Creation of the Order of the Oaken Shield

[Argent Silvermage]

(Originally posted by Argent on 02-18-2003 07:40 PM) Hi Gang! I wanted to see if I could get some help. (actualy I know there is no longer anything anyone can do for me but i'm in denial).
In Wizardru's Savage Sword of Meepo game, my character Bolo is in charge of a huge grove (he's a druid) that was greated by Beory herself. She and Ehlonna (Bolo's divinity) decided that Bolo would be the new keeper of this grove. Well I just took Leadership for Bolo (18th level 16 cha.) and will be keeping my "troops" at the grove.
I have it in my head to set up the watch posts and provide for the town the whole shebang.... but is it needed? Just how indepth do you need to go for the sake of the game mechanics. Bolo has 'Awakwened' 5 trees 5 wolves and 3 hawks so far and is considering awakening more creatures. but do you all think this is needed? or am I going overboard. I'm even considering setting down in writing the towns people of note like a blacksmith and an apothocary...

Please give me some insight.
Argent

(New Information)
Hi People! I have decided to document the process and progress Bolo is making on creating the Order of the Oaken Shield. The above information is the start and I'll post new updates as they happen.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

How much you need in the way of defenses will really depend upon who your personal enemies are and how easily accessable your grove is.

This is what I see as the challenge: it's unlikely that you can do enough to enable the grove to hold off even a semi-determined assault from Chavram, the Greyhawk dragons, the Shadow King, or any of the Meepite's main enemies without the presence of the party. Certainly, any threat on the level of Glacerage is likely to walk over most defenses you can erect without even noticing them.

So, the question is not so much can you have sufficient defenses as can your defenses match up to the anticipated threats. And in order to decide on that, we need to know what threats you anticipate.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Thanks E.B. The Grove is in the Land of Black Ice so it's far enough away that many enemies will not even bother it. (of course now that I have said that...) I'm just worried that I as a player an getting too involved in the making of the Grove and the near by town. I don't want to step on Wizardru's toes but I do want to have Bolo protect what he has been asked to protect.
It's different for Dravot because his church and city are already created and his followers are from the church. there is already a huge structure there to work with and Dravot's player has little to do out of game with the set up. Bolo on the other hand is starting his own order of Druids. The grand council of Druids have basicly cut him off from any communication and hidden themselves. Bolo cannot abide this and sees a need for a more proactive order. So the grove in the land of Black Ice is the HQ for this new order and has to be fleshed out indepth in my opinion. but that leads me back to my question of am I going overboard on this. Am i putting to much time into the creation of the grove. Bolo has already spent over 2000EXP to Awaken animals in the area. Wolves to patrol the boarders and hawks for messengers. Plus I have more in store including contacting Faeries and other good aligned creatures to come and move in and aid the cause.

 

[WizarDru]

There's also the issue of the Blue Bugbears, who are essentially an army allied with Bolo, via their Shaman, Gnarledbone. (Yes, that's really her name.)

The groves chief threats stem from places:

1) The Forces of Iuz (somewhat neutralized)
2) The ShadowKing
3) Chavram (you assume)
4) Fraz'Urb Luu (possibly)
5) Forces from Mechanus (possibly)

Some could be repelled by these means, and some couldn't. Taking these steps lets the higher level beings that also reside in the grove's vicinity better concentrate their energies, as well. EB is correct, though, in that a concerted attack from a powerful enemy will wash right over most of the defenses that the grove can offer.

 

[Tantra]

Your missing the simpelest of ideas, here, young gamer.

If the DM wants the grove attacked, The grove is going to be attacked.

If the DM wants the PC's to come to the grove's rescue, the grove is going to be attacked by something more powerful then the defenders.

If we had the forces to adequately defend said grove from the above forces, we wouldn't be nearly as worried as we currently are

 

[Zad]

I'm inclined to agree with Tantra here. My experiences in defending castles/superhero bases/etc all lead me to conclude that if it's time for an attack, the attack will come. If the DM feels it's important to the story that it succeed or make off with the artifact, or what not, then it will. If the adventure is supposed to be a fight at the facility, then you will have time to get there.

In short, I think you'll end up working on a lot of details that in the end won't come into play. It's a torch-lighter in my opinion.

 

[Tantra]

Of course, having said all that, if you want to go for Verisimilitude, By all means let those creative juices flow.

I'd go for a few awakened rasts, that way whatever drags us there doesn't end up being too powerful.



And don't let those creative juices get on the carpet, it might stain.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

There's also the issue of the Blue Bugbears, who are essentially an army allied with Bolo, via their Shaman, Gnarledbone. (Yes, that's really her name.)

I had not even thought about the bugbears. My buddies in Blue!

Taking everyones encouragment expect a full writeup on the Grove and the Basic tennents of the Order of the Oaken Shield.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

On becoming a man... er Bugbear.

Bolo has the ear and help of a Blue bugbear shaman and has been thinking of going through their manhood ritual so that there can be no denial of his worthyness to call on the tribe for help. I had thought of this before I saw Savage species. Now I'm thinking the "manhood ritual" could be a way of giving my halfling Druid the Goblinoid subtype. I can see Bolo now coming out shaggy from head to toe with really big feet... big hairy feet.
(EEEKKKKK!!!!!!!!!)
Bolo spoke with her (the shaman Gnarledbone) and she did a casting of the bones and Bolo asked if his creation of the Order was "right action" and the Bones said yes!

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Latest Updates

There are many changes to the world at this time Bolo has died and been reincarnated as a Wood Elf. He also found that the reason the other druids have not contacted him is that bmost are dead.
Asside from Ravenna who is the Avatar of Beory the earth mother Bolo is the most powerful Druid in the world. He now not only has to make a new order of Druids but has to reawaken an entire religion.

Bolo is at the moment having the remaining druids converge on his grove in the LoBI. what happens from there is unknown.