The 4th IR, Thread 2

[Kalanyr]

Arkanyl will heed the call and bring such good-aligned magical beings as he knows to the meeting.

 

[Festy_Dog]

[ooc: sorry everyone, my isp went into a coma for the weekend and I only just finished reading everything now. Seamus Campbell is my character: neutral good human, bard 10/ weightless Foot Ninja 5 (I think that combination of lvls works, can't remember). I think its safe to say he started at 10 and through his doings in recent happenings gained 5 lvls.]

Seamus sits in Candlekeep, long ago he stopped printing his books, it was impossible considering all the uprisings and such, then again he didn't want any more distributors of books to die. The copies he kept for himself are stacked in a corner gathering dust.

He looks around the humble room his sponsors had provided for him out of good will when all the trouble started. He had made it a priority to help those researchers in Candlekeep whenever he could with his knowledge of history. Now though things were different, he couldn't help solve the red death. Each day he wracked his brain for the slightest crumb of history which would contain wisdom for this time. Each day his lack of results caused his guilt to build.

Word reaches him that the Red Death seeks out those who use magic, also he hears of what happened to the Chosen of Mystra. Being a fairly heavy dabbler in the arts first thing he did was take an uncomfortable expression and twiddle his thumbs, now scared of using the simplest cantrips for ease of living. He was at odds on whether to dispose of his magic items, being so attached to them as he were.

I can't sit here in fear... wait, I've done that for a few months now I could keep it up easy, but its better if I go out and try to do something.

After a week following in undecision upon this simple thought he leaves and takes the road less travelled, nay, untravelled, to see people in charge and offer his meager assistance. It was time he stopped feeling guilty for not helping. He'll do whatever he can to help, but shows a preferance to explore the world of Earth. Seamus hopes to assist the Silver Cabal there however he can with his knowledge and experience in digging up the past and the truths lying therin. With luck the truths of the past may contain clues to solving problems of the present. If he does end up going to earth he makes a clear effort to not use magic.

In reference to the past though, while he still published books, he was the person he spoke out against the publisher who tried to remove luck from games of chance. He also spoke out against or supported anything that his research gave evidence on. During these times he went great lengths to give his learned opinion to the world and was quite surprised when the Gnomes of Lantan didn't offer him publishing using their special books . What he did do in fact before his memory of the happening was erased was bad mouth the power hungry gnome, and stated his disbelief at hearing such things from one (the conversation came to an abrupt end when Seamus attempted to remove the gnome's face, claiming he was a some kind of demon in disguise). He learned not too long afterwards of the memory erasion involved and kinda estimated what would have happened (he obviously can't see himself trying to pull the face off a gnome though).

He tries to think happy thoughts as he treks through the wilderness with a handful of close friends: the few who remained alive and well in the current times. Soon though he starts playing a tune on his guitar as they walk, something he invented spur of the moment.

"You know," he says, impressed by his own work under the depressing world-wide state, "I think I'll call the song 'Classical Vapour'."

 

[Serpenteye]

A 'big' Serpenteye post. (All quotes are of Edena)

The representative from Dambrath, a powerful nation not under domination but instead a free ally, stands and speaks:

There should be a conclave to determine which religions are productive to society and the people of the Meritocracy.
Those religions that are productive and useful should be supported.
Those religions which are not productive and useful should be outlawed.
That is the stance of Dambrath. We fully support the President of the Meritocracy in his endeavors in this manner.

"You are wise indeed, my friend, and your councel shall be followed. I am now sending invitations to representatives of all the faiths of Toril so that they themselves can present their cause before our court and we can decide which of them are worthy of being worshipped by our glorious peoples. Lolth and Loviatar are godesses of great strength and dedication, but other Gods should also be judged according to their merits. Meritocracy shall be the rule of all things."

SERPENTEYE POSTED

I'd like to volunteer to create a faction map for Toril and the Forgotten realms, like I did for Creamsteaks, stasised, IR. I'm sure someone will be able to put it up on their Net-Site.

FROM EDENA

I would really like that! Can you do it?
You have my full support on this venture!

Sure. I won't do it right now, though. It will have to wait to the interlude between turn 1 and 2 when we will be able to begin the actual warring. I will need some time to do the map, and your cooperation in adjucating the borders (no map of Faerûn I've seen have national borders marked).

Also, I have been suffering from chronic fatigue and weakness, and my work on the IR this morning left me exhausted. I collapsed after finishing my articles,

Do not, I repeat, do not exhaust yourself. If this game makes you sick, like the 3rd IR did at some point, it wouldn't be good for anyone. Prioritate yourself Edena, some selfishness is necessary for any and all humans. Your well being is not less important than our enjoyment, and our enjoyment of the game will soon end if you cause yourself harm from overexertion. We all care about your health and general happiness.

Janos, Serpenteye, Creamsteak ... you have control of your respective powers now.
What do you do to fight this plague (chickenpox) ? How do you save your people?

I do everything possible to help my people. The sick are quarantined and given the best possible care we can afford to give them. Thousands of our sages, druids, mages and clerics start researching magical and non-magical cures and immunization to the disease. We will reqruit the finest doctors and medicinal researchers of Earth to our aid with great gifts of gold and stories about our harmonious and peaceful society ().

The Chosen of Mystra, who had been neutral towards the gnomes, denounce them as enemies.
The Free Nations of Faerun declare war on Lantan.
Lantan, goes down under an avalanche of assault.

The gnomes of Lantan, are put out of business. Their magic is taken from them, their printing presses seized, their Astral Gates closed. They are reduced to a subjugated people.
But it is too late. The Red Death has arrived on Toril. The Astral Gates to Earth, cannot now be closed by any means.

A letter to the leaders of the Free Nations

"By ruthlessly assaulting Lantan, a close friend of our Confederation, you have committed atrocity. This will not be forgotten. But, for now, greater concerns must take presedence. I offer you the assistance of the Meritocracy in curing the horrible disease that is plaguing all our nations and in finding countermeasures against the insidious Red Death. I also suggest that it would be wiser for us both if we concentrated on fighting more diabolic enemies than each others. At least both our powers hold true to some mutual virtues of Good, though we might disagree on certain minor points."

TOKIWONG POSTED:

Misha will call for a great Tribunal of the most powerful members f the Dauntless to deal with the threat of the plague, while having the clerics of Corellon study the contagion a smuch as possible, and quarantining Evermeet, and several strategic locations, no one leaves or enters thoe lands, if Queen Amlauril will comply...
Misha puts out the Call to meet ina neutral Demiplane, protected by magics, for all PC members of the Dauntless...

FROM EDENA

Done. The meeting is convened (everyone in the IR is welcome to take part.)
Major rulers, including Queen Amlaruil, also attend.

The Meritocracy will do everything in its power to aid other nations in finding a cure for the diseases.

The Realms of Ergoth, Solamnia, Qualinesti, Thorbardin, and of course Kenderhome send their greetings to their Torilian brethren.
With a question - why did Toril send a plague to kill half of Krynn?
And why shouldn't Krynn invade Toril, and mete out retribution for this attack?

From Oerth, Keoland, Furyondy, Nyrond, the Great Kingdom - they all send their greetings.
Along with a statement that Toril is the cause of the massacre (the plague) afflicting them, that Toril is an enemy planet, and that Toril will be invaded and subjugated.

Athas is not so polite.
The Dragon Kings immediately invade Toril.
The lush green world of Toril is a bananza for the Defilers of Athas.
Very quickly, they gain toe-holds across Faerun.

Of course, the Red Death spreads to all of those worlds now.

"You base your statements on inadequate knowledge about the real cirqumstances of the situation. The plague came from the world of Earth. But the blame is not theirs. No, the disease is a natural force, a wild beast like any other wild beast, noones responsibility but its own. Rather than fight, the course of Wisdom would be multilateral cooperation in finding a cure."

The Red Death will take your people too, unless ... unless you stop using magic.

We will not stop using magic. Not yet.
We send numerous expeditions to Earth to find out more about the Red Death. Where did it originate? How was it created? What are its powers? What are the limits of its powers? How have some spellcasters on Earth managed to escape its effects? How can we fight it? How can we fight it? How can we fight it?

'The Silver Cabal is pursuing science as a weapon to defeat the Red Death. Through understanding and enligtenment, we hope to raise the condition of our fellow men above the misery and despair imposed by the Red Death.
The illness attacking your world is called chickenpox. We have developed an antidote for chickenpox. We have the tools to halt the disease, to stop it from killing your people. Without magic. Without arcane lore of any sort.
Our weapon against misery, disease, and horror, is science.'

"Thank you. What else can I say when there are no words to describe the gratefulness I feel. Ask anything of me and, within reason, it shall be done."

Creamsteak Posted:

He then goes to speak to all of the leaders on Toril, and states, "We all agree then that we are going to work against this disease rather than each other right? No need to be fighting about petty things, like good and evil, when the entire universe is doomed."

"True words from a true man. The nations of the Meritocracy hold no emnity against the Imaskari or any other, legitimate, nation."


______________

Alarah Gomenei, not so fat as he once was, sits in his windowless study. The last few days? weeks? months?, had been hectic in the extreem and he was exhausted. Time blurred itself into one huge spongy mass within his mind and all he knew about the date was that it was too late, too close to running out. So much had been done, but for every huge success a huge threat had risen. He must act, act again and again, no time for rest, for blessed sleep and comfort. He feels his eyelids sliding, sinking, drifting together. And he feels a hand, his own hand, striking his face repeatedly. No! Not yet time for sleep. He grabs his quill again and speaks to himself.

"Ok, ok, magic will have to go. Unfortunately when it does no power will suffer greater than my own. I need some last resort, anything that can be done, must be done, will be done. The people will not trust me yet, despite all that I have done only for their happiness. When the effects of our magical books cease most of our people will rebell, most of our states will defect. Magic will no longer hold our great confederation together, but I have found something that will.
These last few days I and my allied druids have researched and concocted a potent cocktail of powerful natural and synthetic narcotics. Completely non-magical, this super-drug will cause extreem addiction in any who take it but once. The pleasure and chemical addiction this drug creates will bind any who take it to the drug and the provider of the drug will be able to dictate the behavior of the victim by threathening to withold it. Only I and my closest associates will be able to grow and manifacture the drug. By use of Plant-Growth the crop will grow rapidly and soon our first harvest will be ready. Soon."


Edena- I just pulled all this out of my ass, feel free to laugh mockingly and overrule it . If you don't overrule it the Meritocracy will act as swiftly as it possibly can to complete the manifacturing of the drug and to distribute it troughout my territories, all people will be told to take it while they still are under my (magical) influence. The distribution will be handled by special Blue Cadres of loyal (as loyal people as I have without the magical domination) agents, escorted by powerful military units. We will set up a system of total dependency, where no facet of society except my PC controls any but a small part of the distribution of the drug completely. We will make it next to impossible for anyone but the proper authorities to create sufficient stockpiles of the drug to survive a rebellion and all our effort will be put into making sure that the drug cannot be reproduced by anyone else and that the secret of its creation is well hidden. We will also create a non-magical medication that removes the physically and mentally debilitating effects of such a potent drug, leaving only the addiction (in unreduced potency) in place. This antidote will be distributed by White Cadres, just as loyal to Alarah as the Blue, but a completely separate organization.


____

Disclaimer: I do neither support nor condone the use of illegal drugs (whatever drugs are illegal in your country for use in your country). This is just a game, an I'd like to believe that my actions in a game do not accurately indicate what kind of person I am in real life.

 

[Serpenteye]

Ooc:

Ahem, Melkor. Chessenta, Unther, and that entire part of Faerûn is mine. In fact, quite a lot of nations are mine. Perhaps you should pick a weaker enemy when your own power is so limited?

edit: (Sigh, I read this post again and realized it makes me look like a complete ass. Pick whatever targets you like Melkor. Whatever you do will only make the game more fun and interesting for everybody )


Edena- We will begin open trade with the nations of Earth, buy several "high-tech" companies, mostly in England, Germany, USA, France, and Sweden (Dynamite!), hire the most skilled engineers we can find and start to copy the best of Earth technology, both military and civilian tech (with an emphasis on medical technology). To aquire the required funds we will send several mining expeditions into the Elemental Plane of Earths Mineral Layer and mine obscene amounts of Gems and precious metals.

 

[Bugbear]

Edena earlier you stated that Bugbear and I, would share the Dauntless, I feel that i have worked hard with them, and yet, I still get skipped over, if you could correct that unles you wish Bugbear to run the Dauntless, then that is your choice... just seems kind of strange that I put so much work into helping them... and yet I get nothing...

Misha will assist in protecting the boundaries of the Dauntless, quite upset with the mess, the people are making and will denounce anyone who has made attacks against the Dauintless, continues to create Domination Books, or attacks their allies of the Silver Cabal... he will not send Gustav any of their weapon designs, and will instead begin importing th advanced rifle designs from 1885 Earth to Toril, in the war against Athas and other forces... the Enlightened Gnomes will of course be charged with creating these objects once they reverse engineer them...

Misha will work wih the othr Dauntless leader, to protect their lands from incursion...

Tokiwong, it is not my intention to cut you off from the Dauntless. I am just taking action as needed. I would recomend a Division of power. Allow me to set policy, You can handle all military matters. We can both handle Diplomacy as needed. I think this will be a workible solution, as it caters to the strengths of each our characters.

 

[Bugbear]

[Edit] Orinil's spy network will attempt to bring the following to pass, a bold move but one they believe necessary due to the intelligence they have attained through their own network and through speaking with the Sharn. Ultimately what comes to pass will depend on edena's judgement [/edit]


A shockwave heads throughout the Dauntless – Loius Pasteur has gone missing, presumed kidnapped. Exhaustive investigation, both magical and mundane roots out several informants and traitors placed in positions that allowed access to Pasteur. However, who or what is responsible can be traced no further than a few links in the chain before the people apprehended simply do not know who their employer was.

Two days afterwards an innocent looking handwritten note turns up on Bugbears desk:

You have at your disposal the means to rid Faerun of its troubles yet you do not use it. The personal agendas of wizards amongst you causes fatal hesitation. Unleash the anti-magic dweomer the Gnomes have created for you. Unless you do, the assistance of the Silver Cabal will ultimately be futile in the face of what we face, so I will have no hesitation in severing your ties with them. You cannot continue to sit on your hands and pretend that magic can be allowed to exist whilst the problems it has caused be solved. Your choice is this: Allow magic to run rampant and turn to it for your solution to all the problems facing you, or, cast the anti-magic spell thereby ending the madness that assaults us all and have Mr. Pasteur returned and gain his assistance in curing the plague.

You have 24 hours to cast the spell. Time grows nigh, closer than you even realise and this decision must be made now.

Yours Faithfully,

A concerned mundane.

Note: Louis Pasteur is under the care of William Ronald at the moment, not me...

**Assuming that Edena permits the Kidnaping**
Hannover Fist glares at the letter, reading it over and over. "Damn fools. Damn, damn fools!."

He takes the letter, and tosses it into the fireplace. As it crumbles into blackened ash, he thinks to himself, "Things will go easier now that the letter is gone. I can't show my hand to early."

Posters are printed and put up accross the lands of the Dauntless, and in any other lands which allow it, calling for the return of Louis Pastuer. "Once again unsavory elements have kidnaped the person of Loius Pastuer. Should you have any information as to his whereabouts, we implore you to seek out the nearest Duantless Embassy, and report. A sizible reward is offered to insure his safe return. The people of Faerun will see these villians brought to justice."

 

[Tokiwong]

Tokiwong, it is not my intention to cut you off from the Dauntless. I am just taking action as needed. I would recomend a Division of power. Allow me to set policy, You can handle all military matters. We can both handle Diplomacy as needed. I think this will be a workible solution, as it caters to the strengths of each our characters.

OOC: That sounds agreeable... I like that Bugbear

Misha will work to find the missing Pasteur, if the kidnapping is allowed, but he will work through close Dauntless Agents while he leads the defense against the Athasian forces...

 

[Timothy]

Edena, I will try to figure out the PL on my own, using the Land of Fate Book (2nd edition book about al-qadim that featuresall kinds of details about Zakhara) And the Al-Qadim Netbook. I will do all my calculations in the OOC Thread, but thought I'd just mention it here.

Edit: Since I didn't find any raw definite formula, and TFO pointed out to me, that there is no such thing, and that PL's are given by Edena, I will instead get all of the information needed to form a rating.

 

[Lichtenhart]

Locked in his lair, which is much more uncomfortable now that he has turned all magic off, tired, and with a sore throat from not having used his breath for weeks, Krysophrenos is frantically searching the Encyclopaedia and making studies, trying to find a safe way for those who agreed to his plan to leave this plane without being followed by that red monstrosity. couriers come and go from his lair with the letters with which he's bombarding his collaborators, hoping to gather as much info as possible on this enemy.
He's attempting to open a portal in a way that doesn't allow the Red Death to reach it, and he's trying many strategies, hoping to find a solution soon.
He has written to his friends within the Enlightened gnomes if perhaps with the help of the Silver Cabal, they could open a dimensional portal sustained only by technology and not magic, allowing it to be opened in a dead magic zone, where the damned tendrils cannot reach.
He has considered stopping at an intermediate destination, a place possibly tottaly devoid of magic, where the Red Death could starve and die, but is there such a place? And how to move on from there? Is there any book that contains the answers?
What if they could build an vessel, an Ark to contain the Exiles, where the Red Death couldn't enter, and leave Toril with it? But how? Maybe the Sharn know something that could help.
Or maybe a more drastic resort: to create a ring shaped dead magic zone, to separate a piece of the Weave from the contagion, and depart from there? Is it feasible? Will magic work in such a circle? Will they manage to eradicate the Red Death from it in this way?
And if they manage to find a safe haven far from Toril, how should they twist their magic to make it safe and uncorruptible?
"So much work, so little time..." he shakes his golden head, opening another tome on ancient Netheril secrets.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Inez is successful in kidnapping Louis Pasteur.

- - -

Arkanyrl (Kalanyr's character) is successfully rescued and healed.

- - -

The Alliance of the Phoenix isolates itself, thus vastly reducing plague deaths there.
Shar is also ill, just like Mystra.
So is Chauntea. The other deities of FR seem unaffected.
Undead are affected by the Red Death ... they will eventually come to serve it.
The Shadow Weave and the Weave both are being affected by the Red Death ... being slowly corrupted (it cannot happen all at once, however. It has only just begun, this corruption.)
Heal will not cure the Red Death.

The newspaper of sustenance idea fails.

- - -

The Cult of the Dragon is successful in storming Chessenta.
The Dragon Kings of Athas, seem pleased with their mighty undead brethren, and form an alliance with them.
Sammaster mysteriously disappears. He vanishes in an aura of red. Baffled, the followers of the Cult take Daugothoth (yes, he is here, Forsaken One) as their leader.
Unther falls to Daugothoth, then the Akanal, then Chondath, then Sespech, then Turmish, then the Giant Plains west of Turmish, then all of the Vilhon Reach. The whole of the southern Sea of Fallen Stars is now in Forsaken One's hands.

Larloch still refuses all contact.

- - -

The chromatic dragons form an alliance with the Church of Tiamat (Melkor, you may control both), and launch a massive assault.
House Karanok joins in this assault.

Chessenta, which had first fallen to Serpenteye, then to Forsaken One, now falls to Melkor.
Unther, beset first by Mulhorand, then dominated by Serpenteye, then conquered by Forsaken One, now falls to Melkor.
The Akanal, however, controlled by the Dragon Kings and by the Cult of the Dragon, withstands the assault.
The Cult of the Dragon moves it's center of power to the Vilhon Reach, since they have been displaced from Chessenta.

The Night Masks of Westgate rise up, overthrow the city, and proclaim a Kingdom of Vampires (and, in a Night of Horror, the vampiric leaders of the Cult achieve just this with the unfortunate citizens of Westgate.)
This new power then allies with the Cult of the Dragon and it's new allies from Athas.

- - -

TO BUGBEAR, INEZ, LICHTENHART, KALANYR, TIMOTHY, TOKIWONG, VENUS, AND WILLIAM (AND MR. DRACO IF APPLICABLE)

I need each of you to select from the assorted powers within the Dauntless and the Free Nations of Faerun.
I am dividing control of these two great powers up amongst all of you.
The roster of nations and peoples within the Dauntless and the Free Nations has already been put up: choose amongst yourselves which powers you wish to take.

IN ADDITION:

The cities of the Moonsea are allying for mutual protection.
Zhentil Keep, Melvaunt, Hillsfar, Mulmaster, are forming the Moonsea League.
Someone is free to claim this power, who does not already control a power.

Cormyr, Sembia, the Dalelands, the Knights of Myth Drannor, the elves of Cormanthor, and the dwarven and elven kingdoms of the Vast are all allying.
They are calling themselves the Free Peoples.
Someone is free to claim this power, who does not already control a power.

FURTHERMORE:

I recommend that Venus be allowed to take control of the Dwarves of the North, Dwarves of the Old South, and Dwarves of the Great Rift.

I recommend Lichtenhart be allowed to take control of the Metallic Dragons of Faerun, the Gem Dragons of Faerun, and the Faerie of Faerun.

I recommend that Inez be given control of the Sharn.

However, it is up to you.

- - -

Festy Dog, you are now in control of Candlekeep. Please remember that Candlekeep holds a secret army of colossal size and magical power.
Candlekeep is as powerful as Halruaa.