests that their skill and knowledge in the Art are great enough that Lady Mystra herself would entrust them to spread the Art in Her name. The Magister could provide great assistance to our cause."

Keth avoided mentioning her by name. At least for now. The identity of the Magister should not be mentioned casually, now more than ever. It had taken himself enormous effort, and just as much luck, just to learn what he did.

 

[Knightfall]

Rodan was quiet while the arguments went back and forth, but now he heard a sentiment he agreed with (fleeing) and he became animated once more. "No sense in just alerting your allied kingdoms. You may as well also alert many of your enemies you believe would be willing to fight, also. The more that are prepared are more that will give trouble to the Empire. Also, we need to try and come up with a plan to capture a vessel so we can flee this place and slip through the attack in order to alert Grand Duke Kupric, or otherwise capture a means from sending a signal from the incoming fleet itself."

"While I have no desire to see anyone subjugated by this Empire, I'm very hesitant to contact those who might choose to ally with the invaders," Eltan replies firmly. "There is no way I'm going to trust the freedom of the world to the Zhents. They are backstabbers and tyrants and cannot be trusted." Eltan picks himself up from his prone position with the acolytes help and looks at Haspur in vain. "However, there are... others that have opposed Baldur's Gate in the past who will likely fight if not for freedom for they're own self interests. Syl Pasha Rlan el-Pesarkhal of Calimshan is unlikely to bow to anyone no matter how powerful. I'm not sure what the Shadow Thieves of Amn will do. If Shar still lives, they will likely do as she commands. If magic is failing everywhere, I'd hate to think what's happening in Halruaa right now." He looks at Rodan. "I will warn whoever I can, as long as I think they will not betray the world."

"For now though, I can help with the evacuation."

Lord Eltan walks over to the raptoran and embraces him like a good friend. "I thank for your help, Master Rodan." He gives the winged man one final firm grasp on the man's arm. "If you feel you must flee my world afterwards, I will not hold it against you. But I will not leave my world for another. I was born here and i will die here, defending it." He turns away to look at the others. "I must go to the palace and coordinate the with Belt and see if I can contact the other Grand Dukes."

"I feel like we should head north then, to Waterdeep, and inform them of what we know. From there, there are enough personages of grandeur that word will spread fast. And perhaps, more selfishly, I wish to send word to Evermeet and Evereska."

"Waterdeep is a long way, but if the monks of Candlekeep won't take my people in, it might be the next best place. The magical protections there are strong, and the Chosen who live there are powerful. If Mystra gave them more power like she did with Haspur, they will be a force to reckon with." Lord Eltan looks at Keth. "I might be able to send a message to Evereska but Evermeet is likely beyond the reach of any wizard in the city. If my,,, friend, Moruene was here, i would see if she could do it, but she too is away from the city, in Cormyr." Eltan stands silent in contemplation for several minutes before continuing. "There are some powerful arcane users in the city, but most of them keep to themselves. There is a man named Gondal. He's a sorcerer." He looks at Tocrhor. "Maybe he'll still have all his powers, like you."

"I have no idea," the hobgoblin replies. "If his power flows through this Weave, I doubt he'll be unaffected. But, we sorcerers tend to break the rules of magic, so anything is possible."

"Hmm, yes, well there are others. There is a wizard named Lanthalim who tends to take things very personally. The few times I've met him, he's seemed like a good man. And there is Brielbara. She's the daughter of a deceased archmage known as Briel. She's quite famous in the city, actually. I'll have the Fists try to find her."

"One other question is, what do we do with Haspur? He needs to be protected, and I swore to do so. It might be dangerous to bring him with us anywhere, but at least we can keep an eye on him, and there's no guarantee that any hiding place would protect him. Being on the move has its own advantages."

The Grand Duke looks at Haspur again, "Watch over him carefully." He looks at Keth again. "If he's as important as you claim, as he now appears to be, he will be a target of this draconian Empire. The monks might take him and no one else. I will send a rider down the road to the keep to let them know what is happening and that we'd like to shelter the young and helpless there. While I doubt they will let able bodied people hide there, I will have the envoy ask them, as well as get there advice."

The Grand Duke heads towards the main entrance of the temple without another word. The people stand as he passes by. They look upon his with pride but there is also worry. Once he's left, Tocrhor says what most are thinking.

"He is a good man."