(4th IR) What does your character write?

[Edena_of_Neith]

The Alliance of the Phoenix

The arguments of Janos prove effective.

The people of the City of Shade denounce Lord Shadow, and before Lord Shadow can do anything they kill him where he stands, and they proclaim Janos the Lich King of their city.
Under Janos, say they, they will ride to glory and to victory, crush the phaerimm, and restore the glory of ancient Netheril.

Thay, beset by the Dark Crusaders, by internal factions supporting the Meritocracy, by the threat of Imaskari both south and north, and not least by the Wishes thrown here, there, and everywhere by idiot magelings, asks to join with the City of Shade ... if the City of Shade will bother itself to save their country from being overrun.

Halruaa, in the south, declares that it supports it's Netherese brethren (the Shade) in the north, and that now is the time for all Netherese and all truly wise mages to ally.

In other words, we now have a Halruaa-Thay-City of Shade confederation.

This confederation renames itself The Alliance of the Phoenix, for the Netherese are risen from the ashes of the past to new heights of power and glory.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

TO ALL IN THE IR AGAINST THE GNOMISH BOOKS OF DOMINATION

Thanks to the conference between Bugbear, Lichtenhart, Mr. Draco, Kalanyr, Janos, William, and I must assume others, you are closing in on doing it.
You are closing in on the Counterspell.
The Dauntless and the Free Nations of Faerun are giving help, and intensely researching how to produce this Countercharm.

TO SERPENTEYE

You just had a break.
Dambrath never fell to the effects of your books. That mighty nation of Loviatar and Lolth worshippers was able to shrug off the gnomish magic.
However, with the birth of the Alliance of the Phoenix, Dambrath feels it is time to bargain for collective security.

In other words, Dambrath is offering to be an ally of the Meritocracy.
They will not permit ANY further gnomish books in their land (nor even your books, Serpenteye) but they will fight at your side.
Dambrath thinks the Meritocracy is going to win, and Dambrath wants to be on the winning side.

TO WILLIAM AND THE OTHERS - IMPORTANT

A large number of gnomes have suddenly defected from Lantan, and are joining the Dauntless - IF the Dauntless will have them.
These gnomes state that power-mad tyrants have seized their government and their religion, are trying for world domination, and have gone utterly mad.
These gnomes are willing to help with the Countercharm ... IF the Dauntless will help them and take them in as refugees.
These gnomes state that there are other wonders of gnomish research that are coming into production, and that they would be willing to share these breakthroughs with the Dauntless - if they are put to altruistic purposes and not used to enslave and corrupt.

If the Dauntless refuse their help, these gnomes state they will go into hiding, and try to survive ... and undoubtedly Faerun will suffer all the more.
For the elves, dwarves, halflings, and faerie of the Dauntless are VERY SUSPICIOUS of these gnomish defectors.
And Evermeet has never even allowed gnomes on it's soil.
What to do? What to do ...

 

[Tokiwong]

Misha argues that the defector gnomes be closely watched if they are allowed into Evermeet, and brings his case before the Queen, claiming that, perhaps at this time, a show of solidarity against the gnomes is the best front, and these gnomes be allowed to perhaps to be under their protection, but kept far from any locations that are considered important to the Dauntless...

As the self-proclaimed defender of the Dauntless, Misha will not allow traitorous gnomes to destroy the Dauntless... and will keep his eye closely upon them...

 

[Kalanyr]

My votes on accepting these gnomish defectors as long as they agree to standard precautions (ie being scanned for evil and mind controlling magic or concealing magics on their persons).

 

[Bugbear]

Hannover Fist is in favor of accepting the Renegade Gnomes help, and will via a sending contact them

 

[Creamsteak]

Gustav sends a messege to the Gnomish Enchanters. He requests sixteen copies of his own book made with the Gnomish Comprehension spells enchanted into them, and with a charm to keep the reader interested in the lengthy tomes.

He sends these sixteen tomes to sixteen of the most talented military men his sponsors can offer. He tells them outright, with a letter, that these books are enchanted to make them easier to read and that's it. He also includes a certain degree of extra information on how to kill the fiends.

He begins by introducing them to his cause. He's going to gather his petitioners, and begin the construction of a great army with sixteen grand generals from different regions. This army, and the heroes that have been brought out of many lands, will take down the portals and mages of the Dark Crusaders.

He sends a lengthy explanation to all of his sponsors, an explanation that it would be wise to gather an army, and reinforce their propaganda machine to build up a great degree of knowledge concerning the gnomes and their cause. However, Gus is very particular to point out that the Gnomes will aid them if the demons aggress towards them. The Demons and Devils are what must be dealt with, not the outsiders. He nominates members of each sponsors government to attend a caucuss of arms concerning the demons. Gus believes that by cutting down the supply lines in the next 12 hours, with the aid of the highest level individuals, he can make it easy for the countries to defend themselves since the demons will lack the ability to reinforce their lines. He believes that by simply removing the portals, connections, and bindings created by the fiends, he can then encourage his sponsors defenses against what would otherwise be an unstoppable force.

Gustav himself, wearing his incredibly heavy spell resistant Iron armor, prepares to make war against the supply lines of the Infernal spawns. He decides right off, that he will cut their lines of reinforcements, then decimate their numbers by dividing them. Him, and a small band of friends from his knightly career in Halruaa.

 

[Lichtenhart]

Krysophrenos stands with Hannover and Arkanyl on this matter, and offers himself as a diplomat to find a suitable location for these gnomes.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

POSTED BY MR. DRACO

My friends. We agree that the gnomish invention, their 'suggestion-books' is dangerous. However, it is my opinion that this power can be used for good.
Taking out a copy of both of his factual books (Path of Inner Peace, and Science for the People).
You may have heard of these two books. I wrote them, and the rumors are true, they are enchanted with the gnomish suggestion magic. However, they do not use the magical power to influence the mind, rather, in these tomes, it is a powerful learning aid. Alchemical techniques that took a lifetime to master can now be learned in days. The proper mindset for meditation can be grasped in similar time periods.

FROM EDENA_OF_NEITH TO EVERYONE

There is a side effect to being dominated by the gnomish books that nobody anticipated (especially not the gnomes.)
Anyone who has read enough gnomish books, and been dominated by them, has an increase in Intelligence.
This increase is fairly major:

Elves and Drow: 2 to 3 points
Dwarves: 4 to 5 points
Halflings: 4 to 5 points
Gnomes: 1 to 2 points
Orcs and Humanoids: 5 to 10 points
Humans: 3 to 4 points

When dominated, anything in the book read is automatically understood.
For example, books on Algebra, normally incomprehensible to the average orc, are perfectly understood, and all knowledge gained is retained after reading.
The gnomes have invented rudimentary Calculus, beyond the understanding of many people. Yet all who read the gnomish books on Calculus - and who are dominated by them - understand these books perfectly.

The problem is this, folks:
It REQUIRES the reader be Dominated, for this effect to happen.
It is not enough for a Tongues-only book to be read: the reader must be Dominated as well.
For this is a side effect of the Domination and Suggestion effects. You cannot have one, without the other.

The Gnomes of Lantan, of course, are putting out books on all manner of sciences and math and the like ... and every Gnomish work with the Domination magic, is chock full of gnomish propaganda of the worst sort.
There is no such thing as an unbiased gnomish book of science - at least, not yet.

So there you are, folks.
Books with the capacity to corrupt and destroy: their very existence is, perhaps, an Evil.
Yet, they allow for comprehension and learning on a scale never before dreamed of.

 

[Tokiwong]

Misha stands against these tomes... in all their guises... and denounces Gustav for his reckless use of such tomes, even for a good measure to usurp control... Misha is horrified by such a creation and will bring such news to the people in several tomes denouncing the these books as tools of damnation... they must be destroyed... He burns gnomish books, destroys printing presses... he wages war against the gnomes of Lanatan.. and urges the Dauntless to join as well...

 

[Kalanyr]

"Hmm, we should investigate why the intelligence altering effects vary so much per race, because it doesn't bring them to the same average.

(Elf w/b 13-14
Drow w/b 15-16
Halfling 15-16
Gnome 12-13
Orc 13-18
Goblin 15-20
Humans 13-14 )
Perhaps the susceptibility of the races to the domination effect ? "