Switching Roles - Ilora the Elf

[yougi]

Character sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=419451), and Chorg'Artha's (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=419951) for ease of Reference

Early into this cold, damp day of autumn, Ilora gets near the entrance to the city of Hammersburg. The two city guards are standing on each side of the entrance, questioning those who are about to enter the city.

After about ten minutes, it finally is Ilora's turn. One of the guards, a dark-skinned, middle-aged human sporting a thick mustache, examines her for a moment, and then asks her the usual, while the other guard waits for the answers to write them in a large leather bound book:

"Hello there! How are you named, where are you from, and why do you come to our splendid city?"

[appending_doom]

The elf is not particularly tall for her kind, and watches the world through grey eyes. Her blond hair is short and loose, and she wears a light tunic and skirt. She is carrying little more than a small book and nods at the guard before responding, quietly, "My name is Ilora, recently of Ke-"

The burly half-orc standing with her coughs once, and the woman continues smoothly, "Sashadur. I've come to find some place in your varied wizard's guild. This is my manservant, Chorg'artha."

The half-orc nods once. "Charmed," he grunts.\


Should I create a sheet for Chorg'artha? Or buy stuff for him? If so what methods and limits?

[yougi]

Chorg'Artha (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=419951)

Don't forget that he's still an NPC, and so... I might have fun with him! :)

Made him a Warrior, but here's my offer: when he hits 1000 XP, instead of making him lv2, you can make him a regular lv1 Fighter with 0 XP. Deal?

The man laughs at this request.

"You have no idea how many young wizards come right out of Sashadur and come here for a spot at the Guild. Hope you're ready to get in line. Anyway, that's your thing. Have a pleasant stay Mr. Ilora. You too, Mr. Chirg'Ostor... or something!"

When he gets to the next person in line, the guard laughs: "and Elf and a Greenblood, together! Only in Hammersburg, only in Centerworld!"

During that time, the second guard, tells you the way to the Mage's Guild: "Right after the market, there's a fork in the road. You follow it to your right, and you have to go through this more residential area... but after that, this road leads straight to the guild!"

[appending_doom]

"Thank you, sir. Have a good day." She begins following the directions given to her, knowing that Chorg'artha will likely be paying better attention to their surroundings than her. Once she is certain they are out of earshot of the guard, she growls under her breath. "Wait in line? Who does he think he's talking to? Of course, I'd wait if I had to - I'm sure I could skip a few places just waiting for some of the potential applicants to die off."

Unfortunately, they both know Ilora can't actually wait for her potential competitors to die off; she is broke, relying heavily on finding some means of making enough money to keep her and her bodyguard fed - and paid.


That sounds like a good plan, which I'll likely embrace if we survive that long. Now, for general fun/edification:

Ilora's 'List' (in rough order of priority), modified according to current mood and temprement
That wise-cracking guard who has no faith in Ilora's superiority
Kerrigor Eltrigon
Kerrigor's other apprentices
Spellcasters (except for Nerillaion)
Boccob?
Wee Jas?
Vecna?

This is a purely mental exercise for Ilora, and changes according to her moods and immediate surroundings. It never really constitutes an immediate threat to anyone (she may take advantage of an opportunity to inconvenience or kill someone on the list if immediately practicable, but will never simply attack someone just because they're on the list).

If someone does get a good detect thoughts on her, the list will make occasional appearances in her surface thoughts, though.

[yougi]

Thank you for the list. Love where this is going.

As for your bodyguard, I did say Fighter, but you can, obviously, put this level in anything you want. I hope that I made it clear that he'd be a Ftr/ (or whatever), not a War1/Ftr1. It's simply a way to make sure he takes a back seat to you.

When the duo gets to the Mage's Guild, contrary to the guard's suspicions, the entrance contains only a single hobbit behind a counter, and two guards: a half-orc, and a man over 7 and a half feet tall who seems to have giant or ogre blood in him.

As the duo enter, the halfling raises his head, happy to have someone to discuss with, and automatically starts talking, too fast for anyone to put in a word anywhere in this sentence:

"Hello there lady, gent, so, two new wizards eh, here for business I guess, and you're in luck, see, some members recently crafted wands that we sell for cheap, we also have a few scrolls, or maybe you'd be interested in potions, I have a new shipment of elemental resistance potions, which you always need, because the other day, Rehil, you probably met the guy, you know, no eyebrows, that's an experiment gone wrong, tried to create a small mouse golem to use as a spy to send to a competitor in Vertland, a fellow named Lupstin, I think he's from the Empire, anyways, the guy's half-gnoll or something, imagine that, a half-gnoll wizard, ain't that bizarre, gnolls are not what you have in mind when you talk about wizards, then again, neither are Orcs, yet you're still here, anyways, all this to say Rehil met a hell hound the other day in the forest, good thing he had that potion or he might not be here today!"

He then takes a deep breath in:

"Anyways, Roscoe Tealeaf, I'm the Leader of this Guild. Who are you two lovely fellas, and how can I help you on this wooooooooooooooonderful day?"

Wow, I'm out of breath just typing this.

One small thing: I'd rather have you end your posts on notes like "on this, they went to the Mage's Guild", so I know where I should come in, and are still open if something has to happen before you get there. In this case, I guessed you were heading there, but you know, if it's clear I won't break your plans! ;)

[appending_doom]

"Um..." Ilora stares at the halfling for several moments in silence. "I wasn't here to buy anything. We're sort of...broke. I was actually looking for a wizard's guild out here that I might be able to join. I've been at loose ends for a while."

She glances at Chorg'artha before shrugging. "And Chorg-artha isn't a wizard...exactly. He's more of an...attache."

She stops, waiting expectantly for what will likely be a long-winded response.


Ilora's 'List' (in rough order of priority)
That wise-cracking guard who has no faith in Ilora's superiority and has no idea what he's talking about
Kerrigor Eltrigon
Kerrigor's other apprentices
Spellcasters (except for Nerillaion)
Boccob?
Wee Jas?
Vecna?

[yougi]

"Broke? Oh, you're right out of an academy I guess, new to the profession, just done with apprenticeship, and you realize that a young wizard doesn't necessarily have the power to change nails into diamonds, and that riches won't come without a cost, haven't you?"

Roscoe stops here, as in to let time for you to answer, but goes right back into his monologue after half a second, answer or not.

"Anyway, you've decided to come here, see if anyone could use a young wizard like you, and then start from there, well, good thinking, you know, a lot of our members would be interested in paying for your man's biceps, you know, can never be too careful, while you could probably, I don't want to insult you, but all our members would be willing to pay you to do is go get some herbs in the woods, and you know, the money's not that good, but pretty much everyone's broke in here, they don't know how to manage their money, take Ratduu, the other day he wins a bet with a guy at the tavern who doesn't know he's a mage, the cretin bet him something like 20gp that he wouldn't be able to, what was it, make a pitcher fall from a table without touching it, anyway, the matters of a small mind, but all this to say that obviously, Ratduu did it without a problem, and he got that money, and you know what he did with it, that imbecile just used that hard-earned money to pay a tankard of ale to everyone who congratulates him, and guess what, when they saw that, everyone went to congratulate him, and it ended up costing him 35gp or something, anyways, almost as if he had lost the bet, but either way, yeah, people here are broke, except for me, cause I take care of my money, but if you're broke, maybe a young elf like you could get to scribing scrolls, either bring them to me and we sell them only to keep a third of the profit, and we take the other two thirds away from your monthly payment to be in the Guild, if there's extra than you use that extra to buy some other scrolls for us, I say scrolls but it can also be potions or wands or anything a wizard would want, either that or you go around town looking for people asking for a scroll in particular, maybe some of those merchants at the market, they're about to leave and maybe they'd like a couple of scrolls of endure elements or something, could be interesting for you."

Long, deep breath in.

"But obviously, to sell your things here or work for a member you have to be a member yourself and that comes at 200gp a month, either paid right here and now or through your sales, as I explained earlier."

[appending_doom]

Ilora narrows her eyes. She does not mention her distinct lack of skill in scroll-scribing. "Well, the services of my bodyguard may very well be negotiable, presuming muscle for hire isn't regulated quite as strictly as wizardry here. But as he's my bodyguard, he doesn't go off on adventures without me.

"Regardless, what other options for payment of your fee do you have for those who don't want to toil away scribing scrolls for a living? I suspect that even if my bodyguard had work with someone, you wouldn't let me tag along without paying your fee."


Ilora's 'List' (in rough order of priority)
That wise-cracking guard
Kerrigor Eltrigon
Kerrigor's other apprentices
Spellcasters (except for Nerillaion)
Boccob?
Wee Jas?
Vecna?

[yougi]

At that last part, Roscoe smiles:

"You know what it's like, business is business."

After a short pause to think, he goes on to a regular speed of speech:

"Now, if you don't want to craft for a living, you want the excitement of field work, I might have something for you. After all, my senses (and by that I mean my magic) tell me you two wouldn't mind... less than legal work, would you?"

[appending_doom]

Ilora doesn't miss a beat. "One of the spells I persuaded my mentor to teach me is a simple charm to remove protective charms from doors and locks. Finding and opening things could be considered a sort of talent." It is not an admission of illegal activities, or even an acceptance of any illegal commission. But she is intelligent enough to be subtle. "I might be persuaded to use such skills to assist people with need of such talents. And, of course, if muscle is required to assist, well..." She shrugs. "Mind, I am an abjurer. Removing magical obstacles is more my forte than animate ones, if you get my drift."


Ilora's 'List' (in rough order of priority)
That wise-cracking guard
Kerrigor Eltrigon
Kerrigor's other apprentices
Spellcasters (except for Nerillaion)
Boccob?
Wee Jas?
Vecna?
Maybe Roscoe. Look for a way to let him off easy

[yougi]

"Excellent, excellent. However, I assume your friend prefers more physical obstacles, am I correct?" he continues on his slow, calculated tone. "See, I have met a traveling merchant yesterday, one who would like to get his hand on information that's contained in a book, a book that's been lost for a few years, a book that I have recently found in the possession of an evil wizard, Alimvus is his name. I have reasons to believe he left it in his manor on a small island, a few miles off the coast, while he is currently imprisoned in a Berdilamic prison. However, reason would remind us that such items would be put under several magical charms, and probably some puzzles to bend your mind around, if I know the man well. Bring me the book, and I'll offer you membership in this guild for a whole year. In addition, if you bring me a complete map of his manor, detailed with the man's defenses, I would add another 250gp to this offer, in coins. What d'ya say?"

[appending_doom]

"Well, it certainly sounds interesting. A map, you say? I can certainly try my hand on it, and I presume, once I accept, you'll tell me what the book I need to find actually is. But I'm game, I suppose." She glances at Chorg'artha, awaiting his answer.

[yougi]

The half-orc, without a doubt, winks at Ilora: "Adventure! Finally some action!" he says.

"Excellent. Now here is the plan. Go stock up, and whenever you're ready, just come here and I will teleport you there. Afterwards, when you find the book and have the map, I'll have given you a ring that will teleport you back here. It will be in a locked cell however, simple security measure if you lose the ring, but the jailer will come and get me rather quickly, and I'll take you out of that cell, and there you go!"

"Now here are the rules though: you can steal WHATEVER you want, but you are not selling it back to a member of the guild, or it would bring back the heat on us if ever the guy gets out of that prison he's in. Also, unless it is absolutely necessary for your own preservation, DO NOT kill servants. Now come back to me whenever you're ready and I'll give you more details about the book you'll be stealing.."

[appending_doom]

As I'm not near my PHB, I don't recall how much money I even had to start with - I need ink and pen for a map, and, if possible, something akin to a battering ram in case we find locked doors.

Otherwise, I'll be delaying long enough to re-prepare spells.

[yougi]

For a wizard, it's 3d4x10, and I said you start with the max possible, so 120. You can deduce whatever equipment you had.

[appending_doom]

I'm done, unless alchemical items don't count as magic items, at which point I'd have 3 smokesticks.

If Roscoe/the guild has cheaper space to stay the night, I'd take it. Otherwise, we try for a good room and common meals at an inn, if possible.

[yougi]

Alchemical items are a-okay. There's no space at the guild for non-members, so that will be at the inn. There are three:
Dragon's Horn, for richer people (4gp a night)
Last Whispers, for common folk (2gp a night for good room, 5sp for average)
Boar's Tongue, for criminal (1sp a night, 3sp a night for a room with a lock)

[appending_doom]

After making her purchases, Ilora travels to Last Whispers, where she secures a good room for her and Chorg'artha, where she can rest and study in the morning for the mission. In the morning, she heads back to the guild for her briefing, and for the mission itself.

[yougi]

As she gets to the guild, Roscoe is at the same spot he was the day before, a cup of tea in his hands, with the two guards standing there on each side of the door:

"So, have you two thought about it?"

[appending_doom]

"Oh, yes. I think we will take you up on this offer. I'll even try not to kill anyone."

Ilora shifts the backpack she carries, getting used to the weight of it.

[yougi]

Roscoe gives Ilora a ring and five potion vials.

"I recommend that you wear this ring at all times. If you pronounce the command word that's carved inside ("Alfusjikrey"), you will be teleported straight into a cage downstairs, and I'll be there shortly to liberate you. These potions are two potions of cure light wounds, one of mage armor and two of hide from animals, in case he has guard dogs or something. The man is crafty, so please be careful out there, there could be traps EVERYWHERE! The book I'm looking for is titled Alfigus Namater, it is a book that expands on the principles that govern golem building and animation. Any question?"

[appending_doom]

Ilora slips the ring on her finger. "I suppose I'd appreciate knowing what the book looks like. Otherwise, I think you've kept us very well-equipped."

[yougi]

"The book is bounds is black leather and has its title written on it. It's also rather heavy, probably about six or seven hundred pages long."

[appending_doom]

"Well, I think that does it. I'm ready. You?" She glances at Chorg'artha when she says this.

[yougi]

"Let's do this" says the half-orc.

Roscoe tells the two guards to close the shop for a bit, and leads you to a nearby room. He asks you two to hold each other's hand, takes out a scroll and starts casting. Then, flash of light, and you are both standing on a small island, 1200 ft long, 800ft wide, and a really rocky place. On the horizon, you can only see water.

"Are teleport spells something that can miss?" asks Chorg'artha.

[appending_doom]

"They may very well," Ilora comment darkly. "They can also be deliberately set elsewhere, although there are easier ways of getting rid of people. Come on."

She sets out to make a circuit of the island. There may appear to be no building, but a mage might very well choose to hide a place where he keeps valuables.


Is it too late to roll Spellcraft to know what spell was actually cast?

[yougi]

No, but at a higher DC. But...

While walking around the island, you notice at some point,at the center of the island, a shallow depression with a stone door. The door is unlocked and when opened reveals a descending stone stairway. At its bottom is another door made of an unfamiliar, pitch black material.

[appending_doom]

Ilora stares at the door for several long moments. "Chorg'artha, we've got a hit," she announces. "Bring the ram." She frowns at the door, trying to determine, without wasting a precious resource, if there's anything odd about it.


Can a Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft reveal anything useful about it? Otherwise, I'm going the brute force method

[yougi]

Roll your stuff, I'll tell you if you know anything about it. By the way, did you try to open it before ramming into it? ;)

[appending_doom]

Knowledge arcana [roll0]
Knowledge dungeoneering [roll1]
Spellcraft [roll2]

And I didn't tell him to use it yet :smalltongue:

[yougi]

Nothing. (and with those roll, that tells you something, doesn't it!):smallwink:

[appending_doom]

Ilora waits until Chorg'artha arrives, at which point she suggests he arm himself. Then she takes a deep breath and attempts to open the door, silently wishing it were the day she had summons to do this for her.

[yougi]

On the other side of the door, the room has dark green stone walls. On the walls are gold fabric wall hangings and paintings of wilderness landscapes. A watermelon-shaped metal object is moving back and forth across the floor in a regular pattern. It has two stubby legs and feet but no head or arms. Against one wall is a simple oak table next to a large corner cabinet of dull metal. In the other corner is a wooden closet door. A mirror on the opposite wall has a very heavy filigreed frame of unfamiliar metals. Two comfortable sofas and two chairs are arranged in front of a fireplace which glows with a fire. Across from the fireplace is what looks like a pitch-black doorway, and to the right a sort of hallway leading to another black opening. In the hallway is also a wooden door.

http://www.xsnake.net/upload/entrance.jpg

[appending_doom]

Ilora pulls out a small prism and focuses her attention through it, first turning to the watermelon object, and then to the cabinet, before settling on the mirror.


detect magic to scan the room.

Spellcraft for auras:
Watermelon [roll0]
Cabinet [roll1]
Mirror [roll2]

Overall, Knowledge (arcana) for the moving object [roll3]

[yougi]

All three detect as magical: the watermelon as transmutation, the mirror as divination, and the cabinet, you can't say. The watermelon answers to every definition of the word golem, although it doesn't look like any golem you've seen before.

[appending_doom]

"Try to avoid the golem on the floor," Ilora says before stepping inside, hoping that she can keep the thing from running into her. She moves towards the mirror slowly, peering at it. She leaves the cabinet alone for the moment, aware that she might be able to handle it if the magic on it is the right type, but hoping to finding something else of use before risking it.

[yougi]

"I don't like this place," says Chorg'Artha.

[appending_doom]

"I'm not a fan myself," Ilora mutters. "But this is the sort of thing that wizards' bodyguards end up doing. I promise, one day I'll be powerful enough that you won't have to worry about anything being able to hurt you out here."

[yougi]

"Can't wait" he says, without real excitement, grasping his weapon really tight. "So, what now?"

[appending_doom]

"We're leaving the cabinet alone for now," she says, heading toward the wooden door in the hallway. "Only a moron would leave a valuable in the front parlor, even inside a warded cabinet."

[yougi]

Chorg'Artha gets in front of you: "If the thing's trapped, better I get the most of it rather than you!" When he opens the door, he reveals a large rectangular room. Three of the walls are covered with books. The fourth one, which connects to the room with the fireplace, is a window: the mirror is only one way, you realize. In front of you is another of those dark openings. Between you and that door is a large table, and right in front of that is a human, laying on the floor, an arrow in his chest, bleeding.

[appending_doom]

"I hope no one blames this on me," Ilora mutters. "Check to see if he had a key or anything else useful." She begins examining the bookshelves to see if their goal is there.


Search [roll0]

And if it doesn't work, how long would taking 20 go?

[yougi]

Actually you won't even have time for your first roll, but I'll keep the result in mind if you search the same room again.

As Chorg'Artha gets near the corpse, a man gets out from behind the table, a bow aimed at you. At the same time. The "corpse" reveals that it actually is still alive, and draws a dagger near Chorg'Artha's throat.

The one with the bow speaks first: "Hi to both of you. We will not hurt you if you don't try anything funny. First, answer our questions: who are you, why are you here, and how did you get here?"

[appending_doom]

"My name? Easy enough, I suppose," Ilora says, and tries to catch them off-guard with a color spray.


Bluff, to distract the moment before [roll0] (This might not be a very subtle attempt)
Init [roll1]
And Concetration, in case someone shoots me mid-spell: [roll2]
The will save DC is 16, and effect depends on their HD

[yougi]

No, starting to mumble your spells' incantation is not really a very subtle thing when somebody has a bow readied in your direction. What I'll do is I'll have a round for everyone in order of Initiative, except you who'll go last (I'm evil), as I'd give Chorg'Artha and his opponent each a chance: he doesn't have a bow readied in his face. For you, it simply represents the fact that you'll act after the man who threatens you. Next round is obviously back to normal.

Init Chorg'Artha: [roll0]
Init them: [roll1]

[yougi]

Chorg'Artha takes out his axe and swings it in the guy's face: at +4 as he's prone, so [roll0] for [roll1], if he connects.

The archer will shoot you: [roll2] for [roll3]. Because of your concentration check, if he touches, your spell misses.

If the dagger guy is still up, he'll attack Chorg'Artha, at -4 as he is prone: [roll4] for [roll5].

He also gets up, so Chorg'Artha gets an AoO: [roll6] for [roll7].

Then, your color spray will go last if you haven't been touched: Will save: [roll8]

[yougi]

So Chorg'Artha missed the man in front of him.

The archer nailed one in you, and... wow, you actually fall to 0, you therefore are disabled.

Chorg'Artha dodges a dagger, and swings the man again as he tries to get up, disabling him also.

Now Chorg'Artha is still ahead of you next Initiative, so:

[roll0] for [roll1]

[yougi]

And that's a miss. Now, you're disabled, so you could keep on doing things, so I'll still stop at your turns.

And by the way, who carries Roscoe's potions?

[appending_doom]

He has everything heavy. I have potions.

Ilora tries to get one of the potions from her bag.

[yougi]

Potion of cure light wounds: [roll0] hp

At this point, the guy with the bow has another arrow readied at you: "I SAID DON'T TRY ANYTHING FUNNY! And tell your green friend to stop, or you're both going down!"

[appending_doom]

Ilora carefully raises her hands. "I'm not in the habit of listening to people just because they have crossbows pointed at me. Besides, I suspect you have about as much right to be here as I do; employees don't tend to play dead on the floor." After a moment, she narrows her eyes. "Chor'gartha. Stand down. I suppose."

[yougi]

Chorg'Artha kneels down, dropping his axe to the ground, which the dagger guy picks up. You clearly notice that both of them are really nervous.

The archer starts speaking: "So, Mrs. Spellcaster Pointyear, Mr. Biceps Greenskin, did you two figure a way out yet?"

[appending_doom]

"Of you pointing crossbows at my head? Because you've already indicated I'm supposed to cooperate to get that to stop."

[yougi]

The archer starts yelling: "ARE YOU TRYING TO TEMPT ME? YOU WANT THAT BOLT THROUGH YOUR HEAD?"

"Calm down Doblin. Excuse him, he can get quite nervous. We did not mean to harm you, but after a few months in this crazy place, you forget about politeness. We meant to say, outside of this... place. Did you find a way out yet?"

[appending_doom]

"You mean the door? I just came in that way," Ilora replies. At the same time, she tries to wrack her brain as to what sort of magic can keep people trapped, and if is might block the teleportation out.


Knowledge arcana [roll0]

[yougi]

Illusions could, by making one believe the exit is not there. Charmed creatures might simply not want to leave... Memory-altering magic? So many options...

"Is that elf stupid or what?" asks Doblin, the nervous archer.

"Doblin! I'm sorry about my companion's tenseness, but we asked if you found an EXIT, not an entrance."

[yougi]

After nearly two weeks without reply, I'm taking this game out of my bookmark list. If you come back to the game, please PM me.