(IR) 4th ooc-thread of the 5th IR

[Serpenteye]

Quick question: What about fractions?

I assume a fractional IC grants no PP. Since you already said that we don't round in infiltration/counter-infiltration, fractional PL presumably is possible. Can we disband fractional PL to combine these PP with fractional IC for an additional PP?

Fractional IC, PL and PP function just as non-fractional IC, PL and PP. So, yes.

Was it accurate, Serpenteye?
That is, did I get the rules and mathematics right?
Did I allocate enough PL to accomplish, what Eclavdra is trying to do? (If it is obvious I didn't, I will allocate more PL to the task. Hopefully, though, I allocated enough.)

Rules-wise it's all correct, just keep in mind there are additional costs.

SE: I e-mailed this to you, but here is the email is sblock form... I need this information to write up my template. Thanks!


[sblock]
Questions about the planets: Do we knwo the IC and relitive power
levels of the following planets? Do we know what the current
political climate is?

Edill (dragons, avians, other reptiles)
Edill has more dragons in it then the rest of Grayspace, Realmspace,
and Krynnspace combined. These dragons are of all colors, though 95%
are metallic, and 5% are chromatic. All of the dragons tend to be 1.5
times the size and hit dice of their planet bound cousins, and are
less territorial and highly social. When you realize this means that
ancient red dragons go out in hunting flocks, you know how scary that
is. 20 years ago, the red dragons were attempting to procure
spelljamming technology from goblins.

Gnibile (undead) (Note that Gnibile has a normal atmosphere)
Gnibile has many portals to the negative elemental plane, and the
quasi elemental planes. This Air sphere is filled with
non-spelljamming undead, (They had acquired 12 ships 20 years ago,
however. We are assuming that these 12 ships were destroyed in the
war)

Conatha (sahaugin, mermen, other aquatic creatures)
This water sphere is the home of native mermen, intelligent whales
(int 7), and introduced sahaugin. The sahugin are vicious, have chased
the merfolk to the two earth bodys in the center of the sphere, and
have formed nations and are constantly warring with each other. There
are hundreds of thousands , maybe even millions sahugin here, much
less merfolk.

Borka (orcs, goblins, other humanoids)
Borka used to be a world much like Oerth, except the goblinoids rose
to the highest levels of evolution, instead of the humans. They
developed a space fleet, and went to war with the elves.
The elves used the equivalent of High magic to completely destroy the
planet, and it is now a cluster body. Most of the orcs are dead,
though many remain on the cluster. This all happened in recent
history, about 80 or so years ago.
We do not claim Borka.

Kule (?) 10 million miles (2 hours to Oerth) (Celene, the Handmaiden)
The closest 'moon' to Oerth (technically, everything is a moon to Oerth)
Kule has the remnants of a great civilization, apparently wiped out by
some great magical war/catastrophe. Zelda and I are in disagreement as
to if this moon has an atmosphere, but the Grayspace supplement says
it has none. It is a void world. There is some activity in the
underdark of this moon, and it's underdark resembles the underdark of
Oerth, though the two are completely separate.

Thanks,

AIrwhale
[/sblock]

I might as well answer you openly, since it's pretty much common knowlege.


Edill (dragons, avians, other reptiles)
Edill has more dragons in it then the rest of Grayspace, Realmspace,
and Krynnspace combined. These dragons are of all colors, though 95%
are metallic, and 5% are chromatic. All of the dragons tend to be 1.5
times the size and hit dice of their planet bound cousins, and are
less territorial and highly social. When you realize this means that
ancient red dragons go out in hunting flocks, you know how scary that
is. 20 years ago, the red dragons were attempting to procure
spelljamming technology from goblins.

IC: Low. Edill does not produce much of anything and what they produce is luxuries for self-consumtion. There are several large dragon's-hoards on the planetiod, though.
PL: Very high. At least 100 elite and 15 Epic.
Political climate: Divided. There are a few great families of Dragons (of the Lawful variety) with supporting slaves and/or servants, but the vast majority of them are completely independent. Non-dragons (and there are a few) are insignificant politically and militarily. The political climate is stabile and rather stagnated.

--

Gnibile (undead) (Note that Gnibile has a normal atmosphere)
Gnibile has many portals to the negative elemental plane, and the
quasi elemental planes. This Air sphere is filled with
non-spelljamming undead, (They had acquired 12 ships 20 years ago,
however. We are assuming that these 12 ships were destroyed in the
war)

Political Climate: Evil. A dozen little empires squabble for power over this ravaged sphere in an ever-changing patchwork of alliances.
IC: Between 50 and 200 each.
PL: Between an equivalent 100 rPL and an equivalent 600 rPL, mostly regular armies but a few tougher liches and vampire-emperors.

Galion Vool: An insane Arch-lich with rumoured connections to the Cult of Vecna rules this island-chain and surrounding waters and underdark. At the moment Galion Vool is the most powerful faction on the planet, with an IC of 200 and a solid PL of 300 Regular PLs, 10 elite and 2 Epic PL (representing Selitisa the Arch-lich herself).

--

Conatha (sahaugin, mermen, other aquatic creatures)
This water sphere is the home of native mermen, intelligent whales
(int 7), and introduced sahaugin. The sahugin are vicious, have chased
the merfolk to the two earth bodys in the center of the sphere, and
have formed nations and are constantly warring with each other. There
are hundreds of thousands , maybe even millions sahugin here, much
less merfolk.

Political Climate: Three great nations dominate this sphere and constantly war with each others.

Conatha-ver: A federation of goodly and neurtal mermen and intelligent sea-creatures. IC 400, 300 rPL, 20 elPL, 0epPL.

Inasska: A clannish sahaugin empire (currently viewing events on Oerth with great suspicion after a large sahuagin empire on Oerth was enslaved by vampires, but more focused on the struggle against their deadly enemy Bliroei). IC 620, 500 rPL, 5 elPL, 1 epPL.

Bliroei: A sahaugin empire lead by a hyper-intelligent paragon Kraken. IC 500, 250 rPL, 15 elPL, 3epPL.

--

Borka (orcs, goblins, other humanoids)
Borka used to be a world much like Oerth, except the goblinoids rose
to the highest levels of evolution, instead of the humans. They
developed a space fleet, and went to war with the elves.
The elves used the equivalent of High magic to completely destroy the
planet, and it is now a cluster body. Most of the orcs are dead,
though many remain on the cluster. This all happened in recent
history, about 80 or so years ago.
We do not claim Borka.

Political Climate: Borkan civilization is dead. All that remain are a few scattered tribes huddling in the mud.
IC: Insignificant
PL: Insignificant

--

Kule (?) 10 million miles (2 hours to Oerth) (Celene, the Handmaiden)
The closest 'moon' to Oerth (technically, everything is a moon to Oerth)
Kule has the remnants of a great civilization, apparently wiped out by
some great magical war/catastrophe. Zelda and I are in disagreement as
to if this moon has an atmosphere, but the Grayspace supplement says
it has none. It is a void world. There is some activity in the
underdark of this moon, and it's underdark resembles the underdark of
Oerth, though the two are completely separate.

Political climate, PL and IC: Kule doesn't look like much. The surface is dead and the underdark a mess of absurd primitive life-forms. Except for the grieving and pained spirits wandering the sphere there's nothing noteworthy about it. The deepest recesses of the underdark have never been explored and seem to defy magical investigation.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

TO SERPENTEYE

Was Eclavdra able to make her case to the drow?
Did my post above make a difference?

Eclavdra was being extremely emphatic (and using the entirety of the power of the Regalia of Lordly Might to increase her charisma and add to the plausibility and credibility of her case.)

Whatever else there is, there is extreme desperation in Eclavdra, for she appreciates fully the extremity of the drow situation.

 

[Airwhale]

Thanks SE!

 

[Rikandur Azebol]

DM ... Serpenteye, I think that I understand Edena's main motives behind his open play. And I agree with that, I wouldn't use anything that Iuz wouldn't know because it will spoil my fun. And I could do alike, just to hear protesting Players while their PC's are all unaware, fooled by Iuz's nice behavior.

And I propose Population Growth equal to 5% of population each Year. It would represent all children maturing into adulthood, for example men are leaving home to make on their own. But it just a loose proposal.

I trust that all people involved will understand and see difference between what I wrote In Character and Out Off Character. Or Iuz will go medieval on them.

Of course Players conspiring with me will have their plots hidden, if they are wishing to keep them hidden.

I will use my template as example, just like Edena did, and Serpenteye will notice several changes that I made.

Template, people sure that they wouldn't behave, shouldn't peek ... why spoil their own fun ?

[sblock]

Starting PLs:
Regular PL: 500
100 Pls, Lesser Undead Armies, including Ghouls, Skeletons and Zombies led by Ghasts. Including 10 Pls of Wight Priests of Iuz. Untiring and needs no sleep or rest.

200 Pls, Humanoid Armies, including Hobgoblins, Kobolds, Gnolls, Orcs and Goblins. Including 20 Pls of Shamans, Priests of Iuz and Gnoll Druids. Keep in mind that these armies are build for speed fast mounts like wolves or Orc Barbarians or Gnoll Rangers. Light Infantry/Cavalry, Light shocktroops.

200 Pls, Human Armies including mobs of bandits, Suel berserkers, pirates, mercenaries and other human scum serving in Iuz's army. 20 Pls of Priests of Iuz keep an eye on them and divine support. They excel at pillaging and drinking vast quantities of alcohol ... but tend to surviwe longer than their humanoid counterparts. Units to diversely equipped to categorize other than light infantry/scout or light archers/crossbowmen.

Elite PL: 40
10 elPls, Greater Undead Armies including Vampire Spawn, Shadows, Wraiths and Spectres led by small cabal of Lich/Vampire Priests of Iuz called by him Bonefingers. Strong 1 elPl.

20 elPls, Legion of the Black Death, infamous elite unit of Iuz's army ... all Young fighter-wannabes wish to join this elite force ! Considering mostly of hardened veterans of countless conflicts ... mortals serving there are even more vicious than demons that form majority of this host. Including 2 elPls of War Maidens, special cadre of Iuz's Priestesses riding Black Unicorns that even General Sindol doesn't mock. Not very numerous ... but one of them is worth ten Fuoryndian Knights. Navy Seal/Devastator type unit.

10 elPls, Beast Armies, includes huge array of monsters, mostly Ogres, Hill Giants, Trolls plus some Hydra or two, Wyvern riders, and some individual beasts like Bullete Scarhide, Basilisk Slumpy and Abbysal Drake Bloatmaw. 1 elPl of Wizards and Sorcerers leading the inhuman beasts and adding fire support, 1 elPl of Veteran Priests of Iuz to provide with clerical support. General smashing meele unit ... if shot at from afar it quickly became useless after arcane barrage would end, but when they taste blood ... even hardened veterans would have hard time surviwing this onslaught. Due to large cadre of apporiately equipped mages they move extremely fast. What is unusual that Giants from this army are well equipped like soldiers from heavy infantry squads, along with big tower shields to protect more vulnerable and essential magi and clerics. Even trolls wear light Armour and wield clubs ! More tamed monsters have leather barding, shielding their most weak spots from disabling injury. Heavy "tanks", can chew trough best Fuoryndian Knights like hot knife trough butter, or wizard leaders will suffer consequences of failure.

Epic PL: 7
Iggvilw 1 epPL, Baba Yaga’s Hut: 1 epPL. Drelzna 1 epPl. Iuz: 3 epPL, My Own Abyss: 1 ep Pl.

New Artifact: Using numerous Genesis and Miracle scrolls Iuz created his own Demiplane attached to normal world trough Ethereal Plane, of wich it is small part. It is strongly Aligned towards Chaos and Evil, godlymorphic for Iuz and Deites of greter status than him. Evil divine magic is maximized here, while Good divine magic is minimised. Whole Plane is Unhallowed and Desecrated, except Altar of Skulls wich is Hallowed and Consecrated in the name of Iuz. Iuz controls weather here at will, as a free action. As spells Control Weather and Evil Weather, but inmediately. Iuz could also nullify Arcane Magic here at will, and can use his godly senses over all place. All faithful to Iuz gain Fast Healing 1 here. How the place looks ? Imagine that in comparision Dorakaa is a nice vacation spot.
To tell the truth I haven't devised it yet. Acha, and for now it is very very small plane, containing barely Altar of Skulls and some Rocky Terrain. Altar itself calls to itself all Chaotic Evil souls of the slain ... wich they can follow the call or ignore it. But this is peristent, and untiring call, keep in mind. Altar absorbs them, and could contain indefinite number of souls. Of course it steal all souls of people sacrificed on it, regardless of aligment, but only CE souls can notice it's calling after death ... sort of compulsion that is easily forgotten while not in proggress.

And nobody can get there otherwise than trough Gate in Iuz's palace. People not knowing the right password will die teleported into the Oerth's CORE. People not worshipping Iuz, but knowing password, will be teleported into special dungeon cells. Guarded against magic with Antimagic Zone and will be displeased with constant Blood Rain that will nullify also everything divine. Walls are made of reinforced andamantite of masterwork quality. Quite masterpieces of work so any one escaping will be a real James Bond. These worshipping him will simply not activate the portal.

I repeat that nobody, except Iuz, know that the thing exists in the first place. He made it all by himself, and is quietly proud of it.

IC/PPs : 294 PPs, 1 Turn. Technological Arms Race :1, Magical Arms Race: 0, Divine Arms Race: Hungry Demigod.

Research: 70 PPs, for one level of Technology. Ecological to avoid troubles from Druids and Iuz hate Devils. He's half Demon, remeber ?

Industrialization: 160 Pps. "Druzil & Pleeancis INC" are trying to open internal trade within Empire and some Black Marketing in the neighbourn countries.

Army building or -upgrading: 11 PPs, 1 elPl of War Maidens with Black Unicorns that will go to Radiant to spread faith and serve with divine support to Sikari.

Infiltration: 8 PPs to steel my grasp over Heartland ! Purge as usual, with a lot of souls sacrificed to dark apettite of Iuz.

Espionage: 10 PPs to infiltrate Black Cult of Tharizdun, easy to find them because they hang out near Temple of Elemental Evil.

Counter-infiltration : 12 Pls. Routine search for Spies 1 Pl.

Special Projects:
10 PPs in building crude fortifications on the borders, all borders. Mostly wooden walls with spiked poles, moats, barbed wires and numerous watchtowers filled with soldiers ready to rain death on all people slowed down by fortifications. Instead of minefields, 1 epPl of Shadows is lurking here and slaying all living contained within the borders of the "wall". 10 pls of Kobold and Hobgoblin Snipers, armed to the teeth with primitive fragmentation bombs and repeating crossbows. Bolts are barbed, and poisoned with monstrous spider's venom. And all this just to stop disease spreading refugees.
11 PPs to create death dealing Rogue/Cancer Mage Bone Creature afflicted with all cannon diseases, and all from BoVD. Insane beast is ... one inch high, equipped with ordinary magic items that give protection from detection and help in quiet sneaking. And equipped with trap detecting stuff, and of course teleporting stuff too ! It was not created to fight thoug ... but to unnoticed sneak in, spread chosen disease and dissapear without trace. Of course it is equipped with magic that keep control over wich disease is he unleashing, and he unleashes those that Iuz wishes.
1PP as a payment for [CENSORED] mercenaries.

Serpenteye, You wanted me to assign epPl differently. Here it is.
[/sblock]

And of course I would wrote my plans while Players involwed would send me agreements of revealing them, or disagreements. It's hard to won trust these days ... neh ? :\

IC:
*Iuz sits on his dark throne, and smiles seeing that all what he were puttin in motion is going well. His eyes glimmered in the dark.*

 

[Serpenteye]

TO SERPENTEYE (PRIVATE)

EDIT: I've added some things to the post. Could you reread/recopy this?

Got it. No problem, it will work (at a price).

--

[sblock]Some Drow would argue that they cannot afford to trust the Yuan-ti either. Are they not surfacers? Do they not defy the will of Lolth and worship their own perverse deities? Is it not wiser to stand and fight than to flee, lose everything, be pursued and have to fight in the end anyway? Is fleeing not a sign of weakness and is doing that on such a huge scale not too costly a trap?
Some Drow would argue... But no drow would dare argue with Eclavdra.[/sblock]

 

[Serpenteye]

And I propose Population Growth equal to 5% of population each Year. It would represent all children maturing into adulthood, for example men are leaving home to make on their own. But it just a loose proposal.


I will use my template as example, just like Edena did, and Serpenteye will notice several changes that I made.

[sblock]

Starting PLs:
Regular PL: 500
100 Pls, Lesser Undead Armies, including Ghouls, Skeletons and Zombies led by Ghasts. Including 10 Pls of Wight Priests of Iuz. Untiring and needs no sleep or rest.

200 Pls, Humanoid Armies, including Hobgoblins, Kobolds, Gnolls, Orcs and Goblins. Including 20 Pls of Shamans, Priests of Iuz and Gnoll Druids. Keep in mind that these armies are build for speed fast mounts like wolves or Orc Barbarians or Gnoll Rangers. Light Infantry/Cavalry, Light shocktroops.

200 Pls, Human Armies including mobs of bandits, Suel berserkers, pirates, mercenaries and other human scum serving in Iuz's army. 20 Pls of Priests of Iuz keep an eye on them and divine support. They excel at pillaging and drinking vast quantities of alcohol ... but tend to surviwe longer than their humanoid counterparts. Units to diversely equipped to categorize other than light infantry/scout or light archers/crossbowmen.

Elite PL: 40
10 elPls, Greater Undead Armies including Vampire Spawn, Shadows, Wraiths and Spectres led by small cabal of Lich/Vampire Priests of Iuz called by him Bonefingers. Strong 1 elPl.

20 elPls, Legion of the Black Death, infamous elite unit of Iuz's army ... all Young fighter-wannabes wish to join this elite force ! Considering mostly of hardened veterans of countless conflicts ... mortals serving there are even more vicious than demons that form majority of this host. Including 2 elPls of War Maidens, special cadre of Iuz's Priestesses riding Black Unicorns that even General Sindol doesn't mock. Not very numerous ... but one of them is worth ten Fuoryndian Knights. Navy Seal/Devastator type unit.

10 elPls, Beast Armies, includes huge array of monsters, mostly Ogres, Hill Giants, Trolls plus some Hydra or two, Wyvern riders, and some individual beasts like Bullete Scarhide, Basilisk Slumpy and Abbysal Drake Bloatmaw. 1 elPl of Wizards and Sorcerers leading the inhuman beasts and adding fire support, 1 elPl of Veteran Priests of Iuz to provide with clerical support. General smashing meele unit ... if shot at from afar it quickly became useless after arcane barrage would end, but when they taste blood ... even hardened veterans would have hard time surviwing this onslaught. Due to large cadre of apporiately equipped mages they move extremely fast. What is unusual that Giants from this army are well equipped like soldiers from heavy infantry squads, along with big tower shields to protect more vulnerable and essential magi and clerics. Even trolls wear light Armour and wield clubs ! More tamed monsters have leather barding, shielding their most weak spots from disabling injury. Heavy "tanks", can chew trough best Fuoryndian Knights like hot knife trough butter, or wizard leaders will suffer consequences of failure.

Epic PL: 7
Iggvilw 1 epPL, Baba Yaga’s Hut: 1 epPL. Drelzna 1 epPl. Iuz: 3 epPL, My Own Abyss: 1 ep Pl.

New Artifact: Using numerous Genesis and Miracle scrolls Iuz created his own Demiplane attached to normal world trough Ethereal Plane, of wich it is small part. It is strongly Aligned towards Chaos and Evil, godlymorphic for Iuz and Deites of greter status than him. Evil divine magic is maximized here, while Good divine magic is minimised. Whole Plane is Unhallowed and Desecrated, except Altar of Skulls wich is Hallowed and Consecrated in the name of Iuz. Iuz controls weather here at will, as a free action. As spells Control Weather and Evil Weather, but inmediately. Iuz could also nullify Arcane Magic here at will, and can use his godly senses over all place. All faithful to Iuz gain Fast Healing 1 here. How the place looks ? Imagine that in comparision Dorakaa is a nice vacation spot.
To tell the truth I haven't devised it yet. Acha, and for now it is very very small plane, containing barely Altar of Skulls and some Rocky Terrain. Altar itself calls to itself all Chaotic Evil souls of the slain ... wich they can follow the call or ignore it. But this is peristent, and untiring call, keep in mind. Altar absorbs them, and could contain indefinite number of souls. Of course it steal all souls of people sacrificed on it, regardless of aligment, but only CE souls can notice it's calling after death ... sort of compulsion that is easily forgotten while not in proggress.

And nobody can get there otherwise than trough Gate in Iuz's palace. People not knowing the right password will die teleported into the Oerth's CORE. People not worshipping Iuz, but knowing password, will be teleported into special dungeon cells. Guarded against magic with Antimagic Zone and will be displeased with constant Blood Rain that will nullify also everything divine. Walls are made of reinforced andamantite of masterwork quality. Quite masterpieces of work so any one escaping will be a real James Bond. These worshipping him will simply not activate the portal.

I repeat that nobody, except Iuz, know that the thing exists in the first place. He made it all by himself, and is quietly proud of it.

IC/PPs : 294 PPs, 1 Turn. Technological Arms Race :1, Magical Arms Race: 0, Divine Arms Race: Hungry Demigod.

Research: 70 PPs, for one level of Technology. Ecological to avoid troubles from Druids and Iuz hate Devils. He's half Demon, remeber ?

Industrialization: 160 Pps. "Druzil & Pleeancis INC" are trying to open internal trade within Empire and some Black Marketing in the neighbourn countries.

Army building or -upgrading: 11 PPs, 1 elPl of War Maidens with Black Unicorns that will go to Radiant to spread faith and serve with divine support to Sikari.

Infiltration: 8 PPs to steel my grasp over Heartland ! Purge as usual, with a lot of souls sacrificed to dark apettite of Iuz.

Espionage: 10 PPs to infiltrate Black Cult of Tharizdun, easy to find them because they hang out near Temple of Elemental Evil.

Counter-infiltration : 12 Pls. Routine search for Spies 1 Pl.

Special Projects:
10 PPs in building crude fortifications on the borders, all borders. Mostly wooden walls with spiked poles, moats, barbed wires and numerous watchtowers filled with soldiers ready to rain death on all people slowed down by fortifications. Instead of minefields, 1 epPl of Shadows is lurking here and slaying all living contained within the borders of the "wall". 10 pls of Kobold and Hobgoblin Snipers, armed to the teeth with primitive fragmentation bombs and repeating crossbows. Bolts are barbed, and poisoned with monstrous spider's venom. And all this just to stop disease spreading refugees.
11 PPs to create death dealing Rogue/Cancer Mage Bone Creature afflicted with all cannon diseases, and all from BoVD. Insane beast is ... one inch high, equipped with ordinary magic items that give protection from detection and help in quiet sneaking. And equipped with trap detecting stuff, and of course teleporting stuff too ! It was not created to fight thoug ... but to unnoticed sneak in, spread chosen disease and dissapear without trace. Of course it is equipped with magic that keep control over wich disease is he unleashing, and he unleashes those that Iuz wishes.
1PP as a payment for [CENSORED] mercenaries.

Serpenteye, You wanted me to assign epPl differently. Here it is.
[/sblock]

Duly noted. Your most special project might not work quite as flawlessly as you've intended (and that goes for everyones more special projects ), but it's a step in the right direction. I still want you to clearly state in which territories you upgrade IC and how much you spend in each territory. (Heartlands, Stonefist, Bandit Kingdoms, etc.)

----

Debarakon turns to his companion in disgust, spitting out words wreathed in hatred, "They refuse us! Even now they refuse us! How dare those primal worms?!"
The Cornugon gives the Abishai a sidelong glance, contempt in its every word and gesture. "They are ignorant of the greater threat awaiting them. They will learn, in due time."

 

[Serpenteye]

Thanks SE!

NP.

---

Note to our newer players: There are some claims out there for you...

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

TO SERPENTEYE (PRIVATE)

[sblock]

Price noted. (flinches)


Serpenteye posted:

Some Drow would argue that they cannot afford to trust the Yuan-ti either. Are they not surfacers? Do they not defy the will of Lolth and worship their own perverse deities? Is it not wiser to stand and fight than to flee, lose everything, be pursued and have to fight in the end anyway? Is fleeing not a sign of weakness and is doing that on such a huge scale not too costly a trap?
Some Drow would argue... But no drow would dare argue with Eclavdra.

From Edena:

Eclavdra answers them IC:

The Great City will be primarily peopled by drow. Drow will control the Great City, not the yuan-ti. If the yuan-ti get out of line, they will be ejected from the Great City, and the Great City sealed off from the World Above (as noted, the Great City will be built so it is merged with the city above, but the merging tunnels can be collapsed, and the whole Underdark below the city sealed up for a mile down.)

EDIT: The Great City will be built starting 1 mile down in the Oerth, and occupy 27 cubic miles of space. Great tunnels will connect it with the Yuan-Ti capital city. These can be collapsed and the Underdark sealed off. Thus, the Great City can be protected from an attack by Regular Armies and Militia, and more importantly the yuan-ti can be taken underground and given refuge there.

Thus, there is no threat from the yuan-ti.
The drow will control their own food source.
The drow will control their own water source.
The drow will control their own air source.
The drow will control all aspects of military defense and government.
Alliance with the yuan-ti is a necessary evil, to protect the interests of the drow.
The drow cannot trust the yuan-ti: the drow cannot trust anyone. But the yuan-ti are more useful to serve the drow interest than other surface races. They are more reliable than other surface races: they have a history of being relatively reliable.
They cannot be trusted, but they are relatively reliable, and they are needed right now to advance the drow cause.

Lose everything?
Eclavdra is making it a point that the drow take all their possessions with them, that can be taken.
They cannot take their homes ... but if they leave now their homes just might still be THERE for them when it is safe to return at a future date.

It is wise, to stand and fight, and die? Against odds of 10 to 1? This is wisdom?
Eclavdra puts it simply: you will be slaughtered, and since you had a way out Lolth will condemn you.
The way out? ... ALL the drow fighting as one army, ONE people, against ANY who would dare attack them. With their combined might, the drow can fend off any attack, beat any opponent!
Eclavdra says: Let Vecna himself come ... the drow standing as One People will defeat HIM!

Eclavdra says this is not fleeing: it is consolidation. Consolidation of drow power and strength, against enemies who are ALREADY consolidated.

Nobody dares argue with Eclavdra? That doesn't matter. She can read minds, as can all female drow ... and she has artifacts to help her. She plucks the questioning thoughts out of individuals, and she answers their questions and doubts with quiet and utterly determined resolution.

Eclavdra points out that the Elves may attack the drow in the end ... the Treaty of Miranda was meant to buy the drow time, but the treacherous and vile Elves may just attack anyways.
And if they bring the Baklunish Empire, Orcreich, Greater Khanate, the League of Ekbir, the Empire of Lynn, Gigantea, Hyperboria ... and if the Illithid simultaneously attack, and the Solistarim - longtime foes - attack ...
Well now, would the drow like it as prisoners of the Elves?
Would that be noble, being forced to convert to the worship of the filthy Seldarine? Being tortured by the merciless, hateful elves into abandoning the Way of Lolth?
How noble would that be?

(Obviously, Eclavdra is in a losing battle here, and I realize it. She is trying to argue for military organization and preparation, and a massive uprooting and relocation, to a chaotic evil people, a worst case scenario.
Eclavdra is going to use the Regalia of Lordly Might to give herself the stature of a demipower ... and try to order the drow around as one. It is the best she can do, because unlike Al'Akbar and Iuz she is not a diety.
Eclavdra appreciates that in the end, logic and reason will never win with the drow: so she pounds fear, fear, FEAR, FEAR!, FEAR!!! into their heads.

Stay and die.
Stay and Lolth will condemn you.
Stay, and you will burn in the Abyss for eternity.
Stay, and you are a traitor to all that is drow.
Stay, and the Elves will have you.
Stay, and the Elves will torture you endlessly, and make you worship their perverted Seldarine.
Stay, and the Illithid will feast on your brains.
Stay, and you'll - if you're lucky - live out your life as a miserable slave to the derro, or duergar, or svirfneblin, or worst of all, to the Elves.

Only an idiot would stay.
You are not an idiot: you are a drow, and the drow are a brilliant people.
Only a short sighted fool would stay: and the drow are a wise and farseeing people.

And the Nobles who will follow Eclavdra, will have priority in all things in the new society, the Great City.
The more willing the Nobles are to do as Eclavdra wishes, the higher in rank their House will end up being, and the more power, prestige, and backing they'll get. Eclavdra will see to this personally.
Who wants their house to sit on the Ruling Council of the Great City?! To be in the Top 10 Houses of the Great City? To lord it over ALL the drow, and not just the pitiful few in one drow city?
The Nobles who do as Eclavdra asks, will be the rich drow. Eclavdra will see to it that all the contracts and profits go to them.

And the top one of all: Vecna.

Eclavdra asks: Do you want to be ruled by the Whispered One? To be his slaves? To be used in his ... experiments? No single drow city can withstand him. But the drow as One People, can defeat him.
Unite, and we defeat the Whispered One. Fail, and ... (even Eclavdra flinches, genuinely) the Whispered One will accord us a fate worse than even the Elves would.

Whatever it takes.
Fear, bullying, threats, bribes, promises, pleas ... whatever it takes.
One thing Eclavdra does not have is any sense of ethics. She will do what it takes, period, to see her ends accomplished.

[/sblock]

 

[Melkor Lord Of ALL!]

-Edited, sorry.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(chuckles)

(reminds everyone that online arguments and flaming are harmful to the IR and are against ENWorld rules, and that at least two moderators are watching)

Now now, my dear Melkor, you don't know that yet.

But hey, yes, the drow are abandoning Geoff. That is official, and I hereby publicly declare it!

Geoff is up for grabs. Everyone come and get it!