[sblock=Papolstaanas, Kaeysari]Forgot to mention this earlier but... after leaving the audience room, once whatever shock/adrenaline Hulgrimi's outburst provoked had faded, you noticed that you felt rather nice. A subtle, cheery warm glow sort of feeling. Not on the level of a hard, addictive drug, but a definite sensasion.
Perhaps the effect of the
zocalti? [/sblock]
[sblock=ooc]Small point of clarification, the magic sword that the priest gave to Azryah was not part of the tribute. It was the priest's personal property. He mentioned he had intended it as a gift for someone back home, but that someone was not the Great King. I was unclear in that description; I think he said "for my master" but he meant his teacher, not the king.
Also... regarding the garden fight. I try to make the encounters and the reasons for the encounters fit into the narrative in more interesting and unexpected ways than just because the next room is full of monsters (to take it to the stereotypical extreme). So there was an IC reason for why it happened (which you now know), and your IC reactions to that are totally appropriate. At the same time, OOC, part of the reason for the fight was because this is D&D, so, you know, you have to fight stuff.
But I think maybe I misjudged this one, on top of the other events, to where you as players are feeling like you've been screwed over and boxed in. Feeling like I'm trying to force you into "dungeon-mode" but against threats you cannot beat. If so, that was not my intent, and I'm sorry. I would not ask anyone to change their IC behavior. But OOC, maybe you can try to roll with it a little? Be open to other solutions, and not just stuck in a defensive crouch? (If you don't feel like that OOC, then never mind.
)
And if it helps, things should be a little more straightforward from here on out, plus explicit options are about to be presented.
[/sblock]
Bwarli listens to Cillani and Chaku, then speaks up.
"There's still a chance you could get the zocalti here," he says.
"If you could only help Hulgrimi... which is too much to ask, I know, given how you have been treated. But maybe by helping him, you could help yourselves."
He scowls.
"This damned zocalti. I feel like that is at the heart of his problem. If he could only enjoy it again, or jist give it up! I have no illusions that he would be restored to his former self, but I think - I hope - he would become more managable. Still, ah, quirky, but not so close to the edge of madness."
He extends a hand to Jynxx.
"I am sure the problem is not with the way the cooks we've had in have been preparing the stuff. I enjoy a bowl of zocalti myself now and then, and what he has been served has been perfectly good. But still, your offer to bring a chef from your homeland got me thinking. He craves novelty. Maybe a foreign chef could find some new way of preparing it that would satisfy him? Or perhaps introduce some other kind of food that he would enjoy so much, he'd forget about the damned zocalti?
"If it worked, if he was satisfied, I'm confident that he would release the zocalti you need. You do have the right of redress against vassals on your side, and he has plenty of the stuff socked away in our storerooms. He could easily give you a dozen bushels and still have enough left over for himself...
"What do you say?"
[sblock=Minor Quests]
Two new quests!
Steal Zocalti from the Lich's Storeroom
Perhaps unwisely, Bwarli has revealed that there is
zocalti in the pyramid. It would probably not be easy, but a determined group might be able to sneak and/or fight their way in and get it the old-fashioned way.
Tickle the Lich's Withered Tastebuds
Find a way to divert or cure Hulgrimi's obsession, and he ought to give up the
zocalti freely.
(These are pretty much mutually exclusive... and if anyone has an idea for a different approach, feel free to pursue that instead! I'll still give you quest XP of course.
)
[/sblock]
