[FR][PBP] Against the Storm Game Thread

[DM_Matt]

Irusyl addresses the group;

"As you all know, I have been hired to seek out individuals for a particularly vital role in the fight against Storm. My employer insisted that I trust certain oracles, and combining the admittedly-murky results of those queries with my own personal connections, I have gathered the eight of you.

You are a well-rounded group, I'd say. If anything, although you are very strong in combat, you may be slightly weak in the urban stealth/breaking and entering department, but your plethora of spellcasters should be able to cover that fine. <She goes on for a while....Resident rules analyst Elric has volunteered to post a full analysis of the party's (and individuals) strengths and weaknesses shortly>

All that being said, I need to be sure that I have chosen the right individuals for the job. Thus, I will give you some easier missions for you to prove your worthiness.

You will be asked to operate in the city of Luskan, a collaborator state in the far North that is renowned for its seamen and axe-weilding warriors (i.e. its vikingville). Your targets will be temples, your goals diverse.

You will need to destroy, utterly and in a spectacular fashion, the large temple to Umberlee, goddess of bad weather and evil sea creatures, and to steal the books from the Vault of Mechanical Lore underneath the temple of Gond.

You will perform all of your own research and reconnaissance. You will be paid 700gp up front and 2300gp at the successful completion of your missions. You will have to pay for your own expenses, but may keep all booty that you find.

Once your missions are complete, return here. If you have succeeded, you are indeed the ones fated for the role that I, and my employer, have in store for you."

 

[dead_radish]

Elone looks at her quizzically.

"You want us to steal from a temple of Gond? Maybe you've been given the wrong impression. Solonor's children are warriors and protectors, not common thieves, especially not stealing from a one such as Gond!"

"Umberlee is not a friend of Solonor's - is there a compelling reason that we should destroy this temple? I am not opposed to doing so, if it be Solonor's will, but I cannot see the reasoning behind either of these quests. Why did you choose us if you did not believe in our abilities?"

Elone breathes deeply after such a long (for her) speech.

 

[DM_Matt]

Irusyl seems peeved: "I need not justify myself to you. There are the tests that the gods have designated. When you travel to Luskan, you can see these places for yourself, and perhaps if you are as insightful as I hope you are, you will find that your orders are quite justified."

 

[garyh]

"For your sake, they'd better be..." grumbles Akharos.

 

[DM_Matt]

"its good that you think about the consequences of your actions. You fear public condemnation for breaking the temple taboos, don't you? you fear making enemies, no? your fears are understandable. But know that in this time and place, the good is weaker than the evil. Good cannot afford to handicap itself in such a fashion. It is obvious from both your silence and your speech that you would not do anything that would compromise your sense of right and wrong. So go to Luskan! See for yourself why the temple of Umberlee must be destroyed, and see what lies within the Vault of Mechanical Lore.

If you pass this test, my employer will entrust you with his most prized possession, and in turn with the fate of Toril. But if you do not take the first step, perhaps my readings of the oracles were mistaken.

<Ubaar suddenly has a flashback of Hermod vouching for Irusyl. Akharos has a flashback that he was sent to her by his superiors. Both see her eyes flash blue for a moment>

If you do in fact carry out your missions, and are able to explain why I chose those missions when you return here to me, I will grant you a bonus proportional to the level of insight that you have into my employer's motives."

 

[dead_radish]

Elone shrugs. 'You have passion for this. That is good. Surely you can see that we would question such and act. I am not a mercenary, seeking work. You say the gods have chosen us. I care not for the gods, only for Solonor. But if this errand truly will lead us to one who can break Storm's hold on Toril, then it will be worth it. I will speak with Him, and do as He wills."

She looks about for Jaina. "Some vension and mulled wine would not be misliked, if the offer still stands."

OOC: Elone will replace one of her typical GMW with Commune tomorrow, and speak with Solonor immediately after she prays for spells. She will ask him "Is it your will that I work for Irusyl?" "Might our actions lead to Storm's defeat?" "Is it your will that I destroy the temple of Umberlee in Luskan?" "Will removing books from Gond's temple in Luskan offend you?" "Can I trust Irusyl, her employer, and those that I adventure with?" If that one is anything but "yes" she'll move on to groups of people, trying to use her 4 others to narrow down who she should not trust (Irusyl, employer, 4 people, 2 of the 4).

2nd OOC: I've found out that apparently there is a prestige domain Mysticism that all dieties have, afaict. Can I replace Plant with Mysticism for my third domain? That would work significantly better for Elone's concept.

 

[DM_Matt]

"I have not enjoyed so much safety and success for as long as I have by gathering together, alienating, and then betraying powerful bands of adventurers."

<Jaina and her serving disk leave for a while and return with Elone's meal>

 

[reapersaurus]

<Ubaar suddenly has a flashback of Hermod vouching for Irusyl. Akharos has a flashback that he was sent to her by his superiors. Both see her eyes flash blue for a moment>

OOC: OK, stupid player-question here. Matt, I can't tell if she's pulling a Jedi Mind Trick on us or not. From re-reading, as far as i can tell, Hermod never vouched for Irusyl. Just told him to go. And with the flash of blue in her eyes, it's creeping me out. I'm sure I'm reading too much into it, in which case, I'll have Ubaar just back her with statements about Strength and such...

 

[DM_Matt]

Reaper:

"Hermod answers Ubaar: Aye, this is the Ubaar that the oracles tell me about. A man of action, not empty words. The first of your trials will be to participate in an operation somewhere in the North for an old associate of mine. Travel to Skullport, a dark, unscrupulous city underneath Waterdeep, and meet a drow middleperson named Irusyl Eraneth in "The Elder Brain," a tavern run by a retired Illithid adventurer. Her employer is noble indeed, and perhaps soon he will reveal himself to you."

Hermod vouches primarily for Irusyl's employer. You are not sure, however, if "old associate" refers to Irusyl or her employer (or both). All of her agents that you have met seem to know Hermod, though, so perhaps he WAS talking about her...That being said, it is a "Jedi Mind Trick," to an extent, in that Ubaar realizes that he was compelled to replay the event in his mind."

 

[DM_Matt]

Irusyl talks more: " Well, now that I see there are no longer any objections, I suggest that you travel to Luskan and to begin your missions.

There are several routes to choose from, varying in difficulty, risk, and expense.

Teleporting is not an option. They have some limited countermeasures that are not worth risking, and we do not have a reliable destination.

You could try to sail there, entering from the docks. If you wish to hire a ship, you would have to risk using counterfeit documentation. You could try to stow away, but there are too many of you. You could bribe a sea captain to smuggle you there, but you will have to trust him and you still risk being caught by inspectors. If you are smuggled, you will need to find a way to get off the ship unnoticed.

You could travel on foot or horseback, of course, but you will need a believable cover (merchants perhaps?) and a way to ensure that Storm's forces don't just attack you anyway. I suppose you could try to avoid them entirely, but I would not count on succeeding if I were in your place.

You could also take the underground river that goes through Skullport Northward, and then find a way to the surface once you reach the city.

What route and method would you prefer? Anyone have any better ideas?"