Piratecat's Updated Story Hour! (update 4/03 and 4/06)

[The Crimster]

One thing I can't help but think of in your 'Sir Aleax is a secret creation of Evil' theory. If they worked on him for centuries in order to fool the good guys - why wouldn't they work on some way to give him false flesh - so as to not raise any suspicion?

The Crimster

PS: I am now a dyed in the wool fan of this Story Hour. Good work here, P-Cat (and the players!).

 

[Galfridus]

Re: Re: Questions

That certainly is the question of the hour, indeed.

The question of the hour is, "What are the Pre-requisites for the Speaks in Bold Text feat?" Do you get +2 to Bluff and Intimidate for speaking in bold?

Just think how differently this encounter could have gone:

“Those are very beautiful,” says Mara, looking at the tapestries. “What are they of?” Sir Aleax’s head swivels to see if she is joking. She doesn’t appear to be. It’s hard to tell when a skull is frowning, but Aleax manages to give that impression.

“Those two are excerpts of the Book of the Sun,” he says, sounding disapproving. “This is the Angel Aubros with his fiery shield. This is his Holiness Lantic at the battle of Nar Veglin. These on the far wall are scenes from my own history. There I am entering the caverns at Abrundin; that’s a bad likeness of Morak next to me. There is an image of me as a boy, first hearing the call to service. Perhaps religious education is not what it used to be, Mara Thornhill, but I was trained to know my history and religious lessons.” Sir Aleax sits down behind a large mahogany desk, his armor clanking as he pulls himself into the chair. The noon sun coming through the skylight reflects off of his armor, sending golden fragments of light across the room.

Who's got the more commanding presence now?!?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The simplest answer is Sir Ghouleax is exactly who he claims to be. His undead nature is intended to provoke a schism in the church when their united strength is most needed. The only fake detail is the importance of the undead orb of power thingy. I bet it exists, but the White Kingdom is using it to distract their enemies, smashing a potential rival at the same time.

The most effective lies are those that are mostly true, save one or two key details. But the lie is structured to force the target to doubt the truth, and therefore waste energy following dead ends.

If you want to create a schism in a church ideologically opposed to undead, the logical choice is to create a undead being out of one of their most revered saints. It makes perfect sense.

 

[Sagiro]

I know this must have occurred to the Defenders, but... a Saint of Aeos died trying to hold back the White Kingdom - and they have had 300 years to rebuild and grow...

Still, I suppose Velendo has already been a proxy of Calphas, which must rank higher than a saint - and Tao has a bit of a hotline to Galenna nowadays

As for the church of Aeos... well, there is nothing like having your support structure kicked away just when you need it, eh?

Yeah, it has occurred to us that a party of adventuring types at least as powerful as us tried this quest 300 years ago and failed. Velendo is acutely that it was one of Calphas' great champions who doomed the expedition to failure, despite the warnings of Calphas himself beforehand.

That said, Aleax wasn't considered a saint (I assume) until after his death. Before that he was "just" a really stoked Paladin.

Note that Velendo is no longer a proxy to Calphas. It's possible that Calphas will make him one again, depending on the true magnitude of this quest. Remember that last time, all life on the planet was in jeopardy from either an incoming comet, the release of world-consuming giant worms, or both. It will probably take a threat of similar gravity (no pun intended) for Calphas to reinstate Proxihood on one of his servants.

And Velendo is absolutely in agreement with Ridley's Cohort concerning the suspicious nature and timing of Aleax's return. One point I think was left out of Velendo's ramble PCat posted: A vampire of Nolin's acquaintance went and warned the White Kingdom that the Defenders were planning an expedition to wipe them out. It was soon after -- about two months -- that "Aleax" was found wandering the Sephanic plains.

-Sagiro

 

[Piratecat]

Well, the entire church of Aeos, including the High Elders and the most suspicious inquisitors, have all concluded that the skeletal St. Aleax is the real one. Some members of the Knights of the Emerald Chapel have disagreed, and have been riven from the church thereby.

Aleax (the sword) was found in the hoard of a dracolich's lair. It had been there for hundreds of years, and could no longer remember its origins; nevertheless, it did remember its identity. I think its pretty clear that the sword has true paladin abilities; it can lay on hilt and detect evil, for instance.

The original expedition to the White Kingdom was undertaken by Aleax, Morak of Calphas, and others. The story isn't well known; according to a legend lore and what the skeletal St. Aleax told Mara, their group had the ghouls trapped in an area that served as the only access point from the ghoul-controlled caverns to the rest of the Underdark. If they could have held them there, the ghouls would have soon run out of both victims and boltholes. When it became clear that they were losing the battle, Morak brought down the ceiling of the cavern. He killed himself and his entire party, along with many thousands of undead, sealing them into a stony prison for centuries. They eventually carved their way out, though, and have advanced through the underdark since. For some time their progress was checked by a city of mind flayers. Ironically, Nolin and the Defenders had a cubic gate that led to this city, and they sold rights of access to a rrakma (hunting party) of Sigilian githzerai who proceeded to lay waste to the illithids. By the time the githzerai departed for their own plane, the mind flayers were no longer strong enough to hold back the ghouls, and they advanced once again.

We played last night, and saw some truly spectacular role playing on everyone's part - especially Malachite's. I'll finish Mara's conversation with St. Aleax, and write up Malachite's, this weekend. Look for an update on Monday!

 

[KidCthulhu]

Ironically, Nolin and the Defenders had a cubic gate that led to the mind flayer city, and they sold rights of access to a rrakma (hunting party) of Sigilian githzerai who proceeded to lay waste to the illithids. By the time the githzerai departed for their own plane, the mind flayers were no longer strong enough to hold back the ghouls, and they advanced once again.

Yep. The whole white kingdom is an elaborate revenge by Pkitty on me for coming up with a way to eliminate a city of mind flayers without having to go there ourselves. He'd been reading The Illithiad just about the time he told us about the cubic gate, and we were sure we'd end up going there at some point.

So I came up with the Githzerai plan, which was one of those lovely moments when I got to surprise PC. And he's been plotting his revenge ever since.

Ripples, my a**.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

If they worked on him for centuries in order to fool the good guys - why wouldn't they work on some way to give him false flesh - so as to not raise any suspicion?

Oh, that's easy. They want suspicion, and the attendent doubt and strife that come with it. Think how much harder it would have been to rive the Emerald Chapel from the mother church if ol' Ghouliax were not known to be undead. It could have taken years, instead of weeks, for him to orchestrate such a division.

 

[KidCthulhu]

Plus, after all those years underground, they had no idea of the fashions above ground. Their first try at Sir Ghouleax came above ground wearing platform heels and a purple paisley leisure suit.

He was spotted as an evil abomination right away, and wiped out by a first level party of halflings and 12 year olds. Very embarrassing for the White Kingdom.

They decided to stick with bones. Very classic. Never go out of style.

 

[Fade]

So tell me Nolin, what are well dressed evil undead abominations wearing this season?

 

[Number47]

You mean Kate Moss?