Chapter 9: Q&A / Discussions

[Brian]

Ken, you have done wonderful work. Thank you.

I'll gladly go along as "the hired muscle" for Belarin's Away Team One. And I think Darren is right: if we plant another group that is voicing interest in Nerrin's maps, that could start the ball rolling sooner. My only worry here is if descriptions of our party have been passed around. If that is the case, someone may put two and two together and the charade falls apart.

But, what if we asked Starg or Shem to accompany Away Team Two? That may be just enough to throw off the connection?

[Dave W.]

Kudos Ken!

Adamant would be excellent as a bodyguard. But two things: first, we're not going to stay on the ship once we get to Stormreach right? It's not ours forever. We'll be getting rooms, no? Even if it's possible, arent we putting the crew in danger?

Second, if we do the map scam twice maybe we change id's? Or are you thinking of being Nerrin both times? If we the same scam twice we could change bodyguards.

[Ken]

Thanks for the feedback and appreciation.

Yeah, I'm totally onboard with the various cool suggestions, i.e., having Kal as an interested buyer; maybe enlisting one of the NPCs; and Belarin using his second fake ID (yes, he has another!) for the second con, with a different bodyguard.

We'll just have to arrange for Away Team 1 to get off the boat right away and maybe stay at an inn somewhere for one night before Nerrin has his scheduled meeting with Mr. Kalarian d'Deneith. Hey, Krez's people have their prearranged contacts in Stormreach, so as far as Krez knows, Larest and Kalarian have their prearranged contacts in Stormreach, too. Let's do this.

[Darren]

Does Belarin have any disguises in addition to his fake ID? Krez's people may have descriptions of all of us.....

[Ken]

He has a disguise kit (purchased back during his character creation!) so he can alter his features a bit. He WILL need a change of clothes, though; his current feyweave clothing is pretty distinctive.

[Dave W.]

The clothing should be easy to fix... Either borrow or buy new.

For shopping, Adamant's got two stops for him: a scroll case for the note that came with the chest and then stopping at the artificer for "adjustments". Not sure we need to rp either in detail though I'm willing. Oh and he might be interested in getting a crossbow or some more throwing hammers.

I'm still no clear on money, Adamant's got like 5 gp to his name. If he needs to borrow some how do we decide that?

Also not clear on where we will be really staying. It seems like people are assuming we're really going to make homebase the ship. That right?

[Joe]

2 things:

a) Agree with the change of clothes. Streko has hisrobes and cleric garb...quite out of place I am sure...unless you are a traveller looking for something...so then again....

and second) Streko and Adamant seem to be the two main healers...they should be in different groups....just in case!

[Darren]

Yeah, Streko should stay with Kal and Adamant can be the bodyguard.

I assumed we would find appropriate lodgings in town.

Dave, the group has a communal pool of money that Jeff said we could basically draw on, as needed, when we're in a town where we'd be able to access it. It's in a bank somewhere.

[Dave B.]

Assuming Shorak hasn't been gone too long, he should still have lodging here in Stormreach. If Jeff says that's not the case, I would hope it won't be difficult for him to get new lodgings.

[Ken]

Jeff and I had a quick, separate discussion, and he asked what in general terms Belarin's maps would show. Here's the answer:

Map #1 will focus on the mountain range next to Menechtarun.

• Menechtarun will be called something else on the map (hey, it's an OLD map!). If this map ends up being the Sylvan one, it'll be some old fey name. If it's not the fey map, then Belarin will ask Condign for an appropriately "Demon Wastey" name.
• Despite the difference in name, the geographical details will be recognizable to anyone who is familiar with maps of Xen'drik. It'll display a narrow but apparently unobstructed route through the mountains between the desert and the Fangs of Argarak.
• It was used by nomadic desert tribes centuries ago, possibly for trade or possibly as an attack route.
• An ominous skull symbol will mark the most recognizable route (a.k.a. the real one) into the mountains.
• It's surmised that the creator of the map was part of an expedition a long time ago.
• Belarin will cut his hand and bleed on it for a bit, then he'll ask Histra to necromantically age the blood drops. (Yes, this is foreplay for them.)

Map #2 will focus on the area between Pra'Xirek and Zantashk.

• It will likely be about 200 years old, depending on whether it's fey or Cyran in nature.
• The marshy area between the terminus of the Hydra River and Tlebek will be marked by a shaky scribble, which indicates that an outbreak of disease occurred there, and the mapmaker himself has been affected. (The language and terminology will be either Sylvan or Cyran, depending on the answer to Belarin's question.)
• The mapmaker indicates a less deadly route for his companions -- or successors -- to take to get to "the Prize": an underground passage that he discovered by accident during his flight from the Ring of Storms after the rest of his group was killed by the disease or by giants.
• It must be enchanted, because he exited the mountain range in a matter of minutes.
• He asks the reader to find the passage back into the mountains and do that which he failed to do.
• The words "Look for the rat" are meant to be a clue to the concealed entrance to the shortcut through the mountains.

[Darren]

I love the detail, Ken. Nice work!

[Ken]

Thanks, Darren.

Dec 4, 2011 21:00:04 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"Is there nothing pleasant in this land? Where are Unicorn Run and the Rainbow Bridge?"

Adamant cracks me up, Dave.

[Jeff]

Ken, I've updated your post above to include my map (for easier reference).

[Ken]

Thanks for tidying up my descriptions, Jeff.

Cool ending to a very eventful chapter! Yes, Belarin understands that he'll need supplies to finish his forgeries.

So it looks like shopping is first on the agenda, plus an artificer visit for Adamant. (Perhaps the artificer knows a way to temporarily "dim" the symbol of Dol Arrah? Otherwise, a thick tabard should do the trick.)

Belarin still wants to sow nasty rumors about the Patriot before that ship reaches Stormreach. It might be worthwhile for him to start walking around as Nerrin even before he finishes the maps, so that he can establish his presence, mention the "vampire cult on a Karrnathi ship" rumor, and casually drop hints about having acquired a map.

Nerrin could then follow that up a bit later by producing the now-completed map to satisfy the curiosity of a newly arrived adventurer on an expedition (Kalarian). That may actually be more realistic.

[Darren]

Yes. Away Team 1 should disembark at least 5 hours ahead of Away Team 2 (or Team Awesome, as Kal would call it). We could arrange to find lodgings in the same inn (which would help for Kal to be able to find and meet with "Nerrin"), but they should be arranged separately. We should also plan for a regular meeting time, somewhere away from prying eyes, but should have no other regular contact.

Kal needs to shop for ritual ingredients. He's got all these new rituals, but nothing to actually cast them with.

Also, when Kal needs to leave messages for Belarin, he can leave them with the inkeeper but cast Explosive Runes on all of them and make sure Belarin has the password.

[Ken]

Dec 5, 2011 16:13:06 GMT -4 Darren said:

Also, when Kal needs to leave messages for Belarin, he can leave them with the inkeeper but cast Explosive Runes on all of them and make sure Belarin has the password.

If there were ever to be an Eberron Three Stooges movie, this should be the plot. It has mayhem and death written all over it, in big, exploding letters.

[Jeff]

Okay, just some logistics stuff.

This talk of having two groups disembarking 5 hours apart:

The moment you go into Stormreach, who knows what can happen? Be prepared to have half the group not having much to post about while the other sees the sights. Just saying. (There are also other ways to disembark; wait for my next gameplay thread for more about that.)

Explosive Runes: Not to be used lightly. As Sem would have taught Kal. If you leave a note with an innkeeper that has Explosive Runes cast on it and someone reads it (whether your intended victim or not), it's a close burst 2 (1 square and 2 squares in all directions around it) that does 4d4 force damage. That means it's possible that up to 25 people, depending on location, could take 4 to 16 points of damage. Your average non-combatant or bar patron or passing-by old lady would be instantly slain. You can't always control when Explosive Runes will be discharged, but you'll want to try. It's usually used by mages to guard precious writings in chests, labs, studies, to punish intruders....not as often to create a bomb that'll go off when the wrong person is standing at a bar.

[Darren]

Well, if Kal specifically TELLS the bartender that no one but the intended recipient should read the letter or there will be dire, and explosive, consequences....wouldn't that be sufficient? I mean, the whole point is to keep the wrong people from reading it, right?

[Jeff]

Go ahead and tell a barkeep that. See if he wants to hold onto something like that.

[Darren]

What if Kal smiles at him....? ;D

[Ken]

Yeah, let's stay away from using Explosive Runes like that. Kalarian could instead turn that winning (?) smile on Larest and ask to borrow his telepathic rings, hmmm...?

[Dave W.]

Dec 5, 2011 15:15:35 GMT -4 Ken said:

So it looks like shopping is first on the agenda, plus an artificer visit for Adamant. (Perhaps the artificer knows a way to temporarily "dim" the symbol of Dol Arrah? Otherwise, a thick tabard should do the trick.)

I like the idea of the tabard, the holy symbol does detach at will (I believe it takes a bit longer to reattach). I could keep it in a pouch.

The tabard would also cover the Cyrian symbol etched in his chest.