Creative Exercise--Aleasana

[Arkhandus]

Just keep in mind that it was noted how the Nightshade Cabal's (admittedly small) force of mages and priests is focused primarily on divination, illusion, and abjuration, so it's unlikely that anyone would actually become privy to the uppermost echelons of the Cabal without one Nightshade magic-user or another discovering the ruse (whether through their high Will saves versus illusions, their skill in Spellcraft to notice illusions with Detect Magic, or their spells like True Seeing and such). Spies in the Cabal are unlikely to reach the highest ranks before being discovered, and would likely find themselves safer keeping to the middle or lower ranks where they're less likely to be scanned before a meeting or such.

 

[SALADIN THE JUST]

Just keep in mind that it was noted how the Nightshade Cabal's (admittedly small) force of mages and priests is focused primarily on divination, illusion, and abjuration, so it's unlikely that anyone would actually become privy to the uppermost echelons of the Cabal without one Nightshade magic-user or another discovering the ruse (whether through their high Will saves versus illusions, their skill in Spellcraft to notice illusions with Detect Magic, or their spells like True Seeing and such). Spies in the Cabal are unlikely to reach the highest ranks before being discovered, and would likely find themselves safer keeping to the middle or lower ranks where they're less likely to be scanned before a meeting or such.

Noted. I am certain, this is something both Illissius and The Grey Seers will ascertain over the course of their subtle infiltrations and will become aware of how close is too close for comfort. Thanks for highlighting it all the same.

 

[Arkhandus]

Right. I had also meant to note that it's likely anyone in the middle ranks would learn anyway about the Cabal having mages maintaining security and privacy at the highest levels, so anyone trying to climb higher in the organization would likely know the dangers of hiding behind magic when trying to infiltrate higher. Glad you didn't take it as some kind of challenge or snit, I was just trying to re-emphasize a point in my original post on the group.

 

[Rhialto]

I should probably mention the meta-thread again...

 

[Sarellion]

The city of Karina and Val-Alen are close allies.

 

[Rhialto]

Lord Nithus is the secret master of both the Nihilus Solution and the Nightshade Cabal, a fact neither group realizes...

 

[Arkhandus]

!!!!! There's an odd twist.....

 

[Arkhandus]

The Concordat is affiliated with the city-state of Dromas and its rogue Druid Council. The ideals of Dromas call for an end to "the outmoded aristocrat-based system" and the creation of a new government based on 'natural law'.

Presently, Concordat-controlled areas are rather frightening places--there are constant 'citizen reviews' which seek to root out 'counter-revolutionary thinking' and 'aristocratic sympathies'. Council members tend to scheme against each other, trying to prove that their opponents are 'pro-aristocracy'.

Postscript--Saladin here's a summary of about the first three pages. I'll get the rest of it together eventually.

The few recognized cities also allied with Dromas are Kahl-Rihan (a small, lakeside Shay, human, and half-Shay city in the east), Toubach (a human settlement in the valley north of Dromas), and Grevym Pass (a human and Dvergar city at the mountain pass to Toubach), though none directly border Dromas, leaving them in tough positions to fend off enemies. Dromas is partially surrounded by the hostile city-states Saedros Martol (a large human city in the same valley as Dromas) and Vindarr (a Dvergar city controlling the main pass out of that valley). Vindarr and Saedros Martol are allies of Bandesh-Thar, though unsteady allies, demanding that Dominus Majera leave them their autonomy when she takes the throne. Majera only has a tenuous alliance with Vindarr, given its Dvergar populus, and wouldn't mind in the least if Vindarr was destroyed fighting Dromas for her.

 

[SALADIN THE JUST]

The Shay wizards of the Imperium Arcanum in the Shay city of Karina have developed flying vessels powered by non-sentient air elementals, and mounted with heavy crossbowsthat fire bolts of lightning as a result of quasi-elementals that power these weapons. The first fleet of these vessels have just rolled out of their up-to-now secret manufacturing facilities that are as well guarded and protected as the Citadel of Karina.

With these flying vessels, the Shay seek to even the balance of power between the other races and the human cities that have encroached upon territories that once belonged to the Shay.

 

[Sarellion]

@Arkhandus No love for the eco anarchists?

Contribution:
The vindarr dvergar are despised by their fellow dvergar for allying with the Bandesh-Tharr. But the vindarrim think that Majerus wil probably win and want to be on the wnning side. The other fact that drove them into the enemy camp was their hatred of Dromas.