NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 8374930" data-attributes="member: 2012">"Provocation is not a good idea... for either of us," Lowenan replies. "I will try not to provoke you and if you could do the same, it might help broker a real peace." He reaches for the wine but then thinks better of it. "I agree that those mercenaries are unruly dogs best kept out of Bluffside. Phelix considers them to be useful, but I've advised him not to get in so deep with them that they think themselves equal to our Loyalists. They are not.""The explosion in New City was unfortunate, but it was not planned," Lowenan counters. "Phelix did not know about the fireworks in the house next to his residence. He realizes he should have known, but the man using that house, Radko Ravenmore, went to great lengths to hide his alchemy workshop in the basement. He never sold his creations out of his home. As far as my mentor could divine, afterwards, he never sold his fireworks anywhere it New City. Radko did have a general shop out on Sordadon that sold fireworks out of a hidden storeroom. It is closed now, and he is in the wind."He pauses. "Ravenmore was a bard, not a wizard. Thus, he was forced to flee the city or end up in chains. Any being with an innate ability with magic walks a fraying tightrope in this city. Bards are usually accepted as being relatively harmless by the council and a few of them have found wealthy patrons among the nobility, which shields them from the harshest rules of the Wizard Council, but such protections only goes so far. Plus, the common people tend to love performers.""I have tried to have that conversation with the Lord Commander, several times," Lowenan replies bitterly. "It was only a debate of law not magic. If I had tried too hard to sway him and others in the Regulars, they would have become suspicious. I always used the argument that it would cost the city less to simply legalize sorcery rather than spend tons of gold and magic trying to root sorcerers out." He shakes his head. "He would not listen, and I don't blame him. Sorcerers are not well thought of by the common people and nobility alike, and if he argued for lifting the ban, he could lose his place as Lord Commander... or something even worse."Lowenan shakes his head. "The law is what it is and if forced into irons, I will have no choice to accept my punishment no matter how unjust it is to me personally. I accepted that long ago.""We all have," Lady Arnona says. The other ex-guards nod although the young wizard, Silagord, hesitates."As for the Far Realm, I trust my mentor's judgment more than yours," Lowenan says. "He has studied it and its denizens all of his life." He pauses again and looks at the gnome scribe in the portal. "Phelix knows the rumors about him being an alienist, so I am not revealing too much by saying he is indeed an alienist and quite a powerful one." He looks at Akos. "But he is not the only alienist in Bluffside. There are alienist conjurers who study the Far Realm in great detail -- who knows what they've summoned and studied in the sub-cellars of House of Conjuration. They think their knowledge of wards and summoning circles are infallible. Bah! They pretend to be in control of every aspect of summoning." He shakes his head. "While Chancellor Kildorn isn't an alienist himself, he hasn't forbidden the study of the Far Realms. Such instruction isn't for neophytes, of course." He looks at the Loremaster and smiles. "Go ask him about the Far Realm, if you dare!"([USER=7030556]@ScottDeWar_jr[/USER])[Spoiler="For ScottDeWar_jr Only"]As a members of the Sectarian Guard, Vinccenzo knows that what Lowenan is saying about conjurers studying the Far Realm is true. However, the instruction is only for the most powerful members of the House of Conjuration. To say that the classes aren't for neophytes is a bit of an understatement. A conjurer (or wizard) would have to be 12th-level (an Arcanist of the Twelfth Order) or higher to be able to learn how to summon pseudo-natural creatures safely. Anyone less powerful who tries to do so is quickly kicked out of the House, as well as Bluffside. They don't usually end up being executed, however. The Wizard Council pays The Five for any damages or loss off life that occurs outside the Wizard District.[/Spoiler][Spoiler="Neurotic Only"]Hmm, that's something I forgot to consider while writing my last reply... sorry about that. But, what are the chances that even if others don't know, that Phelix might have discovered who Akos patron is through divination or some other means? (Gather Information, maybe.) I'll make some DM Only checks for him and save them in my document file for Phelix. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />For now, lets say that Lowenan is referring to all the PCs' growing popularity with the citizens of Old City and not Akos status as a warlock. Those who become too popular are often considered a threat by some members of The Five and their allies. Right now, the PCs are in any danger of being ostracized from the city, but as they grow powerful, that might change. For now, Lady Samantha Pomander is clearly in the PCs' corner and bringing in the Old City Killer will make them valuable assets to the other members of The Five.[/Spoiler]"It's obvious that you are eager to be free of this place and threat we might be to you," Lowenan says calmly. "As I said, you are free to leave but don't expect it to be easy to return here, if you come to kill. And, don't expect Phelix to sit idly by while you plan to assault us here or in the enclave. We will be ready for whatever comes if diplomacy isn't an option for The Five."Lady Arnora looks at Akos wide-eyed then turns to Lowenan. "Oh no! I said too much! He knows my family name! This is a disaster!""Calm yourself, Arnora," Lowenan says soothingly. "I surmised that he might be able to learn a lot about us just through conversation. He is a Loremaster, after all." He turns and glares a Akos. "But is is bad form for you to expose her family in... mixed company." He looks at Custodio, then at Vinccenzo. "These men have loyalties that go beyond your little group of heroes.""By The Twelve!" Lady Arnora looks up at the ceiling of stars. "They are all lost! They will be arrested and ostracized from the city!""Then you shouldn't have betrayed Bluffside!" Custodio snaps. "But... while your family may face severe fines and dishonor for your actions, they aren't likely to face the noose or ostracization unless it can be proved they helped you in your betrayal or try to help you after you've been officially charged with treason." The Vanquisher stares at the floor. "Be glad I don't have the authority to do so. I must wait to see what the Lord Commander and The Five will decide... but I expect they will not be lenient.""On that we agree, Mr. Vecchi," Lowenan adds. "I don't think the Loremaster truly understands the position he's put you in regarding your Oath to the city."Custodio looks at Akos then back to Lowenan. "Oh, I think he does understand. He knows I will do my duty as an Elite." He looks at Lady Arnora. "I will make you no promises of silence. You cannot ask that of me." He sighs. "You need to realize Lady Arnora that from the moment I learned your name -- not your family name -- I would give that information to the Lord Commander. While I don't know you or your family, I'm sure the commander does know who you are. Many Regulars make the mistake of thinking that Reginald Oakfirst can't know everyone under his command, but I assure you that he'll know your name even if he's never met you personally. He would be a poor leader if he didn't know the people serving under him." He glares at Lowenan. "And Arnora is not a common name in this city, so if you want to blame someone then blame your commander for speaking yours and the wizard's name so casually." Custodio motions to Silagord, the young tower wizard.Tensions rise slightly but Custodio has said his peace. He turns and walks out of the room without any concern that the ex-guards will attack him. He keeps his sword ready as he heads back towards the entry from the guard post."I see the reports on him are true," Lowenan says after the Vanquisher leaves the room. "He is a bit of a hothead."OOC: Actually, it is Chittenden. When I wrote Chittendens in the PM, it was meant as a plural form of the surname."As Mr. Wearne has already told you, the explosion wasn't planned and if the The Five want compensation for the destruction, then we will try to find the funds," the gnome replies. "But, when lives are lost as part of good research, I can accept that. The benefit outweighs the losses." He crooks his head to try to study Akos face. "Hmm, you obviously don't think so... I will not try to convince you otherwise." He steps back from the portal and makes a motion and his face disappears from view. The portal shifts to show the fire demon again but it is held in place by a magic circle. The portal is silent on the other side.Akos watches out of the corner of his eye for some sort of reaction from Lowenan but the ex-commander is too busy trying to reassure Lady Arnora 'that all is not lost'. The other ex-guards have their eyes on Big Tim... waiting for him to exit the room with the Loremaster. Akos thinks he might have gotten some of the gestures right, but he can't be certain. If the knight understands him, he doesn't show it on his face.OOC: [Spoiler="DM Only"]<a href="http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=253279" target="_blank">Lowenan - Spot check (DC 24): 1D20+8 = [4]+8 = 12</a> (fails)[/Spoiler][OOC]The Intelligence check is for successful picking the right signs to convey your message to the DMK. So, you succeed for the first and third sentences but not the second one. He doesn't understand that set of signs at all; its gibberish to him.[Spoiler="For Neurotic Only"]I noted in our PM conversation that the DC was only going to be 15, not 18, so Akos does succeed to get his point across to the DMK for the first and third sentences but at the bare minimum. So he understands that you don't want him as an enemy and that you don't want to fight him.[/Spoiler]You can roll a Diplomacy check to go along with those two sets of signs but there is a -4 circumstance penalty to the roll for the failed second set and that it is hard to get your meaning across to the knight while trying to Bluff the guards at the same time.You'd only have to worry about the Bluff check to keep Lowenan and the other ex-guards from noticing that Akos is trying to communicate with the DMK clandestinely. It's not like you're trying to bluff the DMK.[/OOC]</blockquote>

Verification