Mithguard

[Haltherrion]

I'll be specifically quoting from Chris but this will be written with Jim's posts in mind as well.

Before Azz gets started just want to confirm that this is all happening before Orena knows exactly what has taken place and that we have the real control rod. If she knows, we'll need to take a different tact.

Within reason, these discussion all happen before contact with Orena. However, her garrison is present and while you can find a quiet place to hide, as the dragon demonstrated earlier, you can be overheard and even with out a dragon, there are various spy spells that Severus, Orena or Orena's cohorts can use to listen in. I don't think anyone in the party has anyti-scry magic.

First let's figure out what to do with the spoils of war we have. If no one can use the magic items we have, we should hold on to them for trade. Or we may want to trade them to Orena in return for good will if we think that will be the most useful purpose for what we have. Otherwise let's trade them for items of greater value.

If we can quickly, out of game, resolve the major plot direction and Orena remains friendly with you, then we can see what she'd offer for your loot. Otherwise, it will remain in the loot bag for now and you can look to sell or trade it later.

2. We bargain with Acrilug- information for his freedom. We ask him to tell us what he is willing to trade for his freedom, this way he may disclose more than if we just ask him for the information on how to make the rod. We should brainstorm to see what he might know that would be of interest to us i.e. how to make the rod, the layout of the Mottul fortress, their defenses, garrison and so on. We should use the detect lies spell as we did with Bryton. part of any bargain we make wiht Actrilug is to make him give his word that he will not aid Mottul forces in anyway for the duration of the current conflict. [ we may need to word the requirement of that promise better. He is LE and will abide by the bargin to the letter but will use any loophole to his advantage]

Acrilug will offer the following in return for immediate release and no ransom:

1) No hostile action for one year against Eidos. More than that he will not promise unless you buy him off.
2) He will describe what he knows of the Mottul fortress, the Mottul battle plan, the Mottul leadership.
3) He will describe what he knows about how to create a rod and assures you this information is sufficient to make a rod. (I.e., he claims he will not tell just half the story about making a rod.)

As soon as you come to agreement with Acrilug, I will post his information (for metagame purposes, I will likely post just #3 in its entirety for now. #1 and and #2 will take more work to create.)

This information may affect your other decisions.

3. We trade Severus the mercury and his source information, for the secret on how to make the fake control rod real. This way we own the mercury, and have the real control rod and have a line on more mercury. Serverus will have the fake control rod and the secret to making it real, thus assuring him a high position in Orena's eyes (she'll need him at least) and giving us a potential ally. We will have the mercury and the control rod and a place to find more if we need it so we can secure Princep's fortress. While we are doing that Serverus will need to gather more mercury and convert the rod. This will take time which Orena will hopefully use to repair and garrison the fotress so when it works it will be properly protected.

Severus will not part with the mercury. He feels denying it to Orena, his liege, would be quite foolish.

He'd very much like to know the secrets of creating the rod. But he grudgingly admits that the only other thing you ask of him (sources for the mercury) are of limited value because he thinks he has exhausted their supplies.

4. We give Orena Pakara as a ransom hostage. Orena can keep the ransom. Not as nice as the dragon but there is really not any good way to keep an old dragon for any length of time anyhow.

5. We turn Bryton over to Orena for trial as a traitor. His fate is now at the mercy of the court.

Let's assume Pakara and Brytan to Orena is a given for now. If you go down a path where Orena is unfriendly, you can reconsider later.

Orena may feel that she is not getting a good bargin but i thnk Princep's sugestion of offering aliance when his fotress is ready and taking on the Mottul fotress will increase both parties fame and prestige.

Draeca cautions you to be careful with Orena. With a Duchess, "right" may not hold as much sway as "what she really wants". Given the portals she controls and the current state of affairs in Eidos, it would not be good for Eidos to cause a rift between Orena and Fina.

Your association with Fina cuts both ways. That is, negative actions on your part will reflect on Fina. Piss Orena off and she may extend the feeling to Fina.

It is certainly isn't fair but it is a real risk.

Metagame stuff. - Azz has a 20 CHR and so + 20 in Dilplomacy don't kow if this is any better than anyone else in the party. he also may have a better change of negotiating with Acrilug. Azz is well known among dragons.

Draeca has similar Charisma but somewhat lower diplomacy, even with some synergies. Draeca is happy to let Azz do the negotiating. She can put voice of the dragon on you for an extra +10 (unless you get a racial bonus of +10 for being a dragon, this spell should still work for you.)

 

[Haltherrion]

Based on Princep's suggestion (and some side bar with Chris that indicates Azz concurs), the following has occurred out of game:

The ransom is negotiated as follows:

Azz does the communication. Draeca and Princep observe. Muscle is provided by the rest of the party.

Draeca casts discern lie and voice of the dragon on Azz, Princep and Draeca (assuming they can be cast on others, if not just herself).

The terms are:

Acrilug pays no cash for ransom.

Acrilug agrees not harm Eidos for one year.

Acrilug provides information on the Mottul forces and fortress [I'll write this up later; don't let me forget]

Acrilug says the following about creating control rods:

There are none in Mottul who can create these rods. The magic required is of the highest strength. All thought only an Archon could manage it but I did find one who could do it: Trasutha the Lost Archon. Yes, she still lives. And I found her in the Misty Isles. She is as ornery and crusty as ever but she enchanted the rod you now posses. The fake rod you have was also intended for enchantment but was left unenchanted to be used as a decoy.

Trasutha lives on Padmiron Isle. This isle lies on the lowest level deep in the mists. She has selected Padmiron because it is large and infested with evil creatures so that she is not troubled by many visitors.

For the first two rods [the one you have and the one in the Mottul fortress], Trasutha requested two tasks. I imagine she will require a third task from you for your rod for she is not interested in wealth nor magic. What this, I cannot say. I did not perform the earlier tasks but they seemed to involve acquiring knowledging or traveling to certain places.

Just about everyone has heard of Trasutha. She was one of the Archons in the Age of archons. She stepped down from her domains and disappeared. She has been sighted a number of times of the centuries but she is still refered to as the Lost Archon. She was always independent and was not allied with Osrid (Mottul's archon) or Marquilla (Eidos' archon).

[In the interests of time, since I need time to prepare] Draeca will suggest the following:

I assume Princep, Gel or Leonus could find a portal path for us to this place but it may be much faster and safer to activate Mithguard and fly it there. In return for giving Orena the control rod she needs to fly Mithguard, we could acquire a garrison for the castle (to protect it while we are galavanting about Padmiron and other places) and the use of the fortress to get to Padmiron. Tihs gives her the fortress and a high profile role but also removes the fortress from Eidos until we have both Mithguard and Castelleon available to us.
This assumes that in addition to a working control rod, we could return from the jaunt with sufficient mercury to fly Castelleon.

 

[Haltherrion]

The party has agreed to trade the real control rod to Orena in return for use of Mithguard to find Trasutha to enchant the false rod.

A recap of the last scenario and the out-of-game negotiations is on the Ophir website here.

I will be updating this page throughout today. You will also be able to find a link to information on Trasutha.